New Colony Baptist Church
New Colony Baptist Church stands on the south side of River Street west of the Center, across the street from Billerica Memorial High School and beside the Parker School. The congregation is affiliated with the Baptist Convention of New England and the Southern Baptist Convention. Its lot of about two and a half acres, with a church and a hall, has been its home since 1967.
The land was part of the house lot granted to James Kidder in the first years of the town, and it stayed in the Kidder family until 1791, when the heirs of Capt. Solomon Kidder, who died in the Revolution, sold the farm to Stephen Parker. His son Gardner Parker bought out his brothers' and sisters' shares, and in 1884 Gardner's widow deeded the seventy-acre homestead farm to their son J. Nelson Parker. After the deaths of J. Nelson Parker and his widow the heirs had the farm surveyed in 1939 in four parcels. The church lot is part of Parcel A, "about 19 1/2 acres" between River Street and Parker Street, which was sold in 1941, 1942, 1943 and, on April 26, 1944, to Luther W. and Cornelia Jacobs of Richford, Vermont. The story of the farm is told under the John Nelson - Stephen Parker House.
The Jacobses cut Parcel A into house lots in 1946. On June 27, 1946 they sold 2.58 acres "on the Southerly side of River Street" to Dr. Thomas Forsley, a Billerica physician, and his wife Ella A. Forsley, by a plan drawn that June by John T. Brown. Neither the deed nor the plan shows a building. When the town bought the Jacobs land behind the lot for a new elementary school in 1951 and 1952, the town meeting voted unanimously to give Forsley Lot C on the town's survey "in exchange for the conveyance by Forsley to the Town of Lot B." The two deeds, of March 1952, traded a triangle of 4,833 square feet at the back of his lot for a triangle of 5,000 square feet beside it, and the school opened next door in 1953 as the Parker School. Dr. Forsley, the medical officer of the town's Civil Defense, died in October 1954. His widow was living at 30 River Street in 1957.
The church was already incorporated as "New Colony Baptist Church of Billerica," with "its principal place of worship in Billerica," in August 1965, when it bought a house on the west side of Dickinson Street near Richardson Street. On April 7, 1967 Ella A. Forsley, widow, deeded the River Street lot "with the buildings thereon" to the church, which borrowed $24,000 on it from the Hillside-Cambridge Co-operative Bank the same day. In August 1971 the church gave a mortgage on the property to the Reading Savings Bank, signed by its trustees, and in September an $80,000 mortgage, "in twenty (20) years" at 7 percent, to the New Colony Trust. By 1973 the "New Colony Baptist Church and Hall" were among the buildings tied into the town sewer. The assessor gives the main building a date of about 1940, which is earlier than the 1946 deed of the empty land, so the date of the present church is not known from the records read.
Pastors of the church have given the invocation at town meeting: Pastor Gene Foshee in 1981 (named as Rev. Charles Foshee in the town's list of invocations), Rev. Ronald Huffman in 1987 and Rev. Jack Parrott in 1999. Phil Wilkes came from Jonesboro, Georgia, to be pastor in August 2003, and Dave Flannery is the lead pastor today. The church still owns the land under the 1967 deed and holds Sunday worship at 30 River Street.
References
- New Colony Baptist Church: 30 River Street, across from Billerica Memorial High School; affiliated with the Baptist Convention of New England and the Southern Baptist Convention
- FaithStreet listing: pastor Phil Wilkes came from Jonesboro, Georgia, in August 2003
- Billerica assessor, parcel 50-50-0: 2.58 acres, church, owner New Colony Baptist Church, deed 1790-528, Plan 68-78
- Town report 1951, special town meeting, Article 31: exchange of Lots B and C with Thomas Forsley for the school site
- Town report 1973, Board of Sewer Commissioners (p. 94): "New Colony Baptist Church and Hall" among the buildings tied into the sewer
- Town report 1981, annual town meeting: invocation by Pastor Gene Foshee of the New Colony Baptist Church, River St.
- Town report 1987, town meeting: invocation by Rev. Ronald Huffman, pastor of the New Colony Baptist Church
- Town report 1999, town meeting: invocation by Rev. Jack Parrott, pastor of the New Colony Baptist Church
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| 1677 | Inventory | Estate of Ensign James Kidder of Billerica (died April 10, 1676) | His widow Anna (Moore) Kidder and children | James Kidder home lot, first owner of the land | Probate #13232 |
The Middlesex file for James Kidder, the first settler of the lot, holds only the index card "James Kidder of Billerica, 1677(?), Record of Inventory, Vol. 5 Page 34"; no will or division survives in the file papers. His thirty-acre house lot, granted in 1656 and occupied in 1659, was bounded "by John Rogers, sen., on the south ... by the West street or highway which leads from long street to the great river on the north; and by the great river on the west" (Hazen, 1883). His house was a garrison in 1675. The lot next appears in 1741 as the homestead of his son Enoch.
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| June 16, 1743 | Gift | Enoch Kidder of Billerica, yeoman (son of James Kidder) | His son Enoch Kidder Jr. of Billerica | Kidder homestead, gift to Enoch Kidder Jr. | 43/458 (South) |
Billerica town book 4, pages 397-399; acknowledged 1741, recorded with the deeds entered June 16, 1743. "For and in consideration of the parental love good will and affection which I have and do bear unto my son Enoch Kidder Junr.," several parcels, first "my Homestead containing about fifty acres more or less bounded Easterly on land of the Revd. Samuel Ruggles bounded Southerly on land of the said Samuel Ruggles and partly on land of Jacob Danforth westerly on Concord river northerly by the land of Oliver Whiting Junr. together with all the building thereon standing," with meadow in Tewksbury, 28 acres on Stoney Hill, 57 acres by Fox Hill and 51 acres west of the river, all valued at 1,000 pounds "towards his part and portion in my estate." The river and Danforth bounds match the farm Enoch Jr. sold to his son Solomon in 1774.
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| 1774 | Deed | Capt. Enoch Kidder of Billerica, gentleman | His son Solomon Kidder of Billerica, gentleman | Kidder homestead to Solomon Kidder | 77/137 (South) |
Billerica town book 7, pages 85-86, dated April 29, 1774. For 333 pounds 6s 8d, "my Homestead Farm, containing about sixty acres," running from a stake and stones "by the Town Way" (now River Street) about 180 poles to the Concord River, 60 poles along the river to Doct. Danforth, then by Danforth and John Parker back to the start, "with all the Buildings thereon standing," except "the West Room & Chamber, back Kitchen & Chamber & convenient Cellar Room in my Dwelling House & a good Garden spot on the Back of said House, & Use of my Well," reserved for "my Daughter Rebecca during her single Life." Also 20 acres west of the river on the Tribble Cove road. The bounds are those of the 1791 deed to Stephen Parker.
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| 1776 | Administration | Estate of Capt. Solomon Kidder of Billerica, gentleman (intestate; died at White Plains, November 20, 1776) | His widow Lydia Kidder, administratrix, and his children Lydia, Samuel Phillips and Dorothy Kidder | Solomon Kidder estate, homestead about 60 acres | Probate #13258 |
Lydia Kidder was appointed administratrix December 30, 1776. The inventory of February 21, 1777 lists "the homestead with the Buildings thereon standing containing about Sixty acres, Bounded North by the highway leading to the River, West by said River, South by Doct. Timothy Danforth, East by Lieut. John Parker," at 600 pounds, with "a piece of land lying on the North side of the homestead about half an acre"; the homestead and a 25-acre lot west of the river were "leased out to the Deceased's Father during his natural life." The estate was represented insolvent in May 1777, but the homestead stayed with the children, who sold it to Stephen Parker in 1791.
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| August 19, 1812 | Deed | Samuel Phillips Kidder of Haverhill, trader, Lydia Kidder of Haverhill and Dorothy Kidder of Billerica, single women, children of Lt. Solomon Kidder | Their cousin Stephen Parker of Billerica, yeoman | Kidder heirs sell the farm to Stephen Parker | 199/359 (South) |
Billerica town book 11, pages 195-196, dated December 7, 1791 (acknowledged 1793, 1802 and 1809; recorded August 19, 1812). For 285 pounds, "a certain farm in Billerica, with all the buildings thereon standing, about eighty rods west of the meeting house," running from a stake and stones at its northeast corner "by the town way" along that way about 180 poles to the Concord River, about 60 poles on the river to Doct. Danforth, then by Danforth, John Parker, Capt. Parker and Stephen Parker back to the start; "said farm contains fifty four acres." This is the James Kidder home lot; Stephen Parker's mother Abigail was a sister of Solomon Kidder, who died at White Plains in 1776. The deed is dated 1791, not "about 1805" as in the MACRIS form.
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| 1830 | Administration | Estate of Capt. Stephen Parker of Billerica, gentleman (intestate) | His widow Sybil Parker, administratrix | Stephen Parker estate, homestead farm | Probate #16808 |
Sybil Parker, widow, was appointed administratrix April 27, 1830, with a $30,000 bond. The inventory of "Capt. Stephen Parker" lists "The homestead of said deceased consisting of about 97 acres with the buildings thereon" at $3,413, about 42 acres west of the Concord River on the road to Carlisle, "City Farm so called" of about 60 acres, the "Turnpike Pasture" of 18 1/2 acres on the Middlesex Turnpike, and pew no. 1 in the old meetinghouse; total real estate $5,313. The personal estate includes a cider mill and a mill house.
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| 1831 | Dower and Partition | Estate of Stephen Parker of Billerica | Widow Sybil Parker (dower) and the six heirs: Eliza P. Annable, Stephen, Mary P. Dennis, Gardner, Clarissa and Daniel Parker | dower and partition of the Parker homestead | Probate #16808 |
On petition of the son Stephen Parker (November 16, 1830), Joseph Locke, Samuel Whiting and William Bowers set off the widow's dower and divided the rest (return April 21, 1831). The homestead farm was "100 acres more or less with the buildings thereon," lying on both sides of "the road leading from the meeting house to the Middle bridge" (now River Street). Sybil received "The lot of land on which the dwelling house stands including the garden behind the house, about one quarter of an acre ... with the house and all the buildings standing thereon, bounded on the northerly side by the road," plus 4 1/2 acres south of the house with a mill house. Gardner Parker received "about four acres called the old orchard," seven acres between it and the Concord River, and six acres south of the road; the other children shared the barn, orchards and pastures.
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| 1831 | Deed | Eliza Annable of Boston, widow, daughter of Stephen Parker | Her brother Gardner Parker of Billerica, yeoman | Annable share to Gardner Parker | 304/436 (South) |
Billerica town book 14, pages 417-418. For $531.12 she sells her share of "the estate formerly belonging to Capt. Stephen Parker, deceased": three lots west and south of "the lot on which the Cider mill house stands," bounded by Rev. N. Whitman, "the Westerly part of barn ... with the land on which the same stands, and the lane from the barn Westerly to the pasture," and "all my right and title in and to that part of the estate of my deceased father Stephen Parker, which is set off to my Mother in law, Sybil Parker for her dower," that is, her reversion in the house lot. The first of Gardner Parker's purchases that reunited the homestead.
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| 1842 | Deed | Rev. Rodney G. Dennis of Somers, Connecticut, clerk, and his wife Mary Dennis in her right | Her brother Gardner Parker of Billerica, yeoman | Dennis share to Gardner Parker | 412/226 (South) |
Billerica town book 17, pages 245-246, dated February 26, 1842. For $800, Mary Dennis's share of her father's farm: 15 3/4 acres north of "the road leading from Billerica Meeting house over the middle Bridge," a two-acre lot "in the rear of the barn with the easterly end of said barn" bounded east by "the widow Sybil Parker's dower," and her "reversionary right title and interest" in the dower, "consisting of the mansion house and garden north of said house and buildings belonging to said house and four and a half acres of land in front of the house. Also the cider Mill house being an undivided sixth part of the reversion of said dower."
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| 1848 | Quitclaim Deed | Daniel Parker of Bedford, yeoman, son of Stephen Parker | His brother Gardner Parker of Billerica, yeoman | Daniel Parker share to Gardner Parker | 545/262 (South) |
Billerica town book 20, pages 158-160. For $350, about 54 acres west of the Concord River from "the westerly end of Middle Bridge so called" to the road from Carlisle, "being that portion of my father's Estate set off to me," and "one undivided sixth part of that portion of my father's Estate set off as my mother's Dower, consisting of about four acres with the building thereon, known as the widow's thirds," excepting a $459 mortgage. With the Annable and Dennis deeds this gave Gardner Parker four of the six shares in the reversion of the house lot.
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| January 7, 1864 | Mortgage | Gardner Parker of Billerica, yeoman (wife Adeline releasing dower) | Dudley Foster of Billerica, yeoman | Gardner Parker homestead farm, 70 acres | 37/44 |
Dated January 1, 1864. For $2,500, "my homestead farm situated in the centre of said Billerica, containing seventy acres more or less, with the buildings thereon," running from a bound on "the road leading to Carlisle" west to the Concord River, south along the river "at low-water mark" to George H. Whitman, and back by A. F. Page, B. J. Gilbert, Charles H. Parker, John Baldwin and Dudley Foster. The margin notes an assignment (Book 92, Page 60, to Anthony Jones) and the 1884 discharge to J. Nelson Parker (Book 168, Page 215). The earliest North District description of the farm.
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| July 29, 1884 | Deed | Adeline M. Parker of Billerica, widow of Gardner Parker | Her son J. Nelson Parker of Billerica | homestead farm to J. Nelson Parker | 168/215 |
Dated June 17, 1884, pages 215-216. For $4,000, "The Homestead Farm of the late Gardner Parker, situated in the centre of said Billerica containing seventy acres more or less with the buildings thereon," running from Mary F. Bryant's corner west along "the road leading to Carlisle" (now River Street) to the Concord River, south along the river at low water to George H. Whitman, then by A. F. Page, B. J. Gilbert, C. H. Parker and land formerly of John Baldwin back to Bryant; with a second tract north of the road, by Page, Joshua Bennett deceased and Clarissa Osborn. Subject to a $500 mortgage that J. Nelson Parker assumed. On the same page Judith Jones, executrix of Anthony Jones, discharged to him Gardner Parker's 1864 mortgage to Dudley Foster (Book 37, Page 44).
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| 1939 | Quitclaim Deed | George N. Parker of Billerica (Muriel S. Parker releasing dower and homestead) | His sister Frances P. Farquhar of Billerica | Parker heirs: Parcel A, 19 1/2 acres on River and Parker Streets | 933/195 |
Dated and acknowledged Aug. 15, 1939. "My interest, being a one-half undivided interest in common with the grantee, in the land in said Billerica with the buildings thereon": Parcel A, "about 19 1/2 acres", north by River Street 982.20 ft, west by Parker Street 933.44 ft, south by William H. Smith "on a stone wall" 771.60 ft, east by Hubbard, Page, Eames, Gulesian and the house lot of Plan 1; Parcel B (6 1/2 acres west of Parker Street to the railroad), Parcel C (31 acres to the Concord River) and Parcel D (33 1/2 acres north of River Street), on four plans "to be recorded herewith" by E. P. Simpson, July 1939 (Plan Book 62, Plans 31, 34, 37 and 40, filed Aug. 24, 1939). "For my title see deed from Adeline M. Parker to J. Nelson Parker dated June 17, 1884 ... Book 168, Page 215, and deed from Frank W. Parker ... Book 517, Page 152. See estate of J. Nelson Parker, Middlesex Probate #132,030 and estate of Charlotte S. Parker ... #154455." Parcel A is the school site.
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| September 12, 1941 | Quitclaim Deed | Frances P. Farquhar of Billerica (Frederick G. Farquhar releasing curtesy) | James Everett Farmer and Phyllis Caroline Farmer, husband and wife, of Billerica | Parcels A-D to the Farmers | 967/367 |
Dated Sept. 10, 1941, revenue stamps $8.25. "The land in said Billerica with the buildings thereon", the same Parcels A to D (A being "about 19 1/2 acres" between River and Parker Streets, Plan 2 of the group of four, Plan Book 62 Plan 34). "For my title see deed from George N. Parker to me dated August 15, 1939 ... Book 933, Page 195." The buyers gave back a $7,000 mortgage the same day (page 368). The Parker family ownership of the farm ended here.
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| September 12, 1941 | Mortgage | James Everett Farmer and Phyllis Caroline Farmer, husband and wife, of Billerica | Frances P. Farquhar of Billerica | mortgage back on the 1941 sale | 967/368 |
Dated Sept. 10, 1941. Purchase-money mortgage "to secure the payment of seven thousand (7,000.00) Dollars in one year with 4 1/2% per cent interest per annum, payable semi-annually", on Parcels A to D, the same bounds. Assumed by the Jacobses in 1942 and discharged April 12, 1944 (Book 1006, Page 588).
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| June 8, 1942 | Quitclaim Deed | James Everett Farmer and Phyllis Caroline Farmer, husband and wife, of Billerica | Donald Leonard Jacobs and Pauline Angeline Jacobs, husband and wife, of Billerica | Parcels A-D to Donald L. and Pauline A. Jacobs | 978/150 |
Dated May 27, 1942 (acknowledged in Suffolk County), pages 150-152, revenue stamps 55 cents. "The land in said Billerica with the building thereon", Parcels A to D with the 1941 bounds, Plan Book 62 Plans 31, 34, 37 and 40. "For our title see deed from Frances Farquhar to us dated September 10, 1941 ... Book 967, Page 367." Subject to the Farquhar mortgage, "on which the sum of $7000.00, with interest thereon from the 10th day of March, 1942, is now due", which the grantees assume.
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| October 5, 1943 | Quitclaim Deed | Donald Leonard Jacobs and Pauline Angeline Jacobs, husband and wife, of Billerica | Raymond J. Blondin and Doris Blondin, husband and wife, of Watertown | Parcels A-D to the Blondins | 998/263 |
Dated Sept. 25, 1943 (date from the 1944 deed), pages 263-264, revenue stamps 55 cents. "The land in said Billerica with the buildings thereon", Parcels A to D, the same bounds and the four 1939 plans.
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| May 23, 1944 | Warranty Deed | Raymond J. Blondin and Doris Blondin, husband and wife, of Billerica | Luther W. Jacobs and Cornelia Jacobs, husband and wife, of Richford, Vermont | Parcels A-D to Luther W. and Cornelia Jacobs | 1006/587 |
Dated April 26, 1944, acknowledged May 16, recorded May 23, 1944, revenue stamps $7.70, with warranty covenants. "The land in said Billerica with the buildings thereon": Parcel A, "about 19 1/2 acres" between River Street and Parker Street (Plan Book 62 Plan 34), and Parcels B, C and D. "For our title see deed to us dated September 25, 1943 from Donald L. Jacobs and Pauline A. Jacobs ... Book 998, Page 263." Luther W. Jacobs divided the River Street front into house lots in 1946 (Plan Book 68 Plan 76) and laid out Page Court across the south end in 1947 (Plan Book 72 Plan 16).
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| 1944 | Discharge | Frances P. Farquhar of Billerica | James Everett Farmer and Phyllis Caroline Farmer (and their successors in title) | discharge of the 1941 mortgage | 1006/588 |
Dated April 12, 1944 (acknowledged at Boston). Frances P. Farquhar, "holder of a mortgage from James Everett Farmer and Phyllis Caroline Farmer ... dated September 10, 1941 recorded with Middlesex North District Deeds Book 967, Page 368, acknowledge satisfaction of the same." Recorded on the page after the Blondin-Jacobs deed.
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| July 6, 1946 | Quitclaim Deed | Luther W. Jacobs and Cornelia A. Jacobs, husband and wife, of Richford, Franklin County, Vermont | Thomas Forsley and Ella A. Forsley, husband and wife, tenants by the entirety, of Billerica | Jacobs to the Forsleys, the 2.58-acre lot | 1048/210 |
Dated and acknowledged in Vermont June 27, 1946, recorded July 6, 1946, pages 210-211, revenue stamps $2.20. "The land in Billerica ... situated on the Southerly side of River Street, containing 2.58 acres, more or less," on the plan of Thomas Forsley surveyed June 15, 1946 by John T. Brown "to be recorded herewith" (Plan Book 68, Plan 78), beginning at a drill hole 98.95 feet west of land of Matthews Brown, by Lot 1, Brown, the grantors' other land and Lot 6, 80.84 and 242.18 feet on River Street. No buildings are named. "Being a portion of the same premises to us conveyed by Raymond J. Blondin et ux by their deed dated April 26, 1944 ... Book 1006, Page 587."
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| March 14, 1952 | Quitclaim Deed | Donald L. Jacobs and Pauline A. Jacobs, husband and wife, of Billerica | The Inhabitants of the Town of Billerica | Town buys the school land, source of Lot C | 1191/112 |
Dated and acknowledged March 7, 1952, recorded March 14, 1952, pages 112-114, "for consideration paid" (the assessor records $1). (1) "A certain lot of land containing 7.4 acres, more or less", Lots A and C on the Monahan plan of September 1951 "which plan is to be recorded herewith" (it never was), running from the corner of Lot 19 by other land of the grantors, the Frost lot, 44.58 feet on Parker Street, Conrad, Turner, Forsley and Brown back by Grantz, Brown and Page; (2) Lot 18 on Page Court, 7,500 square feet; (3) Lot 6, 9,050 square feet with 78.22 feet on River Street (the school drive, assessor parcel 50-48-0). Each "a portion of the premises conveyed to the grantors by Luther W. Jacobs and Cornelia Jacobs by their deed dated February 3, 1951 ... Book 1162 Page 351." With an easement to drain the surface water of "Lots A, B, 6, 18, 19, Frost lot, and Orchard Lot" by pipe under Parker Street into the brook on the grantors' land to the west. The core of the Parker School site (assessor parcel 60-1-0).
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| May 6, 1952 | Quitclaim Deed | Thomas Forsley and Ella A. Forsley, husband and wife, of Billerica | The Inhabitants of the Town of Billerica | Forsleys give Lot B to the Town for the Parker School | 1194/428 |
Dated and acknowledged at Billerica March 14, 1952, recorded May 6, 1952 (no. 248), pages 428-429, "for consideration paid". "A certain triangular shaped parcel of land," Lot "B" on the plan "surveyed for the Town of Billerica, Scale 1 inch = 80 feet, Sept. 1951, James B. Monahan, Reg. Land Surveyor" (never recorded): northwest by Donald L. and Pauline A. Jacobs (Lot A) 200 feet, northeast by other land of the grantors 193.67 feet, southeast by Lot A 49.91 feet, "4833 square feet more or less," part of the land from Luther W. and Cornelia Jacobs, Book 1048, Page 210. Given under Article 31 of the Nov. 1951 special town meeting in exchange for Lot C; Lot B became part of the Parker School site.
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| May 6, 1952 | Quitclaim Deed | The Inhabitants of the Town of Billerica, by its Selectmen | Thomas Forsley and Ella A. Forsley, husband and wife, tenants by the entirety, of Billerica | Town gives Lot C to the Forsleys | 1194/429 |
Acknowledged at Billerica March 7, 1952 by the Selectmen (John B. Keaney, Arthur R. Hallenborg, George S. Gracie, Forrest Paradise and another), recorded May 6, 1952 (no. 249), pages 429-430. "A certain triangular parcel of land," Lot "C" on the Monahan plan of Sept. 1951: northwest by other land of the grantees 354.04 feet, east by Matthew J. and Claudia M. Brown 30 feet, southeast by Lot A of Donald L. and Pauline A. Jacobs 338.86 feet, "5,000 square feet more or less," part of the premises conveyed to the Town by the Jacobses "by deed of even date herewith" (Book 1191, Page 112). The other half of the 1951 exchange.
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| April 7, 1967 | Quitclaim Deed | Ella A. Forsley of Billerica, widow of Thomas Forsley | New Colony Baptist Church of Billerica, a religious corporation | Ella A. Forsley to the church | 1790/528 |
Massachusetts quitclaim deed (long form), acknowledged and recorded April 7, 1967 (no. 275). To "New Colony Baptist Church of Billerica, a Religious Corporation organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and having its principal place of worship in Billerica": "A certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated on the southerly side of River Street," by the 1946 Forsley plan (Plan Book 68, Plan 78), the Town's land and Lot 6, "approximately 2 1/2 acres." "Being the greater portion of the premises conveyed to the said Thomas Forsley and this grantor by deed of Luther W. Jacobs et ux, dated June 27, 1946 ... Book 1048, Page 210," with the triangular parcel from the Town (Book 1194, Page 429), excepting Lot B conveyed to the Town; Thomas Forsley "having passed away October 3, 195-" (the town report gives Oct. 4, 1954). The assessor lists the sale as of Feb. 6, 1963. The church still owns the lot under this deed.
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| April 7, 1967 | Mortgage | New Colony Baptist Church of Billerica, a religious corporation | Hillside-Cambridge Co-operative Bank of Medford | church purchase mortgage, $24,000 | 1790/530 |
Mortgage recorded April 7, 1967 with the deed from Ella A. Forsley, to secure "Twenty-four Thousand" dollars in monthly installments, on "A certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated on the southerly side of River Street," with the same bounds as Book 1790, Page 528, "including as part of the realty, all portable or sectional buildings at any time placed upon said premises."
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| August 30, 1971 | Mortgage | New Colony Baptist Church of Billerica, a religious corporation, by its trustees | Reading Savings Bank | church mortgage to the Reading Savings Bank | 1975/457 |
Mortgage acknowledged Aug. 27, 1971, recorded Aug. 30, 1971, pages 457-459, on "the land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica, on the Southerly side of River Street," by the 1946 Forsley plan, "approximately two and one-half acres," "Being the same premises conveyed to this corporation by deed of Ella A. Forsley, dated April 7, 1967." Signed under the church's corporate seal by five trustees, "For corporate authority, see Vote recorded herewith."
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| September 21, 1971 | Mortgage | New Colony Baptist Church of Billerica, "having its usual place of business at 30 River Street" | New Colony Trust, under a declaration of trust recorded herewith | church mortgage to the New Colony Trust, $80,000 | 1978/447 |
Mortgage recorded Sept. 21, 1971, to secure "Eighty thousand ($80,000.00)" dollars "in twenty (20) years" at 7 per cent, on terms identical to those of the church's note to the Reading Savings Bank dated Aug. 27, 1971, on the land on the southerly side of River Street by the 1946 Forsley plan (Plan Book 68, Plan 78), the same bounds as the 1967 deed. The first record to give the church's address as 30 River Street.
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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.