James Cole House
The James Cole House stood on the west side of Concord Road, the old road from Billerica to Bedford, on a half-acre lot that had been the roadside edge of James Marshall's farm. Marshall bought that farm, "eighty acres more or less with the buildings thereon" running from the road west to the Concord River, from John Skinner of Charlestown in 1824; Skinner had bought it in 1819 from William Hill, who held it under his father's will.
On August 12, 1843 Marshall sold James Cole, a bricklayer and mason, a small lot for $35: 64 feet along the road and 76 feet back "as the wall stands". Cole gave Marshall a mortgage for the whole price the same day, and by November 13, 1844, when he borrowed $200 from Sewall Stearns, the lot had "a new dwelling house thereon". The house was therefore built in 1843 or 1844. In December 1848 Marshall and his neighbor John Hutchins sold Cole more land around it, bringing the lot to "about five eighths of an acre"; that deed already measures from "the northwest corner of the dwelling house". The 1853 map shows "J. Cole" on the west side of the road opposite the Cole family houses.
James Cole died without a will in the winter of 1852-53, "leaving a widow and two children, both of whom are minors". The estate was insolvent. Its inventory lists the "Homestead in Billerica 1/2 acre and house" at $430, and the administrator, George Proctor, reported that the real estate "consists of a small cottage House and about one half acre of land, which is subject to the widow's dower". He was licensed to sell it in May 1853. The widow, Ann Cole, bought it back from the administrator in May 1856, paying with two mortgages, to Charles H. Hill and to Benjamin L. Judkins, and in December 1858 she sold "the homestead of the late James Cole" to Hill, a machinist, for $550.
Hill owned the house for more than twenty years. In June 1880 he sold it for $650 to Dudley Foster as trustee for Harriet N. Brown, still describing it as "the Homestead of the late James Cole". Foster sold it in April 1890 to George N. Holden for $500, and that September Holden sold it to John F. Shepherd for $700. Shepherd put the house in his wife Amanda's name in 1906 by a pair of deeds through Annette L. Wing, and in 1911 Amanda M. Shepherd, by then of Andover, sold it to Mary E. Vaughan of Charlestown. A mortgage of $450 that Holden gave in 1890 went with the house through all of these sales until Mrs. Vaughn paid it off in 1914.
On October 21, 1914 Mrs. Vaughn sold the place to Frank M. and S. Maud Lapham, who resold it the same day to Charles W. and Alice J. Williamson. The Williamsons sold it in December 1917 to Minnie E. Fish, who also bought the acre to the south from the Town. She conveyed both parcels to George L. Fish in 1926, and he sold them in 1928 to Bertram C. Loring. In January 1942 Loring sold the house with a slightly reshaped lot, ten rods deep and about 125 feet along the road, to Lylia I. and Bernice B. Valyou; these are still the bounds of the lot. The Valyous sold it in 1946 to Jack R. and Edna Mae Holloway, and it changed hands again in 1953.
The house remained a private home until 2008. It was sold in 2009 to a realty trust, which took down the old cottage and built the present house on the lot, now 255 Concord Road, the same year.
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Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| 1824 | Warranty Deed | John Skinner of Charlestown, merchant (wife Hannah Skinner releasing dower) | James Marshall of Billerica, yeoman | 1824 James Marshall buys the 80-acre farm the Cole lot was cut from | 255/84 (South) |
Billerica town book 13, pages 283-284. For $1,200, "a certain farm situated in Billerica aforesaid containing eighty acres more or less with the buildings thereon", bounded south by the heirs of Joseph Hill, west by Concord River, north by Jonas Bacon "as the fence now stands to the road leading to Concord" and east by the road, with a right of way through Bacon's land "being the same liberty that was given William Hill by the last will and testament of his father". "Being the same estate that I purchased of said William Hill on the 9th February 1819" (town book 12, page 95). James Cole's house lot of 1843 and 1848 was cut from the roadside edge of this farm.
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| October 17, 1843 | Mortgage | James Cole of Billerica, brick layer | James Marshall of Billerica, yeoman | 1843 purchase-money mortgage to James Marshall, paid 1847 | 434/252 (South) |
Billerica town book 16, pages 442-443. Dated Aug. 12, 1843, the same day as the purchase. Mortgage back to the seller for the whole price, $35 in four years at six percent, of the lot on "the west side of the Road leading to Bedford", 76 feet along the wall, 64 feet deep and 64 feet on the road. Released by James Marshall on Dec. 1, 1847 (recorded Jan. 19, 1848); the deed itself was recorded only the day after the release.
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| December 2, 1847 | Warranty Deed | James Marshall of Billerica, yeoman (wife Sarah Marshall releasing dower) | James Cole of Billerica, brick layer | 1843 James Marshall sells the first house lot to James Cole, bricklayer | 527/46 (South) |
Billerica town book 20, pages 15-16. Dated Aug. 12, 1843, recorded Dec. 2, 1847. For $35, "a certain lot of land situated in said Billerica on the west side of the road leading to Bedford", beginning at the road at the northeast corner, west "as the wall stands" 76 feet, south 64 feet to a stake and stones, east 57 feet to the road and north on the road 64 feet. A small house lot with no buildings named. Witnesses Reuben Bacon Jr., Reuben Bacon and Lydia Brown.
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| November 15, 1844 | Mortgage | James Cole of Billerica | Sewall Stearns of Billerica, Esquire | 1844 mortgage: the earliest mention of the "new dwelling house" | 452/170 (South) |
Billerica town book 17, pages 539-541. Dated Nov. 13, 1844. For $200 in three years, "a certain tract or parcel of land, situate in said Billerica with a new dwelling house thereon, containing one quarter of an acre, more or less", beginning at the northeast corner at the road from Billerica to Concord and land of James Marshall, west by Marshall 76 feet "to the easterly end of a pair of Bars", south 64 feet, east 57 feet to "the said Concord Road" and north by the road 64 feet: the 1843 lot. The earliest record of the house, "new" in 1844. Discharged June 19, 1850 by Obed Stearns, administrator of Sewall Stearns. Witness Marshall Preston.
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| February 15, 1849 | Warranty Deed | James Marshall and John Hutchins of Billerica, yeomen (wives Sarah Marshall and Lucy A. Hutchins releasing dower) | James Cole of Billerica, mason | 1848 Marshall and Hutchins enlarge the lot around James Cole's dwelling house | 555/393 (South) |
Billerica town book 20, pages 234-236. Dated Dec. 15, 1848, recorded Feb. 15, 1849. For $58, "a certain lot of land situated in said Billerica on the west side of the road leading to Bedford", beginning at the road at the northeast corner and running west 76 feet "to within six feet of the northwest corner of the dwelling house", then westerly about seven rods, south about nine rods and east about eleven rods to the road, and north on the road, "containing about five eighths of an acre". The deed takes in the 1843 lot and shows Cole's dwelling house already standing on it. Witness P. W. Chamberlin.
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| 1853 | Administration | Estate of James Cole of Billerica, mason | George Proctor of Billerica, clerk, administrator | 1853 estate of James Cole: inventory "1/2 acre and house", license to sell | Probate #29564 |
James Cole died intestate about January 1853, "leaving a widow and two children, both of whom are minors". His widow Ann Cole declined and George Proctor was appointed administrator on Feb. 8, 1853. The inventory lists the "Homestead in Billerica 1/2 acre and house" at $430 and $31.45 in furniture and tools. The estate was represented insolvent; the administrator reported that the real estate "consists of a small cottage House and about one half acre of land, which is subject to the widow's dower", and on May 17, 1853 he was licensed to sell the whole. His account, allowed March 7, 1854, credits $75 for the "Real Do. as sold per order of the Court".
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| May 29, 1856 | Mortgage | Ann Cole of Billerica, widow of James Cole | Charles H. Hill of Billerica, machinist | 1856 widow Ann Cole, having bought the homestead from the administrator, mortgages it to Charles H. Hill | 4/439 |
Dated May 23, 1856. For $300 in one year at six percent, "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon consisting of about one half acre more or less and situated in the Southerly part of said Billerica on the road leading from said Billerica to Bedford the same being the Homestead of the late James Cole and by me purchased of the Administrator of the estate of said Cole", bounded from the northeast corner at the road and land of the late James Marshall, west by the wall about ten rods, south about eight rods, east to the road and north by the road. Witnesses Jona. Hill and James W. Hill. Discharged June 14, 1880 (Book 140 Page 303).
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| May 29, 1856 | Mortgage | Ann Cole of Billerica, widow | Benjamin L. Judkins of Billerica, yeoman | 1856 second mortgage by Ann Cole to Benjamin L. Judkins | 4/441 |
Dated May 23, 1856. A second mortgage for $108 of the same lot "with the buildings thereon", about one half acre on the road from Billerica to Bedford, "the same being the Homestead of the late James Cole and by me this day purchased of the Administrator of the estate of said Cole", bounded by the road and land of [John] Hutchings on the north, west and south. Discharged in the margin by Benjamin L. Judkins.
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| January 3, 1859 | Warranty Deed | Ann Cole of Billerica, widow of James Cole | Charles H. Hill of Billerica, machinist | 1858 Ann Cole sells the homestead to Charles H. Hill | 17/443 |
Dated Dec. 10, 1858. For $550, "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon, consisting of half an acre more or less, situated in the Southerly part of said Billerica on the Road leading to Bedford, the same being the homestead of the late James Cole, and purchased by me of the Administrator of said Cole's Estate", bounded from the northeast corner at the road and land of the late James Marshall, west about ten rods by the wall, south eight rods to the fence and east about ten rods to the road. Witness Chas. H. Parker.
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| June 23, 1880 | Warranty Deed | Charles H. Hill of Billerica (wife A. Cordelia Hill releasing dower and homestead) | Dudley Foster of Billerica, trustee for Harriet N. Brown under her instrument of June 3, 1880 | 1880 Charles H. Hill sells the "Homestead of the late James Cole" to Dudley Foster, trustee for Harriet N. Brown | 140/304 |
Dated June 14, 1880. For $650, "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon consisting of about one half acre of land more or less and situated in the Southerly part of said Billerica on the road leading from said Billerica to Bedford the same being the Homestead of the late James Cole", bounded from the northeast corner at the road and land formerly of James Marshall, west by the wall about ten rods, south about eight rods and east about ten rods to the road. "Being the same premises conveyed to me by deed of Ann Cole to me dated December 10th 1858" (Book 17 Page 443). Recorded with Harriet N. Brown's trust instrument and Hill's discharge of Ann Cole's 1856 mortgage.
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| April 29, 1890 | Trustee's Deed | Dudley Foster of Billerica, trustee (for Harriet N. Brown) | George N. Holden of Billerica | 1890 Dudley Foster, trustee, sells the house to George N. Holden | 214/396 |
Dated April 1, 1890. For $500, "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon consisting of about one half acre of land more or less and situated in southerly part of said Billerica on the road leading from said Billerica to Bedford", from the northeast corner at the road and land formerly of one James Marshall, west by the wall and Marshall land about ten rods to the corner of the wall, south about eight rods to a bound and east about ten rods to the road. "Being the same premises conveyed to me as said Trustee by Charles H. Hill deed dated June 14th 1880" (Book 140 Page 304). Witness Jos. P. Thompson.
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| April 29, 1890 | Mortgage | George N. Holden of Billerica | Dudley Foster of Billerica | 1890 Holden mortgage of $450, carried by the owners until 1914 | 214/397 |
Dated April 1, 1890. Purchase-money mortgage for $450 of the same half acre "with the buildings thereon" on the road from Billerica to Bedford, "being the same premises conveyed to me this day by Dudley Foster Trustee". Assigned to John H. Foster on Jan. 21, 1896 (Book 272 Page 14), assumed by each later owner, and discharged on Sept. 21, 1914, when Mary E. Vaughn paid it as "present owner of equity" (Book 529 Page 274).
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| May 4, 1891 | Warranty Deed | George N. Holden of Billerica (wife Mary A. Holden releasing dower and homestead) | John F. Shephard (Shepherd) of Billerica | 1890 George N. Holden sells the house to John F. Shepherd for $700 | 223/256 |
Dated Sept. 19, 1890, recorded May 4, 1891. For $700, "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon containing about one half acre of land more or less situated in the southerly part of said Billerica on the road leading from Billerica to Bedford", from the northeast corner at the road and land formerly of James Marshall, west by the wall about ten rods to the corner of the wall, south by Marshall land about eight rods to a bound and east about ten rods to the road. Subject to a $450 mortgage which the buyer assumed (Holden's 1890 mortgage to Dudley Foster). Witness Dudley Foster, justice of the peace.
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| May 2, 1908 | Warranty Deed | John F. Shepherd of Billerica (wife Amanda M. Shepherd releasing dower and homestead) | Annette L. Wing of Lexington | 1906 John F. Shepherd to Annette L. Wing (straw for his wife) | 418/45 |
Dated Oct. 6, 1906, recorded May 2, 1908. For "One Dollar and other good and valuable considerations", "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon containing about one half acre of land more or less situated in the southerly part of said Billerica on the road leading from Billerica to Bedford", the same bounds by the former James Marshall land. "It being the same premises as conveyed to me by George N. Holden by deed dated Sept. 19, 1890" (Book 223 Page 256). Subject to a $450 mortgage. Mrs. Wing deeded the place back to Amanda M. Shepherd the same day. Both Shepherds signed by mark.
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| May 2, 1908 | Warranty Deed | Annette L. Wing of Lexington (husband Leander J. Wing releasing) | Amanda M. Shepherd of Billerica | 1906 straw deed putting the house in Amanda M. Shepherd's name | 418/46 |
Dated Oct. 6, 1906, recorded May 2, 1908. For "One Dollar and other good and valuable considerations", "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon containing about one half acre of land more or less situated in the southerly part of said Billerica on the road leading from said Billerica to Bedford", from the northeast corner at the road and land formerly of James Marshall, west by the wall about ten rods, south about eight rods and east about ten rods to the road. "It being the same premises as conveyed to me by John F. Shepherd by deed of even date." Subject to a $450 mortgage, which the grantee assumed. With the deed just before it, a straw transfer that put John F. Shepherd's house in his wife Amanda's name. Witness Herbert A. King.
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| July 3, 1911 | Warranty Deed | Amanda M. Shepard of Andover, unmarried | Mary E. Vaughan (Vaughn) of Charlestown | 1911 Amanda M. Shepard sells the house lot to Mary E. Vaughan | 468/270 |
Dated July 1, 1911. For "One Dollar and other valuable consideration", "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situate on Concord road (so called) in Billerica", about one half acre, from the northeast corner at land formerly of James Marshall, west about ten rods, south about eight rods and east about ten rods to the road. "Being the premises conveyed to me by Annette S. Wing" (Book 418 Page 46). Subject to the mortgage to Dudley Foster (Book 214 Page 397), assigned to John H. Foster on Jan. 21, 1896 (Book 272 Page 14), which the buyer assumed. Witness Herbert A. King.
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| October 21, 1914 | Warranty Deed | Mary E. Vaughn (also Vaughan) of Billerica | Frank M. Lapham and S. Maud Lapham, his wife, of Billerica | 1914 Mary E. Vaughn sells the house lot to the Laphams | 529/274 |
Dated Oct. 21, 1914. For consideration paid, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated on the Concord road, so called, in said Billerica, containing one half acre more or less", ten rods by eight by the former James Marshall land. "Being all and the same premises to me conveyed by Amanda M. Shepard by deed dated July 1, 1911" (Book 468 Page 270). Mrs. Vaughn conveyed without her husband William H. Vaughn, who had deserted her (probate decree Oct. 20, 1914). Recorded just after John H. Foster's discharge of the 1890 mortgage given by George N. Holden to Dudley Foster (Book 214 Page 397), paid by Mrs. Vaughn as "present owner of equity". The Laphams resold the same day.
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| October 22, 1914 | Warranty Deed | Frank M. Lapham and S. Maud Lapham, his wife, of Billerica | Charles W. Williamson and Alice J. Williamson, his wife, of Billerica | 1914 the Laphams sell the house lot to the Williamsons, the same day they bought it | 529/354 |
Dated Oct. 21, 1914. For consideration paid, "A certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated on the Concord road, so called, in said Billerica, containing one half acre more or less", ten rods by eight by the former James Marshall land, the land to the east "now supposed to belong to the Town of Billerica". "Being all and the same premises to us conveyed by Mary E. Vaughn by deed dated October 21, 1914", recorded with it. Subject to the 1913 and 1914 taxes. The Williamsons gave a $500 mortgage to Clara E. Sexton (Book 529 Page 355).
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| December 14, 1917 | Warranty Deed | Charles W. Williamson and Alice J. Williamson of East Chelmsford, formerly of Billerica | Minnie E. Fish of Billerica | 1917 the Williamsons sell the half-acre house lot to Minnie E. Fish | 581/583 |
Dated about Dec. 14, 1917. For "one dollar and other valuable consideration" ($2 in revenue stamps), "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated on the Concord Road, so-called in said Billerica, containing one half acre more or less", from the northeast corner at land formerly of James Marshall, west ten rods, south eight rods and east by Marshall land "now supposed to belong to the Town of Billerica" ten rods to the road. "Being the same premises conveyed to us by deed of Frank M. Lapham et al." (Book 529 Page 354). The next day the Town sold Mrs. Fish the acre to the south (Book 582 Page 116), and she gave an $1,800 mortgage to Elmira E. Colburn of Nashua.
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| November 9, 1926 | Quitclaim Deed | Minnie E. Fish of Billerica | George L. Fish of Billerica | 1926 Minnie E. Fish to George L. Fish (house lot and the acre south of it) | 743/395 |
Dated Oct. 27, 1926. For consideration paid, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated on the Concord Road, so-called in said Billerica, containing one half acre more or less", from the northeast corner at land formerly of James Marshall, west ten rods, south eight rods and east ten rods by Marshall land "now supposed to belong to the Town of Billerica" to the road. "Being the same premises conveyed to me by deed of Charles W. Williamson and Alice J. Williamson dated the 14th day of December" 1917 (Book 581 Page 563). Also an acre to the south, between the heirs of Capt. Ranlett and "land formerly of Harriet N. Brown", which she bought from the Town in 1917 (Book 582 Page 116). Subject to an $1,800 mortgage of 1917 to Elmira E. Colburn of Nashua.
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| December 21, 1928 | Quitclaim Deed | George L. Fish of Westport, formerly of Billerica (wife Minnie E. Fish releasing by him as attorney) | Bertram C. Loring of Billerica | 1928 George L. Fish to Bertram C. Loring | 772/181 |
Dated Dec. 13, 1928. For consideration paid, the half acre "with the buildings thereon, situated on the Concord Road", ten rods by eight by the former James Marshall land, and the one acre south of it on the west side of the road to Bedford between the Ranlett heirs and the former Harriet N. Brown land. "Being the same premises conveyed to me by deed of Minnie E. Fish dated October 27, 1926" (Book 743 Page 395). Loring mortgaged both parcels the same day to the Lexington Co-operative Bank for $3,600 (Book 772 Page 182).
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| January 7, 1942 | Quitclaim Deed | Bertram C. Loring of Billerica (wife Sarah F. Loring releasing dower and homestead) | Lylia I. Valyou and Bernice B. Valyou, husband and wife, of Billerica | 1942 Bertram C. Loring sells the house lot (present bounds) to the Valyous | 973/134 |
Dated Jan. 6, 1942. For consideration paid ($4.95 in revenue stamps), "the land in said Billerica with the buildings thereon, situated on the Westerly side of the Concord Road", from the northeast corner at land now or formerly of James Marshall, west about ten rods, south about 125 feet to a stone bound, east along other land of the grantor about 200 feet to a stone bound at the road and north by the road. "Being a portion of the first described parcel in a certain deed from George L. Fish to me dated December 13, 1928" (Book 772 Page 181). These are the bounds of the lot today. The Valyous mortgaged it the same day to the Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank for $3,500.
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| October 10, 1946 | Quitclaim Deed | Lylia I. Valyou and Bernice B. Valyou, husband and wife, of Billerica | Jack R. Holloway and Edna Mae Holloway, husband and wife, of Arlington | 1946 Valyou to Holloway; later private sales summarized | 1054/377 |
Dated Oct. 9, 1946. For consideration paid ($9.90 in revenue stamps), "the land in said Billerica with the buildings thereon, situated on the Westerly side of the Concord Road", the same bounds, east "along other land of the grantor" about 200 feet. "Being the same premises conveyed to us by Bertram C. Loring by deed dated January 6, 1942" (Book 973 Page 134). The buyers mortgaged it to the Arlington Five Cents Savings Bank for $8,500. Later sales, all to private owners: 1953 (Book 1223 Page 27, and Book 1236 Page 171), 2006 and 2008 family transfers, 2009 to a realty trust, which replaced the old house with the present one, sold later in 2009, and 2019.
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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.