Benjamin Danforth House
The Benjamin Danforth House stands on the east side of High Street, the old "road to Mr. Winthrop's farm," on a lot that was granted in the town's early years to John Dunkin. The old article connects it with a 1670 town grant to Dunkin's father made in return for a "fatt ox" presented to the Deputy of the General Court; the 1805 deed confirms only that the bounds ran "according to the original grant of said tract of land to John Duncan, as recorded in the town book." In 1717 Jonathan Danforth bought the 34 acres from John Dunkin for 34 pounds; the Historical Commission describes them as running from the Concord River to the Lowell road between James Shed and Philip Bowers.
On Jan. 30, 1748/9 Jonathan Danforth and his wife Elizabeth sold the lot to their son Benjamin Danforth, then a laborer, for 300 pounds old tenor: "one parcell of upland and swamp containing thirty four acres and sixty two poles," bounded "west by the road to Mr. Winthrops Farm about ninety four poles." The parents kept for their lives "the south half part of the field now within Fence and the whole of the pasture," with timber and firewood. The deed names no buildings, so the house was probably built soon afterward by Benjamin, who married in 1750 and raised twelve children here. Examination of the frame suggests that he built the west rooms and chimney bay about 1748-1750, and a tall elm south of the house, since cut down, was thought to date from the same time.
In 1805, when he was about 81, Benjamin Danforth sold the place to Ami French, a 21-year-old husbandman from Tewksbury. The deed of March 26, 1805 conveys, for $500, "a certain farm ... containing about thirty four acres," bounded west "on the road leading to Winthrop's farm, formerly so called," "with all the buildings and appurtenances." Local accounts describe the arrangement as an agreement by which French would support Danforth, his wife and the dependent women of the household for the rest of their lives and see to their burials, in return for the farm; the recorded deed itself is an outright sale. Ami French added the east rooms, with reused beams in the lower room and a second kitchen fireplace, about the time he took over.
Ami French died in 1836 at 52 and the farm passed to his son Charles W. French (1810-1876), a prominent citizen, whose daughters Augusta (Mrs. Thomas Spaulding) and Marietta (Mrs. John Rowell) lived in houses built nearby. The later owners were not traced. The house was altered in 1989 and remains a private residence, with a small house to the south of the main house.
References
Deed References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| March 20, 1749 | Warranty | Jonathan Danforth of Billerica, gentleman, and Elizabeth his wife | His son Benjamin Danforth of Billerica, labourer | Jonathan Danforth sells his son Benjamin the 34 acre lot (no buildings named) | 48/198 (South) |
For 300 pounds bills of the old tenor, "one parcell of upland and swamp containing thirty four acres and sixty two poles be it more or less," bounded southward by the land that was John Sanders's, northward by the land that was Caleb Farley's about 115 poles, "west by the road to Mr. Winthrops Farm about ninety four poles," and east by land of James Sanders about 44 poles, all the corners stakes and stones; "Reserving for myself and my wife Elizabeth the use and Improvement of the south half part of the field now within Fence and the whole of the pasture so called that is now within Fence and a liberty to cut Timber I shall need for my use and what fire wood we both of us shall need during the term of both of our natural lives." No buildings are mentioned. Dated Jan. 30, 1748 (old style, i.e. 1748/9), acknowledged Feb. 21 before Benjamin Tompson, recorded at Cambridge March 20, 1748/9. Billerica town book 5, pages 213-215 (Southern Registry Book 48 Page 198).
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| December 25, 1805 | Warranty | Benjamin Danforth of Billerica, yeoman | Ami French of Billerica, husbandman | Benjamin Danforth's farm "with all the buildings" to Ami French | 165/430 (South) |
For $500, "a certain farm or tract of land situate in said Billerica containing about thirty four acres, more or less, bounded as follows; viz. southerly by land of Oliver Richardson and land of Samuel Trull; westerly on the road leading to Winthrop's farm, formerly so called; northerly by land of said Samuel Trull; easterly on land formerly not laid out; according to the original grant of said tract of land to John Duncan, as recorded in the town book; with all the buildings and appurtenances to the same belonging." Dated and acknowledged March 26, 1805 before James Abbot; recorded at Cambridge Dec. 25, 1805. Billerica town book 10, pages 355-356 (Southern Registry Book 165 Page 430). The Historical Commission describes an accompanying agreement by which French, then 21, was to support Danforth and his family for life; that agreement is not part of the recorded deed. Later owners (Ami French d. 1836, his son Charles W. French d. 1876, and their successors) were not traced; there has been no recorded sale since before 1988.
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Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted.