Name/Title
Donworth House, Machias, MaineDescription
From Machias Valley News Observer, November 27, 2019.
By Valdine Atwood
Early in April of 1833, a young Irishman named Patrick Enright Donworth arrived in Machias. He was 21 years of age. Soon after arriving in Machias, he would begin a path that would lead him to be the head of one of the most prominent families to live in this town. Arriving with almost nothing but the determination to succeed, he set up shop as a tailor in a small building at the site of the former Eastern Hotel, which was located on the corner of Centre and Court Streets, next to the Centre Street Church.
His habits of industry soon borefruit. In two years he purchased the present site of the Donworth Block, where Machias River General Store is currently located on Main Street, at that time occupied by the first schoolhouse in Machias. He transformed the building into a shop and moved his business there. The shop developed into a store, the tailoring business disappeared, a conspicuous share in local enterprises were taken, and before long he was fairly started in that career for which he became known — merchant, shipowner, lumber manufacturer. He bought real estate both in town and adjacent districts. His forestry was extensive and his vessels sailed from his wharves and were seen not only in Boston, New York, and other home ports but made the rounds of the seas, bringing return cargoes from other lands.
Donworth would have been prominent in any social circle. In a larger city, the effects of his character would have been proportionally marked — he was a psychologically superior man. His faith was Catholic, he loved it and identified himself with the Catholic Church throughout his life. Everything Catholic attracted him. When Machias had no resident Catholic Pastor, it was at Donworth’s house that the clergymen from Ellsworth, Bangor and beyond came roughly every two months to officiate at divine services. He bought and presented the land on which the present Catholic Church on Free Street stands today. Not only was this his free gift, but he contributed largely towards the erection of the first church and its support.
Drisko’s History of Machias, Maine tells us that “his chosen lines of life were exemplary. His spare hours were passed in reading, a source of information which he was indeed passionately found; often the hours of sleep were curtailed in order that this longing for knowledge might be satisfied.”
He delighted in social life as a relaxation, and as a home keeper. He loved to play the part of host, and was never so at his best as at the table with his family and friends. In person he was tall and quite erect, which when put together with his dignified (though rather rapid) walk made him a prominent figure on the streets of Machias for many years.
Patrick was born in County Limerick Ireland in 1812 and died at Machias on April 23, 1876, at the age of 64. He rests in the family lot in the Court Street Cemetery in Machias. At the time, he was remembered as one of the builders of Machias and as one of its most respected citizens.
Patrick married twice — first to Sarah Eagan of Eastport in 1836; and in 1846 to Mary E. Baker of Boston. He and Mary had nine children, all of whom survived him. Four of his sons, John P., Clement B., George and Albert; and two of his grandsons, Eugene C. and Harold were lawyers. A daughter, Maria, was a member of the Order of the Sisters of Mercy at Providence, Rhode Island, while another daughter, Grace, lived in Machias and was a writer and artist, who painted scenes of the Machias River on the walls of one of his home’s rooms. Grace was a member of the Hannah Weston Chapter DAR, having descended from Job Burnham on her mother’s side of the family. The other sons were Charles, Francis, and Frederick, all, for the most part, lived and worked in Machias.
Comments to TIMA's Facebook post on Dunworth House, October 25, 2019:
DONWORTH HOUSE, MACHIAS, C.1925! Posted here are two photos from a portfolio of nine photos in our collections of the Donworth House in Machias, Maine. The photographs were taken by Country Homes Magazine of Baltimore, Maryland for the portfolio that dates to about 1925. Artist and writer, Grace Donworth (1857-1945), lived in the house (that she called “Elmstead") and painted scenes from the Machias River on the walls of one of the rooms of the house. We’re not sure exactly where in Machias the house was located and whether the house still stands. Does anyone know?
Comments:
Pauline Cates
This house once belonged to my great-uncle, Ray Armstrong. I shared the pictures with his granddaughter and she agrees that this house is the Donworth house, on the corner of Court and Bruce Street, and next to it was the old Machias High School.
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Christopher Mace
This is 21 Court Street in Machias-currently owned by Dr. Peterson. Suzanne and I bought it when we moved to Machias in 1975, It was our home and my office until we moved to Marshfield. Dr. Peterson and I then owned it together for a number of years. There is a small upstairs room with a multiwall mural done by Grace Donworth. ( or there used to be).
