Henry Bowers House
Henry Bowers House
| Address | 455 Boston Rd |
| MACRIS ID | BIL.190 |
| Built | 1850 |
| Moved | 1973 |
| New Address | 594 Middlesex Tp |
| Owners | Henry Bowers (1847 - 1864) |
The Henry Bowers House stood on the west side of Boston Road just south of Billerica Center, on a lot now occupied by the car wash at 455 Boston Road. The land was part of a tract of "two acres and three quarters" on "the Great Boston Road" that Blaney Abbot sold to Henry Crosby, a yeoman, on April 1, 1846, bounded north by the land of Arza Page. On May 31, 1847 Crosby sold the north part, "one acre and three eighths of an acre", with no buildings, for $362.50 to Henry Bowers, a Billerica carpenter who, according to notes A. Warren Stearns had from his grandfather, may have built several similar houses nearby. Bowers built his own house here between 1847 and the early 1850s.
Henry Bowers made his will on October 20, 1862, "being in ill health", and left his widow Eliza Ann Bowers "my dwelling house, and land ... where I now reside", with a five-acre piece called the Norton Lot. The will was proved in September 1864. In May 1867 the widow, by then living in Boston, sold the house and an acre of land for $2,800 to James R. Faulkner, John Baldwin, Thomas Talbot, William Gray and Calvin Rogers, trustees for the contributors who had raised the money "for the purchase of the premises ... as a parsonage for the First Parish". Their declaration of trust lists the Faulkners, Talbot, Gray, the Richardsons, Dr. Joseph Bowers, George P. Elliot and others as contributors, and directed that the house be "used, occupied and enjoyed as and for a residence and parsonage by the minister or pastor of the First Parish". The 1875 map shows it as the parsonage of the First Parish in Billerica. Trustees who died were replaced by Leander Crosby in 1877 and Joseph Jaquith in 1880.
In August 1881 the trustees sold the house for $2,500 to Rufus K. Underhill and put the money into the Marshall Preston House as the new parsonage. The lot then measured 111 1/2 feet on the road and 304 feet deep. Underhill sold it in 1882 to Mather E. Hawes of Somerville, who sold it the same year to Charles H. Porter of Somerville. In 1883 Porter sold it to the seven children of John F. Long of Billerica, who had died; their mother, Mary A. Long, later Mrs. Haskell, lived here with them and appears as "Mrs. Haskell" on the 1889 map. In December 1889, as their guardian, she sold five sevenths at auction to Henry M. Hutchins, and the two older sons, then in San Francisco, sold him the other two sevenths.
Hutchins sold the house in 1891 to Elijah F. Paige, who in 1909 moved the south line a few feet when he sold the adjoining lot to Edwin M. Whitney, leaving the house lot 116 1/2 feet on the road. Paige sold to Grace Lilian Backer of Melrose in 1911, and she sold to Augustus Hemenway of Canton in 1915. After a short ownership by Johanna Hans Jonckheere, Hemenway sold it in 1919 to Julia A. Goodwin, who sold it in 1932 to Frederick W. and Jessie C. Flitner. The widow Jessie Flitner kept it until her conservator sold it to private owners in 1960.
The lot was sold again in 1965 and 1971, and in August 1973 the house was moved by Leonard Caporale to 594 Middlesex Turnpike, where it still stands. A car wash took its place on Boston Road; the lot was sold in 1978 with the same bounds first written in 1881, and in 2013 it was combined with the lot to the south on Plan 235-69.
References
- MACRIS BIL.190
- Billerica assessor, 455 Boston Rd (parcel 61-80-1): car wash lot, combined lots per Plan 235-69, sales from 1978
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| August 26, 1848 | Warranty Deed | Blaney Abbot of Billerica, Esquire | Henry Crosby of Billerica, yeoman | 1846 Blaney Abbot sells the 2 3/4-acre tract to Henry Crosby | 538/521 (South) |
Dated April 1, 1846, witnessed and acknowledged April 13 before Marshall Preston JP; copied in Billerica town book 20, pages 113-114 (recorded about August 1848). For $550, "a certain tract or parcel of land situate in said Billerica containing two acres and three quarters more or less": from the northeast corner at "the Great Boston Road" and land of Azra Page, west by Page about 20 rods to a corner of a wall at other land of the grantor, south by the wall to land of Prentiss about 22 rods, east by Prentiss about 20 rods to the road, and north by the road about 21 rods. Crosby gave Abbot a mortgage back (S.481/154). Henry Bowers bought the north 1 3/8 acres of this tract in 1847.
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| June 25, 1847 | Warranty Deed | Henry Crosby of Billerica, yeoman | Henry Bowers of Billerica, carpenter | 1847 Henry Bowers buys the bare house lot from Henry Crosby | 514/107 (South) |
Dated May 31, 1847, acknowledged the same day before Marshall Preston JP; copied in Billerica town book 20, pages 4-5. For $362.50, "a certain tract or parcel of land situate in said Billerica containing one acre and three eighths of an acre more or less": from the northeast corner at "the Boston Road so called" and land of Arza Page, west by Page about 19 rods to land of Paul Holt Jr., south by Holt 11 rods and half a link, east by "my own land" 20 rods to a stake at the road, and north by the road 10 rods 20 links. Bare land with no buildings mentioned and no title recital. Bowers, a carpenter, built his house here between 1847 and 1852.
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| 1864 | Will | Estate of Henry Bowers of Billerica, carpenter | Eliza Ann Bowers, his widow and sole executrix | 1864 Henry Bowers leaves the house to his widow Eliza Ann | Probate #27747 |
Middlesex probate case 27747 (13 pages), petition for probate of will and letters testamentary, September 1864 (record vol. 10 p. 398, wills vol. 11 p. 493). The will, made Oct. 20, 1862 "being in ill health" and witnessed by John Eames and E. T. Page, gives "my beloved wife Eliza Ann Bowers, my dwelling house, and land, with all its appurtenances, situated in the Town of Billerica and where I now reside", and "one other tract of land, which is a part of my homestead ... known as the Norton Lot, containing five acres", with $50 each to his daughters Mary Elizabeth and Frances Hannah Bowers and the residue to the widow, sole executrix without bond.
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| September 3, 1867 | Deed | Eliza A. Bowers of Boston, widow of Henry Bowers | James R. Faulkner, John Baldwin, Thomas Talbot, William Gray and Calvin Rogers of Billerica, trustees for a parsonage of the First Parish in Billerica | 1867 the widow sells the house to trustees as the First Parish parsonage | 58/246 |
Dated May 14, 1867, acknowledged before A. P. Bonney JP. For $2,800 paid by the five men "as Trustees of the contributors of said sum for the purchase of the premises hereinafter described as a parsonage for the First Parish in said Billerica", "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon containing one acre and five square rods": from the corner at "the Boston Road" and land of Arza Page, west by Page about 19 rods to land formerly of Paul Holt, south 11 rods and half a link to land formerly of Henry Crosby, now of J. F. Baldwin, then around a piece "conveyed by the late Henry Bowers to C. M. Hanneford" and north on the road 7 rods 1 link. "Being a part of the same conveyed to my late husband ... by deed dated May 31st A.D. 1847 ... Book 514 Page 107. Said premises having been devised to me by the last will and testament of my said husband."
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| September 3, 1867 | Declaration of Trust | James R. Faulkner, John Baldwin, Thomas Talbot, William Gray and Calvin Rogers, trustees | The contributors and the First Parish in Billerica | 1867 trust: the house to serve as the First Parish parsonage | 58/248 |
Dated May 14, 1867. The trustees declare that the $2,800 was raised in parts from James R. Faulkner (20), Thomas Talbot (20), William Gray (12), Charles Faulkner (20), L. R. and L. H. Faulkner (6), John Baldwin, Calvin Rogers, Mrs. Eleanor Bennett, Mrs. George Holden and Mrs. Rebecca Warren (4 each), the Rogers ladies, John O. and Albert H. Richardson, Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Bowers, George P. Elliot and others, and that the estate is to be "used, occupied and enjoyed as and for a residence and parsonage by the minister or pastor of the First Parish in said Billerica" at a reasonable rent, rents going to repairs, insurance and taxes and any surplus to the Parish. The trustees could sell and reinvest in other Billerica real estate on the same trusts.
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| April 4, 1877 | Appointment of Trustee | Calvin Rogers, Thomas Talbot, John O. Richardson and George P. Elliot, surviving parsonage trustees | Leander Crosby of Billerica, trustee | 1877 Leander Crosby made a parsonage trustee | 123/8 |
Dated Feb. 7, 1877. A majority of the surviving trustees under the 1867 deed and declaration of trust (Book 58 Pages 246 and 248), James R. Faulkner having died, appoint Leander Crosby trustee in his place and convey to him the deceased trustee's estate in the parsonage on the same trusts.
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| May 5, 1880 | Appointment of Trustee | Thomas Talbot, John O. Richardson, Leander Crosby and Geo. P. Elliot, surviving parsonage trustees | Joseph Jaquith of Billerica, trustee | 1880 Joseph Jaquith made a parsonage trustee | 139/294 |
Dated March 30, 1880. "A majority of the survivors" of the trustees under Eliza Bowers's deed of May 14, 1867 (Book 58 Page 246) and the declaration of trust (Book 58 Page 248), Calvin Rogers having died, appoint Joseph Jaquith trustee in his place and convey the deceased trustee's estate to him on the same trusts; Jaquith sworn before Dudley Foster JP.
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| August 27, 1881 | Trustees' Deed | Thomas Talbot, George P. Elliot, John O. Richardson, Leander Crosby and Joseph Jaquith of Billerica, parsonage trustees | Rufus K. Underhill of Billerica | 1881 the parsonage trustees sell the house to Rufus K. Underhill | 147/479 |
Dated Aug. 15, 1881. The trustees under the declaration of trust of May 14, 1867 and four later instruments (Book 88 Page 574, Book 114 Page 40, Book 123 Page 8, Book 139 Page 294), for $2,500, "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon": from the northeast corner on "the Boston Road" at land formerly of Arza Page, west 304 feet to land formerly of Paul Holt, south 130 feet to "land formerly of said grantors", east 325 feet to the road, and north on the road 111 1/2 feet; "being the larger part of premises conveyed to Faulkner, Baldwin, Talbot et al. Trustees by Eliza A. Bowers ... Book 58 Page 246." The Parish reinvested the money in the Marshall Preston house as its new parsonage (declaration Book 150 Page 390).
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| May 1, 1882 | Warranty Deed | Rufus K. Underhill of Billerica (Eleuthera D. Underhill releasing dower and homestead) | Mather E. Hawes of Somerville | 1882 Underhill sells to Mather E. Hawes of Somerville | 152/180 |
Dated March 30, 1882, acknowledged before Dudley Foster JP. For $1 and other valuable consideration, "A certain lot of land with the buildings thereon", the same bounds (304, 130, 325 and 111 1/2 feet, the south line at land formerly of Thomas Talbot and others, Trustees); "Being the same premises conveyed to me by Thomas Talbot et al. Trustees, dated August 15th 1881 ... Book 147 Page 479." Hawes gave John O. Richardson a $1,300 mortgage on April 27, 1882 (Book 152 Page 183).
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| August 29, 1882 | Warranty Deed | Mather E. Hawes of Somerville (Laura B. Hawes releasing dower and homestead) | Charles H. Porter of Somerville | 1882 Hawes sells to Charles H. Porter | 154/542 |
Dated July 1, 1882, acknowledged in Boston July 15 before W. C. Kingsbury JP. For $1,800, "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon", the same bounds, the south line at "land formerly of the Trustees of the Unitarian Society"; being the premises conveyed to Hawes by Rufus K. Underhill and to Underhill by Thomas Talbot et al. Trustees (Book 147 Page 479); free of encumbrances "except a certain mortgage for Thirteen Hundred Dollars and the taxes for the year 1882".
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| June 1, 1883 | Assignment of Mortgage | John O. Richardson of Billerica | George A., Edward M., Estelle M., John F., Gladdys G., Harry P. and Walter F. Long, heirs of John F. Long of Billerica | 1883 the Long heirs take over the Hawes mortgage | 160/122 |
Dated June 1, 1883, acknowledged before Charles H. Porter JP. For $1,300 paid by the seven heirs of John F. Long, "late of said Billerica", Richardson assigns "a certain mortgage given by [Mather E.] Hawes to me ... dated April 27th A.D. 1882 ... libro 152, folio 183", with the real estate and the note, subject to redemption.
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| June 1, 1883 | Warranty Deed | Charles H. Porter of Somerville (Josephine L. Porter releasing dower and homestead) | George A., Edward M., Estelle M., John F., Gladdys G., Harry P. and Walter F. Long, children and heirs of John F. Long of Billerica | 1883 Porter sells to the seven Long children | 160/122 |
Dated May 31, 1883, acknowledged at Somerville June 1, recorded on page 122-123 after the mortgage assignment. For $1,620 paid by the seven "children and heirs at law of John F. Long late of Billerica ... deceased", "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon": northeast corner on "the Boston Road" at land of Aza Page, west 304 feet to land formerly of Paul Holt, south 130 feet to land formerly of the Trustees of the Unitarian Society, east 325 feet to the road, north on the road 111 1/2 feet; "Being the same premises conveyed to me by Walter C. [Mather E.] Hawes of said Somerville, by deed dated July 1, 1882 ... Book 154, Page 542." Their mother, Mary A. Long, later Mrs. Haskell, lived here with the children; the 1889 map shows "Mrs. Haskell".
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| January 20, 1890 | Deed | Edward M. Long and George F. Long of San Francisco, by Mary A. Haskell (formerly Mary A. Long), their attorney | Henry M. Hutchins of Billerica | 1889 the two older Long sons sell their two sevenths to Hutchins | 212/281 |
Dated and acknowledged Dec. 3, 1889 before Joseph P. Thompson JP. For about $435, "two undivided sevenths of a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon", the same lot on the Boston road; being the premises conveyed by Charles H. Porter to the seven Long children on May 31, 1883. Mary A. Haskell joined the warranty "in my individual capacity".
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| January 20, 1890 | Guardian's Deed | Mary A. Haskell of Billerica, guardian of Estelle M. Tulley (wife of James Tulley of Lowell) and of John F., Gladys G., Harry P. and W. Fairfield Long, minor children of John F. Long | Henry M. Hutchins of Billerica | 1889 guardian sells five sevenths to Henry M. Hutchins | 212/282 |
Dated Dec. 3, 1889. Licensed by the Probate Court (her letters of guardianship, July 23, 1889, are recorded just before), the guardian sold at public auction on Dec. 3, 1889 to Hutchins, for $1,214, "five undivided sevenths of a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon", the same lot (304, 130, 325 and 111 1/2 feet on the Boston road at land of Azro Page, Paul Holt and Talbot et als.); "Being the same premises conveyed by Chas. H. Porter to Geo. A. Long, Edward M. Long, Estelle M. Long, John F. Long, Gladys G. Long, Harry P. Long and Walter F. Long May 31st 1883." James Tulley joined for his wife. The recording date is read as January 1890.
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| September 16, 1891 | Warranty Deed | Henry M. Hutchins of Billerica (Marietta C. Hutchins releasing dower and homestead) | Elijah F. Paige | 1891 Hutchins sells the whole to Elijah F. Paige | 227/155 |
Dated and acknowledged Aug. 1, 1891 before Joseph P. Thompson JP. For $1 and other consideration, "two undivided sevenths of a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon" (title Edward M. Long et als., Dec. 3, 1889, Book 212 Page 281) and "five undivided sevenths" of the same (title Mary A. Haskell et als., Book 212 Page 282): northeast corner at the Boston road at land of Azro Page, west 304 feet to land formerly of Paul Holt, south 130 feet to land formerly of Talbot et als., east 325 feet to the road, north on the road 111 1/2 feet; subject to the 1891 taxes and "one mortgage of $625 and interest which the grantee assumes". The same day Dudley Foster deeded Paige the adjoining lot to the south (Book 227 Page 154).
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| May 7, 1909 | Warranty Deed | Elijah F. Paige of Billerica, unmarried | Edwin M. Whitney of Billerica | 1909 boundary with the Whitney lot shifted: frontage now 116.5 ft | 433/521 |
Dated May 5, 1909, acknowledged before Forrest F. Collier JP. Paige sold Whitney the lot south of the house that Dudley Foster had deeded him in 1891 (Book 227 Page 154), 62 feet on the west side of the Boston Road, "except the front line of said premises on said Boston Road is shortened five [5] feet and the remainder of my land on said road is increased five [5] feet in frontage; and the back line ... is increased eight [8] feet and the back line of the remainder of my land is shortened eight [8] feet." This moved the house lot's south line, giving it the 116.5-foot frontage and 122-foot back line of all later deeds.
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| October 30, 1914 | Warranty Deed | Elijah F. Page [Paige] of Billerica, "having no wife" | Grace Lilian Backer, wife of Clarence A. Backer of Melrose | 1911 Paige sells to Grace Lilian Backer of Melrose | 529/398 |
Dated and acknowledged July 14, 1911 in Suffolk before Herbert A. King JP, but not recorded until Oct. 30, 1914. For $1 and other valuable considerations, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon" on the west side of the Boston road: from the southeast corner at land of Whitney, north on the road 116.5 feet, west on land of Azro Page 304 feet, south on land of Paul Holt 122 feet, east on Whitney 325 feet. "For title see deed from Henry M. Hutchins to me dated August 1, 1891 ... Book 227, Page 155." Subject to a mortgage of $1,000 (the 1907 Merrimack River Savings Bank mortgage, Book 405 Page 512).
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| May 8, 1915 | Warranty Deed | Grace Lillian Backer of Melrose (Clarence A. Backer releasing dower and homestead) | Augustus Hemenway of Canton | 1915 Backer sells to Augustus Hemenway of Canton | 536/239 |
Dated and acknowledged May 7, 1915 before Thomas J. Lyons JP. For $1 and other valuable considerations, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon", the same bounds (116.5, 304, 122 and 325 feet). "For title see deed from Henry M. Hutchins to Paige, dated August 1, 1891 ... book 227, page 155" (her own deed from Paige was not yet recorded).
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| June 11, 1915 | Quitclaim | Augustus Hemenway of Canton (Harriett L. Hemenway releasing dower and homestead) | Johanna Hans Jonckheere, wife of Robert Jonckheere of Billerica | 1915 Hemenway sells to Johanna Hans Jonckheere (reconveyed by 1919) | 540/3 |
Acknowledged June 10, 1915 in Boston before Mora A. Corliss NP. For $1, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon", the same bounds; "For title see deed from Grace Lillian Backer to me dated May 7, 1915 ... Book 536, Page 239." The Jonckheeres reconveyed it to Hemenway (Book 615 Page 6) by 1919.
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| December 12, 1919 | Quitclaim | Augustus Hemenway of Canton (Harriett L. Hemenway releasing dower and homestead) | Julia A. Goodwin, wife of Harry F. Goodwin, of Billerica | 1919 Hemenway sells to Julia A. Goodwin | 618/1 |
Dated Nov. 1, 1919, acknowledged in Boston Dec. 11. For consideration paid, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon" on the west side of the Boston Road, the same bounds; "being the same premises conveyed by me to [Johanna Hans] Jonckheere by deed recorded ... Book 540 p. 3 and by her reconveyed to me by deed recorded in said Registry Book 615 p. 6"; subject to the 1919 taxes. She gave Hemenway a $2,500 mortgage the same day (page 2, later discharged).
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| March 14, 1932 | Quitclaim | Julia A. Goodwin of Billerica (Harry F. Goodwin releasing curtesy and homestead) | Frederick W. Flitner and Jessie C. Flitner, husband and wife, of Billerica | 1932 Goodwin sells to Frederick W. and Jessie C. Flitner | 811/338 |
Dated and acknowledged March 14, 1932 before William A. Brade NP. For consideration paid, as joint tenants, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon", the same bounds on the west side of the Boston Road; "Being the same premises conveyed to this Grantor by deed of Augustus Hemenway dated November 1st 1919 ... Book 618 page 1"; subject to a $2,000 mortgage held by the Woburn Co-operative Bank, balance $1,885.20, which the grantees assumed. The widow Jessie Flitner kept it as a two-family house for almost thirty years.
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| December 30, 1960 | Conservator's Deed | Frances Tompkins, Conservator of the property of Jessie C. Flitner of Billerica | A private couple of Millis | 1960 the Flitner conservator sells; later private owners to the car wash | 1501/244 |
Dated Dec. 20, 1960 under a license of the Middlesex Probate Court. For $13,000, "a parcel of land with the buildings thereon" on the west side of the Boston Road, the same bounds (116.5 feet on the road, 304 feet on land of "Azro Page", 122 feet on Paul Holt, 325 feet on Whitney); "Being all and the same premises conveyed to Frederick W. Flitner and Jessie C. Flitner by Julia A. Goodwin, by her deed dated March 14, 1932 ... Book 811, Page 338." Later private sales of the same parcel: 1965 (Book 1682 Page 220), 1971 (Book 1979 Page 445, $60,000) and 1978 (Book 2335 Page 385, $300,000) to the car-wash owners; the house was moved off in August 1973 to 594 Middlesex Turnpike, and the lot was combined with lot 82 on Plan 235-69 in 2013 and sold again in 2008 and 2016.
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Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted; Probate # is a Middlesex probate case, Ctf a Land Court certificate of title.