Charles Henry Parker House
Charles Henry Parker House
| Address | 27 Concord Rd |
| Built | 1844 |
| Moved | 1972 |
| New Address | 602 Middlesex Tp |
| Owners | Charles H. Parker (1844 - 1868) |
| Other Lot Structures | Billerica Council on Aging (Built 1978) |
The Charles Henry Parker House stood on the west side of Concord Road in Billerica Centre, on an acre "enclosed by a stone wall" between the Samuel Ruggles House to the north and the First Baptist Church lot to the south. In the deeds of the late 1960s the house was "now numbered 21" Concord Road. The town took it by eminent domain in 1970 for the new library site, and the house was moved to Middlesex Turnpike near Nutting Lake, where it stands today at 602 Middlesex Turnpike. It is not in the MACRIS inventory.
The acre was part of the old Ruggles homestead. The Rev. Samuel Ruggles bought nine acres by the highway in 1712, and in 1755 his son Joseph sold the twelve-acre homestead near the meeting house to the Rev. Daniel Rogers of Littleton. By 1801 it was John Parker's "Ruggles farm," which he left to his son Stephen Parker. In 1819 Stephen sold his brother Col. John Parker five acres "now enclosed with a stone wall all round," running south to the Rev. Nathaniel Whitman's land, and John Parker's house lot of about twelve acres passed at his death in 1832 to his widow Susan and his daughter Ann. By 1842 Ann Parker owned the whole homestead. In 1844 she laid out the south end, which she called her Whitman lot, in small lots on a chalk plan by George W. Randall, selling the corner to the Baptist deacons for their church and lot number eleven, 46 square rods behind it, to her nephew Charles H. Parker, a shoemaker. That small back lot is the "purchase of 1844" in earlier accounts of this house, and the 1853 map's "S. Shop, C. H. Parker" may have stood there; the acre on Concord Road itself stayed in Ann Parker's homestead.
When Ann Parker died in March 1861 she left "all the rest, residue and remainder" of her estate to her nephew Charles Henry Parker. In 1868 he sold John Baldwin six and a half acres in the centre "with all the buildings thereon," and on September 10, 1873 Baldwin sold Dr. George A. Munroe, a physician, "one acre of land (so called) be the same more or less, with the buildings thereon, enclosed by a stone wall," eight rods on "the road leading to Concord" and twenty rods deep, for $1,200. Those bounds were copied into every deed of the lot down to 1970. Munroe moved to Providence and in 1885 sold the house back to Baldwin, then living in Chicago, who sold it a week later to Frances E. Flanders for $1,100.
Frances Flanders owned it until her death. In May 1917 the guardian of her husband Charles W. Flanders Sr., "an insane person of Billerica," sold his third, and their children Charles W. Flanders Jr. and Frances G. Jacobs sold their two thirds, to Mabel A. Luke. She sold the house in 1925 to Charles W. Knox. After his wife Susie died in 1935 Knox put it in his own name and that of Mildred F. Sargent as joint tenants; she later became his wife and outlived him. Her executor sold "21 Concord Road" in November 1968 to John Paul and Irene B. Knox for $22,200, and they sold it a year later to a private owner.
On July 6, 1970 the selectmen, under the vote of the annual town meeting, took the lot "together with the buildings thereon" by eminent domain "for purposes of library building construction," with the Ruggles house lot next door; the plan of the library site shows it as Lot 3, 43,164 square feet. The house was sold off and moved. In August 1973 Elizabeth Caporale, as trustee of Zanna Realty Trust, bought a vacant lot of 15,000 square feet on Middlesex Turnpike, Lot 8 and half of Lot 7 in Section F of the 1927 Crosby Gardens subdivision, for $5,000, and the house was set on it; in 1976 the trust sold the lot with the house for $36,400. It has since been a privately owned two-family house. The original site on Concord Road later became the home of the Billerica Council on Aging.
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| July 31, 1713 | Deed | John Rogers Jr. of Billerica | The Rev. Samuel Ruggles of Billerica | 1712: the Rev. Samuel Ruggles buys the nine-acre messuage, the south part of his homestead | 16/343 (South) |
For 26 pounds, "one Messuage or Tenement situate in Billerica abovesaid Containing about nine acres be it more or less, bounded on the East by the High way, on the North by the Land of Samuel Ruggles & Enoch Kidder, on the West by the Land of Nathaniel Rogers, and on the South by the Land of Saml. ffassett with all the buildings, with all the Fences and Trees thereon standing (Excepting Nathaniel Rogers his orchard which is Contained within the bounds abovesaid)." Dated Dec. 8, 1712 (11 Anne), signed by the mark of John Rogers Jr., witnessed by Samuel Fassett, Thomas Ball and Jacob Danforth; acknowledged Jan. 16, 1712/13 before Jonathan Tyng; recorded at Charlestown July 31, 1713. Ruggles, the town's second minister, already owned the land to the north; with this purchase his homestead ran along the road south from the meeting house to the Fassett (later Danforth) line, the sixteen acres "Bounded Easterly on the Country Road ... westerly on Land of Capt. Enoch Kidder" of his 1749 inventory. Billerica town book 1, pages 518-519.
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| 1749 | Will and Inventory | Rev. Samuel Ruggles of Billerica, clerk | His sons Joseph Ruggles and William Ruggles; his daughters | 1749: will of the Rev. Samuel Ruggles | 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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| 1754 | Deed | William Ruggles of Billerica, clothier | His brother Joseph Ruggles of Billerica | 1754: William Ruggles sells his half to his brother Joseph | 53/455 (South) |
For 146 pounds 13 shillings 8 pence, "a Certain peice or parcel of Land & orcharding ... Containing by Estimation Eight acres," bounded northerly on a highway, easterly on a highway and Joseph Ruggles's land, southerly on Ruggles's land and westerly on land of Capt. Enoch Kidder, "together with the one half of a Mansion house & Barn being premises that were given to me the said William Ruggles in my Honrd Father's Last will & testament." Dated 1754 and recorded 1756 (per the index). With this deed Joseph Ruggles, who already had the south half of the house under the will, owned the whole house. Billerica town book 5, pages 365-366.
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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: Joseph Ruggles sells the twelve-acre homestead to the Rev. Daniel Rogers | 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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| 1782 | Will and Inventory | The Rev. Daniel Rogers of Littleton, clerk | His son Daniel Rogers (executor) and daughters Sarah and Lucy Rogers | 1782: estate of the Rev. Daniel Rogers (no Billerica land) | Probate #19447 |
Will dated Oct. 25, 1779: five shillings each to his sons Jeremiah Dummer Rogers and Samuel Rogers and his daughter Elizabeth Willard, who "are now absent and their Return prohibited"; 200 pounds each to his unmarried daughters Sarah and Lucy with the use of half the dwelling house; the residue to his son Daniel and to Sarah and Lucy, with a share for the absent children if they are ever allowed to return; his son Daniel executor with power to sell real estate. Witnesses William Henry Prentice, Abraham Patch Jr. and Joseph Sawtell. Proved Dec. 11, 1782 before Judge Oliver Prescott. The inventory of Dec. 9, 1782 lists as real estate only "The Mantion House out Buildings and farm in Littleton containing about 115 acres," a small house with about ten acres, and "A Farm in Cambridge ... about 200 Acres": the Billerica house Rogers bought from Joseph Ruggles in 1755 was no longer his. Middlesex probate case 19447.
