Benjamin F. Gilbert House
Benjamin F. Gilbert House
| Address | 5 Pages Ct |
| MACRIS ID | BIL.57 |
| Built | 1846 |
| Other Lot Structures | Centre Schoolhouse (Pages Court) (1845 - 1888) |
The Benjamin F. Gilbert House at 5 Pages Court stands on one of the "Baptist lots" laid out in 1844 behind the First Baptist Church on Concord Road. The land was the south end of Col. John Parker's homestead, which his daughter Ann Parker called her "Whitman lot". On April 1, 1844 she sold the corner on Concord Road to the deacons of the Baptist church and divided the rest into lots on a chalk plan by George W. Randall, with a twenty-five-foot passageway across their south ends that became Pages Court. Lot 12, "about forty seven square rods" next to the church lot, went to Cornelius Sweetser with no buildings on it.
In 1845 Sweetser sold the empty lot for $125 to John R. Mills, a yeoman, who built the house. By July 1846 he had mortgaged it to Dr. Zadok Howe, and in 1849 he bought the lot behind the school lot from Isaac Holden. On November 1, 1849 Mills sold the house lot "with the buildings thereon" and the back lot for $1,900 to Benjamin J. Gilbert Jr., who took over the Howe mortgages and added a third lot from George W. Randall. The maps of 1853 and 1875 give the owner as B. F. Gilbert, and the house has been known by that name, but his own deeds call him Benjamin J. Gilbert.
In July 1868 Gilbert and William Mann traded homes: Gilbert deeded "my homestead ... being one of the Baptists lots" to Mann's wife Sophronia, and Mann deeded his fourteen-acre place on the Concord road to Gilbert. The next year Sophronia Mann, by then a widow, sold the house back to Gilbert for $2,500. In 1871 he bought the Centre Schoolhouse (Pages Court) lot to the west from the town. Gilbert lived here until July 1883, when he sold the house, the school lot and the back lot to Matilda E. Phelps for $2,000.
The 1889 map shows the place as Mrs. Phelps's heirs'. In 1893 her daughter Annie M. Phelps and Francis E. Page, guardian of his son Philip Sumner Page, sold it to Luvia A. Page of Lexington. Her son Chester L. Page inherited it as her sole heir and in 1932 put it in his and his wife Maude's names. After his death it passed under his will, and it stayed with the family until 1983. In 1984 it was divided, and the house became Lot 2 on a plan by James B. Monahan, 0.668 acres with 265 feet on Pages Court. It is still a private home.
References
Deed References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 19, 1844 | Warranty Deed | Ann Parker of Billerica, singlewoman | Deacons Amos Spaulding and Edward Spaulding, for the First Baptist Church in Billerica | Ann Parker sells the Baptist church lot next door, 1844 | 445/112 (South) |
Billerica town book 16, pages 562-564. Dated April 1, 1844, witnessed by Maria and Marshall Preston, acknowledged April 8, recorded June 19, 1844. For $200 Ann Parker grants to Amos and Edward Spaulding, "Deacons of the Baptist Church of the first Baptist Society in Billerica", "and their successors in that Office to the use of said Church", a lot of 66 square rods: beginning "at the Concord Road so called and my land at a corner of the wall nearly opposite the house of Cornelius Swetser", west by her land about 150 feet, south about 125 feet, east about 139 feet to Concord Road and north by the road about 125 feet, "reserving a strip of land twenty five feet in width across the south end of said premises to be used as a public highway" in common with the buyers of "the other portions of my Whitman lot so called", and "being the north east corner lot as marked out on a chalk plan of my said Whitman lot sketched and drawn by George W. Randall and dated April 1st 1844". The meetinghouse was hauled here from Salem Road the same year. These bounds were repeated word for word in every later deed down to 1998.
Title from:
Title passed to:
Related:
|
|||||
| June 19, 1844 | Deed | Ann Parker of Billerica, singlewoman | Cornelius Sweetser of Billerica, yeoman | Ann Parker sells lot 12 to Cornelius Sweetser, 1844 | 445/114 (South) |
For $130.20, two lots of "my Whitman lot so called". The first, "containing about forty seven square rods", begins at the northeast corner "at my land and land this day conveyed by me to the First Baptist Society in Billerica at a wall", runs west by the wall about 102 feet, south about 125 feet, east about 102 feet and north about 125 feet, with a strip "twenty five feet in width across the southerly end" kept as a public passway with the buyers of the other lots, "being lot numbered twelve on a chalk plan of said Whitman lot made by George W. Randall". The second is lot 3, south of the passage way at George Bacon's land. No buildings are mentioned. Made the same day as Ann Parker's deed of the church lot (April 1, 1844; recorded June 19, 1844). Billerica town book 16, pages 564-566.
Title passed to:
Related:
|
|||||
| April 16, 1849 | Deed | Ann Parker of Billerica, singlewoman | Isaac Holden of Billerica, yeoman | lots 9 and 10 (back lot) to Isaac Holden, 1844 | 554/88 (South) |
For $96.20, part of "my Whitman Lot so called", about ninety seven square rods, from the northeast corner at Ann Parker's land west by the stone wall about 211 feet, south by land "this day conveyed to George W. Randall" about 125 feet to the centre of the passage way "as marked out on a chalk plan of my said Whitman Lot drawn or sketched by George W. Randall dated April 1 1844", east on it about 209 feet, and north by land conveyed the same day to Charles H. Parker (the school lot), "being lot numbered Nine & Ten on said Chalk plan". Dated April 1, 1844; recorded April 16, 1849. Billerica town book 20, pages 218-219.
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| October 21, 1845 | Warranty Deed | Cornelius Sweetser of Billerica, yeoman | John R. Mills of Billerica, yeoman | Sweetser to John R. Mills, who built the house, 1845 | 471/470 (South) |
For $125, "one of the Baptist lots so called containing about forty seven square rods", from the northeast corner at the Baptist Meeting house lot and land of Ann Parker at a wall, west by the wall about 102 feet to land of School District numbered One, south by the District about 125 feet, east about 102 feet, and north by the Meeting house lot, reserving the 25-foot pass way, "being lot numbered twelve on a chalk Plan of all said Baptist lots so called or formerly called the Whitman Lot made by George W. Randall". No buildings are mentioned; Mills built the house on the lot and mortgaged it to Dr. Zadok Howe in July and September 1846. Recorded in October 1845 (grantee index: acknowledged and recorded 1845). Billerica town book 18, pages 40-42.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| April 16, 1849 | Warranty Deed | Isaac Holden of Billerica (Louisa Holden releasing dower) | John R. Mills of Billerica, yeoman | back lot to John R. Mills, 1849 | 554/90 (South) |
For $200, the same ninety seven square rods "in the centre of said Billerica", bounded by Ann Parker's stone wall, George W. Randall's land, the centre of the passage way and land of School District numbered One; "Being same land conveyed to me by Ann Parker by Deed Dated April 1st 1844"; "Reserving the nursery trees to be taken off at the end of two years", thirty standard trees to be left. Mills gave Holden a $200 mortgage of the lot the same day (Book 554 Page 91). Dated April 7, 1849; recorded April 16, 1849. Billerica town book 20, pages 220-221.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| November 7, 1849 | Warranty Deed | John R. Mills of Billerica, yeoman (Emeline P. Mills releasing dower) | Benjamin J. Gilbert Jr. | Mills sells the house to Benjamin J. Gilbert Jr., 1849 | 568/556 (South) |
For $1,900, "one of the Baptists Lots so called containing about forty seven square rods, with the buildings thereon", from the northeast corner at the Baptist Meeting house lot and land of Ann Parker, west by the wall about 102 feet to School District No. 1, south 125 feet, east 102 feet and north by the Meeting house lot; also another Baptist lot of about 97 square rods west of the school lot, bounded by Ann Parker's wall, George W. Randall and the centre of the passage way, "Reserving the nursery trees on the last mentioned lot" for a year; warranty except "a mortgage of $500 dated July 22d 1846 payable to Zadok Howe M.D. and one of $300 dated Sept. 9th 1846 payable to Zadok Howe M.D.", which Gilbert is to redeem out of the price. Dated November 1, 1849, witnessed by Dudley Foster and Isaac Holden; recorded November 7, 1849. Billerica town book 19, pages 3-5.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| November 7, 1849 | Quitclaim | Amariah Preston of Billerica, physician | George W. Randall of Cambridge, carriage maker | lot 8 behind the school lot, 1849 | 568/558 (South) |
For $100, "one of the Baptist lots, so called, containing about fifty seven square rods", from land of Ann Parker west by the stone wall about 112 1/2 feet to land of Gardner Parker, south by Gardner Parker about 125 feet to the centre of a passage way "as marked out on a chalk plan of said Baptist Lots, drawn or sketched by George Randall dated Apr 1st 1844", east on the passage way about 110 feet, and north by land of John R. Mills, "the said premises being lot numbered eight, in said chalk Plan". Dated October 31, 1849; recorded November 7, 1849. Billerica town book 19, page 6.
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| November 7, 1849 | Deed | George W. Randall of Cambridge, carriage maker | Benjamin J. Gilbert Jr. | lot 8 added to the Gilbert place, 1849 | 568/559 (South) |
For $100, the same lot 8 of the Baptist lots, about 57 square rods, west of Mills's land, bounded by Ann Parker, Gardner Parker and the centre of the passage way. Recorded November 7, 1849, with Mills's deed of the house to Gilbert. Billerica town book 19, pages 7-8.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| April 6, 1869 | Warranty Deed | Benjamin J. Gilbert of Billerica, gentleman (Judith Gilbert releasing dower and homestead) | Sophronia Mann of Billerica, wife of William Mann | Gilbert to Sophronia Mann (house exchange), 1868 | 66/295 |
For $2,200, "my homestead situate in said Billerica being one of the Baptists lots, so called, containing about forty seven square rods with the buildings thereon", between the Baptist Meeting House lot, the late Ann Parker's wall and School District No. 1; also "two of said Baptists Lots" of about 154 rods to Gardner Parker's land and the centre of the passage way "as marked out on a chalk plan of said Baptists lots"; "Being premises conveyed to me by John R. Mills and Geo. W. Randall", Book 568 Pages 556 and 559. Dated July 22, 1868, the same day William Mann deeded his fourteen-acre homestead on the Concord road to Gilbert (Book 111 Page 491): the two men exchanged houses. Recorded April 6, 1869.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| May 6, 1873 | Warranty Deed | Sophronia Mann of Billerica, widow | Benjamin J. Gilbert of Billerica | Sophronia Mann back to Gilbert, 1869 | 93/101 |
For $2,500, "a certain tract of land situate in said Billerica, containing about forty seven square rods with the buildings thereon", at the Baptist Meeting House lot, Ann Parker's wall and School District No. 1, and one of the Baptist lots west of the school lot to Gardner Parker and the passage way, reserving the 25-foot public pass way; "Being the same premises conveyed to me by said Gilbert deed dated 1868." Dated May 6, 1869; recorded May 6, 1873, with the town's deed of the schoolhouse lot to Gilbert (Book 93 Page 104).
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| May 6, 1873 | Quitclaim | The Inhabitants of the Town of Billerica, by Daniel Floyd and Israel A. Colson, committee | Benjamin F. Gilbert of Billerica | Gilbert buys the schoolhouse lot next door, 1871 | 93/104 |
Dated and acknowledged Feb. 28, 1871 before Dudley Foster, recorded May 6, 1873. For $550, "a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon," about forty-six square rods, with the same bounds as the 1870 deed (Gilbert's land on two sides, the centre of the passageway on the south, land formerly of Ann Parker on the north), reserving twenty-five feet as a public passageway, "being the premises conveyed to said Inhabitants by the First School District in the Town of Billerica, by deed dated Feb'y 26th 1870."
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| May 6, 1873 | Warranty Deed | Benjamin J. Gilbert of Billerica (Judith Gilbert releasing dower and homestead) | Albert R. Richardson of Billerica | Gilbert to Albert R. Richardson, 1873 | 96/25 |
For $3,200, three adjoining tracts: about forty seven square rods "with the buildings thereon" at the Baptist Society land and the land formerly of Ann Parker, "the School House lot with the buildings thereon", and the lot west of it to Gardner Parker, reserving the 25-foot public pass way with the owners of the other "Baptist Lots"; "Being premises conveyed to me by Sophronia Mann deed dated May 6th 1869 & Inhabitants of Billerica deed dated February 28 1871." On the page before, the executor of Dr. Zadok Howe discharged Gilbert's old mortgage (Book 96 Page 24). Dated 1873; Richardson reconveyed the same land to Gilbert by deed of October 14, 1873.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| July 21, 1883 | Warranty Deed | Albert R. Richardson of Billerica (Caroline C. Richardson releasing dower and homestead) | Benjamin J. Gilbert of Billerica | Richardson back to Gilbert, 1873 | 161/264 |
For $3,300, the same three tracts: about forty seven square rods "with the buildings thereon", "the School House lot" with its buildings, and the lot west of it to Gardner Parker, with the 25-foot public pass way; "Being the same premises conveyed to me by said Gilbert deed dated May 6th 1873", Book 96 Page 25. Dated October 14, 1873, witnessed by Dudley Foster; not recorded until July 21, 1883, just before Gilbert sold the place.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| July 24, 1883 | Warranty Deed | Benjamin J. Gilbert of Billerica, unmarried | Matilda E. Phelps of Billerica | Gilbert sells to Matilda E. Phelps, 1883 | 161/362 |
For $2,000, "a certain tract of land situate in said Billerica, containing about forty seven square rods, with the buildings thereon", from the Baptist Society land west by land formerly of Ann Parker about 102 feet to "the School House lot so called", south 125 feet; also "the School House lot with the buildings thereon" and the tract west of it to land of Gardner Parker, reserving "a strip of land twenty five feet in width across the southerly end of said lots" as a public passageway with the owners of the other "Baptist lots"; "Being the same premises conveyed to me by Albert R. Richardson deed dated Oct. 14th 1873". Dated and acknowledged July 16, 1883, before Dudley Foster; recorded July 24, 1883.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| November 2, 1893 | Guardian's Deed | Francis E. Page of Brookline, guardian of his minor son Philip Sumner Page | Luvia A. Page, wife of Lorenzo A. Page, of Lexington | guardian sells half to Luvia A. Page, 1893 | 248/62 |
Under a license of the Norfolk County Probate Court of October 1893, the guardian sold at private sale for $1,225 "one undivided half part" of three adjoining tracts: about 47 square rods "with the buildings thereon", from the northeast corner at land of the Baptist Society west by land formerly of Ann Parker about 102 feet to "the School House lot, so called", south 125 feet, east about 102 feet and north by the Baptist Society land 125 feet (the house lot); "the School House lot with the buildings thereon", bounded south by land formerly of Benj. F. Gilbert to the centre of a passageway; and the tract west of it to land of Gardner Parker. A strip "twenty-five feet in width across the Southerly end of said lots" is "to be used as a public way" with the owners of the other "Baptist Lots". "Being the same premises described in the deed from Benj. F. Gilbert to Matilda E. Phelps dated July 16, 1883", Book 161 Page 362. Dated October 25, 1893; recorded November 2, 1893.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| November 2, 1893 | Quitclaim | Francis E. Page of Brookline | Luvia A. Page of Lexington | Francis E. Page's release, 1893 | 248/64 |
For $1 and other valuable consideration, Francis E. Page releases to Luvia A. Page "all my right, title, interest and estate in and to the real estate described in the foregoing deed" (his guardian's deed of his son Philip Sumner Page's half, Book 248 Page 62). Dated October 25, 1893; acknowledged in Suffolk October 30, 1893; recorded November 2, 1893.
Related:
|
|||||
| November 2, 1893 | Warranty Deed | Annie M. Phelps of Brookline, singlewoman | Luvia A. Page, wife of Lorenzo A. Page, of Lexington | Annie M. Phelps sells the other half, 1893 | 248/64 |
For $1 and other valuable consideration, "one undivided half part" of the same three tracts: about 47 square rods "with the buildings thereon" at the Baptist Society land, "the School House lot with the buildings thereon", and the tract west of it to Gardner Parker, with the 25-foot public way across the south end shared with the owners of the other "Baptist Lots". "My title is derived by inheritance from my Mother, Matilda E. Phelps, who purchased said premises from Benj. F. Gilbert by deed dated July 16, 1883", Book 161 Page 362. The deed begins at the foot of page 64 and runs to page 66. Dated October 25, 1893; acknowledged October 31, 1893; recorded November 2, 1893.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| December 30, 1932 | Quitclaim | Chester L. Page of Billerica (Maude I. Page releasing dower and homestead) | Rose E. Macauley of Lowell | Chester L. Page, heir of Luvia, to a straw, 1932 | 821/440 |
Two parcels. First, "The land in said Billerica with the buildings thereon", bounded east by land now or formerly of the Baptist Society 125 feet, north by land now or formerly of Ann Parker 516 feet, west by land now or formerly of Gardner Parker 125 feet and south by the center line of a passageway 523 feet, "Containing two hundred forty-eight (248) square rods", "being the same premises conveyed to Luvia A. Page by two deeds" of October 25, 1893 (Book 248 Pages 62 and 64), with the passageway rights. "The grantor derives his title as sole heir-at-law of his mother, the said Luvia A. Page, late of said Billerica, deceased intestate." Second, 36 acres on the south side of the Salem road (other land). A conveyance to a straw so that the land could come back to Page and his wife as tenants by the entirety. Dated December 29, 1932; recorded December 30, 1932.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| December 30, 1932 | Quitclaim | Rose E. Macauley of Lowell, unmarried | Chester L. Page and Maude I. Page of Billerica, husband and wife, tenants by the entirety | back to Chester L. and Maude I. Page, 1932 | 821/441 |
The same two parcels, the first being the 248 square rods "with the buildings thereon" between the Baptist Society land and Gardner Parker's, north of the passageway (Pages Court); "Being the same premises conveyed to me by Chester L. Page by his deed of even date". Maude I. Page died in Billerica on August 5, 1936, and Chester L. Page left the place by his will (Middlesex probate docket 327623) to a devisee, who in 1960 deeded it to herself and another as joint tenants (Book 1478 Page 112). They put it in a family trust in 1977 (Book 2267 Page 616), and the trustee sold it to a private buyer in December 1983 for $60,000 (Book 2683 Page 349). The 1984 subdivision plan (Plan Book 142 Plan 126) made the house Lot 2, 0.668 acres with 265 feet on Pages Court; it was sold in 1984 (Book 2743 Page 253) and later passed within the owning family (Book 10793 Page 228, 2000; Book 29349 Page 274, 2015). Dated December 29, 1932; recorded December 30, 1932.
Title from:
|
|||||
Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted.