Asa Hill House
The Asa Hill House at 17 West Street (formerly North Street, or North Road) in West Billerica is a late Federal house of brick laid in Flemish bond, one of very few early brick houses in Billerica. It was built about 1825 by Asa Hill on a quarter acre of pasture across the road from the farm where he grew up.
The land was once part of the Shed farm between Treble Cove Road and the road west toward the Nichols farms. William Shed gave half of his lands "with my Dwelling house" to his son Thomas Shed in 1764, and William Shed Jr. sold Thomas three more lots on Treble Cove Road in 1779. Thomas Shed died in 1804 and left the farm of about 60 acres to his son-in-law Benjamin Russell. In 1812 Russell sold "the southern half of the farm owned by Thomas Shed", 40 acres bounded by Treble Cove Road and "the road leading to the Baptist meetinghouse in Chelmsford", to Dr. Jacob Kittredge. Kittredge passed it in 1815 to Rebecca Kittredge of Tewksbury, whose deed describes the road as running "by the house lately occupied by Alpheus Hill deceased", and she sold it in 1822 to Samuel Brown.
Asa Hill was born on 15 February 1798, the son of Alpheus Hill and Martha (Manning) Hill. His father died without a will in 1811, leaving a homestead of "about 200 acres, with the buildings thereon" on the south side of the road, and his widow kept her thirds in the old house. On 10 July 1824 Samuel Brown 2d sold Asa, for $10, "a piece of Pasture land ... on the road leading from said Asa's mothers house to Stephen Nickles house containing one quarter of an acre", beginning "nearly opposite the widow Martha Hill's house". The deed mentions no buildings, so the brick house was built after the purchase; the date of about 1825 given in the 1974 survey fits the records, and the wiki's earlier date of 1789 does not. Asa married Susan Lawrence of Concord. Over the next years he bought out the other heirs in his father's farm opposite, mortgaging "three undivided fourth parts" of it to Sewall Stearns in 1829. The 1853 map shows "A. Hill" at the house.
In June 1861 Asa Hill sold the whole property, 99 acres "with the buildings thereon" on the Triple Cove road and "the road leading by Asa Hill's house", to Ebenezer W. Larrabee of Milford, New Hampshire, for $4900. Larrabee gave it back in October 1861. In April 1862 Asa conveyed the farm to his son Asa Hill Jr., who mortgaged it back to him. The son's affairs failed: he reconveyed the farm to his father in May 1868 and was declared bankrupt days later. Asa Hill, by then living in Harvard, sold the farm and house on 18 May 1869 to Prescott Reed of Stow for $3300. Reed and Francis A. Wheeler sold it in June 1870 to Michael Hayes of Acton for $3700. From then on every deed bounds the farm on "the road leading by the dwelling house on the premises" and runs the line "across said road ... to a point opposite the easterly corner of the house", taking in the house lot on the north side. Asa Hill died in Harvard in 1874.
Michael Hayes, the "M. Hays" of the 1875 and 1889 maps, kept the farm until his death. In October 1898 his executor, Patrick Mahoney, sold the 130 acres "with the buildings thereon" at auction to John B. Stearns for $3100, and Hayes's widow Mary released her dower. Stearns leased the place to Charles Lyons in 1899 and in 1906 sold the 100-acre home farm and house to Walter E. Morris. On 7 April 1910 Walter and Ethel N. Morris sold it to Patrick Kennelly and Martin L. Kennelly.
The Kennellys had the land registered in the Land Court. The 1913 certificate (case 3275, surveyed by W. L. Whittemore in 1910) describes the farm as Lot B and the house as Lot A, a separate parcel with 222 feet on North Street. After Patrick Kennelly died in April 1933 the title passed to Catherine L. and Martin L. Kennelly, then in 1943 to Martin alone, and in 1967 to Martin L. and Charles N. Kennelly. Martin died in 1969. From the 1970s house lots were cut from the farm, and in 1994 the brick house on Lot A was sold to a private owner, ending 84 years of Kennelly ownership. Part of the farm went to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2003, and another part was placed under an agricultural restriction in favor of the Town of Billerica.
References
- MACRIS BIL.212
- Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), Genealogical Register p. 72, HILL 31: Asa Hill, b. 15 Feb 1798, son of Alpheus and Martha (Manning) Hill, m. Susan Lawrence
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| May 17, 1796 | Deed | William Shed of Billerica, cordwainer (wife Mary) | His son Thomas Shed of Billerica, husbandman | William Shed to son Thomas: the Shed homestead (earliest title of the farm) | 122/311 (South) |
Billerica town book 9, pages 234-236. For 120 pounds, "the one half of my real estate of lands", bounded by "the highway that leads by my house to Thomas Baldwin's land", by Baldwin, Edward Spalding and "Wm. Shed junr land", "with my Dwelling house", Thomas "not to come in to the possession of the abovesaid Land till after my Death and my wife's Death". Signed 6 March 1764, acknowledged 31 March 1764, recorded only 17 May 1796. The Shed homestead later called "the farm owned by Thomas Shed".
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| May 17, 1796 | Deed | William Shed Jr. of Windham, New Hampshire, husbandman (wife Elizabeth) | Thomas Shed of Billerica, husbandman | William Shed Jr. to Thomas Shed: lots on Treble Cove road and the road west | 122/313 (South) |
Billerica town book 9, pages 237-238. For 400 pounds (wartime currency), three lots, one beginning "at the westerly side of Treble Cove Road thence running on ye road that leads to Joseph Nicholas land", another of about four acres running to "the highway by John Hills" and "Easterly by the highway to treble cove road". Signed 2 August 1779, acknowledged 2 June 1780, recorded 17 May 1796. With the 1764 deed this made up the Thomas Shed farm between Treble Cove road and the road west past the Hill houses toward the Nichols land.
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| 1804 | Will | Estate of Thomas Shed of Billerica, yeoman | His son-in-law Benjamin Russell (executor) | Thomas Shed will: the 60-acre farm to Benjamin Russell | Probate #20234 |
Will dated 29 June 1804, proved 7 August 1804: to his wife the use of half his lands and buildings for life, and "to my son in law Benjamin Russell the one half of all my lands and buildings (excepting the aforesaid woodlot) and also the other half of all my lands and buildings at my wife's decease"; $100 each to daughters Sarah Andross and Prudence Spaulding; a 7-acre woodlot by Chelmsford line to grandson Thomas Russell. Inventory 1 April 1805: "The homestead of said deceased, situated in said Billerica, containing about 60 Acres, with the buildings thereon" $1500.
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| 1811 | Administration | Estate of Alpheus Hill of Billerica, yeoman, intestate | Abel Hill, administrator; widow Martha Hill | father's estate: the Hill homestead across the road (context) | Probate #11407 |
Administration granted 23 April 1811 to Abel Hill, "the only son of said deceased who is twenty one years of age", the widow declining. Inventory of 30 May 1811 by Amos Carlton, Thomas Spaulding and Isaac Blanchard: "The homestead of said deceased, situated in said Billerica, containing about 200 acres, with the buildings thereon" $3000 and a pew $65. The widow Martha Hill kept her thirds in the house across the road from the lot her son Asa (then 13) bought in 1824, and Asa later bought out the other heirs (Book 288 Page 160).
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| December 16, 1812 | Deed | Benjamin Russell of Billerica, yeoman (wife Hannah releasing dower) | Dr. Jacob Kittredge of Billerica, physician | Russell sells the southern half of the Thomas Shed farm (parent tract) | 203/54 (South) |
Billerica town book 11, pages 208-209. For $574.28, "the southern half of the farm owned by Thomas Shed late of Billerica" containing 40 acres 2 roods 22 poles, beginning at a maple stump marked by Treble Cove road, bounded easterly by that road "to the road leading to the Baptist meetinghouse in Chelmsford", southerly and southwesterly by that road to land of Stephen and Abel Nickless, northerly by Nickless land to the town bound, and by Russell's own land. Signed 11 November 1812, recorded 16 December 1812. The quarter acre later sold to Asa Hill was cut from this tract.
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| September 8, 1815 | Deed | Dr. Jacob Kittredge of Salem, physician | Rebecca Kittredge of Tewksbury, singlewoman | Jacob Kittredge to Rebecca Kittredge (parent tract, road by Alpheus Hill house) | 214/36 (South) |
Billerica town book 11, pages 461-462. For $420, a parcel of about 42 acres "bounded partly by a road leading from Billerica meeting house to Carlisle and partly by a road leading from said main road by the house lately occupied by Alpheus Hill deceased, it being formerly a part of the estate of Thomas Shed decd and the same I purchased of Benjamin Russell about three years ago". Signed 31 August 1815, recorded 8 September 1815. The road "by the house lately occupied by Alpheus Hill" is the road on which Asa Hill built in 1824-1825.
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| February 21, 1823 | Deed | Rebecca Kittredge of Tewksbury, singlewoman | Samuel Brown (2d) of Billerica, yeoman | Rebecca Kittredge to Samuel Brown (parent tract) | 246/527 (South) |
Billerica town book 13, pages 193-194. For $350, "a certain tract of land in said Billerica being the southern part of the farm lately owned by Benjamin Russell containing forty acres two roods and twenty two poles", with the same bounds as the 1812 deed: Treble Cove road on the east, "the road leading to the Baptist meeting house in Chelmsford" on the south and southwest to land of Stephen and Abel Nickless, Nickless on the north to the town bound, and land of Josiah Crosby Esq. Signed 15 February 1822, recorded 21 February 1823. No title recital.
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| September 9, 1824 | Mortgage | Samuel Brown of Billerica, yeoman (wife Betsey releasing dower) | Rebecca Kittredge of Tewksbury, singlewoman | Samuel Brown mortgage of the parent tract | 255/551 (South) |
Billerica town book 13, pages 296-297. Purchase-money mortgage for $300 of the same 40 acres 2 roods 22 poles, "the southern part of the farm lately owned by Benjamin Russell", payable within three years with interest yearly on 15 February. Signed 16 February 1822, recorded only on 9 September 1824, two months after Brown sold the quarter acre to Asa Hill. Margin: assigned to Skinner and Heard, see Book 306 Page 274-275.
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| July 12, 1824 | Deed | Samuel Brown 2d of Billerica, yeoman (wife Betsy releasing dower) | Asa Hill of Billerica, yeoman | Asa Hill buys the quarter-acre house lot (bare pasture) | 255/130 (South) |
Billerica town book 13, pages 284-285. For $10, "a piece of Pasture land situated in said Billerica on the road leading from said Asa's mothers house to Stephen Nickles house containing one quarter of an acre", beginning "at a stake and stones at the northeast corner nearly opposite the widow Martha Hill's house", 10 rods on the road by 4 rods deep. Bare pasture: no buildings and no title recital. Signed 10 July 1824, witnessed by William G. Shed and Marshall Preston, recorded 12 July 1824. The brick house was built on this lot after the purchase.
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| March 20, 1829 | Mortgage | Asa Hill of Billerica, yeoman | Sewall Stearns of Billerica, yeoman | Asa Hill mortgages his father's homestead opposite (context) | 288/160 (South) |
Billerica town book 14, pages 166-167. For $400 on demand, "three undivided fourth parts" of the Alpheus Hill homestead across the road from the brick house: beginning "by the road leading to Stephen Nickles", westerly by the road "to the house set off to the widow Martha Hill as thirds" and on "to the middle of the back side of the barn on said land", south to Amos Carlton and east to "the road leading from Billerica to Carlisle", "with the buildings thereon", plus 14 acres by Carlton and Major Jonas Parker. Signed 20 February 1829, recorded 20 March 1829. Shows Asa buying out his co-heirs in his father's farm while living in the new brick house opposite.
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| June 25, 1861 | Warranty Deed | Asa Hill of Billerica (wife Susan Hill releasing dower and homestead) | Ebenezer W. Larrabee of Milford, New Hampshire | Asa Hill sells the farm and brick house to Ebenezer W. Larrabee | 28/211 |
Pages 211-212. For $4900, "a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon situate in said Billerica and Carlisle", 99 acres 117 rods on "the Triple Cove road so called", Major Jonas Parker, the heirs of David P. Winning and Stephen J. Nickles, "to the road leading by Asa Hill's house, thence on said road easterly to a point opposite my house, thence across said road nearly at right angles on land of Joel Dix about six rods" and back "to a point opposite the easterly corner of the house", with 30 acres of Carlisle woodland. Signed and recorded 25 June 1861. Larrabee gave back a $2900 mortgage (Book 28 Page 212) and reconveyed the farm in October 1861.
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| June 25, 1861 | Mortgage | Ebenezer W. Larrabee of Milford, New Hampshire | Asa Hill of Billerica | Larrabee mortgage back to Hill | 28/212 |
For $2900, mortgage back to Asa Hill of the farm and buildings just bought from him (Book 28 Page 211). Recorded 25 June 1861. Margin: see Book 29 Page 250, where Larrabee reconveyed the premises to Hill subject to this mortgage.
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| October 12, 1861 | Quitclaim | Ebenezer W. Larrabee of Billerica, yeoman | Asa Hill of Billerica | Larrabee reconveys to Asa Hill | 29/250 |
Pages 250-251. For $4550, "a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon, situate in said Billerica and Carlisle", the same 99 acres 117 rods, bounded "to the road leading by said Larrabee's house, thence on said road Easterly to a point opposite my house", across on Joel Dix land and back "to a point opposite the Easterly corner of the house", with the 30 acres of Carlisle woodland, free of encumbrances "except a mortgage of twenty nine hundred dollars running to said Hill which is a part of this consideration". Signed 11 October 1861 in the presence of Dudley Foster, recorded 12 October 1861. Larrabee had lived in the brick house for the summer of 1861.
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| October 12, 1861 | Mortgage | Asa Hill of Billerica, yeoman | Lyman Haynes, Anthony Jones and Dudley Foster of Billerica, yeomen | Asa Hill mortgage to Haynes, Jones and Foster (discharged 1898) | 29/251 |
Pages 251-252. On demand, "a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon, situate in said Billerica and Carlisle", bounded "to the road leading by my house, thence on said road Easterly to a point opposite my house", across on Joel Dix land and back "to a point opposite the Easterly corner of the house", 99 acres. The record reads "thirteen hundred dollars"; later deeds call it the $1600 mortgage of 11 October 1861. Signed 11 October 1861, witnessed by Eben W. Larrabee, recorded 12 October 1861. Margin: discharged in Book 302 Page 576 (by Dudley Foster's administrator, November 1898).
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| April 28, 1862 | Deed | Asa Hill of Billerica, yeoman (wife Susan) | His son Asa Hill Jr. | Asa Hill to his son Asa Jr.: the farm and brick house | 30/587 |
Pages 587-588. "A certain tract of land with the buildings thereon situate in said Billerica and Carlisle", 99 acres 117 rods bounded on "the Triple cove road", Jonas Parker, the heirs of David P. Winning, Stephen J. Nickles and "the road leading to the dwelling house on the premises", crossing the road onto Joel Dix land and back "to a point opposite the Easterly corner of the house"; also 30 acres of Carlisle woodland. Subject to the October 1861 mortgage to L. Haynes, A. Jones and Dudley Foster, which the son assumed. Signed and acknowledged 26 April 1862 before Dudley Foster JP, recorded 28 April 1862.
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| April 28, 1862 | Mortgage | Asa Hill Jr. of Billerica, yeoman | His father Asa Hill | Asa Jr. mortgage back to his father | 30/589 |
Purchase-money mortgage for $1500 of the same farm "with the buildings thereon", the same bounds as Book 30 Page 587. Signed 26 April 1862, recorded 28 April 1862. Margin: see assignment Book 67 Page 487 (to Prescott Reed, 1869) and release Book 74 Page 172.
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| February 17, 1868 | Mortgage | Asa Hill Jr. of Billerica | Asa Hill of Harvard | Asa Jr. second mortgage to his father | 60/265 |
Pages 265-267. For $1500, "two certain parcels of land situate in said Billerica and in Carlisle ... being the same premises conveyed to me by the said Asa Hill by his deed dated April 26 A.D. 1862 ... Book 30 Page 587", with two Carlisle parcels (from Otis Byam's 1845 title and from Joseph S. Adams, Book 32 Page 418), payable in one year. Signed 1 January 1867, recorded 17 February 1868, as Asa Jr.'s affairs were failing (his estate went into bankruptcy in 1868). Discharged 24 May 1869, Book 67 Page 487.
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| May 21, 1868 | Deed | Asa Hill Jr. of Billerica | His father Asa Hill of Harvard | Asa Jr. reconveys the farm to his father | 62/136 |
Pages 136-137. For $50, "two certain parcels of land situated in said Billerica and in Carlisle ... being the same premises conveyed to me by the said Asa Hill by his deed dated April 26th A.D. 1862 ... Book 30 Page 587", with two Carlisle parcels (Otis Byam's, Book 60 Page 264, and Joseph S. Adams', Book 32 Page 418), free of encumbrances "except the mortgage to the said Asa Hill". Signed 19 May 1868, recorded 21 May 1868: the farm went back to the father days before the son's bankruptcy (25 May 1868).
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| July 9, 1868 | Assignment in Bankruptcy | Register in Bankruptcy, U.S. District Court, for the estate of Asa Hill Jr. of Billerica | William F. Anderson of Lowell, assignee | bankruptcy of Asa Hill Jr. (context) | 63/47 |
Pages 47-48. "In the matter of Asa Hill Jr. of Billerica, Bankrupt": under the Bankruptcy Act of 2 March 1867 the Register assigns to the assignee "all the estate real and personal of the said Asa Hill Jr." held on 25 May 1868. Dated 29 June 1868, recorded 9 July 1868. The farm and brick house had been reconveyed to Asa Hill senior on 19 May 1868 (Book 62 Page 136), so they passed through the father, not the assignee.
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| May 21, 1869 | Release of Dower | Dorothy G. Hill of Billerica, wife of Asa Hill Jr. | Asa Hill of Harvard | Asa Jr.'s wife releases dower and homestead | 67/392 |
Pages 392-393. For $1, releases "a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica and Carlisle", 99 acres 117 rods with the same bounds ("the road leading by the dwelling house on the premises", "a point opposite the Easterly corner of the house"), and 30 acres of Carlisle woodland, "intending hereby to release ... all my right and title of or to both dower and homestead". Signed 5 May 1869, recorded 21 May 1869, clearing the title for the sale to Prescott Reed.
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| May 24, 1869 | Warranty Deed | Asa Hill of Harvard (wife Susan Hill releasing dower and homestead) | Prescott Reed of Stow | Asa Hill, now of Harvard, sells the farm and brick house to Prescott Reed | 67/425 |
Pages 425-427. For $3300, the Hill farm of "ninety nine acres and one hundred and seventeen rods" bounded on "the Triple cove road so-called", Jonas Parker, the heirs of David P. Winning and Stephen J. Nickles, "to the road leading by the dwelling house on the premises", then easterly "to a point opposite said house, thence across said road nearly at right angles on land of Joel Dix about six rods", easterly by Dix and back "across said road to a point opposite the Easterly corner of the house": the brick house on the strip north of the road. Subject to Asa Hill's $1600 mortgage of 11 October 1861 to L. Haynes, A. Jones and Dudley Foster and to the $1500 mortgage of 26 April 1862 (Book 30 Page 589). Signed 18 May 1869, recorded 24 May 1869.
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| May 26, 1869 | Assignment of Mortgage | Asa Hill of Harvard | Prescott Reed of Stow | mortgage discharged and assigned to Prescott Reed | 67/487 |
Pages 487-488. Asa Hill first discharges the 1867 mortgage (Book 60 Page 265) as paid by Asa Hill Jr.; then, for $1500 paid by Prescott Reed of Stow, assigns to Reed the 1862 mortgage from Asa Hill Jr. (Book 30 Page 589) with "the premises therein described, and the debt and note thereby secured", subject to Asa Hill Jr.'s right of redemption. Both signed 24 May 1869, recorded 26 May 1869: with the deed of 18 May 1869 this put the whole Hill title in Reed.
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| June 21, 1870 | Discharge of Mortgage | Prescott Reed of Stow | Michael Hayes of Acton (payor) | 1862 mortgage paid off by Michael Hayes | 74/172 |
Reed, assignee of the 1862 mortgage from Asa Hill Jr. to Asa Hill (Book 30 Page 589), "in consideration of fifteen hundred dollars to me paid by Michael Hayes of Acton", consents to its discharge. Signed 11 June 1870, recorded 21 June 1870 with the deed to Hayes.
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| June 21, 1870 | Quitclaim | Prescott Reed of Stow (wife H. Eliza Reed) | Francis A. Wheeler of Billerica | Reed quitclaims half the farm to Francis A. Wheeler | 74/173 |
For $100, "a farm containing one hundred and thirty acres of land with the buildings on the same ... situated in the southwest part of Billerica, being the same premises deeded to me by Asa Hill by his deed dated May eighteenth eighteen hundred and sixty nine", Book 67 Pages 425 and 428, "meaning to convey by this deed only one undivided half of the above farm". Signed 9 June 1870, recorded 21 June 1870; Wheeler joined Reed in the sale to Michael Hayes the same day.
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| June 21, 1870 | Warranty Deed | Prescott Reed of Stow and Francis A. Wheeler of Billerica (wives H. Eliza Reed and Sarah A. Wheeler) | Michael Hayes of Acton | Reed and Wheeler sell the farm and brick house to Michael Hayes | 74/174 |
Pages 174-176. For $3700, "a farm containing one hundred thirty acres, more or less, with the buildings on the same, situated in the southwest part of Billerica": about 100 acres "with the building on the same" on the Triple Cove road, Parker, Winning heirs and Stephen J. Nickles, "the road leading by the dwelling house on the premises" and across it on Joel Dix land to "a point opposite the easterly corner of the house", and a 30-acre wood lot in northeast Carlisle; "meaning to convey the land and buildings deeded to Prescott Reed by Asa Hill May 18, 1869". Subject to the $1500 mortgage of 11 October 1861 to L. Haynes, A. Jones and Dudley Foster. Recorded 21 June 1870, with Reed's consent to discharge the 1862 mortgage (Book 74 Page 172) on payment by Hayes. The "M. Hays" of the 1875 and 1889 maps.
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| May 5, 1893 | Mortgage | Michael Hayes of Billerica | Patrick Mahoney of Billerica | Michael Hayes mortgage to Patrick Mahoney | 243/358 |
Pages 358-360. For $825, "a farm containing one hundred thirty acres, more or less, with the buildings on the same, situated in the southwest part of Billerica", the 100-acre home lot by "the road leading by the dwelling house on the premises" and the 30-acre Carlisle wood lot, "being the same premises conveyed to me by Reed & Wheeler deed dated June 9th A.D. 1870 ... Book 74 Page 174". Recorded in May 1893 (the index gives the date of reception; the entry follows deeds recorded 5 May 1893). Margin: see discharge Book 264 Page 422. Mahoney later became Hayes's executor.
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| November 21, 1898 | Executor's Deed | Patrick Mahoney of Billerica, executor of the will of Michael Hayes | John B. Stearns of Billerica | Michael Hayes estate sells the farm at auction to John B. Stearns | 302/372 |
Pages 372-373. Under a Probate Court license of 6 September 1898, sold at public auction on 18 October 1898 to the highest bidder for $3100: "a certain lot of land containing 130 acres, more or less, with the buildings thereon, situated in the southwest part of said Billerica", in two pieces: 100 acres on "the Triple Cove Brook, so called, about sixty rods as the road runs", the late Jonas Parker, the heirs of D. P. Winning and Stephen J. Nickless, "the road leading by the dwelling house on the premises", across it on Joel Dix land and back to "a point opposite the easterly corner of the house"; and about 30 acres in the north part of Carlisle. Signed 15 November 1898, recorded 21 November 1898.
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| November 21, 1898 | Release of Dower | Mary Hayes of Billerica, widow of Michael Hayes | John B. Stearns of Billerica | widow Mary Hayes releases dower | 302/373 |
For $1, releases "all my right, title and interest including dower in and to the pieces of real estate with the buildings thereon" described in the executor's deed of 15 November 1898. Signed with her mark 15 November 1898, acknowledged 17 November 1898, recorded 21 November 1898.
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| November 21, 1898 | Mortgage | John B. Stearns of Billerica | W. Chester Duren of Carlisle | Stearns mortgage to W. Chester Duren (discharged 1903) | 302/374 |
For $914 at 5 percent, "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon, containing 130 acres more or less, and being the same premises conveyed to me by Patrick Mahoney, Executor of the will of Michael Hayes by his deed dated November 15th 1898", in the southwest part of Billerica and the north part of Carlisle, the buildings to be insured for at least $800. Recorded 21 November 1898, the same day as the purchase. Discharged on the margin by W. Chester Duren on 19 November 1903.
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| November 26, 1898 | Discharge of Mortgage | John H. Foster of Billerica, administrator of the estate of Dudley Foster | John B. Stearns of Billerica | the 1861 Hill mortgage discharged by Stearns | 302/576 |
Discharge of the mortgage given by Asa Hill to Lyman Haynes, Anthony Jones and Dudley Foster dated 11 October 1861 (Book 29 Page 251), payment having been received "from John B. Stearns, the present owner of said premises". Signed 21 November 1898, recorded 26 November 1898: the last of the Hill-era encumbrances, cleared 37 years after it was given.
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| August 22, 1899 | Lease and Option | John B. Stearns of Billerica | Charles Lyons of Billerica | Stearns leases the farm and house to Charles Lyons with an option to buy | 311/435 |
Pages 435-437. Indenture of 14 January 1899 leasing "one lot of about one hundred acres with the buildings on the same", bounded on the Triple Cove Brook road, the late Jonas Parker, the heirs of David P. Winning, Stephen J. Nickless and "the road leading by the dwelling house on the premises", "being the first lot described in a deed of Prescott Reed et al to Michael Hayes dated June 9, 1870", for three years from 1 April 1899 at $210 a year, with Stearns's promise to "sell and convey by a good and valid warranty deed the herein described premises to the said Lyons for the consideration of three thousand dollars" during the term. Recorded 22 August 1899.
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| November 2, 1906 | Warranty Deed | John B. Stearns of Billerica | Walter E. Morris of Billerica | Stearns sells the 100-acre home farm and house to Walter E. Morris | 397/309 |
Pages 309-310. For $1 and other consideration, "a certain lot of land containing 100 acres more or less with the buildings thereon situated in the west part of said Billerica and in Carlisle adjoining", bounded on the Triple Cove Brook road, the late Jonas Parker, the heirs of D. P. Winning, Stephen J. Nickless and "the road leading by the dwelling on the premises", across it on Joel Dix land and back "to a point opposite the easterly corner of the house". Signed 1 November 1906 before Herbert A. King JP, recorded 2 November 1906. (The 30-acre Carlisle wood lot had been sold separately in 1903, Book 360 Page 296.)
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| November 6, 1906 | Mortgage | Walter E. Morris of Billerica | John B. Stearns of Billerica | Morris purchase-money mortgage to Stearns (discharged 1910) | 397/331 |
Pages 331-332. For $2700 at 5 percent for three years, the same 100 acres "with the buildings thereon", "it being the same premises as conveyed by the said John B. Stearns to the said Walter E. Morris by deed of even date", the buildings to be insured for at least $2000. Recorded 6 November 1906. Discharged on the margin by John B. Stearns on 16 April 1910.
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| April 16, 1910 | Warranty Deed | Ethel N. Morris (in her own right) and her husband Walter E. Morris, of Acton, formerly of Billerica | Patrick Kennelly and Martin L. Kennelly of Billerica, tenants in common | Walter and Ethel Morris sell the farm and brick house to Patrick and Martin L. Kennelly | 449/123 |
Pages 123-124. For $1 and other consideration, "a certain lot of land containing one hundred (100) acres more or less with the buildings thereon, situated in said Billerica and in Carlisle adjoining", the same bounds as 1870 (Triple Cove Brook road, late Jonas Parker, heirs of D. P. Winning, Stephen J. Nickless, "the road leading by the dwelling house on the premises", across on Joel Dix land and back "to a point opposite the easterly corner of the house"), "it being the same premises as conveyed by John B. Stearns to said Walter E. Morris by deed dated November 1, A.D. 1906". Signed 7 April 1910, recorded 16 April 1910. The start of more than a century of Kennelly ownership.
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| April 16, 1910 | Mortgage | Patrick Kennelly and Martin L. Kennelly of Billerica, unmarried, tenants in common | John B. Stearns of Billerica | Kennelly mortgage to John B. Stearns | 449/124 |
Pages 124-126. For $2700 at 5 percent for three years, the same 100 acres "with the buildings thereon", "being the same premises conveyed by said Stearns to Walter E. Morris by deed dated November 1, A.D. 1906", the buildings to be insured for at least $1600. Recorded 16 April 1910, the day Stearns discharged Morris's 1906 mortgage. Margin: see Land Court certificate (the farm was later registered).
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| April 22, 1913 | Certificate of Title | Land Court decree, case 3275 (petition of Patrick Kennelly et al) | Patrick Kennelly (wife Catherine) and Martin L. Kennelly of Billerica, each an undivided half | Land Court registers the Kennelly farm; the house is Lot A, 222 ft on North (West) Street | Ctf 410 |
Original certificate on the decree of 2 April 1913, registered 22 April 1913. Lot B, the farm, "partly in Billerica and partly in Carlisle", bounded northeasterly by North Street about 2565 feet and by Triple Cove Road, George P. Greenwood, Julia Winning and Charles F. Pillsbury et al; "also another parcel of land situate in said Billerica", Lot A, southwesterly by North Street about 222 feet and on the other sides "by land now or formerly of Flora A. Crockett": the brick house lot north of the road (Land Court plan 3275-A, W. L. Whittemore, 26 May 1910). Subject to a right of way stipulated with the Winning heirs (document 562) and to the 1910 Stearns mortgage (document 563, discharged 1929). Later memo: mortgage to the Federal Land Bank of Springfield, $4000, 15 November 1929 (document 8842).
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| February 10, 1934 | Certificate of Title | Original Certificate 410 (estate of Patrick Kennelly, died about 5 April 1933) | Catherine L. Kennelly and Martin L. Kennelly of Billerica, each an undivided half | certificate after Patrick Kennelly's death (1933) | Ctf 4560 |
Transfer certificate entered 10 February 1934, "issued by order of Court pursuant to the provisions of Section 97 of Chapter 185 of the General Laws", after the death of Patrick Kennelly "on or about April 5, 1933". Lot B (the farm, partly in Carlisle) and Lot A ("Southwesterly by North Street, about two hundred twenty-two (222) feet", by land of Flora A. Crockett), plan 3275-A: the brick house lot. Memoranda: the 1929 Federal Land Bank mortgage and a $2000 mortgage to the Land Bank Commissioner of 26 May 1934.
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| March 4, 1943 | Certificate of Title | Certificate 4560 (Catherine L. Kennelly's half) | Martin L. Kennelly of Billerica (wife Mary E. Kennelly), sole owner | Martin L. Kennelly sole owner (1943) | Ctf 6231 |
Transfer certificate entered 4 March 1943 making Martin L. Kennelly sole owner of Lot B and of Lot A, the 222-foot house lot on North Street (now West Street), subject to any claims from the estate of Patrick Kennelly. The 1929 Federal Land Bank mortgage was discharged in 1953 and the 1934 Land Bank Commissioner mortgage in 1948; later memos record a 1950 grant to Lowell Electric Light Corporation and a 1960 county highway taking for the relocation of East and Maple Streets.
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| May 19, 1967 | Certificate of Title | Certificate 6231 (Martin L. Kennelly) | Martin L. Kennelly and Charles N. Kennelly of Billerica, joint tenants | Martin L. and Charles N. Kennelly; house lot sold 1994 | Ctf 15551 |
Transfer certificate entered 19 May 1967: Martin L. Kennelly and Charles N. Kennelly, "both not married", joint tenants with right of survivorship, of Lot B and of Lot A (the house lot, 222 feet on North Street). Memoranda: suggestion of death of Martin L. Kennelly, who "died December 29, 1969" (registered 1972); house lots cut from Lot B from 1972 on; on 22 July 1994 Lot A, the brick house lot, was deeded to a private owner (document 155937, "Ctf cancelled as to sd lot"), ending 84 years of Kennelly ownership; in 2003 lot 26 went to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and lot 25 was placed under an agricultural restriction in favor of the Town of Billerica. Charles N. Kennelly's estate was settled by 2014. Later owners of the house are private and are not named here.
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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.