Sabbath Day House
The Sabbath Day House at 20 Andover Road, on the old Sheldon's Lane next to the First Congregational Church, is one of the few surviving "noon houses" in Massachusetts. Church members who lived far from the unheated meetinghouse built it as a shelter where they could warm themselves, eat and refill their foot stoves between the morning and afternoon services. The 1973 National Register nomination dates it to about 1765-1768.
The deeds show it standing on the homestead of innholder David Osgood, who bought about twenty acres near the Centre from Thomas Danforth in 1760. Osgood died early in 1768. His will left his widow Sarah "Eight Rods Square of Land off my Homestead" at the corner of the lane to Samuel Sheldon's, and ordered the rest sold. On October 26, 1768 his executors sold the homestead to the tanner Solomon Pollard, "excepting & reserving Liberty for John Baldwin John Patten & others their Sabbath Day House as it now stands under the same Restrictions which they were under by their Lease of said House". This is the earliest record of the building. The lease itself was never recorded.
In 1800 Solomon Pollard gave the Osgood farm to his son Francis but kept "the strip of land in Sheldon's lane", and Francis inherited it in 1803. In May 1810 Francis Pollard sold the lot on the lane to the wheelwright Francis Kidder, "reserving liberty for the building on the southeast corner ... untill the year one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, on the tenth day of March, when it may be removed". This date suggests the proprietors had a fifty-year lease beginning in 1768. Two weeks later Kidder sold that southeast corner, twenty-one square rods with the house, to Asa Patten, again "reserving liberty for the house ... until the year 1818 in March".
Asa Patten died in 1817, and his only child Polly (Mary), wife of Theophilus Manning, received "the Frances Kidder Land about 20 square rods". When the lease ended in March 1818 the old noon house stayed where it was. MACRIS says Manning bought out the other proprietors, and the building became the Mannings' house. In 1819 Theophilus Manning bought the rest of Kidder's half acre and a strip "seventeen feet east of said Manning's house" from the Bowers family. In 1833 he and Polly deeded the house and a quarter acre by the Orthodox meetinghouse lot to their daughters Sarah H. and Polly Manning. Sarah married Ambrose F. Page, who in 1853 bought three quarters of an acre behind the house from Lyman Haynes.
The house passed by inheritance to the Pages' daughter Anne M. P. Hall. In December 1923 she deeded the one-acre lot to her niece Katherine Eastman Tyler, explaining that "Said Sarah H. Manning, afterwards Page, was my mother; said Polly Manning my aunt; and said Ambrose F. Page my father." Katherine married Rev. J. Harold Dale, the longtime minister of the First Congregational Church next door. The wings were added about the time of their marriage, and after family transfers in 1932 and 1943 the Dales held it together. J. Harold Dale died in 1959, and the house has stayed with their descendants as a private home.
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Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| October 17, 1760 | Deed | Thomas Danforth of Billerica, yeoman, and Abigail Danforth | David Osgood of Billerica, innholder | 1760: Thomas Danforth sells the homestead near the Centre (incl. the noon-house site) to innholder David Osgood | 57/464 (South) |
Dated Oct. 16, 1760. For 266 pounds 13s. 4d., three lots: first, the homestead "near the Center of the Town" of "about twenty Acres more or less with the Dwelling House and all the other Buildings thereon standing," bounded west and south by the County Road, east by Samuel Sheldon and partly by Ebenezer French, north by Thomas Kidder Esq. "and by land of the said David Osgood and partly William Baldwin in a Crank as the Fence now stands to the County Road"; second, four acres of meadow west of the County Road by the lane to Thomas Kidder's; third, sixteen acres by the County Road near Daniel Shed's barn "as it was laid off to him by a Committee appointed by the Judge of Probate for settling his Father's Estate." Witnesses Isaac Noyes and Elijah Danforth; recorded Oct. 17, 1760. Billerica town book 5, pages 493-495.
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| 1768 | Will | Estate of David Osgood of Billerica, innholder | His widow Sarah Osgood and Elijah Danforth, executors (real estate to be sold) | 1768: will of David Osgood; real estate to be sold, half acre at Sheldon's Lane to the widow | Probate #16271 |
Will dated June 15, 1767, proved Feb. 16, 1768 (witnesses Jonathan Kidder, Samuel Danforth, Nathaniel Davidson). All real estate to be sold; to his wife Sarah "Eight Rods Square of Land off my Homestead for to Build a House on and a Garden Spott, at the Corner of the Stone Wall at the Lane Leading to Mr. Samuel Sheldon's"; his pew "in the Meeting House in Billerica Shall not be Sold". Inventory April 21, 1768: "1/2 an Acre of Land Given to the Widow by Will", 10 pounds; "nineteen Acres and one Half Acre of the Homestead with all the Buildings thereon Excepting the Pott ash House", 395 pounds; ten acres near the centre; 760 bushels of ashes and potash barrels.
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| April 26, 1769 | Executors' Deed | Sarah Osgood, widow and innholder, and Elijah Danforth, blacksmith, executors of David Osgood | Solomon Pollard of Billerica, tanner | 1768: Osgood executors sell the homestead to Solomon Pollard, reserving the "Sabbath Day House" under its lease | 69/122 (South) |
Dated Oct. 26, 1768. For 484 pounds lawful money, "one Lot or Parcel of Land situate in Billerica aforesaid near the Centre of the Town it being the whole of the Homestead of the said David Osgood dec'd," except half an acre at the corner of Sheldon's Lane left to the widow by the will, "and also excepting & reserving Liberty for John Baldwin John Patten & others their Sabbath Day House as it now stands"; bounded "Westerly & Southwardly by the County Road, Easterly by Land of Samuel Shelden and partly by Land of Ebenezer French, Northerly by Land of Thomas Kidder Esq. and partly by land of Mr Oliver Abbot and partly by Land of the heirs of William Baldwin ... in a Crank as the fence now stands to the County Road," "with all the Buildings Edifices and out Houses thereon." Witnesses Nathaniel Davidson and Timothy Whiting; acknowledged before Thomas Kidder; recorded Apr. 26, 1769. Billerica town book 6, pages 348-350.
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| April 7, 1801 | Deed | Solomon Pollard of Billerica, gentleman | His son Francis Pollard of Billerica | 1800: Solomon Pollard deeds the Osgood Farm to son Francis, keeping the Sheldon's Lane strip | 141/328 (South) |
"All my homestead called the Osgood Farm with the buildings thereon except the lot of land called the tan yard & the buildings, also the Slaughter house, also the office near James Abbot's, & also the strip of land in Sheldon's lane so called, from the northeast bounds of Asa Duren's land on a straight line to land of Capt. Josiah Bowers." Signed March 28, 1800. Solomon kept the Sheldon's Lane strip on which the Sabbath Day House stood; it passed to Francis under his will in 1803. Billerica town book 11, pages 56-57.
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| 1803 | Will | Capt. Solomon Pollard of Billerica | Francis Pollard, his son and executor | 1803: will of Solomon Pollard; all real estate to son Francis | Probate #17692 |
Will dated May 17, 1802, proved Oct. 5, 1803. "I give and bequeath to my son, Francis, all my real estate and landed-interest in the town of Billerica and elsewhere, with all the buildings"; his wife to have the improvement of a third; his son Isaac already provided for by deed; legacies to daughters Hannah Russ, Mary Bowers and Alice Bridge, with pasture for a cow for Alice. Papers read, pages 1-7.
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| December 15, 1813 | Deed | Francis Pollard of Billerica, gentleman (Judith Pollard releasing dower) | Francis Kidder of Billerica, wheelwright | 1810: Francis Pollard sells the Sheldon's Lane lot to Francis Kidder; the building may stay until March 10, 1818 | 205/499 (South) |
For $99.37 1/2, "a certain piece of land in Billerica on the north of Sheldon's lane, so called, containing one hundred and six square poles", by Isaac Parker nine rods eleven links, by the grantor's land fourteen rods to Capt. J. Bowers, by Bowers six rods to the lane and by the lane thirteen rods, "reserving liberty for the building on the southeast corner of the above described premises to remain where it now stands untill the year one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, on the tenth day of March, when it may be removed". The building is the Sabbath Day House, whose fifty-year lease of 1768 ran out in March 1818. Signed May 3, 1810. Billerica town book 11, pages 246-247 (Southern Registry Book 205 Page 499, with the Crosby-Kidder deed).
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| February 12, 1818 | Deed | Francis Kidder of Billerica, wheelwright (Nancy Kidder releasing dower) | Asa Patten of Billerica, yeoman | 1810: Francis Kidder sells the 21-rod house site to Asa Patten, house to stay until March 1818 | 225/37 (South) |
For $30, "a certain peice of land in Billerica aforesaid on the north side of Sheldens lane, so called, containing twenty one square rods", from the southeasterly corner at the lane six rods and a half by Capt. J. Bowers, three rods by Capt. F. Pollard, seven rods fifteen links "by my land" back to the lane and three rods along it, "reserving liberty for the house on the south east corner of the premises to remain where it now is until the year 1818 in March". Signed May 18, 1810, two weeks after Kidder bought the lot from Francis Pollard; acknowledged Dec. 19, 1817 and recorded Feb. 12, 1818, just before the lease ran out. This is the Sabbath Day House site; Patten died in 1817 and it passed to his only child Polly (Mary), wife of Theophilus Manning (probate 16995). Billerica town book 12, pages 70-71.
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| November 14, 1817 | Administration | Estate of Asa Patten of Billerica, yeoman, intestate | Mary (Polly) Manning, wife of Theophilus Manning, his only surviving child | 1817: Asa Patten estate to his daughter Polly Manning, incl. "the Frances Kidder Land about 20 square rods" | Probate #16995 |
Theophilus Manning of Billerica, yeoman, petitioned that Asa Patten, late of Billerica, yeoman, "died intestate within three months last past, leaving no widow nor children excepting the wife of your memorialist." On Nov. 14, 1817 Judge James Prescott granted administration to Mary Manning, wife of Theophilus, with John Crosby and Hosley Patten, yeomen, as sureties. John Crosby, Joseph Kendall and John Richardson 2nd inventoried the estate (sworn Dec. 9, 1817): "the home farm first lot about seven acres with the buildings thereon" at $800, a second lot "North of the Canall" at $928, a third lot "South of the road" at $1,100, half a pew on the lower floor and half a pew in the gallery of the meeting house, half of a stable at the meeting house, out lands (the Cragge land, a barn field, the Allen field, the Frances Kidder land, the Jonson farm), the Cory meadow and Brown lot in Wilmington and 30 acres in Wilton, in all $4,059.99 of real estate. Middlesex probate case 16995.
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| November 12, 1819 | Warranty | Francis Kidder of Billerica, gentleman, and Nancy Kidder his wife | Theophilus Manning of Billerica, yeoman | Francis Kidder sells Theophilus Manning half an acre with buildings on Sheldon's Lane | 231/222 (South) |
For $210, "a certain piece of land with the buildings thereon standing, situate in said Billerica on the north side of Sheldon's lane so called, containing half an acre more or less," beginning at the southwesterly corner at the lane, northerly by land of John Baldwin nine rods, easterly by land of Ichabod Everett eight rods "to land of said Manning," southerly by Manning's land six and a half rods to the lane and westerly by the lane to the beginning. Dated March 17, acknowledged April 13, recorded Nov. 12, 1819. Billerica town book 13, pages 126-127 (Southern Registry Book 231 Page 222). ASSUMPTION: part of Manning's purchase of the proprietors' interests, which MACRIS dates to 1818; the deed does not mention the Sabbath Day house.
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| January 28, 1820 | Warranty | Josiah Bowers and Joseph Bowers of Billerica, gentlemen | Theophilus Manning of Billerica, yeoman | Bowers strip next to "Manning's house as it now stands" | 232/158 (South) |
For $47, "a certain piece of land in said Billerica on the north side of Sheldon's lane so called containing about ten square rods," beginning "at the said lane at a stake and stones seventeen feet east of said Manning's house as it now stands," northerly about six rods by the Bowers land to a corner of Ichabod Everett's and the heirs of Asa Patten's land, southwesterly by the heirs' land to the lane and easterly by the lane to the beginning. Dated April 23, 1819, acknowledged Jan. 25, recorded Jan. 28, 1820. Billerica town book 13, pages 54-55 (Southern Registry Book 232 Page 158). The deed shows Manning's house standing on the north side of Sheldon's Lane by April 1819.
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| March 30, 1841 | Warranty | Theophilus Manning of Billerica, yeoman, and Polly Manning his wife | Sarah H. Manning and Polly Manning, both of Billerica, singlewomen | Manning deeds the house beside the Orthodox meetinghouse lot to his daughters Sarah H. and Polly | 400/445 (South) |
For $1,000, "a certain messuage or tenement and land belonging to the same, situate in or near the centre of said Town of Billerica, containing about one quarter of an acre more or less with the buildings thereon standing," beginning "at the Southwest corner at Sheldon's lane so called and the Orthodox Meeting house lot," northerly by the meetinghouse lot to land of Ichabod Everett, easterly by Everett's land "as the wall now stands" to land of the heirs of Andrew Bowers Esq., southerly by the Bowers land as the wall stands to "the road called Sheldon's lane," and westerly by the lane to the beginning. Dated Feb. 26, acknowledged March 26, 1833 before Marshall Preston, witnesses Joseph and Reuben Kendall; recorded March 30, 1841. Billerica town book 17, pages 55-56 (Southern Registry Book 400 Page 445).
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| May 6, 1853 | Deed | Lyman Haynes of Billerica, yeoman (Caroline Haynes releasing dower) | Ambrose F. Page of Billerica, yeoman | 1853: Lyman Haynes sells the rear three quarters of an acre to Ambrose F. Page | 654/87 (South) |
For $300, "a certain tract of land situated in the centre of said Billerica containing about three quarters of an acre", from the southwest corner at land of John Baldwin Esq., easterly by land of the Orthodox Society and land of said Page about eleven rods to Ichabod G. Kimball, by Kimball twelve rods to Abel Spalding Jr., by Spalding thirteen rods to the grantor, and by the grantor twelve rods back. Signed April 19, 1853, witnesses Dudley Foster and Charles R. Haynes. The rear land added to the Manning house lot; it is one of the two deeds recited by Anne M. P. Hall in 1923. Billerica town book 19, pages 495-496.
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| December 27, 1923 | Quitclaim | Anne M. P. Hall of Lowell, widow (daughter of Ambrose F. and Sarah H. Page) | Her niece Katherine Eastman Tyler of Billerica (later Katharine Eastman Dale) | 1923: Anne M. P. Hall, Sarah Manning Page's daughter, to her niece Katherine Eastman Tyler (Dale) | 697/553 |
"The land with buildings thereon situated at Billerica Center on the northerly side of Andover Road, formerly known as Sheldon's Lane, containing one acre more or less", from the southwest corner at land of the Orthodox Congregational Church, by the Church land, by land formerly of Lyman Haynes 12 rods, by land formerly of Spalding 13 rods, by land formerly of Kimball and of Bowers back to the street. "Being all and the same premises described in two deeds; one from Theophilus Manning to Sarah H. Manning and Polly Manning, dated February 26, 1833 ... Book 400, Page 445; the other from Lyman Haynes to Ambrose F. Page ... Book 654, Page 87. Said Sarah H. Manning, afterwards Page, was my mother; said Polly Manning my aunt; and said Ambrose F. Page my father. My title is derived from them." Signed Dec. 19, 1923 (pages 553-554). MACRIS calls it a wedding present; the Dales married about 1926.
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| August 4, 1932 | Quitclaim | Katherine Eastman Dale, formerly Tyler, of Billerica (J. Harold Dale releasing curtesy) | Mary Katherine Tyler of Billerica | 1932: Katherine E. Dale to Mary Katherine Tyler (family conveyance) | 816/18 |
The same one acre "with buildings thereon situated at Billerica Centre on the northerly side of Andover Road, formerly known as Sheldon's Lane", "subject to a mortgage for thirty-five hundred dollars ($3500.00)". Signed Aug. 3, 1932; a conveyance through a family member, reversed in 1943 to put the title in both spouses.
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| October 6, 1943 | Quitclaim | Mary Katherine Tyler of Billerica, unmarried | Katharine Eastman Dale and her husband Rev. J. Harold Dale, tenants by the entirety | 1943: Mary Katherine Tyler to Katharine E. and Rev. J. Harold Dale; later to their daughter | 998/130 |
Consideration under $100, "the land with buildings thereon situated at Billerica Center on the northerly side of Andover Road, formerly known as Sheldon's Lane, containing one acre", the premises conveyed to her by Katherine Eastman Dale in 1932 (Book 816 Page 18) and to Dale by Annie M. P. Hall in 1923 (Book 697 Page 553). Signed Sept. 24, 1943. J. Harold Dale, pastor of the First (Orthodox) Congregational Church next door, died Dec. 26, 1959; Katharine E. Dale left the house by will to their daughter, who in 1971 deeded it to herself and her husband (Book 1974 Page 594). The house has stayed in private family hands since (1993, 1997, 2021, 2022).
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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.