Structure · Built 1885
John O. Richardson House
John O. Richardson House
| Address | 400 Boston Rd |
| MACRIS ID | BIL.42 |
| Built | 1885 |
The John O. Richardson House stands on the east side of Boston Road, formerly Main Street, in Billerica Center, just north of the old First Parish Church in Billerica parsonage (the Marshall Preston House). It was built in the early 1880s by John O. Richardson, the East Billerica mill owner, and with its twin next door at 398 Boston Road (the John A. Richardson House) it is part of the Billerica Center local historic district.
The land was part of the "Everett homestead", the farm north of the meeting house that Ichabod Everett bought from John Crosby in 1819. Everett died intestate in 1851, and in November 1852 his heirs sold the 62-acre farm to Abel Spalding Jr. in two deeds. A month later Spalding sold three acres "near the house of Marshall Preston Esq." to Lyman Haynes and Dudley Foster, and Haynes bought out Foster's half in 1853. After Haynes's death his widow and heirs sold his 2 1/2-acre homestead to William Blanchard in October 1869. Spalding kept the land to the north, and "land of Abel Spaulding" remained the north line of this lot in every deed down to 1989.
On July 25, 1879 Blanchard sold John O. Richardson "a certain tract of land situate on the Main Street in said Billerica, containing one half acre", 99 feet on the street and 220 feet deep, for $350, "reserving the right to drain my cellar where it now runs". No buildings are named. The same day Dudley Foster, as trustee holding the 1869 Haynes mortgage, and Anthony Jones released the half acre from their mortgages. In May 1881 Blanchard sold the rest of his homestead to Luther W. Faulkner, who that August sold it to the parsonage trustees, Richardson among them, and on the same day sold Richardson a strip 13 1/2 feet wide along the south side for $75. That gave the lot the 112 1/2-foot frontage it still has.
Richardson, who also built the Canal House and other houses around the Center, put up this Italianate house in the early 1880s; it appears under his name on the 1889 map. He lived here until his death in 1897. His widow Pamelia (Jacques) Richardson stayed until her death in 1917 and left the house by will to their children, John A. Richardson, who lived next door, and Fannie P. R. Colby. Neither of them mortgaged or sold it. From the early 1920s the family rented the house to Dr. Orland S. Marshall, the town doctor for whom the Marshall Middle School is named, who lived here for more than 45 years.
After John A. Richardson's death his administrator, A. Warren Stearns, sold his undivided half "with the buildings thereon" to Fannie P. R. Colby on October 5, 1931 for $4,000, and his widow Ella B. Richardson released her dower, reciting that the house had been "devised to my husband John A. Richardson under will of Pamelia Richardson". The house passed from Fannie Colby to her daughters Florence A. and Eva R. Colby. On November 24, 1970 Eva R. Colby sold "the buildings thereon now supposed to be numbered 400 Boston Road" for $26,000, ending 91 years of family ownership. Since then it has changed hands among private owners in 1972, 1980 and 1987, and it is now a two-family house on just over half an acre.
References
- MACRIS BIL.42
- Billerica assessor, 400 Boston Rd (parcel 51-27-0): 0.562 acres, two-family, sales history
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 23, 1819 | Quitclaim | John Crosby and Abigail Crosby | Ichabod Everett of Boston | Crosby to Ichabod Everett, the 56-acre homestead farm north of the meeting house | 229/78 (South) |
The same day, John Crosby of Billerica, yeoman, for $4,000 quitclaimed to Ichabod Everett of Boston "the homestead situate a few rods north of the meeting house in said Billerica containing fifty six acres be it more or less with all the buildings thereon," with the same bounds as the guardian's deed, reserving a right of way for Joseph Locke from the gate near Henry Bridge's house and the right of the widow Alice Bridge "to pasture one cow on the above described premises during her natural life," with the twelve acre Fox Hill wood lot. Dated Feb. 2, 1819. Billerica town book 12, pages 122-123.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| 1851 | Administration | Estate of Ichabod Everett of Billerica, yeoman (intestate) | Dudley Foster, administrator; the heirs at law | Ichabod Everett dies intestate; Dudley Foster administrator | Probate #31419 |
Ichabod Everett died in 1851 intestate, "leaving no widow nor children." His heirs Hepsibah Fales, Issachar, Ira, William and Oliver B. Everett, Charles Draper and Isaac and Sally Fisher asked for Dudley Foster as administrator; he was appointed Oct. 14, 1851. The appraisers Amos Spalding, Benjamin L. Judkins and Lyman Haynes returned real estate of $11,920 and personal estate of $5,010.41 (allowed Dec. 2, 1851). Only the personal estate was licensed for sale; the heirs sold the farm by their own deeds in 1852. Papers read, pages 2-11.
