Ora E. Bohannon House
The Ora E. Bohannon House stood at what is now the end of Lalia Lane, on the north side of Andover Road east of the Centre. It appears on the 1916 county plan of Andover Street as the house of Ora E. Bohannon. It is not shown on the town maps of 1831, 1853 or 1875, and it was most likely built by Bohannon soon after he bought the land in 1904.
The land was part of the old French family farm, which ran north from the Andover road to the parsonage land and west to the road to Tewksbury. Jacob French, a blacksmith, and his brother Ebenezer shared a house on the farm in 1776. Jesse French gathered the whole farm by deeds of 1783 and 1785 and sold it in 1794 to Luther French, who was still living there in 1830. The eighty acres then passed to Henry Jaques (1836), John Bogue (1838), Ebenezer Baker (1853) and Ann B. Hall (1862), and in 1876 to Annie P. Haskell, wife of the Rev. John Haskell. The Haskells lived in the old farmhouse and sold several small lots along the Andover road, among them the lot of Sears J. Cook (1878) and the forty-rod lot of Charles A. Monty (1884), which later belonged to Ora's father William B. Bohannon. In 1897 John N. Haskell of Omaha sold the rest of the farm to Arthur S. Cook.
On May 12, 1904 Cook sold Ora E. Bohannon five acres on Andover Street, running north from the street to the Wright land (the old parsonage) and wrapping around his father's lot, and took back a $1,000 mortgage. The deed speaks of "the buildings thereon," which here may mean outbuildings or the usual form of words; the house itself is taken to date from Bohannon's ownership, about 1904. Ora and his wife Alice lived here for nearly fifty years. After Ora's death, about 1950-1953, Alice sold a strip of the lot to their son Harold B. Bohannon in 1953, keeping the house. The land stayed in the family into the 1980s, and later owners have been private. The house was demolished about 2001, and the present building on the site dates from 2002.
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| 1775 | Administration | Estate of Jacob French of Billerica, yeoman (d. 1775) | His son Jacob French Jr., administrator | Jacob French, yeoman, d. 1775: father of the blacksmith who owned half the house | Probate #8490 |
Jacob French, yeoman, made a will on April 20, 1771 leaving his son Jacob "all my Farm or Homestead adjoyning to my dwelling house and barn on booth sides the road commonly passed in between my barn and house," with legacies to his son Joel, his daughters Elizabeth Reed, Anna Frost and the heirs of Rebekah Rogers, and his granddaughter Molly French. On April 5, 1775 the heirs agreed to set the will aside, and Jacob French Jr. was appointed administrator on April 11, 1775. The inventory of April 13, 1775 lists only personal estate (165 pounds). The son, a blacksmith, died the next year (probate 8491). Included as the father of the 1776 owner; whether the elder Jacob's homestead is the same house is not stated.
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| 1776 | Administration and Division | Estate of Jacob French of Billerica, blacksmith (d. 1776) | Widow Sarah French (dower, east end of the house) and his eldest son Jacob French (two thirds with the buildings) | the French farm (the land, not this house): Jacob French estate 1776 | Probate #8491 |
Jacob French, blacksmith, died intestate in 1776; his widow Sarah was appointed administratrix Sept. 24, 1776. The inventory of Oct. 8, 1776 lists "half the Mansion house," a small barn, "half the shop & half ye coal house," and lots including 1 1/2 acres in the homestead, the Danforth lot, the Sheldon lot, the mill meadow, the Kidder lot in Spruce Swamp, a lot on the west end of Fox Hill and the Chamberlain lot. The 1784 appraisal (Joshua Abbot, Isaac Stearns, Edward Farmer) valued "half a Dwelling house" at 12 pounds and "half a black Smiths Shope" at 3 pounds, with about ten acres "lying Northerly of the house," bounded west by "the highway leading to Benj. Davis's," south by Ebenezer French, east by Jonas French, and north by David Abbot, Samuel Kidder "and by the personage pasture." The widow's dower was "the east end of the house right up and down with the Cellar under it"; the other two thirds, "with the Buildings," were decreed in 1785 to the eldest son Jacob.
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| April 15, 1795 | Deed | Ebenezer French of Billerica, yeoman; Elizabeth French | Jesse French of Fitchburg, blacksmith | Ebenezer French to Jesse French: 96 acres "with all my buildings", 1783 | 118/305 (South) |
For 400 pounds lawful silver money, "all my landed estate in Billerica aforesaid containing about ninety six acres ... lying in several lots or parcels ... as the same are particularly described and delineated in the deeds which conveyed them into my possession": Jacob French to Ebenezer French (Feb. 1, 1737/8 and May 27, 1756), Samuel and Abiel Kidder (1762), Timothy and Elizabeth Thornton (1748), John Needham (1762), Thomas Chandler (1773), John Dutton Jr. (1738), Samuel Sheldon (two of 1742), William French Jr. (Dec. 2, 1728), William French (1752), Thomas Kidder (Nov. 3, 1731), Samuel Dutton (Oct. 7, 1732) and John Dutton (Jan. 25, 1731/2), with a piece near Concord River that came by his wife Elizabeth, "together with all my buildings standing upon the aforesaid premisses." Dated and acknowledged Sept. 15, 1783 before William Tompson, recorded April 15, 1795. Billerica town book 9, pages 192-194. With Jacob French's 1785 deed, this put the whole French homestead, both halves of the house included, in Jesse French's hands.
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| April 15, 1795 | Deed | Jacob French of Billerica; Elizabeth French | Jesse French of Billerica, blacksmith | Jacob French to Jesse French, blacksmith: the buildings set off by probate, 1785 | 118/310 (South) |
One parcel of ten acres "on the east side of the road leading to Benjamin Davis's," bounded west by the road about seventeen and a half poles, "on the North by the parsonage lott, on the East on Fox Hill about eleven poles, on the South by said Frenches own land," "also all the buildings set to me by the Judge of Probates with the land they now stand upon." Dated Dec. 26, 1785, acknowledged Jan. 6, 1786 before Edward Farmer, recorded April 15, 1795; witnesses Josiah Bowers Jr., David Abbot and Samuel Abbot 3d. Billerica town book 9, page 198.
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| April 15, 1795 | Deed | Jesse French of Billerica, yeoman; Abigail French releasing dower | Luther French of Billerica, yeoman | Jesse French to Luther French: the French farm with all the buildings, 1794 | 118/312 (South) |
For 600 pounds, "the following parcels or pieces of land," described only by the deeds under which they were held: Jacob French to Ebenezer French (1737/8, 1756), Samuel and Abiel Kidder (1762), Timothy and Elizabeth Thornton (1748), John Needham (1762), Thomas Chandler (1773), John Dutton Jr. (1738), Samuel Sheldon (two of 1742), William French Jr. (1752), Thomas Kidder (1731), Samuel Dutton (1732), John Dutton (1731/2), Jacob French to Jesse (Dec. 26 and Nov. 9, 1785), Joseph Shed to Jonathan Bowers and Jesse French in equal shares (1791, the half "excepting the half of the barn standing on the said premises") and Amos and Sarah Foster (1793), "with all the buildings on the above described lands excepting the above exception." Dated and acknowledged Sept. 22, 1794 before Isaac Stearns, recorded April 15, 1795. Billerica town book 9, pages 199-200.
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| May 7, 1830 | Quitclaim (for a bond of support) | Luther French of Billerica, yeoman; Sally French releasing dower | Josiah B. French of Lowell, gentleman | the French farm (land of this lot), 1830 | 297/177 (South) |
"In consideration of a Bond to me given, of even date herewith" by Josiah B. French, a quitclaim of "the homestead farm with buildings thereon, where I now dwell in said Billerica, containing about eighty acres, more or less, and also all other lands and real estate of every description, which I own or have any interest in, within the Town of Billerica." Dated and acknowledged April 6, 1830 before Joseph Locke, recorded May 7, 1830; witnesses Zacheus Shed and Joseph Locke; Sally French's signature was added in a later record (Book 350 Page 179). Billerica town book 14, pages 304-305.
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| March 2, 1836 | Warranty Deed | Josiah B. French of Lowell, gentleman; Mary Ann French releasing dower | Henry Jaques of Charlestown, gentleman | the forty acres east of the Tewksbury road (land of this lot), 1836 | 351/31 (South) |
For $2,100, "several parcels of land ... supposed to contain eighty acres": thirty acres west of the road from Billerica meeting house "by the house of Thomas Holden" to Tewksbury, "with a barn on the same"; and forty acres east of that road, bounded north "on the Parsonage land and land of others" to the wall of Mr. Tyler, "formerly of Reuben French," south to the road to Andover south parish "by the house of Henry Allen," and west back to the Tewksbury road, "containing forty acres more or less with the buildings thereon"; with the Chamberlain lot (8 acres), the Alexander Bowers lot (2 1/2 acres), the mill meadow lot near Davis Bridge on the Middlesex Canal (6 acres), the Fox Hill lot (10 acres) and part of the Kidder pasture (14 acres). "The above described premises are the same formerly owned by Luther French being the same conveyed by him to me by his deed dated April 6, 1830." Dated Feb. 15, acknowledged Feb. 23, recorded March 2, 1836. Billerica town book 15, pages 237-240.
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| May 12, 1838 | Quitclaim | Henry Jaques of Charlestown, gentleman; Sarah Jaques releasing dower | John Bogue of Charlestown, tailor | Henry Jaques to John Bogue, the eighty-acre French farm, 1838 | 373/218 (South) |
For $2,100, a quitclaim of "all my right title interest and estate in and to several parcels of land situate in Billerica ... supposed to contain eighty acres more or less being all the land conveyed to me by the deed of Josiah B. French dated February 15, 1836 ... Book 351, Page 31, referring to said deed for a particular description of each." Dated May 10, recorded May 12, 1838. Billerica town book 14, pages 429-430.
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| July 30, 1853 | Warranty Deed | John Bogue of Malden, gentleman; Bethiah L. Bogue releasing dower | Ebenezer Baker of Billerica, yeoman | John Bogue to Ebenezer Baker, the French farm, 1853 | 658/224 (South) |
For $3,000, "several parcels of land situate in said Billerica containing eighty acres more or less": thirty acres west of the road from Billerica meeting house "by the house of F. Holden" to Tewksbury, and forty acres east of it, bounded north "on the Parsonage land & land of others" to the wall of one Tyler, "formerly of R. French," south to the road to Andover South Parish "by the house of H. Allen," and west on the Tewksbury road, with the Chamberlain, Alexander Bowers, mill meadow, Fox Hill and Kidder pasture lots, all "conveyed by L. French to J. B. French April 6, 1830" (with references to Books 351/31 and 373/218). This deed names no buildings. Signed April 1, 1853, acknowledged and recorded July 30, 1853. Billerica town book 19, pages 509-511.
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| May 15, 1862 | Warranty Deed | Ebenezer Baker of Billerica, yeoman; Ann E. Baker releasing dower | Ann B. Hall, wife of George H. Hall of Billerica, to her sole and separate use | Ebenezer Baker to Ann B. Hall, the forty acres (land of this lot), 1862 | 31/93 |
For $3,000, two parcels: the first on the east side of the road from Billerica Centre "by the house of Amasa Holden" to Tewksbury, bounded north by "the Parsonage land (now J. Wright's)" and others to the wall of Mr. Tyer (formerly A. French), south to the road to Andover South Parish "by the house of H. Allen," west on that road to the Tewksbury road and north on the Tewksbury road to the Parsonage, "containing forty acres more or less"; and the Alexander Bowers lot of 2 1/2 acres; "with all the buildings standing on both parcels of land," saving "the old bridle road" and I. K. Richardson's right of way. "It being land conveyed to me by John Bogue, deed dated April 1st 1853." Dated and acknowledged May 14, recorded May 15, 1862.
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| July 28, 1876 | Warranty Deed | Ann B. Hall of Billerica; George H. Hall | Annie P. Haskell of New Castle, Maine, to her sole and separate use | Ann B. Hall to Annie P. Haskell, the farm (land of this lot), 1876 | 119/548 |
For $6,000, two parcels: the first on the east side of the road from Billerica to Tewksbury "by the house of Amasa Holden," bounded north by "the parsonage land (now of Wright) and others" to the corner of the wall at Ambrose F. Page, south by Page to the road from Billerica to Andover, west on the Andover road "as the wall stands" to the Tewksbury road and north on that road to the parsonage, "containing thirty acres more or less"; and the Alexander Bowers lot (2 1/2 acres); "with all the buildings standing on both parcels of land, saving and excepting the old bridle road and I. K. Richardson's right of way." "It being the same land conveyed to me by Ebenezer Baker and to said Baker by John Bogue" (Cambridge Book 658 Page 224). Dated July 28, 1876 (recording date taken as the date; to verify).
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| March 30, 1877 | Deed | Annie P. Haskell of Billerica; John Haskell, her husband | George H. Hall of Billerica | Haskell sale of a lot "about twelve rods from the dwelling house owned and occupied by said Annie P. Haskell", 1877 | 122/516 |
For $150, a parcel "on the so called Andover road, Beginning at a corner about twelve rods from the dwelling house owned and occupied by said Annie P. Haskell," running east about seven rods to the corner of a roadway, north about thirteen rods to a stake and stone, west about four rods, and then south and west "as the wall now stands" to the beginning. Dated and acknowledged March 29, 1877 before Francis Baldwin, recorded March 30, 1877. The first of three small lots the Haskells sold off the farm, and the deed that shows they lived in its house.
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| November 15, 1878 | Deed | Annie P. Haskell of Billerica; John Haskell, her husband | Sears J. Cook of Billerica | Haskell to Sears J. Cook, a bare lot west of the Bohannon land, 1878 | 132/563 |
For $250, a parcel "on the north side of the road leading from Billerica to Andover," sixteen rods on the road to the corner of the wall, about twenty-eight rods north by the wall, twelve rods east and then south to the beginning, "containing about two acres and a quarter," the buyer to fence it. No buildings. Dated Oct. 5, recorded Nov. 15, 1878. The Cook lot that later bounded the Bohannon land on the west.
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| May 19, 1884 | Deed | John Haskell of Billerica, clergyman; Mary A. Haskell | Charles A. Monty of Billerica, shoemaker | Haskell to Charles A. Monty, the bare forty-rod lot that became W. B. Bohannon's, 1884 | 166/584 |
For $40, a lot "near the center of the Town of Billerica," beginning at the southwest corner adjoining James S. Cook, four rods east on "the Andover Road so called," ten rods north to a stake and stone, four rods west to Cook and ten rods south on Cook's line, "containing forty rods," the buyer to fence it and keep the fence in repair. No buildings. Dated and recorded May 19, 1884. This became William B. Bohannon's lot (1900), which bounded Ora E. Bohannon's lot on the south and west.
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| November 6, 1897 | Deed | John N. Haskell of Omaha, Nebraska, unmarried | Arthur S. Cook of Billerica | Haskell estate to Arthur S. Cook, the rest of the farm, 1897 | 291/237 |
For one dollar and other consideration, "two parcels of land in said Billerica, being all the remaining portions of the land with the buildings thereon conveyed to Annie P. Haskell by Ann B. Hall by her deed dated July 28, 1876 ... Book 119, Page 548," except the parts deeded to George H. Hall (1877, Book 122 Page 516), to Sears J. Cook (1878, Book 132 Page 563) and by John Haskell to Charles A. Monty (1884, Book 166 Page 584), subject to I. K. Richardson's right of way, "saving and excepting the old bridle road." Dated Sept. 25, acknowledged at Omaha Oct. 4, recorded Nov. 6, 1897. Cook gave back a $2,400 mortgage on "two certain parcels of land with the buildings thereon ... being all that part of the Annie P. Haskell estate conveyed to me" (Book 291 Page 238), discharged in 1899.
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| September 7, 1904 | Deed | Arthur S. Cook of Billerica; Carrie E. Cook | Ora E. Bohannon of Billerica | Arthur S. Cook to Ora E. Bohannon, the five-acre house lot, 1904 (house built about then) | 369/448 |
For one dollar and other consideration, "a certain lot or parcel of land with the buildings thereon" on Andover Street, beginning at land of Wm. B. Bohannon, running north by Bohannon ten rods, west by Bohannon four rods to "land of one King," north by King and other land of Cook to a stone wall at Josiah Wright, east on the wall by Wright to a stake and stones, south by other land of Cook to Andover Street and west by the street, "containing five acres more or less." No title recital; the bounds (the Wright land, formerly the parsonage, on the north) put it in the former French farm Cook bought in 1897. Dated May 12, acknowledged Aug. 3, recorded Sept. 1904 (day to verify); witness Herbert A. King. The same day Bohannon gave Cook a $1,000 mortgage, the buildings to be insured for $700 (Book 369 Page 449).
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| September 7, 1904 | Mortgage | Ora E. Bohannon of Billerica; Alice Bohannon releasing dower | Arthur S. Cook of Billerica | Bohannon purchase-money mortgage to Cook, 1904 | 369/449 |
To secure $1,000 in five years at five per cent, the same five acres "with the buildings thereon" on Andover Street, the buildings to be kept insured for $700; "the same premises as conveyed to me by said Arthur S. Cook by deed of even date." Dated May 12, 1904; discharged in the margin by Cook.
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| April 25, 1913 | Mortgage | Cornelia Bohannon, widow; Ora E. and Alice Bohannon; Bertha H. and John E. Farmer; Harlie G. and Florence B. Bohannon, all of Billerica | Arthur S. Cook of Billerica | the adjoining lot of Ora's father, W. B. Bohannon, held by his heirs, 1913 | 504/170 |
To secure $600 in one year at five per cent, the forty-rod lot "with the buildings thereon situated near the centre," four rods on "the Andover road so called" beside the land of James S. Cook, the grantors "deriving our title as heirs at law of William B. Bohannon the grantee in a certain deed of Minerva J. Monty dated Oct 13, 1900 ... book 323, page 380," the buildings to be insured for $650. Recorded April 25, 1913, with Ann E. Baker's discharge (same page) of William B. Bohannon's 1901 mortgage, paid by his heirs; Herbert A. King was the justice. The lot of Ora E. Bohannon's father, adjoining his own; it was registered in 1945 (Certificate 6610).
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| January 5, 1945 | Certificate of Title | Land Court decree, case 18981 (petition of Harlie G. Bohannon et al.) | Harlie G. Bohannon, Bertha B. Farmer and Ora E. Bohannon, each one third | Land Court registration of the adjoining Bohannon lot, 1945; Ora E. Bohannon's land on two sides | Ctf 6610 |
Original certificate entered on a decree of Jan. 4, 1945 for the W. B. Bohannon lot: 72.20 feet on Andover Road, 173.40 feet by Helen K. Marion et al. on the northwest, 66 feet on the north and 162.43 feet on the southeast "by land now or formerly of Ora E. Bohannon et al.," as shown on a plan by Brooks, Jordan and Graves of Jan. 15, 1944 (Land Court Plan 18981-A), subject to the 1913 mortgage to Arthur S. Cook. The plan shows the house near the road and a barn and ell at the rear, with Ora E. Bohannon's land wrapped around it on the north and east. Later cancelled for Certificate 6617 (Book 36 Page 35).
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| December 14, 1953 | Quitclaim | Alice Bohannon of Billerica, widow of Ora E. Bohannon ("being unmarried") | Her son Harold B. Bohannon and his wife | Alice Bohannon, Ora's widow, sells a strip of the 1904 lot, keeping the house, 1953 | 1242/552 |
A parcel of 64,494 square feet on the north side of Andover Road, 63.93 feet on the road "to a stake bound at a large boulder at other land of the grantor," 511.33 feet northeast by other land of the grantor to the wall of Chester A. Wright, and then by Wright, Murphy and the grantees' land, shown on a plan by E. P. Simpson, October 1953 (Plan Book 83 Plan 143); "Being a part of the premises conveyed to Ora E. Bohannon and the grantor by deed of Henry A. Parker dated Nov. 15, 1929 ... Book 784, page 251, and a small part of the conveyance of Arthur S. Cook to said Ora E. Bohannon on May 12, 1904." Recorded Dec. 14, 1953. The house lot itself stayed in the family as the grantor's "other land." It passed to Harold B. Bohannon (died by 1984; Middlesex probate 553628) and from his estate to private owners in 1980-1985; the old house was demolished about 2001 and the present building on the site dates from 2002.
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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.