Historical Recognition: In the context of the great history of our state and the important role played by the citizens of the town of Bath, the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources, cites the Moses Payson Mansion. as the architectural showpiece of Bath Village. In its Statement of Significance it describes its importance to the history of the region and the three criteria for its eligibility for the National Register.

First: The Moses Payson Mansion is cited for its strong historic associations with the development of the village. This large architecturally developed house reflects the social prominence and high style of life within the village.

Second: The Moses Payson Mansion is cited for its association with Moses Payson who made specific contributions to the the history of the town.

Third: The Moses Payson Mansion is cited for its significance as a very large and highly detailed brick Federal residence comparable to state of the art examples in the Connecticut River Valley of New Hampshire.

Below is taken from the 1992 report by the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources:

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION AND COMPARATIVE EVALUATION:

They Payson/Jackman House is a prominent brick Federal style residence remodeled with Italianate details c. 1864. The three story, 5x5 bay house is located close to the edge of Route 302 near the southern edge of Bath Lower Village. The arrangement of the 5 bay facade is grouped in three lateral divisions; a prominent center element (entry, Palladian window and hood, and small arched window) flanked by graceful bowed sections of 2 bays each. Vertically the stories descend in importance as they ascend from the elongated windows on the first story to the abbreviated ones on the third. The Flemish bond brick walls are supported by a granite block foundation. The hip roof is sheathed in asphalt shingles; its eaves project with a molded cornice and dentils. The roof deck is topped by a balustrade. Two rectangular brick chimneys are located on each end wall. A later square brick exterior chimney is located on the rear (east) elevation. An original two-story brick ell projects from the south east corner of the house. The ell has a composite gable and hip roof. The eaves project with returns on the front gable end. Under the molded cornice is a frieze of dentils. A tall rectangular chimney is located in the south wall of the ell.

All windows on the house have splayed granite lintels, typical of the region in the Federal period. The tall rectangular first story windows appear to have been enlarged c. 1864 by lowering their sills; they now contain triple-hung 2/2/2 sash. The second story windows contain double-hung 2/2 sash. The smaller square third story windows contain small 2/2 sash. The central bays on the third story elevations contain small arched windows with granite keystones. Taller arched windows with granite keystones are located in the central bay of the south elevation on the facade of the ell.

The center entry was remodeled c. 1864. It contains Italianate arched wood-panel double doors. The doors are flanked by slender round pilasters supporting a semi-circular transom light. Original details included the half-length sidelights and the semi-circular brick arch with granite keystone. Above the center entry is a Palladian window sheltered by a massive hood. The hood consists of a steeply pitched shed roof supported by massive solid brackets. Original entries are located on the south and rear (east) elevations and on the facade of the ell. These are topped by semi-circular brick arches with granite keystones. The rear (east) entry retains its original semi-circular fanlight. The main feature of the c.1864 remodeling was a one story piazza, which wrapped around the facade and side elevations of the house until it was removed during the 1980’s (Photograph collection of the Bath Public Library; Chamberlin 1965:19). Evidence of the porch remains on the brick below the second story windows; the deck of the porch is extant on the north elevation. A mid-19th century 1 1/2 story wood frame ell projects from the rear (east) end of the brick ell. The wooden ell has a gable roof and is sheathed in clapboards.

A large barn that stood at the rear of the property (east) was said to be finished similarly to the house. The c.1864 barn on the west side of Route 302 now associated with was part of the Jackman estate (Chamberlin 1965:20). During Jackman’s residency in the mid-19th century, the estate included landscaped grounds.

"There were lovely trees on the spacious grounds. A rock garden, with a variety of beautiful flowers, extended across the front of the mansion. There were many rose bushes, including a very special moss rose described as being out of this world. An evergreen hedge, four or five feet high… extending to the next house, was perfectly trimmed at all times to resemble one single growth. A terraced river garden was across the road… with a fish pond, circular in form, bordered with gray granite; from the center rose a pyramid of emerald green, through which sprang a sparkling fountain. The water surface was covered with broad, green and auburn leaves, and resting upon them were several scores of the most beautiful white pond lilies. "From early morning until twelve, the pure white and bright yellow of these lilies made a picture that no artist could imitate." (Blaisdell 1983:153).

Early 20th century photograph shows the front yard spanned by a picket fence (Photograph collection of the Bath Public Library). In the late 20th century, the pond was filled in and little trace of the rock garden remains on the bank opposite the house. The property currently contains 2.04 acres. The only remaining outbuilding is a c.1960 garage sheathed in T-111 with two overhead garage doors. To the north of the house is a lawn shaded by evergreens and maintained by the occupants of #6. The rear of the property is overgrown. A paved parking lot covers the front yard and extends south of the house.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND and its
role in BATH’s development:

This large house, the most prominent in Bath Lower Village, was built c.1810 for Moses Paul Payson (1770-1828) prosperous Bath lawyer and businessman. Payson was born in Rowley, Massachusetts. In 1793 he graduated from Dartmouth College and served as principal of Haverhill Academy for several years before studying law in Haverhill and being admitted to the bar in 1797. He moved to Bath in 1798 and resided in a house (no longer extant) at the corner of Route 302 and Porter Hill Road. Payson married Hannah Perley, the step-daughter of Col. Hutchins. In 1810 he erected a large and fashionable house for himself at a cost of $13,000. Other residents apparently considered this price excessive, as the house was soon known locally as "Payson’s Folly." Moses Payson had a law practice in Bath for many years. He was also a successful businessman. It was said that "few understood the art of getting and keeping money better than did Mr. Payson." He purchased several farms in the area, at one time owning 1200 acres in Bath and Lyman. Payson was one of the incorporators of the Coos Bank and at his death was the president of the Grafton Bank and a trustee of Dartmouth College. Moses Payson served several terms in the state legislature and senate (Chamberlin 1965:19; Sutherland 1855:11). Payson died in 1828. His son, Moses Paul Payson Jr. became a lawyer and practiced in Bath for about five years during the 1830’s before moving to New York City (Bell 1894:558).

In 1840 Payson’s son-in-law to Arthur Livermore deeded the house. Livermore was a lawyer and the son of the famous Judge Livermore of Holderness. Arthur Livermore lived and practiced law in Bath for about seventeen years (Kimball 1922:459). The property was rented during the mid-19th century (Chamberlin 1965:20)

In 1863 it was purchased by Daniel K. Jackman and its second period of significance began. Jackman remodeled the house with the addition of Italianate details c.1864 and created on the show pieces of the region. D.K. Jackman (1817-1877) was a Bath native who amassed a considerable fortune supplying food for soldiers during the Civil War. He owned a number of farms throughout the town, operated by tenant farmers. At Jackman’s death in 1877 he left $50,000 in insurance and an estate of nearly a million dollars (Chamberlin 1965:20). During their residency, the Jackman's had a staff of maids, hostlers, and gardeners. (Chamberlin 1965:20). Jackman is said to have become upset over the local taxes owed on his estate, closed the house and moved away (Chamberlin 1965:21).

The house stood vacant for almost fifty years. In 1916 it was sold by the Jackman heirs to a group of Woodsville residents. In 1922 they leased the property to Mr. Morrill who opened it as a hotel known as the Morrill Inn. It was later named the Colonial Inn (Chamberlin 1965:21). In the mid-20th century the Colonial Inn, under ownership of A.L. Lowe, was advertised as a "home-like hotel, with the commodious rooms, open fireplaces, recently installed private baths, spacious piazzas, beautiful lawns, and old trees." The inn was supplied with the purest of spring water, as well as fresh vegetables, milk, and eggs from nearby farms (Lowe n.d.). In 1965 the inn was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Poirier (Chamberlin 1965:21). The building served as a hotel into the 1980’s. It is currently vacant.

NATIONAL REGISTER STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE:

Criterion A: The Payson/Jackman house is eligible for the National Register as it continues to the Bath Lower Village District for its strong historic associations with the development of the village. It was one several significant large federal period structures erected in the early 1800’s, as the village became an important industrial and legal center. Its primary significance derives from its associations as the residence of Moses Payton, on of the first Bath Village’s many lawyers who were closely linked with the county court system in nearby Haverhill. The large and architecturally developed house reflects the social prominence and style life of lawyers in the village. The house’s mid-19th century owner D.K. Jackman was involved in the local agricultural economy as the owner of a number of small farms managed by tenant farmers. This house was his village residence and the focal point of his estate. The remodeling of the house c. 1864 reflects Bath’s mid-19th century prosperity with the growth of the lumber industry and specialized farming. The house contributes to an understanding of the district’s early 20th century history when White Mountain automobile tourism began to affect the region.

Criterion B: The Payson/Jackman House is individually eligible for the National Register for its associations with Moses Payson. Moses Payson made specific contributions to the history of the town of Bath as one of the first of its many lawyers who trained a number of his successors. The large and fashionable Federal residence erected by Payson illustrates his achievements and prominent role in the development of the village as an important legal center. This property is significant as his residence during the height of his legal practice and business pursuits.

Criterion C: The Payson/Jackman House is individually eligible for the National Register and contributes to the Bath Lower Village Historic District under this criterion. It is significant as a very large and highly detailed brick Federal residence, comparable to state of the art examples in the Connecticut River Valley of New Hampshire. Despite the c. 1864 remodeling, the house embodies many distinctive characteristics of Federal style architecture and brick construction methods, including the double bow front, the three-story height and hip roof with balustrade, the splayed granite lintels and keystones, and the projecting cornice with dentils. These details are similar to those found on houses in the Connecticut Valley, particularly in the neighboring and closely connected town of Haverhill to the south.

The Italianate remodeling of the house c. 1864 created one of the most fashionable estates in the region and the showpiece of Bath Lower Village. The house is of interest and importance as a Federal style house remodeled in the Italianate period, following a popular trend in Bath. It is one of three identified Federal Style houses in Bath completely remodeled in the mid-19th century with Italianate details. The resulting house has distinctive details of the Italianate style including the tall triple-hung 2/2/2 windows, the massive window hood on brackets, and the arched doorway with double wood panel doors.

PERIODS OF SIGNIFICANCE:

c.1810-c.1864 Federal style residence of lawyer, Moses Payson.
c.1864-c.1877 Remodeled in Italianate style, residence of businessman Daniel K. Jackman.
c.1922-1942 Colonial Inn hotel.

STATEMENT OF INTEGRITY:

The Payson/Jackman House is a c. 1810 house substantially remodeled c. 1864. The house retains integrity of location, setting, materials, workmanship, and association for its original period. Integrity of design and feeling have been affected, but not entirely lost as many original Federal period characteristics are retained. The remodeling of a Federal period house in the Italianate style was a significant event itself. The house retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association for the period after c. 1864. The interior retains integrity for the mixture of the two significant building campaigns. Setting has been affected, but not lost through the loss of associated gardens. The only major change to the house since c. 1864 was the removal of the piazza in the 1980’s. As a result, the house was returned to a more Federal appearance, but it suffered some loss of integrity of design for its second period of significance. The property clearly retains the ability to convey its strong historic and architectural associations.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

Bell, Charles H.
1984 The Bench and Bar of New Hampshire. Boston: Houghton Mifflin and Company.

Blaisdell, Katharine
1979-1984 Over the River and Through the Years, Book One-Book Six. Courier Printing Company, Inc.

Chamberlin, Edwin, et. al.
1965 Historical Notes of Bath, New Hampshire 1765-1965. Littleton, NH: Courier Printing Company, Inc.

Child, Hamilton
1886 Gazetteer of Grafton County, New Hampshire 1709-1886. Syracuse, NY: The Syracuse Journal Company, Printers and Binders.