Samuel Tenney House
Encyclopedia
The Samuel Tenney House is an historic building in Exeter
, New Hampshire
. This mansion was built circa 1800 as the primary residence of Samuel Tenney
-- noted scholar, scientist, physician, Revolutionary War surgeon, patriot, judge and member of Congress
—and his wife Tabitha Gilman Tenney
, the noted early American author.
The master carpenter for the house was Ebenezer Clifford working with Bradbury Johnson. At the time, Clifford lived in the Gilman Garrison House
, now owned by the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities
. They also built the First Church
, Exeter; the second Phillips Exeter Academy
main building; and Atkinson Academy
building.
Mrs. Tenney died in 1837, and the house was later occupied by the Honorable Tristram Shaw
, who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New Hampshire from 1830 until his death in 1843. In January 1892, Dr. George W. Dearborn purchased the Samuel Tenney House from Frank H. Hervey.
Today the primary structure is located at 65 High Street, having been relocated there in 1893 from its location in the center of Exeter, next to and north of the First Church on Front Street, to accommodate construction of the Rockingham County Courthouse. On November 25, 1980, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. This mansion was built circa 1800 as the primary residence of Samuel Tenney
Samuel Tenney
Samuel Tenney was a United States Representative from New Hampshire. Born in Byfield, Massachusetts, he attended Dummer Academy there and graduated from Harvard College in 1772. He taught school at Andover and studied medicine, beginning practice in Exeter, New Hampshire. He was a surgeon in the...
-- noted scholar, scientist, physician, Revolutionary War surgeon, patriot, judge and member of Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
—and his wife Tabitha Gilman Tenney
Tabitha Gilman Tenney
Tabitha Gilman Tenney was an early American author from Exeter, New Hampshire. Her novel Female Quixotism first appeared in 1801. She married Samuel Tenney, a politician....
, the noted early American author.
The master carpenter for the house was Ebenezer Clifford working with Bradbury Johnson. At the time, Clifford lived in the Gilman Garrison House
Gilman Garrison House
Gilman Garrison House is a historic house at 12 Water Street in Exeter, New Hampshire owned by Historic New England, which operates the home as a house museum....
, now owned by the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities
Historic New England
Historic New England, previously known as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities , is a charitable, non-profit, historic preservation organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It is focused on New England and is the oldest and largest regional preservation...
. They also built the First Church
First Church (Exeter, New Hampshire)
First Church in Exeter, New Hampshire, also known as Congregational Church or United Church of Christ, was built in 1798. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.It is included in the Front Street Historic District....
, Exeter; the second Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
main building; and Atkinson Academy
Atkinson Academy
Atkinson Academy is a public elementary school located in Atkinson, New Hampshire. It is the oldest standing co-ed school in the United States.-History:Atkinson Academy was founded in 1787 as an all-boys school. It began admitting girls in 1791....
building.
Mrs. Tenney died in 1837, and the house was later occupied by the Honorable Tristram Shaw
Tristram Shaw
Tristram Shaw was a United States Representative from New Hampshire. He was born in Hampton, New Hampshire in 1786. He completed preparatory studies there....
, who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New Hampshire from 1830 until his death in 1843. In January 1892, Dr. George W. Dearborn purchased the Samuel Tenney House from Frank H. Hervey.
Today the primary structure is located at 65 High Street, having been relocated there in 1893 from its location in the center of Exeter, next to and north of the First Church on Front Street, to accommodate construction of the Rockingham County Courthouse. On November 25, 1980, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Sources
- Samuel Tenney House at National Register of Historical Places NPS Focus
- Postcards from Exeter by Carol Walker Aten. Aracdia Publishing, 2003. Tenney House, Page 90.
- New Hampshire Architecture: an illustrated guide by Bryant Franklin Tolles, Carolyn K. Tolles. New Hampshire Historical Society. UPNE, 1979. Dr. Samuel Tenney House, Page 53.