PROVIDENCE PRESERVATION SOCIETY
RECORDS FOR
3 NISBET STREET
Plat 41, Lot 276
William D. Nisbet House
Built 1887
Summary: The property, originally part of Moses Brown’s late 18th century country estate known as Elm
Grove Farm, was first surveyed and platted for residential development as part of the Blackstone Park
Plat in 1862. The property now known as 3 Nisbet Street was part of a larger tract of land purchased in
1861 by Humphrey Almy. At that time, the street was called Madison Avenue. The property remained in
the Almy family until 1994, when it was sold to the current owners, the Stinchfields. 3 Nisbet Street was a
rental property, and never actually occupied by the Almy family, who lived instead in houses immediately
to the south (90 South Angell Street) and to the west (205 Butler Avenue). The house’s first tenant,
perhaps its most prominent resident, was City Auditor William D. Nisbet, who lived here from 1889 until
he died in 1894. Madison Avenue was renamed Nisbet Street in 1901.
3-5 Nisbet Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Blackstone Park
Historic District (1998).
Chronology:
1770s
Moses Brown, great-great grandson of Chad Brown (one of the original settlers of Providence),
acquired a large parcel of previously undeveloped land on the East Side of Providence. The
boundaries of Brown’s estate, known as Elm Grove Farm, extended north from today’s East
Manning and Pitman Streets, to what is now Laurel Avenue, and east from present day Arlington
Avenue, Lloyd Avenue, and Hope Street to the Seekonk River. Brown’s country house (1772,
demolished), sited near what is now the intersection of Humboldt and Wayland Avenues, eventually
became his year round residence. (RIHP&HC, Historic and Architectural Resources of the East
Side, Providence, 1989)
1836
Deed Book 140, Page 401: On February 9, 1836, Moses Brown willed to his granddaughter Anna
Almy Jenkins, wife of William Jenkins, his homestead farm in Providence Neck. Anna was to have a
life tenancy, and after her death the property was to pass to her son, Moses Brown Jenkins (born
February 7, 1836), provided he should attain the age of 21, marry, and have a child. (PPS Records
for 257 President Avenue)
1849-1856
Anna Almy Jenkins died in 1849 and left her father’s homestead farm to her two children, Anna Almy
(Jenkins) Hoppin and Moses Brown Jenkins. When Moses Brown Jenkins turned 21 in 1856, he
and his sister divided the family homestead, with Moses taking the portion north of Angell Street.
(Angell Street then includes South Angell Street today.) Meanwhile, the process of subdividing East
Side farmsteads into house lots had begun as early as the late 1840s. (RIHP&HC, Historic and
Architectural Resources of the East Side, Providence, 1989)
1861
Deed Book 159, Page 217: On June 6, 1861, Moses B. Jenkins sold to Humphrey Almy an Lshaped lot of land fronting on Angell Street, Butler Avenue and Madison Avenue. The lot measured
Records for 3 Nisbet Street
Page 2
100 feet along Angell Street, 177.22 feet along Butler Avenue, 106 feet along Madison Avenue, (an
estimated 44 feet along Rhode Island Avenue), and 200.30 feet along its eastern boundary, and
contained approximately 24,579.2 square feet of land area. Moses B. Jenkins and Humphrey Almy
may have been related through Jenkins’ mother, whose maiden name was Almy. (Archives)
Deed Book 159, Page 261: On June 24, 1861, Humphrey Almy purchased a lot with a 50-foot
frontage along Angell Street, 100 feet deep, totalling 5,000 square feet, from David Coghill. The
boundary description indicates that this lot immediately abuts the land that Almy had previously
purchased from Moses B. Jenkins just a few weeks earlier. Combined, the two lots contain a total of
approximately 29,579 square feet of land area. (Archives)
1862
The Blackstone Park Plat was surveyed and platted by Charles E. Paine in 1862 and officially
recorded in Plat Book 2, Page 20-1/2, copied on Plat Card 64. The map shows the early layout of
streets and blocks, including the block bounded by Butler Avenue on the west, Rhode Island Avenue
on the northwest, Madison Avenue on the north, Grand Avenue on the east, and Angell Street on
the south. The block is subdivided into 12 lots, all undeveloped at this time. The two lots at the
western end of the block purchased by Humphrey Almy the previous year are combined,
resubdivided, and numbered 1 (southwest corner) and 2 (northwest corner). Again, these two lots
together measure between 29,000 and 30,000 square feet. (Registry of Deeds)
1863
Deed Book 165, Page 229: On April 2, 1863, Humphrey Almy acquired from Moses B. Jenkins a
tiny strip of land just east of Almy’s property on Butler Avenue, Angell Street and Madison Avenue.
This lot measured 9 inches along Angell Street and Madison Avenue, by 200 feet. (Archives)
1875
Atlas of the City of Providence, Vol. 1 (Wards 1, 2 and 3), by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate K, pages 4849, showing parts of Wards 2 and 3: The map identifies Humphrey Almy’s land, two lots totaling
29,709 square feet and bounded by South Angell Street, Butler Avenue, Rhode Island Avenue and
Madison Avenue. (Note that part of Angell Street was renamed South Angell Street sometime after
1863.) As on the Blackstone Park Plat map of 1862, Almy’s two lots are numbered 1 (southwest
corner of the block, 15,089 square feet) and 2 (northwest corner of the block, 14,620 square feet). A
frame house stands in the southeast corner of Lot 1 fronting on South Angell Street, while a
secondary structure stands in the northeast corner of Lot 2, fronting on Madison Avenue. (Archives)
1882-1883
1882 Atlas of the City of Providence by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 4: The map shows no change to
Humphrey Almy’s property, although his two lots have been renumbered 376 (formerly Lot 2) and
377 (formerly Lot 1), and the lots are not specifically identified as his land. The buildings shown on
this land in the 1875 atlas remain in the same locations and configurations, so the house at 3
Madison Avenue (later Nisbet Street) has not been built yet. (Archives)
Providence City Directory of 1883 lists Humphrey Almy residing at 42 South Angell Street (likely the
house shown in the 1875 atlas on Lot 1 and the 1882 atlas on Lot 377). (Archives)
Humphrey Almy died on June 24, 1883, leaving his estate to his wife Amy and his six children,
Arthur, Eugenia, Evelina, Herbert, Ida and Rhoda. Humphrey’s will (#A13773) does not specifically
describe his real estate holdings.
Records for 3 Nisbet Street
Page 3
1887-1888
Providence Tax Records for 1887 and 1888 indicate that Humphrey Almy owned Plat 41, Lots 1 and
2. (Recall that the designations “Lot 1” and “Lot 2” appear on the 1875 city atlas. Lot numbers were
changed as of the 1882 atlas, but perhaps the tax records did not catch up.) The assessment on
Lot 2 (which in 1875 was the lot at the northeast corner of Butler, Rhode Island, and Madison
Avenues) increased by $2,000 between 1887 and 1888. It therefore appears that the house at 3
Madison was constructed in 1887. (Archives)
1889-1894
Providence City Directory of 1889 lists 3 Madison Avenue as the residence of William Nisbet, city
auditor. (Prior to 1889, Nisbet had been living at 91 Vinton Street.) Directories of 1890-1894 also list
William D. Nisbet living at 3 Madison Avenue. Nisbet apparently never actually owned the house,
but rented it from the Almy family. (Archives)
Amey A. Almy died on January 22, 1889, and her estate devolved to her 6 children (Will Adm.
#A16300). Again, there is no specific description of real estate holdings. (Probate Court)
Assessor’s Plat Card for Plat 41, Lot 276 indicates the property was owned by the Humphrey Almy
Estate on July 1, 1893. (Assessor’s Office)
William D. Nisbet died on August 20, 1894, leaving his estate to his wife, Isabella Hogg Nisbet (Will
#2061). (Probate Court)
1895-1899
Atlas of the City of Providence by Everts and Richards, Plate 6 (page 33): The map shows that
Humphrey Almy’s original two lots have been further subdivided into five lots. The house at 3
Madison Avenue sits on a lot of 5,079 square feet. (Archives)
Providence City Directories of 1895-1899 list Isabella H. Nisbet, widow of William D. Nisbet, living at
3 Madison Avenue; by 1899 she had a Robert Hogg (her brother?) and his wife and a Robert H.
Nisbet (her son?) also living with her. (Archives)
1900
Providence House Directory indicates that the name of Madison Avenue was changed to Wanton
Avenue, “from opposite 2 Rhode Island Avenue to Paterson Street.” (Paterson Street was formerly
Grand Avenue, with that name changed in 1899.) The street addresses listed for Wanton Avenue
begin at number 11; there is no listing for 3 Wanton Avenue, nor are there any listings for Madison
Avenue, in this directory. Meanwhile, Isabella H. Nisbet moved to 12 Rhode Island Avenue with Mr.
and Mrs. Robert Hogg and Robert H. Nisbet. (Archives)
1901
Providence House Directory indicates that the name of Wanton Avenue was changed to Nisbet
Avenue, “from opposite 2 Rhode Island Avenue to Paterson Street.” Again, the street numbers for
Nisbet Street begin at #11; there is no listing for 3 Nisbet, or any Wanton or Madison Avenue
address. (Archives)
Records for 3 Nisbet Street
Page 4
1902
Assessors Plat Map 41 shows that Madison Avenue has been renamed Nisbet Street. This map
does not show street address numbers, but the lot at 3 Nisbet is numbered 276 and contains 5,079
square feet. (Archives)
1903-1909
Providence House Directories for 1903, 1905, and 1907 list a James Hurley (his business is listed
as “insurance”) living at 3 Nisbet Street. Providence City/RI Business Directories for 1903-1907 list
James H. Hurley, real estate broker, living at 3 Nisbet Street. Both directories for 1909 indicate that
the house was vacant. (Archives)
1908 Atlas of the City of Providence by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 9: The map shows a house at 3
Nisbet Street, on a lot of 5,079 s.f. The lot is labeled as belonging to the H. Almy Estate. (Archives)
1911-1922
Providence House Directories for 1911, 1913, 1915, 1917, 1919-1920, and 1921-1922 list the
occupant of 3 Nisbet Street as Helen C. Putnam, physician. (Archives)
1918 Atlas of the City of Providence by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 20: The map shows a house at 3
Nisbet Street, on a lot of 5,079 s.f. The lot is labeled as belonging to the H. Almy Estate. (Archives)
Assessor’s Plat Card for Plat 41, Lot 276 indicates the property was owned by Eugenia, Arthur L.,
and Herbert Almy on July 15, 1918. (Assessor’s Office)
1923-1928
Providence House Directories for 1923-1924, 1925-1926, and 1927-1928 indicate that the occupant
of 3 Nisbet Street was a Reverend Arthur W. Cleaves. (Archives)
Assessor’s Plat Card for Plat 41, Lot 276 indicates the property was owned by the Eugenia Almy
Estate, Arthur L. and Herbert Almy on May 1, 1924; by the Eugenia Almy Estate, the Arthur L. Almy
Estate, and Herbert Almy on March 1, 1925; and by Herbert Almy on June 15, 1925. (Assessor’s
Office)
1926 Atlas of the City of Providence by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 20: The map shows a house at 3
Nisbet Street, on a lot of 5,079 s.f. The lot is labeled as belonging to the H. Almy Estate. (Archives)
1929-1937
Providence House Directories indicates that 3 Nisbet Street was vacant in 1929-1930, but was
occupied again in 1931-1932 by Mrs. Minnie M. Harriman, who took on two roommates in 19331935: nurses Sadie Moorhead and Mary R. McIntyre. (Meanwhile, Herbert Almy had apparently
died by 1925, as Bertha K. Almy is listed as the sole resident of 205 Butler Avenue that year. Bertha
was probably either Herbert’s wife or, more likely, his daughter.) (Archives)
Assessor’s Plat Card for Plat 41, Lot 276 indicates the property was owned by Bertha K. Almy,
Carrie W. Almy, Ada F. Almy, and Marion D. Almy in March 1933. These four women likely were
Herbert Almy’s daughters. (Assessor’s Office)
Records for 3 Nisbet Street
Page 5
1937 Atlas of the City of Providence by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 20: The map shows a house at 3
Nisbet Street, on a lot of 5,079 s.f. The lot is labeled as belonging to B.K. Almy etal. (Archives)
1963-1976
Assessor’s Plat Card for Plat 41, Lot 276 indicates the property was owned by the Bertha K. Almy
Estate, Carrie W. Almy, Ada F. Almy, and Marion D. Almy in December 1963. As of October 6,
1965, the owners were Carrie W. Almy, Ada F. Almy and Marion D. Almy (note: the card refers to
Deed Book 1193, Page 492 – not an Almy transaction). By December 1966, the owners were Ada
F. Almy and Marion D. Almy, and as of November 18, 1976, Marion D. Almy was the sole owner.
(Note: the card refers to Marion Almy’s will #75480. As indicated in deeds, below, Marion Almy
updated her will in 1982 and died in 1993.) (Assessor’s Office)
1982
Deed Book 1236, Pages 131-132: On May 28, 1982, Marion D. Almy of 205 Butler Avenue,
Providence, unmarried, sold to the Rhode Island Hospital Trust National Bank, Trustee for Marion D.
Almy (under trust agreement dated 1/13/82), 3 parcels of land at the southeast corner of Butler Ave
and Rhode Island Avenue and south side of Nisbet Street. Parcel 3 is on southerly side of Nisbet
St, “with the northwest corner of the property being 110.489 feet east of southeasterly line of Rhode
Island Avenue.” (Registry of Deeds)
Assessor’s Plat Card for Plat 41, Lot 276 indicates the property was owned by the RI Hospital Trust
National Bank, Trustee for Marion D. Almy, as of June 17, 1982. (Note: card refers to Deed Book
1236, Page 131.) (Assessor’s Office)
1993-1994
Assessor’s Plat Card for Plat 41, Lot 276 indicates the property was owned by Arnold Lee Hayes
and Marian B. Hayes (probate #85867) as of October 5, 1993. Apparently Marian B. Hayes was the
heir, perhaps the niece, of Marion D. Almy, who died in 1993. (Note: deeds indicate that the
property was not officially transferred to Hayes until May 1994 (see Deed Book 2952, Page 310,
below). (Assessor’s Office)
Deed Book 2952, Page 309: On May 5, 1994, the RI Hospital Trust National Bank, Trustee for
Marion D. Almy (under trust agreement dated 1/13/82), sold to the RI Hospital Trust National Bank,
Executor of the Will of Marion D. Almy (will dated 12/16/82, probated 10/5/93, probate docket
#85867), 3 parcels of land at the southeast corner of Butler Avenue and Rhode Island Avenue and
the south side of Nisbet Street. “Being same premises conveyed by Marion D. Almy to RI Hospital
Trust National Bank by deed dated 5/28/82, Book 1236, Pages 131-132.” (Registry of Deeds)
Deed Book 2952, Page 310: Also on May 5, 1994, the RI Hospital Trust National Bank, Executor of
the Will of Marion D. Almy (will dated 12/16/82, probated 10/5/93, probate docket #85867), sold to
Marian B. Hayes, widow of Arnold Lee Hayes Jr. of Providence, the same three parcels of land
described in Book 2952, Page 309. (Registry of Deeds)
Deed Book 2978, Page 129: On July 1, 1994, Marian B. Hayes of Providence sold to Janice M. and
Donald E. Stinchfield of N. Attleboro, MA, a parcel of land on the southerly side of Nisbet Street, with
the northwest corner of the property being 110.489 feet east of southeasterly line of Rhode Island
Avenue. Mortage, in Deed Book 2978, Page 131-140, includes same boundary description “which
has the address of 3 Nisbet St.” (Registry of Deeds)
Records for 3 Nisbet Street
Page 6
Assessor’s Plat Card for Plat 41, Lot 276 indicates the property was owned by Janice M. and Donald
E. Stinchfield as of July 1, 1994 (card refers to Deed Book 2952, Pages 309 and 310, and Book
2978, Page 129). The Stinchfields are the current property owners. (Assessor’s Office)
Research compiled by Kathryn J. Cavanaugh
December 1999