Samuel Manning Homestead
Samuel Manning Homestead
| Address | 349 Boston Rd |
| Built | 1660 |
| Demolished | 1886 |
| Other Lot Structures | Dr. Harlin Pillsbury House (Built 1886) |
This farm on the west side of Boston Road, running back to the Concord River north of the town center, was part of the land granted to the Hubbard family among the first settlers. Hazen placed John Hubbard "between Dr. Pillsbury's place and Mrs. Wild's" in 1660; Charles E. Stearns, who recorded the site for the Billerica Historical Commission in 1974, gave the grantee as Thomas Hubbard, who died in 1662. That year Samuel Manning bought the late Thomas Hubbard's grant. Stearns traced the 38 acres from Manning to Benjamin Heywood (1721-1728) and then to William Stickney, Esq.
After Stickney's death his executors sold the farm, "Northward of the Meeting House on the Country road leading to the old Bridge," to Dr. Isaac Hurd in 1786, less the part set off as his widow's dower. Hurd moved to Concord and in 1794 conveyed the 35 acres "together with all the Buildings thereon" to Isaac Wilkins, a merchant and later mariner. Wilkins sold a quarter acre on the road to Ebenezer Pemberton, where Pemberton kept his celebrated Pemberton Academy from 1794 to 1808. In 1799, about to "take a long voyage to Sea," Wilkins gave Dr. William Wilkins power of attorney, and in 1800 the farm, about 36 acres "with all the buildings standing thereon," was sold for $2,000 to Robert Caldwell of Boston.
The Caldwells lived here for the next four decades. A house is shown on the site on the 1831 map. In 1842 Francis Faulkner, John Baldwin and James R. Faulkner sold "the homestead of the late Mrs. Francis Caldwell," 38 acres with a dwelling house and other buildings, to Stephen and Caroline Parker of Lowell for $2,750, and the 1853 Walling map shows the place as S. Parker's. When Caroline Parker, by then a widow, sold the farm to Dr. Harlin Pillsbury of Lowell in 1871, the deed described it as "the farm formerly owned and occupied by Mr. & Mrs. Caldwell" with "the building and remains of a house thereon." The old farmhouse had evidently been lost by then, and the house that stands on the lot today, the Dr. Harlin Pillsbury House, was built or rebuilt on the property by 1886.
References
- Hazen, History of Billerica (1883): the Hubbard lot "between Dr. Pillsbury's place and Mrs. Wild's" among the settlers of 1660
- Walling, Map of the Town of Billerica (1853), State Library of Massachusetts via Digital Commonwealth
- Beers, County Atlas of Middlesex, Massachusetts (1875)
Deed References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 11, 1786 | Executor's Deed | Joshua Abbot and Jonathan Stickney, executors of William Stickney Esq. | Dr. Isaac Hurd | Stickney executors to Dr. Isaac Hurd | 93/470 (South) |
Under license of the Supreme Judicial Court, the executors of William Stickney Esq., late of Billerica, sell for 231 pounds lawful silver money to Isaac Hurd of Billerica, physician, "a certain parcel of land lying in said Billerica Northward of the Meeting House on the Country road leading to the old Bridge being about Thirty two acres," bounded south by Joshua Abbot, west by Concord River, north by Hurd's own land to the widow's thirds, then around the thirds "as the wall now stands" to the highway, "excepting what was laid off to the widows thirds as is recorded in the Probate Office, with the Buildings thereon standing." Signed March 30, 1786, "in the tenth year of American Independence," witnessed by Benjamin Hurd Jr. and William Tompson. Stearns traced the farm back through Stickney and Benjamin Heywood (1721-1728) to Samuel Manning, who bought the Hubbard grant in 1662; those earlier transfers were not traced in the registry. Billerica town book 8, pages 57-58.
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| September 11, 1794 | Deed | Dr. Isaac Hurd and Polly Hurd | Isaac Wilkins | Hurd to Isaac Wilkins | 117/229 (South) |
Isaac Hurd, now of Concord, physician, conveys to Isaac Wilkins of Billerica, merchant, "a certain parcel of Land lying in Billerica aforesaid Northwardly of the Meeting House in said Billerica on the County road leading to the old Bridge containing about thirty five acres," bounded southerly by Joshua Abbott, westerly by Concord River "to a maple tree standing by said River," northerly "to an heap of stones in the Island so called," then as the wall stands to an old stump and by the County road back to the first bound, "together with all the Buildings thereon standing." The stated consideration is only five shillings. Signed Sept. 8, 1794, witnessed by Amos Bancroft and Eliza Knight. Billerica town book 9, pages 163-165.
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| 1794 | Deed | Isaac Wilkins | Anna Orne | Wilkins to Anna Orne, widow | 117/231 (South) |
Recorded next after the Hurd deed: Isaac Wilkins of Billerica, trader, for 150 pounds sells the same 35 acres "Northerly of the Meeting House ... on the County Road leading to the Old Bridge," same bounds, to Anna Orne of Billerica, widow. Only the first page was read. Wilkins still held the farm in fee in 1799, so this was probably security or was reconveyed; no release was looked for. Billerica town book 9, pages 165-166.
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| September 10, 1800 | Deed | Isaac Wilkins, by his attorney Dr. William Wilkins | Robert Caldwell | Wilkins to Robert Caldwell | 137/309 (South) |
Isaac Wilkins, mariner, "about to take a long voyage to Sea," gave Dr. William Wilkins of Billerica power of attorney on July 29, 1799 (Middlesex South Book 137 Page 307). Under it, for $2,000, William sells to Robert Caldwell of Boston, gentleman, "a certain tract or parcel of land situate in said Billerica north of the Meeting house of that town" on the Boston road, bounded from a stake and stones at the northeast corner westerly on Silas and Aaron Cragin in a straight line to a maple tree on Concord River, southerly by the river to Deacon Joshua Abbot, easterly by Abbot to the Boston road, and northerly by the road, "excepting out of the above bounded piece of land about one fourth of an acre as bounded and described in a deed of the same from the said Isaac to Ebenezer Pemberton," about 36 acres "with all the buildings standing thereon." That quarter acre was the site of Pemberton's academy, which Hazen placed "at the place where the late Dr. Pillsbury lived." Signed Aug. 25, 1800, with Sally Wilkins, Isaac's wife, releasing dower. Billerica town book 10, pages 44-47.
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| February 22, 1843 | Deed | Francis Faulkner, John Baldwin and James R. Faulkner | Stephen Parker and Caroline Parker | Caldwell homestead to Stephen and Caroline Parker | 425/226 (South) |
Francis Faulkner and John Baldwin, Esquires, and James R. Faulkner, gentleman, all of Billerica, with their wives releasing dower, sell for $2,750 to Stephen Parker and his wife Caroline, of Lowell, "a certain farm with a dwelling house & other buildings thereon being the homestead of the late Mrs. Francis Caldwell," on the westerly side of the road from Lowell to Billerica and Boston, about 38 acres, bounded by the late John Foster, Concord River, land lately of William H. Nash and Stephen Winters, and the road, the lines about 189, 36, 189 and 36 rods. No deed from Robert Caldwell to his widow, or into the three sellers, was found. Signed Oct. 31, 1842. The Parkers, then of Dracut, mortgaged it for $600 to Louisa Jaquith of Billerica (Middlesex South Book 425 Page 228), discharged by her administrator to Samuel L. Pillsbury et al. in 1879 (Middlesex North Book 135 Page 378). The 1853 Walling map labels the place "S. Parker." Billerica town book 17, pages 421-424.
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| February 2, 1871 | Deed | Caroline J. Parker | Dr. Harlin Pillsbury | Widow Parker to Dr. Harlin Pillsbury; "remains of a house" | 77/464 |
Caroline J. Parker of Billerica, widow, for $1,602 sells to Harlin Pillsbury of Lowell "a certain farm with the building and remains of a house thereon, being the farm formerly owned and occupied by Mr. & Mrs. Caldwell," on the westerly side of the road from Lowell to Billerica and Boston, about 38 acres, bounded by the late John Foster, Concord River, William H. Nash and Stephen Winter, and the road, the lines about 189, 36, 189 and 36 rods 2 links by John Bennett's survey and plan of June 14, 1837. Signed Feb. 2, 1871, witnessed by Geo. H. Pillsbury and Joseph Jaquith. Title from Middlesex South Book 425 Page 226. The old farmhouse was already in ruins. The 1875 Beers atlas shows "Dr. H. Pillsbury" here.
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| February 23, 1883 | Foreclosure | Andrew C. Wheelock, mortgagee of Samuel L. Pillsbury | Edmund R. Fowler | Samuel L. Pillsbury mortgage foreclosed; sold to Fowler | 158/171 |
Dr. Harlin Pillsbury had died by 1877, when his executors were active in the registry, and the farm passed to Samuel L. Pillsbury of Winchester; no deed or probate transfer was found. Samuel mortgaged it to Andrew C. Wheelock of Lowell on Sept. 10, 1880 (Book 141 Page 361). On default Wheelock advertised it in the Lowell Daily Citizen and sold it at auction on the premises on Feb. 5, 1883 for $1,850 to Edmund R. Fowler of Billerica: "a certain farm with the buildings thereon, being the farm formerly owned and occupied by one Caldwell and another," the same 38 acres, "being the same premises described in a deed of Caroline J. Parker to Harlan Pillsbury" (Book 77 Page 464). Fowler mortgaged it back to Wheelock (Book 158 Page 322). In 1885 Prentiss Webster conveyed "same as 77-464" to Fowler's wife Charlotte E. Fowler (Book 175 Page 259, index only).
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| April 14, 1886 | Deed | Charlotte E. Fowler and Edmund R. Fowler | Charles B. Wood | Fowlers to Charles B. Wood | 180/350 |
For $2,500, Charlotte E. Fowler, in her own right, with her husband Edmund R. Fowler, sells to Charles B. Wood of Billerica "a certain farm, being the farm formerly owned and occupied by one Caldwell and another," about 38 acres on the westerly side of the road from Lowell to Billerica and Boston, same bounds and Bennett survey, "being the same premises described in a deed of Caroline J. Parker to Harlin Pillsbury," reserving the rights of the Boston and Lowell Railroad Corporation through the farm and Hill and Ellenwood's right to remove soil. Subject to a $1,200 mortgage held by Judith Jones, assignee of the 1883 Wheelock mortgage, which Wood assumed. Signed April 3, 1886. Wood mortgaged the farm to Philander D. Howe for $2,000 (Book 180 Page 351).
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| September 8, 1886 | Deed | Charles B. Wood and Lizzie A. Wood | Orra A. Fletcher | Wood to Orra A. Fletcher, who rebuilt the house | 183/483 |
Five months later, for $1,900, Wood sells to Orra A. Fletcher of Lowell "a certain tract of land or farm being formerly owned and occupied by one Caldwell and another," on the westerly side of the road from Lowell to Billerica and Boston, about 35 acres: from the road at the late John Foster's land westerly about 189 rods to Concord River, northwesterly along the river about 36 rods to Nash and Winter, easterly about 160 rods to Allen and Sweetser, southerly by them about 249 feet to the grantor's land, easterly by Allen's land about 524 feet to the road, and southerly along the road about 345 feet to the start. Wood kept the northerly road frontage. Being part of the premises Wood bought from Charlotte E. Fowler (Book 180 Page 350). Signed and recorded Sept. 8, 1886, the same day Howe discharged Wood's mortgage. The change in the house's footprint between the 1875 and 1889 maps points to Fletcher rebuilding or remodelling the house at this time. Stearns gives the name as Orra H. Fletcher.
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Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted.