STREET ADDRESS: 23 Clements Street
CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth
MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth
COUNTY: Yarmouth
YEAR BUILT: 1882-1885
ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:
Queen Anne Revival in style, this is a two storey house of wood construction. The symmetrical facade has an off centered doorway with bay windows above and to the side. The steeply pitched hip roof has wide eaves supported by brackets. There is one large chimney discreetly placed. The wide paned windows are trimmed below with a geometric design make of wood. The main entrance is in an enclosed porch with windows at the sides. Side lights run the length of the door. The roof of the porch is trimmed with brackets. The exterior foundation is made of brick.
HISTORICAL COMMENT:
Built between 1882 and 1885 by John Robbings, a merchant, early sketches of the house (the 1889 BEV map) show a four sided tower projecting above the facade. The house has since been owned by upper class families including three physicians and several merchants.
CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:
Situated on a slight hill and surrounded by lawns this home has been well kept and is well suited to the neighbourhood. There is a large barn to the rear of the house similar in design and probably built at the same time as the house. Early sketches of this house show a tower on the west side.
PRESENT OWNER: Carol J. / Lester Wilson
ADDRESS: RR 1 Box 1250 Yarmouth, Nova Scotia B5A 4A5
ORIGINAL OWNER: John Y. Robbins
OCCUPATION: Merchant
BUILDER: Unknown
ORIGINAL USE: Residence
PRESENT USE: Residence
| HISTORY OF BUILDING | ||||
| OWNER | FROM: | TO: | OCCUPATION | BOOK-PAGE |
| John Y. Robbins | June 13 1882 | June 23 1885 | Merchant | BH 96 |
| Abel C. Robbins | June 23 1885 | July 22 1885 | Shipowner/Merchant | BL 928 |
| Howard Winslow Cann (in trust) | July 22 1885 | Feb. 11 1901 | Clerk | BL 930 |
| Adeline H. Robbins | Feb. 11 1901 | Jan. 22 1903 | Wife of Charles Robbins (merchant) | CN 26 |
| Charles H. Hankinson | Jan. 22 1903 | Feb. 10 1913 | Restaurant Keeper | CN 39 |
| Jacob W. Grant | Feb. 10 1913 | Oct. 10 1922 | Merchant | DB 928 |
| Thomas A. Lebbetter | Oct. 10 1922 | Dec. 15 1927 | Physician | DQ 605 |
| Florence Stella Lebbetter | Dec. 15 1927 | Apr. 7 1942 | Wife of Thomas Lebbetter | EB 513 |
| Willard C. O'Brien | Apr. 7 1942 | Apr. 23 1963 | Physician | ER 864 |
| Milton O'brien | Apr. 23 1863 | Dec. 4 1981 | Physician | GG 501 |
| Samuel C. Hood | Dec. 4 1981 | Dec. 12 1983 | N/A | NF 693 |
| Philip Martin | Dec. 12 1983 | Oct. 15 1986 | N/A | OD 119 |
| Constantine Kollitus | Oct. 15 1986 | Mar. 5 1995 | Entrepreneur | 421/575 |
| Carol J./Lester Wilson | Mar.5 1995 | N/A | Restaurant owner | 552/630 |
| R. Anne/Larry G. Sweeney | Aug. 9 1999 | present | N/A | 586/187 |
COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:
Dr. Willard C. O'Brian was born in Noel, Hants Country, the son of Milton and Alice (Crowe) O'Brian. He was a medical doctor in Yarmouth and Wedgeport for 60 years (1919-1979). He was Mayor of Wedgeport from 1936-1942 and was a member in the provincial legislature from 1956 to 1963. A very highly respected citizen in Yarmouth County, he received an honourary doctorate degree in humanities from Ste. Anne's University in 1980.
SOURCES: Registry of Deeds (Yarmouth) Yarmouth Directories The Vanguard (Nov. 11, 1981)