Structure · Built 1925 · Demolished 1948
Pinehurst Community Congregational Church (1925)
The first building of the Pinehurst Community Congregational Church stood on the west side of Boston Road in Pinehurst, on two adjoining lots, each fifty feet on the road and one hundred feet deep, that Frederick A. R. Mixon sold to the Peoples Community Church on July 14, 1924; the northern lot was bounded by land of Ellen F. Eaton. The society had been organized in 1923. The church was built within the next year: when Mixon confirmed his deeds to the trustees George I. Ryder, Amelia E. LeFord and Florence E. Loye in July 1925, and the trustees conveyed the land to the newly incorporated Peoples Community Church on July 21, 1925, the deed passed "two certain adjoining parcels of land and the buildings thereon". A release of the same month was signed by all 25 members of the society, among them the Rev. Marvin H. Sweet.
The congregation worshipped here as the People's Community Church (the 1931 directory lists it on Boston Road, "Org 1923", with the Rev. H. L. Coole as pastor), as the Pinehurst Congregational Church from 1932 and as the Pinehurst Community Congregational Church from 1941. In 1940 the church bought the rest of the Mixon land around its lot. The old church was razed in 1948 and replaced by the present church, built just south of it about 1950. E. P. Simpson's 1954 plan for the layout of Community Road (Plan Book 84, Plan 110) marks the site as the "Old Church Lot", on Boston Road between the parsonage lot and the "New Church". The lot, about 10,000 square feet with 100 feet on the road, is now part of the church's land at 803 Boston Road; the footprint shown is an approximate placement within it.
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| 1811 | Administration | Estate of Isaac Beard of Billerica, yeoman, deceased intestate | Benjamin Beard of Billerica, housewright, administrator | 1811: administration of Isaac Beard, owner of the 29-acre lot west of the road | Probate #1442 |
Benjamin Beard's memorial says that "Isaac Beard late of said Billerica, yeoman, within forty days last past, died, intestate", that all his children are minors and that the widow, Mary Beard, found it "inconvenient" to administer and asked that Benjamin be appointed. On Jan. 8, 1811 Judge James Prescott appointed him, on a bond of $30,000 with John Crosby of Billerica and Joel Jenkins of Wilmington as sureties, and named Oliver Crosby, Jeremiah Patten and John Crosby to take the inventory. In 1811 the Court of Common Pleas licensed the administrator to sell real estate to raise $4,144.02, which led to the 1812 sale of the farm to Joshua Wyman.
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| April 22, 1812 | Administrator's Deed | Benjamin Beard of Billerica, administrator of the estate of Isaac Beard | Joshua Wyman of Medford, yeoman | 1812: Beard estate sells the 29 acres and the farm east of the road to Joshua Wyman | 199/104 (South) |
Billerica town book 11, pages 178-180. Dated Feb. 13, 1812, under a license of the Court of Common Pleas at Concord to raise $4,144.02, for $4,040 bid by Wyman "at a public vendue held at the late dwelling house of said deceased", two lots "in the southeasterly part of said Billerica adjoining the county road leading from said Billerica to Burlington": one "beginning on the westerly side of said road by land of Jonathan Bowers", west by Jonathan and Benjamin Bowers "to Shawshin river", south by the river "to Ditson's brook, so called", east by the brook to the road and north by the road, "containing twenty nine acres more or less, with the buildings thereon"; the other on the easterly side, bounded by Ruel Goodwin, the heirs of Edward Farmer Jr., the Burlington line, James Bennett and Sears Cook, "two hundred acres, more or less, with all the buildings thereon". The 29 acres are the later church land.
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| April 22, 1812 | Mortgage | Joshua Wyman of Medford, yeoman | Peter C. Brooks of Boston, Esquire | 1812: Wyman mortgages the farm to Peter C. Brooks | 199/105 (South) |
Billerica town book 11, pages 180-181. For $4,000, the same two tracts, the 29 acres "with the buildings thereon" west of the county road from Billerica to Burlington, by the Shawsheen River and Ditson's brook, and the 200 acres east of it, "as the same premises were conveyed to me by Benj. Beard Adm. on the estate of Isaac Beard by deed dated 13th Feby last past"; void if Wyman paid $4,000 in eight annual payments of $500 with interest. Dated April 11, 1812, recorded with the deed. Brooks financed the whole purchase.
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| 1816 | Quitclaim | Joshua Wyman of Billerica, yeoman (Susanna Wyman, his wife, releasing dower) | Peter C. Brooks of Boston, Esquire | 1816: Wyman quitclaims the farm to Brooks | 218/201 (South) |
Billerica town book 11, page 477. Dated Aug. 26, 1816, for $4,000, quitclaim of "a certain tract of land ... containing twenty nine acres more or less with the buildings thereon", from the westerly side of the road from Billerica to Burlington by Jonathan and Benjamin Bowers to the Shawsheen River, by the river to Ditson's brook and by the brook to the road, and the 200 acres east of the road, "meaning hereby to comprehend and convey all the land which I conveyed to said Brooks by a mortgage deed dated April 11th 1812". Wyman gave up the equity, leaving Brooks the owner.
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| April 19, 1817 | Mortgage | Ruel Carter and John Parker of Wilmington | Peter C. Brooks of Boston, Esquire | 1817: Carter and Parker mortgage the farm back to Brooks | 221/56 (South) |
Billerica town book 12, pages 9-10. Dated April 1, 1817, for $2,000, the same two tracts (the 29 acres "with the buildings thereon" west of the county road from Billerica to Burlington, by the Shawsheen River and Ditson's brook, and the 200 acres east), "as the same premises were conveyed to us by said Brooks by his deed bearing even date herewith"; void on payment of $2,000 in one, two, three and four years on four notes of $500. Witnessed by John Phillips and Thomas Moses. Discharged by P. C. Brooks on April 5, 1845.
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| November 4, 1824 | Deed | Peter C. Brooks of Boston, Esquire (Ann Brooks, his wife, relinquishing dower) | Ruel Carter and John Parker, both of Wilmington | 1817: Brooks sells the farm to Ruel Carter and John Parker | 256/481 (South) |
Billerica town book 13, pages 301-302. Dated April 1, 1817, acknowledged in Suffolk April 2, recorded only Nov. 4, 1824, for $3,000, the two tracts "adjoining the county road leading from Billerica to Burlington": the 29 acres "with the buildings thereon" west of the road by Jonathan and Benjamin Bowers, the Shawsheen River and Ditson's brook, and the 200 acres east of it by Read (Ruel) Goodwin, the heirs of Edward Farmer Jr., the Burlington line, James Bennett and Sears Cooke, "being the same estate conveyed to me by Joshua Wyman by deed of mortgage dated April 11, 1812 ... book 199, page 105 and afterwards by quit-claim". The beginning of the Carter farm. A margin note in the town book refers to book 11, page 180 and book 12, page 9.
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| November 4, 1824 | Deed | John Parker of Wilmington, yeoman, and his wife Rachel | Francis Carter of Wilmington, yeoman | 1818: half of the Carter farm, including the 29 acres west of the road, to Francis Carter | 256/482 (South) |
For $1600, "the one undivided half" of two tracts in the southeasterly part of Billerica on the county road from Billerica to Burlington: 29 acres "with the buildings thereon" on the westerly side, bounded by Jonathan and Benjamin Bowers, Shawshean river and Dixon's brook, and 200 acres on the easterly side, bounded by Ruel Goodwin, the heirs of Edward Farmer Jr., the Burlington line, James Bennett and Francis Cook. Signed May 28, 1818, recorded Nov 4, 1824. Billerica town book 13, pages 302-303. Margin cross references to town book 11 page 180 and 12 page 9 (Parker's title).
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| April 2, 1825 | Quitclaim | Ruel Carter of Billerica, yeoman, and his wife Mary | Francis Carter of Wilmington, yeoman | 1824: Ruel Carter quitclaims the farm to Francis Carter | 259/191 (South) |
For $1600, "all my right title and interest in and to the farm on which the said Ruel now lives situated in the southeasterly part of said Billerica on the great road leading from Billerica to Boston containing two hundred and thirty acres more or less with the buildings thereon standing", bounded by Ruel Goodwin, Francis Cook, James Bennett, Samuel Shed, Michael Crosby Jr., the great road, the widow Hannah Farmer's thirds, a brook and Shawsheen River, "being the same farm the said Ruel and Francis owned together". Signed Nov 22, 1824, recorded Apr 2, 1825. Billerica town book 13, pages 318-319.
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| 1867 | Administration | Estate of Francis Carter of Billerica | His widow Harriet Carter and daughters Harriet E. Alley, Martha Higgins and Fanny M. Marion | 1867: estate of Francis Carter; the west side lot is "the Barn lot" | Probate #28894 |
Francis Carter died May 7, 1867, intestate. Richard J. Alley of Burlington, husband of the daughter Harriet E., was appointed administrator June 11, 1867, "all parties interested request him to administer and that there are no creditors". The inventory filed Aug 27, 1867 (appraisers William Winn, George Winn and Ruel Carter) lists "Two hundred acres of Land with the Buildings thereon situated on the Easterly side of the Street" at $6950 and "twenty nine acres with the Buildings thereon situated on the west side of the Street called the Barn lot" at $1000, with a mill house, two horses, five cows and wood lots. Widow's allowance $400.
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| December 4, 1889 | Warranty Deed | Richard J. and Harriet E. Alley of Burlington, Martha C. Higgins of Somerville, Henry S. and Fanny M. Marion of Burlington, heirs of Francis Carter | Henry Sheldon of Wilmington, James T. Eames of North Reading and Kimball M. McLaughlin of Salem, N.H. | 1889: the Carter heirs sell the farm to Sheldon, Eames and McLaughlin | 211/154 |
"A certain farm, situated in the Southeasterly part of Billerica ... on the great road leading from Billerica to Boston, containing two hundred and thirty acres, more or less, with the buildings thereon", bounded by Ruel Goodwin, Francis Cook, James Bennett, Alford Carter, Samuel Shedd, Michael Berry Jr., the great road, a brook and Shawshin river. "Being the premises described in a deed from Ruel Carter to Francis Carter dated November 22, 1824 ... Book 259, Page 191, and the grantors are all the heirs at law of said Francis Carter". Signed Nov 23, 1889.
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| January 4, 1893 | Quitclaim | Kimball M. McLaughlin of Salem, N.H. | Henry Sheldon of Wilmington and James T. Eames of North Reading | 1893: McLaughlin releases his third to Sheldon and Eames | 240/252 |
For $100, his "undivided third part" of three tracts: "First. The Francis Carter place so called comprising about two hundred and thirty acres of land with buildings thereon, situated in Billerica", the premises of the 1889 deed (Book 211, Page 154); and two Wilmington tracts, "Ladder-pole Swamp" and part of Butters field (Book 216, Page 313) and "the Carter lot" (Book 216, Page 314).
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| November 7, 1893 | Warranty Deed | Henry Sheldon of Wilmington and James T. Eames of North Reading (Sarah G. Sheldon and Betsey Eames releasing dower and homestead) | Hezekiah H. Bryant of Somerville | 1893: Sheldon and Eames sell the 30 1/2-acre barn lot west of the road to Hezekiah H. Bryant | 249/314 |
Dated Nov. 2, 1893, for one dollar and other valuable considerations, "one hundred thirty six and one half (136 1/2) acres of land more or less in two separate parcels and being part of a certain farm formerly owned by one Francis Carter" on the great road from Billerica to Boston. The first parcel, 106 acres, lay northeast of the road beside the land sold the same day to Clara N. Wonson. "The second parcel lying on the southwesterly side of said road containing thirty and one half acres (30 1/2) more or less with barn thereon" ran from the wall on the north side of the brook at Joshua Harnden's heirs, by the brook about 1820 feet to the Shawsheen River, up the river about 500 feet to the heirs of Foster and Haynes, east by them to the road, and 730 feet along the road to the beginning, "as shown on a plan entitled Plan of land in Billerica surveyed for Sheldon and Eames dated October 23rd 1893 James A. Bancroft, Surveyor" (Plan Book 10, Plan 27). No title recital; Sheldon and Eames held the Carter farm under the 1889 and 1893 deeds (Book 211, Page 154; Book 240, Page 252). The second parcel is the land of the Pinehurst Community Congregational Church.
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| June 11, 1895 | Warranty Deed | Hezekiah H. Bryant of Somerville (Martha J. Bryant, his wife, releasing dower and homestead) | Charles N. Jackson of Centre Harbor, Belknap County, New Hampshire | 1895: Hezekiah H. Bryant deeds the Carter land to Charles N. Jackson | 264/225 |
Dated June 5, 1895, acknowledged at Somerville June 8 before Thomas B. Brophy, for one dollar and other good and valuable consideration, "one hundred thirty six and one half (136 1/2) acres of land more or less in two separate parcels and being part of a farm formerly owned by one Francis Carter ... on the great road leading from Billerica to Boston": the 106 acres northeast of the road from the wall at T. I. Reed to the brook at Clara N. Wonson, and "the second parcel lying on the southwesterly side of said road, containing thirty and one half (30 1/2) acres, more or less, with barn thereon", from the wall on the north side of the brook at Joshua Harnden's heirs to the Shawsheen River and the heirs of Foster and Haynes, "all as shown on a plan entitled Plan of land in Billerica surveyed for Sheldon and Eames dated October 23d 1893, James A. Bancroft, Surveyor" (Plan Book 10, Plan 27). No title recital (Bryant bought it in 1893, Book 249, Page 314). Jackson deeded the same land to Martha J. Bryant in 1896 (Book 272, Page 384).
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| March 24, 1896 | Warranty Deed | Charles N. Jackson of Centre Harbor, New Hampshire, bachelor | Mrs. Martha J. Bryant of Somerville | 1896: the land passes through Charles N. Jackson to Martha J. Bryant | 272/384 |
For one dollar and other good and valuable consideration, the same "One hundred thirty-six and one half (136 1/2) acres of land more or less, in two separate parcels and being part of a farm formerly owned by one Francis Carter" as in the 1893 deed to her husband, Hezekiah H. Bryant (Book 249, Page 314): the 106 acres northeast of the road and "the second parcel lying on the southwesterly side of said Road and containing thirty and one-half (30 1/2) acres, more or less, with barn thereon", bounded by Joshua Harnden's heirs and the brook, the Shawsheen River, the heirs of Foster and Haynes and the road, "All as shown on a plan entitled Plan of land in Billerica, surveyed for Sheldon and Eames, dated October 23d 1893" (Plan Book 10, Plan 27). Jackson had received the land from Hezekiah H. Bryant by deed of June 5, 1895 (Book 264, Page 225), so the two deeds passed it from Hezekiah to his wife.
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| April 15, 1896 | Warranty Deed | Hezekiah H. Bryant and Martha J. Bryant, his wife, in her own right, of Somerville | Frederic H. Mixon of Cambridge | 1896: the Bryants sell the 30 1/2 acres to Frederic H. Mixon | 274/76 |
Signed April 1896 (later deeds give April 9), acknowledged at Somerville April 11, for one dollar and other valuable considerations, "a certain piece of land situated in southeasterly part of the Town of Billerica ... substantially as shown on a Plan of land in Billerica, surveyed for Sheldon and Eames by James A. Bancroft surveyor dated Oct 23rd 1893" (Plan Book 10, Plan 27), "said lot containing thirty and one half (30 1/2) acres": from the great road at the wall on the north side of the brook at Joshua Harnden's heirs, by the wall and fence 513 and 575 feet to the brook, by the centre of the brook about 1820 feet to the Shawsheen River, by the river about 500 feet to Foster and Haynes heirs, by them 633, 257 1/2 and 1468 3/4 feet to the road, and by the road 730 feet to the beginning. No title recital. The index shows a mortgage back to the Bryants recorded the same day (Book 274, Page 78).
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| June 4, 1903 | Warranty Deed | Frederic H. Mixon of Billerica (Eliza B. Mixon releasing dower and homestead) | Frederic A. R. Mixon of Billerica | 1898: F. H. Mixon deeds the north ten acres to his son Frederic A. R. Mixon | 354/323 |
Dated Nov. 26, 1898 but recorded only on June 4, 1903, for one dollar and other valuable consideration, the north part of the lot "upon the great road, so called, leading from Billerica to Boston": from a stake at the northeast corner on the westerly side of the road, south by the road 250 feet, west 1468.75 feet, northwest 257.5 feet and west to the Shawsheen River, lines "all the way one hundred and fifty feet distant from the northerly line of the granted premises", then by the river and back east along the north line, "Containing ten acres more or less. Being a part of the premises conveyed to me by deed of Hezekiah H. and Martha J. Bryant dated April 9, 1896" (Book 274, Page 76). The church lots of 1924 were cut from this parcel.
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| July 16, 1924 | Warranty Deed | Frederick A. R. Mixon of Billerica | The Peoples Community Church of Billerica | 1924: first church lot bought from F. A. R. Mixon | 709/148 |
Dated July 14, 1924, "in consideration of one dollar and other valuable consideration paid by the Peoples Community Church of said Billerica", "a certain parcel of land situate in the southeasterly part of said Billerica upon the great road, so called leading from Billerica to Boston": easterly by the road fifty feet, southerly by land of the grantor one hundred feet, westerly by land of the grantor fifty feet, and northerly by land of Ellen F. Eaton one hundred feet, "containing 4600 square feet more or less. Being a part of the premises conveyed to me by deed of Frederick H. and Eliza B. Mixon dated November 26, 1898" (Book 354, Page 323). The first land of the church.
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| July 16, 1924 | Warranty Deed | Frederick A. R. Mixon of Billerica, unmarried | The Peoples Community Church of Billerica | 1924: second church lot bought from F. A. R. Mixon | 709/149 |
Dated July 14, 1924, for consideration paid, with warranty covenants, the next fifty feet south on the great road from Billerica to Boston: easterly by the road fifty feet, southerly by land of the grantor one hundred feet, westerly by land of the grantor fifty feet, and "northerly by land of Peoples Community Church one hundred feet", 4600 square feet more or less, part of the premises of the 1898 deed (Book 354, Page 323). With the deed recorded just before it (Book 709, Page 148), this made the church lot of 100 by 100 feet, the "Old Church Lot" of the 1954 Community Road plan.
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| August 22, 1925 | Confirmatory Deed | Frederick A. R. Mixon of Billerica, unmarried | George I. Ryder, Amelia E. LeFord and Florence E. Loye of Billerica, trustees of the Peoples Community Church | 1925: confirmatory deed of the church lots to the trustees | 727/244 |
Dated July 20, 1925. Mixon recites that in his two deeds of July 14, 1924 to the Peoples Community Church (Book 709, Pages 148 and 149) "by mistake, error and inadvertence the words George I. Ryder, Amelia E. Le Ford and Florence E. Loye as Trustees of the Peoples Community Church" were left out, and for one dollar confirms to them as joint tenants, "in trust, nevertheless, for the uses and purposes of the said Peoples Community Church", "two certain adjoining parcels of land on the westerly side of Boston Road", each fifty feet on the road and one hundred feet deep, the first bounded north by Ellen F. Eaton.
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| August 22, 1925 | Deed | George I. Ryder, Amelia E. LeFord and Florence E. Loye of Billerica, trustees of the Peoples Community Church | The Peoples Community Church, a corporation | 1925: trustees convey the lots and church building to the new corporation | 727/245 |
Dated July 21, 1925. The trustees, "by the direction and authorization of the members of said Peoples Community Church ... at a meeting for said purpose", convey all the real estate held for the church to "the Peoples Community Church, a corporation duly organized by law under the Fifty-first Section of Chapter Sixty-seven of the General Laws": "two certain adjoining parcels of land and the buildings thereon", the two 4600 square foot lots on the great road from Billerica to Boston, "Being the same premises conveyed to us as Trustees ... by confirmatory deed of Frederick A. R. Mixon" (Book 727, Page 244). The first church building was standing by July 1925.
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| August 22, 1925 | Release | Emma Glass, George I. and Florence A. Ryder, the Rev. Marvin H. and Bessie M. Sweet, Amelia E. LeFord, Florence E. Loye and the 18 other members of the Peoples Community Church, all of Billerica | The Peoples Community Church of Billerica, a corporation | 1925: release by all 25 members of the Peoples Community Church | 727/246 |
Dated July 13, 1925, the 25 grantors, "being all the members of the Peoples Community Church, an unincorporated religious society", release to the new corporation "all of our right, title and interest, if any, in the two lots of land and the buildings thereon" on the great road from Billerica to Boston, the lots of the 1924 deeds (Book 709, Pages 148 and 149). The members are Emma Glass, Oliva MacDonald, Florence A. Ryder, Bertha M. Tyler, George I. Ryder, Charlottie DeMorris, Ella Coughlin, Florence E. Loye, Barney P. Lohnes, Katherine MacDonald, Reginald F. Ehler, Harry M. Taylor, Abbie E. Taylor, Isabel Greenleaf, Veda M. Jollymore, Amelia E. LeFord, Mable B. Bent, Lois K. Sellew, Bessie M. Sweet, Marvin H. Sweet, Caroline Lowe, Walter I. Lowe, Jessie Chessman, Florence Cox and Mary C. Carter; the Rev. Marvin H. Sweet, evidently the pastor, signs first. The release lists the founding congregation two years after the church was organized in 1923.
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| July 17, 1968 | Mortgage | Pinehurst Community Congregational Church, by Percy M. Berry, Clarence V. Cormier, Gordon L. Dryden, Harold S. Roberts and George H. Fraser, trustees | Middlesex County National Bank of Everett | 1968: church mortgages the old church lot | 1851/287 |
Dated July 15, 1968, to secure $13,000, "the land with buildings thereon situated in said Billerica on the Great Road, so-called, leading from Billerica to Boston": easterly by the road (Boston Road) 100 feet, "southerly by land formerly of F. A. R. Mixon, now of the grantor", westerly by other land of the grantor and northerly by land now or formerly of Ellen F. Eaton, each 100 feet, "about ten thousand square feet. Being the same premises described in two deeds from Frederick A. R. Mixon to the Peoples Community Church of Billerica, both dated July 1924" (Book 709, Pages 148 and 149), with the 1925 confirmatory deed and release (Book 727, Pages 244 and 246). The old church lot. Discharged in 1972 (Book 1994, Page 616).
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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.