4 Bullard Street – The Francis M. Baker House

Francis M. Baker bought this home lot in 1857 from his father, Joel M. Baker, which was originally a portion of his house lot. Francis Baker had his Italianate-style house built by Tyler Thayer. Sometime in the 1890s, the family added the Queen Anne style bay that faces Bullard Street. The house is shown on 1876 & 1888 maps of Norwood. This home still has its matching stable/barn on the property.

            Elements of the Francis Baker Italianate Style house:

• Tall windows at first floor
  • Corniced windows
  • Wrap around porch
  • Oculus window
  • Detailing at porch
  • Detailing at curved brackets under gable bay

Francis Metcalf Baker was born 1833 in West Dedham (now Westwood) and was the son of Joel M Baker and Elizabeth Noyes. He followed his father into the family express business and was very successful. For over 40 years he was the Forwarding Agent for the Boston and Providence Railroad. He was also served the town of Norwood as the water commissioner in the 1880s and was a respected member of the Baptist Church. He married in October of 1854 to Sarah Elizabeth Morse (1833-1908) in South Dedham. She was the daughter of Curtis Gay Morse and Fanny L. Boyden. Francis and Sarah had two children, Fanny E (1858-1878) and William Francis (1862-1924). Francis died in 1898, soon after his death, son William sold the family business.

The house passed into the hands of Francis’ son William. William Francis Baker was born in 1862 in South Dedham. In 1880 he joined his father in the family express business, selling it off shortly after the death of his father. Like his father, he was Norwood’s water commissioner and was a deacon in the Baptist Church. In March of 1887, he married Emma Lavina Kenney (1864-1948) She was the daughter of James Otis Kenney and Susan Emma Pendleton. Together William and Emma had one child, Otis Francis (1888-1967). Shortly before his death, William and Emma sold the property to their son Otis, who was still living in the property in 1950 with his wife Alice and son James.

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