History

The house known today as the John Paul Jones house was built in 1758 for Gregory Purcell, a sea captain and merchant. When built, the house was considered to be at the edge of downtown and was amongst only a handful of stately three story homes in the city.

The house is a fine example of Georgian architecture with its gambrel roof and symmetrical five bay fronts. Its interior, with some of the original Georgian heavy molding, panels and carved woodwork intact, features two rooms on each side of a central hall and staircase. One of the front parlors provides a good example of changes in architectural taste during the federal period when it was remodeled. This room contains the classical thin lines popular during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century.

The house changed hands several times during the nineteenth century. Owners included, Woodbury Langdon, Henry and Alexander Ladd, who rented the home to Senator John F. Parrott, and Samuel Lord. The Portsmouth Historical Society has operated the house as a museum since 1920.

The house has been known as the John Paul Jones House for several generations. Jones (1747-92), the celebrated naval hero of the American Revolution, spent time in Portsmouth in 1777 and again in 1781-82. He is believed to have rented a room in this house during 1777, when the widow of Gregory Purcell was operating a boarding house here. There is a wide range of material on Jones available in print and online; a helpful introduction to his life and career appears on the seacoastnh.com website.