Jonathan & Laura Hill House
The Jonathan and Laura Hill House is the old farmhouse on the east side of Concord Road (the old road to Bedford) in South Billerica, just south of the Charles Henry Hill place. The deeds show that it was never torn down: it is the house standing today at 340 Concord Road, which the assessor dates to about 1820 and calls the "Hadley Homestead."
The land was part of the southern end of the Hill farm. Jonathan Hill the elder deeded land on both sides of the Bedford road to his sons Job and Josiah in 1785, and his will of 1795 left them "the southern part of my farm in Billerica on the east side of Bedford-road." Job Hill died in 1842 and left the rest of his estate to his son Jonathan Hill (1795-1870), the proprietor of Hill's Mills, whose wife was Laura W. Hill.
On April 27, 1868 Jonathan and Laura Hill sold their kinsman Charles H. Hill, for $100, a lot of sixteen and a half rods on the east side of "the main road leading from said Billerica to Bedford" and a small lot behind it, bounded north by land Charles had bought from Francis O. Whitford in 1864. A house already stood there: the deed excepted "a conveyance made by me to ... Hill of even date herewith, of part of the house and garden on the premises for the joint life of said ... and wife and no longer." Charles Henry Hill added the lot to the land on which he built his own Mansard house about 1870, and in 1904 he deeded the whole twenty acres, "with the buildings thereon," to his daughter Margaret E. Hill.
After Charles H. Hill's death, Margaret and his widow Aphia C. Hill sold the southern end of the land to William P. Hadley of Hudson, New Hampshire, on August 28, 1913: 2.17 acres "with the buildings thereon," 264 feet on the Bedford Road at the land of the heirs of Jonathan Hill and "bounded on all sides by stone walls," surveyed that July by F. W. Huntington and Co. (Plan Book 30, Plan 52). The Hadleys kept it until Florence G. Hadley sold it to Roger C. Hadley in 1939, and he sold it in 1942 to Robert E. and Irene H. Wyman. It passed to Albert E. Newick in 1945, to Herbert G. and Alice M. Gordon in 1946 and to Robert L. Halfman in 1948, each deed repeating the 1913 survey, and in 1954 the Halfmans sold the house, by then on "Bedford Road (now called Concord Road)," to a family who kept it for more than sixty years. It was sold to its present private owner in 2016.
Charles Henry Hill built his house on the land north of it, bought from the Whitford farm in 1864, and the older house remained standing on its own walled lot. Whether Jonathan and Laura Hill ever lived in it themselves the deeds do not say; in 1868 part of it was occupied for life by another Hill couple.
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Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| February 27, 1786 | Deed | Jonathan Hill of Billerica, yeoman | Job Hill and Josiah Hill of Billerica, yeomen | Jonathan Hill to his sons Job and Josiah (land on both sides of the Bedford road) | 93/336 (South) |
For 152 pounds 9 shillings, 40 1/2 acres "in the Southerly part of said Town," beginning at the northwesterly angle by land of said Jonathan Hill, southerly by Isaac Stearns to a little swamp, by Samuel Stearns to the brook, east over the brook to the ditch and by the ditch to Benjamin Hutchinson, northerly by Hutchinson to Jonathan Hill, and westerly, northerly and easterly by Hill's land, the meadow, a wall and "the fence about twenty five feet East of the great tree to which the gate hangs," back to the start. Signed Feb. 25, 1785; acknowledged Nov. 30, 1785 before Edward Farmer. Job (b. 1754) and Josiah were Jonathan's sons. This set off the south end of the farm; the homestead stayed with Jonathan and passed to his son Jonathan (m. 1798, d. 1815), whose south abutter in 1825 was Job Hill. Billerica town book 8, pages 44-45.
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| May 10, 1796 | Will | Jonathan Hill of Billerica, yeoman | Jonathan Hill, his son (and Job, Josiah, Benjamin and Ralph Hill) | Jonathan Hill will: south part of the farm east of Bedford road to Job and Josiah | Probate #11473 |
Will dated Jan. 12, 1795, with a codicil of Sept. 15, 1795. Sons Ralph and Benjamin, already provided for by deed, get 20 shillings each, and Benjamin the lot in Ashby. "My Kinny-farm, so called, containing by estimation about eight acres, with the buildings thereto belonging" goes to son Job. Job and Josiah share the land in Bedford (except Crooked Meadow) and "the southern part of my farm in Billerica on the east side of Bedford-road," divided from the rest by a line from the drawbars a little south of the grist mill along the wall of the ox-pasture, with the Peter lot of river meadow to Job, the Parker lot of meadow to Josiah, and the right to grind their own grain at the corn mill. To son Jonathan, the executor, all the rest of the lands and real estate in Billerica and Carlisle, Crooked Meadow, the stock, tools, clock and great brass kettle. Money to daughters Mary and Isabella; to the five unmarried daughters Susanna, Lucy, Elizabeth, Zuba and Anna, 20 pounds each, the household furniture, and while single the east chamber, the bedroom below at the northwest corner, the kitchen, well and wash yard, half an acre for a garden and a cow kept for them. Witnesses Henry Cumings, Jacob Richardson and Samuel Whiting. Proved May 10, 1796 before Judge Oliver Prescott. Middlesex probate case 11473.
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| April 12, 1842 | Will | Estate of Job Hill of Billerica, yeoman (d. Feb. 5, 1842) | His son Jonathan Hill, residuary legatee and executor | Job Hill will: residue to his son Jonathan | Probate #34231 |
Will dated April 20, 1837 (witnesses Marshall Preston, John Baldwin and John Baldwin Jr.): $700 each to his daughters Asenath Hill and Susan Lane Hill and the household furniture except one bed and the clock; $250 to his daughter Lucretia, wife of Sewall Stearns, less $200 paid at her marriage; $50 to his son Daniel Hill if he came to Billerica in person within three years; and "to my son Jonathan Hill, the Bed & Clock above mentioned, together with all the rest & residue of my estate, real & personal, of whatever name or nature and wherever situated", Jonathan to be sole executor. Petition Feb. 18, 1842 ("late of Billerica, yeoman"); proved at Concord April 12, 1842; executor's bond of $20,000 the same day, Jonathan Hill "Gentleman" principal with David P. Whiting and Franklin Stearns as sureties, "being residuary legatee". No inventory is filed. The homestead farm passed under this residuary clause to Jonathan Hill.
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| May 4, 1868 | Quitclaim | Jonathan Hill of Billerica; Laura W. Hill his wife (dower and homestead) | Charles H. Hill of Billerica | Jonathan Hill to Charles H. Hill, the house lot on the road | 61/571 |
For $100, two lots "on the Easterly side of the main road leading from said Billerica to Bedford": the first beginning at the southwest corner "at the corner of the wall, at my land", east by Jonathan Hill's land on a wall, north on a wall 6 8/10 rods to land of C. H. Hill, west by Hill's land to the road, and south by the road 16 1/2 rods; the second a small lot in the rear, Charles to build "a good and sufficient wall, in place of the fence on the whole southerly line of said small lot, at his own cost." The premises are free of incumbrances "except of a conveyance made by me to [illegible] Hill of even date herewith, of part of the house and garden on the premises for the joint life of said [illegible] and wife and no longer", so a house stood on the lot. Signed April 27, 1868, acknowledged April 28 before Daniel S. Richardson; recorded May 4, 1868. The front lot, 16 1/2 rods (about 272 feet) on the road, is the 2.17-acre lot with 264 feet of frontage sold to W. P. Hadley in 1913, today 340 Concord Road.
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| 1870 | Will | Jonathan Hill of Billerica (d. May 17, 1870) | Laura W. Hill, his widow and executrix (legacies to son James W. Hill and daughter Laura Hill) | Jonathan Hill will: residue to Laura W. Hill | Probate #34235 |
Will dated Sept. 10, 1869, witnessed by William B. Stearns, Dudley Foster and Louisa P. Foster: $100 each to his son James W. Hill and his daughter Laura Hill, and "all the rest and residue of my property and estate" to his wife Laura W. Hill, executrix without bond. He died May 17, 1870; the will was proved at Lowell on July 19, 1870 (Judge William A. Richardson), the estate sworn at not over $37,000. Jonathan Hill had bought the grist mill from John Nichols in 1835, began the leather-splitting machine business there, and sold the mill and shop to Charles H. Hill in 1853, taking back a mortgage that was assigned in 1858. Middlesex probate case 34235.
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| October 10, 1904 | Warranty Deed | Charles H. Hill of Billerica | His daughter Margaret E. Hill of Billerica | Charles H. Hill to Margaret E. Hill | 370/300 |
For one dollar and other valuable considerations, "a certain parcel or tract of land situated in that part of said Billerica called South Billerica on the easterly side of the Road leading from Billerica to Bedford, with the buildings thereon": from the northwest corner on the road south along the road to land of the heirs of Jonathan Hill, east along their land to the Boston and Lowell Rail Road, northeast along the railroad to the Brook, west along the Brook "and the Mill Pond and land belonging to the Old Machine Shop" to the road; twenty acres. Signed Oct. 8, 1904, acknowledged and recorded Oct. 10, 1904. Charles Henry Hill's house of about 1870 and the older house on the 1868 lot both stood on this land.
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| August 30, 1913 | Warranty Deed | Margaret E. Hill of Billerica, unmarried; Aphia C. Hill, widow of Charles H. Hill (dower and homestead) | William P. Hadley of Hudson, N.H. | the house lot sold to W. P. Hadley (340 Concord Rd) | 509/258 |
For one dollar, "a certain piece or parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica on the easterly side of the Bedford Road": beginning at the southwest corner on the road at land of the heirs of Jonathan Hill, easterly along their land 151.35, 117.89, 131 and 129 feet to Margaret E. Hill, northerly 48.7 and 59.8 feet, westerly 152.28 and 352 feet to the road, southerly 264.07 feet on the road; 2.17 acres, "being a part of the premises described in a deed to said Margaret E. Hill from Charles H. Hill, dated October 8, 1904 ... Book 370, Page 300", shown on a plan by F. W. Huntington and Co. surveyed July 1913 and "bounded on all sides by stone walls"; a new hen house about sixty feet long is excepted. Signed Aug. 28, 1913; recorded Aug. 30, 1913 with Plan Book 30 Plan 52. This is the Hadley Homestead, 340 Concord Road.
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| October 13, 1939 | Quitclaim Deed | Florence G. Hadley of Billerica, unmarried | Roger C. Hadley of Winchester | Florence G. Hadley to Roger C. Hadley | 936/197 |
Stamps $2.00: "the land in said Billerica, together with the buildings thereon, situated on the easterly side of the Bedford Road", with the bounds of the 1913 Hadley plan (264.07 feet on the road, heirs of Jonathan Hill on the south, Margaret E. Hill on the north and east), 2.17 acres, "being the premises conveyed by Hill et al to Hadley ... Book 509, Page 258"; the grantee assumes the Lowell Co-operative Bank mortgage (given by Florence in 1934, Book 855 Page 429). Signed Oct. 10, 1939; recorded Oct. 13, 1939. Florence G. Hadley held the place after William P. Hadley; no deed from him to her is recorded, so she presumably took it from his estate.
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| April 1, 1942 | Quitclaim Deed | Roger C. Hadley of Winchester; Dora E. Hadley his wife | Robert E. Wyman and Irene H. Wyman of Billerica, husband and wife | Hadley to Wyman | 975/594 |
"The land in said Billerica, together with the buildings thereon, situated on the easterly side of the Bedford Road", the 2.17-acre Hadley lot with the same bounds, "being the premises conveyed by Hill et al to Hadley ... Book 509, Page 258"; the grantees assume the Lowell Co-operative Bank mortgage. Signed March 16, 1942; recorded April 1, 1942 (pages 594-595).
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| July 10, 1945 | Quitclaim Deed | Robert E. Wyman and Irene H. Wyman of Billerica | Albert E. Newick of Billerica | Wyman to Newick | 1026/225 |
Stamps $6.05 (about $5,500): the 2.17-acre Hadley lot "with the buildings thereon" on the easterly side of the Bedford Road, "being the same premises conveyed to us by Roger C. Hadley by his deed dated March 16, 1942 ... Book 975, Page 594", subject to the 1945 taxes. Signed July 2, 1945; recorded July 10, 1945. Newick mortgaged it the same day to the Lowell Co-operative Bank for $4,000 (page 226).
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| July 22, 1946 | Quitclaim Deed | Albert E. Newick of Billerica; Agnes Cotten Newick his wife | Irene Dale of Quincy | Newick to Dale (straw) | 1049/213 |
For less than $100, the 2.17-acre lot "with the buildings thereon" on the easterly side of the Bedford Road (Hadley plan bounds), title recited to Roger C. Hadley, Book 975 Page 594. Signed July 20, 1946; recorded July 22, 1946. A straw deed: Irene Dale conveyed the lot back the same day.
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| July 22, 1946 | Quitclaim Deed | Irene Dale of Quincy, unmarried | Albert E. Newick and Agnes Cotten Newick, husband and wife, of Billerica | Dale to the Newicks (straw) | 1049/214 |
For less than $100, the same 2.17 acres with the buildings, back to the Newicks as tenants by the entirety. Signed July 20, 1946; recorded July 22, 1946 (pages 214-215).
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| November 12, 1946 | Quitclaim Deed | Albert E. Newick and Agnes Cotten Newick of Billerica | Herbert G. Gordon and Alice M. Gordon of Cambridge, husband and wife | Newick to Gordon | 1057/325 |
Stamps $12.10 (about $11,000): "the land in said Billerica with the buildings thereon, situated on the easterly side of the Bedford Road", 2.17 acres (Hadley plan bounds), "Being the same premises conveyed to us by Irene Dale by deed dated July 20, 1946 ... Book 1049, Page 214." Signed and recorded Nov. 12, 1946 (pages 325-326); the Gordons mortgaged it the same day to the Middlesex Institution for Savings.
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| May 3, 1948 | Quitclaim Deed | Herbert G. Gordon and Alice M. Gordon of Billerica | Robert L. Halfman of Cambridge | Gordon to Halfman | 1090/214 |
Stamps $13.75 (about $12,500): "the land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica on the Easterly side of Bedford Road", 2.17 acres per the 1913 Hadley plan (Plan Book 30 Plan 52), "Being the same premises conveyed to us by Albert E. Newick, et ux, by deed dated November 12, 1946 ... Book 1057, Page 325." Signed April 30, 1948; recorded May 3, 1948. Halfman mortgaged it to the Lexington Co-operative Bank for $8,000 the same day (page 215).
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| September 8, 1950 | Quitclaim Deed | Robert L. Halfman and Eleanora L. Halfman of Billerica | Carrie Wellington of Melrose | Halfman to Wellington (straw) | 1150/524 |
The 2.17-acre lot "with the buildings thereon" on the easterly side of Bedford Road (Plan Book 30 Plan 52), "Being the same premises conveyed to said Robert L. Halfman by deed of Herbert G. Gordon et al, dated April 30, 1948 ... Book 1090, Page 214." Signed Sept. 7, 1950; recorded Sept. 8, 1950. A straw deed to put the title in husband and wife together.
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| September 8, 1950 | Quitclaim Deed | Carrie Wellington of Melrose | Robert L. Halfman and Eleanora L. Halfman, husband and wife | Wellington to the Halfmans (straw) | 1150/525 |
The same 2.17 acres back to the Halfmans as tenants by the entirety, "Being the same premises conveyed to me by deed of Robert L. Halfman et al, of even date." Signed Sept. 7, 1950; recorded Sept. 8, 1950.
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| 1954 | Quitclaim Deed | Robert L. Halfman and Eleanora L. Halfman of Billerica | Private buyers (husband and wife) | Halfman to private owners; later sales | 1262/543 |
"The lands with the buildings thereon ... on the Easterly side of BEDFORD ROAD (now called CONCORD ROAD)", the 2.17 acres of the 1913 Hadley plan, subject to the 1954 taxes, "Being the same premises conveyed to us by deed of Carrie Wellington dated September 7, 1950 ... Book 1150, Page 525." The buyers' family kept the house for more than sixty years (family deeds in 2000 and 2003) and sold it in 2016 to the present private owner. The assessor's card calls it the "Hadley Homestead" and dates the house to about 1820. Recorded 1954.
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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.