Title from:
Title passed to:
Related:
|
|||||
| November 18, 1852 | Warranty | Issachar Everett of Wrentham, gentleman, by Silas P. Fisher his attorney, and Dolly Everett | Abel Spalding Jr. of Billerica, yeoman | Issachar Everett sells his quarter of the Everett homestead to Abel Spalding Jr. | 641/137 (South) |
Dated Nov. 18, 1852. For $1,125, "An undivided fourth part of the homestead farm belonging to the late Ichabod Everett situated in the centre of said Billerica containing sixty two acres be it more or less with all the buildings thereon," beginning at the southwest corner "at the east side of the road near Marshall Preston's house," east about forty rods by Preston, O. M. Blodgett, John Baldwin and A. F. Page, north by Ichabod G. Kimball and Sarah Baker, around by Amasa Holden, the heirs of Joel Richardson, Sarah Kendall, John F. Baldwin and William Blanchard to the road, then south by the road to the Howe School trustees' lot, around it, and south by the road to the beginning, reserving a passway for Joel Richardson's heirs from the barn near Isaac Holden's house. Witness Dudley Foster; recorded the same day. With the other heirs' three quarters (Book 641 Page 574) this gave Spalding the whole farm. Billerica town book 19, pages 374-376.
Title from:
Title passed to:
Related:
|
|||||
| 1852 | Heirs' Deed | Hepsabah Fales, Ira Everett, Oliver B. Everett, Sally E. Fisher, Charles and Nancy E. Draper, Isaac and Sybil Fisher, Betsey Ripley and William Everett, heirs of Ichabod Everett | Abel Spalding Jr. | the other Everett heirs sell three quarters to Abel Spalding Jr. | 641/574 (South) |
The heirs at law of Ichabod Everett, "late of Billerica ... deceased intestate," acting through Silas Fales and William Everett as attorneys, for $3,750 conveyed to Abel Spalding Jr. of Billerica, yeoman, their undivided three quarters of "a certain farm known as said deceased homestead ... situate in the centre of said Billerica," beginning "at the southwest corner at the east side of the great road near the house of Marshall Preston," running east about forty rods by Preston, O. M. Blodgett, John Baldwin and A. F. Page, north by Ichabod G. Kimball and Luther French, around by Amasa Holden, the heirs of Joel Richardson, Jacob Kendall, John F. Baldwin and William Blanchard to the great road, "then runs south by said road to land of Trustees of the Howe School," around the school lot and south along the road to the beginning, "containing about sixty two acres with the buildings thereon," being the farm "which has been called or known as the Everett homestead." Billerica town book 19, pages 379-381. Spalding had married Everett's adopted daughter, Julia Ann Currier, in 1849.
Title from:
Title passed to:
Related:
|
|||||
| December 31, 1852 | Quitclaim Deed | Abel Spalding Jr. of Billerica, yeoman (wife Julia Ann releasing dower) | Lyman Haynes and Dudley Foster of Billerica, yeomen | Spalding sells the three acres next to Marshall Preston to Haynes and Foster | 641/577 (South) |
Dated December 28, 1852 (Billerica town book 19, pages 383-385). For $1,625, two tracts "being a part of the Everett homestead", the first "lying in the centre of Billerica, containing about three acres", beginning "on the east side of the Great Road near the house of Marshall Preston Esq." and running east about forty rods by land of Preston, O. M. Blodgett, John Baldwin and A. F. Page, north by Ichabod G. Kimball, and back west by Spalding's land and "the corner of the garden wall" to the road. This is the land north of and behind the Preston half acre that made up the rest of the later 2 1/2-acre homestead. The Everett heirs confirmed their rights to Haynes and Foster the same week (Book 641 Page 579).
Title from:
Title passed to:
Related:
|
|||||
| May 6, 1853 | Quitclaim Deed | Dudley Foster of Billerica, yeoman (wife Louisa P. Foster releasing dower) | Lyman Haynes of Billerica, yeoman | Foster sells his half to Lyman Haynes | 654/88 (South) |
Dated April 18, 1853 (Billerica town book 19, pages 496-498). For $500, "an undivided half part of a certain tract of land situated in the Centre of said Billerica known as a part of the Everett Homestead containing about three acres", beginning "on the east side of the great Road near the house of Marshall Preston Esq.", "it being land conveyed to said Haynes and Foster by Abel Spalding Jr. Deed dated Dec 28, 1852" (Book 641 Page 577). The day after, Haynes sold the east end to Ambrose F. Page (Book 654 Page 87) and kept the front, north of Preston's house lot.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| 1869 | Will | Estate of Lyman Haynes of Billerica | His widow Caroline Haynes (life estate, executrix) and his legal heirs | Lyman Haynes will; widow and heirs to sell | Probate #33920 |
Will dated March 1851, witnessed by Orvillers M. Blodgett and Dudley Foster, proved in February 1869. To his wife Caroline "the use and improvement of all my Real Estate" for life, and at her death the real estate "equally divided among my legal heirs"; Caroline sole executrix. This is why the widow and all the heirs (the Haynes sons of Springfield and Carrie K. Jenkins) joined in the October 1869 sale of the homestead to William Blanchard.
Title from:
Title passed to:
Related:
|
|||||
| November 4, 1869 | Warranty Deed | Caroline Haynes, widow, and the heirs of Lyman Haynes (Tilley, Theodore L., Cyrus K., Charles R., William and John Haynes and Carrie K. Jenkins of Springfield) | William Blanchard of Billerica | Haynes heirs sell the homestead to William Blanchard | 70/373 |
Dated October 25, 1869. For $3,500, "a certain parcel of land with a dwelling house, barn, office, and other buildings thereon, being the homestead of the late Lyman Haynes, situate in said Billerica on the Easterly side of the great road leading from Boston to Lowell containing two and a half acres more or less", bounded north by Abel Spalding, east by Ambrose F. Page, John Baldwin and the heirs of O. M. Blodgett, south by Luther W. Faulkner "about eleven rods and four links", and west by the road "as said fence and stone wall now stand". Blanchard mortgaged it back to Caroline Haynes the same day (Book 70 Page 531). No title recital.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| November 16, 1869 | Mortgage | William Blanchard of Billerica, yeoman (wife Lydia A. Blanchard) | Caroline Haynes of Billerica | Blanchard mortgage back to Caroline Haynes, partly released 1879 for this lot | 70/531 |
Dated October 25, 1869. Purchase-money mortgage for $3,400 ($500 a year at seven percent) on "a certain parcel of land, with a dwelling house, barn, and office and other buildings thereon, situate in said Billerica on the Easterly side of the great road leading from Boston to Lowell, containing two and a half acres": north by Abel Spalding, east by Ambrose F. Page, south and east by John Baldwin and the heirs of O. M. Blodgett, south by Luther W. Faulkner "about eleven rods and four links", west on the road "as the fence and stone wall now stands". "Being the same premises this day conveyed to me by said Caroline Haynes and others." Assigned to Dudley Foster (Book 92 Page 152), $2,050 still due in 1881; discharged 1881 (Book 147 Page 486).
Title from:
Title passed to:
Related:
|
|||||
| August 7, 1879 | Partial Release of Mortgage | Dudley Foster, Trustee, of Billerica, assignee of the Caroline Haynes mortgage | William Blanchard of Billerica | Foster releases the half acre from the Haynes mortgage | 135/224 |
Dated July 25, 1879, acknowledged before Albert D. Stanton, recorded August 7, 1879. For $350 paid by William Blanchard, Foster releases "so much of the land" in Blanchard's mortgage of October 25, 1869 to Caroline Haynes (Book 70 Page 531), "by said Haynes assigned to said Dudley Foster, trustee" (Book 92 Page 152), "as is contained in a deed of said William Blanchard to John O. Richardson dated this day, namely one half acre of said mortgaged premises." The $350 was the whole price of the lot, paid over to the mortgagee.
Title from:
Related:
|
|||||
| August 7, 1879 | Partial Release of Mortgage | Anthony Jones of Billerica | William Blanchard of Billerica | Anthony Jones releases the half acre from his mortgage | 135/224 |
Dated July 25, 1879, acknowledged before Dudley Foster, recorded August 7, 1879 (it begins at the foot of page 224 and ends on page 225). For one dollar, Jones releases from his own mortgage on Blanchard's homestead (date and book left blank in the record) the same half acre "as is contained in a deed of said William Blanchard to John O. Richardson dated this day". With the Foster release it cleared the lot for Richardson.
Related:
|
|||||
| August 7, 1879 | Warranty Deed | William Blanchard of Billerica (wife Lydia A. Blanchard releasing dower and homestead) | John O. Richardson of Billerica | Blanchard sells John O. Richardson the bare half-acre house lot, $350 | 135/225 |
Dated July 25, 1879, acknowledged before Dudley Foster, recorded August 7, 1879. For $350, "a certain tract of land situate on the Main Street in said Billerica, containing one half acre": from the northwesterly corner at Main Street and land of Abel Spaulding, east by Spaulding 220 feet to a bound at the grantor's land, south "in a straight line by my other land" 99 feet, west by the grantor's land 220 feet to the street, and by the street 99 feet. "Reserving the right to drain my cellar where it now runs." No buildings are named: Richardson bought a bare lot off the north side of Blanchard's homestead.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| May 12, 1881 | Warranty Deed | William Blanchard of Billerica (wife Lydia A. Blanchard releasing dower and homestead) | Luther W. Faulkner of Billerica | Blanchard sells the rest of his homestead to Luther W. Faulkner | 145/215 |
Dated May 11, 1881. For $3,500, "my Homestead situate in said Billerica on the easterly side of the Great Road leading from Boston to Lowell, containing two acres, more or less, with a dwelling house, barn, office, and other buildings thereon", bounded south by Faulkner's own corner lot, east by the heirs of O. M. Blodgett and land formerly of John Baldwin, A. F. Page and Abel Spalding, and north by John O. Richardson; "subject to a mortgage made in favor of Caroline Haynes, and assigned by her to Dudley Foster on which there is due $2,050", which Faulkner assumes. The "office" is probably Marshall Preston's law office. Faulkner resold the place to the parsonage trustees three months later (Book 150 Page 393). No title recital.
Title from:
Title passed to:
Related:
|
|||||
| September 6, 1881 | Warranty Deed | Luther W. Faulkner of Billerica (wife Martha M. Faulkner releasing dower and homestead) | John O. Richardson of Billerica | Faulkner adds a 13 1/2-foot strip on the south, $75 | 147/452 |
Dated August 19, 1881, acknowledged before Dudley Foster on August 20, recorded September 6, 1881. For $75, a strip 13 1/2 feet wide: from "the southwest corner of said Richardson's land on Main St." east by his land to his southeast corner, south 13 1/2 feet to a stake and stones at the grantor's other land, west "parallel with said Richardson's land and just thirteen and a half feet therefrom" to Main Street, and north by the street 13 1/2 feet. Faulkner had bought the rest of Blanchard's homestead that May (Book 145 Page 215) and sold it to the First Parish parsonage trustees the same day as this deed. With the 99 feet of 1879 this made the 112 1/2-foot lot of every later deed.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| October 6, 1931 | Administrator's Deed | A. Warren Stearns of Billerica, administrator of the estate of John A. Richardson | Fannie P. R. Colby of Billerica | John A. Richardson's administrator sells his half to his sister Fannie P. R. Colby, $4,000 | 807/336 |
Dated and acknowledged October 5, 1931 before Forrest F. Collier, recorded October 6, 1931. Under a license of the Probate Court dated September 18, 1931, for $4,000, "An undivided one-half interest in the land in said Billerica, with the buildings thereon, situated on the easterly side of Main Street": from the northwesterly corner at land "supposed formerly of Abel Spaulding", east 220 feet to land formerly of one Blanchard, south 112 1/2 feet to land formerly of one Faulkner, west 220 feet to Main Street, and north by the street 112 1/2 feet. "Being the same premises to John O. Blanchard [sic: Richardson] conveyed by two deeds, one from William Blanchard dated July 25, 1879 ... Book 135, Page 225, and the other from Luther W. Faulkner dated August 19, 1881 ... Book 147, Page 452." Subject to outstanding town taxes. John A. Richardson's half came to him under his mother Pamelia Richardson's will; the sale gave his sister the whole house.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| October 6, 1931 | Release of Dower and Homestead | Ella B. Richardson of Billerica, widow of John A. Richardson | Fannie P. R. Colby of Billerica | his widow releases dower; recites Pamelia Richardson will | 807/337 |
Dated and acknowledged October 5, 1931 before Forrest F. Collier, recorded October 6, 1931 at 11:27 a.m. (it runs onto page 338). For one dollar and other consideration, she releases dower and homestead in the parcel "and the buildings located thereon, situated on the easterly side of Main Street", the premises of the 1879 Blanchard and 1881 Faulkner deeds, "being the same premises which were devised to my husband John A. Richardson under will of Pamelia Richardson late of said Billerica." This is the record that John O. Richardson's widow Pamelia (died 1917) had held the house and left it by will to their children.
Related:
|
|||||
| November 24, 1970 | Quitclaim Deed | Eva R. Colby of Billerica, unmarried, daughter and heir of Fannie P. R. Colby | Private owners (a husband and wife) | Eva R. Colby sells the house out of the family, $26,000 | 1942/132 |
Signed and recorded November 24, 1970. For $26,000, "the land in said Billerica situated on the easterly side of Boston Road, formerly called Main Street, with the buildings thereon now supposed to be numbered 400 Boston Road", bounded west by the road 112 1/2 feet, north by land "supposed to belong formerly to Abel Spaulding" 220 feet, east by land formerly of William Blanchard and south by land formerly of Luther W. Faulkner. "Being the same premises described in deed from A. Warren Stearns, Admr. to Fannie P. R. Colby dated October 5, 1931 ... Book 807, Page 336. For my title see Estate of Fannie P. R. Colby, Middlesex Probate #198771, and Estate of Florence A. Colby, Middlesex Probate #328584." The end of 91 years of Richardson family ownership. Later sales were between private owners: 1972 (Book 2003 Page 479, $38,000), 1980 (Book 2432 Page 200, $69,900), 1987 to a realty trust (Book 4359 Page 239) and 1989 between its trustees (Book 5066 Page 187), all with the same bounds.
Title from:
|
|||||
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.