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| 1803 | Will | John Parker of Billerica, gentleman (tanner) | His sons Stephen Parker and John Parker (executors) and his other children | 1803: will of John Parker; the Ruggles farm to his son Stephen | Probate #16643 |
Will dated March 27, 1801, with a codicil of Feb. 28, 1803. To his son John the tan-house and tan-yard and a strip from the Common westward to the wall of the orchard, among other land; to his son Stephen "my dwelling-house, and the land adjoining" on the south side of the Common, on condition he support his sister Abigail, and "I also bequeath to my said son, Stephen, the whole of my farm on the west side of Concord road, commonly called the Ruggles farm, except that small parcel of it which I have given to my son, John. This bequest is to be understood as including the barn, and all other appurtenances belonging to said farm." Legacies to sons Daniel and Samuel and daughters Sarah Bowers, Anne Prichard and Elizabeth Breed. Witnesses Henry Cumings, Jacob Richardson and John Richardson Jr. Proved at Woburn Sept. 20, 1803 before Judge Oliver Prescott. This is the first record of the house in Parker hands. Middlesex probate case 16643.
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| December 11, 1837 | Warranty Deed | Stephen Parker of Billerica, gentleman, and Sibel his wife | His brother John Parker of Billerica, Esq. | 1819: Stephen Parker sells the five acres enclosed with a stone wall, south to Whitman, to his brother John | 368/529 (South) |
For $1,200, "the following described piece of land containing five acres & the same more or less," beginning "at an Elm tree near the said John Parker's dwelling house," westerly by John Parker's land about twenty rods to a stone wall running south, southerly by the wall seven or eight rods, westerly again by John Parker's land about twenty rods, southerly by Stephen Parker's land about eighteen rods to land of the Revd. Nathl. Whitman, easterly by Whitman "by the wall as it now stands to the road leading south from the meeting house" about forty rods, and by the road to the beginning, "the said piece of land being now enclosed with a stone wall all round with all the buildings thereon standing." Dated Oct. 13, 1819, witnessed by M. Preston and Elizabeth Parker, acknowledged Oct. 30, 1819 before Blaney Abbot, recorded Dec. 11, 1837. By 1819 John Parker Jr. was living in the Ruggles house; this completed the twelve-acre house lot of his will. On the same page is Stephen's 1829 release to John of half the "City Farm." Billerica town book 15, pages 487-488.
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| 1832 | Will | John Parker of Billerica (d. 1832) | His wife Susan Parker and daughter Ann Parker; other children and grandchildren | 1832: will of Col. John Parker; the house lot to his widow Susan and daughter Ann | Probate #16646 |
Will dated Dec. 20, 1831: to his wife Susan Parker "two undivided third parts of my House Lot in Billerica, consisting of about twelve acres of land, with a Dwelling House, Barn & outbuildings thereon: bounded easterly on the road, southerly on land of the Rev. N. Whitman, westerly on land of Gardner Parker, and northerly on land late of Stephen Parker & Samuel Foster to said road," with a wood lot and the Oliver Abbot lot for life; to his daughter Ann Parker "one undivided third part of my House Lot containing about twelve acres of land, with Dwelling House, Barn & out buildings"; to his son David half the tanyard; to his daughter Maria, wife of Marshall Preston, the Minister Lot; to his grandsons Francis James Parker, Charles Henry Parker and Frederic Augustus Parker and granddaughter Henrietta Parker, other land and money; son-in-law Marshall Preston executor. Witnesses Phineas How, Tilly Merrick and Nathan Brooks. Proved at Lowell June 5, 1832. Middlesex probate case 16646.
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| 1841 | Will | Susan Parker of Billerica, widow of John Parker | Her son George Parker; her daughter Maria Preston | 1841: will of Susan Parker | Probate #38954 |
Will dated Oct. 11, 1841: to "my son George Parker, two undivided third parts of the Homestead where I now live, consisting of about twelve acres of land, with a Dwelling house, barn and out buildings thereon, bounded Easterly on the road, Southerly on land of George Bacon, westerly on land of Gardner Parker and Northerly on land of said Gardner Parker, and of Samuel Foster, to said road"; to "Ann Parker the daughter of my late Husband, John Parker," a wood lot for life and furniture; the residue to her daughter Maria Preston, wife of Marshall Preston, the executor. Witnesses Thomas Shed, Chas. E. Parker and Mary Wilson. Proved at Concord Nov. 9, 1841, with George Parker's assent. Middlesex probate case 38954.
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| April 14, 1842 | Deed | George Parker of Clinton, Oneida County, N.Y., merchant, and Catharine Ann his wife | Marshall Preston of Billerica, Esq., and Maria Preston his wife, as joint tenants | 1842: George Parker sells his two thirds to the Prestons | 414/358 (South) |
For $2,000, "two undivided third parts of a certain messuage the homestead of the late Susan Parker deceased mother of the said George and Maria situate in said Billerica containing twelve acres more or less," bounded easterly on the Concord road and the Common, southerly by George Bacon, westerly by Gardner Parker, and northerly on the widow Sybil Parker's dower land, Capt. Samuel Foster, the heirs of Doct. Wm. Bowers and in part the Billerica Academy, "being the same devised to me in the last will & testament of my said mother." Dated March 22, 1842, witnessed by John Baldwin, John Baldwin Jr. and Rufus Mills, acknowledged the same day, recorded April 14, 1842. Billerica town book 17, pages 275-276.
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| September 30, 1842 | Mortgage | Ann Parker of Billerica, singlewoman | Marshall Preston of Billerica, Esq. | 1842: Ann Parker mortgages the homestead to Marshall Preston | 416/559 (South) |
Billerica town book 17, pages 310-311. Dated September 9, 1842, the day the Prestons conveyed their two thirds to her (S.421/4). For $2,000, mortgage of "a certain tract or parcel of land situate in said Billerica late the Homestead of Col. John Parker decd and containing twelve acres more or less", from the corner at the Billerica Academy and "the Common so called", south by the Common and "the Concord Road so called to land of George Bacon", west by Bacon to Gardner Parker, and around by the widow Sybil Parker's dower, Capt. Samuel Foster, the heirs of Dr. William Bowers, the horse stables and the Academy lot back to the Common. To be void if $2,000 with interest is paid within five years. Discharged by Preston, "received full satisfaction", October 20, 1846 (recorded November 24, 1846).
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| October 11, 1842 | Warranty Deed | Marshall Preston of Billerica, Esq., and Maria Preston his wife in her right as joint tenant | Ann Parker of Billerica, singlewoman | 1842: the Prestons sell the two thirds to Ann Parker | 421/4 (South) |
For $2,000, "two undivided third parts of a certain tract or parcel of land situate in said Billerica late the homestead of Col. John Parker deceased & containing twelve acres more or less," from the northeast corner at the Billerica Academy and the Common, southerly by the Common and the Concord road to George Bacon, westerly by Bacon to Gardner Parker, northerly by Gardner Parker to the widow Sybil Parker's dower, then by the dower, Capt. Samuel Foster and the heirs of Wm. Bowers to the horse stables, and by the stables and the Academy land back to the Common. Dated Sept. 9, 1842, witnessed by Lovice M. Preston and John Baldwin, recorded Oct. 11, 1842. With her own third under her father's will, Ann Parker now owned the whole house lot. Billerica town book 17, pages 388-389.
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| May 10, 1844 | Release | Marshall Preston of Billerica, Esq., and Maria Preston his wife | Ann Parker of Billerica, singlewoman | 1844: Preston releases the south part of the homestead ("her Whitman Lot") | 442/272 (South) |
Billerica town book 16, pages 538-539. Dated April 1, 1844, acknowledged April 3 before Dudley Foster. For $1, Preston remises and quitclaims "all my right title and interest in and to a certain tract of land situate in said Billerica called her Whitman Lot containing four acres more or less": from the northeast corner "at the Concord road so called at the corner of the wall nearly opposite the dwelling house of Cornelius Sweetser", west by the stone wall to Gardner Parker, south by Parker to George Bacon, east by Bacon to the Concord road, and by the road back to the corner. Maria Preston releases dower. A partial release of the 1842 mortgage, signed the same day Ann Parker began selling the Whitman lot in house lots.
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| 1844 | Deed | Ann Parker of Billerica, singlewoman | Her nephew Charles H. Parker of Billerica, yeoman | 1844: Ann Parker sells Charles H. Parker lot 11 of her Whitman lot (a different, back lot) | 442/440 (South) |
For $66.70, "a certain tract or parcel of land situate in said Billerica being a part of my Whitman Lot so called, containing about forty six square rods": from the northeast corner at the grantor's land westerly by her land and a stone wall about 102 feet, southerly by land "this day conveyed to Isaac Holden" about 125 feet "to the centre of a passage way as marked out on a chalk plan of my said Whitman Lot as drawn or sketched by George W. Randall dated April 1st 1844," easterly on the passage way about 102 feet and northerly by land this day conveyed to Cornelius Sweetser; a 25-foot strip across the south end reserved as a public passway; "lot numbered eleven on said chalk Plan." Dated April 1, 1844 (Billerica town book 16, page 545). This is the purchase of 1844 that earlier accounts gave as the origin of the house, but it is a small back lot south of the Baptist church lot; the acre on Concord Road where the house stood remained part of Ann Parker's homestead until 1868.
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| 1861 | Will | Ann Parker of Billerica, singlewoman (d. March 22, 1861) | Her nephew Charles Henry Parker of Billerica | 1861: will of Ann Parker; the residue to her nephew Charles Henry Parker | Probate #38803 |
Will dated Feb. 21, 1859: $1,000 to her brother David Parker, and "to my Nephew Charles Henry Parker of said Billerica, all the rest, residue and remainder of all the Real, Personal and mixed estate of which I shall die seized or possessed"; William Rogers of Tewksbury executor. Witnesses Amos Spalding, John T. Farmer and Francis Richardson. Charles H. Parker petitioned April 9, 1861, naming as heirs her brother David Parker of Billerica, sister Maria Preston of Lexington, brother George Parker of Clinton, N.Y., nephew James Parker of Texas and himself; the executor declined, and on May 14, 1861 the will was allowed at Cambridge and administration with the will annexed granted to Charles H. Parker. So the house of Ann's father John Parker passed to his grandson, the shoemaker who lived next door. Middlesex probate case 38803.
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| March 20, 1868 | Quitclaim | Charles H. Parker of Billerica, Esq., and Mary B. Parker his wife | John Baldwin of Billerica | 1868: Charles H. Parker sells the six and a half acres "with all the buildings" to John Baldwin | 60/495 |
For $3,248.57, "a piece or parcel of land lying in the centre of Billerica," near the town house, "containing six and a half acres ... with all the buildings thereon standing," bounded east by the Billerica Common, south by land of the Baptist Society, Benjamin Gilbert and School District No. One, west by Gardner Parker, and north by Gardner Parker, the grantee and the Town of Billerica; free of encumbrances except Parker's mortgage to Baldwin of April 10, 1864 for $2,051.51. Dated March 12, 1868, acknowledged March 13, 1868 before Dudley Foster, recorded March 20, 1868. Mary B. Parker was Baldwin's daughter. Every later deed of the house lot to 1907 is "the same premises conveyed by Charles H. Parker to John Baldwin." Book 60 Pages 495-496.
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| September 23, 1873 | Warranty Deed | John Baldwin of Billerica, Esquire | Dr. George A. Munroe of Billerica, physician | 1873: John Baldwin sells the one acre with the buildings to Dr. George A. Munroe | 96/430 |
For $1,200, "one acre of land (so called) be the same more or less, with the buildings thereon, enclosed by a stone wall": from the northeast corner at the grantor's own land "on the highway of the road leading to Concord," southerly along the highway about eight rods to land belonging to the Baptist Society, westerly about twenty rods by the Society and land of Albert R. Richardson to a stone wall on the grantor's land, northerly by that wall about eight rods and easterly by another wall about twenty rods to the start. Dated September 10, 1873, witnessed by Charles H. Parker and John Baldwin Jr. These bounds describe the lot in every deed down to the town's taking in 1970. Munroe gave Baldwin a mortgage back of $1,200 on the same day (Book 96, Page 431).
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| September 16, 1885 | Warranty Deed | George A. Monroe of Providence, R.I., physician (Martha Jane Monroe releasing) | John Baldwin of Chicago, Illinois | 1885: Dr. Munroe, of Providence, sells it back to John Baldwin | 176/504 |
For $1,000, the same "one acre of land (so called) ... with the building thereon, enclosed by a stone wall," now bounded on the north "at land of the heirs of the late Mary B. Parker" (the Ruggles house lot, which had gone to the children of Mary B. (Baldwin) Parker in 1876), on the road leading to Concord, the Baptist Society and Albert R. Richardson. Dated September 10, acknowledged at Providence September 14, 1885. The doctor had moved to Providence and sold the house back to the Baldwin family.
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| September 21, 1885 | Warranty Deed | John Baldwin of Chicago, Illinois (Lucy A. Baldwin releasing) | Frances E. Flanders of Billerica | 1885: Baldwin sells to Frances E. Flanders | 176/530 |
For $1,100, "one acre of land, so called, ... with the building thereon, enclosed by a stone wall," the same bounds (heirs of Mary B. Parker, the road to Concord, the Baptist Society, Albert R. Richardson). Dated September 14, 1885, witnessed by Frederic A. Morey and Elizabeth C. Baldwin. Frances E. Flanders and her husband Charles W. Flanders gave Baldwin a mortgage of $900 the same day (Book 176, Page 531), assigned to George H. Hall and discharged on June 20, 1890.
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| September 21, 1885 | Mortgage | Frances E. Flanders and Charles W. Flanders of Billerica | John Baldwin of Chicago, Illinois | 1885: Flanders mortgage, discharged 1890 | 176/531 |
To secure $900 in five years, "one acre of land (so called) ... with the building thereon, enclosed by a stone wall," the same bounds. Assigned (Book 201, Page 54; Book 213, Page 185) and discharged on the margin at Lowell on June 20, 1890 by George H. Hall, assignee, "having received full payment."
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| May 25, 1917 | Guardian's Deed | Frances G. Jacobs of Framingham, guardian of Charles W. Flanders Sr. of Billerica | Mabel A. Luke of Billerica | 1917: the guardian of Charles W. Flanders Sr. sells his third to Mabel A. Luke | 572/570 |
Under a license of the Probate Court of May 14, 1917, by private sale for $1,266.67, "one undivided third part of one acre of land ... with the buildings thereon, enclosed by a stone wall," the same bounds; "Being the same premises to Frances E. Flanders conveyed by deed of John Baldwin dated September 14, 1885," the third "belonging to the said insane person as husband of the said Frances E. Flanders." Dated May 19, 1917, witnessed by John M. Merriam.
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| May 25, 1917 | Warranty Deed | Charles W. Flanders Jr. of Billerica and Frances G. Jacobs of Framingham (George E. Jacobs releasing) | Mabel A. Luke of Billerica | 1917: the Flanders children sell their two thirds to Mabel A. Luke | 572/571 |
For $1 and other valuable considerations, "all our right, title and interest in and to one acre of land ... with the buildings thereon, enclosed by a stone wall," the same bounds, "hereby conveying two undivided third parts of the said premises as heirs at law of the said Frances E. Flanders." Dated May 19, 1917. With the guardian's deed of the same day this gave Mabel A. Luke the whole lot after the death of Frances E. Flanders.
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| July 3, 1925 | Quitclaim Deed | Mabel A. Luke of Billerica (Edward Luke releasing) | Charles W. Knox of Billerica | 1925: Mabel A. Luke sells to Charles W. Knox | 725/118 |
For consideration paid ($6.00 in revenue stamps), "the land in said Billerica, with the buildings thereon, consisting of one acre of land, more or less, enclosed by a stone wall," the same bounds; "Being the premises to me conveyed by two deeds," the guardian's deed and the Flanders heirs' deed of May 19, 1917 (Book 572, Pages 570 and 571). Dated July 3, 1925. Knox mortgaged the house to the Lowell Co-operative Bank for $5,000 and to Mabel W. Luke for $500 (Book 725, Pages 118 and 119).
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| June 26, 1930 | Quitclaim Deed | Charles W. Knox of Billerica (Susie E. Knox releasing) | William D. Cochrane of Billerica | 1930: Knox to William D. Cochrane (straw) | 791/387 |
"The land in said Billerica, with the buildings thereon, consisting of one acre of land, more or less, enclosed by a stone wall," the same bounds; "Being the same premises conveyed to me by deed of Mabel A. Luke, dated July 3, 1925." Dated June 25, 1930. Cochrane conveyed the lot back the same day to Charles W. and Susie E. Knox as tenants by the entirety (Book 791, Page 387), who mortgaged it to the Billerica Trust Company for $3,500 (Book 791, Page 388).
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| June 26, 1930 | Quitclaim Deed | William D. Cochrane of Billerica, unmarried | Charles W. Knox and Susie E. Knox, husband and wife, as tenants by the entirety | 1930: Cochrane to Charles W. and Susie E. Knox | 791/388 |
The same one acre "with the buildings thereon," "Being the same premises conveyed to me by deed of Charles W. Knox, to be recorded herewith." Dated June 25, 1930. A straw conveyance that put the house in the names of husband and wife.
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| February 12, 1936 | Quitclaim Deed | Charles W. Knox of Billerica, unmarried | Charles W. Knox and Mildred F. Sargent of Billerica, as joint tenants | 1936: Knox, widowed, to himself and Mildred F. Sargent | 879/58 |
The same "one acre of land, more or less, enclosed by a stone wall," with the buildings, "Being the same premises to myself and Susie E. Knox conveyed by William D. Cochrane ... Book 791, Page 387, said Susie E. Knox having died in Billerica on May 7, 1935"; also two lots at Adams Shore, Quincy. Dated February 11, 1936. Mildred F. Sargent later married Knox and survived him (the 1968 executor's deed names her Mildred F. S. Knox).
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| November 7, 1968 | Executor's Deed | Paul Perkins, Executor under the will of Mildred F. S. Knox, late of Billerica | John Paul Knox and Irene B. Knox, of 21 Concord Road, Billerica | 1968: Mildred F. S. Knox's executor sells 21 Concord Road | 1865/701 |
By license of the Middlesex Probate Court of October 24, 1968, for $22,200, "A certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica on the westerly side of Concord Road and now numbered 21," the same bounds (heirs of Mary B. Parker, the highway to Concord, the Baptist Society, Albert R. Richardson, stone walls). "For title see deed of Charles W. Knox to Charles W. Knox and Mildred F. Sargent ... Book 879, Page 38" (the deed is at Page 58). In November 1969 the Knoxes sold the house to a private owner for $19,000 (Book 1906, Page 166), who held it until the town took it in 1970.
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| July 31, 1970 | Order of Taking | Owner of the lot at Concord Road and Blanchard Avenue (a private owner) | Town of Billerica (Board of Selectmen Michael E. McLaughlin, Thomas H. Conway Jr. and John P. Fitzgerald) | 1970: the companion taking of the Ruggles house lot to the north | 1929/275 |
Under the vote of the annual Town Meeting of March 7, 1970, the Board of Selectmen on July 6, 1970 "take in fee on behalf of the Town of Billerica, by the power of eminent domain for purposes of library building construction a parcel of land together with the buildings thereon," about 34,067 square feet, shown on "Plan Land in Billerica, Mass., taken for Library Site by Billerica Board of Selectmen dated July 1970, Emmons, Fleming & Bienvenu, Inc." (Plan Book 111 Plan 19): easterly by Concord Road 132.29 feet, northerly by Blanchard Street, westerly by land of "Mary B. Parker Heirs," southerly by land of Roland Caron 228.58 feet; damages awarded $32,000. Certificate of the clerk of the board, recorded July 31, 1970. The plan shows the house on Lot 1 (33,417 square feet) at the corner. In 1972 the house was moved to the Stearns lot on River Street and the new library, later the Council on Aging, was built on the site. Book 1929 Pages 275-276.
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| July 31, 1970 | Order of Taking | The owner of 21 Concord Road (a private owner, since 1969) | Town of Billerica (Board of Selectmen) | 1970: town takes the lot for the library site | 1929/277 |
Order of taking of July 6, 1970 under the vote of the Annual Town Meeting of March 7, 1970: the selectmen "take in fee on behalf of the Town of Billerica, by the power of eminent domain for purposes of library building construction a parcel of land together with the buildings thereon," shown on the "Plan of land in Billerica, Mass., taken for Library Site by Billerica Board of Selectmen dated July, 1970" (Plan Book 111, Plan 19, Lot 3, 43,164 square feet), "on the westerly side of Concord Road and now numbered 21," with the same bounds as the deeds since 1873; award $31,000. Signed by the selectmen including Paul F. Newnan and Michael E. McLaughlin. The owner gave a confirmatory quitclaim deed to the town the same day (Book 1929, Page 280), reciting the 1969 purchase (Book 1906, Page 166).
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| July 31, 1970 | Confirmatory Deed | The owner of 21 Concord Road (a private owner, since 1969) | Town of Billerica | 1970: confirmatory deed to the town | 1929/280 |
Quitclaim of "A certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica on the westerly side of Concord Road and now numbered 21," the same bounds, "given in confirmation of a previous taking by eminent domain," releasing the town from all claims for damages under the order of taking of July 6, 1970.
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| August 3, 1973 | Quitclaim Deed | Clarence J. Nelson and Betty Ann Nelson, husband and wife, of Billerica | Elizabeth Caporale, as trustee of Zanna Realty Trust, of Billerica | 1973: Zanna Realty Trust (Caporale) buys the Middlesex Turnpike lot | 2078/513 |
For $5,000, a vacant lot on the northeasterly side of Middlesex Turnpike, "all of Lot 8 and N.W. half of Lot 7 in Section F" on the "Plan of Crosby Gardens in Billerica, Mass., owned by Neil J. Kennedy," October 1927 (Plan Book 57, Plan 16): 75 feet on the Turnpike, 200 feet deep, northeasterly by land of the Town of Billerica, 15,000 square feet; "Being a portion of the premises conveyed to the grantors" by George H. and Carol Ann Neville in 1971 (Book 1979, Page 740). Dated August 3, 1973. This is the present site of the house, 602 Middlesex Turnpike, near Nutting Lake; the Caporale family's house-moving business set the old house from Concord Road on it.
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| March 24, 1976 | Trustee's Deed | Elizabeth Caporale, Trustee of Zanna Realty Trust (declaration of April 26, 1973, Book 2062, Page 66) | Private buyers (a family of four, as joint tenants) | 1976: the trust sells the lot with the moved house | 2187/260 |
For $36,400, the same Lot 8 and northwest half of Lot 7, Section F, Crosby Gardens (Plan Book 57, Plan 16), 15,000 square feet, "Being the same premises conveyed to me as Trustee by deed of Clarence J. Nelson, et ux, dated August 3, 1973." The jump from $5,000 for the bare lot in 1973 to $36,400 in 1976 reflects the house set on it in between. The property has since passed through private owners (1983, Book 2650, Page 540; 1998; 2001; 2004, $365,000; 2008); the assessor lists it as a two-family "old style" house on 0.344 acres.
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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.