Grace Whalon LaValley

WOMEN OF WESTPORT POINT

Grace Whalon LaValley  (1896 – 1988)

Business woman and realtor

1868 Main Road, 1892 Main Road, 1991 Main Road, 2018 Main Road, Westport Point

Grace Whalon LaValley was born in 1896 in New Bedford, Ma.  She was employed by Frank LaValley as a bookkeeper.  He was a cotton broker, formerly in charge of Walter Lanshow Selling House in New York. After the death of his first wife, Grace married Frank in July, 1917 in his home in Westport known as the Valentine Villas.  Frank was born in 1873 so was considerably older than Grace and died in 1942, 44 years before Grace died.  They had three children:  Leonard, Mary and Frances.  They lived in New Bedford mainly until his death, although they are shown as living in Westport in the 1920 census.  Grace spent her later life in Westport Point where she  had a business doing rentals in Westport Point.  She became active in the Westport Women’s Republican Club and was president in 1959.  She owned at least four houses at the Point:  1868 Main, 1892 Main, 1991 Main and 2018 Main. She is remembered for her generosity, always cooking something savory for the Point church suppers and the soldiers based at Gooseberry neck and as “the eyes, ears and nose of Westport”, as she seemed to know everything about everybody!  Many summer residents as well as permanent Westporters became acquainted with Grace, as she was very active in real estate rentals for many years.

She bought 1868 Main Road from John Baker in 1951, very soon after building a house there.  She sold 1868 Main Road to William and Nancy Logan in September 1956. 

She bought 1892 Main in 1953.

Frank’s villa – 1991 Main Road house (the Valentine villa)

Frank and Grace bought 2018 Main in 1926 when they sold the Valentine Villa.