Rhoda Kemp House
The Rhoda Kemp House stands at the corner of Concord Road and Springs Road in South Billerica, near the Bedford line. Its land was part of the homestead of Timothy Farley, whose father's estate was administered in 1744. In 1775 Abraham Jaquith deeded his son Timothy Jaquith half of "the Homestead of Timothy Farley late of Billerica deceased": seven acres with the buildings by the Mile road, and a thirty-acre piece between the road to Medford and the Town Common. In 1815 Timothy Jaquith sold the north-west corner of the thirty acres, "four acres and eighteen poles", to Elijah Hill of Bedford, a minor son of Josiah Hill, for $164.50. The lot was bounded by the county road from Bedford to Billerica, a town road, and Sampson Spaulding's land "a crooked line as the wall now stands", and it had no buildings.
On April 6, 1829 Elijah B. Hill, by then of Billerica, sold the same four acres for the same $164.50 to Rhoda Kemp, "singlewoman". The deed names no house. By December 26, 1833, when she mortgaged the property to Elbridge W. Stearns, a Bedford housewright, it carried "the dwelling house", so she built the house between 1829 and 1833. (The 1974 survey dated it c. 1840 by its style.) In 1835 she borrowed $700 from Stillman White, a Boston blacksmith, and insured "the buildings" for $600. In November 1839 Kemp, by then living in Boston, sold the place to Andrew Carney, a Boston merchant, for $854. The 1853 map still calls it "R. Kemp".
The house then had a quick run of owners. Carney sold it in 1857 to George Bacon of Billerica for $500. In 1858 Bacon sold it to Thomas G. Crawford of Lowell for $800, and in 1862 Crawford put it in his wife Caroline's name by a pair of deeds through David Gove. As a widow, Caroline Crawford sold to George W. Hill in 1874 for $1,500 (he is the "G. W. Hill" of the 1875 map). Hill borrowed from Charles H. Hill, moved to Somerville and then to Lynn, and in 1881 he and his wife Anna conveyed the house and its "five acres" to Charles H. Hill for $920, mostly in settlement of the two mortgages. In 1884 Charles H. Hill granted the Boston and Lowell Railroad a right of way across the south part of the land for its Bedford branch.
On May 19, 1892 Hill sold the place to A. W. Albert Lakemann of Boston and his wife Anna M. Miller Lakemann for $1,700. This is the "Lakeman" that A. Warren Stearns noted about 1912. In 1915 the County took 1,850 square feet of the front for the widening of Concord Road. The Lakemanns' heir sold in 1951. William Mikulsky bought it in 1954 and kept it until his death. In 1987 his estate sold the house with its five acres, and in 1988 the land was divided into two lots (Plan Book 167, Plan 61). The house stands on Lot 2, just under an acre at the corner, and is now a two-family home in private hands. The assessor dates the present building to about 1920, which may reflect a remodeling under the Lakemanns; the deeds show a house on the lot continuously from the 1830s.
References
- MACRIS BIL.182
- Billerica assessor, 1 Springs Rd (parcel 95-1-1): 0.928 acre, Lot 2 of Plan 167-61, sales history
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| 1744 | Administration | Estate of Timothy Farley of Billerica, intestate | Timothy Farley, his son, administrator; the widow Abigail | Farley estate, owners of the homestead the lot came from | Probate #7172 |
Widow Abigail Farley agrees March 30, 1744 that "my Son Timothy Farley should administer on the Estate of my Husband Timothy Farley, Late of Billerica Deceased"; bond April 2, 1744 with Jonathan Grimes and Samuel Dutton of Bedford. The inventory of March 2, 1743/4 (by Obed Abbott, Benjamin Hutchinson and Jonathan Grimes) lists only personal estate, 355 pounds old tenor, and the file has no division of land. The Farley homestead, of which this lot later formed a corner, stayed with the family until the younger Timothy's death before 1775.
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| February 6, 1786 | Deed | Abraham Jaquith of Billerica, yeoman (by his mark) | His son Timothy Jaquith of Billerica, husbandman | half of the Farley homestead to Timothy Jaquith, 1775 | 93/276 (South) |
Dated October 2, 1775, acknowledged December 2, 1776, recorded 1786 (Billerica town book 8, pages 42-43), for 30 pounds: "the one half part of two certain pieces of land": seven acres "with all the Buildings thereon standing" bounded southerly on a highway, westerly on Jonathan Hill, south-westerly on "a road called the Mile road" and north-easterly on land granted to Ralph Hill; and "another piece of land lying near the aforementioned piece containing thirty acres", westerly on a road leading to Medford, southerly on Benjamin Hutchinson, easterly on the Town Common so called and northerly on the highway. "The aforesaid lands were the Homestead of Timothy Farley late of Billerica deceased, and there is allowance on the thirty acres for a bridle way." The four acres later sold to Elijah Hill were the north-west corner of the thirty-acre piece.
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| February 14, 1815 | Warranty Deed | Timothy Jaquith of Billerica, yeoman | Elijah Hill of Bedford, "a minor son of Josiah Hill of Bedford" | Jaquith to Elijah Hill, bare land, 1815 | 212/34 (South) |
Dated February 9, 1815 (Billerica town book 11, pages 403-404), for $164.50: "a certain piece of land lying in the southerly part of Billerica ... containing four acres and eighteen poles more or less, bounded northwesterly on the county road leading from Bedford to Billerica, northeasterly on a town road, and southerly on land which I formerly sold to Benjamin Hutchinson and Sampson Spaulding, a crooked line as the wall now stands." No buildings. The county road is Concord Road and the town road is Springs Road.
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| July 1, 1830 | Warranty Deed | Elijah B. Hill of Billerica, yeoman (wife Lucy releasing dower) | Rhoda Kemp of Billerica, singlewoman | Hill to Rhoda Kemp, the house lot, 1829 | 299/5 (South) |
Dated April 6, 1829 (Billerica town book 14, pages 328-329), for $164.50, the price Hill had paid in 1815: "a certain piece of land lying in the Southerly part of Billerica ... containing four acres more or less", north-westerly on the county road from Bedford to Billerica, north-easterly on a town road and southerly on land of Sampson Spaulding "a crooked line as the wall now stands". No building is mentioned. Witnesses Rufus E. Kemp and Jonathan Pollard.
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| January 6, 1834 | Mortgage | Rhoda Kemp of Billerica, singlewoman | Elbridge W. Stearns of Bedford, housewright | mortgage naming "the dwelling house", 1833 | 329/126 (South) |
Dated December 26, 1833 (Billerica town book 13, pages 506-507), for $320: the tract "on the road opposite to the house lately owned by Timothy Jaquith", from a stone-wall corner on the south side of the road easterly to "the road leading from Billerica to Concord", then by that road to Sampson Spaulding and by his wall back to the start, "with the dwelling house on the same; the land is estimated to be four acres". To be paid $100, $100 and $120 over three years at six per cent. A mortgage to a housewright suggests this secured the cost of building the house, which had gone up since 1829.
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| March 26, 1835 | Mortgage | Rhoda Kemp of Billerica, singlewoman | Stillman White of Boston, blacksmith | Stillman White mortgage, 1835 | 339/236 (South) |
March 1835 (Billerica town book 15, pages 77-78), for $700: the four acres "together with the buildings thereon and belonging, being the same premises conveyed to me by Elijah B. Hill" (Book 299, Page 5), subject to the $320 mortgage to Elbridge Stearns of December 26, 1833; $350 due in one year and $350 in two, and the premises to be "constantly insured against fire" for $600.
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| June 22, 1840 | Warranty Deed | Rhoda Kemp of Boston, singlewoman | Andrew Carney of Boston, merchant | Kemp to Andrew Carney, 1839 | 394/142 (South) |
Dated and acknowledged in Boston November 15, 1839 (Billerica town book 16, pages 399-400), for $854: the four acres in the southerly part of Billerica on the county road from Bedford and the town road, "together with the buildings thereon and belonging, being the same premises conveyed to me by Elijah B. Hill", excepting the Elbridge Stearns mortgage of 1833. Witness Rufus E. Kemp. Kemp had moved to Boston; the 1853 map still labels the house "R. Kemp".
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| October 16, 1857 | Quitclaim Deed | Andrew Carney of Boston, gentleman (wife Pamelia joining) | George Bacon of Billerica | Carney to George Bacon, 1857 | 12/145 |
Dated March 30, 1857, acknowledged in Suffolk April 3, for $500: "a certain piece of land lying in the Southerly part of Billerica ... containing four acres", bounded on the county road from Bedford, the town road and the land of Sampson Spaulding, "together with the buildings thereon standing, meaning to convey the same premises conveyed to me by deed of Rhoda Kemp dated Nov 15, 1839".
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| April 13, 1858 | Quitclaim Deed | George Bacon of Billerica, yeoman (wife Septimia releasing dower) | Thomas G. Crawford of Lowell, yeoman | Bacon to Thomas G. Crawford, 1858 | 14/104 |
Dated April 12, 1858, acknowledged before Dudley Foster, for $800: the same four acres "together with the buildings thereon standing, meaning to convey the same premises conveyed to me by Andrew Carney, deed dated March 30th 1857 ... Book 12, Page 145".
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| April 26, 1862 | Deed | Thomas G. Crawford of Billerica (wife Caroline releasing) | David Gove | straw deed to David Gove, 1862 | 30/585 |
April 26, 1862: the same four acres in the southerly part of Billerica "together with the buildings thereon standing", meaning the premises conveyed to Crawford by George Bacon April 12, 1858. A straw deed, recorded with the reconveyance to Crawford's wife.
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| April 26, 1862 | Deed | David Gove | Caroline Crawford, wife of Thomas G. Crawford, of Billerica | to Caroline Crawford, 1862 | 30/586 |
April 26, 1862: reconveys the same four acres "with the buildings thereon standing" to Caroline Crawford in her own right, "meaning to convey the same premises conveyed to Thomas G. Crawford" by George Bacon in 1858.
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| April 15, 1874 | Warranty Deed | Caroline Crawford of Billerica, widow | George W. Hill of Billerica | Crawford to George W. Hill, 1874 | 101/29 |
Dated March 23, 1874, acknowledged before Dudley Foster, for $1,500: "a certain parcel of land lying in the southerly part of Billerica ... containing four acres", north-west on the county road leading from Bedford to Billerica, north-east on the town road, south on land of the late Sampson Spalding, "together with the buildings thereon standing. Being the same premises conveyed to me by David Gove, deed dated April 26, 1862 ... Book 30 Page 586."
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| March 29, 1877 | Mortgage | George W. Hill of Billerica | Charles H. Hill of Billerica | mortgage to Charles H. Hill, 1877 | 122/547 |
March 1877, for $600 in four years at seven per cent: the four acres on the county road from Bedford and the town road "together with the buildings thereon standing. Being the same premises conveyed to me by Caroline Crawford ... March 23rd 1874"; the buildings to be insured for $500.
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| December 5, 1878 | Mortgage | George W. Hill of Billerica (wife Annie M. Hill releasing) | Charles H. Hill | second mortgage to Charles H. Hill, 1878 | 131/564 |
December 4, 1878, for $127 in four months: "[my] Homestead situate in said Billerica containing five acres more or less with the buildings thereon", from the Bedford Road at William Wilson's land easterly to "the road known as the Bedford Spring Road", by that road to the Bedford Road and back; subject to the $600 mortgage to C. H. Hill.
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| July 22, 1879 | Deed | George W. Hill of Somerville (wife Annie M. Hill releasing) | John K. Abbott of Cambridge | straw deed to John K. Abbott, 1879 | 134/563 |
Dated January 31, 1879, for one dollar and other consideration: "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon lying in the southerly part of Billerica ... containing five acres", same bounds, "meaning to convey the same premises conveyed to me by Caroline Crawford ... March 23rd 1874", subject to two mortgages "to one Hill amounting to seven hundred and twenty seven dollars". A straw deed.
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| July 22, 1879 | Quitclaim Deed | John K. Abbott of Cambridge (wife Isabella J. releasing) | Anna M. Hill, wife of George W. Hill, of Somerville | to Anna M. Hill, 1879 | 134/564 |
Dated February 1, 1879, for one dollar: the same five acres "with the buildings thereon", meaning the premises conveyed to Abbott by George W. Hill the day before, subject to the two Hill mortgages of $727, putting the place in Mrs. Hill's own name.
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| March 24, 1881 | Warranty Deed | Anna M. Hill of Lynn, in her own right, and George W. Hill her husband | Charles H. Hill of Billerica | George W. and Anna M. Hill to Charles H. Hill, 1881 | 144/231 |
Dated March 23, 1881, acknowledged before Dudley Foster, for $920: "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica ... in the southerly part, and containing five acres", north-west on the county road leading from Bedford to Billerica, north-east on the town road, south on land late of Sampson Spalding, "meaning to convey the same premises conveyed to me by John K. Abbott ... Book 134, Page 564", excepting "two mortgages running to said Hill, which are a part of said consideration". The mortgagee took the place in settlement.
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| June 3, 1892 | Warranty Deed | Charles H. Hill of Billerica (wife releasing dower and homestead) | A. W. Albert Lakemann of Boston and Anna M. Miller Lakemann, his wife, tenants by the entirety | Hill to the Lakemanns, 1892 | 233/407 |
Dated May 19, 1892, for $1,700: "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica in the southerly part thereof", north-west on the County Road leading from Bedford to Billerica, north-east on the town road, south on land late of Sampson Spaulding "by a crooked line as the wall now stands, containing five acres", subject to rights of way Hill had granted the Boston and Lowell Railroad in 1884 for its Bedford branch. The grantees paid the 1892 taxes.
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| June 2, 1892 | Mortgage | A. W. Albert Lakemann and Anna M. Miller Lakemann of Boston | Charles H. Hill of South Billerica | Lakemann mortgage to Hill, 1892 | 234/437 |
Purchase-money mortgage of May 1892 for $700 in five years at six per cent on "a certain piece of land with the buildings thereon" in the southerly part of Billerica, five acres, same bounds; the buildings to be insured for at least $700. A margin note records payment and discharge on November 23, 1896.
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| March 3, 1915 | Taking | William J. Lyons and other owners on Concord Road | County of Middlesex (County Commissioners Levi S. Gould and Chester B. Williams) | Concord Road widening takes 1,850 sq ft, 1915 | 534/254 |
At a meeting of the County Commissioners at Cambridge begun the first Tuesday of January 1915 and adjourned to March 2, 1915, "in the matter of the alterations and specific repairs of the Concord road in Billerica," land "was thereby taken for highway purposes" from Matthew Matiosaytis, the Suburban Land Company (six parcels), Mary A. and Charles E. Hosmer, A. W. Albert Lakemann, Francis W. Belknap, "William J. Lyons, three parcels" of 1,800, 1,450 and 2,400 square feet, Isabella B. Bond (two parcels), Edward F. Judkins and Edward M. Mace. "For a more particular description of the parcels thus taken reference may be had to the accompanying plan" (margin: Plan Book M, Plan 90; the county layout of Concord Road from Bedford to Meadow Lane, 1915). Recorded March 3, 1915. The Lyons deeds of 1915-1932 all except "about 5,650 square feet" taken to straighten the road. Book 534 Page 254.
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| December 19, 1951 | Quitclaim Deed | The heir of A. W. Albert and Anna M. Lakemann (Middlesex Probate dockets 236044 and 211670) | A private couple of Boston | Lakemann estate sale, 1951 | 1185/149 |
December 1951: three parcels "with the buildings thereon", the first the five acres "Being the same premises to A. W. Albert Lakemann and Anna M. Miller Lakemann conveyed by deed of Charles H. Hill dated May 19, 1892 ... Book 233 Page 407", subject to the Boston and Lowell Railroad rights of way and excepting the railroad's land and the 1915 County taking; the second four acres east of the railroad on Spring Street. Title through the estates of Albert W. Lakeman and Anna M. Lakeman.
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| December 31, 1954 | Quitclaim Deed | A private couple of Boston | William Mikulsky of Billerica | to William Mikulsky, 1954; later private owners | 1276/351 |
Dated November 4, 1954: the same three parcels "with the buildings thereon", the five-acre house lot reciting the 1892 Hill deed, plus a 14,731-square-foot strip of former Boston and Maine Railroad land on Plan Book 82, Plan 110A. Mikulsky (d. by 1987; Suffolk Probate 489322) held the house until his heir sold Parcel 1, "five (5) acres more or less" with the buildings, in 1987 for $162,000. The new owners had it surveyed in 1988 (Plan Book 167, Plan 61) and divided; the house stands on Lot 2 (0.93 acre) of that plan. Later sales 1989 and a 2012 family transfer.
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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.