Caroline Story Webster

Daniel Webster came to Marshfield in 1828 and, two years later bought the 600-acre Thomas Farm. During the twenty years that he lived here, Webster expanded to an 1800-acre farm that he named "Green Harbor". It was described as "an English country estate". In its day, the Webster Estate encompassed a large portion of Marshfield, including present day landmarks such as, the Green Harbor Golf Course, the Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, conservation and recreation land and the Isaac Winslow House.

The land that Webster bought had been granted to William Thomas in 1640 by the Plymouth Proprietors. Generations of Thomases lived there and were Loyalists in the Revolution. They were expelled for their beliefs. A son, John, turned Patriot and lived on the estate and then sold it to Webster in 1832.

Daniel Webster died in Marshfield in 1852. His son, Fletcher and his family continued to live at the estate. Colonel Fletcher Webster died in the Civil War. The house burned in 1878. Fletcher's wife, Caroline White Webster, built the present Queen Anne-style home on the old foundation and moved in in 1880. She had a leading architect of the day, William Gibbons Preston of Boston, design the house. Memorials to Webster were included in the plans.

In 1884 Caroline sold the farm to Walton Hall of Marshfield. He maintained the farm and his family continued to occupy it until 1950. It then went through several owners who sold off much of the land for housing. The Daniel Webster Day Camp was operated on the property until the estate was purchased by the Town of Marshfield in 1995.

A 10-year restoration of the estate followed and then it was chosen as home to the Pilgrim Hall Museum's Designer Show House in the Spring of 2005. The house was brought back to it's original glory and a new chapter began for this fascinating place of History.

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Aug 20 2018, 21:45:00 UTC