Universalist Church
Universalist Church
| Also Known As | Saint Andrew's Church on Rogers Street |
| Address | 5 River St |
| Built | 1842 |
| Moved | 1868 |
| New Address | 35 Rogers St |
| Demolished | 1945 |
| Other Lot Structures |
Samuel Ruggles House (1710 -
1972)
Centre Schoolhouse (River Street) (1870 - 1892) Gardner Parker Hall (1892 - 1940) |
Billerica's Universalist Church stood from 1842 to 1868 on the north side of River Street, then the road to Carlisle, a short way west of the Boston Road in Billerica Centre. The lot was the corner of the old Danforth homestead. Capt. Jonathan Danforth's heirs sold that land in 1714 to Oliver Whiting Jr., and Whiting's heirs sold the corner in 1758 to Oliver Abbot, a trader. In 1810 the Bowers family, Abbot's heirs, sold three acres at the corner to Joseph Locke, who built his house there (see Joseph Locke House). After passing through George Bacon and Justin Smith, the three-acre corner was bought in 1838 by Joel Richardson.
The First Universalist Society was organized on January 10, 1842, and it began building before it owned the ground. On April 25, 1842 Richardson sold it a lot of 4,950 square feet, 90 feet on the road and 55 feet deep, for $213. The lot was measured from "a point just five feet Easterly of the Southeasterly corner of the under pinning wall Erected by said Society for a meeting house thereon." The society promised to build and forever maintain "a good and sufficient board fence" between its lot and Richardson's land. Hazen lists its ministers as Varnum Lincoln, ordained in September 1843, L. P. Landers of West Cambridge (1845-47), George Proctor (1847-53 and again 1855-63), P. Hersey (1853-55) and R. M. Byram.
In 1868 the society sold the meetinghouse to the Roman Catholics, who moved it to North Billerica. It became Saint Andrew's Church on Rogers Street. No deed of the building itself was recorded. The land stayed with the Universalist Society until February 24, 1870, when Gardner Parker and the standing committee sold it to the town for $250. The deed still measured the lot from "the former underpinning wall of the meeting house formerly standing on said premises". The town built the Centre Schoolhouse (River Street) on the lot. In 1892 the town sold the lot and the old schoolhouse to J. Nelson Parker, who passed it to the Billerica Building Association, and the building was remodeled as Gardner Parker Hall.
After the hall burned in February 1940, the association sold the lot "together with the remains of the old district school building" to Dr. A. Warren Stearns, whose family owned the Locke house next door. In 1972, after the town had taken the Samuel Ruggles House's old site on Concord Road for a new library, the Ruggles house was moved onto the church lot, by then Lot B-1 of the Stearns land (Plan Book 115, Plan 59). Charles E. Stearns sold the lot with the house in 1984, and it has had private owners since. The site of the Universalist meetinghouse is now the front of 5 River Street.
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Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| October 27, 1712 | Will | Estate of Capt. Jonathan Danforth of Billerica, surveyor | His widow Esther Danforth (use of the southerly part of the homestead) and his seven children | will of Capt. Jonathan Danforth, whose homestead included the corner, 1712 | Probate #5891 |
Will of "Jonathan Danforth sen. aged 82 years": to his wife Esther, if she stayed in town, "the profit and income of that part of my estate which I have reserved for my self, that is the southerly part of my homestead, that is not granted by deed of gift to any other," with house room; the remainder of the estate "equally divided among my seven children, only my eldest son shall have a double share," counting the lands already given by deeds of gift (valued September 4, 1711). Executors his son Samuel and son-in-law Oliver Whiting (his son Jonathan having died). Proved at Cambridge October 27, 1712. The reserved homestead, running from the country road west to the Concord River, is the land the children sold to Oliver Whiting Jr. in 1714; its east end became the Locke house lot.
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| December 15, 1714 | Deed | Samuel Danforth, Thomas Danforth, Mary Parker, Simeon and Elizabeth Hayward, Edward and Lydia Wright, Oliver and Anna Whiting, William and Sarah French | Oliver Whiting Jr. | the Danforth heirs sell the 60-acre homestead to Oliver Whiting Jr., 1714 | 17/100 (South) |
The children of Jonathan Danforth sell for 230 pounds "one messuage or tenement ... containing about sixty acres ... being the Homestead or house Lot which belonged to our Honored Father Danforth late of said Billerica deceased," bounded east by the Country Road, north by John Baldwin, west by Concord River (excepting a bridle highway by the river), south by Enoch Kidder and partly by the highway from the Country Road to Enoch Kidder's well, with all the buildings; also 4 acres of meadow on the Shawshin River below Alewife Brook. Signed Nov. 29, 1714; recorded Dec. 15, 1714. Billerica town book 1, pages 561-564.
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| July 14, 1724 | Quitclaim | Thomas, Jonathan, Samuel Jr., Jacob, Elizabeth, Sarah, Nicholas and John Danforth, and Thomas and Rebecca Parker | Oliver Whiting Jr. | Danforth grandchildren release to Oliver Whiting Jr., 1715 | 24/47 (South) |
Grandchildren of Jonathan Danforth release for 29 pounds 10 shillings their interest in "the Homestead or House Lott which belonged to our Honoured Grandfather Danforth of said Billerica deceased," about 60 acres "according to the butts and bounds of the same in Billerica Town Book of Records," plus about 5 acres of meadow on the Shawshin River. Signed Nov. 22, 1715; acknowledged 1716 to 1724; recorded July 14, 1724. Billerica town book 2, pages 513-515.
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| August 1, 1757 | Administration | Estate of Oliver Whiting of Billerica, intestate | Jonathan Whiting of Billerica, yeoman, administrator, for the heirs | estate of Oliver Whiting, 1757 | Probate #24554 |
Oliver Whiting died intestate in 1757. His son Jonathan Whiting was admitted administrator August 1, 1757 (bond with William Stickney and David Osgood). The inventory taken July 29, 1757 by Capt. Enoch Kidder, Joshua Abbot Jr. and David Osgood lists "the Homstead containing about sixty acres bounded as followeth Esterly by the hyway North by land of William Baldwin West by Concord River on the South by land of Enoch Kidder and partly on the hyway," a 21-acre lot west of the Concord River, and two acres on Whortleberry Hill. This is the old Danforth homestead bought in 1714; its east end, on the country road, became the Locke house lot.
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| 1758 | Deed | Heirs of Oliver Whiting: John and Sarah Hagget of Boxford, Jonathan and Rebeccah Whiting, Elizabeth Whiting, Jonathan and Olive Pollard, Mary Whiting, and Joseph Whiting of Dunstable | Oliver Abbot of Billerica, trader | the Whiting heirs sell the corner, 8 acres, to Oliver Abbot, trader, 1758 | 55/438 (South) |
For 108 pounds, "eight acres and ten poles" near the meeting house, bounded east by the highway 50 1/2 poles, north by William Baldwin 27 poles, west by "the Land which belonged to our Father" by a ditch, wall and stakes 52 poles, and south by the highway 25 1/2 poles. This is the east end of the Whiting (formerly Danforth) homestead, on the country road with the road to Carlisle on the south; the 24 acres sold to Benjamin Lewis in 1760 are bounded "easterly by Oliver Abbott." The southern part, by the town pound, is the later Locke house lot. Billerica town book 5, pages 427-428.
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| 1796 | Administration | Estate of Oliver Abbot of Billerica, trader | Simon Winship of Lexington, miller, administrator; heirs Abigail Abbot (widow), Joanna Winship, Dorcas Bowers, Abigail Abbot Jr. and Elizabeth Abbot | estate of Oliver Abbot: the corner mowing set off in the widow's dower, 1796 | Probate #49 |
Oliver Abbot died intestate early in 1796, months after selling the corner half acre. His heirs asked on April 28, 1796 that Simon Winship of Lexington administer. The inventory of May 27, 1796 values "A Dwelling House" at $700 and "The homsted called 26 acres Bounded Westerly on the meeting house common and the County Road leading to Boston, Southerly on Mr David Abbots land and Easterly on Benj. Abbots & Josiah Bowerses Land And Northerly on the Road leading to Andover", divided by the fences into three lots, "The north lot taking in the Buildings" being nine acres. The hotel corner was the northwest corner of this homestead; the rest of the north lot passed to the heirs, among them Dorcas Bowers, later an abutter on the east and south.
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| June 19, 1798 | Quitclaim | Ephraim Kidder Jr. of Billerica, gentleman, and his wife Abigail (Abbot) Kidder | Jonathan Bowers [Jr.] of Billerica, gentleman | the Kidders release their share of the widow's thirds to Jonathan Bowers, 1798 | 130/55 (South) |
For $392, a release of "all our right and title which we have and claim in right of said Abigail as wife of said Ephraim in and to the thirds of the widow Abigail Abbot in the real estate of Oliver Abbot her late husband ... as set out to said Abigail widow in the appraisal of the same bearing date June the twentieth ... 1796." The widow's thirds included the mowing on the country road by the town pound that became the Locke house lot. Signed and acknowledged June 15, 1798 before Edward Farmer, recorded June 19, 1798. Billerica town book 9, pages 371-372.
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| October 12, 1803 | Quitclaim | Simon Winship of Lexington, gentleman, and his wife Joanna (Abbot) Winship | Jonathan Bowers [Jr.] of Billerica, gentleman | the Winships release their share to Jonathan Bowers, 1798 | 152/503 (South) |
For $392, a release of their right "in right of said Joanna as wife of said Simon in and to the thirds of the widow Abigail Abbot in the real estate of Oliver Abbot her late husband ... as set out to said widow in the appraisal of the same bearing date June the twentieth ... 1796." Dated June 15, 1798, acknowledged and recorded at Cambridge October 12, 1803. With this, Jonathan and Dorcas Bowers held the whole reversion of the widow's thirds, including the town-pound mowing. Billerica town book 10, pages 224-225.
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| June 24, 1801 | Quitclaim | Elizabeth Abbot of Billerica, single woman | Jonathan Bowers [Jr.] of Billerica, gentleman | Elizabeth Abbot releases her share to Jonathan Bowers, 1801 | 140/409 (South) |
For $354, Oliver Abbot's youngest daughter releases "all my right, title and interest in and to the thirds of the Widow Abigail Abbott in the real estate whereof Oliver Abbot her late husband ... died seized or possessed as set out to the said Abigail as her thirds in the apprisal of the same bearing date June the twentieth ... 1796." Signed June 20, 1801 before William Crosby and Edward Farmer, recorded June 24, 1801. Billerica town book 10, page 63.
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| June 5, 1804 | Will | Estate of Jonathan Bowers Jr. of Billerica, gentleman | His widow Dorcas Bowers (use of half the real estate while a widow); his son Alexander Bowers (residue) | will of Jonathan Bowers Jr., 1804 | Probate #2293 |
Will dated July 8, 1799, made when he was "bound to sea": to "my beloved wife Dorcas Bowers, the improvement of the one half of all my Real Estate" while she remained his widow, and a third of the personal estate; to "my son Alexander Bowers & to his heirs & assigns forever all the residue". Executors Isaac Stearns Esq. and Alexander Bowers; witnesses Isaac Wilkins, Elizabeth Abbot, Nancy Simonds. Proved at Concord June 5, 1804. Jonathan Bowers, Billerica's first postmaster (appointed Oct. 7, 1797), had married Oliver Abbot's daughter Dorcas, who took her father's homestead in 1797; mother and son joined in selling it to George Bruce in 1810.
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| March 27, 1811 | Deed | Dorcas Bowers of Boston, widow, and Alexander Bowers of Charlestown, trader (wife Mary releasing dower) | Joseph Locke of Billerica, Esquire | Dorcas and Alexander Bowers sell the three-acre corner to Joseph Locke, 1810 | 191/401 (South) |
For $400, "a certain peice or parcell of land situated in said Billerica containing about three acres," beginning "at a corner on the main road leading to Amherst, and on a road leading to Carlisle," west to land of Doctor William Bowers, north by Bowers to land of Samuel Foster, east by Foster to the main road from Billerica to Amherst and south by that road to the corner. No buildings are named: this is the vacant corner on which Locke built his house in 1810-1811. Dated and acknowledged at Charlestown June 14, 1810, recorded March 27, 1811. Billerica town book 10, pages 584-585.
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| April 10, 1835 | Deed | Joseph Locke of Lowell, Esq., and his wife Lydia | George Bacon of Billerica, yeoman | Locke sells the corner, with his house, to George Bacon, 1835 | 339/478 (South) |
For $2,500, "a lot or parcel of land situate in said Billerica containing about three acres" bounded east by the highway from Lowell to Boston, north by Capt. Samuel Foster, west by the heirs of Doct. William Bowers and south by the road to Carlisle, "with all the buildings thereon, subject to the right of W. Bowers to have his drain to the cellar empty on to the land as heretofore"; also about ten acres of pasture "which I formerly sold as administrator of the estate of Joseph Foster deceased" (the northeast corner under the dower of Lucy Webster), and "a pew in the meeting house in the Centre of the town." Signed March 26, 1835, recorded April 10, 1835, two years after Locke moved to Lowell. Billerica town book 15, pages 87-88.
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| June 20, 1838 | Deed | George Bacon of Woburn, yeoman, and his wife Sophronia | Justin Smith of Newburyport, merchant | Bacon sells to Justin Smith of Newburyport, 1838 | 374/352 (South) |
For $4,000, the same three acres "with all the buildings thereon," bounded by the highway from Lowell to Boston, Capt. Samuel Foster, the heirs of Doct. William Bowers and the road to Carlisle, subject to the Bowers drain right, and the ten acres of pasture, "being the same I purchased of Joseph Locke, and conveyed to me by his deed dated the 26th day of March 1835." Signed June 18, 1838 before Marshall Preston, JP, recorded June 20, 1838. Billerica town book 12, pages 593-594.
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| December 27, 1838 | Deed | Justin Smith of Newburyport, merchant, and his wife Relief | Joel Richardson of Billerica, gentleman | Smith sells the three-acre corner to Joel Richardson, 1838 | 379/370 (South) |
For $3,500, "a certain lot or parcel of land situated in said Billerica containing about three acres more or less bounded on the East by the highway leading from Lowell to Boston, North by land of Capt. Samuel Foster, west by the land of the heirs of Doct. William Bowers deceased and south by the road leading to Carlisle, with the buildings thereon," and about ten acres of pasture and tillage bounded by Ichabod Everett, Thomas Holden and Jeremiah Farmer, "reserving the right for the Bowers cellar drain to empty upon said premises." Signed December 17, 1838, recorded December 27, 1838. Billerica town book 14, pages 578-579.
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| June 2, 1842 | Deed | Joel Richardson of Billerica, yeoman (Susan L. Richardson releasing dower) | The First Universalist Society in the Town of Billerica | 1842: Joel Richardson sells the lot to the First Universalist Society | 415/472 (South) |
Signed April 25, 1842, acknowledged April 26 before Marshall Preston, recorded June 2, 1842 (Billerica town book 17, pages 297-299). For $213, "a certain parcel of land situate in said Billerica, containing four thousand nine hundred and fifty square feet," beginning "at the Southeasterly corner thereof at the road leading from said Billerica to Carlisle, and other land of said Richardson, at a point just five feet Easterly of the Southeasterly corner of the under pinning wall Erected by said Society for a meeting house thereon," north fifty-five feet, west ninety feet, south fifty-five feet to the road, and east by the road ninety feet. The society covenanted to "erect and build a good and sufficient board fence" on the easterly, northerly and westerly lines and to keep it in repair forever. Witnesses Marshall Preston and Susan E. Richardson.
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| March 22, 1870 | Quitclaim | The First Universalist Society in the Town of Billerica, by Gardner Parker and the standing committee | The Inhabitants of the Town of Billerica | 1870: the society sells the lot, its meetinghouse gone, to the town | 72/332 |
Signed Feb. 24, 1870, acknowledged Feb. 26 before Dudley Foster, recorded March 22, 1870. For $250, the 4,950 square feet beginning at the southeasterly corner "at the road leading from said Billerica to Carlisle, and at land formerly of Joel Richardson, at a point just five feet easterly of the southeasterly corner of the former underpinning wall of the meeting house formerly standing on said premises," fifty-five by ninety feet, "the premises to said Society conveyed by Joel Richardson by deed dated April 25th 1842," Southern District Book 415, Page 472. Recorded with the First School District's deed of the Pages Court schoolhouse lot to the town (Book 72, Page 333).
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| May 2, 1892 | Quitclaim | The Inhabitants of the Town of Billerica, by Edward B. Haskell, Alden A. Dane and John C. Rowell, selectmen | J. Nelson Parker of Billerica | the town sells the lot and the old schoolhouse on the church foundation to J. Nelson Parker, 1892 | 232/390 |
Dated March 30, 1892, acknowledged April 9 before Dudley Foster, recorded May 2, 1892. For $1,350, the 4,950 square feet at the road to Carlisle and land formerly of Joel Richardson, measured from "the southeasterly corner of the former underpinning wall of the meeting house formerly standing on said premises," fifty-five by ninety feet, the premises conveyed to the town by the First Universalist Society by deed dated Feb. 24, 1870 (Book 72, Page 332), "together with the old district school building standing thereon." The town report credits "G. E. Stearns, auctioneer, in part for schoolhouse sold, $250."
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| May 2, 1892 | Quitclaim | J. Nelson Parker of Billerica (Charlotte S. Parker releasing) | Billerica Building Association | J. Nelson Parker to the Billerica Building Association (Gardner Parker Hall), 1892 | 232/391 |
Dated April 30, 1892. For $1,350, the same 4,950 square feet "together with the old district school building standing thereon." The association, chartered March 31, 1892, remodeled the building as Gardner Parker Hall.
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| August 10, 1940 | Quitclaim | Billerica Building Association | A. Warren Stearns of Billerica | the Building Association sells the burned hall's lot to A. Warren Stearns, 1940 | 950/153 |
The Billerica Building Association sold to A. Warren Stearns a parcel of about 4,950 square feet "together with the remains of the old district school building standing thereon," beginning at the road from Billerica to Carlisle (River Street) at land formerly of Joel Richardson, "five feet easterly of the southeasterly corner of the former underpinning wall of the meeting house formerly standing on said premises," being the premises bought from J. Nelson Parker in 1892 (Book 232 Page 391). Dated Aug. 10, 1940. This Stearns land on River Street is where the Ruggles house was moved in 1972: an August 1972 plan surveyed for Charles E. Stearns (Plan Book 115 Plan 59) shows the house lot as Lot B1, 40,003 square feet on the north side of River Street, and it was sold to private owners in 1984 (Book 2894 Page 287), with later private sales from 1990.
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| February 27, 1959 | Quitclaim | Dr. A. Warren Stearns of Billerica | Himself and his wife Frances M. Stearns, as tenants by the entirety | A. Warren Stearns to himself and his wife, 1959 | 1430/415 |
For less than $100, "the land in said Billerica, with the buildings thereon, situate on the westerly side of Main Street, also known as Boston Road, and the northerly side of River Street," from an iron pipe in a stone post at the corner, 248.47 feet along River Street to the Billerica Building Association, then 56.35 and 174.16 feet, 171.43 feet by Mary Lane, 444.15 feet by Collier "formerly belonging to Dudley Foster," and 115.50 and 131.26 feet along Main Street, as on Plan Book 56, Plan 67; "being the same premises conveyed to George E. Stearns by Albert R. Richardson by deed dated April 1, 1885," with references to the 1915 taking, the 1924 reconveyance and the 1924 deed from Datie Louise Stearns. Dated February 20, 1959. A. Warren Stearns died September 24, 1959.
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| December 30, 1963 | Quitclaim | Frances M. Stearns of Billerica, widow of Dr. A. Warren Stearns | Her son Charles E. Stearns of Billerica | Frances M. Stearns to her son Charles E. Stearns, 1963 | 1632/148 |
For less than $100, "the land in said Billerica, with the buildings thereon," on the west side of Main Street (Boston Road) and the north side of River Street, bounded 246.76 feet on Boston Road, 338.47 feet on River Street, 55 and 84.16 feet by land of one Parker, 171.43 feet by Mary Lane and 444.15 feet by land formerly of one Collier, shown on Plan Book 56, Plan 67 as the lots marked "Warren A. Stearns" and "Billerica Building Association." Title from the 1959 deed (Book 1430, Page 415) and the 1940 deed of the Billerica Building Association (Book 950, Page 153), her title to the latter "derived as devisee under the will of said A. Warren Stearns who deceased at said Billerica on September 24, 1959." Signed December 19, 1963, recorded December 30, 1963.
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| November 4, 1966 | Quitclaim | Charles E. Stearns of Billerica | Himself and his wife, as tenants by the entirety | Charles E. Stearns to himself and his wife, 1966-67 | 1775/79 |
For less than $100, the same land "with the buildings thereon" on the west side of Main Street, also known as Boston Road, and the north side of River Street, with the bounds of the 1963 deed, shown on Plan Book 56, Plan 67 as the lots marked "Warren A. Stearns" and "Billerica Building Association"; "being the same premises to me conveyed by Frances M. Stearns by deed dated December 19, 1963." Signed October 22, 1966, recorded November 4, 1966. His wife died by 1984, when her estate tax lien was released (Book 2894, Page 286), leaving him sole owner.
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| November 19, 1984 | Quitclaim | Charles E. Stearns of Billerica, widower | Private owners | the church site, with the Ruggles house, sold by Charles E. Stearns to private owners, 1984 | 2894/287 |
For $75,000, "The land in said Billerica, with the buildings thereon, now supposed to be 5 River Street, situated on the northerly side of said River Street", Lot B1 on the "Plan of Land in Billerica, Mass., surveyed for Charles E. Stearns" (August 1972, Emmons, Fleming and Bienvenu; Plan Book 115, Plan 59), 175 feet on River Street and 40,003 square feet, "being the same premises conveyed to me and my late wife, Helen L. Stearns, by deed dated October 22, 1967 ... Book 1775, Page 79. My said wife deceased on October 5, 1983." The lot includes the site of the Universalist meetinghouse, the Centre schoolhouse and Gardner Parker Hall, and since 1972 the Samuel Ruggles House. Private owners since; the property sold in 1990, 1996, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2018, 2020 and 2021.
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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.