Structure · Built 1852 · Demolished 2016
John Mixer House (Boston Road)
The John Mixer House stood on the west side of Boston Road, the old road from Lowell, a little north of the place where the road crossed the Middlesex Canal at Sprake's Bridge. The Walling map of 1853 marks the house "J. Mixer". Its site is now part of the apartment complex at 71 Boston Road.
John Mixer (about 1781-1857), a boatman on the canal and later a farmer, married Nancy Dix. In 1820 he bought from Levi Sprake a tract of 21 acres between the canal and "the road leading to Chelmsford neck". In December 1822 Sprake sold him a second piece "northerly from the Middlesex Canal bridge, commonly called Sprake's Bridge, and on the new road leading from said Sprake's Bridge to said Sprake's House", running 25 rods 6 feet along Sprake's land. For about thirty years Mixer lived in North Billerica village, in the house on Elm Street now remembered as the John Mixer House. In September 1852 he sold that house to C. P. Talbot and Co. The map of the following year shows him on the road to Lowell. The 1850 census lists him as a farmer, aged 69, with real estate worth $2,500.
Mixer did not keep the house long. On March 28, 1855 he and his wife sold the lot to Bartholomew Crowley of Lowell, a laborer, for $210: "about two acres more or less together with the building thereon standing", running 25 rods 6 feet along land of John Barrett to land of Israel A. Colson and then to "the Lowell road so called". Mixer died in September 1857. His will left $25 each to his children Irena Brown, Charles Mixer, Edith A. Mixer and Lucy J. Mixer and the rest of his estate to his widow, Nancy Mixer. In 1889 Nancy deeded the 21 acres and a remaining piece on the new road from Sprake's Bridge to her daughters Edith Mixer and Lucy Emerson, who sold the 21 acres to Lawrence B. Gannon in 1894.
Crowley sold the house lot "together with the buildings thereon standing" to Patrick Meehan of Billerica on July 9, 1866, for $240, taking back a mortgage. In 1871 Patrick and John Meehan bought the four-acre lot that began on the road about forty rods north of the canal bridge, from the executors of John Brown of Pittsfield, Vermont; one of them was Mixer's daughter Irena M. Brown. After Patrick Meehan's death his widow Hannah and the heirs John Meehan and Mary Heelon, by then all of Lowell, sold both lots to John Gott of Billerica on September 8, 1883, for $2,000. From then on the two lots were always sold together. Gott, a widower by 1910, deeded them to Carl W. Mortenson in May 1910, and Mortenson deeded them back to him that October. A clerk's garbled citation in the 1910 deed, "deeded to Bartholomew Crowley ... July 9th 1886", led earlier accounts to date Crowley's ownership to 1886. Gott sold them to John F. Green of Lowell in 1911, and Green sold them to Burnett B. Hart and George B. Fuller of Lowell in 1912. In 1913 they went to Charles L. Wilder of Billerica. In 1920 Wilder's widow and children, all of Medford, sold both lots "with the buildings thereon" to Martin and Josephine Bonczar.
In December 1949 the Bonczars gave a bare lot of 100 by 150 feet at the north end of their land, on the westerly side of Boston Road, to Michael M. and Nellie H. Bonczar. Michael and Nellie built a house there. Michael Bonczar died on December 25, 1953. The house was sold in 1959, and again in 1965. The Worcester County Institution for Savings foreclosed its mortgage in 1969 and passed the property to the Veterans Administration, which sold it that November. Private owners held it from then until 2014.
In 2014 and 2015 the house lot was bought by limited liability companies that were assembling land for an apartment complex. In 2016 the lots were combined on Plan Book 241, Plan 92, for the 178-unit Alpine Village, later called The Point at 3 North. The houses at 69 and 71 Boston Road were still standing on January 1, 2017, when the first apartment building was going up. The combined parcel was sold in 2017, and again in 2019 for $61,000,000.
References
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| January 26, 1822 | Warranty Deed | Levi Sprake of Billerica, yeoman (wife Sarah releasing dower) | John Mixer of Billerica, yeoman | 1820: Levi Sprake sells John Mixer the adjoining 21 acres by the canal and the road to Chelmsford neck | 241/291 (South) |
Billerica town book 13, pages 177-178. For $245.67, "the following described tract of land lying in the town of Billerica containing twenty one acres one rood and eighteen rods": beginning at the northeast corner "at the canal by Oliver Farmers land", north 24 rods 31 links by Farmer to stake and stones, northwesterly by Farmer to a ditch 12 rods, on the ditch by lands of Timothy Manning, John Rogers and Luther French 42 rods 39 links, westerly "by said Sprakes land" 36 rods 1 1/2 links to the bow in the fence, by an old fence to "the road leading to Chelmsford neck", southeasterly by the road 8 rods 24 links, by Farmer 60 rods 20 links to the Middlesex Canal, and easterly by the canal 18 rods 40 links. Dated and acknowledged Dec. 25, 1820 before Josiah Crosby; no title recital. The site of the North Billerica Fire Station.
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| March 30, 1855 | Warranty Deed | John Mixer of Billerica, yeoman (Nancy Mixer, his wife, releasing dower) | Bartholomew Crowley of Lowell, laborer | 1855: John Mixer sells the two-acre house lot "with the building thereon standing" to Bartholomew Crowley | 703/464 (South) |
For $210, "a certain piece of land situated in Billerica ... commencing at a stake and stones in the northeast corner of said lot adjoining land of John Barrett, thence westerly along said Barrett's land twenty five rods and six feet to land of Israel A. Colson, thence southeasterly along the land of said Colson to the Lowell road so called, thence along said road to the first mentioned bounds, containing about two acres more or less together with the building thereon standing". No title recital; the 25 rods 6 feet line is that of the piece north of Sprake's Bridge John Mixer bought from Levi Sprake in 1822 (S.257/478). Dated Mar. 28, 1855, witnesses James Whittemore and Joseph A. Burt; recorded Mar. 30, 1855 (Billerica town book copy 20/510). This is the sale of the J. Mixer house shown on the 1853 Walling map.
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| December 1, 1857 | Will | Estate of John Mixer of Billerica | His widow Nancy Mixer (residue); $25 each to Irena Brown, Charles Mixer, Edith A. Mixer and Lucy J. Mixer | 1857: will of John Mixer leaves his real estate to his widow Nancy | Probate #37753 |
Will dated Sept. 11, 1857 (witnesses Gardner Parker, Joseph E. Easty, Dudley Foster): after debts, $25 each to his daughter Irena Brown, son Charles Mixer and daughters Edith A. and Lucy J. Mixer, and "the residue of my Estate both Real and personal ... to my beloved wife Nancy Mixer ... to her and her heirs forever"; Lott Easty executor. The widow and heirs assented in October 1857 and the will was proved Dec. 1, 1857. Nancy Mixer later conveyed the 21 acres (N.210/516) as "the same premises conveyed to my husband, deceased, John Mixer, by Levi Sprake".
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| July 9, 1866 | Warranty Deed | Bartholomew Crowley of Lowell (Bridget Crowley, his wife, releasing dower and homestead) | Patrick Meehan of Billerica | 1866: Crowley sells the house lot to Patrick Meehan | 50/369 |
For $240, the same two acres by John Barrett, Israel A. Colson and "the Lowell Road so called", "together with the buildings thereon standing". "This being the same premises deeded to me by John Mixer of said Billerica by deed of March 3rd 1855" (given as Book 713 page 464, in fact S.703/464). Both Crowleys signed by mark; dated and acknowledged July 9, 1866 before James Loughran, justice of the peace. Meehan gave Crowley a mortgage the same day (N.50/370). The 1910 deed to John Gott cites this deed, garbled, as "deeded to Bartholomew Crowley ... July 9th 1886 ... Book 1?0 Page 369".
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| January 20, 1871 | Executors' Deed | Irena M. Brown, executrix, and Austin Brown, executor of the will of John Brown, late of Pittsfield, Rutland County, Vermont | Patrick Meehan and John Meehan of Billerica | 1871: the four-acre lot north of the canal bridge, later sold with the Mixer house lot, to the Meehans | 77/350 |
Under the power of sale in John Brown's will, for $800, "a certain piece of land with the buildings thereon" on the westerly side of the road leading from Lowell to Billerica, beginning about forty rods northerly from the Middlesex Canal bridge at the northeasterly corner of P. Crowley's land; westerly on Crowley 440 feet to land of Israel Colson, northerly on Colson 55 and 404 feet to land of John Barrett, easterly on Barrett 594 feet to the road and southerly by the road 380 feet, "containing about four acres one hundred and forty six and three fourths rods". Being the premises conveyed to John Brown by James Mahoney Oct. 31, 1867 (N.59/33), subject to a mortgage. Irena M. Brown was John Mixer's daughter. This lot was joined to the Mixer house lot by 1910.
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| November 12, 1889 | Quitclaim | Nancy Mixer of Billerica, widow | Edith Mixer and Lucy Emerson, a married woman, both of Billerica | 1889: widow Nancy Mixer deeds the 21 acres by the canal and a remaining piece on the new road from Sprake's Bridge to her daughters (the house lot itself had been sold in 1855) | 210/516 |
For one dollar and other valuable consideration, quitclaims with warranty against those claiming under her (1) the tract of "twenty-one acres, one rood & eighteen rods" by the canal, Oliver Farmer, Timothy Manning, John Rogers, Luther French and Levi Sprake and "the road leading to Chelmsford (now Lowell) neck", "being the same premises conveyed to my husband, deceased, John Mixer, by Levi Sprake, deed dated December 25, 1820" (S.241/291); and (2) a piece "northerly from the Middlesex Canal bridge, commonly called Sprake's Bridge, and on the new road leading from said Sprake's Bridge to said Sprake's House", conveyed to John Mixer by Levi Sprake Dec. 2, 1822 (S.257/478). Dated Dec. 16, 1880, acknowledged Apr. 11, 1881 before Dudley Foster; recorded Nov. 12, 1889.
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| September 10, 1883 | Warranty Deed | Hannah Meehan, widow, John Meehan (Mary A. Meehan, his wife, releasing dower), and Mary Heelon in her own right with Patrick Heelon, her husband, all of Lowell | John Gott of Billerica | 1883: the Meehan widow and heirs sell the house lot and the four-acre lot to John Gott | 162/121 |
For $2,000: (1) the two acres "with the buildings thereon" from a stake and stones at the corner adjoining John Barrett, westerly 25 rods 6 feet to Israel A. Colson, southeasterly to the Lowell road so called, "Being the same premises described in a deed of Bartholomew Crowley to Patrick Meehan dated July 9th A.D. 1866" (N.50/369); and (2) the piece on the westerly side of the road leading from Lowell to Billerica about forty rods northerly from the Middlesex Canal bridge (P. Crowley 440 feet, Israel Colson 55 and 404 feet, John Barrett 594 feet, the road 380 feet), "Being the same premises described in a deed of Irena M. Brown and Austin Brown Executors to Patrick Meehan and another dated January 14 A.D. 1871" (N.77/350). Dated Sept. 8, 1883. Patrick Meehan had died by then; the grantors are his widow and heirs.
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| May 10, 1910 | Warranty Deed | John Gott of Billerica, widower | Carl W. Mortenson of Billerica | 1910: John Gott to Carl W. Mortenson (reconveyed to Gott in October) | 450/248 |
For one dollar and other good and valuable considerations, the two acres "with the buildings thereon" (from the northwesterly corner adjoining land of John Barrett now or formerly, westerly 25 rods 6 feet to Israel A. Colson, southeasterly to the Lowell road) and the piece about forty rods northerly from the Middlesex Canal bridge (P. Crowley 440 feet, Colson 55 and 404 feet, Barrett 594 feet, the road 380 feet), "Being the same premises conveyed to me by Hannah Meehan, et als. by their deed dated September 8, 1883" (N.162/121). Dated, acknowledged and recorded May 10, 1910 (notary William F. Curtin). Mortenson deeded both lots back to Gott that October (N.457/571).
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| October 10, 1910 | Warranty Deed | Carl W. Mortenson of Billerica | John Gott of Billerica | 1910: Mortenson to John Gott, the two-acre house lot with the buildings and the four-acre lot | 457/571 |
For one dollar and other valuable considerations: (1) a piece beginning "at a stake and stones in the northwesterly corner of said lot adjoining land of John Barrett", westerly along Barrett 25 rods 6 feet to land of Israel A. Colson, southeasterly along Colson to "the Lowell road so called" and along the road to the bound, "two acres more or less with the buildings thereon", being the premises deeded to Bartholomew Crowley July 9, 1886; and (2) the four-acre piece on the westerly side of the road leading from Lowell to Billerica about forty rods north of the Middlesex Canal bridge, being the premises in the 1871 executors' deed to Patrick Meehan and another (N.77/350). The 25 rods 6 feet line matches John Mixer's 1822 purchase from Levi Sprake.
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| May 3, 1911 | Warranty Deed | John Gott of Billerica, widower | John F. Green of Lowell | 1911: John Gott to John F. Green | 465/565 |
For one dollar and other good and valuable considerations, the same two lots: the two acres "with the buildings thereon" by John Barrett, Israel A. Colson and the Lowell road, and the piece on the westerly side of the road leading from Lowell to Billerica about forty rods northerly from the Middlesex Canal bridge (Crowley 440 feet, Colson 55 and 404 feet, Barrett 594 feet, the road 380 feet). Being the premises conveyed by Carl W. Mortenson Oct. 14, 1910 (N.457/571). Dated May 3, 1911.
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| April 13, 1912 | Warranty Deed | John F. Greene of Lowell (Rilla E. Greene releasing dower) | Burnett B. Hart and George B. Fuller of Lowell | 1912: Greene to Hart and Fuller of Lowell | 484/516 |
For one dollar and other valuable considerations, the two-acre lot "with the buildings thereon" and the four-acre piece north of the Middlesex Canal bridge, same bounds, being the premises conveyed by John Gott May 3, 1911 (N.465/565). Dated Apr. 12, 1912; witnesses Arthur C. Spalding and Frank R. Wilder. The grantees gave a $300 mortgage to the Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank the same day (N.484/517).
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| April 28, 1913 | Quitclaim | Burnett B. Hart and George B. Fuller of Lowell (wives Flora E. Hart and Helen A. Fuller releasing dower) | Charles L. Wilder of Billerica | 1913: Hart and Fuller to Charles L. Wilder | 504/225 |
For one dollar, the two-acre lot "with the buildings thereon" by John Barrett, Israel A. Colson and the Lowell road, and the piece on the westerly side of the road leading from Lowell to Billerica about forty rods north of the Middlesex Canal bridge; being the premises conveyed by John F. Greene Apr. 12, 1912 (N.484/516), subject to a $300 mortgage to the Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank. Dated Apr. 24, 1913.
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| August 16, 1920 | Quitclaim | Evelyn R. Wilder, widow, Harry F. Wilder, Charles Herbert Wilder and Grace N. Miner, wife of John A. Miner, all of Medford | Martin Bonczar and Josephine Bonczar, husband and wife, of Billerica, joint tenants | 1920: the Wilder heirs sell the land with the buildings to Martin and Josephine Bonczar | 632/255 |
For one dollar and other good and valuable considerations ($2 in stamps), "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon": about two acres from a stake and stones at the corner adjoining John Barrett, westerly along Barrett 25 rods 6 feet to Israel A. Colson, southeasterly to the Lowell Road so called and along the road; and the piece "with the buildings thereon" on the westerly side of the road leading from Lowell to Billerica about forty rods northerly from the Middlesex Canal bridge (P. Crowley 440 feet, Colson 55 and 400 feet, Barrett 594 feet, the road 380 feet). Being the premises conveyed to Charles L. Wilder by Burnett B. Hart et al. Apr. 24, 1913 (N.504/225); the grantees assume two mortgages of $800. Dated Aug. 14, 1920.
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| December 14, 1949 | Quitclaim | Martin Bonczar and Josephine Bonczar, husband and wife, of Billerica | Michael M. Bonczar and Nellie H. Bonczar, husband and wife, of Billerica, tenants by the entirety | 1949: the 71 Boston Rd lot cut from the Bonczar land, bare, for Michael and Nellie Bonczar | 1130/120 |
For less than $100, "a certain parcel of land situated on the westerly side of Boston Road" with no buildings named: beginning at the northeasterly corner at land of Charles Burke, formerly of John Barrett, southwesterly by Burke 150 feet, southeasterly and northeasterly by other land of the grantors 100 and 150 feet, and northwesterly by Boston Road 100 feet. "Being a portion of the premises to us conveyed by Evelyn R. Wilder et als" Aug. 14, 1920 (N.632/255). Dated Dec. 12, 1949. This is the lot of 71 Boston Road; Michael and Nellie Bonczar built the house that stood here until 2016. Michael M. Bonczar died Dec. 25, 1953.
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| May 21, 1969 | Foreclosure Deed | Worcester County Institution for Savings, holder of the owners' 1965 mortgage (N.1726/313) | Worcester County Institution for Savings | 1969: foreclosure by the Worcester County Institution for Savings (1959 and 1965 private sales summarized) | 1885/431 |
By the power of sale in a mortgage dated Nov. 17, 1965, for $12,000, the bank grants to itself the land "with all the buildings and structures" on the westerly side of Boston Road (Burke, formerly John Barrett, 150 feet; Martin Bonczar 100 and 150 feet; Boston Road 100 feet). Notice was published Apr. 10, 17 and 24, 1969 in the Billerica News. Dated May 9, 1969. After Michael Bonczar's death the house went to his widow, who in 1959 deeded it to herself and her new husband (N.1439/175) and that September sold it to private owners (N.1451/358); they sold it in 1965 (N.1726/312) to the owners whose mortgage was foreclosed.
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| August 19, 1969 | Special Warranty Deed | Worcester County Institution for Savings | Donald E. Johnson, Administrator of Veterans' Affairs | 1969: the bank to the Veterans Administration | 1896/381 |
Special warranty deed of the house lot on the westerly side of Boston Road, same bounds, also assigning the bank's foreclosed notes; "For title of grantor see foreclosure deed ... dated May 9, 1969" (given as Book 1685 Page 431, in fact N.1885/431). Dated July 18, 1969.
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| November 21, 1969 | Special Warranty Deed | Donald E. Johnson, Administrator of Veterans' Affairs | Private owners | 1969: the Veterans Administration sells the house to private owners | 1906/727 |
For $18,900, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon" on the westerly side of Boston Road, beginning at the northeasterly corner at land of Charles Burke, formerly of John Barrett (Burke 150 feet, Martin Bonczar 100 and 150 feet, Boston Road 100 feet); title from the Worcester County Institution for Savings, July 18, 1969 (N.1896/381). Signed Nov. 20, 1969 by an assistant loan guaranty officer.
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| July 31, 2014 | Quitclaim | Private owners of 71 Boston Road | 79 BRD, LLC of Andover | 2014: the house lot bought for the apartment development (1999-2005 private sales summarized) | 28360/95 |
For $385,000, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon, situated at 71 Boston Road", southwesterly by land now or formerly of Burke 150 feet, southeasterly and northeasterly by land now or formerly of Martin Bonczar et ux 100 and 150 feet, and northwesterly by Boston Road 100 feet. The 1969 buyers held the house until 1999; it was sold privately in 1999 (N.10544/16, $205,000), 2003 (N.15563/81, $309,900) and 2005 (N.19572/191, $330,000).
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| August 5, 2015 | Quitclaim | 79 BRD, LLC of Andover | 69 BRD, LLC of Andover | 2015: 79 BRD, LLC to 69 BRD, LLC | 29306/138 |
For $442,500, the parcel "with the buildings thereon, situated at 71 Boston Road", same bounds; being the premises conveyed by N.28360/95. "This is not homestead property."
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| June 10, 2016 | Deed | 69 BRD, LLC | 69 BRD, LLC | 2016: the lots combined for the Alpine Village apartments (2017 and 2019 sales summarized) | 30119/121 |
Deed of the assembled lots to the same company for $1, filed with Plan Book 241, Plan 92, combining them into one parcel (indexed at 77 Boston Rd; references N.29306/125, 130, 134, 138, 29383/103 and 29621/223) for the 178-unit Alpine Village apartments, later The Point at 3 North. The houses at 69 and 71 Boston Road were still on the parcel on Jan. 1, 2017. The assessor records later sales of the combined 7.59 acres: in 2017 (N.31433/218, $6,790,000) and on Dec. 11, 2019 from Boston Alpine Rd Apartments LLC (N.33647/1, $61,000,000).
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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.