When Nathaniel Tracy died in 1796, at the age of forty-five, his widow sold the property to Offin Boardman (pictured), who had once worked aboard Tracy’s ships. Boardman had achieved fame during the Revolutionary War for his daring exploits aboard privateer vessels, which landed him in prison in England twice. After the war, Boardman made significant business dealings from his wharf on the Newburyport waterfront.
Boardman added the wooden wing to the main manor house, adding a Federal parlor and sleeping chamber. He also added the farmhouse to the rear of the manor house and attached them through a breezeway. Boardman used the house for family quarters and then for servants.
Offin Boardman died in 1812, having lost his wharf in the Newburyport fire of 1811. He was in great debt when he died, and a survey map was made of his property in order to settle his estate. This map provided the location of his privy, which was the subject of significant study by archaeologists from Boston University and has yielded many artifacts, featured in the interpretation of his time in the house.
John Pettingell purchased the farm at auction in 1812 and seems to have used it as a summer house, leasing the farmhouse and portions of the stone house to tenant farmers. After he died in 1827, Pettingell’s heirs used the property as an income stream, eventually leasing it to Edward Little in 1851.