The Edward James Farmstead Site - Examining a Nineteenth-Century Irish Immigrant Family Through Archival and Archaeological Data

Summary

The Edward James Farmstead Site was occupied by Edward James and his wife Ann, both Irish immigrants, who purchased 7.5 acres in Groton (later Ayer), Massachusetts in 1867, raised their 9 children on the property, and lived there until Edward’s death in 1896. The site was first identified in 1993 by PAL during archaeological surveys of the former Fort Devens military lands and determined a portion of the parcel contained potentially significant cultural deposits, including foundation remains and two wells. Recent site examination investigation conducted by PAL in 2023, combined with data from the intensive survey and documentary research, provided important insights into the James family’s 29-year occupation and their lifeways. Archaeological and documentary data was also able to explore the James family’s connections to the greater Irish immigrant community in Groton-Ayer and the role of this ethnic community in the historical development of those towns in the nineteenth century.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2025

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow