Structure · Built 1890
Andrew Benson House
Andrew Benson House
| Address | 537 Boston Rd |
| Built | 1890 |
| Tenants | |
| Lee Gastonguay Landscaping (2004 - 2012) | |
The house at 537 Boston Road stands on the west side of Boston Road a short way north of the fork with Lexington Road, on a 1.07-acre lot that is all that remains of a 36-acre farm field. The land was part of the "hill farm" that Harvey Crosby bought from Joseph Bowers in 1825, "situated about one mile South of the Meeting house ... beginning at the crotch of the roads." Crosby added pieces bought from the Isaac Kendall estate, Sereno Fiske and Abraham R. Thompson, sold some to Joseph Farmer, and in 1849 conveyed the whole of his "Home Place" to John S. Edgerly of Somerville and Henry Crosby.
When Edgerly and Henry Crosby mortgaged it in 1855 the parcel was described for the first time as it would be for the next eighty years: thirty-six acres and thirty-nine square rods, bounded east by "the road leading to Boston," south by Lowell Jennison, west by the heirs of Nathaniel Daniels and William Odiorne, northwest on the Lexington road, and north by Francis Bowers. Edgerly held it alone from 1855, mortgaged it in 1857 to Josiah Rogers, and in 1871 passed it to William Crosby of Cambridge, whose $800 mortgage to Elizabeth Rogers was foreclosed in 1886. Henry Crosby bought it back at the mortgagee's auction for $900, and after his death Frances E. Crosby of Malden, who held it "by inheritance from the late Henry Crosby," sold the land to Andrew Benson of Billerica on October 20, 1887 for $1,400. None of these deeds mention buildings.
Andrew Benson, a farmer, built his house here. In October 1903 he sold the southern 800 feet of frontage to Lewis A. Crosby, the line running "near the drive way and about four feet east of an elm tree," and kept the right to leave "the barn now standing partly on said premises." In July 1904 he mortgaged the rest to the Trustees of the Howe School for $1,600 as "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon," the first record of the house. Benson sold rear land to Anna A. Jones in 1911 and to Nathaniel R. Jones in 1912. He appears in the 1912 directory as a farmer on "Boston rd. n. Lexington rd." and died on March 14, 1914, aged 61. His widow Isabella J. Benson died in 1918.
Their daughter Grace M. Benson sold the homestead on July 19, 1922 to Laura H. Boyd, wife of William P. Boyd, as nine acres "with the buildings thereon, situated one mile from the center of said Billerica on Boston Road," bounded north by Charles W. Hawes and south by N. R. Jones. In 1925 Mrs. Boyd let the Lowell Electric Light Corporation set a pole on the "private driveway off Boston Road," and in 1931 the state took a strip of the front when it relaid Boston Road as a state highway. She sold the place in 1951 to a Bedford couple, who split off a 40,000-square-foot lot at the south corner in 1976 and sold the remaining 8.4 acres in 1985 to the Harry J. Allan Family Trust. The trust's 1985 plan shows the "existing house," an L-shaped building, with a barn behind it and sheds "to be razed"; it cut the house off as Lot 3 of 1.07 acres and joined the 7.33 acres behind to other Allan land. Lot 3 was sold to a private owner in November 1985 and has changed hands privately several times since. The assessor dates the house to about 1890 and notes that the garage "is now a barn."
References
- Billerica assessor, parcel 70-30-1 (537 Boston Rd): 1.07 acres, plan 150-114 Lot 3, built about 1890
Deed References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| 1818 | Administrator's Deed | Josiah Crosby Jr., administrator of Isaac Kendall | Harvey Crosby | 1818: 8 acres of the Isaac Kendall estate, later part of the 36 acres | 278/496 (South) |
Josiah Crosby Jr. of Billerica, Esq., administrator of the estate of Isaac Kendall, late of Billerica, housewright, who died intestate, licensed by the Probate Court to raise $673.27 for his debts, sold at public vendue on Dec. 17, 1818 to Harvey Crosby of Billerica, yeoman, the highest bidder at $528, "one moiety of a tract of land containing about thirty acres with a dwelling house and barn thereon," bounded northerly by Isaac Hurd and easterly by Zadock Allen, the half that Kendall had bought with Crosby at the 1816 sheriff's sale. This gave Harvey Crosby the whole farm. Billerica town book 14, page 11 and following (recorded with the 1816 deed in 1828).
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| October 11, 1825 | Deed | Joseph Bowers of Billerica, yeoman | Harvey Crosby of Billerica, yeoman | 1825: Joseph Bowers sells the 33-acre hill farm, the core of this field, to Harvey Crosby | 262/362 (South) |
Signed and acknowledged February 17, 1825 before Joseph Locke, witnesses Jona. S. Bowers and Harriot S. Bowers (Billerica town book 12, pages 433-434). For $800, "a certain farm situated about one mile South of the Meeting house in said Billerica known by the name of the hill farm containing thirty three acres more or less", beginning "at the crotch of the roads, at the North corner", bounded north by the Woburn road, east by Harvey Crosby and Benjamin Bowers, south by Michael Crosby, west by Wm. Mann, Samuel Bowers and the Lexington road, "with the buildings thereon".
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| October 9, 1849 | Quitclaim | Harvey Crosby of Billerica, yeoman | John S. Edgerly of Somerville, trader, and Henry Crosby of Billerica, trader | 1849: Harvey Crosby conveys the Home Place to Edgerly and Henry Crosby | 567/298 (South) |
Dated Oct. 8, 1849. For one dollar and other consideration, eight pieces "with all the buildings thereon standing," among them "a certain farm situated about one mile south of the Unitarian Meeting house ... known by the name of the Hill Farm containing thirty three acres" (bought of Joseph Bowers) and "a certain tract of land containing thirty acres more or less bounded by the lands now or late of Isaac Hurd, of Zadock Allen, of Walter Carr Jr., of Benjamin Bowers and by the County road and a certain piece of land containing eight acres ... bounded by land now or late of Benjamin Bowers and by the County Road, the last two named being the premises to me conveyed by Josiah Crosby Jr. administrator of Isaac Kendall ... and by Joseph Bradley Deputy Sheriff"; with the Valley Orchard, a sheep pasture, 16 acres from Bernard Tufts, 10 acres from Sereno Fiske and the northerly half of the Bowers Foster Place, "said eight pieces ... being parts of the Home Place so called," and lots in Chelmsford, on the Concord and Shawsheen rivers and on Gibson's Hill, and his quarter of the estate of Seth Crosby. Subject to mortgages to Betsey Crosby, to the heirs of Kendall Crosby ($5,300), to Blaney Abbott and to Rhodes G. Lockwood. In effect a transfer of all of Harvey Crosby's real estate to a trustee for his creditors and a family member; Harvey went on living on the farm. Billerica town book 20, pages 331-339.
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| February 19, 1855 | Release of Mortgage | Lydia Crosby, Peter and Elizabeth Pines, Samuel E. Guild (administrator of Maria Crosby), Edmund S. and Jane Whitman, George Crosby, and Samuel Topliff (guardian of Charles Crosby) | John S. Edgerly and Henry Crosby | 1855: the 1848 Crosby mortgage released | 704/403 (South) |
Dated Feb. 17, 1855. The heirs of Kendall Crosby, paid in full, release to Edgerly and Henry Crosby the twenty-two parcels "with all the buildings thereon" in Billerica and Chelmsford described in Harvey Crosby's mortgage to Lydia Crosby and others of June 3, 1848, and discharge that mortgage. Billerica town book 20, pages 517-518.
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| 1855 | Mortgage | John S. Edgerly of Somerville, trader, and Henry Crosby of Cambridge, trader | James W. Vose, Jesse Tirrell and Dexter T. Mills, trustees of the American Loan Fund Association, Boston | 1855: first description of the 36 acres 39 rods on the Boston and Lexington roads | 704/404 (South) |
For $2,505, repayable at $42.53 a month, "a certain parcel of land situated in Billerica ... containing thirty six acres, and thirty nine square rods, bounded westerly [easterly] on the road leading to Boston" by six bends, southerly on land of Lowell Jennison 53 68/100 rods, by the heirs of Nathaniel Daniels and William Odean, northwesterly on "the Road leading to Lexington" 27 3/10 rods and northerly on Francis Bowers by four bends; with 20 acres of Concord River meadow. Conveyed to them by Harvey Crosby in 1849 (Book 567, Page 298): "thirty three acres were bought of Joseph Bowers, eight acres of Josiah Crosby Administrator of Isaac Kimball's estate, ten & one half acres of Sereno Fiske, and two and one fourth acres of Abraham R. Thompson ... out of which fourteen & one half acres have been sold to Joseph Farmer, and three acres to Sereno Fiske." The buildings "standing on the land" to be insured. Billerica town book 20, pages 518-521.
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| February 27, 1855 | Quitclaim | Henry Crosby of Cambridge, trader (wife Mary G. releasing dower) | John S. Edgerly of Somerville, trader | 1855: Henry Crosby quitclaims to Edgerly | 705/223 (South) |
For $5 and other consideration, quitclaim of all the parcels Harvey Crosby had conveyed to the two of them in 1849 (Book 567, Page 298), among them "a certain tract of land on the East side of Concord River, known as the 'Mann Place' near the great bridge and bounded by said River and by the highway, being the premises conveyed to Harvey Crosby by J. B. French," and "a certain tract of land adjoining the last named tract and bounded by the Patten Place so called, by Concord River, by the Mann Place so called, and by the Public Highway," bought of George Holden, both subject to a $450 mortgage to Blaney Abbot (Book 508, Page 132). Signed Feb. 27, 1855. Billerica town book 20, pages 528-531.
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| June 25, 1857 | Mortgage | John S. Edgerly of Somerville (wife Nancy W. Edgerly releasing) | Josiah Rogers of Billerica | 1857: Edgerly mortgages the 36 acres to Josiah Rogers | 10/377 |
For $1,500 in one year at six per cent (a note signed by Edgerly and Harvey Crosby), "thirty six acres and thirty nine square rods" on the road leading to Boston, with the same bounds as 1855 (Lowell Jennison, heirs of Nathaniel Daniels, William Odean, the Lexington road, Francis Bowers), and 20 acres of Concord River meadow by the Carlisle road. "For my title to said estate see Book 567 Page 298, and for a further description, claim of title &c see Book 704, Page 407." Pages 377-378. Assigned 1867 and discharged 1871 (Book 82, Page 61).
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| September 12, 1871 | Assignment and Discharge | Dudley Foster and James R. Faulkner, executors of Josiah Rogers; Sarah B. Mason | Sarah B. Mason of Brighton, wife of Augustus Mason; John S. Edgerly | 1867-1871: the Rogers mortgage assigned and paid off | 82/61 |
On July 13, 1867 the executors of Josiah Rogers, for $1,500, assigned Edgerly's 1857 mortgage (Book 10, Page 377) to Rogers's daughter Sarah B. Mason; on Sept. 8, 1871 she acknowledged payment by William Crosby of Cambridge and discharged it. Both recorded Sept. 12, 1871, the day William Crosby's deed was recorded.
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| September 12, 1871 | Mortgage | William Crosby of Cambridge (wife Trinetta A. Crosby releasing) | Elizabeth Rogers of Billerica | 1871: William Crosby mortgages the field to Elizabeth Rogers | 82/63 |
Dated Sept. 8, 1871. For $800 in one year at 7 3/10 per cent, the 36 acres 39 square rods on the westerly side of the road to Boston, same bounds. Assigned in turn to James F. C. Hyde, who foreclosed it in 1886 (Book 185, Page 549). Pages 63-64.
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| September 12, 1871 | Quitclaim | John S. Edgerly of Somerville (wife Nancy W. Edgerly releasing) | William Crosby of Cambridge | 1871: Edgerly to William Crosby of Cambridge | 82/66 |
Dated Sept. 2, 1871, for one dollar and other good and valuable considerations, two parcels: the farm on the east side of the road leading to Boston (the William Hamlet farm), and "on the westerly side of the road to Boston", 80 1/2 rods on the road, by land late of Lowell Jennison 53 63/100 rods, the heirs of Nathaniel Daniels, land late of Wm. Odiorne 34 1/2 rods "to the road leading to Lexington", 27 3/10 rods on that road, and Francis Bowers 11, 27 and 77 rods; "the two estates containing together ninety seven acres and ninety three and 7/10 square rods." Pages 66-68.
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| December 14, 1886 | Mortgagee's Deed | James F. C. Hyde, assignee of the mortgage of William Crosby to Elizabeth Rogers | Henry Crosby of Billerica | 1886: foreclosure auction, the field to Henry Crosby for $900 | 185/549 |
William Crosby having defaulted, notice was published in the Saturday Vox Populi of Lowell on Nov. 6, 13 and 20, 1886, and the land was sold at public auction on the premises on Nov. 29, 1886 (Elliott J. Hyde, auctioneer) to Henry Crosby, the highest bidder, for $900: "a certain piece or parcel of land situated in Billerica ... beginning at the northeast corner thereof at a point on the westerly side of the road to Boston", 80 1/2 rods on the road, "containing thirty six (36) acres and thirty nine (39) square rods." Pages 549-551 with the affidavit of sale.
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| December 14, 1886 | Mortgage | Henry Crosby of Billerica, "having no wife" | Elizabeth R. Weston of Boston, wife of Nathan Weston | 1886: Henry Crosby mortgages the field the day he buys it | 185/557 |
Dated Nov. 29, 1886, the day of the auction. For $600 in three years at six per cent, the same 36 acres 39 square rods; "for my title see deed of James F. C. Hyde of even date herewith." Released 1887 (margin: Book 191, Page 410).
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| November 11, 1887 | Warranty Deed | Frances E. Crosby of Malden, heir of Henry Crosby | Andrew Benson of Billerica | 1887: the bare 36 acres to Andrew Benson, who built the house | 192/373 |
Dated Oct. 20, 1887. For $1,400, "a certain piece or parcel of land situated in Billerica" from the northeast corner on the westerly side of the road to Boston, 80 1/2 rods on the road, by land late of Lowell Jennison, the heirs of Nathaniel Daniels and William Odiorne to "the road leading to Lexington," and by Francis Bowers, "containing thirty six acres and thirty nine sq. rods more or less, being a part of the premises derived by me by inheritance from the late Henry Crosby." No buildings are named. Pages 373-374.
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| October 26, 1887 | Mortgage | Andrew Benson of Billerica | Frances E. Crosby of Malden | 1887: Benson's purchase-money mortgage to Frances E. Crosby | 192/416 |
For $900, the same 36 acres 39 square rods, "being the same premises conveyed to me by Frances E. Crosby, the grantee herein named, by warrantee deed dated October the twentieth 1887." Partially released in 1903; later assigned to the Trustees of the Howe School, whose treasurer John A. Richardson discharged it on July 5, 1904.
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| October 16, 1903 | Warranty Deed | Andrew Benson of Billerica (wife Isabella J. Benson releasing) | Lewis A. Crosby of Billerica | 1903: Benson sells the southern frontage, keeping the house and the driveway line | 359/429 |
Dated Oct. 15, 1903, for one dollar and other considerations, the southern part of the farm: from a stake and stones on the westerly side of the Boston Road "near the drive way and about four (4) feet east of an elm tree", westerly by other land of the grantor "and near said drive way" 800 feet to a stone wall, southeasterly along the wall 542 feet to land of E. B. Haskell, easterly by Haskell 460 feet to the road, and along the road in a curve 800 feet. "Said grantor may leave the barn now standing partly on said premises where it now stands and may enter ... to use or to remove said barn." Witnesses Herbert A. King and Grace M. Benson. Pages 429-430.
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| July 5, 1904 | Mortgage | Andrew Benson of Billerica | Trustees of the Howe School in Billerica | 1904: first record of the house, "with the buildings thereon" | 367/508 |
For $1,600 in five years at five per cent, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica": the 1887 purchase less the piece sold to Lewis A. Crosby in 1903, bounded by that piece, by E. B. Haskell ("land formerly of Lowell Jennison"), the Daniels heirs, William Odiorne, the Lexington road and Francis Bowers. The buildings to be insured for at least $1,600. The first record of the house. Partially released in 1911 and 1912 for the Jones sales; discharged later (margin: Book 540, Page 465). Pages 508-509.
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| September 19, 1912 | Warranty Deed | Andrew Benson of Billerica (wife Isabella J. Benson releasing) | Nathaniel R. Jones of Billerica | 1912: Benson sells four rear acres to Nathaniel R. Jones | 493/388 |
Dated Aug. 27, 1912, for one dollar and other considerations, four acres at the back of the farm: from a point by land of Benson and of Nathaniel R. Jones, southerly by Jones to land of Merriam and Moore, westerly by them to land of one Mason, northerly by Mason to Benson, and easterly by Benson. With the 1911 sale to Anna A. Jones on the Lexington road, it reduced the homestead to the nine acres sold in 1922.
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| July 19, 1922 | Warranty Deed | Grace M. Benson of Billerica, unmarried, daughter and heir of Andrew and Isabella J. Benson | Laura H. Boyd, wife of William P. Boyd of Wakefield | 1922: the Benson homestead to Laura H. Boyd | 665/402 |
Dated July 19, 1922: "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon, situated one mile from the center of said Billerica on Boston Road", beginning at the northeast corner by a stone wall at land of Charles W. Hawes, 385 feet on the road to land of N. R. Jones, westerly by Jones and Anna A. Jones, northwesterly by Anna A. Jones, northerly by Sara Hawes and Charles W. Hawes; 9 acres 12,739 square feet. "Being a part of the premises conveyed to Andrew Benson by Francis E. Crosby by his deed dated October 20, 1887 ... For my title see estate of my father, Andrew Benson, Middlesex County Probate Records of 1914, and estate of my mother, Isabella J. Benson ... 1918." Pages 402-403, with a Boyd mortgage following.
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| August 14, 1925 | Easement | Laura H. Boyd | Lowell Electric Light Corporation | 1925: electric pole on the driveway | 727/31 |
Dated July 25, 1925. For one dollar, the right "to erect and maintain one (1) pole on private driveway off Boston Road" with ten wires, as per plan R-2376 (Plan Book 47, Plan 27A). Every later deed of the lot is made subject to it.
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| 1931 | Taking | Trinetta A. Crosby and other owners (land taken) | Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Public Works | 1931: state highway taking along the front (Laura H. Boyd, parcel 8) | 802/49 |
Order of taking of May 12, 1931 altering the State highway "known as the Burlington Road" (Route 3A) for about three fifths of a mile from 500 feet southeast of Wyman Road to 650 feet east of Lexington Road, taking in fee parcels from John E. Farmer, Ida M. Quimby and the Burnetts, Delia C. Crosby, Della Boothby, Dougal McLennan, Laura H. Boyd and others; Parcel No. 6 is bounded northwesterly by "land of Trinetta A. Crosby," and Parcel No. 9 is taken from Trinetta A. Crosby. The 1943 deed reserves this taking. Book 802, pages 49-52.
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| September 9, 1933 | Warranty Deed | Laura H. Boyd of Billerica (William P. Boyd releasing) | Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Public Works | 1933: Boyd confirms the 1931 highway taking | 827/596 |
Dated Aug. 28, 1933. Parcel 8 on the state plan of May 12, 1931, "a parcel of land on the southerly side of Burlington Road so-called" of about 50 square feet between the 1917 and 1931 highway lines, part of the 1922 purchase, confirming the 1931 taking (Book 802, Page 49) and releasing all damages. Pages 596-597.
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| August 17, 1951 | Quitclaim | Laura H. Boyd of Billerica | A Bedford couple (private owners) | 1951: Laura H. Boyd sells to private owners | 1175/462 |
The land in Billerica "with the buildings thereon, situated on the westerly side of Boston Road", 385 feet on the road from the stone wall at land formerly of Charles W. Hawes, westerly along a wire fence by land of N. R. Jones 800 feet and by Anna A. Jones 522.75 feet, by a stone wall at Sara Hawes and Charles W. Hawes; "Containing nine (9) acres, twelve thousand seven hundred thirty-nine (12,739) square feet ... being the same premises conveyed to me by Grace M. Benson ... Book 665, Page 402, excluding, however, that portion ... taken by the Commonwealth" in 1931. Subject to the 1925 electric light grant.
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| July 17, 1985 | Quitclaim | Private owners (the 1951 buyers) | Harry J. Allan Family Trust (Harry J. and Marilyn R. Allan, trustees) | 1985: Lot 1 (8.4 acres with the house) to the Harry J. Allan Family Trust | 3103/153 |
Dated July 16, 1985. "The land in Billerica ... with the buildings thereon being shown as Lot 1 on a Plan of Land ... prepared for Paul Gagnon, June, 1976" (Plan Book 122, Plan 105), 8.4 acres, the 1951 purchase less Lot 2 of that plan, which had been sold in 1976. "For our title see deed dated August 16, 1951 ... Book 1175 Page 462."
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| November 19, 1985 | Quitclaim | Harry J. and Marilyn R. Allan, trustees of the Harry J. Allan Family Trust | A private owner | 1985: the house cut off as Lot 3 (1.07 acres) and sold to a private owner | 3256/70 |
"The land in Billerica with the buildings thereon, as shown as Lot 3" on a "Plan of Land in Billerica, Mass. prepared for: H.J. Allan, Inc." dated Sept. 24, 1985 by Fleming, Bienvenu & Assoc. (Plan Book 150, Plan 114), 1.07 acres, subject to the 1931 state taking and the 1925 Lowell Electric easement; "Being the same premises conveyed to the grantors by Charles T. Rutherford, et al by deed dated July 16, 1985." The rest of the trust land behind became Parcel A. Later private transfers of Lot 3 were recorded in 1987, 2000, 2012 and 2023.
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Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted.