39 Cook St

For $2,500, "one tract containing about one hundred acres more or less with the buildings thereon standing", beginning at the southwest corner by Goodwin's own land, easterly by William Gleason Jr. and Ebenezer Richardson Jr. "to a road leading to Shawsheen river", by Joseph Danforth, by a brook by Josiah Crosby, "by said brook to said river, thence northerly as the river runs to land formerly belonging to Ebenezer Richardson", then westerly to the road "a few rods west of the dwelling house" and across the road again back to Goodwin's land; also "the Grimes lot", twelve acres, by Jonathan Stickney and Josiah Hill. Dated Jan. 13, 1801 (the index gives 1804), recorded only in 1815. Billerica town book 11, pages 462-463. Probably the river farm later held by Reuel Goodwin's heirs (same river, road and Gleason bounds); Josiah Richardson's own title is the gap before 1801.

• June 30, 1836 Warranty Deed: Thomas Goodwin of Billerica, yeoman to Haslet Mackay of Billerica, yeoman (353/521) (Goodwin's homestead farm)

On Sept. 14, 1846 the heirs at law Benjamin F. Beard, Daniel Richardson, Reuel Goodwin and Caroline Goodwin asked the court to appoint Marshall Preston of Billerica administrator; he was appointed Oct. 13, 1846 with Samuel Foster and Dudley Foster as sureties. Abner Shed of Burlington, Francis Carter and William S. Gleason appraised the estate (real estate $2,412, personal $505.53): "The Real Estate consisting of the farm with the Buildings thereon". On the petition of Benjamin F. and Betsey C. Beard the court on Jan. 11, 1848 appointed Abner Shed, William S. Gleason and Cyrus Thompson of Woburn to divide it (recorded probate vol. 188, p. 668). They valued eight pieces at $2,686, first "About four acres of Mowing & tillage land, with the House standing on the same", $610, and the "Barn lot" of 19 1/4 acres "with the Barn standing thereon", $350, then the Logging pasture, Swamp lot, Lathrop lot, River pasture, Tillingham corner and a horse shed at the Burlington meeting house. To Caroline Goodwin, one fifth, they set off "the westerly part of the dwelling house late of said Deceased", divided by a line "through the house" along the west wall of the entry, with eight feet of the cellar and the use of the stairs, entries and well "so long as said house shall stand", and 21 acres of the River pasture. "The Easterly part of the house" with the rest of the house lot, the River pasture and the Barn lot went in common to Reuel Goodwin Jr., Mrs. Betsy C. Beard and her husband, the minors Barbara Ann and Melvina Richardson, and Charles O. Reed; the Lathrop lot went to the other children of Rhoda Reed.

• October 26, 1846 Quitclaim: Reuel Goodwin of Manchester, N.H., yeoman (Laura Goodwin releasing dower) to Daniel Richardson of Woburn, blacksmith (496/97) ("all the real estate of which Reuel Goodwin late of Billerica deceased was seized")
• March 8, 1847 Deed: Charles O. Reed of Nashua, N.H., cordwainer to Benjamin F. Beard of Billerica, yeoman (499/464) (a grandson's interest in the Goodwin estate)
• March 23, 1848 Deed: Daniel Richardson of Woburn, blacksmith (Louisa G. Richardson releasing dower) to Benjamin F. Beard of Billerica, yeoman (528/88) (seven twenty-seconds of the Goodwin farm)
• March 23, 1848 Guardian's Deed: Daniel Richardson of Woburn, guardian of his minor children Barbara Ann Richardson and Melvina Richardson to Benjamin F. Beard of Billerica, yeoman (528/89) (the minors' shares of the Goodwin farm)
• July 11, 1868 Warranty Deed: Caroline Goodwin of Woburn to George Bacon of Billerica (63/61) ("set off to me by Commissioners out of the Estate of my late Father")

• 1801 Deed: Josiah Richardson of Billerica, yeoman (Lydia Richardson joining) to Thomas Goodwin of Billerica, yeoman (214/264) (Reuel Goodwin probably inherited from Thomas Goodwin (see the GAP note))

For $50, a release of "all my right title interest and estate of my late Grand Father Reuel Goodwin of Billerica deceased". Dated and acknowledged March 8, 1847, witnesses Samuel Shed and Abner Shed. Billerica town book 18, page 265.

• 1846 Administration: Estate of Reuel Goodwin of Billerica, yeoman (died intestate 1846) to His heirs: Benjamin F. Beard, Daniel Richardson, Reuel Goodwin and Caroline Goodwin, among others (Probate #32868) (a grandson's interest in the Goodwin estate)

For $600, "meaning to convey the proportion of seven to twenty two parts" of "about fifty eight acres of land with the buildings thereon", "bounded South Easterly by the Road leading from said Billerica to Wilmington, South Westerly by land of William Gleason, North Westerly by Shawsheen River, and North Easterly by land of Caroline Goodwin"; also about thirty acres with the barn opposite, by Wm. Gleason, Joshua Bennett and the heirs of Ruel Goodwin, and a two-acre lot at the county road from Boston to Lowell; "saving to the aforesaid Caroline Goodwin all the right and interest in and to the dwelling and land under and adjoining the same ... being a part of her legacy out of her father's estate as set off by Commissioners". Dated Feb. 26, 1848. Billerica town book 20, pages 23-24.

• 1846 Administration: Estate of Reuel Goodwin of Billerica, yeoman (died intestate 1846) to His heirs: Benjamin F. Beard, Daniel Richardson, Reuel Goodwin and Caroline Goodwin, among others (Probate #32868) (seven twenty-seconds of the Goodwin farm)
• October 26, 1846 Quitclaim: Reuel Goodwin of Manchester, N.H., yeoman (Laura Goodwin releasing dower) to Daniel Richardson of Woburn, blacksmith (496/97) (the share Richardson bought from Reuel Goodwin Jr.)

• April 15, 1870 Quitclaim Deed: George Bacon of Billerica (Sophronia G. Bacon releasing dower and homestead) to Sylvester E. Beard of Billerica (72/591) ("conveyed by Benjamin F. Beard to Daniel Richardson by mortgage deed dated March 10th 1848 and ... assigned to said Bacon")

Licensed by the Probate Court at Concord on Feb. 8, 1848, after notice in the Woburn "Guide Post", Richardson sold the minors' shares of the same Goodwin farm at public auction on March 10, 1848 to Benjamin F. Beard, the highest bidder, for $500. Billerica town book 20, pages 25-26.

• 1846 Administration: Estate of Reuel Goodwin of Billerica, yeoman (died intestate 1846) to His heirs: Benjamin F. Beard, Daniel Richardson, Reuel Goodwin and Caroline Goodwin, among others (Probate #32868) (the minors' shares of the Goodwin farm)

• April 15, 1870 Quitclaim Deed: George Bacon of Billerica (Sophronia G. Bacon releasing dower and homestead) to Sylvester E. Beard of Billerica (72/591)

For $600, three tracts: "one tract of land with the buildings thereon containing about fifty eight acres, bounded Southerly or Southeasterly by the road leading from said Billerica to Wilmington, Southwesterly by land of Wm. S. Gleason, Northwesterly by Shawsheen river and Northeasterly by land of Caroline Goodwin"; one of about thirty acres "with a barn thereon" opposite, by Wm. S. Gleason, Joshua Bennett and the heirs of Ruel Goodwin; and about two acres at the county road from Boston to Lowell. "Being premises conveyed by Benjamin F. Beard to Daniel Richardson by mortgage deed dated March 10th 1848 and by said Richardson assigned to said Bacon, and also the rights of Caroline Goodwin as mentioned in a bond of said Bacon to said Beard dated April 14, 1868." Dated April 8, 1870.

• March 23, 1848 Deed: Daniel Richardson of Woburn, blacksmith (Louisa G. Richardson releasing dower) to Benjamin F. Beard of Billerica, yeoman (528/88) ("conveyed by Benjamin F. Beard to Daniel Richardson by mortgage deed dated March 10th 1848 and ... assigned to said Bacon")
• March 23, 1848 Guardian's Deed: Daniel Richardson of Woburn, guardian of his minor children Barbara Ann Richardson and Melvina Richardson to Benjamin F. Beard of Billerica, yeoman (528/89)
• April 9, 1868 Assignment of Mortgage: Daniel Richardson of Woburn to George Bacon of Billerica (61/94) (Bacon's title under the assigned mortgage)
• July 11, 1868 Warranty Deed: Caroline Goodwin of Woburn to George Bacon of Billerica (63/61) (Caroline Goodwin's part of the house)

• September 7, 1910 Quitclaim Deed: Grace Knight Babson of Wellesley (Roger W. Babson, her husband, releasing) to Alice M. McHugh of Woburn (456/407) (part of the Bacon to Beard premises)
• 1918 Deed: Maria Beard of Billerica, widow of Sylvester E. Beard to Her son Sylvester P. (Percy) Beard (618/27) (by inheritance from Sylvester E. Beard (see the HELD note))

Mortgage for $500 of the same three tracts, "Being the same premises this day conveyed to me by said Bacon". Margin notes an assignment (Book 260, Page 578) and a discharge (Book 329). Cleared from Akeson's title by the Land Court in 1960.

• April 15, 1870 Quitclaim Deed: George Bacon of Billerica (Sophronia G. Bacon releasing dower and homestead) to Sylvester E. Beard of Billerica (72/591) (purchase-money mortgage back to Bacon)

The Beard farm on the road from Billerica to Wilmington (Cook Street), about fifty-eight acres between the road and the Shawsheen River and the thirty-acre lot with the barn across the road. Sylvester E. Beard's estate falls after 1871, beyond the online probate index (see the HELD note).

• April 15, 1870 Quitclaim Deed: George Bacon of Billerica (Sophronia G. Bacon releasing dower and homestead) to Sylvester E. Beard of Billerica (72/591) (by inheritance from Sylvester E. Beard (see the HELD note))

• 1922 Mortgage: Sylvester P. Beard of Billerica to Albert H. Jones (656/510)

Mortgage of the Beard farm on Cook Street, later assigned to John A. Akeson of Woburn and foreclosed by him in 1939.

• 1918 Deed: Maria Beard of Billerica, widow of Sylvester E. Beard to Her son Sylvester P. (Percy) Beard (618/27)

• 1939 Foreclosure Deed: John A. Akeson of Woburn, assignee of the Jones mortgage to John A. Akeson of Woburn (929/162) (foreclosure of the 1922 mortgage)

Order of the County Commissioners dated Nov. 17, 1931 on the town's petition that "Cook Street in said Billerica may be relocated and specifically repaired", a 40-foot way running east from the state highway (Boston Road) to "a point on land of one Sylvester P. Beard". Easements for highway purposes were taken on the northerly side from Elizabeth K. McHugh (registered land), Joseph J. McHugh et al. and "Sylvester P. Beard, Parcel #1" (about 1,600 square feet), and on the southerly side from Joseph J. McHugh and "Sylvester P. Beard, Parcel #2 An indefinite area"; no damages were awarded, "as they feel that the benefits will offset any damages." The town was to build a gravel roadway at least 18 feet wide for about 1,500 feet east of the highway. Recorded Dec. 12, 1931; the 1971 deeds convey Parcels One and Two "subject to the taking of Cook Street" by this instrument.

• 1922 Mortgage: Sylvester P. Beard of Billerica to Albert H. Jones (656/510) (Cook Street relocated across the Beard farm, Parcel #2 on the south side)

Foreclosure of Sylvester P. Beard's 1922 mortgage: the farm was sold at public auction on the premises on May 13, 1939 and bought by Akeson himself for $1,975, the highest bid. A 1947 town meeting article calls his river land land "of one John A. Akeson (formerly of one Beard)".

• 1922 Mortgage: Sylvester P. Beard of Billerica to Albert H. Jones (656/510) (foreclosure of the 1922 mortgage)

• May 6, 1952 Deed: John A. Akeson of Woburn to Inhabitants of the Town of Billerica (1194/430) (part of the farm Akeson bought at his 1939 foreclosure sale)
• 1960 Deed: Gladys M. Carey to John A. Akeson, Trustee (1501/552) (Akeson to Carey and back to Akeson as trustee (the deed to Carey not found))

Final decree on Akeson's petition concerning the 1870 mortgage of Sylvester E. Beard to George Bacon (Book 72, Page 593), with a plan "Cook St., John A. Akeson, June 16, 1959"; recorded April 28, 1960 (indexed 1960 under Akeson, Book 1473, Page 394, and a related decree at Book 1482, Page 15).

• April 15, 1870 Mortgage: Sylvester E. Beard of Billerica, yeoman to George Bacon of Billerica (72/593) (Land Court decree concerning mortgage 72-593)

Dated Nov. 1, 1960. Known from the 1971 trustees' deed, which gives it as the title to the Billerica parcels ("fourteenth item") and to several Tewksbury parcels; Carey held as a conduit for Akeson, who had put his lands in a trust dated March 18, 1960 (registered as Document 33612). Not found online at this book and page; the deed from Akeson to Carey was not found.

• 1939 Foreclosure Deed: John A. Akeson of Woburn, assignee of the Jones mortgage to John A. Akeson of Woburn (929/162) (Akeson to Carey and back to Akeson as trustee (the deed to Carey not found))

• April 30, 1971 Trustees' Deed: Evelyn Frances Akeson, Herbert K. Reynolds, Warren E. McCarthy and State Street Bank and Trust Company, Trustees under indenture of John A. Akeson; and Evelyn Frances Akeson individually to Warren E. McCarthy of Winchester (1957/30) ("see deed of Gladys M. Carey to John A. Akeson, Trustee ... Book 1501, Page 552 (fourteenth item)")

Under a Probate Court decree of Nov. 5, 1970 (Docket 462983; see also Estate of John A. Akeson, Middlesex Probate No. 386142), thirteen parcels in Billerica, Burlington and Tewksbury sold for $330,000. Parcel One, "Plan of Land in Billerica, Mass." by Emmons, Fleming & Bienvenu, June 1967 (Plan Book 112, Plan 49): "Southerly and Southeasterly by Cook Street, 1,237.87 feet; Southwesterly by land pertaining to Land Court Case 20869, 623.18 feet; Northwesterly 400 feet; Southwesterly 500 feet more or less, the last two lines being by land now or formerly of the Town of Billerica; Generally Northwesterly by the Shawsheen River; and Northeasterly by land now or formerly of Walter C. McBeth", 57.68 acres, subject to the 1931 taking of Cook Street; Parcel Two, 25.04 acres across Cook Street. Signed in April 1971.

• 1960 Deed: Gladys M. Carey to John A. Akeson, Trustee (1501/552) ("see deed of Gladys M. Carey to John A. Akeson, Trustee ... Book 1501, Page 552 (fourteenth item)")

• April 30, 1971 Deed: Warren E. McCarthy to Eugene W. McCarthy, Maurice J. McCarthy and William E. McCarthy, Trustees of WEM Realty Trust (1957/39)

For consideration paid, "seven certain parcels of land with the buildings thereon situate in Billerica, Burlington and Tewksbury", Parcel One being the Billerica premises "shown as Parcel One on a plan entitled 'Plan of Land in Billerica, Mass.' by Emmons, Fleming & Bienvenu, Inc., ... June, 1967 ... containing ... 57.68 acres more or less", Parcel Two 25.04 acres. To the trustees of WEM Realty Trust under a declaration dated April 28, 1971. A mortgage to State Street Bank and Trust Company et al., trustees, followed (Book 1957, Page 59).

• April 30, 1971 Trustees' Deed: Evelyn Frances Akeson, Herbert K. Reynolds, Warren E. McCarthy and State Street Bank and Trust Company, Trustees under indenture of John A. Akeson; and Evelyn Frances Akeson individually to Warren E. McCarthy of Winchester (1957/30)

• December 30, 1971 Quitclaim Deed: Eugene W., Maurice J. and William E. McCarthy, Trustees of WEM Realty Trust to The same, Trustees of WEM Trust (241 Mystic Avenue, Medford) (1993/282) ("see deed of Warren E. McCarthy to the grantors ... Book 1957, Page 39")

For nominal consideration, seven parcels in Billerica, Burlington and Tewksbury, among them "Parcel One ... Plan Book 112, Plan 49, and containing according to said plan 57.68 acres" and Parcel Two, 25.04 acres, subject to the encumbrances in the Akeson trustees' deed (Book 1957, Page 30). Dated Dec. 1971.

• April 30, 1971 Deed: Warren E. McCarthy to Eugene W. McCarthy, Maurice J. McCarthy and William E. McCarthy, Trustees of WEM Realty Trust (1957/39) ("see deed of Warren E. McCarthy to the grantors ... Book 1957, Page 39")

• June 17, 1981 Trustees' Deed: Eugene W., Maurice J. and William E. McCarthy, Trustees and beneficiaries of WEM Trust to William E. McCarthy of Lynnfield (2484/92) ("see deed ... to the grantors as Trustees of WEM Trust ... Book 1993, Page 282")

For nominal consideration, Parcel One (57.68 acres, Plan Book 112, Plan 49) and Parcel Two (25.04 acres, Plan Book 112, Plan 50). Dated June 12, 1981.

• December 30, 1971 Quitclaim Deed: Eugene W., Maurice J. and William E. McCarthy, Trustees of WEM Realty Trust to The same, Trustees of WEM Trust (241 Mystic Avenue, Medford) (1993/282) ("see deed ... to the grantors as Trustees of WEM Trust ... Book 1993, Page 282")

• May 30, 1985 Quitclaim Deed: William E. McCarthy of Lynnfield to Gregory Hintlian and Aram Hintlian Jr., Trustees of HF Realty Trust (Lowell) (3051/86) ("Being a portion of the premises conveyed to Seller ... Book 2484, Page 92")
• October 16, 1995 Quitclaim Deed: William E. McCarthy of Lynnfield to William E. McCarthy and Ann L. McCarthy, Trustees of Cook Street Realty Trust (7698/51) ("see deed of ... Trustees of WEM Trust to William E. McCarthy ... Book 2484, Page 92")

For $10, "PARCEL ONE" on Plan Book 112, Plan 49, now "44.3 acres, more or less" (see also Plan Book 148, Plan 47 and Plan Book 158, Plan 70), running from the northeast corner of Lot A 1,705 feet, by Cook Street and a series of courses, and "along the edge of Shawsheen River two thousand five hundred (2,500) feet, more or less to the point of beginning"; and Parcel Two less Lots 4 and 5 sold to John E. Farmer in 1993. Title: Book 2484, Page 92.

• June 17, 1981 Trustees' Deed: Eugene W., Maurice J. and William E. McCarthy, Trustees and beneficiaries of WEM Trust to William E. McCarthy of Lynnfield (2484/92) ("see deed of ... Trustees of WEM Trust to William E. McCarthy ... Book 2484, Page 92")

• December 23, 1996 Quitclaim Deed: William E. McCarthy and Ann L. McCarthy, Trustees of Cook Street Realty Trust to William Cooke, Raymond Cooke and Robert Murphy, Trustees of Shawsheen Woods Realty Trust (8363/2) ("see deed of William E. McCarthy ... Book 7698, Page 51")
• July 2, 1997 Quitclaim Deed: William E. McCarthy and Ann L. McCarthy, Trustees of Cook Street Realty Trust to William Cooke, Raymond Cooke and Robert Murphy, Trustees of Shawsheen Woods Realty Trust (8655/7)
• January 5, 1999 Quitclaim Deed: The trustees of Cook Street Realty Trust (declaration of Sept. 28, 1995) to Town of Billerica, acting by its Board of Selectmen (9845/101) (Parcel Two, less Lots 4 and 5)

For $700,000, "A certain parcel of land ... on the Southerly side of Cook Street and being shown as Parcel 2" on the "Plan of Land in Billerica, Mass. Surveyed for John A. Akeson, Trustees" of June 1967 (Plan Book 112, Plan 50), "containing 25.04 acres", excluding Lots 4 and 5 of the 1975 "Definitive Plan of Shawsheen Industrial Park" (Plan Book 121, Plan 124), which had been sold in 1993. "Being a portion of the premises conveyed to the grantors" in 1995 (Book 7698, Page 51). Signed Oct. 22, 1998; accepted by the Selectmen on Nov. 4, 1998 under Article 1 of the Special Town Meeting of May 14, 1998, which voted to borrow for the site and construction of the new Ditson Elementary School; recorded Jan. 5, 1999 (document 737).

• October 16, 1995 Quitclaim Deed: William E. McCarthy of Lynnfield to William E. McCarthy and Ann L. McCarthy, Trustees of Cook Street Realty Trust (7698/51) (Parcel Two, less Lots 4 and 5)

For $300,000, "Lots 4 and 5" on the "Definitive Plan of Shawsheen Industrial Park in Billerica, Mass." owned by WEM Trust, July 1975, Emmons, Fleming & Bienvenu (Plan Book 121, Plan 124), the two Cook Street lots cut out of Parcel Two and sold in 1993; "Lot 5 is subject to a 30' wide Drain Easement as shown on said plan." Accepted by the Selectmen on Nov. 4, 1998 under the same Article 1 of the Special Town Meeting of May 14, 1998; recorded Jan. 22, 1999. The assessors still carry the two lots (1.42 and 1.415 acres) as separate town parcels beside the school lot.

• June 17, 1981 Trustees' Deed: Eugene W., Maurice J. and William E. McCarthy, Trustees and beneficiaries of WEM Trust to William E. McCarthy of Lynnfield (2484/92) (Lots 4 and 5 were cut from Parcel Two by WEM Trust (1975 plan) and sold in 1993)
• January 5, 1999 Quitclaim Deed: The trustees of Cook Street Realty Trust (declaration of Sept. 28, 1995) to Town of Billerica, acting by its Board of Selectmen (9845/101) (bought for the same school site under the same town meeting vote)