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Jennie Morrison Peterson
I’d share some photos of the mural but I don’t see that option.
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Suzanne Hills Mace
Jennie Morrison Peterson Does the front bedroom still have the field flowered wall paper and matching plantation shutters? The height of ‘70s decor!
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Di Smith
I'm thinking maybe the intersection of Elm ("Elmstead"), School, and O'Brien? There are a couple of large houses extant there. Someone actually in Machias right now (I'm not) could confirm this or put the kibosh on it!
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Dwight C Whitney Jr
Di Smith the former home of Ralph and Maureen Jans
Top fan
Sarah Craighead Dedmon
The Jans house has five windows across the top, and two on either side of the door, alas.
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Janet Crowley
Di, the front door is on Court Street.
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Sherry Rier
I don't recognize the house Sarah Craighead Dedmon. I thought perhaps it might be on the Elm Street side of Machias where there are several large houses. However, according to the 1881 atlas, the Donworth Est (estate?) was on Dublin Street, not far from where Harwood Street meets Dublin Street, opposite side of Dublin. There was also a PE Donworth Est close to where the Bluebird Restaurant is now. If one of these locations is correct, the house is no longer there - and what a change compared to today!
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Janet Crowley
Sherry Rier, this was my Armstrong grandparents home after siblings, Grace Donworth, author and Patrick Donworth, (I believe) a Boston lawyer, died. They are both buried in the center location of the Court Street Cemetery surrounded by a wrought iron fence, if it still in tact.
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Janet Crowley
Sherry Rier, this house is on the left at the brow of the hill before the lower end of Court Street comes out behind the Bluebird Ranch Restaurant, where to your left are the entrances to Sunrise Eyecare and and the hardware store which was a Quoddy Lumber, later, Ellsworth Builders Supply and not sure what that store is called right now. There may have been more than one Donworth home....I think the families owned a block of stores, Donworth Block, which later became the Crane Block. That’s how my mom, who grew up in Machias, referred to that area.
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Susan van Beek
The location of the fireplug out front should be a clue.
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Janet Crowley
This is the home where my mom, Emma Ann Armstrong (Kirby) grew up in Machias. Her parents were Ray R. Armstrong and Florence Edna (Gardner) Armstrong. My mom sold the home to Dr. Mace after Ray had died and Mrs. Armstrong was living at the Health Care Facility in Jonesport.
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Suzanne Hills Mace
Janet Crowley Actually, your Mom must have sold it to James and Marcia Aldrich, whom we bought it from in March 1975. He was an administrator at UMM for a few years, and they did some lovely renovating- wall papered the living, dining rooms, and the front bedroom. Redid the kitchen/ breakfast nook with wallpaper, red counters and cabinets made from barn boards that came out of the attached barn. Wall paper was all the rage in the 70s! I would love to have seen it when your mom was growing up, as it is such a beautiful and spacious old house. Do you know who originally built it?
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Zoie Zanoni
I recognize this house! I’ve walked by it many times. I do believe it is the one on the corner of Court & Bruce Street. So cool to know this about the house!
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Janet Crowley
It’s at the corner of Court Street and Bruce Street.
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Janet Crowley
Dr. Peterson had offices in this home. I think he still owns it.
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Katherine Jans
This does look similar to my deceased in-laws’ ( Ralph & Maurine Jans) home on what was called Elm St and ( still) School St.
Now where the SCEC offices are housed. Inside my in laws’ home , and still there preserved by SCEC, is a southern scene painted on the old dining room walls.
I believe this is not that house though.
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Sarah Craighead Dedmon
Sherry Rier, have you come across this one in your history travels?
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Shelby Richardson Leighton
Jennie Morrison Peterson
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Nancy Mawhinney
I'll bet that Irene Vose Robertson will know!
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Sherry Rier
I think so too Nancy Mawhinney!
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Irene Vose Robertson
The only Donworth house that I know of was on North St.
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Irene Vose Robertson
We kids could see it from the Rawson schoolyard.
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Nancy Mawhinney
Yes Irene Vose Robertson, I thought of that house, which I've been in, but it looks nothing like the house in the picture.
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Di Smith
Kate Katherine Jans?