Stephen Winter House
Stephen Winter House
The Stephen Winter House stood on the south side of Charnstaffe Lane in Billerica Center, on a half-acre lot that Paul Holt Jr. sold to Stephen Winter and his brother Samuel E. Winter on April 7, 1849, for $100. The deed describes a bare lot beginning "at the outlet of the drain of the said Holts cellar" and running nine rods and three and a half feet west along "Churnstaff lane so called". By February 1850, when the brothers mortgaged it to Jonathan Hill for $430, the lot was "with the buildings thereon", so the house was built in 1849, as the Walling map of 1853 ("S. Winter") also suggests.
In September 1852 Stephen Winter released his half to Samuel E. Winter for $360, and the same day Samuel gave Stephen and his wife Hannah a life estate in one half. Stephen soon left Massachusetts. In 1853 George W. Pennell of Portland, Maine, who held a judgment against him, had the sheriff set off Stephen's life estate "in one undivided half of a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon" on Churnstaff Lane; Pennell released it to Samuel E. Winter in 1857. The 1850 mortgage passed through James Emerson to the Brown children, whose guardian's assignees entered to foreclose in December 1866, but the debt was paid and in 1870 Dudley Foster, the last assignee, discharged it to Samuel E. Winter.
Samuel E. (S. Earl) Winter, the "E. Winter" of the 1875 map, died without a will before 1887. His children Lillian W. Spalding and George E. Winter, and his widow Kate E. Winter, sold their interests in 1887 to Edith W. French of Lowell, who resold the place that September for $1050 to Eunice Scoboria, wife of Arthur Scoboria, the "A. Scoboria" of the 1889 map. A survey by Melvin B. Smith then measured the lot at 22,650 square feet, 152 feet on the lane and 165 feet deep. The Scoborias sold it in 1891 to Susan Frances Hutchins, wife of Walter J. Hutchins, and in November 1899 the Hutchinses sold it for $1500 to Alice McDermott of Billerica.
No sale by Alice McDermott appears in the grantor indexes through 1940. The house was recorded by the Billerica Historical Commission in 1974 and again in 1989, and was later demolished. No parcel today carries the 12 Charnstaffe Lane address.
References
Deed References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 1849 | Warranty Deed | Paul Holt Jr. of Billerica, yeoman (wife Eliza Holt releasing dower) | Stephen Winter and Samuel E. Winter, both of Billerica | 1849 Paul Holt Jr. sells the half-acre lot on Charnstaffe Lane to Stephen and Samuel E. Winter | 558/546 (South) |
Billerica town book 20, pages 279-280. Dated April 7, 1849. For $100, "a certain tract or parcel of land situated in said Billerica on Churnstaff lane so called containing half an acre more or less", beginning at the northeast corner "at the outlet of the drain of the said Holts cellar", running west on the lane nine rods three and a half feet, south ten rods, east eight rods, north eight rods thirteen feet and northeast twenty-eight and a half feet to the start. A bare lot: no buildings are named. Witnesses Dudley Foster and Sumner Holt.
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| March 2, 1850 | Mortgage | Stephen Winter and Samuel E. Winter of Billerica (Hannah Winter, wife of Stephen, releasing dower) | Jonathan Hill of Billerica | 1850 mortgage to Jonathan Hill: the lot now "with the buildings thereon" | 579/34 (South) |
Billerica town book 21, pages 24-25. Dated Feb. 12, 1850; recorded March 2, 1850 and again June 21, 1851 after Samuel E. Winter acknowledged it. For $430 on demand, "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon" lying on "Churnstaff lane so called, on the southerly side, containing half an acre", with the 1849 bounds from the drain of the Holt cellar. The earliest record of the buildings: the Winters built on the lot within a year of buying it. Witnesses A. R. Brown and Lewis J. Lyman.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| September 13, 1852 | Quitclaim Deed | Stephen Winter of Billerica (wife Hannah Winter releasing dower) | Samuel E. Winter of Billerica | 1852 Stephen Winter releases his half, "with the building thereon", to Samuel E. Winter | 636/569 (South) |
Billerica town book 19, pages 328-329. Dated Sept. 11, 1852. For $360, all his right in "a certain tract of land with the building thereon situated in said Billerica on Churnstaff lane so called containing half an acre more or less", with the 1849 bounds from "the outlet of the drain of Paul Holt's cellar". "Being the same premises conveyed to me by Paul Holt Jr ... Book 558 page 546 and my title being one undivided half of said land." The land was subject to a mortgage the two Winters had given to Jonathan Hill, which Samuel E. Winter assumed. The first record of a building on the lot. Witnesses William A. Richardson and Ellen A. Foster.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| September 13, 1852 | Quitclaim Deed (life estate) | Samuel E. Winter of Billerica, unmarried | Stephen Winter and Hannah Winter, his wife, for their joint lives and the life of the survivor | 1852 Samuel E. Winter gives Stephen and Hannah Winter a life estate in half | 636/569 (South) |
Billerica town book 19, pages 327-328, recorded with the deed just above it. Dated Sept. 11, 1852. For $400, "One undivided half of a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica on Churnstaff lane so called containing half an acre", the same bounds, to Stephen and Hannah Winter "during their joint lives and the life of the survivor". "Being the same land conveyed to said Stephen and me by Paul Holt Jr ... said Stephen having this day heretofore conveyed his interest therein to me." The two deeds left Samuel E. Winter owning the fee and Stephen and Hannah a life interest in half.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| 1853 | Levy of Execution | Stephen Winter of Billerica, judgment debtor (by Luther L. Parker, deputy sheriff) | George W. Pennell of Portland, Maine, judgment creditor | 1853 levy: Stephen Winter's life estate set off to his creditor George W. Pennell | 21/373 (South) |
Billerica town book 21, pages 138-142 (Middlesex South executions book 21, page 373). Pennell won a judgment of $159.93 and costs against Stephen Winter in the Court of Common Pleas at Concord on June 23, 1853. On July 20, 1853 the deputy sheriff seized, and three appraisers set off to Pennell, Winter's life estate "in one undivided half of a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon situate in Billerica aforesaid on Churn staff lane", half an acre with the 1849 bounds, valued at $192.72, to hold "for and during the life of the said Judgment Debtor". Winter was "not being within this Commonwealth"; Samuel E. Winter, named as his agent, did not appear.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| August 24, 1857 | Quitclaim Deed | George W. Pennell of Portland, Maine | Samuel E. Winter of Billerica | 1857 Pennell releases the levied life estate to Samuel E. Winter | 11/290 |
Dated Aug. 13, 1857. For $87.50, all his right in "a certain tract or parcel of land with all the buildings thereon, situated in said Billerica on Churn Staff Lane", beginning at the northeast corner "at the outlet of the drain of Paul Holt Jr's house", with the 1849 bounds, half an acre, "meaning hereby to release all my interest in the premises set off to said Pennell on execution against Stephen Winter". Acknowledged in Cumberland County, Maine, Aug. 14, 1857.
Title from:
|
|||||
| December 11, 1866 | Foreclosure (entry) | Stephen Winter and Samuel E. Winter, mortgagors | Mary E. Brown and George Brown, assignees of the mortgage | 1866 the Browns, assignees of the 1850 mortgage, enter to foreclose on the Winter place | 53/283 |
Recorded Dec. 11, 1866 with copies of the assignments of the Winters' 1850 mortgage (Middlesex South Book 579 Page 34): Jonathan Hill assigned it in June 1851 to James Emerson of Billerica, and on May 9, 1853 Joel D. Emerson, administrator of James Emerson, assigned it for $467.67 to Samuel Brown of Billerica as guardian of Mary E. Brown and George Brown (Book 53 Page 282). George Bacon and Albert H. Jones certified that on Dec. 5, 1866 Mary E. and George Brown made "an open and peaceable entry not being opposed by the mortgagers or any person claiming under them" on the mortgaged premises on Churnstaff Lane, "for the purpose of foreclosing said mortgage". Sworn before Dudley Foster.
Title from:
|
|||||
| July 19, 1870 | Discharge of Mortgage | Dudley Foster of Billerica, assignee of the 1850 Winter mortgage | Samuel E. Winter of Billerica | 1870 the 1850 mortgage is paid off and discharged; Samuel E. Winter keeps the house | 74/476 |
Dated July 19, 1870. Foster, "assignee of a certain mortgage given by Stephen and Samuel E. Winter to Jonathan Hill" (Middlesex South Book 579 Page 34), "assigned to the said Foster by various assignments", in consideration of full payment cancels and discharges it "and assign and transfer all my interest in said premises therein conveyed to the said Samuel E. Winter". The 1866 entry to foreclose was never completed: the debt was paid and Samuel E. Winter kept the Charnstaffe Lane place.
Title from:
Title passed to:
Related:
|
|||||
| April 23, 1887 | Deed (heir) | Lillian W. Spalding of Billerica, daughter and heir of S. Earl Winter (with Leonora C. Spalding, guardian of her husband Waldo A. Spalding) | Edith W. French of Lowell | 1887 Samuel Earl Winter's daughter Lillian W. Spalding sells her share to Edith W. French | 188/13 |
Dated April 1, 1887. For $100, her right "and estate which I now have, or which I hereafter may acquire from Catharine E. Winter my mother" in a parcel "in said Billerica on Churnstaffe Lane so called containing about half an acre", with the 1849 bounds from "the outlet of the drain of Paul Holt's cellar", "being the same premises which descended to me and to my brother and sister as heirs at law and next of kin of S. Earl Winter late of said Billerica deceased intestate". The guardian of her husband released his curtesy for $1.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| August 16, 1887 | Deed (heir) | George E. Winter, son and heir of Samuel E. Winter (wife Laura J. Winter releasing dower and homestead) | Edith W. French, wife of Sullivan F. French of Lowell, in her own right | 1887 George E. Winter sells his share to Edith W. French | 190/498 |
Dated July 9, 1887. For $100, the parcel "on Churnstaff lane so called, at the outlet of the drain of Paul Holt's cellar", with the 1849 bounds, "meaning to convey all the right, title, interest and estate which descended to me from my father". George E. Winter calls himself "son and one of the heirs at law of Samuel E. Winter, late of Billerica ... deceased". Witnesses Charles Cowley and Sarah D. Clark.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| October 15, 1887 | Deed (widow) | Kate E. Winter of Billerica, widow of Samuel E. Winter | Edith W. French of Lowell | 1887 the widow Kate E. Winter sells her dower interest to Edith W. French | 192/244 |
Dated Sept. 14, 1887; acknowledged at Milford, N.H. For $300, "a certain tract or parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica on Churnstaff Lane so called containing half an acre", with the 1849 bounds from the drain of "Paul Holt now or formerly", "Being the same premises conveyed to Stephen Winter and said Samuel E. Winter by Paul Holt by deed dated April 7, 1849 ... Book 558 Page 546". She covenants that she holds the dower interest and releases dower and homestead.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| October 15, 1887 | Warranty Deed | Edith W. French, wife of S. Frederick French, and S. Frederick French, of Lowell | Eunice Scoboria, wife of Arthur Scoboria, of Chelmsford, in her own right | 1887 Edith W. French sells the house to Eunice Scoboria (the A. Scoboria of the 1889 map) | 192/245 |
Dated Sept. 24, 1887. For $1050, "a certain tract or parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated in Billerica ... on Churnstaff Lane so called, containing twenty two thousand six hundred and fifty (22650) square feet", running from the corner of the wall at the outlet of the drain "now or formerly of Paul Holt" west on the lane 152 feet, south 165 feet, east 132 feet, north 145.2 feet and northwest 28.5 feet along a wall, with reference to a plat by Melvin B. Smith, Aug. 1887. Being the land conveyed by Kate E. Winter on Sept. 14, 1887 and by the Winter heirs.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| August 19, 1891 | Warranty Deed | Eunice Scoboria, wife of Arthur Scoboria, in her own right, and Arthur Scoboria, of Chelmsford | Susan Frances Hutchins, wife of Walter J. Hutchins, of Billerica, in her own right | 1891 Eunice Scoboria sells the house to Susan Frances Hutchins | 226/259 |
Dated Aug. 18, 1891. For $1050, "a certain tract or parcel of land with the buildings thereon, situated in said Billerica, on Churnstaff Lane so called, containing twenty two thousand six hundred and fifty (22650) square feet", from the wall at the outlet of the drain of land formerly of Paul Holt west on the lane 152 feet, south 165 feet, east 132 feet, north 145.2 feet and northwest 28.5 feet along a wall, with reference to the Melvin B. Smith plat of Aug. 1887. "Being the same premises conveyed to me by Edith W. French and S. Frederick French ... Book 192 Page 245." Witness and justice Dudley Foster.
Title from:
Title passed to:
|
|||||
| August 19, 1891 | Mortgage | Susan Frances Hutchins, wife of Walter J. Hutchins, in her own right, and Walter J. Hutchins, of Billerica | Rufus K. Underhill of Billerica | 1891 the Hutchinses mortgage the house to Rufus K. Underhill | 226/260 |
Recorded with the purchase deed. For $1000, payable in five years at six percent, the same 22,650 square feet "with the buildings thereon" on Churnstaff Lane, with the Melvin B. Smith plat bounds, "Being the same premises conveyed to us this day by Eunice Scoboria and her husband Arthur Scoboria". The margin notes the discharge in Book 313 Page 84.
Title from:
|
|||||
| November 10, 1899 | Warranty Deed | Susan F. Hutchins, wife of Walter J. Hutchins, in her own right, and Walter J. Hutchins, of Billerica | Alice McDermott of Billerica | 1899 the Hutchinses sell the house to Alice McDermott | 313/339 |
Dated Nov. 6, 1899. For $1500, "a certain tract or parcel of land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica on Churnstaff Lane so called, containing twenty two thousand six hundred and fifty (22650) square feet", with the 1887 survey bounds (152 feet on the lane), "Being the same premises as conveyed to me by Eunice Scoboria by deed dated Aug 18, 1891 ... book 226 page 259". Walter J. Hutchins releases curtesy and homestead. Acknowledged before Herbert A. King.
Title from:
|
|||||
Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted.