PPS Records for 81 President Avenue
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PPS RECORDS FOR
81 PRESIDENT AVENUE
PLAT 39, LOT 146
FANNIE M. GRAVES HOUSE
Built 1915-1916
DESCRIPTION:
A 3-story Colonial Revival-style single-family house, with hipped roof, wooden siding, and two
projecting gable-roofed sun porches on its east and west sides. The center entrance features a
sunburst design in the hood over the door. Windows are wood double hung multi-pane sash.
The heavily landscaped lot is slightly raised above grade and surrounded by a stone wall; tall
hedges line the east side of the lot.
The house stands on a 6,582 square foot lot on the south side of President Avenue and the east
side of Elmgrove Avenue (the southwest corner of that intersection). The lot measures 100 feet
wide on President Avenue and 65.96 feet deep.
HISTORY:
Fannie M. Graves, widow of Eugene L. Graves, moved to Providence from Cleveland, Ohio and
purchased this house in January 1917 from Joseph L. Holmes. (The house is named after its
first resident owner, Mrs. Graves, even though it had already been built by the time she bought
it. Mr. Holmes bought the property in January 1916 from Thomas and Catherine O’Gorman; the
records are not entirely clear as to whether the O’Gormans started construction on the house in
1915 or whether Holmes built the entire house himself in 1916. Either way, neither the
O’Gormans nor Holmes ever lived here.) Mrs. Graves shared her home with a Mrs. Jane G.
Monsarrat, who apparently moved to Providence in 1918. Mrs. Graves and Mrs. Monsarrat only
lived here a few years; Mrs. Graves sold the house to Emma B. Sayles in 1923. Since then the
house has changed hands five times; the current owners, Stephen and Melanie Coon, bought it
in 1986.
DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT1:
In the 18th century, Moses Brown’s Elm Grove Farm covered more than 300 acres on
Providence’s East Side: bounded by today’s East Manning and Pitman Streets on the south,
Laurel Avenue on the north, Arlington Avenue, Lloyd Avenue and Hope Street on the west, and
the Seekonk River on the east. (Brown’s country home once stood near the intersection of
today’s Humboldt and Wayland Avenues.) One of four brothers in a very wealthy and prominent
family, Moses Brown was a Quaker and abolitionist. Among his many accomplishments, he
helped to found a boarding school for Quaker youth (now the Moses Brown School), and he
was a primary sponsor of Samuel Slater’s cotton mill in Pawtucket, which brought the Industrial
Revolution to America.
From “Historic and Architectural Resources of the East Side, Providence,” by Robert Owen Jones,
published by the R.I. Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, 1989; and previous PPS Marker
Reports.
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PPS Records for 81 President Avenue
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Moses Brown died in 1836, leaving the farmstead to his granddaughter Anna Almy Jenkins; in
1856 her two surviving children split the estate in half, divided at Angell and South Angell
Streets. Anna’s son Moses Brown Jenkins took the northern portion of the estate, and in 1865
subdivided it for residential development as the Elm Grove Farm Plat. In 1868, the entire Elm
Grove Farm Plat (over 6 million square feet of land) was sold to Charles C. and Henry M. Taber
of New York City (Deed Book 184, Page 74). The Tabers replatted their land as the Moses
Brown Farm Plat in 1870, and again in 1872 and in 1891. The family remained one of the East
Side’s major landowners for more than three decades, gradually selling off hundreds of vacant
lots to individual owners and to real estate speculators; Taber Avenue is named for them.
The lot on which 81 President Avenue now stands remained vacant between 1870 and 1915,
despite changing hands a number of times. It was not until public transportation and residential
utilities (water, sewer, electricity, telephone lines) became available on the East Side in the late
19th and early 20th century that this previously undeveloped area became more desirable for
housing construction. By 1908, water and sewer services and the Elmgrove Avenue streetcar
line were available to this property, and the house was built less than a decade later.
DESIGNATIONS
81 President Avenue is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places; nor is it located in
a local historic district zone.
RECORDS (All Records were found in Providence City Hall unless otherwise noted).
Maps and Atlases (Archives, Registry of Deeds)
1798: “A Map of Owners of Lots in Providence,” compiled by Henry B. Chace in 1912: Plate V
shows Moses Brown’s farm occupying over 300 acres north of today’s Angell Street (then called
“Moses Brown’s Road to the Central Bridge”), between what is now Hope Street and the
Seekonk River. (Archives)
1865: “The Elm Grove Farm Plat Belonging to Moses B. Jenkins,” surveyed and drawn by
Charles E. Paine, recorded in Plat Book 8, Page 15, and copied on Plat Card 215. This plat
contained over 6.3 million square feet of land, and was divided into three tracts numbered 1, 2
and 3. Tract #1 (over 3.26 million sq. ft.) was bounded by Wayland Avenue on the east, Angell
Street on the south, Asylum Street (now Arlington Avenue) on the west, and by land of various
other property owners on the north. No buildings are shown on this map. (Registry of Deeds)
1870: “The Moses Brown Farm Plat,” surveyed and drawn by Charles E. Paine, recorded in
Plat Book 11, Page 2, copied on plat card 281. Shows the block bounded by President (N),
Elmgrove (E), Lloyd (S) and Taber (W) Avenues, containing eight lots numbered 52-59, all
roughly 17,000 square feet. Lot #55 at the southwest corner of President and Elmgrove
measured 100 feet on Wayland Avenue and about 170 feet deep (17,081 sq. ft.); no buildings
are shown. The map notes that “purchasers of lots are prohibited from placing any buildings on
this plat with 20 feet of any street or avenue, and all their deeds are subject to this agreement.”
(Registry of Deeds)
PPS Records for 81 President Avenue
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1872: “The Moses Brown Farm Plat,” surveyed and drawn by Cushing & Co., recorded in Plat
Book 11, Page 10, copied on plat card 286. Shows the same layout and configuration as on the
Paine plat map of 1870, with Lot #55 on President Avenue measuring 17,081 sq. ft.; no
buildings are shown. (Registry of Deeds)
1875: “Atlas of the City of Providence,” by G.M. Hopkins Co., Vol. 1 (Wards 1-3), Plate J shows
the block bounded by President, Elmgrove, Lloyd and Taber Avenues; no buildings are
indicated in the entire block. The vacant lot at the southwest corner of President and Elmgrove
measures 17,081 sq.ft. and is numbered #55. The owner is indicated as Charles S. Jenckes.
The map references the Moses Brown Farm Plat. (Archives)
1882: “Atlas of the City of Providence” by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 4, shows the same layout of
lots within the block bounded by President, Elmgrove, Lloyd and Taber as indicated on the 1875
atlas. The entire block remains undeveloped; the vacant lot at the southwest corner of
President and Elmgrove is numbered #55, but the owner’s name and lot size are not indicated.
The map references the Moses Brown Farm Plat. (Archives)
1895: “Atlas of the City of Providence” by Everts & Richards, Plates 32-33, shows that the
original block has been subdivided with a cross street, Miles Avenue, now running north/south
between Elmgrove and Taber Avenues. The block now bounded by President, Elmgrove, Lloyd
and Miles has also been subdivided: the former 17,081 sq. ft. lot at the southwest corner of
President and Elmgrove has been broken up into three smaller lots and the lot at the corner now
measures 6,082 sq.ft. The entire block remains undeveloped, but sewer lines have begun to
appear on Elmgrove Avenue and a street railway line now runs on Angell Street, 7 blocks to the
south of this property. (Archives)
1902: Assessors Plat Maps, Plat 39 shows the block bounded by President, Elmgrove, Lloyd
and Miles Avenues. The lot at the southwest corner of President and Elmgrove is numbered
#146 and measures 6,082 sq.ft. (100 feet on President, 60.86 feet on Elmgrove). (Archives)
1908: “Atlas of the City of Providence” by L.J. Richards Co., Plate 6: The entire block bounded
by President, Elmgrove, Lloyd and Miles Avenues is now owned by a J.F. Rogers; every lot
within the block is still vacant. However, a streetcar line now runs along the entire length of
Elmgrove Avenue, from Angell to Sessions Streets; and the block is fully serviced by water and
sewer lines. (Archives)
1918: “Atlas of the City of Providence” by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 21: The house at 81
President Avenue stands at the southwest corner of President and Elmgrove, on a lot
measuring 6,582 sq.ft. (The additional 500 sq. ft. were acquired from the lot directly to the
south; see “Deeds,” below.) The owner is indicated as F.M. Graves. (Archives)
1926: “Atlas of the City of Providence” by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 21: The house at 81
President Avenue, on a 6,582 sq.ft. lot, is now owned by E.B. Sayles. (Archives)
1937: “Atlas of the City of Providence” by G.M. Hopkins Co., Plate 21: The house at 81
President Avenue, on a 6,582 sq.ft. lot, is still owned by E.B. Sayles. (Archives)
Intent to Build Records (Archives)
No reference to 81 President Avenue was found listed in the index under either President or
Elmgrove Avenues.
PPS Records for 81 President Avenue
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Deeds (Registry of Deeds)
Deed Book 556, Page 469: On January 8, 1916 Thomas A. O’Gorman and wife Catherine
O’Gorman of Providence sold to Joseph L. Holmes of Providence, for $10, a lot at the corner of
President and Elmgrove Avenues with buildings and improvements thereon.* Measuring 100
feet along President Avenue and 65.96 feet along Elmgrove Avenue, the property consisted of
the entirety of Lot #182 and an adjoining 5-foot strip of Lot #181, both as designated on the
Moses Brown Farm Replat map of 1891.
*Although this deed mentions buildings, the tax records do not indicate that any
structures stood on the lot when the O’Gormans owned it in 1915. It is possible that
the O’Gormans started to build house after the 1915 tax assessments had been
recorded, and that Holmes completed the construction once he bought the property in
1916. An alternative scenario is that only a foundation, or a temporary or secondary
structure, stood on the lot when Mr. Holmes bought it (as perhaps indicated by the low
purchase price), and that Holmes built the house himself in 1916.
Deed Book 564, Page 463: On January 2, 1917 Joseph L. Holmes of Providence sold to
Fannie M. Graves of Cleveland, Ohio, for $100, a lot at the corner of President and Elmgrove
Avenues with buildings and improvements thereon. Measuring 100 feet along President Avenue
and 65.96 feet along Elmgrove Avenue, the property consisted of the entirety of Lot #182 and
an adjoining 5-foot strip of Lot #181, both as designated on the Moses Brown Farm Replat map
of 1891.
Directories (Archives)
No records were found indicating that Joseph Holmes or Thomas and Catherine O’Gorman ever
lived at 81 President Avenue. Directories indicate that in 1916 Holmes lived at 171 Elmgrove
Avenue, and the O’Gormans at 215 Doyle Avenue.
House Directories (organized by street address):
The address 81 President Avenue first appears in the 1917-1918 directory, although no resident
is listed there. The 1919-1920 directory lists Mrs. Eugene Luther Graves and Mrs. Jane G.
Monsarrat living at 81 President Avenue.
City Directories (organized by resident and business name):
Fannie Graves, widow of Eugene L. Graves, and Mrs. Jane G. Montsarrat both first appear in
the 1918 directory, listed as living at 81 President Avenue.
Tax Records (Archives)
1915: Catherine O’Gorman, wife of Thomas O’Gorman, of 215 Doyle Avenue, owned Plat 39,
Lot 146. The land was valued at $2,440. No assessment was made for buildings.
1916: Joseph L. Holmes of 25 Kingston Avenue (note the discrepancy in his address,
compared to the city directories) owned Plat 39, Lot 146. The land was valued at $2,640, and
buildings at $6,500. Clearly a house stood on the lot by the time the 1916 assessments were
recorded.
PPS Records for 81 President Avenue
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1917: Fannie M. Graves of 81 President Avenue owned Plat 39, Lot 146. The land was valued
at $2,640 and buildings at $6,900.
Assessor’s Field Cards (Assessor’s Office)
Field Card for AP 39, Lot 146: 81 President Avenue
Charles C. Taber Heirs and Henry M. Taber Estate owned the property as of July 1, 1891.
Mary and Charles Taber, Trustees, owned the property as of April 1, 1899.
John F. Rogers owned the property as of November 1, 1899.
Helen A. McGovern owned the property as of November 1, 1909.
Catherine O’Gorman, wife of Thomas A. O’Gorman, owned the property as of May 2, 1910.
Joseph L. Holmes owned the property as of February 1, 1916.
Fannie M. Graves owned the property as of February 1, 1917.
Emma B. Sayles owned the property as of December 1, 1923.
Terminal Realty Co. owned the property as of March 1946.
David G. Wright and wife Mildred S. Wright owned the property as of November 1951.
Irwin D. Crowley and wife Althea J. Crowley owned the property as of March 24, 1980 (DB
1219, p. 1).
Phyllis Gunion owned the property as of March 18, 1981 (DB 1226, p. 881).
Stephen W. Coon and Melanie N. Coon owned the property as of May 19, 1986.
Research compiled by Kathryn J. Cavanaugh
July 2002