Contributed by Thomaston Historical Society
- Item 26622
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Description
The house on the left was built circa 1827 by the Honorable John O’Brien, brother of shipbuilder Edward O’Brien.
John O’Brien had a marble mill on Meadow Brook with showrooms at Crick Village, the original town center at Mill River. At one time he served as warden for the Maine State Prison. He lived here with his wife, Mary Ann George, sister of Mrs. Ruggles, and their two children, Edward K. and Eli Merrill O’Brien.
The house on the right was built by John Ruggles in 1827. Mr. Ruggles came to Thomaston in 1818 and established a law office at the “Crick.” He served in the legislature and Congress, and as United States Senator, he initiated the legislation that created the reorganized Patent Office. He held Patent Number One and due to his work, he is known as the “Father of the U.S. Patent Office.
He was also judge of the Maine Supreme Court and was one of Thomaston’s most prominent citizens. His wife was Margaret George, sister of Mary Ann George O’Brien, who lived in the house to the west.
The Ruggles House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
About This Item
- Title: O'Brien and Ruggles Houses, Thomaston, ca. 1960
- Creation Date: circa 1960
- Subject Date: circa 1960
- Location: Thomaston, Knox County, ME
- Media: Photographic print
- Dimensions: 19 cm x 24 cm
- Local Code: HousesDocumentBox
- Object Type: Image
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- Judges--Maine
- Legislators--United States
- Legislators--Maine
- Architecture, Domestic
- Houses--Maine--Thomaston
- Dwellings--Maine--Thomaston
- Historic buildings--Maine--Thomaston
- Ruggles, John, 1789-1874--Homes and haunts--Maine--Thomaston
- O'Brien family
- George family
People
- George, Margaret
- George, Mary Ann
- O'Brien, Edward
- O'Brien, Edward K.
- O'Brien, Eli M.
- O'Brien, John
- Ruggles, John
Other Keywords
- architecture
- Congress
- Crick Village
- Father of U.S. Patent Office
- law office
- lawyer
- Maine State Prison
- Maine Supreme Court Judge
- marble
- marble mill
- Meadow Brook
- Mill River
- National Register of Historic Places
- O'Brien House
- Patent #1
- Patent Number One
- Patent Office
- Ruggles House
- shipbuilder
- the Crick
- United States Senator
- warden
For more information about this item, contact:
Thomaston Historical SocietyPO Box 384, Thomaston, ME 04861
(207) 354 2295
Website
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. No Permission is required to use the low-resolution watermarked image for educational use, or as allowed by the applicable copyright. For all other uses, permission is required.
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