Structure · Built 1852 · Demolished 1999
Joseph Cowdry House
The Joseph Cowdry House was the homestead of Joseph Cowdry and his son Francis B. Cowdry on the west side of the Rangeway Road in the northwest corner of Billerica, a short way north of the Carlisle line. The 1853 town map labels it "P. & J. Cowdry". The farmhouse stood for about a century and a half, latterly as 271 Rangeway Road, and was razed in 1999 when the farm became the West Meadow Estates subdivision. Its site is the lot now numbered 2 Westmeadow Lane.
The land first appears in the records as part of a group of small holdings at the Carlisle line. In 1798 Willard Duren sold Ebenezer Easty 7 3/4 acres on "the Range-way", "the whole of the third set off to Elizabeth Dows". In March 1815 Ebenezer Easte sold Reuben H. Richardson four pieces there: four acres "of orcharding and mowing", the Dows third, a quarter acre "with a dwelling house" right on the Billerica-Carlisle line, and a 25-acre lot running north from the corner along the Rangeway to Benoni Spaulding's land and west to Thomas Spaulding's, where one bound was "a large rock with stones on it". Thomas Richardson released the same land to Josiah Stevens and Elizabeth Richardson in March 1827, and in June 1827 they sold all of it to Joseph Cowdry, yeoman, for $400.
The 1827 deed names a house only on the small lot at the town line. The 25 acres were bare land, and the Cowdry farmhouse was built on them by Joseph Cowdry after 1827. By 1857 he called the lot "my homestead farm ... containing about twenty five acres with a dwelling house and barn thereon". He passed the farm to his son in two halves: in March 1850 he deeded Francis B. Cowdry an undivided half of the 30-acre homestead lot and the 13-acre piece at the Carlisle line, and Francis at once gave his parents, Joseph and Lucy, a life estate in it. In June 1857 Joseph deeded the other half "not heretofore conveyed", so that "upon my decease said Francis will be seized in fee of both halves", and Francis leased the whole farm back to his father "during his natural life" rent free. The two names on the 1853 map are this father and son. In 1858 Francis and his wife Lydia sold a three-quarter-acre strip "near said Handley's house" to the neighbor Andrew Handley, "subject to the life estate therein of Joseph Cowdry". That strip is excepted in every later deed of the farm.
Francis B. Cowdry mortgaged the farm "with buildings thereon" to John S. Shed, a Chelmsford ploughmaker, in 1861, 1862 and 1885, describing it as 25 or 28 acres plus 11 or 13 acres of pasture at the Carlisle line, later called the "Old Place". He died about 1886, leaving his property to his widow Lydia. No deed of the farm was recorded for the next fifty years: it passed within the family through the probate court, to Francis W. "Frank" Cowdrey, a farmer (died 1922), and then to his widow Margaret Frances ("Frances M.") Cowdrey, who died in February 1935. The town fire report for 1913 records that a "house and two barns owned by Frank Cowdry" burned on May 2 of that year, but does not say where.
In October 1935 Wilfred W. Cowdrey, administrator of Frances M. Cowdrey's estate and a veteran of Company G, 39th Infantry, in France, mortgaged the farm, "twenty-five (25) acres more or less, with a dwelling house and barn thereon upon the westerly side of the Rangeway Road", together with the 13-acre "Old Place". In 1946 his brothers Frank E. and Walter H. Cowdrey and sister Maude F. Mills released their shares to him. In 1964 he paid off the 1935 mortgage and sold the Old Place on its own to a Carlisle couple, keeping the homestead.
After Wilfred W. Cowdrey's death the homestead passed to the Gentle family of Lowell, who held it from 1974 until 1999 under the same description first written for the Cowdreys. In 1999 the Gentle heirs had the land surveyed by Raymond Engineering Service. The plan of March 1999 divides it into Lot A, 50,047 square feet at the road, where the old house and barns are drawn as "existing structures to be razed", and Lot B, about 22 acres behind it. Both lots were sold to North Middlesex Construction Company that year: Lot A for $75,000, and the back land for $440,000 as West Meadow Estates, nine lots on the new Westmeadow Lane. New houses were built on both in 2000. Lot A is now 2 Westmeadow Lane, and Lot 1 of the subdivision is 1 Westmeadow Lane.
References
Deed References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| June 26, 1798 | Deed | Willard Duren of Billerica, yeoman, and Mary his wife | Ebenezer Easty of Billerica, yeoman | 1798 the Dows third at the Carlisle line (later the "Old Place" pasture) sold to Ebenezer Easty | 130/70 (South) |
Billerica town book 9, pages 374-375. For $180, 7 3/4 acres "beginning at the Range-way at a stake and stones by land of Lt. Asa Spaulding", west and south by Spaulding "to Carlisle line", east on the town line to within six and a half rods of the Rangeway, around a small corner lot, then north by the way, "being the whole of the third set off to Elizabeth Dows", excepting a mortgage to Isaac Stearns "on which a small sum remains unpaid". This is the Dows third at the Carlisle line, later the 13-acre "Old Place" pasture of the Cowdry farm.
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| August 10, 1826 | Warranty Deed | Ebenezer Easte of Billerica, yeoman, and Abigail his wife | Reuben H. Richardson of Billerica, yeoman | 1815 Easte sells the four Rangeway pieces, including the 25-acre homestead lot, to Reuben H. Richardson | 268/360 (South) |
Billerica town book 12, pages 492-494. Signed March 8, 1815, acknowledged April 3, 1815, recorded only on August 10, 1826. For $500, four pieces on the Rangeway: 4 acres "of orcharding and mowing" on the west side of "the range-way" at the bars into "the Dows lot"; 7 3/4 acres to the Carlisle line, "the whole of the third formerly set off to Elizabeth Dows"; a quarter acre "with a dwelling house" at the Rangeway "in the line between said Billerica and Carlisle"; and 25 acres from the southeast corner at the Rangeway north to land occupied by Benoni Spaulding, west to Thomas Spaulding, south "to a large rock with stones on it", and east by the Nickles land. The 25 acres became the Cowdry homestead lot.
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| 1827 | Quitclaim | Thomas Richardson of Billerica, gentleman | Josiah Stevens of Billerica, gentleman, and Elizabeth Richardson of Billerica, singlewoman | 1827 Thomas Richardson releases the Rangeway land to Josiah Stevens and Elizabeth Richardson | 273/231 (South) |
Billerica town book 12, pages 528-530, signed March 20, 1827. For $400, a release of the same four pieces on the Rangeway (the 4 acres, the 7 3/4-acre Dows third, the quarter acre "with a dwelling house thereon" at the Carlisle line, and the 25 acres to "a large rock with stones on it"), "hereby intending to convey the same parcels of land conveyed by Ebenezer Easte to Reuben H. Richardson by deed dated the eighth day of March AD 1815", Book 268 page 360.
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| September 4, 1827 | Warranty Deed | Josiah Stevens of Billerica, gentleman (wife Abigail releasing dower), and Elizabeth Richardson of Billerica, singlewoman | Joseph Cowdry of Billerica, yeoman | 1827 Stevens and Richardson sell the Rangeway land to Joseph Cowdry | 276/287 (South) |
Billerica town book 12, pages 567-569. Signed June 4, 1827. For $400, the four pieces on the west side of "the Rangeway in said Billerica so called": 4 acres of orcharding and mowing, the 7 3/4 acres "formerly set off to Elizabeth Dows", a quarter acre "with a dwelling house thereon" in the Billerica-Carlisle line, and 25 acres bounded by the Rangeway, Benoni and Thomas Spaulding, "a large rock with stones on it" and the Nickles land, "meaning hereby to convey all the land" in the Easte-Richardson deed. No building is named on the 25 acres: Joseph Cowdry built the homestead there after 1827.
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| March 9, 1850 | Deed | Joseph Cowdry of Billerica, yeoman | His son Francis B. Cowdry of Billerica, yeoman | 1850 Joseph Cowdry deeds half the farm to his son Francis B. | 579/212 (South) |
Billerica town book 21, pages 29-30, dated March 5, 1850. For $400, "one undivided half" of two parcels "in the westerly part" of Billerica: about thirty acres, west by Mrs. Jonas Brown and Edward Spaulding to "a stone bound near a large rock", southeast by Spaulding to Silas H. P. Cowdry, east to "the Rangeway road, so called"; and about thirteen acres on the west side of the road forty rods to the south, bounded by Spaulding "on the wall" and south "to the Town line between Billerica and Carlisle".
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| March 9, 1850 | Life Estate Deed | Francis B. Cowdry of Billerica, yeoman | His parents Joseph Cowdry, yeoman, and Lucy Cowdry | 1850 Francis B. gives his parents a life estate in that half | 579/213 (South) |
Billerica town book 21, pages 31-32, dated March 5, 1850, the same day as the deed from Joseph. For $400, Francis releases the same undivided half of the 30-acre homestead parcel and the 13-acre parcel at the Carlisle line to Joseph and Lucy "during the term of their natural lives" and the life of the survivor, "being the same premises conveyed to me by the said Joseph Cowdry by deed of even date herewith".
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| June 10, 1857 | Quitclaim | Joseph Cowdry of Billerica, yeoman | His son Francis B. Cowdry of Billerica, yeoman | 1857 Joseph deeds the other half of "my homestead farm ... with a dwelling house and barn" | 10/97 |
Dated June 9, 1857. For $500, "the one undivided half part of my homestead farm situate in the westerly part of said Billerica containing about twenty five acres with a dwelling house and barn thereon", bounded east by the Rangeway, north by Daniel Hartford, west by Edward Spalding, south by Spalding and Andrew Handley, and half the pasture "called the 'Old Place'", 13 acres. "The half ... hereby conveyed is that half thereof not heretofore conveyed by me to said Francis, and upon my decease said Francis will be seized in fee of both halves thereof." Witness and justice Joel Adams.
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| June 10, 1857 | Lease | Francis B. Cowdry of Billerica | His father Joseph Cowdry of Billerica | 1857 Francis leases the farm back to his father for life | 10/98 |
Dated June 9, 1857. Whereas "my father Joseph Cowdry" has this day conveyed the other half "of a certain farm and pasture situate in the westerly part of said Billerica" on the agreement that Joseph "shall have the income and occupation of said granted premises during his natural life free of rent", Francis leases him "all the farm and buildings this day conveyed to me", rent free "during his natural life and no longer".
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| May 18, 1858 | Warranty Deed | Francis B. Cowdry of Billerica, yeoman, and Lydia Cowdry his wife | Andrew Handley, now of Chelmsford, late of Billerica, yeoman | 1858 corner strip sold to neighbor Andrew Handley, subject to Joseph's life estate | 14/479 |
Dated May 12, 1858. For $25, about three quarters of an acre "in the westerly part of said Billerica town", beginning "on the Rangeway Road, so called, near said Handley's house" and running to "the old wall between Handley and Cowdry lands", "being part of the homestead farm" of Francis and Lydia. Handley is to move the stone wall to the new line within a year. "This conveyance ... is subject to the life estate therein of Joseph Cowdry father of said Francis B." This parcel is the exception named in every later deed of the farm.
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| June 1, 1861 | Mortgage | Francis B. Cowdry of Billerica, yeoman (wife Lydia releasing dower and homestead) | John S. Shed of Chelmsford, ploughmaker | 1861 mortgage of the farm "with buildings thereon" to John S. Shed | 28/9 |
Dated June 1, 1861. To secure $350 in five years: "a lot of land situate in the northwesterly part of Billerica, with buildings thereon", from the wall at the Rangeway road north by Rodney Brown about 80 rods, west by Edward Spalding, south and east by Andrew Handley back to the road, 25 acres; and 13 acres from the Rangeway road at Deacon Edward Spalding's wall to Andrew Handley and south by the Carlisle line. Assigned to the Hall family; discharged on the margin May 14, 1912, by Alice B. Hall Prindle.
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| September 23, 1862 | Mortgage | Francis B. Cowdry of Billerica, yeoman | John S. Shed of Chelmsford | 1862 second mortgage to Shed | 32/129 |
To secure $150: "a lot of land with buildings thereon" in Billerica, 28 acres, beginning at "the Rangeway road, so called" at land of Sarah Brown, north by Brown, west by Deacon Edward Spaulding, south to Andrew Handley and back to the road; and another lot of eleven acres from the Rangeway road at Edward Spaulding's land. Discharged on the margin by John S. Shed.
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| June 4, 1885 | Mortgage | Francis B. Cowdrey of Billerica | John S. Shed of Chelmsford | 1885 mortgage to Shed, the last record of Francis B. Cowdrey | 174/421 |
To secure $400: "a lot of land situate in the Northwesterly part of said Billerica with buildings thereon", from the wall at the Rangeway Road north by land formerly of Rodney Brown about eighty rods, west and south by Edward Spaulding, "containing twenty eight (28) acres more or less", and the eleven-acre piece at the Carlisle line, "being subject to a mortgage of three hundred fifty dollars to said Shed, dated June 1st 1861", Book 28 page 9. Assigned to Alice B. Hall; discharged May 14, 1912, by Alice B. Hall Prindle.
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| November 30, 1935 | Administrator's Mortgage | Wilfred W. Cowdrey of Billerica, administrator of the estate of Frances M. Cowdrey | Billerica Trust Company | 1935 administrator of Frances M. Cowdrey mortgages the farm, "with a dwelling house and barn" | 875/494 |
Signed October 17, 1935, "by virtue of a license to mortgage certain real estate in said estate granted to me on September 25, 1935 by the Probate Court" (the license, signed by Judge John C. Leggat, is recorded just before it). To secure $1,500 in one year at six per cent: "twenty-five (25) acres more or less, with a dwelling house and barn thereon upon the westerly side of the Rangeway Road", bounded by the road, land formerly of Daniel Hartford, Edward Spalding and Andrew Handley, and the 13-acre "Old Place" pasture, excepting the 1858 Handley parcel. The buildings to be insured for $1,500.
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| October 7, 1954 | Quitclaim | Frank E. Cowdrey of Lexington (wife Mary A. releasing dower), Walter H. Cowdrey of Billerica and Maude F. Mills of Tewksbury | Wilfred W. Cowdrey of Billerica | 1946 Cowdrey heirs release the farm to Wilfred W. Cowdrey | 1271/289 |
Signed December 12, 1946, recorded October 7, 1954. "No money consideration." The same 25 acres "with a dwelling house and barn thereon upon the westerly side of the Rangeway Road" and the 13-acre "Old Place", excepting the 1858 Handley parcel, subject to the 1935 mortgage then held by the Middlesex County National Bank, "being all our right, title and interest derived by us as heirs of Frances M. Cowdrey, late of said Billerica". In March 1964 the bank discharged the 1935 mortgage and Wilfred sold the 13-acre "Old Place" alone to a private Carlisle couple (Book 1640 page 456), keeping the homestead.
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| August 19, 1974 | Quitclaim | Mary E. Gentle of Lowell | George H. Gentle and Mary E. Gentle, husband and wife, tenants by the entirety | 1974 the Gentles take title after Wilfred W. Cowdrey's estate | 2123/672 |
For $1, the same 25 acres "with a dwelling house and barn thereon upon the westerly side of the Rangeway Road" and the 13-acre "Old Place" pasture, excepting the Cowdrey-Handley parcel of 1858. "For my title see Estate of Wilfred W. Cowdrey, Middlesex Probate Court, Docket No. 456852. Wilfred W. Cowdrey derived his title through Deed from Frank E. Cowdrey et al. See Book 1271 Page 289."
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| April 29, 1987 | Quitclaim | George H. Gentle of Lowell | George H. J. Gentle, Robert F. Gentle and Mary Ann Kirane, tenants in common | 1987 George H. Gentle deeds the farm to his children, keeping a life estate | 4029/212 |
For $1, the same two parcels ("the land in Billerica, with the buildings thereon, viz: Twenty-five (25) acres, more or less, with a dwelling house and barn thereon upon the westerly side of the Rangeway Road", and the 13-acre "Old Place"), excepting Book 14 page 479; "I George H. Gentle hereby retain a Life Estate for myself." Title: Book 2123 page 672. The registry later indexed his death certificate and a release (Book 10122 pages 82-83, 1999), ending the life estate.
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| April 16, 1991 | Quitclaim | George H. Gentle of Lowell | Shirley Gentle, trustee of Hyperion Realty Trust | 1991 a one-third share to Hyperion Realty Trust | 5498/75 |
Signed April 9, 1991, for $1: his one-third interest in the 25 acres "with a dwelling house and barn upon the westerly side of Rangeway Rd.", bounded by the road and land formerly of Daniel Hartford, Edward Spalding and Andrew Handley. Title: Book 4029 page 212. Confirmed by a deed of 1999 (Book 10122 page 80), indexed as 271 Rangeway Road.
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| May 3, 1999 | Quitclaim | Robert F. Gentle, Mary Ann Kirane, and Shirley Gentle as trustee of Hyperion Realty Trust | North Middlesex Construction Company Inc. of Billerica | 1999 house lot (Lot A) sold to the builder; old buildings to be razed | 10122/85 |
For $75,000, Lot A, 50,047 square feet, on a plan of land on Rangeway Road dated March 16, 1999, by Raymond Engineering Service (Plan Book 199 Page 131), the house lot at the road. The plan marks the old buildings on Lot A as "existing structures to be razed". Title: Book 4029 page 212 and Book 5498 page 75. Lot A is now 2 Westmeadow Lane; the builder sold it with a new house in June 2000 to a private owner.
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| October 18, 1999 | Quitclaim | Robert F. Gentle, Mary Ann Kirane, and Shirley Gentle as trustee of Hyperion Realty Trust | North Middlesex Construction Company Inc. of Billerica | 1999 back land sold for the West Meadow Estates subdivision | 10467/286 |
For $440,000, the lots on the plan "West Meadow Estates, Westmeadow Lane, Billerica, Mass." (Plan Book 201 Page 105, approved October 1999), together with the fee in the new way, Westmeadow Lane: the back land of the Cowdry farm (Lot B of Plan 199-131). Title: Book 4029 page 212. Lot 1, now 1 Westmeadow Lane, was sold with a new house in July 2000 (Book 10922 page 213) and has since passed between private owners.
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Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted.