Rev. John Chandler House

The Rev. John Chandler House stood on the west side of Boston Road about fifty rods south of the meeting house, on the 1656 house lot of William Patten: "one acre ... on which his house now standeth; bounded by ye country road on ye east." A tannery grew up behind it early on. In 1725 Ebenezer Dows sold the lot, about two acres with buildings, to James Barrett, a tanner from Andover, who sold it in 1729 to Jonathan Brown along with "all the Tools and utensils Belonging to or about his Trade of Tanning." Brown sold to William Marshall, a joiner, in 1732, and in 1736 Marshall sold one acre "with a House and Barn thereon standing" to Jeremiah Abbot, a saddler.

In 1748 Abbot sold the acre to Rev. John Chandler of Andover, a 1743 Harvard graduate who had been ordained the town's third minister on October 21, 1747. His pastorate was prosperous and happy for eleven years, but after his wife Mary White died in 1757 he fell into drinking, and he was dismissed in 1760. After his death the house went to his daughters. In 1785 his daughter Elizabeth Plummer sold her half of "the Buildings ... late in the occupation of the said John Chandler deceased" to her uncle, William White, a Boston merchant who already owned the other half.

In September 1797 White sold the land to Reuben Duren, the housewright who had just finished building the new meeting house, and the next day Duren sold the house and half an acre to Jonathan Bond, a cabinetmaker, for $715. When Bond sold in 1802 the price had risen to $1,190, which suggests he improved the house. Robert E. Valyou, who grew up in the house, told Charles E. Stearns of the Billerica Historical Commission that a much older house facing south was greatly enlarged and remodelled, with a new front added facing the street. That facade, with a two-story portico and fine pilasters, reminded Stearns of the Ruggles-Parker House, and he suspected Duren's influence.

In 1805 the house passed to John Parker, whose tan house adjoined the lot, and in 1831 he deeded it to his son David Parker (1786-1874), a storekeeper who lived here for decades. It then changed hands often: Charles E. Parker, Mary A. Farmer (1870), George H. Hills (1871) and Henry B. Stanton (1875), whose heirs sold it to the Wamesit Power Company in 1907. Israel and Lena Valyou bought it in 1921, and it stayed with the Valyous until 1964, when it went to Iola B. Thompson, the owner when Stearns recorded it in 1973.

In 1981 Robert E. Valyou, as Mrs. Thompson's conservator, sold the house for $44,000 to Federal Investment Trust No. 1. In 1984 fire largely destroyed it, and the site was later redeveloped.

References

Deed References

Date	Type	Grantor	Grantee	Summary	Recorded
1748	Deed	Jeremiah Abbot, saddler	Rev. John Chandler	Rev. John Chandler buys an acre on the country road (probable)	48/4 (South)
	For 800 pounds old tenor, one acre bounded easterly on the country road, southerly on Nathaniel Davidson and northerly on land of Jacob Danforth. Chandler was ordained the third minister in Oct. 1747. The large price for one acre suggests a house. Whether this is the same lot as the 1785 deed is probable but not proven: the neighbors had changed by then. Billerica town book 5, page 107.
February 16, 1786	Deed	Thomas Plummer and Elizabeth Plummer of Haverhill	William White of Boston, merchant	Chandler's daughter sells her half of his house and land	81/596 (South)
	Elizabeth, "Daughter and Coheiress of John Chandler late of Billerica ... Clerk deceased," sells for 90 pounds "that Moiety of three certain Tracts or parcels of land" of about five acres "with all the Buildings thereon standing, late in the occupation of the said John Chandler deceased": one tract easterly on the highway, northerly and southerly on John Parker, westerly on another highway, southeasterly on John White; one near the meeting house bounded by William Bowers, William White and Solomon Kidder's heirs; one more by the same highway and John Parker. Signed July 4, 1785. White was Chandler's wife's brother; the other half was already his. Billerica town book 7, pages 337-339.
December 2, 1797	Deed	William White of Boston, merchant	Reuben Duren, housewright	William White to Reuben Duren	127/79 (South)
	For $2,000, "three certain pieces of land in the center of Billerica" of six acres: the first at the corner of the wall by John Parker, southerly by the road leading to Boston 17 rods 12 links to John White Esq., westerly by White and Parker to the northwest corner of the tan house, then to the road leading to Bedford, "with all the buildings thereon"; the second a small piece at the Boston road; the third from the Centre School House by Stephen Parker, the road over the Middle Bridge, Dr. Bowers and the common "through the New Meeting house." White does not convey "the meeting house, nor one moiety of the joiner's shop built by Mr. John Dike." Signed Sept. 11, 1797. Duren had just built the meeting house. Billerica town book 9, pages 326-328.
May 31, 1798	Deed	Reuben Duren and Mary Duren	Jonathan Bond, cabinet maker	Duren to Jonathan Bond, cabinetmaker	129/60 (South)
	For $715, "a certain tract of land in Billerica about fifty rods south of the meeting house, on Boston road, containing half an acre," beginning ten feet north of "the building on the premises," southerly by the road to John White Esq., westerly by White and John Parker 17 poles to near the northwest corner of the tan house, then easterly back ten feet north of the building, "with all the buildings thereon," with the right to use the well. Signed Sept. 12, 1797, the day after Duren bought it. Billerica town book 9, pages 354-355.
1802	Deed	Jonathan Bond and Polly Bond	John Richardson, blacksmith	Bond to John Richardson	156/355 (South)
	For $1,190, the half acre about fifty rods south of the meetinghouse on the west side of the road leading to Boston, beginning "ten feet north of my dwelling house," by John White Esq., John Parker, the tan house and Jonathan P. Pollard, "with all the buildings thereon." Signed Aug. 24, 1802. The price rise from $715 suggests Bond improved the house. Billerica town book 10, pages 248-249.
1805	Deed	John Richardson Jr.	John Parker, gentleman	Richardson to John Parker, tanner	173/261 (South)
	For $1,300, the same half acre "about fifty rods south of the meeting house on the west side of the road leading to Boston," beginning ten feet north of "my dwelling house," by John White, John Parker, the tan house and Jonathan P. Pollard, "with all the buildings thereon." Parker was the tanner whose tan house bounded the lot. Billerica town book 10, page 447.
February 10, 1832	Quitclaim	John Parker and Susan Parker	David Parker	John Parker to son David Parker	311/134 (South)
	For one dollar, "a certain tract of land, with a dwelling house thereon ... now occupied by the said David," beginning at the northeast corner at the Boston road ten feet from the northerly end of the house, by David's strip "on which his barn stands," the Parker tan house, and the garden of David Rogers occupied by Joel Wheat, 142 feet on the Boston road, about half an acre. Signed Sept. 3, 1831. David Parker (1786-1874), storekeeper, lived here for decades. Billerica town book 16, page 26.
January 13, 1870	Deed	David Parker of Billerica	Charles E. Parker of Moravia, Cayuga County, New York	David Parker to Charles E. Parker	71/477
	For $1,500, the tract on the west side of the road leading from the centre to Boston, beginning at the southeast corner of Francis E. Richardson's land, by Charles Hannaford, land formerly of Dr. Hill, W. P. F. Pollard, Bowers, and William Schouler, with the same courses used in every later deed. Dated May 8, 1861 but not recorded until Jan. 13, 1870, just before Charles E. Parker sold. David Parker died in 1874.
January 24, 1870	Deed	Charles E. Parker of Pittsfield and Harriet G. Parker	Mary A. Farmer, wife of Joseph Farmer, of Billerica	Charles E. Parker to Mary A. Farmer	71/560
	For $1,400, the same tract on the west side of the road from the centre of the town to Boston, now bounded by Francis E. Richardson, Charles M. Hannaford, William Stearns and George A. Munroe, Samuel Sage, the heirs of William Bowers, L. Osborne and the William Hardy lot, about eleven rods on the road. Signed Jan. 20, 1870. Mary A. Farmer gave Parker back a $600 mortgage (Book 71 Page 561), discharged Nov. 1871 (Book 83 Page 287).
July 6, 1871	Administrator's Deed	Frederick E. Farmer of New York, administrator of Mary A. Farmer	James C. Rogers of New York	Farmer estate sold at auction to Rogers	80/583
	Mary A. Farmer died intestate. Under license of the Middlesex Probate Court (Feb. 14, 1871), her administrator sold the tract at public auction March 27, 1871 to Rogers, the highest bidder, for $2,300. Same bounds. Signed June 28, 1871.
July 6, 1871	Quitclaim	James C. Rogers of New York	Frederick E. Farmer of New York	Rogers releases to Frederick E. Farmer	80/585
	For one dollar, the same tract released back to Farmer, so that the administrator took it in his own right. Signed June 28, 1871. Farmer sold it to George H. Hills four months later.
November 20, 1871	Deed	Frederick E. Farmer of New York City	George H. Hills of Billerica	Farmer to George H. Hills	83/288
	For $1,900, the tract on the west side of the road leading from the center of the town to Boston, beginning at the southwest corner of Francis E. Richardson's land, by Charles M. Hannaford, William Stearns and George A. Munroe, Samuel Sage, the heirs of William Bowers and L. Osborne, "about twelve rods and eight feet" on the road. Signed Oct. 28, 1871. Charles E. Parker discharged a mortgage on it the same day (Book 83 Page 287). Title: Farmer's 1871 administrator's sale and the Rogers release (Book 80 Pages 583-585). Hills is the "Geo. H. Hills" of the 1875 map.
September 11, 1875	Deed	Henry Pearson and Sarah A. Pearson	Lydia P. Emerson of Boston	Pearson to Emerson	112/270
	The same lot and buildings, "being all and the same premises conveyed to me by George H. Hills June 21st 1875" (recorded in Middlesex South, Lib. 1353 Fol. 622), subject to a $2,000 mortgage to Hills. Signed Aug. 9, 1875.
September 11, 1875	Deed	Lydia P. Emerson of Boston	Henry B. Stanton of Lowell	Emerson to Henry B. Stanton	112/271
	For $3,000, "a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon standing" on the west side of the road from the center of the town to Boston, same bounds, subject to the $2,000 mortgage to George H. Hills. Signed Sept. 9, 1875. Stanton is the "H. B. Stanton" of the 1889 map.
January 24, 1907	Deed	George F. Stanton of Boston and Albert D. Stanton of Arlington	Wamesit Power Company, Lowell	Stanton heirs to Wamesit Power Co.	399/488
	For one dollar, the tract "with the buildings thereon standing" on the west side of the road from the center of the town to Boston, same bounds. "Our title comes as heirs at law of Henry B. Stanton and Lydia F. his wife." Title from Emerson, Book 112 Page 271. Signed Jan. 24, 1907.
March 23, 1916	Quitclaim	Wamesit Power Company, Lowell	Thomas Thoresen of Billerica	Wamesit Power Co. to Thoresen	551/282
	The tract with the buildings on the west side of the road from the center of the town to Boston, same bounds, "being the same premises conveyed to said Wamesit Power Company by George F. Stanton et al" (Book 399 Page 488). Recorded with the company's vote.
November 15, 1921	Quitclaim	Lyman F. Priest of Stow and Emma Priest	Israel Valyou and Lena V. Valyou of Billerica	Priest to the Valyous	653/32
	The tract with the buildings on the westerly side of the road from the center of the town to Boston, same bounds, conveyed to Priest by Thomas Thoresen by deed of Nov. 1, 1921, subject to an $800 mortgage to the Central Savings Bank. Signed Nov. 15, 1921. Robert E. Valyou, who told Stearns about the older south-facing house inside, grew up here.
1946	Quitclaim	Israel Valyou and Lena V. Valyou	Le Roy Nelson Valyou	Israel to Le Roy Valyou	1053/82
	The same tract with the buildings, same bounds, "being all and the same premises to us conveyed by deed of Lyman F. Priest" (Book 653 Page 32), subject to the Central Savings Bank mortgage. Signed Sept. 6, 1946. In 1955 Le Roy passed it through Harry Surabian Jr. to himself and his wife Hazel (Book 1316 Pages 209-210).
June 30, 1964	Quitclaim	Le Roy Nelson Valyou Sr. and Hazel L. Valyou of Saugus	Iola B. Thompson of Billerica	Valyous to Iola B. Thompson	1654/130
	The tract "with the buildings thereon" on the westerly side of the road from the center of the town to Boston, same bounds, title from Harry Surabian Jr. 1955 (Book 1316 Page 210). Thompson was the owner when Stearns recorded the house in 1973.
August 14, 1981	Conservator's Deed	Robert E. Valyou, conservator of the property of Iola B. Thompson	Albert T. Frizzell, Trustee of Federal Investment Trust No. 1	Thompson conservator to Federal Investment Trust; house burned 1984	2494/464
	For $44,000, under license of the Middlesex Probate Court (July 21, 1981), "the land ... with the buildings thereon now supposed to be numbered 411 Boston Road," same bounds, shown on "Plan of Land in Billerica, Mass. Surveyed for Albert T. Frizell," June 30, 1981 (Plan Book 134, Plan 101). Title from Book 1654 Page 130. The conservator was Robert E. Valyou, who had grown up in the house. The trust owned it when fire largely destroyed the house in 1984, and held the lot until 2002, when it sold to Joseph P. Shaw, Trustee of JPS Realty Trust, for $165,000 (Book 12843 Page 59); the site was later redeveloped.

Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted.

Also Known As	David Parker House
Address	411 Boston Rd
MACRIS ID	BIL.73
Built	1656
Demolished	1984

Rev. John Chandler House

Rev. John Chandler House

References

Deed References Expand all

Deed References