271 Clarendon Street / 91 Marlborough Street

271-279 Clarendon Street

91 Marlborough Street (271 Clarendon Street) was built ca. 1869 for building contractor George Wheatland, Jr., for speculative sale, one of five contiguous houses (91 Marlborough and 273-275-277-279 Clarendon).

By 1870, it was the home of Edward Darley Boit, Jr.  He is shown as the owner on the 1874 Hopkins map.

Edward Darley Boit was an attorney by training who gave up the law to become a painter.  His brother-in-law and sister, Arthur and Jane (Boit) Hunnewell, lived next door, at 273 Clarendon.

Edward Boit continued to live at 91 Marlborough in 1872, but moved soon thereafter to Europe.

In October of 1873, 91 Marlborough became the home of noted historian, novelist, and essayist Henry Brooks Adams and his wife, Marian Hooper.  They had been married in June of 1872, after which they travelled in Europe, and 91 Marlborough probably was their first home together.  They continued to live there in 1880.

By 1882, it was the home of retired merchant and banker John Endicott Peabody and his wife Gertrude (Lawrence) Peabody.  Soon thereafter, they built and moved to a new home at 183 Marlborough.

By October of 1883, it was the home of Augustus Hemenway and his wife, Harriet Dexter (Lawrence) Hemenway.  He is shown as the owner on the 1883 Bromley map, and Harriet Hemenway is shown as the owner on the 1888 Bromley map. The Hemenways also maintained a summer home and farm in Canton.

Augustus Hemenway was a trustee of estates. 

In 1890, the Hemenways purchased 273 Clarendon and combined the houses. They converted the entrance to 91 Marlborough into a bay window and rebuilt the front entrance at 273 Clarendon, which became the address of the combined property.

The 1938 Bromley Atlas shows the Episcopal City Mission as the owner of this building.