Structure · Built 1852 · Demolished 1963
Ebenezer Richardson House
The Ebenezer Richardson House stood on the east side of Allen Road, the road Henry A. Hazen called "the east road, south of Fox hill", on a half-acre lot that is now 24 Allen Road. The deeds bound it the same way for more than a century: west by the highway, north by land of William Tyler, and east and south by land "formerly owned by Ebenezer Richardson".
The house is older than the 1852 date long given for it. The lot had belonged to Ebenezer Richardson, a Billerica yeoman who in 1808 mortgaged "all the lands and buildings which I am now possessed" in town, about 150 acres, to Josiah Crosby Jr. When Crosby, by then Esquire, died in 1829 he left the residue of his estate to his widow Betsey. On January 27, 1831 she sold to Lavina Snow, "singlewoman", for $145, "a small plot or parcel of land ... containing half an acre more or less with the building thereon it being the same house and land now and for some years past occupied by James Darby and was sold by Ebenezer Richardson to Josiah Crosby Esq.". The house was therefore standing, and rented, in the 1820s.
Lavinia Snow, daughter of John Snow, married Thomas K. Richardson (Thomas Knight Richardson, son of Joseph of Woburn) in 1833, and the house was their home for the rest of their lives. It stayed in her name: an 1882 deed of the land next door begins "at land of Mrs. Thomas K. Richardson". Their children included Joseph Franklin, who died in the army in 1863, Laura, Adelbart and Lucretia. In 1886 Lavinia, "a married woman", mortgaged "my Homestead" to her daughter Lucretia S. Palmer for $850, and Lucretia bought the adjoining three-quarter acre from her brother-in-law Edward K. Richardson. Thomas K. Richardson died on August 4, 1891, aged 87.
After Lavinia's death Lucretia took the house by foreclosure in September 1900, buying it in at her own mortgagee's sale for $400. She in turn left "the Homestead of the late Lucretia S. Palmer" by will to Roy L. Palmer and Randolph P. Nason, who sold both lots, "with the buildings thereon", to Maude E. Mayo of Boston in November 1920. Mrs. Mayo put the property in joint names with her daughters in 1944. After her death in 1964 and Susan Mayo's in 1965, Virginia and Josephine Mayo sold the house and lots in 1968.
The new owners had the land divided by a 1968 plan into two 25,000 square foot lots. The plan still draws a two-story wood-frame house, a garage and a greenhouse on Lot A, and that lot was sold "with the buildings thereon" in 1969, so the old house was standing later than the 1963 demolition date given for it. Lot A is today's 24 Allen Road, where the assessor lists a Colonial dated about 1964; it has passed between private owners since.
References
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| November 30, 1808 | Mortgage | Ebenezer Richardson of Billerica, yeoman | Josiah Crosby Jr. of Billerica, yeoman | chain of title of the T. K. Richardson house lot | 178/486 (South) |
Billerica town book 10, page 493. For $1,649.40 Richardson conveys "all the lands and buildings which I am now possessed in said town of Billerica containing by estimation one hundred and fifty acres": a home piece "with the buildings thereon" of about 75 acres on the Boston road and the road "leading from Shawshin river to Thomas Goodwins", 18 acres opposite, tillage and meadow by the river and 15 acres of woodland. A mortgage, void if Richardson repaid by the next Feb. 28. Signed Nov. 28, 1808. In 1831 the half-acre house lot on the east road was described as "sold by Ebenezer Richardson to Josiah Crosby Esq."; this is the only recorded conveyance from Richardson to that Josiah Crosby.
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| 1829 | Will | Josiah Crosby Esq. of Billerica | Betsy Crosby, his widow | chain of title of the T. K. Richardson house lot | Probate #5353 |
Will dated June 6, 1829, allowed Aug. 11, 1829. After provision for his mother Rachel and legacies to his children Elizabeth H. Whitman, Oliver, Susannah, Sarah C., Martha and Josiah, Josiah Crosby Esq. left the rest of his estate, real and personal, to his wife Betsy "in fee simple." Joseph Locke was later made administrator de bonis non (Aug. 21, 1832). Papers read, pages 1-8.
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| October 6, 1831 | Deed | Betsey Crosby of Billerica, widow | Lavina (Lavinia) Snow of Billerica, singlewoman | chain of title of the T. K. Richardson house lot | 309/82 (South) |
For $145, "a small plot or parcel of land situate in said Billerica containing half an acre more or less with the building thereon it being the same house and land now and for some years past occupied by James Darby and was sold by Ebenezer Richardson to Josiah Crosby Esq. deceased", bounded "westerly by the highway; northerly by land now occupied by William Tyler & easterly and southerly by land formerly owned by Ebenezer Richardson". Signed Jan. 27, 1831 before Joseph Locke. Later deeds cite it as Book 309 Page 12. Lavinia Snow married Thomas K. Richardson in 1833 and the house was their home for the rest of their lives.
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| 1882 | Deed | Oliver M. Harding of Billerica | Edward K. Richardson of Billerica | adjoining three-quarter acre, later part of the homestead | 157/319 |
For $50, a tract "Beginning at the highway at land of Mrs. Thomas K. Richardson, thence running easterly by said Richardson land and land of Mrs. James Fletcher about two hundred fifty two (252) feet to a bound at my other land", then by Harding 78, 181 and 116 ft back to the highway and by the highway 173 ft, about three quarters of an acre adjoining the Richardson homestead on the north. Dated Dec. 20, 1882.
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| 1886 | Deed | Edward K. Richardson of Billerica (wife M. E. Richardson releases) | Lucretia S. Palmer of Boston, widow | adjoining three-quarter acre bought by Lucretia S. Palmer | 190/24 |
For $150, the same three-quarter acre "Beginning at the highway at land of Mrs. Thomas K. Richardson", by Richardson land and land of Mrs. James Fletcher 252 ft to O. M. Harding, then by Harding to the highway, "containing about three fourths of an acre. The said Palmer to build all fences." Signed Sept. 18, 1886.
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| 1886 | Mortgage | Lavinia S. Richardson of Billerica, a married woman (wife of Thomas K. Richardson) | Her daughter Lucretia S. Palmer of Boston, formerly of Charlestown | chain of title of the T. K. Richardson house lot | 190/25 |
For $850, "my Homestead, situated in said Billerica, containing one half acre more or less", westerly by the highway, northerly by land formerly of William Tyler, easterly and southerly by land formerly of Ebenezer Richardson, "with all the buildings thereon. Being premises conveyed to me by Betsey Crosby by deed dated January 27th 1831". Dated June 17, 1886; marginal note "Foreclosure see Book 322 Page 89".
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| September 12, 1900 | Entry for Foreclosure | Estate of Lavinia S. Richardson (mortgagor) | Lucretia S. Palmer of Boston (mortgagee) | chain of title of the T. K. Richardson house lot | 322/89 |
Certificate of William Tyler and Edward K. Richardson that on Sept. 6, 1900 they saw Lucretia S. Palmer, holder of the mortgage given by Lavinia S. Richardson dated June 17, 1886 (Book 190 Page 25), "make an open peaceable and unopposed entry on the premises" to foreclose for breach of condition. Sworn Sept. 6, 1900 before James H. Shedd. Margin: "Richardson Est. to Palmer, Possession".
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| September 12, 1900 | Foreclosure Deed | Lucretia S. Palmer of Boston, mortgagee | Lucretia S. Palmer of Boston | chain of title of the T. K. Richardson house lot | 322/89 |
Under the power of sale in Lavinia S. Richardson's 1886 mortgage, after notice and a public auction, Lucretia S. Palmer, the high bidder "in consideration of the sum of Four Hundred Dollars", conveys to herself "my Homestead situated in said Billerica containing one half acre more or less", by the highway, William Tyler and Ebenezer Richardson, "with all the buildings thereon", conveyed to the mortgagor by Betsey Crosby in 1831. Signed Sept. 7, 1900 (pages 89-90). With the entry it put the house in the daughter's name after her parents' deaths.
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| November 23, 1920 | Warranty Deed | Roy L. Palmer of Winchester (wife Elsie A. Palmer releases) and Randolph P. Nason of Medford | Maude E. Mayo of Boston | chain of title of the T. K. Richardson house lot | 636/570 |
About $2,000 (revenue stamps $2). "A certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon": westerly by "the Highway; now known as Allen Road", northerly by land formerly of William Tyler, easterly and southerly by land formerly of Ebenezer Richardson, half an acre (Book 309 Page 12, Book 322 Page 89), and the adjoining three-quarter acre beginning at land "now or formerly of Mrs. Thomas K. Richardson" (Book 157 Page 319). "All of the above being the Homestead of the late Lucretia S. Palmer, and by her left to us by will." Signed Nov. 19, 1920 (pages 570-571).
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| April 14, 1944 | Quitclaim | Maude E. Mayo of Billerica, widow | Maude E., Josephine E., Susan E., Priscilla L. and Virginia T. Mayo of Billerica, joint tenants | chain of title of the T. K. Richardson house lot | 1005/344 |
"No money consideration." Two parcels: four acres off Allen Road (Book 697 Page 320), and "The land in said Billerica with the buildings thereon, situated on the easterly side of the Allen Road, so-called, consisting of two lots": the first lot "(with the buildings thereon)", half an acre by Allen Road, William Tyler and Ebenezer Richardson land, and the adjoining three-quarter acre by Richardson, Fletcher and Oliver M. Harding land; "Being the same premises recorded in said Deeds, Book 636, Page 571." Dated April 29, 1944. Priscilla L. Mayo released her share to the others in 1946 (Book 1056 Page 599).
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| June 10, 1968 | Quitclaim | Virginia T. Mayo of Chelmsford and Josephine E. Mayo of Tewksbury, unmarried | Private owners | chain of title of the T. K. Richardson house lot | 1846/300 |
The Mayo sisters sell "the land in said Billerica, with the buildings thereon, situated on the easterly side of Allen Road, consisting of two lots" (the half-acre Richardson homestead and the three-quarter acre beside it), part of the 1944 premises; "Said Maude E. Mayo died in said Billerica on February 19, 1964. Said Susan E. Mayo died in said Billerica on April 30, 1965." The buyers had the land divided by Plan 108-73 (Sept. 1968), which draws a two-story wood-frame house, garage and greenhouse on Lot A, and sold Lot A "with the buildings thereon" to other private owners in 1969 (Book 1889 Page 1). Lot A changed hands privately again in 1994, 2006 and 2020.
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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.