St. Theresa's Catholic Church

For $2,000, "a certain tract of land situate in said Billerica opposite my dwelling house containing eighteen acres more or less": from the southwest corner on the road from Billerica to Boston at land of William G. Alley, east on Alley about 46 rods to a stone wall, south about 7 rods to Blaney Abbott, east by Abbott about 108 rods to Jonathan Wright, north about 10 rods to the heirs of the late Henry Baldwin, west by Baldwin and Fitch Tufts to the estate of the late John H. Parker, and by Parker's land and wall to the road, south by the road about 10 rods, "with the small dwelling house thereon". Dated and acknowledged Aug. 15, 1851 before Dudley Foster; no title recital. Billerica town book 19, pages 126-127.

• 1843 Warranty Deed: John H. Parker of Boston, yeoman to His father David Parker of Billerica, gentleman (483/151) (David Parker sells 18 acres of the Bowers lot)

• 1853 Warranty Deed: George Proctor of Billerica, clerk to John M. Eastman of Billerica, yeoman (657/59) (recited: Lib. 615 Fol. 386)

For $4,000, "my farm" of eighteen acres on the road from Billerica to Boston, from land of Mark Lund by the land formerly of Blaney Abbot's heirs, Jonathan Wright, the heirs of Henry Baldwin, land formerly of Jefferson Cutter and Bernard McCann, "with all the buildings thereon standing", subject to the $3,000 mortgage to John A. Richardson of Feb. 6, 1879, which the grantee assumes. Dated Oct. 20, 1879, acknowledged in Hardin County, Iowa.

• September 12, 1859 Warranty Deed: John T. Jordan of Billerica, yeoman (Mary E. Jordan releasing dower and homestead) to Alonzo Ordway of Lowell (21/52) (Ordway to Howe)

• November 11, 1885 Warranty Deed: Philander D. Howe of Billerica (Rozina Howe releasing dower and homestead) to Calvin P. Sawyer of Billerica (177/492) (same as from Alonzo Ordway)

For $4,000, Howe's "Homestead Farm" of 18 acres "with all the buildings thereon" on the east side of the road from Billerica to Boston, from the road at land formerly of Mark Lund (the shop lot), by Lund about 46 rods, south 7 rods to land formerly of the Blaney Abbot heirs, east by Abbot about 108 rods to Jonathan Wright, north 10 rods to the heirs of Henry Baldwin, then by Baldwin, land formerly of Jefferson Cutter and Bernard McCann to the road; same as from Alonzo Ordway, Oct. 20, 1879, Book 136, Page 343. Bought the same day as the shop lot, which it surrounds on the north and east.

• October 24, 1879 Warranty Deed: Alonzo Ordway of Union, Hardin County, Iowa (Lucretia C. Ordway releasing dower and homestead) to Philander D. Howe of Billerica (136/343) (same as from Alonzo Ordway)

• November 11, 1885 Warranty Deed: Rozina Howe of Billerica, wife of Philander D. Howe, in her own right (he assenting) to Calvin P. Sawyer of Billerica (177/491) (the farm and the shop lot bought together)

Original Certificate of Title 341 on the decree of Nov. 2, 1912 in case 3956: Clara E. Sexton is "the owner in fee simple" of land "Southwesterly by Boston Road three hundred eighty-four and 69/100 (384.69) feet", north by George S. Daniels 2,534.37 feet, northeast by Edwin H. Blakie 379.47 feet, southeast by "Nathaniel R. Jones et al." (756.61, 7 and 386.10 feet), west by Clarence A. Backer 556.98 feet and south by Backer, Walter H. Fuller and Susan E. Burton 1,569.25 feet, as shown on the plan by O. M. Snell, C.E., July 1912 (Land Court Plan 3956-A). The plan copy filed with the certificate divides it into Lot A (165.24 feet on the road, already Fitzgerald's) and Lot B (219.45 feet), with a house drawn near the road on each. Memoranda: Lot A deeded to Frank A. Fitzgerald Nov. 9, 1912 (document 464, Certificate 347); Lot B to William H. Sexton Feb. 1, 1913 (document 510, Certificate 385).

• August 15, 1887 Quitclaim: Frances E. Crosby of Malden, unmarried to Mary H. Crosby of Billerica (190/563) (Clara E. Sexton, only heir at law of Mary H. Crosby)

• November 11, 1912 Certificate of Title: Clara E. Sexton (document 464, deed of Nov. 9, 1912) to Frank A. Fitzgerald of Billerica, married to Julia F. Fitzgerald (Ctf 347)
• 1913 Certificate of Title: Transfer from the Sexton title (Lot B of plan 3956-A) to Clarence A. Backer of Billerica, married to Grace Lilian Backer (Ctf 432) (Lot B cut from the Sexton registration)
• February 7, 1913 Certificate of Title: Clara E. Sexton (from Original Certificate 341) to William H. Sexton of Billerica, married to Clara E. Sexton (Ctf 385) (Lot B of the 1912 registration)

• April 9, 1906 Warranty Deed: William H. Sexton and Clara E. Sexton, his wife, in her own right, of Billerica to Frank A. Fitzgerald of Tewksbury (388/582) (registers the Crosby land, including the 1906 Fitzgerald lot)
• November 11, 1912 Certificate of Title: Clara E. Sexton (document 464, deed of Nov. 9, 1912) to Frank A. Fitzgerald of Billerica, married to Julia F. Fitzgerald (Ctf 347) (Lot A, the abutting lot)
• August 5, 1912 Notice of Land Court Petition: Land Court, case 3956 (petition of Clara E. Sexton of Billerica) to Clara E. Sexton of Billerica (490/24) (petition notice)

Notice that Clara E. Sexton filed a petition July 5, 1912 to register land southwest by Boston road 381.87 feet, north by land of George S. Daniels 2,559.87 feet, northeast by Edwin H. Blakie, southeast by Edith Jones and Nathaniel R. Jones, and southwest, west and south by Clarence A. Backer (the Howe farm), Walter H. Fuller and Susan E. Burton, "Containing thirty-one and 328/1000 (31.328) acres". The margin refers to the notice of disposal, Book 496, Page 300 (the decree, Certificate 341).

• August 15, 1887 Quitclaim: Frances E. Crosby of Malden, unmarried to Mary H. Crosby of Billerica (190/563) (Sexton land)

Transfer certificate of July 15, 1913: Backer owns Lot B on Land Court plan 3956-A (O. M. Snell, July 1912), cut from the Sexton farm: southwest by Boston Road 219.45 feet, with the Daniels, Blakie and Jones bounds of 1912, "Westerly by land now or formerly of Clarence A. Backer" 556.98 feet and southerly by Backer 243.23 feet, then by Lot A. Backer already held the old Howe farm and shop lot to the west and north as unregistered land.

• November 8, 1912 Land Court Decree: Land Court decree, case 3956 (petition of Clara E. Sexton) to Clara E. Sexton of Billerica, married to William H. Sexton (Ctf 341) (Lot B cut from the Sexton registration)

• June 26, 1922 Certificate of Title: Clarence A. Backer (from certificate 432) to John E. Hardy of Billerica, married to Lura W. Hardy (Ctf 1878) (Lot 1 cut from Lot B)
• 1924 Certificate of Title: Transfer from Clarence A. Backer (certificates 432 and 864) to Jennie M. Kinsman of Billerica, married to Dwight M. Kinsman (Ctf 2610) (Lot 3, from certificate 432)
• June 4, 1926 Certificate of Title: Clarence A. Backer, by his executors (from certificates 432 and 864) to Isabel Porter of Lincoln, married to Fred A. Porter (Ctf 3083) (remaining portion of Lot B)

Original certificate entered on a decree of Nov. 23, 1916 (transcribed Nov. 25, 1916) registering the rest of Backer's land, the old Howe farm with the shop lot: westerly by Boston Road 249.59 feet, northerly by George P. Greenwood (the Parker store lot) 495.10 feet and westerly by Greenwood 91.82 feet, northerly by Sidney A. Bull 2,056.46 feet, easterly by Nat R. Jones 163.60 feet, and "Southerly by land now or formerly of Clara E. Sexton" 2,534.37 feet, on a plan by F. W. Huntington and Co., July 1915; subject to an attachment of May 25, 1915 in a suit of Ernest T. Wheeler against the Imperial Fur and Breeding Company.

• November 8, 1901 Warranty Deed: Stephen D. Hodge and Elizabeth Hodge, in her own right to Henrietta Fraser of Boston (336/479) (the Fraser two parcels, by a transfer to Backer before 1912 not found in the indexes)

• 1924 Certificate of Title: Transfer from Clarence A. Backer (certificates 432 and 864) to Jennie M. Kinsman of Billerica, married to Dwight M. Kinsman (Ctf 2610) (Lot 3, from certificate 864)
• June 4, 1926 Certificate of Title: Clarence A. Backer, by his executors (from certificates 432 and 864) to Isabel Porter of Lincoln, married to Fred A. Porter (Ctf 3083) (remaining portion of the 6093-A land)

Transfer certificate for "the remaining portion" of Backer's two registered parcels, Lot B of plan 3956-A and the land of plan 6093-A, less Lots 1 and 3 of plan 6093-B, on the executors' deed of April 10, 1926. Memoranda: Backer's 1913 mortgage to Clara E. Sexton for $3,500 (discharged 1926); a $15,000 mortgage to James Shannon and others, June 3, 1926 (document 6870); a $2,000 mortgage to William J. Dobbins; entry to foreclose Oct. 29, 1934; attachment by Daniel J. Dacey Nov. 17, 1934; mortgagee's deed with affidavit, document 11143, registered Dec. 3, 1934 (Certificate 4690).

• 1913 Certificate of Title: Transfer from the Sexton title (Lot B of plan 3956-A) to Clarence A. Backer of Billerica, married to Grace Lilian Backer (Ctf 432) (remaining portion of Lot B)
• 1916 Certificate of Title: Land Court decree, case 6093 (petition of Clarence A. Backer) to Clarence A. Backer of Billerica, married to Grace L. Backer (Ctf 864) (remaining portion of the 6093-A land)

• December 3, 1934 Certificate of Title: James Shannon and others, mortgagees of Isabel Porter (mortgagee's deed, document 11143) to James Shannon (married to Ellen), Robert J. Shannon, Herbert F. Shannon and James W. Shannon of Woburn, one quarter each (Ctf 4690) (mortgagee's deed, document 11143)

• June 4, 1926 Executor's Deed: Thomas W. Fernald and Reginald B. Fonda, executors of the will of Clarence A. Backer, late of Damascus, Virginia, formerly of Billerica to Isabel Porter, wife of Fred A. Porter, of Lincoln (736/589) (executors' deed)
• 1924 Certificate of Title: Transfer from Clarence A. Backer (certificates 432 and 864) to Jennie M. Kinsman of Billerica, married to Dwight M. Kinsman (Ctf 2610) (Lot 3 of 6093-B excepted)
• June 26, 1922 Certificate of Title: Clarence A. Backer (from certificate 432) to John E. Hardy of Billerica, married to Lura W. Hardy (Ctf 1878) (Lot 1 of 6093-B excepted)

By the power of sale in Backer's will, for $16,000, four parcels "with the buildings thereon": (1) registered land on Boston Road (249.59 feet) north of Clara E. Sexton's land (Certificate 864, plan of July 1915), less Lot 3 on Plan 6093-B sold to Jennie M. Kinsman in 1924; (2) Lot B on Land Court Plan 3956-A, less Lots 1 and 3 on Plan 6093-B, subject to Backer's 1913 mortgage to Clara E. Sexton; (3) "A certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon on the easterly side of the County Road now called Main Street", beginning at the southwest corner of "land conveyed by Nathaniel Cheever to Josiah Richardson by deed dated July 28th, 1853" (Middlesex South Book 663, Page 64), south on the street to "the heirs of Jonathan Bowers", east to David Abbott, north and west by Abbott back to the Richardson land, south 4 rods and west 40 rods by it, "thirteen (13) acres more or less", conveyed to Backer by Bertram S. Ward, Jan. 23, 1917 (Book 567, Page 16), subject to a $2,500 Merrimack River Savings Bank mortgage; (4) "A certain lot of land with the buildings thereon containing sixteen (16) acres", from Jacob P. Brown's land on the east side of Boston Road south to the Town's standpipe lot, around it, to a wall "at land formerly of one Rogers, supposed to be now of one Davis", south to "land formerly of Sewall Worthley, now of one Backer", to "land formerly of Barnard Tufts", east to "land formerly of Blaney Abbott" and north to Brown. Dated April 10, 1926.

• October 21, 1908 Warranty Deed: Arthur J. Larratt of Billerica (Katharine Larratt releasing dower and homestead) to Clarence A. Backer of Melrose (425/445) (parcel 4, the Colby place)
• January 24, 1917 Quitclaim: Bertram S. Ward of Billerica (Susie L. Ward releasing dower) to Clarence A. Backer of Billerica (567/16) (parcel 3, the Cheever place)

• December 3, 1934 Mortgagee's Deed: James Shannon, Robert J. Shannon, Herbert F. Shannon and James W. Shannon of Woburn, mortgagees of Isabel Porter to James Shannon, Robert J. Shannon, Herbert F. Shannon and James W. Shannon (853/480) (foreclosure of Porter's 1926 purchase-money mortgage)

Transfer certificate from Certificate 3083 on the mortgagee's deed under the power of sale in Isabel Porter's $15,000 mortgage of 1926: the four Shannons, the mortgagees themselves, took the land after the entry to foreclose of Oct. 29, 1934. Lot B of plan 3956-A and the 6093-A land, less the lots sold on plan 6093-B.

• June 4, 1926 Certificate of Title: Clarence A. Backer, by his executors (from certificates 432 and 864) to Isabel Porter of Lincoln, married to Fred A. Porter (Ctf 3083) (mortgagee's deed, document 11143)

• April 13, 1948 Certificate of Title: The Shannon owners (from certificate 4690) to Robert J. Shannon 5/16, James W. Shannon 5/16, Alice Shannon 2/16, and Robert J. and James W. Shannon, trustees under the will of James Shannon, 4/16 (Ctf 7559) (Shannon shares)

Transfer certificate of April 13, 1948 completing the consolidation: James W. and Robert J. Shannon of Woburn as joint tenants own the whole of the former Backer and Porter land. Cancelled in 1958 for Certificate 10676.

• April 13, 1948 Certificate of Title: Robert J. and James W. Shannon, trustees under the will of James Shannon (from certificate 7560) to James W. Shannon 6/16, Robert J. Shannon 6/16 and Elinor M. Shannon 4/16 (Ctf 7561) (Shannon shares)

• September 19, 1958 Certificate of Title: James W. Shannon and Robert J. Shannon of Woburn (document 30337) to Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston, a corporation sole (Ctf 10676) (Shannons to the Archbishop)

Quitclaim "for consideration paid", acknowledged Sept. 13, 1958: Lot B of Land Court plan 3956-A (southwest by Boston Road 219.45 feet, north by George S. Daniels 2,534.37 feet) and the land of plan 6093-A (west by Boston Road 249.59 feet, north by George P. Greenwood and Sidney A. Bull), excepting Lots 1 and 3 of plan 6093-B. St. Theresa's Church was built here in 1959 and the parish hall in 1986. Later documents on the certificate: a 1967 Order of Court, a 2002 order, a 2003 notice of contract, permits of 2008 and 2010, the 2010 Rose Hill Manor lease with easements, restrictions, mortgages, a financing statement and lien bond, 2011-2012 easements, an acceptance, a dissolution of lien, a modification and a certificate of compliance, and the 2016 Order of Taking.

• April 13, 1948 Certificate of Title: Elinor M. Shannon (from certificate 7561) to James W. Shannon and Robert J. Shannon, joint tenants (Ctf 7562) (Shannons to the Archbishop)

• November 9, 1967 Certificate of Title: Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston (from certificate 10676) to Middlesex County National Bank of Everett (Ctf 15870) (Lot 10 of plan 6093-D)

Order dated Oct. 18, 1967: the Archbishop, owner of the land in Certificate 10676 and in fee of Grace Avenue, which "has never been laid out or used as a way", had plans 6093-B and 6093-C amended to delete Grace Avenue, and plan 6093-D approved, dividing the old way. Noted on Certificate 10676.

• September 19, 1958 Certificate of Title: James W. Shannon and Robert J. Shannon of Woburn (document 30337) to Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston, a corporation sole (Ctf 10676) (order noted on the certificate)

Partial transfer certificate for Lot 10 on Land Court plan 6093-D, the north end of the old Grace Avenue strip: southwesterly by Boston (Route 3A) Road 13.09 feet, northwesterly by George P. Greenwood 250 feet, and northeasterly and southeasterly by the Archbishop's land. The bank had bought the Parker store lot next north in 1963.

• September 19, 1958 Certificate of Title: James W. Shannon and Robert J. Shannon of Woburn (document 30337) to Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston, a corporation sole (Ctf 10676) (Lot 10 of plan 6093-D)

Notice of a 75-year lease, October 2010 to Oct. 31, 2085, of about 139,286 square feet (3.60 acres), the "Lease Area" on the plan "Rose Hill Manor Lease Area" of Sept. 27, 2010, registered with easements, restrictions and financing documents for the Rose Hill Manor building, built in 2011 on the back of the church land (assessor parcel 61-103-5).

• September 19, 1958 Certificate of Title: James W. Shannon and Robert J. Shannon of Woburn (document 30337) to Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston, a corporation sole (Ctf 10676) (lease noted on the certificate)

Under G.L. c. 79 and Article 14 of the May 5, 2015 Town Meeting, the Selectmen took temporary construction easements and related rights along Boston Road (Route 3A) for its reconstruction, as shown on a plan of March 2, 2016; registered on Certificates 10676 and 15870.

• September 19, 1958 Certificate of Title: James W. Shannon and Robert J. Shannon of Woburn (document 30337) to Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston, a corporation sole (Ctf 10676) (taking noted on the certificate)