Billerica First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church
Billerica First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church
| Address | 7 Concord Rd |
| MACRIS ID | BIL.3 |
| Built | 1797 |
| Moved | 1844 |
| New Address | 7 Concord Rd |
This page is the meetinghouse the town of Billerica built in 1797, as it stood for its first forty-seven years, facing north, before it was moved and turned to face the Common in 1844. Its later history, and the rebuilding after the fire of 1967-68, are told under Billerica First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church. It was the town's fourth house of worship, after the First Meetinghouse, the Second Meetinghouse and the Third Meetinghouse.
The ground west of the meetinghouse had been part of the eight acres the town sold the Rev. Samuel Ruggles in 1707. Some time after Ruggles died in 1749, two acres at its north end passed to his successor, the Rev. John Chandler, whose 1762 inventory listed "One Lott of Land ... Northwesterly of the meeting house Containing Two Acres," and from Chandler's heirs to his brother-in-law William White, a Boston merchant, who also bought the acre north of it from Rebecca Kidder in 1781. By 1797 the 1738 meetinghouse was too small and worn, and the new house was raised that year at the edge of the Common and White's land. Hazen wrote that it stood "a little southeast of its present position, facing the north." On September 11, 1797 White sold the land behind it to Reuben Duren, a Billerica housewright, the line of one piece running "Southerly through the New Meeting house," with the note that "Mr. White does not convey the meeting house." The next day Duren sold the town for $333 "half an acre of land ... on the westerly side of the Common betwixt land of Dr. William Bowers and Capt. Stephen Parker," with "liberty to erect horse stables on the westerly part." The town held that half acre, and the building on it, until 1930.
The building was paid for by selling the pews. At the sale of December 8, 1797 the town took in $8,504.50; Jonathan Bowers paid the top price, $181.50, for pew 8, and Deacon Joshua Abbott $152 for pew 10. The pews were real estate, bought and sold by deed: on August 9, 1798 Benjamin Dows sold Ephraim Kidder Jr., a trader, "one undivided moiety of the pew No 49 in the publick meeting house" for $100. When Deacon Abbot died in August 1807, his inventory valued "A Pew in Billerica Meeting-house No. 10" at $150 and listed "A Horse Stable near the Meeting house" at $16, one of the stables the 1797 deed allowed at the back of the lot. His will, made April 16, 1805, left the pew to Blaney Abbot and told his executor, James Abbot, "within two years after my decease, to procure a good Clock with one, two or three faces ... and cause the same to be placed in the tower of the meetinghouse," if the town would "keep it in good order and repair." The rest of his estate went to the town, the interest to be used for "instructing the youth in said town ... in Church music." This is the clock usually said to have been given in 1808: it was a bequest, installed by the executor after Abbot's death.
The first steeple fell during building, and the builder was paid $500 for the loss. The house served as the town's meetinghouse, while town meetings moved to the new Town House, built from the frame of the old meetinghouse. The town raised the minister's salary until 1834, when the parish began to support its own minister; in these years the First Parish became Unitarian, and those who held to the older creed formed the First Congregational Church of Billerica in 1829. The old town bell cracked on July 4, 1842. No deed of the meetinghouse or its land was recorded in these years: the grantor indexes show no conveyance by the town or by the parish before 1930.
In 1844 the meetinghouse was moved back onto the half acre and "turned half around to face the east," and the portico of four columns was added. That moved and turned building is the church described under Billerica First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, which stood until the fire of 1967-68 and was rebuilt as a replica in 1970.
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Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| 1749 | Will and Inventory | Rev. Samuel Ruggles of Billerica, clerk | His sons Joseph Ruggles and William Ruggles; his daughters | Rev. Samuel Ruggles will 1748: the 1707 town grant west of the meeting house | Probate #19569 |
Will dated June 29, 1748: to "my Beloved Son Joseph Ruggles the one half of my house viz. that half which stands towards the south," half the barn and yard and about seven or eight acres "lying between my Orchard and Mr. Jacob Danforth's land," with his silver tankard, Joseph to pay the debts and be sole executor; to his son William Ruggles "the other half of my house & barn and the other part of my Homestead Land," reserving to his daughters Lucy and Sarah the right to live in the north chamber while single; bequests to his daughters Elizabeth Rogers (wife of Rev. Daniel Rogers of Littleton), Martha (wife of John Whiting of Littleton), Dorothy (wife of Rev. Mr. Morrill of Wilmington), Lucy and Sarah Ruggles, and the sale of his "Negrowoman (Phillis)" with the money divided among three daughters. Witnesses Joshua Abbott, Jacob Danforth and John Chandler. The inventory of April 1749 lists his library at 228 pounds and, last, "the Real Estate to about Sixteen acres of Land Consisting of pasturing mowing & orcharding Bounded Easterly on the Country Road Northerly on a high way westerly on Land of Capt. Enoch Kidder Southerly on land of Lt. Jacob Danforth together with a Large Mansion House and other the Buildings thereon standing," at 2,300 pounds old tenor. Middlesex probate case 19569.
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| July 14, 1756 | Deed | Joseph Ruggles of Billerica, clothier, and Sarah his wife | The Rev. Daniel Rogers of Littleton, clerk | 1755 Ruggles land sold to Rev. Daniel Rogers, bounded by "Mr. John Chandler's land" | 54/451 (South) |
For 266 pounds 13 shillings 4 pence, "a Tract of Land lying in Billerica aforesaid near the Meeting House containing twelve acres be it more or less consisting of Orcharding Plowland Mowing and Pasturage with the Buildings thereon Viz. a Dwelling House which was my Father Ruggles's in which I now dwell also a Barn and a Shop," beginning at a stake and stones at the southeast corner of Mr. John Chandler's land, southerly by the Common and highway to the southeast corner, westerly by land of David and Timothy Danforth to the wall at a corner of Capt. Enoch Kidder's lot, then northerly, easterly and northerly by Kidder's land, and easterly by Mr. Chandler's land to the beginning; Sarah released dower. Dated Nov. 13, 1755, witnessed by Saml. Whiting and Oliver Abbot, acknowledged the same day before Thos. Kidder, recorded at Cambridge July 14, 1756. Rogers, minister of Littleton, was married to Joseph's sister Elizabeth. How the house then came to John Parker the tanner is not recorded: no deed from Rogers is in the Billerica books, and the inventory of Rogers's estate in 1782 lists land only in Littleton and Cambridge. Billerica town book 5, pages 393-395.
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| 1762 | Administration | Estate of the Rev. John Chandler of Billerica (died 1762), Elizabeth Chandler administratrix | His widow Elizabeth and daughters | Chandler inventory 1762: two acres "Northwesterly of the meeting house" | Probate #4250 |
Inventory taken Dec. 21, 1762 by William Bowers, Francis Crosby and Joshua Abbot Jr.: personal estate 208 pounds 12s 10d; the dwelling house and barn with an acre and three quarters on the country road (150 pounds); a 13-pole lot by the Common (6 pounds); and "One Lott of Land Scituate in Billerica Northwesterly of the meeting house Containing Two Acres more or Less Bounded Easterly by the Highway Southerly by Land of Mr. John Parker Westerly on Land of Capt. Enoch Kidder Northerly on Land of the Heirs of Abel Fox Decd to the Highway first mentioned" (28 pounds). That two-acre lot west of the Common is the land on which the 1797 meeting-house and the church lot later stood. Inventory exhibited Jan. 31, 1763; the administratrix's account was allowed May 27, 1766.
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| October 2, 1781 | Deed | Rebecca Kidder of Billerica, singlewoman | William White of Boston, merchant | 1781 William White buys the Kidder acre north of the Chandler lot | 83/38 (South) |
For $163 in specie, "a certain Piece of Land lying in Billerica (lately the Property of Capt. Enoch Kidder deceased but now the Property of the said Rebecca Kidder) containing better than one acre", bounded northerly on the road leading to the house of the late Capt. Enoch Kidder, easterly on the heirs of Abel Fox, southerly on "Land of the Heirs of Mr. Chandler deceased" and westerly on the Kidder heirs. Dated Aug. 30, 1781. Billerica town book 7, pages 368-369. This acre, north of the Chandler lot, became the northwest part of the "third piece" White sold to Reuben Duren in 1797; it is not the church lot itself.
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| February 16, 1786 | Deed | Thomas Plummer and Elizabeth Plummer of Haverhill | William White of Boston, merchant | 1785 Chandler heir sells her half of the lot to William White | 81/596 (South) |
Elizabeth, "Daughter and Coheiress of John Chandler late of Billerica ... Clerk deceased," sells for 90 pounds "that Moiety of three certain Tracts or parcels of land" of about five acres "with all the Buildings thereon standing, late in the occupation of the said John Chandler deceased": one tract easterly on the highway, northerly and southerly on John Parker, westerly on another highway, southeasterly on John White; one near the meeting house bounded by William Bowers, William White and Solomon Kidder's heirs; one more by the same highway and John Parker. Signed July 4, 1785. White was Chandler's wife's brother; the other half was already his. Billerica town book 7, pages 337-339.
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| December 2, 1797 | Deed | William White of Boston, merchant | Reuben Duren, housewright | 1797 White to Reuben Duren: the line runs "through the New Meeting house" | 127/79 (South) |
For $2,000, "three certain pieces of land in the center of Billerica" of six acres: the first at the corner of the wall by John Parker, southerly by the road leading to Boston 17 rods 12 links to John White Esq., westerly by White and Parker to the northwest corner of the tan house, then to the road leading to Bedford, "with all the buildings thereon"; the second a small piece at the Boston road; the third from the Centre School House by Stephen Parker, the road over the Middle Bridge, Dr. Bowers and the common "through the New Meeting house." White does not convey "the meeting house, nor one moiety of the joiner's shop built by Mr. John Dike." Signed Sept. 11, 1797. Duren had just built the meeting house. Billerica town book 9, pages 326-328.
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| October 19, 1798 | Deed | Reuben Duren of Billerica, housewright (Mary Duren releasing dower) | The inhabitants of the town of Billerica | 1797 Reuben Duren sells the town the half acre the meeting-house stood on | 129/501 (South) |
For $333, "half an acre of land situated in said Billerica on the westerly side of the Common betwixt land of Dr. William Bowers and Capt. Stephen Parker, and is to include all the front betwixt their said lands and to extend so far back westerly as to include said half acre with liberty to erect horse stables on the westerly part of said land against said Duren's land adjoining, excepting fifteen feet at the southwest corner which he the said Duren reserves to pass and repass to his said land adjoining." Warranty to the inhabitants "in their corporate capacity". Dated Sept. 12, 1797, the year the new meeting-house was built; witnesses Saml. Whiting, Josiah Bowers, Reuben Duren Jr. and Oliver Crosby; acknowledged before Edward Farmer; recorded Oct. 19, 1798. No title recital. Billerica town book 9, pages 368-369. This is the church lot to which the meeting-house was moved in 1844.
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| 1798 | Deed | Benjamin Dows of Billerica, yeoman | Ephraim Kidder Jr. of Billerica, trader | 1798 half of pew No. 49 in the new meeting-house sold for $100 | 130/129 (South) |
For $100, "one undivided moiety of the pew No 49 in the publick meeting house in said Billerica," with a warranty that Dows is "lawfully seized in Fee" of it and that it is free of all incumbrances. Signed Aug. 9, 1798, eight months after the town sold the pews of the new meeting-house to pay for its building. No title recital. Billerica town book 9, page 375. Pews were owned as real estate and passed by deed and will until the parish era.
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| 1807 | Will | Estate of Deacon Joshua Abbott Jr. of Billerica, gentleman | His sister Dorcas Abbott and Joshua Kidder of Billerica, cordwainer | Dea. Joshua Abbot will 1805/1807: pew No. 10 and the clock for the meeting-house tower | Probate #37 |
Will dated April 16, 1805, allowed Aug. 25, 1807 (he died Aug. 8, 1807), James Abbot executor: "I give and devise unto my sister Dorcas Abbot one half of my homestead farm containing about thirty two acres, and half the buildings thereon," and the other half to "Joshua Kidder of said Billerica Cordwainer." He left the town a clock for the meetinghouse tower and the residue of his estate for "instructing the youth in said town ... in Church music." The inventory of Aug. 24, 1807 lists "The homestead of said deceased situated in said Billerica containing about 32 acres, with the buildings" at $2,150, besides about 6 acres on the east side of the great road opposite the homestead and several lots across the Concord River.
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| June 30, 1883 | Lease | The First Congregational Parish in Billerica, by Thomas Talbot, Leander Crosby and Albert R. Richardson | The Bennett Public Library Association of Billerica | 1881 the parish leases a triangle of the church lot to the library for 99 years | 161/24 |
Indenture of May 4, 1881: the parish leases to the library association "the following tract of land adjoining the land belonging to said Library, commencing at a bound at the street and said Library land, thence southerly on said street twenty three feet to a bound at land of said Parish, thence westerly by said Parish land to land of Wm. H. Osborn and said Library land, thence easterly by said Library land to the point of beginning. Being a triangular lot of land." The term is ninety-nine years, on condition that the association maintain the library and lay "an edge stone" along the parish line; "the use and the valuable consideration this Library is to said Parish" is the only rent, and the land reverts to the parish if the library is given up. Authorized at a parish meeting of May 2, 1881; acknowledged before Dudley Foster; recorded June 30, 1883. The triangle was excepted from the 1930 release.
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| March 22, 1930 | Release | Inhabitants of the Town of Billerica, by selectmen John P. McBride, Maurice A. Buck and A. Warren Stearns | The First Parish Church in Billerica, a church corporation | 1930 the Town releases the land and buildings to the First Parish Church | 787/90 |
For $1 and other valuable considerations, the town releases "any right, title and interest the Inhabitants of the Town of Billerica may have in the land and buildings thereon located on the westerly side of the Common, upon which the Unitarian Church, so called, is located, containing one half acre, more or less", described in the words of the 1797 Duren deed (the half acre "betwixt land now or formerly of Dr. William Bowers and Capt. Stephen Parker", with liberty for horse stables and Duren's 15-foot reserved way), excepting the triangular lot by the Bennett Public Library described in the 1881 indenture (Book 161, Page 24); "being the same premises conveyed by said Reuben Duren to the Inhabitants of the Town of Billerica by deed dated September 12, 1797 ... Book 129, Page 501." Authorized by Article 58 of the annual town meeting of Feb. 8, 1930 (town clerk Roland G. Wright's certificate annexed). Dated March 17, 1930. Pages 90-92.
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| October 10, 1969 | Mortgage | The First Parish Church in Billerica, by its president | The Central Savings Bank, Lowell | 1969 mortgage to rebuild the church after the 1968 fire | 1902/516 |
After a special parish meeting of May 26, 1969 and a trustees' vote that June, the church borrowed $75,000 at 7 1/2 percent for twenty-five years on "the Church's real estate situated on Concord Road", to rebuild after the 1968 fire. The mortgaged land is "situated on the westerly side of Concord Road, containing one-half acre, more or less", described in the words of the 1797 deed (between Dr. William Bowers and Capt. Stephen Parker, with the horse-stable liberty and Duren's 15-foot way, the 1881 library triangle excepted), "being the same premises conveyed by the Inhabitants of the Town of Billerica by deed dated March 17, 1930 ... Book 787, Page 90." Dated Sept. 26, 1969; recorded Oct. 10, 1969. Pages 516-520.
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| December 29, 2000 | Special Permit | Town of Billerica Board of Appeals | The First Parish Church, Unitarian Universalist, for Omnipoint Holdings, Inc. | 2000 special permit for wireless antennas inside the steeple | 11261/34 |
Certificate and decision after a hearing on Nov. 15, 2000: a special permit under section 5.17.C of the zoning by-law (commercial wireless communication facility) "to install wireless telecommunication antennas and related equipment, in church steeple", in a Neighborhood Residence Zone. "The six panel antenna will be placed within the steeple of the church behind louvers, out of the public's view. The electronic equipment cabinet will be located in the basement of the church." Granted unanimously. Locus Plate 51 Parcel 7, title at Book 787, Pages 90-92.
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| December 29, 2000 | Variance | Town of Billerica Board of Appeals | The First Parish Church, Unitarian Universalist, for Omnipoint Holdings, Inc. | 2000 variance for the steeple antennas | 11261/39 |
Companion variance, also heard Nov. 15, 2000, under sections 5.17.E.8, 14.2 and 17.2 of the zoning by-law, "to allow the petitioner to install wireless telecommunication antennas and related equipment, in church steeple, located in a Neighborhood Residence Zone." Granted. Locus Plate 51 Parcel 7, Book 787 Pages 90-92.
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| February 5, 2001 | Easement | The First Parish Church in Billerica, a church corporation | New England Telephone and Telegraph Company | 2001 telephone easement serving the steeple antennas | 11337/231 |
A non-exclusive easement for overhead or underground telecommunication cables, poles and equipment "within and along the Easterly bound portion of said Grantor's land and extending towards the Westerly bound", to serve the wireless equipment on the property (Assessors Map 51, Parcel 7), with a right of access and a promise to release it when service is no longer needed. "For Grantors title see Deed at Book 787, Page 90, dated March 17, 1930."
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| July 30, 2001 | Notice of Lease | The First Parish Church in Billerica, by its president | Sprint Spectrum L.P. | 2001 lease of an antenna site to Sprint Spectrum | 11931/15 |
Memorandum of a PCS site agreement of 2001 by which the church leased Sprint Spectrum "a certain site" at 7 Concord Road within its property, with easements for access and for electric and telephone service, for five years with four five-year extensions. It joined the Omnipoint antennas approved in 2000.
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| January 6, 2003 | Variance Amendment | Town of Billerica Board of Appeals | First Parish Unitarian Church, for Sprint Spectrum | 2002 amendment allowing a second carrier's antennas in the steeple | 14346/202 |
Decision of Dec. 4, 2002 amending the Nov. 15, 2000 variance for Omnipoint "to install antennae and associated radio equipment cabinets within the steeple and the church located in a Neighborhood Residence Zone", on plans by Dewberry-Goodkind of Sept. 18, 2002. Locus Plate 51 Parcel 7, Book 787 Pages 90-92.
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| July 20, 2020 | Preservation Restriction | The First Parish Church in Billerica | Town of Billerica, acting by the Billerica Historical Commission | 2020 preservation restriction held by the Town (CPA grant) | 34383/10 |
A perpetual preservation restriction and right of first refusal on the exterior of the church at 7 Concord Road (assessors parcel 51-7-0), the property "described in Grantor's deed recorded ... Book 787, Page 90", given for $52,877 in Community Preservation Act funds for its rehabilitation. The recitals say the building "was constructed in 1970 following the destruction of the original church by fire in December 1967", rebuilt by architects Merton S. Barrows and Theodore B. Hanna "as a replica of the original"; the original was "built around 1797", the four-column portico was added in 1844, and the portico columns and spire were saved from the fire. The clock was "donated to the church by Deacon Joshua Abbott in 1808." Forty pages with baseline photographs; the property was then free of mortgage.
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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.