74 Marlborough is located on the south side of Marlborough, between Berkeley and Clarendon, with 72 Marlborough to the east and 76 Marlborough to the west.

74 Marlborough was designed and built ca. 1866 by architect and builder Charles K. Kirby, one of five contiguous houses (72-74-76-78-80 Marlborough) he built at the same time for speculative sale. The five houses form a symmetrical composition, with 72-74 Marlborough and 78-80 Marlborough each being a pair of symmetrical houses with bays, and 76 Marlborough with a flat façade in the center.

The land on which 72-80 Marlborough were built was part of a 220 foot parcel Henry Lee, Jr., and Jonathan Amory Davis purchased from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on November 14, 1863. J. Amory Davis died in May of 1865 and his interest was inherited by his daughter, Ann Wainwright Davis. On October 6, 1865, she transferred her interest in the eastern 160 feet to Henry Lee, and he transferred his interest in the western 60 feet to her. On October 14, 1865, Henry Lee, Jr., entered into an agreement with Charles Kirby to sell him the 160 foot lot, subject to Charles Kirby’s agreement to build nine houses on the land. Ultimately, Charles Kirby built five houses at 72-80 Marlborough on the eastern 89 feet 9 inches of the land, and on October 21, 1871, Henry Lee, Jr., sold Charles H. Joy the remaining 70 feet 3 inches to the west, where 82 and 86 Marlborough were built.

Click here for an index to the deeds for 74 Marlborough, and click here for further information about the land between the south side of Marlborough and Alley 423, from Berkeley to Clarendon.

After completing 72-80 Marlborough, Charles Kirby entered into an agreement ln March of 1868 with the City of Boston to purchase a 75 foot lot to the east on which he built three more houses: 70 Marlborough in 1868-1869 and 66-68 Marlborough in 1870.

On May 13, 1867, 74 Marlborough was purchased from Charles Kirby by Harriet (Welch) Phillips, the wife of Rev. John Charles Phillips, a retired Congregational minister (and son of the first Mayor of Boston).

They continued to live at 74 Marlborough in 1874, but by 1875 had purchased and moved to 23 Marlborough.  Harriet Phillips continued to own 74 Marlborough and lease it to others.

By the 1876-1877 winter season, 74 Marlborough was the home of Susan Billings (Gore) Warren, the widow of attorney Richard Warren.  Prior to his death in April of 1875, they had lived at 258 Beacon and before that in New York City.

The Warrens’ two children — Edward Winslow Warren, a student at Harvard Medical School, and Susan Billings Warren — lived with her.  Her unmarried sister, Sarah Dana Gore, also lived with her (and had lived with the Warrens in New York City and possibly also at 258 Beacon).

They continued to live at 74 Marlborough during the 1880-1881 winter season, and then traveled to Europe, where Edward Warren continued his medical studies in Vienna. By the 1883-1884 winter season, they were living at the Hotel Berkeley (southeast corner of Berkeley and Boylston), where they continued to live during the 1885-1886 season, after which moved to 288 Marlborough.

By the 1881-1882 winter season, 74 Marlborough was the home of Augustus Napoleon Loring and his wife, Celia (Whipple) Loring.  They previously had lived in the Longwood area of Brookline.

He was a dry goods merchant and President of the Columbia Rubber Company.

They continued to live at 74 Marlborough during the 1884-1885 winter season, but moved thereafter to 325 Beacon (they had owned 325 Beacon since the early 1870s but had not lived there).

By the 1885-1886 winter season, 74 Marlborough was the home of Arthur Grimes Stanwood and his wife, Annie Louise (Russell) Stanwood.  They previously had lived at the Hotel Oxford (southeast corner of Exeter and Huntington).  He was auditor and later assistant treasurer of the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad.

The Stanwoods continued to live at 74 Marlborough in 1899, but had moved to 185 Bay State Road by 1900.

74 Marlborough was not listed in the 1901 Blue Book.

By 1902, 74 Marlborough had become the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house.  The fraternity continued to be located at 74 Marlborough in 1905, but had moved to 12 Newbury by 1906.

By 1907, it was the home of James O’Dealy, a cabinetmaker, and his wife, Mary A. (Sheridan) O’Dealy. They previously had lived at 33 Marlborough.  Mary O’Dealy died in January of 1907 and he had moved to Dorchester by 1908.

On March 29, 1907, 74 Marlborough was purchased from the heirs of Harriet Phillips by Frederick G. King.  In its April 16, 1907, report on the sale, the Boston Globe commented that he planned to occupy the residence and “will make extensive improvements.”.

Frederick King was manager of the Goodyear department of the United Shoe Machinery Company.  In the 1890s he had been appointed assistant inspector-general of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia with the rank of Colonel.  He and his first wife, Alice (Piercy) King, had divorced in the early 1900s and he lived at 2 Walnut.  He remarried in June of 1908 to Fanny D. (Leonard) Kingman, the former wife of Charles W. Kingman.  After their marriage, they lived at the Hotel Westminster (southeast corner of St. James and Trinity Place), where she was living when they married.  It appears that Col. King never occupied 74 Marlborough.

On October 11, 1909, 74 Marlborough was purchased from Frederick King by attorney William H. Shea. He and his wife, Mary (Cawley) Shea, made it their home. They previously had lived in Roxbury.

William Shea’s unmarried brother, Dr. Thomas B. Shea lived with the Sheas at 74 Marlborough.  He was a physician and maintained his offices at 74 Marlborough.  He also served as Deputy Health Commissioner for the City of Boston from 1904.  He continued to live with them until his death in March of 1917.

On July 17, 1925, William Shea transferred the property into his and his wife’s name.

William and Mary Shea continued to live at 74 Marlborough in 1925, but had moved to 125 Charles by 1926.

On October 19, 1925, 74 Marlborough was purchased from William and Mary Shea by Mrs. Elizabeth (MacKinnon) Grant, the former wife of Herbert C. Grant. Earlier in 1925, she had lived at 1247 Commonwealth in Allston and had owned and operated a photographic supply store next door. She also maintained a home in Nahant.

Miss Blanche Hardy lived with Mrs. Grant at 74 Marlborough.  She also had lived with her in Allston.

Mrs. Grant and Miss Hardy continued to live there until 1945

On May 15, 1945, 74 Marlborough was acquired from Elizabeth Grant by Thomas Louis Flynn and his wife, Theresa Susan (Hogan) Flynn. A former teacher, he was a teacher training supervisor. They previously had lived in Springfield.

In November of 1946, he applied for (and subsequently received) permission to install a fire balcony.  The use was described as a “vacant one-family house.”  No change in use was sought.

Theresa Flynn died in 1952.  Thomas Flynn continued to live at 74 Marlborough in 1953, but moved soon thereafter.

On December 11, 1953, 74 Marlborough was purchased by Louise (Evans) Pettit, the wife of Col. Elmer Charles Cadwalader Pettit, a realtor.  He had served as a US Army Colonel in World War I. They previously had lived at 39 Huntington Avenue.

Elmer Pettit died in January of 1955.  After his death, Louise Pettit continued to live at 74 Marlborough and operated it as a lodging house.  In October of 1956, she was cited for operating a lodging house without obtaining the necessary change in building use, and also for inadequate fire safety.  She died in May of 1957.

On September 5. 1957. 74 Marlborough was acquired from the estate of Louise Pettit by Marion Crandall.  In October of 1957, she filed for (and subsequently received) permission to convert the house from a single-family dwelling into a lodging house (“one family and guest house”).

On February 15, 1961, 74 Marlborough was purchased from Marion Crandall by Milton B. Popkin and Louis Grolnic. It continued to be operated as a lodging house. In mid-1966. they acquired 76 Marlborough.

On December 28, 1972, 74 Marlborough and 76 Marlborough were acquired from Milton Popkin and Louis Grolnic by Robert L. Rusconi and Aldo Garda, trustees of the Garus Realty Trust. They continued to operate both properties as lodging houses.

On February 10, 1983, the Four Twelve Realty Corporation (Arthur E. Simons, president; Ronald S. Luccio, treasurer) purchased 74 and 76 Marlborough from the Rusgar Nominee Trust, successors to the Garus Realty Trust.

In March of 1983, Four Twelve Realty Corporation applied for (and subsequently received) permission to combine 74 and 76 Marlborough into one property, build a one-story, three-car garage at the rear, and convert the combined property into eleven apartments.

On August 12, 1983, it converted the property into eleven condominium units, the 74-76 Marlborough Street Condominium.