59 Marlborough Street

59 Marlborough Street

59 Marlborough Street was built ca. 1873 as the home of professor and MIT President James Mason Crafts, and his wife, Clémence (Haggerty) Crafts.  She is shown as the owner on the 1874 Hopkins map.

The Crafts continued to live there until the mid-1870s, when they moved to Paris.  They retained the house and leased to others; Clémence Crafts continued to be shown as the owner on the 1883, 1888, and 1908 Bromley maps.

In 1875, both James Crafts and John Malcolm Forbes were listed at 59 Marlborough in the Boston City Directory.  John and Sarah (Jones) Forbes probably leased the house from the Crafts after their departure for Europe.  Mr. and Mrs. Forbes also maintained a home in Milton.

By 1876, 59 Marlborough was the home of John James Dixwell and his wife, Elizabeth Boardman Ingersoll (Bowditch) Dixwell.  They maintained their primary residence in Jamaica Plain.  John Dixwell was president of the Massachusetts National Bank.  He died in November of 1876, and his wife and Elizabeth Dixwell moved to her home in Jamaica Plain soon thereafter.

James and Clémence Crafts returned to Boston and were living at 59 Marlborough for the 1877-1878 winter season, but returned to Europe soon thereafter.

By 1879, it was the home of attorney (and future Massachusetts Governor) Roger Wolcott and his wife, Edith (Prescott) Wolcott.  They also maintained a home in Milton.  They continued to live at 59 Marlborough in June of 1880, at the time the 1880 US Census was taken, but moved soon thereafter to a new home they had built at 173 Commonwealth Avenue.

By 1882, 59 Marlborough was the home and medical offices of Dr. Franklin H. Hooper, a physician.  His mother, Adeline Denny (Ripley) Hooper, the widow of Robert Chamblet Hooper, lived with him in 1885.

James and Clémence Crafts returned to Boston for the 1889-1890 winter season and were listed at 59 Marlborough in the 1890 Blue Book and City Directory.

They were living elsewhere once again by 1892, and 59 Marlborough was the home of Dr. and Mrs. J. J. Ransom.

By 1893, the Crafts had resumed living there and continued to make it their home until about 1907. 

By 1908, they had purchased and moved to 111 Commonwealth Avenue and 59 Marlborough was the home of their son-in-law and daughter, Russell Sturgis Codman and Anna K. (Crafts) Codman.  They also maintained a summer residence in Manchester.  Anna Codman is shown as the owner of 59 Marlborough on the 1917 and 1928 Bromley maps. 

Russell S. Codman was a real estate investor and broker.

Anna Codman continued to be shown as the owner of 59 Marlborough on the 1938 Bromley map, and Russell and Anna Codman continued to live there in 1940. 

Their son, Russell S. Codman, Jr., lived with them, and from 1941, it was listed as his residence in the City Directories.  He and his wife, Jane D. (Ferguson) Codman, continued to live there for the rest of their lives.

Russell Codman, Jr., was a banker and broker, and later joined his father's real estate firm.  He served as Boston Fire Commissioner in the late 1940s, appointed by Mayor James Michael Curley.  In 1959, he was appointed honorary consul general of Japan.