Farnum, Moses, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1769 on the west bank of the Blackstone River, this one-storey brick house on Quaker Highway in Uxbridge was the home of Moses Farnum Jr. (1730-1780). Its front wall is laid in Flemish bond with blackened headers and is symmetrical around a recessed central entry. Side and rear walls use a common bond, and the bricks are believed to have been made locally by Auanias Gifford, who also supplied the 1770 Friends meetinghouse. Later changes include a north ell, replacement 9/1 window sash, a rear porch and a shed dormer. Farnum assembled a very large farm through inheritance and purchase, served on the committee that built the Uxbridge Quaker meetinghouse, and became minister of the new meeting. He held anti-slavery and pacifist views and opposed local taxes for the Revolutionary War. The house stayed in the family into the twentieth century. It was listed for its regionally uncommon masonry construction and its link to a prominent local Quaker.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a regionally unique example of eighteenth-century brick construction in mid-Georgian style. It is also tied to Moses Farnum Jr., a locally prominent Quaker minister who helped found the Uxbridge Friends meeting. It is judged to retain integrity and to meet criteria A, B and C.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83004118, listed October 7, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | MA 146, Uxbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | October 7, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004118 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Mid-Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a residence, as in its original use; outbuilding is a stable. Alterations include a north ell, 9/1 sash, a rear porch and a shed dormer. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.04090, -71.62172 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83004118.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6915768
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.