68 Commonwealth Avenue

68 Commonwealth Avenue

68 Commonwealth was designed by Snell and Gregerson, architects, and built ca. 1869 for David Rice Whitney, a merchant dealing in dye stuffs and later a banker, on land he purchased from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on June 18, 1868.  He is shown as the owner on the 1874 Hopkins map and on the 1883, 1888, and 1908 Bromley maps.

David Whitney and his wife, Sophia Paine (Dunn) Whitney, lived here for the rest of their lives. 
           
Sophia Whitney died in December of 1885.  By the time of her death, their elder daughter, Frances Elinor, and her husband, Walter Burgess were living with them.  They previously had lived at 231 Marlborough Street.
           
The Burgesses divorced by 1892, and she continued to live at 68 Commonwealth with her father until his death in 1914.
           
The house was not listed in the 1915, 1917, and 1922 Boston Blue Books, nor does it appear to have been enumerated in the 1920 US Census.  Francis C. Welch et al, Trustees, are shown as the owners on the 1917 Bromley map.

By 1921, 68 Commonwealth was owned by John Valentine Dittemore, a former meat packing executive from Indianapolis who had retired to Boston to become a leader of the Christian Science Church.  On July 16, 1921, he submitted a permit to convert the house from a single-family dwelling into apartments.

By 1923, the house appears to have had three living units.  The original residents of the three units were John Dittemore and his wife, Edith L. (Bingham) Dittemore (who lived there until about 1925, when they moved to the Copley Plaza Hotel); Frederick Shepherd Converse, a composer and music teacher, and his wife, Emma Cecile (Tudor) Converse (who lived there until about 1925, when they moved to their primary residence in Westwood); and Miss Marie Ramseyer (who lived there until about 1926).

By 1928, the house was owned by Smith P. Burton, Jr., who is shown as the owner on the 1928 and 1938 Bromley maps. It continued to be occupied as a multiple family dwelling.

By 1947, 68 Commonwealth was owned by M. F. Timmons.  By that time, the house had four apartments and Mr. Timmons was one of the residents.      

On October 30, 1972, 68 Commonwealth was purchased by George Hastings Swift, Jr., grandson of Gustavus Franklin Swift, founder of the Swift meat packing company.  By 1974, the house was occupied by Byrd Swift, possibly George Swift, Jr.'s wife, Byrd Worthington (Littlefield) Swift, but more likely their unmarried daughter, Byrd Goodrich Swift.
           
George Swift, Jr. died in December of 1982, and the property was held in trust for the benefit of his wife. Byrd W. L. Swift.  After her death in July of 1988, it was transferred to the three Swifts' children.  On December 19, 1995, the Swift family sold the house at auction

When the house was sold, it was comprised of four apartments. In 1997, it was converted into condominiums.