| Daniel
Webster is best remembered as a statesman, orator,
lawyer, U.S. Senator and Secretary of State. He is
least remembered for being a farmer, fisherman and
hunter. 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.
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