9 Marlborough Street

9 Marlborough Street

9 Marlborough Street was designed by architect Charles Kirby and built ca. 1863, one of four contiguous houses (9-11-13-15 Marlborough).  The four houses form two pairs of mirror opposite buildings (9-11 Marlborough and 13-15 Marlborough); each pair with a single entrance porch creating a symmetrical entryway.

By 1865, it was the home of Charles Allen Lambard and his wife, Abby (Williams) Lambard.  He was a merchant and investor in railroads, real estate, mining, and manufacturing companies.  An early investor in the Union Pacific Railroad, he served as a vice president of the company.

By 1870, the Lambards had moved to New York City and 9 Marlborough was the home of Franklin Gordon Dexter and his wife, Susan Greene (Amory) Dexter.  Susan Dexter's parents, Charles and Martha (Greene) Amory, lived with them.  In 1865, the Dexters had lived at 172 Beacon Street.

F. Gordon Dexter was a shipping merchant and another early investor in the Union Pacific Railroad.  Charles Amory was treasurer of a textile mill.

In 1872, the Dexters purchased and moved to 55 Beacon Street, which had been the home of his wife's aunt, Susannah (Amory) Prescott, who died that year.  She was the widow of historian William Hickling Prescott.  F. Gordon Dexter continued to own 9 Marlborough.

By 1875, 9 Marlborough was leased by Mrs. Margaret E. Robbins, the widow of John F. Robbins, and her adult children, Edward A. Robbins, a bookkeeper, and Margaret E. Robbins, a sewing teacher at Adams School.

They were not listed there in the 1876 Blue Book.

By 1877, it was the home of Dr. H. B. Clarke.

By 1878, it was the home of Mrs. K. P. Ward.

By 1879, it was the home of William Whitwell Greenough, treasurer of the Boston Gas Light Company, and his wife, Catherine Scollay (Curtis) Greenough.  By 1880, they had moved to 249 Berkeley Street.

By 1880, 9 Marlborough was the home of attorney Edward Albert Kelly and his wife, Mary Adams (Farley) Kelly. In 1879, they had lived next door, at 11 Marlborough.  Edward Kelly is shown as the owner of 9 Marlborough on the 1883 and 1888 Bromley maps.

George F. Farley, Mary Kelly's brother, lived with the Kellys until 1885, and possibly later. He was a tea importer.

The Kellys also maintained a summer home in Cohasset.

Edward Kelly died in August of 1907, and Mary Kelly continued to live at 9 Marlborough.  The Heirs of Edward A. Kelly are shown as the owners on the 1908 Bromley map.

Mary Kelly died in May of 1909.  9 Marlborough was not listed in the 1910 Blue Book, and by 1911 it was the home of the Kellys’ daughter, Elizabeth Farley Kelly.

In September of 1923, Elizabeth Kelly married to photographer and naturalist William Lyman Underwood, a widower.  Their primary residence was in Belmont, but they kept 9 Marlborough as their Boston home.  The Heirs of Edward Kelly continued to be shown as the owners on the 1917 and 1928 Bromley maps.

Lyman Underwood died in January of 1929.  Elizabeth Underwood continued to live in Belmont and at 9 Marlborough in 1930.

By 1931, 9 Marlborough had been acquired by William W. Drummey, an architect, who converted the house into architects' offices (two offices per floor).  In its April 15, 1931 decision allowing him to use the building for this purpose, the Board of Appeal noted that the house "was formerly used as a residence but for the last two years it has been idle due to the inability of the owner to rent or sell same as a residence."

By 1934, 9 Marlborough apparently was no longer entirely architects' offices (if at all) and had become the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. McGlue.  Listed with them in the 1934 Blue Book was Charles A. Brett.

Mrs. McGlue may have died in 1935 or 1936, and Charles McGlue continued to live there in 1937, and possibly later.

Mildred M. Manning is shown as the owner of 9 Marlborough on the 1938 Bromley map.

By 1964, Charles Talanian of Talanian Realty had acquired both 9 Marlborough and 11 Marlborough.  In January of 1964, he converted each house into eleven apartments (at the time of the application, 9 Marlborough was indicated as being a vacant single-family dwelling).