Dr. Harlin Pillsbury House
Dr. Harlin Pillsbury House
| Address | 349 Boston Rd |
| MACRIS ID | BIL.154 |
| Built | 1886 |
| Other Lot Structures | Samuel Manning Homestead (1660 - 1886) |
This Queen Anne house stands on the old Caldwell farm on the west side of Boston Road, whose earlier farmhouse is described under the Samuel Manning Homestead. Dr. Harlin Pillsbury of Lowell bought the 38-acre farm from Caroline J. Parker, widow of Stephen Parker, in 1871 for $1,602, when it held only a building and "remains of a house." The 1875 Beers atlas shows "Dr. H. Pillsbury" here, and Stearns inferred that Pillsbury started the house about 1875, possibly as a retirement home. Pillsbury had died by 1877, and in 1883 Hazen referred to the farm as "the place where the late Dr. Pillsbury lived" when locating the Pemberton Academy, which had stood on a quarter acre of the same land in the 1790s. The farm passed to Samuel L. Pillsbury of Winchester, who mortgaged it in 1880; on his default it was sold at auction on the premises in February 1883 to Edmund R. Fowler. The Fowlers sold it in April 1886 to Charles B. Wood.
In September 1886 Wood sold 35 acres of the farm to Orra A. Fletcher of Lowell for $1,900, keeping the northerly frontage. The house changed shape between the 1875 and 1889 maps, and its trim resembles two houses nearby, so Stearns concluded that Fletcher at least remodelled, and possibly rebuilt, the house about 1886. If so the house is misnamed, since Dr. Pillsbury never lived in it. MACRIS keeps the Pillsbury name and a date of about 1875. Fletcher sold the farm in 1901 to William E. and Sarah N. Eastman of Laconia, New Hampshire, and by then had built a house with similar trim across the street.
William E. Eastman sold the farm in 1905 to John E. Woodside of Somerville, and the 1912 Billerica magazine refers to the house as Woodside's. In 1941 Woodside sold the 35 acres to Forrest W. and Etta A. Todd, who held it for more than fifty years. When Stearns recorded the house in 1974, Etta Todd owned it with 11.2 acres, and the barn had burned a few years before. After her death the Todd heirs sold the farm in 1994 to Allen-Todd, Inc., which laid out the Todd Estates subdivision behind the house. The house itself, on a 1.27 acre lot, went to Thomas M. Todd in 1997 and remained in the Todd family until it was sold in 2023. The house has been in a Billerica local historic district since 1990.
References
- MACRIS BIL.154
- Hazen, History of Billerica (1883): Pemberton Academy "at the place where the late Dr. Pillsbury lived"
- Beers, County Atlas of Middlesex, Massachusetts (1875): "Dr. H. Pillsbury" on Boston Road
Deed References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| September 10, 1800 | Deed | Isaac Wilkins, by his attorney Dr. William Wilkins | Robert Caldwell | Earlier title to the farm | 137/309 (South) |
Isaac Wilkins, mariner, "about to take a long voyage to Sea," gave Dr. William Wilkins of Billerica power of attorney on July 29, 1799 (Middlesex South Book 137 Page 307). Under it, for $2,000, William sells to Robert Caldwell of Boston, gentleman, "a certain tract or parcel of land situate in said Billerica north of the Meeting house of that town" on the Boston road, bounded from a stake and stones at the northeast corner westerly on Silas and Aaron Cragin in a straight line to a maple tree on Concord River, southerly by the river to Deacon Joshua Abbot, easterly by Abbot to the Boston road, and northerly by the road, "excepting out of the above bounded piece of land about one fourth of an acre as bounded and described in a deed of the same from the said Isaac to Ebenezer Pemberton," about 36 acres "with all the buildings standing thereon." That quarter acre was the site of Pemberton's academy, which Hazen placed "at the place where the late Dr. Pillsbury lived." Signed Aug. 25, 1800, with Sally Wilkins, Isaac's wife, releasing dower. Billerica town book 10, pages 44-47.
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| February 22, 1843 | Deed | Francis Faulkner, John Baldwin and James R. Faulkner | Stephen Parker and Caroline Parker | Earlier title to the farm | 425/226 (South) |
Francis Faulkner and John Baldwin, Esquires, and James R. Faulkner, gentleman, all of Billerica, with their wives releasing dower, sell for $2,750 to Stephen Parker and his wife Caroline, of Lowell, "a certain farm with a dwelling house & other buildings thereon being the homestead of the late Mrs. Francis Caldwell," on the westerly side of the road from Lowell to Billerica and Boston, about 38 acres, bounded by the late John Foster, Concord River, land lately of William H. Nash and Stephen Winters, and the road, the lines about 189, 36, 189 and 36 rods. No deed from Robert Caldwell to his widow, or into the three sellers, was found. Signed Oct. 31, 1842. The Parkers, then of Dracut, mortgaged it for $600 to Louisa Jaquith of Billerica (Middlesex South Book 425 Page 228), discharged by her administrator to Samuel L. Pillsbury et al. in 1879 (Middlesex North Book 135 Page 378). The 1853 Walling map labels the place "S. Parker." Billerica town book 17, pages 421-424.
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| February 2, 1871 | Deed | Caroline J. Parker | Dr. Harlin Pillsbury | Dr. Harlin Pillsbury buys the Caldwell farm | 77/464 |
Caroline J. Parker of Billerica, widow, for $1,602 sells to Harlin Pillsbury of Lowell "a certain farm with the building and remains of a house thereon, being the farm formerly owned and occupied by Mr. & Mrs. Caldwell," on the westerly side of the road from Lowell to Billerica and Boston, about 38 acres, bounded by the late John Foster, Concord River, William H. Nash and Stephen Winter, and the road, the lines about 189, 36, 189 and 36 rods 2 links by John Bennett's survey and plan of June 14, 1837. Signed Feb. 2, 1871, witnessed by Geo. H. Pillsbury and Joseph Jaquith. Title from Middlesex South Book 425 Page 226. The old farmhouse was already in ruins. The 1875 Beers atlas shows "Dr. H. Pillsbury" here.
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| February 23, 1883 | Foreclosure | Andrew C. Wheelock, mortgagee of Samuel L. Pillsbury | Edmund R. Fowler | Pillsbury farm sold at foreclosure to Edmund R. Fowler | 158/171 |
Dr. Harlin Pillsbury had died by 1877, when his executors were active in the registry, and the farm passed to Samuel L. Pillsbury of Winchester; no deed or probate transfer was found. Samuel mortgaged it to Andrew C. Wheelock of Lowell on Sept. 10, 1880 (Book 141 Page 361). On default Wheelock advertised it in the Lowell Daily Citizen and sold it at auction on the premises on Feb. 5, 1883 for $1,850 to Edmund R. Fowler of Billerica: "a certain farm with the buildings thereon, being the farm formerly owned and occupied by one Caldwell and another," the same 38 acres, "being the same premises described in a deed of Caroline J. Parker to Harlan Pillsbury" (Book 77 Page 464). Fowler mortgaged it back to Wheelock (Book 158 Page 322). In 1885 Prentiss Webster conveyed "same as 77-464" to Fowler's wife Charlotte E. Fowler (Book 175 Page 259, index only).
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| April 14, 1886 | Deed | Charlotte E. Fowler and Edmund R. Fowler | Charles B. Wood | Fowlers to Charles B. Wood | 180/350 |
For $2,500, Charlotte E. Fowler, in her own right, with her husband Edmund R. Fowler, sells to Charles B. Wood of Billerica "a certain farm, being the farm formerly owned and occupied by one Caldwell and another," about 38 acres on the westerly side of the road from Lowell to Billerica and Boston, same bounds and Bennett survey, "being the same premises described in a deed of Caroline J. Parker to Harlin Pillsbury," reserving the rights of the Boston and Lowell Railroad Corporation through the farm and Hill and Ellenwood's right to remove soil. Subject to a $1,200 mortgage held by Judith Jones, assignee of the 1883 Wheelock mortgage, which Wood assumed. Signed April 3, 1886. Wood mortgaged the farm to Philander D. Howe for $2,000 (Book 180 Page 351).
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| September 8, 1886 | Deed | Charles B. Wood and Lizzie A. Wood | Orra A. Fletcher | Orra A. Fletcher buys and rebuilds c. 1886 | 183/483 |
Five months later, for $1,900, Wood sells to Orra A. Fletcher of Lowell "a certain tract of land or farm being formerly owned and occupied by one Caldwell and another," on the westerly side of the road from Lowell to Billerica and Boston, about 35 acres: from the road at the late John Foster's land westerly about 189 rods to Concord River, northwesterly along the river about 36 rods to Nash and Winter, easterly about 160 rods to Allen and Sweetser, southerly by them about 249 feet to the grantor's land, easterly by Allen's land about 524 feet to the road, and southerly along the road about 345 feet to the start. Wood kept the northerly road frontage. Being part of the premises Wood bought from Charlotte E. Fowler (Book 180 Page 350). Signed and recorded Sept. 8, 1886, the same day Howe discharged Wood's mortgage. The change in the house's footprint between the 1875 and 1889 maps points to Fletcher rebuilding or remodelling the house at this time. Stearns gives the name as Orra H. Fletcher.
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| April 26, 1901 | Deed | Orra A. Fletcher | William E. Eastman and Sarah N. Eastman | Fletcher to the Eastmans | 329/243 |
Orra A. Fletcher of Billerica, unmarried, for one dollar and other consideration ($8.00 in revenue stamps), sells to William E. Eastman and his wife Sarah N. Eastman of Laconia, N.H., "a certain tract of land or farm with the buildings thereon" on the westerly side of the road from Lowell to Billerica and Boston, about 35 acres, the 1886 bounds, "being the same premises to me conveyed by deed of Charles B. Wood" (Book 183 Page 483), reserving the Boston and Lowell Railroad's rights. Signed April 25, 1901. The Eastmans mortgaged it back to Fletcher (Book 329 Page 244). Fletcher by then had built another house with similar trim across the road.
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| April 3, 1905 | Quitclaim | William E. Eastman | John E. Woodside | Eastman to John E. Woodside | 375/365 |
William E. Eastman, now of Boston, for one dollar and other consideration, releases to John E. Woodside of Somerville the 35 acres "with the buildings thereon," same bounds, "being the same premises conveyed to us by deed of Orra A. Fletcher" (Book 329 Page 243), with Sarah N. Eastman releasing dower. Signed April 1, 1905. Woodside mortgaged it the same day to the Merchants Co-operative Bank of Boston for $4,200. The deed left out Sarah's own half interest, which was confirmed to Woodside by the administrator of her estate, Joseph L. Cain, on Sept. 3, 1940 (Book 953 Page 404). The 1912 Billerica magazine calls the house Woodside's.
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| April 4, 1941 | Quitclaim | John E. Woodside and Louise H. Woodside | Forrest W. Todd and Etta A. Todd | Woodside to Forrest W. and Etta A. Todd | 958/282 |
John E. Woodside, now of Arlington, sells to Forrest W. Todd and his wife Etta A. Todd of Billerica, as tenants by the entirety, "a parcel of land with the buildings thereon" of about 35 acres, the same bounds as 1886, reserving the Boston and Lowell's rights through the farm, "being the same premises conveyed to me by deed of Annie T. McHugh" (Book 953 Page 403). That deed of Oct. 30, 1940 returned the farm to Woodside from McHugh, to whom he had passed it earlier (Book 834 Page 44), and together with the 1940 Eastman confirmatory deed cleared his title for the sale. Revenue stamps of $7.15. Signed April 3, 1941. The Todds mortgaged it to the Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank for $4,500. In 1974 Stearns recorded Etta Todd as owner of the house on an 11.2 acre lot, with the barn burned several years before.
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| July 20, 1994 | Deed | Heirs of Etta A. Todd (Charles R. Todd, Rhoda T. Wells, Ethel Nicholls, Nancy T. Morrell, Dorothy H. Donnellan, Marion Palmieri et al.) | Allen-Todd, Inc. | Todd heirs to Allen-Todd, Inc.; Todd Estates subdivision | 7164/284 |
For $685,000, the Todd heirs convey 349 Boston Road, the 35 acre farm "with the buildings thereon," same bounds as the 1941 deed, excepting the lot earlier conveyed to the Donnellans (Book 1245 Page 49). Title from the estate of Etta A. Todd (Middlesex Probate 88P0257E) and the 1941 Woodside deed. Allen-Todd, Inc. laid out the Todd Estates subdivision (plan of Dec. 18, 1993, Raymond Engineering Service, Plan Book 185, Plan 105) and conveyed the land to the Todd Farm Realty Trust on Oct. 13, 1995 (Book 7695 Page 286).
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| April 30, 1997 | Deed | Rita A. Todd and Thomas M. Todd, trustees of Todd Farm Realty Trust | Thomas M. Todd | House lot (Lot A) to Thomas M. Todd; sold 2023 | 8541/244 |
The house lot, 349 Boston Road, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon" on the southwesterly side of Boston Road, Lot A (55,341 sq. ft.) on "Definitive Subdivision, Todd Estates" (Plan Book 185, Plan 105), with 179.24 feet on Boston Road, bounded by Raymond, Brogan, Belanger and Donnellan land and Lots 3 and 4, subject to a 30 foot water main easement. Title from Allen-Todd, Inc. (Book 7695 Page 286). Later: 2001 to Thomas M. and Julie A. Todd (Book 11627 Page 208); 2023 sold for $925,000 (Book 37928 Page 280).
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Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted.