Hannah Patten Chandler House
The Hannah Patten Chandler House at 371 Boston Road is a plain clapboarded house built in 1874 and 1875, a little north of the old meetinghouse in Billerica Center. Its lot is a single acre, 98 feet on the road and about 440 feet deep, cut from the homestead of the Foster family next door at the Dudley Foster House.
The land was part of the Bowers family holdings north of the meetinghouse. In 1796 Capt. William Bowers gave his son Jonathan Bowers a homestead and several other parcels, among them half of a six-acre piece on the County road. Jonathan, who wrote his will in 1799 when he was "bound to sea," died in 1804 and left his real estate to his widow Dorcas and his son Alexander. On January 1, 1810, Alexander Bowers of Charlestown and his mother sold Samuel Foster for $300 three acres "the west side of the road leading from Boston to Chelmsford and about twenty five rods north of the meeting house," bounded west by Dr. William Bowers, with "all the lines ... as the walls now stand."
Samuel Foster lived on this land until his death in 1857. His will left the homestead to his widow Anna for life and then to his heirs, and in the spring of 1858 his son Dudley Foster bought out his brothers, sisters and nephews. A few days later, on April 3, 1858, Dudley sold his brother Joseph Foster for $300 "about one acre" on "the road leading from Billerica to Lowell," lying between Joseph's own house lot and Dudley's, "as the wall stands around the same, it being a part of the Estate known as the 'Homestead' of the late Samuel Foster." Joseph died the next winter, and the inventory of his estate in April 1859 listed his homestead with its buildings and, separately, "One acre adjoining the Homestead" worth $200. The acre was still open land.
In 1869 the guardian of Joseph's three children, Damon, Whitney and Annie M. Foster, sold their lands at auction to George M. Brooks of Concord, and in November 1870 Brooks sold this acre back to Dudley Foster for $225. On June 16, 1874, Dudley Foster sold it, still without buildings, for $500 to William Manning of Chelmsford, son of Theophilus Manning.
Manning built the house for his sister. Hannah Patten Manning, born in 1808, was a granddaughter of Asa Patten of the Patten Homestead; in 1827 she married John Chandler Jr. of Tewksbury, and by 1869 she was a widow living in Billerica. On March 6, 1875, Manning leased her "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon, situated in said Billerica near the center thereof ... for and during the term of her natural life," on condition that she live there herself, after which the house "and all improvements and betterments erected thereon" would return to him. The 1875 and 1889 town maps label the house "Mrs. H. P. Chandler." She never owned it. She died on November 26, 1889, aged 81.
In June 1890 Manning sold the place, "with the buildings thereon," to Arthur S. Cook of Billerica for $2,000. Cook sold it in 1898 to Frank G. Manson, who died within months; his administrator sold it in January 1899 to Maurice A. Buck for $2,800, and Manson's widow released her dower from Solon, Maine. Buck mortgaged the house to Alice B. Hall for $2,000, fell behind, and on August 24, 1907, the mortgagee sold it at auction on the premises to Frank L. Day of Carlisle for $2,475.
Frank L. Day owned the house until his death on December 19, 1939. His heirs, Frank T. Day of Buchanan, New York, and George W. Day of Arlington, registered the title in the Land Court in 1940 on a survey by G. B. Northrup that shows the house, a barn and a small outbuilding, and in December 1940 the property passed to Carl F. V. Sandberg. Sandberg made Sandy's potato chips, a well known local brand, in the barn in the 1940s and 1950s before moving the business north along Boston Road; he and his wife kept the house as their home until his death in 1977. It passed to his family in 1982, was sold to private owners in 1983 and again in 1993, and remains a private home. In 2022 the Town took roadside easements along its frontage for the reconstruction of Boston Road.
References
- MACRIS BIL.49
- Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), Genealogical Register: Manning 15 (Hannah Patten Manning, b. 1808, m. 1827 John Chandler Jr.) and Bowers 4-5.
- Billerica assessor, parcel 51-15-0: 1.054 acres, registered land, Land Court plan 17694-A.
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| 1796 | Gift | William Bowers of Billerica, gentleman | His son Jonathan Bowers of Billerica | probable source of the Bowers land north of the meetinghouse | 127/198 (South) |
For "the love and affection I have and do bare unto my son" and 400 pounds "as part of his portion out of my Estate," his homestead of about 22 acres "with all the buildings thereon," 14 acres of English meadow, four acres on the road to Lexington, 25 acres by Hezekiah Crosby, four acres by Samuel Blanchard, and "the one half of quantity for quality of about six acres" bounded east on the County road, north on John White and Jacob Richardson, west on Richardson and White to a highway and south on the highway; the grantor kept the use of half the homestead and all the other land for life. Billerica town book 9, pages 332-333. Probably the source of the Bowers land north of the meetinghouse that Jonathan's widow and son sold in 1810, though the 1810 deed recites no title.
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| June 5, 1804 | Will | Estate of Jonathan Bowers Jr. of Billerica, gentleman | His widow Dorcas Bowers (use of half the real estate while a widow); his son Alexander Bowers (residue) | Jonathan Bowers Jr. leaves his land to his widow and son | Probate #2293 |
Will dated July 8, 1799, made when he was "bound to sea": to "my beloved wife Dorcas Bowers, the improvement of the one half of all my Real Estate" while she remained his widow, and a third of the personal estate; to "my son Alexander Bowers & to his heirs & assigns forever all the residue". Executors Isaac Stearns Esq. and Alexander Bowers; witnesses Isaac Wilkins, Elizabeth Abbot, Nancy Simonds. Proved at Concord June 5, 1804. Jonathan Bowers, Billerica's first postmaster (appointed Oct. 7, 1797), had married Oliver Abbot's daughter Dorcas, who took her father's homestead in 1797; mother and son joined in selling it to George Bruce in 1810.
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| May 10, 1810 | Deed | Alexander Bowers of Charlestown, merchant, and Dorcas Bowers of Boston, widow (Mary Bowers releasing dower) | Samuel Foster of Billerica, yeoman | Bowers widow and son sell three acres to Samuel Foster | 188/344 (South) |
For $300, "a certain tract of land situate in Billerica aforesaid the west side of the road leading from Boston to Chelmsford and about twenty five rods north of the meeting house", "three acres more or less", east on the road, north on James Sumner, west on William Bowers, south on other land of the grantors, "all the lines are as the walls now stand". No buildings named. Dated Jan. 1, 1810. Billerica town book 10, pages 541-542. The main body of the Foster homestead.
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| September 1, 1857 | Will | Estate of Samuel Foster of Billerica | Widow Anna Foster (life estate), then his legal heirs; Dudley Foster executor | Samuel Foster's will; the homestead to his heirs | Probate #32131 |
Will dated March 26, 1850 (witnesses Gardner Parker, Theodore L. Haynes, Elmira Pollard), allowed at Lowell Sept. 1, 1857: to "my beloved wife Anna Foster, the use and improvement of all my real estate" for life, and at her decease "my real Estate ... be equally divided among my legal heirs"; son Dudley Foster sole executor. Inventory Aug. 27, 1857 (Lyman Haynes, Gardner Parker, Amasa Holden): "Homestead of said deceased" $2,000, "Parker Lot" $350, "Plain Land" $175, "Cove Land" $100; personal estate $1,744.46 including hay in the barn, a cow, wagons, and boots and shoes. First account allowed Dec. 7, 1858, assented to by James and Sally F. Damon, Elizabeth A. Foster, Joseph Foster, Sumner Foster, and Dudley Foster as guardian of Anna L., Edward M. and Francis H. Foster.
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| March 27, 1858 | Deed | James Damon and Sally F. Damon (in her right), Elizabeth A. Foster, all of Charlestown; Joseph Foster of Billerica; Sumner Foster of North Reading (heirs of Samuel Foster) | Dudley Foster of Billerica | Foster heirs sell four sixths of the homestead to Dudley Foster | 13/530 |
Conveys "four undivided sixths" of "the homestead of Samuel Foster late of Billerica deceased, containing about four acres with the buildings thereon standing", beginning at the northeast corner at land of Joseph Foster on the road from Billerica to Lowell, west by Joseph to the heirs of Dr. William Bowers, south by them to land of Dudley Foster, east by Dudley to the road and north on the road, "as the wall now stands"; with four sixths of the Parker lot, a 5-acre lot on the Tewksbury road and 15 acres of plain land (S.393/155), all "as legal heirs" of Samuel Foster. Acknowledged March 25, 1858 before Thomas Sumner; wives Lydia A. and Elizabeth P. Foster release dower. Middlesex North 13/530-532.
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| April 8, 1858 | Guardian's Deed | Dudley Foster, guardian of Anna Louisa, Edward M. and Francis H. Foster, minor children of Edwin Foster late of North Reading | Francis D. Foster of Billerica | guardian sells the Edwin Foster minors' sixth | 14/37 |
Under a Probate Court license of March 9, 1858, after notice in the Massachusetts Ploughman, sold at public auction March 31, 1858 for $500 "one undivided sixth part" of the homestead of the late Samuel Foster, "containing about four acres with the buildings thereon standing" (northeast corner at Joseph Foster on the road to Lowell, west to the heirs of Dr. William Bowers, south to Dudley Foster, east to the road), with a sixth of the Parker lot, the Cove lot and 15 acres of plain land, "being all said minors' right, title and interest as heirs at law" of Samuel Foster. Dated April 1, 1858. Middlesex North 14/37-38.
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| April 8, 1858 | Quitclaim | Francis D. Foster of Billerica | Dudley Foster of Billerica | Francis D. Foster quitclaims the sixth to Dudley Foster | 14/39 |
For $500, quitclaim of "one undivided sixth part" of "the Homestead of the late Samuel Foster situate in said Billerica containing about four acres with the buildings thereon standing", same bounds (Joseph Foster on the north, heirs of Dr. William Bowers on the west, Dudley Foster on the south, the road to Lowell on the east), with a sixth of the Parker lot and the other lots. Recorded April 8, 1858. Middlesex North 14/39. With the heirs' deed of March 1858 and his own sixth, Dudley Foster now held the whole homestead.
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| 1858 | Warranty Deed | Dudley Foster of Billerica, yeoman (wife Louisa P. Foster releasing dower) | His brother Joseph Foster of Billerica, yeoman | Dudley Foster sells this acre to his brother Joseph | 14/40 |
For $300, "a certain parcel of land situate in said Billerica, containing about one acre more or less," beginning at the northeast corner at land of Joseph Foster on "the road leading from Billerica to Lowell," west by Joseph's land to the heirs of Dr. William Bowers, south by the Bowers land to a wall at the grantor's own land, east by the wall to the road, "as the wall stands around the same, it being a part of the Estate known as the 'Homestead' of the late Samuel Foster." Signed April 3, 1858, days after Dudley bought out his brothers and sisters. Witness Francis D. Foster. This acre is the house lot of 371 Boston Road.
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| 1859 | Administration | Estate of Joseph Foster of Billerica | His widow Lydia Ann Foster, administratrix, for herself and their minor children Damon, Whitney and Annie M. Foster | Joseph Foster estate: "one acre adjoining the Homestead" | Probate #32110 |
Joseph Foster died intestate early in 1859; his widow Lydia Ann Foster was appointed administratrix at Lowell on April 5, 1859, with Dudley Foster and Stephen Parker as sureties on a $5,000 bond. The inventory of April 2, 1859 (Lyman Haynes, Stephen Parker, Francis D. Foster) lists "About One acre of land, with the buildings thereon ... known as the Homestead" at $1,550, "One acre adjoining the Homestead" at $200, and about twenty acres of woodland at $275. The $200 acre is this lot, still unbuilt.
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| July 23, 1869 | Guardian's Deed | Charles E. Abbott of Malden, guardian of Damon, Whitney and Annie M. Foster, minor children of Joseph Foster | George M. Brooks of Concord | guardian of Joseph Foster's children sells the acre | 69/49 |
Under a license of the Probate Court of June 8, 1869, the guardian sold at public auction for $2,085 all the minors' interest in three lots: the Joseph Foster house lot of about an acre "with the buildings thereon" on "the road leading from Billerica to Lowell"; "another lot of land containing about one acre," bounded north by the first lot, west by the heirs of William Bowers, south by Dudley Foster and east by the road (this lot), which came "by Dudley Foster by deed dated April 3, 1858" (Book 14, Page 40); and a woodlot of about 21 acres. The house lot and woodlot were subject to the widow's dower. Signed July 10, 1869.
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| November 30, 1870 | Warranty Deed | George M. Brooks of Concord (wife Mary A. Brooks releasing dower) | Dudley Foster of Billerica | George M. Brooks sells the acre back to Dudley Foster | 76/442 |
For $225, "a certain parcel of land situated near the centre of said Billerica, containing about one acre more or less," from the northeast corner at land of Caroline O. Parker and "the road leading from Billerica to Lowell," west by Parker to the heirs of William Bowers, south by the Bowers heirs to land of Dudley Foster, east by Foster to the road. "Being the second parcel of land described in a deed from Charles E. Abbott, Guardian, to me dated July 10, 1869" (Book 69, Page 49). Signed November 22, 1870. No buildings are mentioned.
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| June 17, 1874 | Warranty Deed | Dudley Foster of Billerica (wife Louisa P. Foster releasing dower and homestead) | William Manning of Chelmsford | Dudley Foster sells the acre to William Manning | 102/595 |
For $500, "a certain parcel of land situated near the centre of said Billerica, containing about one acre more or less," from the northeast corner at land of "the late Caroline O. Parker, deceased," and the road from Billerica to Lowell, west by Parker to Martin Lane (formerly heirs of William Bowers), south by Lane to other land of the grantor, east by the grantor's land to the road. "Being the same premises conveyed to me by George M. Brooks deed dated November 22nd 1870" (Book 76, Page 442). Signed June 16, 1874. Still land only: the house was built after this sale.
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| March 6, 1875 | Life Lease | William Manning of Chelmsford | His sister Hannah P. Chandler of Billerica, widow | life lease to Hannah P. Chandler, house built | 108/436 |
For one dollar and "other good and valuable considerations," Manning leased to Hannah P. Chandler "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon, situated in said Billerica near the center thereof, and being the same premises conveyed to me by Dudley Foster" (Book 102, Page 595), "for and during the term of her natural life," on condition that she personally live there; if she ceased to use it as her home, the premises "and all improvements and betterments erected thereon" would revert to Manning. Signed and recorded March 6, 1875. The house had been built in the nine months since June 1874.
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| July 10, 1890 | Warranty Deed | William Manning of Chelmsford (wife Mary Ann Manning releasing dower and homestead) | Arthur S. Cook of Billerica | William Manning sells the house to Arthur S. Cook | 216/571 |
For $2,000, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon, situated near the centre of Billerica, containing about one acre more or less," from the northeast corner at land of the late Caroline J. Parker and the road from Billerica to Lowell, west by Parker to Martin Lane, formerly heirs of William Bowers, south by Lane to Dudley Foster, east by Foster to the Lowell road. "Being the same premises as were conveyed to me by Dudley Foster" in 1874 (Book 102, Page 595). Signed June 19, 1890, seven months after Hannah P. Chandler died on November 26, 1889, ending her life lease.
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| 1898 | Warranty Deed | Arthur S. Cook of Billerica (wife Carrie E. Cook releasing dower and homestead) | Frank G. Manson of Billerica | Cook sells to Frank G. Manson | 298/103 |
For one dollar and other valuable considerations, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon, situated near the centre of Billerica, containing about one acre," the same bounds (late Caroline J. Parker, Martin Lane formerly heirs of William Bowers, land late of Dudley Foster, the Lowell road). "Being the same premises conveyed to this grantor by William Manning by his deed dated June 19, 1890" (Book 216, Page 571). Signed June 18, 1898. Manson gave Cook a purchase mortgage the same day (Book 298, Page 105), which his administrator paid off in January 1899.
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| January 19, 1899 | Mortgage | Maurice A. Buck of Billerica | Alice B. Hall of Billerica | Buck mortgage to Alice B. Hall | 304/54 |
For $2,000 at five percent for three years, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated near the centre of Billerica," the Manson lot, "being the same premises as conveyed by Arthur S. Cook to Frank G. Manson by deed dated June 18, 1898 ... And the same premises as conveyed to me the said Maurice A. Buck by Herbert A. King Adms." The buildings were to be insured for $2,000. Signed January 18, 1899. The same page records Cook's discharge of Manson's 1898 mortgage. The margin points to the mortgagee's sale (Book 407, Page 280) and entry (Book 409, Page 331).
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| February 1, 1899 | Administrator's Deed | Herbert A. King of Billerica, administrator of the estate of Frank G. Manson late of Billerica | Maurice A. Buck of Billerica | Manson's administrator sells to Maurice A. Buck | 304/162 |
Under a license of the Middlesex Probate Court of December 6, 1898, the administrator sold at private sale for $2,800 "a parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated near Billerica Centre being the same premises conveyed by Arthur S. Cook to Frank G. Manson by deed dated June 18, 1898" (Book 298, Page 103), with the same bounds. Signed January 18, 1899; witness George H. Hall.
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| December 30, 1899 | Quitclaim | Mildred E. Manson of Solon, Maine, widow of Frank G. Manson | Maurice A. Buck of Billerica | Manson's widow releases dower | 314/299 |
For one dollar and other valuable considerations, quitclaim of "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated near the centre of Billerica containing about one acre," the same bounds, "being the same premises conveyed by Herbert A. King administrator of the estate of Frank G. Manson to the said Maurice A. Buck by deed dated Jan 18 1899" (Book 304, Page 162), with release of her dower and homestead. Acknowledged in Somerset County, Maine, December 28, 1899.
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| August 28, 1907 | Mortgagee's Deed | Alice B. Hall of Billerica, mortgagee of Maurice A. Buck | Frank L. Day of Carlisle | foreclosure sale to Frank L. Day | 407/280 |
Buck defaulted on the 1899 mortgage (Book 304, Page 54); after notice in the Lowell Courier-Citizen on August 1, 8 and 15, 1907, the mortgagee sold at public auction on the premises on August 24, 1907, to Frank L. Day of Carlisle for $2,475, "a certain parcel of land, with the buildings thereon, situated near the centre of Billerica," bounded by the late Caroline J. Parker, Martin Lane formerly heirs of William Bowers, Dudley Foster and the Lowell Road. A certificate of entry the same day by her attorney William H. Wilson, witnessed by John J. Harvey and Herbert A. King, is recorded in Book 409, Page 331.
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| November 27, 1940 | Certificate of Title | Land Court decree, case 17694 (petition of Frank T. Day et al) | Frank T. Day of Buchanan, New York, and George W. Day of Arlington, each an undivided half | Land Court registration for the Day heirs | Ctf 5764 |
Original Certificate on the decree of November 26, 1940: the land bounded east by Boston Road 98.34 feet, south by Frederick H. Sexton et al, Trustees, 449.44 feet, west by Mary E. Lane 110.20 feet and north by Hugh Cochrane 433.16 feet, as shown on plan 17694-A (G. B. Northrup, C.E., August 6, 1940), registered subject to any claims from the debts or estate "of one Frank L. Day, late of said Billerica, who died on December 19, 1939." The plan shows the house, a barn and a small outbuilding. Cancelled for Certificate 5779.
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| December 17, 1940 | Certificate of Title | Frank T. Day and George W. Day (Original Certificate 5764) | Carl F. V. Sandberg of Billerica, married to Gladys I. Sandberg | Carl F. V. Sandberg certificate; later owners | Ctf 5779 |
Transfer Certificate from Original Certificate 5764 for the same lot on plan 17694-A, entered December 17, 1940. Sandberg mortgaged it to the Middlesex Co-operative Bank of Lowell in 1940 and several times later, and made the locally known Sandy's potato chips in the barn in the 1940s and 1950s. He died on November 28, 1977, and the certificate was cancelled in 1982 by order of court for one to his heir (Certificate 24987). Later private transfers: in December 1982 to a family member (24988), in 1983 to two private buyers and then one of them (25002, 25353), and in 1993 for $135,000 to the present private owners (Certificate 31002, Registration Book 158, Page 3).
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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.