Strong Water Brook
Strong Water Brook
Strong Water Brook is a brook in Tewksbury, in the part of old Billerica that became Tewksbury in 1734. It rises in swamps near Long Pond, west of Round Pond, and runs northeast and then east and south through a chain of marshes, taking in Meadow Brook from Ames Pond, to the Shawsheen River in eastern Tewksbury, some miles above Ballardvale. Its meadows were among the most distant of the first Billerica divisions: Hazen's map of ancient Billerica marks it in the heart of what became Tewksbury.
The early records spell it Strongwater, and the origin of the name is not recorded. The first division of meadow in 1658 was laid out along the Shawshin "till we come at the mouth of Strongwater brooke, and so to Andover Boundes," and the third division of that year "follows the meadow on Strongwater Brook back to the Shawshin River again." The country road to Andover of 1660 ran "from the meadow to Strongwater brook six poles wide; and at Strongwater brook it lyeth crosse the meadow, about the middle of ye lot belonging to John Poulter," and the Content highway of 1661 crossed "ouer Strongwater brooke, at the narrow neck betwene William Tay's meadow." In 1685 the remaining meadows divided included "that peece over Shawshin river below Strongwater brook." Common land "by Strongwater Brook" was still undivided at the end of the century, and in the division of 1708 Dr. John Kittredge had "his two divisions beyond Strongwater Brook near the Shawshin," while a range of lots was laid between the Shawshin meadows and the brook. Kittredge's inventory of 1714 lists about 150 acres "northward of strong water brook," and in 1717/18 Thomas Richardson gave his son meadow "at the mouth of Strong Water Brook on both sides of the Shawshin," bought of Capt. Joseph Tompson.
The brook today runs through large areas of deep marsh and swamp, and Tewksbury's master plan notes that one branch of the town's eastern aquifer follows it. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection found in 2000 that the whole brook was impaired for swimming by fecal coliform bacteria, and it remains on the state list for bacteria under a pollution budget for the Shawsheen basin.
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| 1714 | Administration and Inventory | Estate of Doct. John Kittredge of Billerica (intestate) | Hannah Kittredge, widow, and John Kittredge, administrators; the heirs | Dr. John Kittredge inventory: about 150 acres northward of Strong Water Brook | Probate #13373 |
Dr. John Kittredge, son of the first settler, died in April 1714. His widow Hannah and son John gave bond as administrators on June 14, 1714. The inventory of May 17, 1714 (Samuel Walker, Joseph Davis, George Brown) begins "The homestead about fifty acres of land and medow with the buildings upon it," 200 pounds, followed by about 150 acres "northward of strong water brook," meadow on the Shawshin, land on Content Plain and west of the great river, and "half of a sawmill." Receipts of 1715-1716 from the estate's creditors follow. The house lot of the first John Kittredge was ten acres "on ye south-east of bare hill, on ye west side of the country road" (Hazen); by 1738 the Wilsons called this land "our homestead which was formerly John Kittredges." Papers read, pages 2-5.
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| March 27, 1738 | Gift | Thomas Richardson of Billerica | His son Jonathan Richardson of Billerica | Thomas Richardson to son Jonathan: meadow at the mouth of Strong Water Brook on both sides of the Shawshin | 39/1 (South) |
"For the Love and affection which I have and do bear unto my son Jonathan Richardson," several parcels: "one parcel of land lying on the northward of said Jonathan's house containing about seven acres ... which I bought of the Town"; one acre of swamp or meadow "lying between Thomas Ross his Pasture and my own land on the north side of my house"; meadow at the mouth of Strong Water Brook on both sides of the Shawshin bought of Capt. Joseph Tompson; his swamp and meadow in Heath Swamp (reserving seven acres); and two acres of meadow on Content Brook "a little above the old saw mill," reserving to himself liberty to set up a saw mill; valued at 57 pounds "in part of his portion in my Estate." Dated 1717/18; recorded March 1738. Billerica town book 4, pages 180-181 (Southern Registry Book 39 Page 1). The deed shows that Jonathan's house already stood on the corner lot by 1717/18.
Title passed to:
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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.
References
- Hazen, History of Billerica (1883): map of ancient Billerica, Strongwater Brook in Tewksbury
- Hazen (1883), p. 35: 1658 meadow division to the mouth of Strongwater brooke
- Hazen (1883), p. 36: second and third meadow divisions to and along Strongwater Brook
- Hazen (1883), p. 90: the 1660 Andover road across Strongwater brook at John Poulter's lot
- Hazen (1883), p. 94: the 1661 Content highway over Strongwater brooke at the narrow neck by William Tay's meadow
- Hazen (1883): 1685 meadow division, the piece over Shawshin river below Strongwater brook
- Hazen (1883): 1708 division, Dr. John Kittredge's divisions beyond Strongwater Brook
- Hazen (1883): 1708 Tewksbury division, range of lots by Strongwater Brook
- MassDEP, Shawsheen River Watershed 2000 Water Quality Assessment Report: Strong Water Brook (MA83-07) impaired for primary contact by fecal coliform
- MassDEP 2022 Integrated List, Shawsheen basin: Strong Water Brook MA83-07, E. coli and fecal coliform (Category 4a)
- Tewksbury Master Plan, Chapter 3: Strong Water Brook, its marshes and the eastern aquifer