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Community Corner

Then & Now: The William Endicott House

The historic house on Water Street holds the fascinating stories of William Endicott.

On the corner of Water Street in Danvers, sits the former home of William Endicott. The house, one of the few from the 1800’s that were made of brick, holds quite a bit of history about its famous Danvers resident. William Endicott was born in 1809 and was known as a descendent of Governor John Endicott. In the earlier years of his life, Endicott became interested in crafting Moroccan outfits and began a short career of it, until he decided to follow his passion of humanitarian efforts. Some of the humanitarian efforts included becoming a part of the anti-slavery movement. Endicott wrote many abolition papers in an effort to end slavery.

In 1831, Endicott set out as third mate on a ship known as Glide.  

Glide was shipwrecked off the Fiji Islands, but miraculously, Endicott lived to tell the stories of what he saw on the islands. His stories of the living conditions intrigued many, and were published, forty two years after his death, in 1923. The narrative, Wrecked among Cannibals in the Fijis. A Narrative of Shipwreck and Adventure in the South Seas, describes the cannibalistic acts that Endicott witnessed first hand.

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When Endicott returned from Fiji, he became an inspector at the Salem Courthouse, where he worked until his death in 1881.

The name Endicott is a very popular one in Danvers and surrounding towns. This particular William Endicott of Danvers, tells an interesting story of his passionate and eventful life.

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The house, which has been slightly renovated over the years, still stands on Water Street and holds, yet another, piece of Danvers history.

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