Moy compound | Main residence
7 Brewster Street. [2011, Dunlap]
Left: Before 1946, 7 and 11 Brewster Street were part of the same large parcel. Right: Seong Moy bought the southern portion of the Lovell-Dubois parcel in 1955. Three years later, he completed the studio that is also at 7 Brewster Street. [Map by Dunlap]
[2018, Dunlap]
Text last updated on 15 April 2019 | A half century before this property was purchased by the Abstract Expressionist painter and printmaker Seong Moy (1921-2013), its future was sealed as a place of artistic endeavor. In the early 20th century, 7 Brewster Street and 11 Brewster Street were part of the same property. This gambrel-roofed house (No. 7) stood on the south half of the lot, while a studio (No. 11) stood on the north half. It was known as the Banbury Cross Studios, and it was run by the carpenter Cyrenius A. Lovell Jr. (1870-1919). In 1918, Lovell bought “the stock and good will” of the picture framing and furniture repairing business of James E. Atkins, and advertised himself as successor in the trade. He had only a year left of life.
In 1923, his widow, Cora Eunice (Nickerson) Lovell (1872-1954), married George W. Starbuck of Bourne. She sold the Provincetown property five years later to Norman A. Dubois of Needham. That’s why 11 Brewster Street — now, sadly, demolished — was also known as the Dubois Studios. Dubois and his wife, Theresa H. Dubois, divided the Brewster Street property, selling the north half to Mary S. Pavao in 1946 and the southern half to Ernest W. Benoit in 1947. Benoit and his wife, Marie I. Benoit, held on to 7 Brewster for the next eight years before selling the house in 1955 to Moy and his wife.
An artistic appreciation of Moy appears in the next article about 7 Brewster Street, focused on the studio that he finished in 1958. The family continues to own the property.
Jeff Notaro wrote on 27 March 2014: I was delivering propane gas to this residence last summer [2013] when Mrs. Moy came out and talked a bit and mentioned that her husband, Seong, had passed away that June. He was 92. Such wonderful people. I and my family were former neighbors of theirs until my parents sold 170 Bradford Street, which is on the corner of Brewster and Bradford, in 2011, after 41 years. I’m sure he’ll be missed by many, including me.
¶ Republished on 12 November 2023.
In memoriam
• Cyrenius A. Lovell Jr. (1870-1919)
Find a Grave Memorial No. 125742965. (Centerville.)
• Cora Eunice (Nickerson) (Lovell) Starbuck (1872-1954)
Find a Grave Memorial No. 183258924. (Centerville.)
7 Brewster Street on the Town Map, showing property lines.