Clarence A. Backer
Clarence A. Backer
| Died | 1925-04-18 |
Clarence A. Backer (about 1862 to 1925) was a florist who kept the greenhouses of Backer & Co. on Boston Road south of Billerica Centre for a quarter of a century and gathered a large holding of land around them. He and his wife, Grace Lillian Backer, came from Melrose. On January 10, 1899 she bought from Nathaniel P. Jones two adjoining parcels on the road to Boston, about half a mile southeast of the meeting house: a place of about three acres with buildings, and four and a half acres "with a barn thereon" running back to the Tufts Road (Middlesex North Book 328, Page 576). The 1901 directory lists Backer, still of Melrose, as a summer resident on Boston Road; by 1912 he was listed as a florist at Tufts Lane, and the 1906 atlas labels the place Backer & Co..
Backer bought steadily around the greenhouses. In October 1908 he took from Arthur J. Larratt the sixteen acres to the north that had been Harlow Colby's (see H. Colby House), assuming a $3,600 mortgage (Book 425, Page 445). In July 1913 he bought Lot B of the Sexton farm on Boston Road, and in 1916 he had the rest of his land there, the old Howe farm and shop lot, registered in the Land Court. In January 1917 he bought the thirteen-acre homestead on the east side of the road that had been Nathaniel Cheever's (see Nathaniel Cheever House 1), from Walter H. Fuller through Bertram S. Ward (Book 567, Page 16). He also dealt in smaller places. He bought a two-acre house lot on Main Street at Martin Lane from Susan U. Phillips in 1905, sold it to James E. Andrews in 1906, took it back in 1909 and sold it to Sarah A. Spiller in 1912, and his wife owned a house on the west side of Boston Road from 1911 to 1915. In 1922 he had John T. Brown divide his Boston Road frontage into house lots (Land Court plan 6093-B), selling Lot 1 to John E. Hardy that year and Lot 3 to Jennie M. Kinsman in 1924.
The directories of 1916 and 1919 list him as a florist on Boston Road near Tufts Lane, with others working as florists "at Backer's Greenhouses". He died on April 18, 1925, at the age of 63, and his death is in the Billerica record for that year; his executors described him as "late of Damascus, Virginia, formerly of Billerica". Under the power of sale in his will, the executors, Thomas W. Fernald and Reginald B. Fonda, sold the land he had added (the registered land, Lot B, the Cheever place and the Colby sixteen acres) to Isabel Porter of Lincoln in April 1926 for $16,000 (Book 736, Page 589). The home place stayed with his widow, who ran Backer & Co. as florists in 1931, gave books and magazines to the public library in the early 1930s, and still lived on Boston Road in 1951.
References
- Billerica Town Report 1925, deaths recorded in 1925: April 18, Clarence A. Backer, 63
- Billerica Town Report 1916 (in the 1915 volume), fire department: brush fire on land owned by C. A. Backer, May 2
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Property | Recorded |
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| March 26, 1901 | Quitclaim | Nathaniel P. Jones of Billerica (Anna A. Jones releasing dower and homestead) | Grace Lillian Backer, wife of Clarence A. Backer, of Melrose | husband of the grantee, Grace Lillian Backer | Backer & Co | 328/576 |
"Two parcels of land with the buildings situated in Billerica ... adjoining each other on the road leading to Boston": first, "a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon situated ... about one-half (1/2) mile southeasterly of the Meeting House on the road leading to Boston, containing about three (3) acres", bounded west by the highway, south by "land formerly of George P. Elliott", east by "land formerly of Henry Crosby" and north by "land formerly of Sylvester S. Hill"; second, "the tract of land adjoining the above with a barn thereon containing about four and one-half (4 1/2) acres", bounded north by "land now or formerly of one Rogers", east by Sarah Rogers and the heirs of Barnard Tufts "to the Tufts Road", south on that road and west by William G. Alley and Blanchard. Title from William H. Anderson and from Frank L. and Mary E. Crosby, both April 25, 1898 (Book 296, Pages 167 and 168). Dated Jan. 10, 1899; recorded March 26, 1901. The Backer home place of the 1906 atlas (Backer & Co.), south of the Rogers and Colby land; it is not among the four parcels sold by Backer's executors in 1926.
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| September 2, 1905 | Quitclaim | Susan U. Phillips of Billerica | Clarence A. Backer of Melrose | Details | Samuel Foster House John D. Foster House |
357/599 |
For $1, quitclaim with warranty of "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated in Billerica Centre, so called ... containing two (2) acres", from a post or stone bound at land of Ellen L. Foster on Main Street north 200 feet to Arthur S. Cook, west on Cook to a stone post at Martin Lane, south on Lane to a stone bound in a wall at Ellen L. Foster, and east by Foster. "Being the same premises to me conveyed by John G. Rossiter et ux, by deed dated March ninth, 1898" (Book 296, Page 201); subject to the taxes of 1900-1903. Middlesex North 357/599.
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| October 21, 1908 | Warranty Deed | Arthur J. Larratt of Billerica (Katharine Larratt releasing dower and homestead) | Clarence A. Backer of Melrose | Details | Harlow Colby House Backer & Co |
425/445 |
For one dollar and other consideration, "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon containing sixteen acres, more or less, situated in that part of said Billerica known as Billerica Centre", with the bounds of the Jones deed (Jacob P. Brown, the Town standpipe lot, "land formerly of one Rogers, supposed to be now of one Davis", "land formerly of Sewall Worthley, supposed to be now of one Backer", Barnard Tufts, Blaney Abbott). "Being the same premises conveyed to me by Albert H. Jones by deed dated September 25th, 1908" (Book 424, Page 238), subject to a $3,600 mortgage to Jones of the same date which Backer assumes. Dated Oct. 17, 1908 at Lowell.
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| April 16, 1909 | Quitclaim | James E. Andrews of Billerica | Clarence A. Backer of Melrose | Details | Samuel Foster House John D. Foster House |
432/234 |
For $1 and other valuable considerations, quitclaim of "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated in that part of said Billerica called Billerica Centre containing two (2) acres", from a post or stone bound at land of Ellen L. Foster on Main Street north 200 feet to Arthur S. Cook, west to Martin Lane, south on Lane to Ellen L. Foster, and east by Foster to the start. "Being the same premises conveyed to me by Clarence A. Backer by deed dated March 17th, 1906", subject to a mortgage back to Backer. Dated March 1909. Middlesex North 432/234. Andrews returned the place to Backer three years after buying it.
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| October 30, 1914 | Warranty Deed | Elijah F. Page [Paige] of Billerica, "having no wife" | Grace Lilian Backer, wife of Clarence A. Backer of Melrose | husband of the grantee, Grace Lilian Backer | Henry Bowers House | 529/398 |
Dated and acknowledged July 14, 1911 in Suffolk before Herbert A. King JP, but not recorded until Oct. 30, 1914. For $1 and other valuable considerations, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon" on the west side of the Boston road: from the southeast corner at land of Whitney, north on the road 116.5 feet, west on land of Azro Page 304 feet, south on land of Paul Holt 122 feet, east on Whitney 325 feet. "For title see deed from Henry M. Hutchins to me dated August 1, 1891 ... Book 227, Page 155." Subject to a mortgage of $1,000 (the 1907 Merrimack River Savings Bank mortgage, Book 405 Page 512).
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| 1912 | Quitclaim | Clarence A. Backer of Melrose (wife Grace L. Backer releasing dower) | Sarah A. Spiller of Billerica | Details | Samuel Foster House John D. Foster House |
485/458 |
For $1 and other valuable consideration, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated in that part of said Billerica called Billerica Centre, containing two (2) acres": from a post or stone bound at land of Ellen L. Foster on Main Street, north on the street 200 feet to Arthur S. Cook, west on Cook to Martin Lane, south on Lane to a stone bound in a wall at Ellen L. Foster, and east by Foster to the start. "Being the same premises conveyed to me by James E. Andrews by deed dated March 19th, 1909" (Book 432, Page 254); subject to the 1911 taxes. Middlesex North 485/458-459. Sarah Spiller later deeded the south 50 feet and the rear to Hemden Spiller (485/460). Recorded April 1912.
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| 1913 | Certificate of Title | Transfer from the Sexton title (Lot B of plan 3956-A) | Clarence A. Backer of Billerica, married to Grace Lilian Backer | Details | Alley's Blacksmith Shop Blaney Abbott House 478 Boston Rd |
Ctf 432 |
Transfer certificate of July 15, 1913: Backer owns Lot B on Land Court plan 3956-A (O. M. Snell, July 1912), cut from the Sexton farm: southwest by Boston Road 219.45 feet, with the Daniels, Blakie and Jones bounds of 1912, "Westerly by land now or formerly of Clarence A. Backer" 556.98 feet and southerly by Backer 243.23 feet, then by Lot A. Backer already held the old Howe farm and shop lot to the west and north as unregistered land.
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| May 8, 1915 | Warranty Deed | Grace Lillian Backer of Melrose (Clarence A. Backer releasing dower and homestead) | Augustus Hemenway of Canton | husband of the grantor, releasing dower and homestead | Henry Bowers House | 536/239 |
Dated and acknowledged May 7, 1915 before Thomas J. Lyons JP. For $1 and other valuable considerations, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon", the same bounds (116.5, 304, 122 and 325 feet). "For title see deed from Henry M. Hutchins to Paige, dated August 1, 1891 ... book 227, page 155" (her own deed from Paige was not yet recorded).
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| 1916 | Certificate of Title | Land Court decree, case 6093 (petition of Clarence A. Backer) | Clarence A. Backer of Billerica, married to Grace L. Backer | Details | Alley's Blacksmith Shop | Ctf 864 |
Original certificate entered on a decree of Nov. 23, 1916 (transcribed Nov. 25, 1916) registering the rest of Backer's land, the old Howe farm with the shop lot: westerly by Boston Road 249.59 feet, northerly by George P. Greenwood (the Parker store lot) 495.10 feet and westerly by Greenwood 91.82 feet, northerly by Sidney A. Bull 2,056.46 feet, easterly by Nat R. Jones 163.60 feet, and "Southerly by land now or formerly of Clara E. Sexton" 2,534.37 feet, on a plan by F. W. Huntington and Co., July 1915; subject to an attachment of May 25, 1915 in a suit of Ernest T. Wheeler against the Imperial Fur and Breeding Company.
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| January 24, 1917 | Quitclaim | Bertram S. Ward of Billerica (Susie L. Ward releasing dower) | Clarence A. Backer of Billerica | Details | Nathaniel Cheever House 1 Nathaniel Cheever House 2 Nathaniel Cheever Barn Backer & Co |
567/16 |
"For consideration paid", "A certain lot of land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica on the easterly side of the County Road, now called Main Street", with the same bounds as Fuller's deed (the 1853 Cheever to Josiah Richardson land, the heirs of Jonathan Bowers, David Abbott), "Containing thirteen acres, more or less. Being the same premises to me conveyed by Walter H. Fuller by deed dated January 15, 1917," subject to Fuller's three Merrimack River Savings Bank mortgages. Dated Jan. 23, 1917. Ward was a straw: the Fuller deed was recorded the day after this one.
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| June 26, 1922 | Certificate of Title | Clarence A. Backer (from certificate 432) | John E. Hardy of Billerica, married to Lura W. Hardy | Details | Blaney Abbott House 478 Boston Rd |
Ctf 1878 |
Partial transfer certificate of June 26, 1922: Hardy owns Lot 1 on subdivision plan 6093-B (John T. Brown, June 16, 1922), "Southwesterly by Boston Road, seventy-three and 16/100 (73.16) feet", northwest by Lot 2 123.51 feet, northeast by land of Clarence A. Backer 97.03 feet, south by Lot A 125.51 feet. The present 478 Boston Road; the house there dates from about this time.
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| 1924 | Certificate of Title | Transfer from Clarence A. Backer (certificates 432 and 864) | Jennie M. Kinsman of Billerica, married to Dwight M. Kinsman | Details | Alley's Blacksmith Shop 474 Boston Rd |
Ctf 2610 |
Transfer certificate of Nov. 14, 1924 for Lot 3 on Land Court subdivision plan 6093-B (John T. Brown, June 16, 1922): "Southwesterly by Boston Road, sixty-four and 10/100 (64.10) feet; Northwesterly by Lot 4, one hundred twenty-four and 10/100 (124.10) feet; Northeasterly by land now or formerly of Clarence A. Backer, sixty-eight (68) feet; and Southeasterly by Lot 2", 123.78 feet. The lot is made from both of Backer's certificates, the south end of the old shop lot and the edge of Lot B. The present two-family house was built for the Kinsmans in the 1920s.
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| June 4, 1926 | Executor's Deed | Thomas W. Fernald and Reginald B. Fonda, executors of the will of Clarence A. Backer, late of Damascus, Virginia, formerly of Billerica | Isabel Porter, wife of Fred A. Porter, of Lincoln | testator; sale by his executors | Backer & Co Nathaniel Cheever House 1 Nathaniel Cheever House 2 Nathaniel Cheever Barn J. Rogers House Shops at Billerica Harlow Colby House |
736/589 |
By the power of sale in Backer's will, for $16,000, four parcels "with the buildings thereon": (1) registered land on Boston Road (249.59 feet) north of Clara E. Sexton's land (Certificate 864, plan of July 1915), less Lot 3 on Plan 6093-B sold to Jennie M. Kinsman in 1924; (2) Lot B on Land Court Plan 3956-A, less Lots 1 and 3 on Plan 6093-B, subject to Backer's 1913 mortgage to Clara E. Sexton; (3) "A certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon on the easterly side of the County Road now called Main Street", beginning at the southwest corner of "land conveyed by Nathaniel Cheever to Josiah Richardson by deed dated July 28th, 1853" (Middlesex South Book 663, Page 64), south on the street to "the heirs of Jonathan Bowers", east to David Abbott, north and west by Abbott back to the Richardson land, south 4 rods and west 40 rods by it, "thirteen (13) acres more or less", conveyed to Backer by Bertram S. Ward, Jan. 23, 1917 (Book 567, Page 16), subject to a $2,500 Merrimack River Savings Bank mortgage; (4) "A certain lot of land with the buildings thereon containing sixteen (16) acres", from Jacob P. Brown's land on the east side of Boston Road south to the Town's standpipe lot, around it, to a wall "at land formerly of one Rogers, supposed to be now of one Davis", south to "land formerly of Sewall Worthley, now of one Backer", to "land formerly of Barnard Tufts", east to "land formerly of Blaney Abbott" and north to Brown. Dated April 10, 1926.
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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.