Jacob Wyeth (1764-1857)

He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and began his working life as a brick-maker (his father's profession), until he was 23/24 years old when he decided to obtain a liberal education, graduating from Harvard. Soon after leaving college, he went to Hamburg to transact some business for Andrew Craigie, either in Hamburg or England. He returned with goods purchased on his own account that he disposed of at a large profit. He then entered into partnership with Phineas Stone (who married his wife's sister) and they established themselves in Littleton, Mass., as country traders, but went bankrupt. Returning to Cambridge without a dollar, his father gave him a deed of the land on which he built the Fresh Pond Hotel. He made a contract with Walter & Moore, and they built it for him entirely on credit, he having given them a mortgage on the property as security. The hotel was a success and after just eighteen months he paid the contractors every dollar he owed them. He continued in the hotel business until he accumulated a handsome fortune, when he retired, but resided in the house until his death.