Jerkins-Duffy House
Also known as: Beasley,Clarence B.,House; See Also:New Bern Historic Distric
Why it's listed
This two and a half-story frame house at 301 Johnson Street in New Bern was built in the early to mid 1830s for sea captain Thomas Jerkins. Local tradition holds that it was a wedding gift for his daughter Nancy, who married Alexander Mitchell in 1833. The builder is unknown. It follows the side-hall plan common to substantial New Bern houses and blends Federal and Greek Revival details, including Greek ovolo moldings in the interior woodwork. Distinctive features are a two-story gallery across the rear, paired exposed-face chimneys on the west side, and a rooftop captain's walk between the stacks. Later owners added and altered side wings and enclosed the gallery, and these changes were reversed or replaced during a rehabilitation begun in 1957. Dr. Richard N. Duffy and his wife Minnette, a leader in local historical work, owned the house from 1917 to 1957. It was listed for its architectural character and retained integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a representative example of a transitional Federal/Greek Revival house on the side-hall plan, which was the standard form for substantial New Bern residences. Notable features include the two-tier rear gallery, paired exposed-face chimneys with a captain's walk, and Federal and Greek Revival trim inside and out.
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 88000232, listed March 17, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 301 Johnston St., New Bern |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Listed | March 17, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000232 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Ca. 1833 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown builder; built for Captain Thomas Jerkins |
| Architectural style | Federal/Greek Revival transitional |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single dwelling; carefully rehabilitated and maintained by its owners since 1957. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.11048, -77.03790 (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 88000232.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18152673
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.