Structure · Built 1851
Adams, Susan Dodge - Stoker, Ralph House
Adams, Susan Dodge - Stoker, Ralph House
| Address | 294 Concord Rd |
| MACRIS ID | BIL.311 |
| Built | 1851 |
| Owners |
Elijah B. Hill
(1829 - 1830)
Amos Adams (1831 - 1840) Susan Dodge Adams (1841 - 1867) |
The Adams-Stoker House at 294 Concord Road in South Billerica stands on the site of the old homestead of the Joseph Hill family, "the antient farm which has descended in the name of Joseph Hill for several generations," as a mortgage of 1829 called it. The present house was built about 1850-51 by Susan Dodge Adams, a widow from Charlestown, on the cellar and chimney base of the old Hill house, and was enlarged in the early twentieth century. It is inventoried by the Massachusetts Historical Commission as the Adams, Susan Dodge - Stoker, Ralph House (BIL.311).
The land was part of the Dudley Farm that Ralph Hill Sr. shared in 1657, and it came down through his son Cornet Nathaniel Hill. When Nathaniel gave his son Ralph sixty acres by the road to Concord in 1706, that land was already bounded "North by the Land of Joseph Hill," and in 1707 Joseph bought river meadow bounded east "by the Land of the said Joseph Hill." Joseph Hill (1682-1752), Nathaniel's son, left "all my Real Estate" to his son Joseph, who died in 1781. The inventory of that estate in 1789 describes "The mansion house," a barn and shed, a mill house and wood house, and "The homestead by estimation about one hundred and seventy acres," bounded by Concord River, the Jonathan Hill farm on the south and the road; the widow's dower included the north and east rooms of the house, "with liberty for Lucy the junior widow to bake in the oven." Three generations of Joseph Hills held the farm in turn: Joseph Jr. died in 1789, and his son Joseph in 1810, when the inventory calls it "the old Hill place (so called)," about 100 acres with half a house in the grandmother's dower. The heir, the infant Joseph F. Hill, later a Cambridge physician, held it through guardians until he came of age.
Henry A. Hazen wrote in 1883 that "Sergt. Ralph Hill's house was near Mrs. Boyden's and opposite the late Captain Ranlett's. It stood till about 1850," and printed a drawing of the "House of Ralph Hill, Jr. - A Garrison in 1675," attributed to Seth A. Ranlett. The recorded deeds and wills, however, show this farm in the line of Joseph Hill, son of Nathaniel, from at least 1706, and no recorded deed connects it with Ralph Hill Jr. (died 1695). Timbers reused in the basement of the present house, and a large stone chimney base under the kitchen, point to an older house of about 1710-1750 on the same spot (Finch and Rose report, 1998).
In December 1829 Joseph F. Hill sold the farm to Elijah B. Hill, who mortgaged it back for $4,000 and gave it up again in February 1830. On Sept. 13, 1831 Joseph F. Hill sold it to Amos Adams of Charlestown for $2,300: fifty acres "with a dwelling house and other buildings thereon" on the east side of the road to Concord, between the Whitford farm and the Crosbys, and 136 acres on the west side running down a lane "leading from the house to the river." Adams died intestate in 1840, leaving his widow Susan and young children; his inventory lists the 170-acre homestead and furniture room by room in the old house. At the administrator's auction of April 1841 Susan Adams bought the equity of redemption for $220, and she paid off the mortgages to the town and to Dr. Zadock Howe. About 1850 she took down the old house and built the present one, a side-hall Greek Revival farmhouse. She also gave the land for the house at 305 Concord Road. After her remarriage to John C. Hamilton she sold the east side of the farm, "with the buildings thereon," to her sister Mary D. Boyden in 1867.
After Mrs. Boyden's death, commissioners appointed to divide her estate sold the fifty acres at auction in 1890 to Thomas Lyons, owner of the Whitford farm next door, for $2,500. It then passed quickly through several hands: Charles Lyons (1891), Nellie S. Gay (1891), Lulu A. Beck (1897) and Flora May Patterson (1903). The Pattersons fell behind, and a second mortgage held by the trustee in bankruptcy of Isaac S. Jacobs was foreclosed at an auction on the premises on Jan. 18, 1908, the place selling for $36.87, subject to the first mortgage; the buyer gave it back to Mrs. Patterson. In 1914 she sold to Isabella B. Bond, a Boston widow, and in 1919 Mrs. Bond conveyed it to Edith Louise Stearns, with a survey by Smith and Brooks showing 36.83 acres and the house and barn by the road. The Bond and Stearns years are when the house was enlarged into its present form; by local tradition Mrs. Stearns built a small stage in the house or barn for her plays. In 1924 Mrs. Stearns sold the farm, keeping a small house lot to the north, and it went the same year to Frank L. Mink of Somerville, whose heirs sold it in 1941 to Herbert A. and Margaret Barbour. In 1947 the Barbours sold the 36 acres to Ralph W. and Claire H. Stoker, who gave the house its later name.
The Stokers sold the back twenty acres, toward the new Route 3, to the Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company in 1961, and the house lot itself to Honeywell Inc. in 1968. The house then stood on the Honeywell campus along with the old Jonathan Hill farm to the south, and passed with it to Bull HN Information Systems, Wang Laboratories (1995) and Concord Opco, L.L.C., a Leggat McCall company (1997). It served as offices until 1997. In 2000 Concord Opco cut the house out of the campus as Lot 6, 0.60 acre, and sold it to the Middlesex Community College Foundation, which sold "294 Concord Road" to ZEM Holdings, LLC in 2021.
References
- MACRIS BIL.311
- Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), p. 137: "Sergt. Ralph Hill's house was near Mrs. Boyden's and opposite the late Captain Ranlett's. It stood till about 1850"; Genealogical Register, HILL, with the drawing of the house of Ralph Hill Jr.
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| December 6, 1718 | Gift | Cornet Nathaniel Hill of Chelmsford | Ralph Hill of Billerica, his son | Nathaniel Hill's gift to his son Ralph: the 60 acres bounded "North by the Land of Joseph Hill" (this farm) | 20/195 (South) |
For "love and affection," several parcels in Billerica: "Sixty acres of Upland be it more or less, bounded North by the Land of Joseph Hill, and East by the Pond medow and the Land of Nathll Hill, and South by ye Land of Zechariah Shed, and West by the Road leading to Concord with all the buildings fences & Trees standing thereon"; two acres in Long Meadow, half of John Stearns's lot; two acres in the River Meadow bounded west by Concord River; three acres of swamp at the east end of Cornet Hill's lot; and a five-acre town right. Signed Feb. 13, 1705/6, witnessed by Moses Barron, Jonathan Richardson and Samuel Hill Sr.; acknowledged at Chelmsford the same day before Jonathan Tyng. The same day Ralph's brother Joseph Hill sold him eight acres by John Parker (next deed on the page). The north bound on Joseph Hill's land is the same as the north bound on "the heirs of Joseph Hill" in 1825. Nathaniel had the land from his father Ralph Hill Sr., who died in 1663. Billerica town book 2, pages 223-225.
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| January 26, 1727 | Deed | Samuel Hill of Billerica (son of Capt. Ralph Hill) | Joseph Hill of Billerica | Joseph Hill buys river meadow bounded east by "the Land of the said Joseph Hill," 1707 | 26/253 (South) |
Billerica town book 3, pages 50-52. For 10 pounds, "one parcel of medow Land ... lying upon Concord River containing about three Acres bounded East by the Land of the said Joseph Hill South by Cor[net] Jonathan Hill West by said River," and about four acres "called John's medow" bounded southerly by the land of the said Joseph Hill and westerly by the heirs of Henry Jefts. Dated Aug. 7, 1707 (witnesses Samuel Danforth and John Lane); acknowledged Aug. 13, 1717; recorded Jan. 26, 1726/7. The earliest recorded deed to Joseph Hill (1682-1752), showing him already in possession of the upland between the road and the river meadows that became the Joseph Hill homestead.
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| May 11, 1752 | Will | Lieut. Joseph Hill (d. 1752) of Billerica, gentleman | His son Joseph Hill (d. 1781); Susanna Hill, widow (half the improvement) | Will of Lieut. Joseph Hill: all his real estate, the homestead included, to his son Joseph | Probate #11479 |
Will dated June 30, 1750, witnessed by Ralph Hill, Peter Hill and Samuel Kidder: to his wife Susanna all his movables and "the Improvement of One Half of my Real Estate, as long as She lives my Widow"; to his son Joseph the improvement of the other half, "and after the Marriage or Death of my Wife, I give unto my Son Joseph Hill, his Heirs and Assigns for ever, all my Real Estate," except half the Oakes farm in Bedford and "all my Long Meadow so called" which went to his son Jonathan; cash legacies to Ebenezer, John, Susanna Procter, Elizabeth Shed, Mary Patten and Jane Patten, to be paid by Joseph. Proved May 11, 1752 before Judge Samuel Danforth, with Joseph Hill and his brother-in-law Daniel Procter of Chelmsford as executors.
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| April 11, 1781 | Administration, Settlement and Dower | Estate of Joseph Hill (d. 1781) of Billerica, yeoman, intestate | Joseph Hill Jr., his son and only heir; Elizabeth Hill, widow (dower) | Joseph Hill (d. 1781): "The mansion house" and the 170-acre homestead; dower rooms set off to his widow | Probate #11480 |
Joseph Hill died intestate early in 1781. His son Joseph, "the only heir," was appointed administrator (bond March 15, 1781) and on April 10, 1781 leased to "his Honoured Mother" Elizabeth for life "one third part of all those land tenements & buildings of which his Honoured Father Joseph Hill died seized," which Judge Oliver Prescott allowed "as a final settlement of the said Deceased's real estate." After the son died in 1789, Isaac Stearns took out administration de bonis non; the inventory of Sept. 29 and appraisal of Nov. 3, 1789 begin with "The mansion house" at 60 pounds, barn and shed, mill house and wood house, and "The homestead by estimation about one hundred and seventy acres" bounded by Concord River, Jonathan Hill on the south, Benjamin Needham and Jacob Richardson on the east, and the road and William Hill on the north, followed by the Farmer house, the Baldwin house and other farms. The widow Elizabeth's dower (accepted April 17, 1790) was the north and east rooms, chambers and garret of the mansion house, "with liberty for Lucy the junior widow to bake in the oven," the west end of the barn, and about 100 acres "lying on both sides the way leading from Hills Bridge to the Country road."
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| September 9, 1789 | Administration | Estate of Joseph Hill Jr. of Billerica, yeoman, intestate | Lucy Hill, widow (dower), and his children | Joseph Hill Jr. (d. 1789), owner of the homestead 1781-1789; his widow Lucy shared the house with his mother | Probate #11481 |
Joseph Hill Jr. of Billerica, yeoman, died intestate Aug. 6, 1789. At the desire of his widow Lucy (Fitch), Isaac Stearns Esq. of Billerica was appointed administrator on Sept. 9, 1789 (bond 10,000 pounds with Edward Stearns and Samuel Lane Jr. of Bedford). The inventory by Deacon Joshua Abbot of Billerica and Edward Stearns and Capt. Timothy Jones of Bedford, allowed Oct. 14, 1789, lists notes and securities, furniture, stock and crops, and real estate: the Needham land of about 27 1/2 acres east of the Concord road (bought 1784, Middlesex South book 88 page 101), a seventh of land in Lexington, 50 acres of wild land in Templeton, and "the Foster land lying in Billerica one lot containing 18 acres with the buildings thereon, the other 10 acres." The committee of Oct. 14, 1789 set off the widow's dower and severed his share of land held in common, including "the northerly part of the house," part of a barn, mill house and wood house and 93 acres on the road to Hill's Bridge. The Samuel Hill house is not among these lands: it belonged to the Kidders until 1791 and to Peter Hill (Lucy's second husband, 1793) from 1805, and Joseph's son Joseph bought it from Peter Hill in 1808. The 1973 MACRIS story that Joseph and Lucy "took over" the house in 1782 is not borne out by the deeds. Middlesex probate case 11481.
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| August 31, 1810 | Administration and Dower | Estate of Joseph Hill of Billerica, yeoman, intestate | Dorcas Hill, widow (dower); Joseph (F.) Hill, his only child and heir | Joseph Hill (d. 1810): "the old Hill place" of about 100 acres with half a house, held in his grandmother's dower | Probate #11483 |
Joseph Hill died intestate in 1810 leaving "a widow and one infant child." The widow Dorcas declined and John Walker of Burlington was appointed administrator Aug. 31, 1810. The inventory of Oct. 2, 1810 by Joseph Locke, Jeremiah Patten and Alexander Winning begins with "The dwelling house, barn, out buildings and farm, containing about thirty two acres, where the deceased lived" at $2,700, with half of a house and about 140 acres "lately occupied by the widow Hill grandmother of the deceased, as her dower," the Tarbell place of 135 acres, the Johnson place, and timber "cut for building a bridge." Part of the land was sold under license of 1810-11. The committee to set off dower (Blaney Abbot, Jeremiah Clapp, Samuel Hopkins Jr.), accepted May 16, 1811, valued "The homestead of said deceased, containing about thirty-one acres with a dwelling house, barn, corn-house, wood-house & cyder-mill house thereon standing; bounded Southerly by land of Peter Hill, Westerly by Concord river, Northerly by land of Joseph Jaquith & the Middlesex Turnpike, and Southeasterly by a County road" at $2,510, and set off to Dorcas "a part of the homestead containing about thirty acres and three fourths of an acre, with the buildings thereon," from Jaquith's corner by the county road to Peter Hill, the river and the turnpike, with fourteen acres of wood on the old Hill place and half of pew 18. Middlesex probate case 11483.
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| 1810 | Guardianship | Joseph (F.) Hill of Billerica, minor, heir of Joseph Hill | Joseph Locke, guardian (1810); Henry Bridge, guardian (1818) | Guardianship of the heir Joseph F. Hill, 1810-1826; the farm let for rent | Probate #11484 |
On Aug. 23, 1810 the widow Dorcas Hill asked that Joseph Locke be appointed guardian of "her only child named Joseph Hill, who is sole heir of her deceased husband," a minor under fourteen. Locke's accounts charge rents of the land. In 1818, the year Dorcas married Henry Bridge, Bridge became guardian of Joseph F. Hill; his accounts of rents from 1818 to 1825 were settled after his death by "Dorcas Bridge administratrix upon the estate of said Bridge," and a piece of land was sold in 1826 for $150. The case shows the farm held for the heir while his mother kept her dower in the house, which is how it came to be called the Bridge farm. Middlesex probate case 11484.
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| December 22, 1829 | Mortgage | Elijah B. Hill of Billerica, yeoman, and Lucy Hill his wife (dower) | Joseph F. Hill of Billerica, yeoman | Joseph F. Hill sells "the antient farm" to Elijah B. Hill and takes back a $4,000 mortgage | 294/255 (South) |
Billerica town book 14, pages 257-258. To secure $4,000 ($1,000 on Jan. 25, 1830 and $1,000 a year after) and notes of Dec. 25, 1828 that Elijah had given to Dorcas Bridge, Elijah B. Hill mortgaged "a certain farm or tract of land situate in said Billerica, containing two hundred acres, more or less, with the buildings thereon standing, being the antient farm which has descended in the name of Joseph Hill for several generations, except a part which was set off to the widow Dorcas Hill for dower, and a part called the Needham lot, and is the same this day conveyed by said Joseph F. Hill to Elijah B. Hill by a quit-claim deed" (that quitclaim was never recorded). Elijah was to keep possession "until condition broken." Dated and recorded Dec. 22, 1829.
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| February 6, 1830 | Quitclaim | Elijah B. Hill of Billerica, yeoman, and Lucy Hill his wife (dower) | Joseph F. Hill of Billerica, yeoman | Elijah B. Hill gives "the antient Hill farm" back to Joseph F. Hill | 295/71 (South) |
Billerica town book 14, pages 262-263. Six weeks after the sale, for $500 Elijah B. Hill quitclaimed back "a certain farm with the buildings thereon, situate in said Billerica, as the same is described in said Hill's deed to me dated in December last, it being the antient Hill farm except about fourteen acres I sold to Sewell Stearns and eight acres sold to Jonathan Hill." Dated Feb. 5, 1830; recorded Feb. 6, 1830. With this Joseph F. Hill again held the farm, which he sold to Amos Adams in 1831.
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| September 20, 1831 | Warranty Deed | Joseph F. Hill of Cambridge, physician, and Caroline L. Hill his wife (dower) | Amos Adams of Charlestown, yeoman | Joseph F. Hill sells the old Hill farm, 50 acres with the dwelling house east of the road, to Amos Adams | 307/372 (South) |
Billerica town book 16, pages 20-21. For $2,300, "a tract of land situate in said Billerica containing fifty acres more or less with a dwelling house and other buildings thereon," beginning at the southwest corner by the road from Billerica to Concord at land of William Whitford, east by Whitford to Seth and Harvey Crosby, north by the Crosbys to a stake and stones, west by Harvey Crosby and Jonathan Hill to other land of Joseph F. Hill and by Hill to the road; also "one other tract of land lying on the West side of said road, containing about one hundred and thirty six acres," bounded by James Marshall, Dorcas Bridge, "the lane leading from the house to the river," the road near the bridge and Jonathan Hill, reserving rights of way through the lane. "Reference to be had to a survey and plan of the premises made by Thompson Bacon March 15, 1829." Dated Sept. 13, 1831; recorded Sept. 20, 1831.
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| September 20, 1831 | Mortgage | Amos Adams of Charlestown, yeoman, and Susan Adams his wife (dower) | Joseph F. Hill of Cambridge, physician | Purchase-money mortgage back to Joseph F. Hill | 307/374 (South) |
Billerica town book 16, pages 22-23. Mortgage back of "a farm situate in said Billerica containing about one hundred and eighty six acres more or less, and is the same which the said Hill has this day conveyed to me," to secure $2,000 payable $500 in six months, $500 in a year and $1,000 in two years. Dated Sept. 13, 1831; recorded Sept. 20, 1831. Margin: assigned to G. Howe "and by him discharged Book 524 Page 407 & 8."
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| January 10, 1838 | Mortgage | Amos Adams of Billerica, yeoman | John Baldwin Esq., Treasurer of the Town of Billerica | Amos Adams mortgages the farm to the town treasurer; the widow paid it off in 1841 | 369/204 (South) |
Billerica town book 15, pages 564-566. For $500 lent by the town, Amos Adams, now "of Billerica," mortgaged the lot of "fifty acres more or less with a dwelling house and other buildings thereon" east of the road to Concord and the 136-acre lot west of it, "being the same conveyed to me by Joseph F. Hill by his deed dated September 13th A.D. 1831 ... Book 307 page 372," to secure a note payable in one year. Dated Jan. 6, 1838; recorded Jan. 10, 1838. Discharged July 12, 1841 by John Baldwin on "payment of the note" by "Susan Adams Widow of the within named Amos Adams." This is the town loan behind the $1,073 encumbrance named in the 1841 administrator's deed.
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| October 13, 1840 | Administration | Estate of Amos Adams of Billerica, yeoman, intestate | Leonard Thompson of Woburn, administrator; Susan Dodge Adams, widow | Amos Adams dies; inventory of the 170-acre homestead and the rooms of the old Hill house | Probate #26095 |
Amos Adams died intestate in 1840, "leaving a widow and several children all minors." His widow Susan declined on Oct. 10, 1840 and Leonard Thompson Esq. of Woburn was appointed administrator on Oct. 13. The inventory of Nov. 4, 1840 (Charles Carter, John Baldwin, John Gregory) begins with "The homestead of said deceased situate in said Billerica containing by estimation one hundred & seventy acres with the buildings on the same," $2,300, and lists a house and store in Charlestown, two Cambridge house lots and the Clapp place in Woburn; the furniture is listed room by room in the old house (north room, north east room, south east and south west chambers, south east and south west lower rooms). On Feb. 16, 1841 the court licensed the administrator to sell real estate to raise $6,409.94 for debts, with Susan Adams consenting; she also petitioned for dower.
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| March 1, 1848 | Assignment of Mortgage | Joseph F. Hill, mortgagee | Zadock Howe of Billerica, physician | The 1831 mortgage assigned to Dr. Zadock Howe, who discharged it in 1847 | 524/407 (South) |
Billerica town book 21, page 215. For $500 Joseph F. Hill assigned to Dr. Zadock Howe "the within mortgage deed and the premises within described and the amount due secured thereby" (the 1831 Adams mortgage), subject to the equity of redemption. Dated Oct. 24, 1840, acknowledged before Marshall Preston. In the margin Howe discharged the mortgage as fully satisfied in 1847; both recorded March 1, 1848 (Book 524, Pages 407-408), clearing the widow Susan Adams's title.
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| 1841 | Administrator's Deed | Leonard Thompson of Woburn, administrator of the estate of Amos Adams | Susan Dodge Adams of Billerica, widow of Amos Adams | Administrator's sale of the equity of redemption to the widow Susan Adams for $220 | 402/564 (South) |
Billerica town book 17, pages 111-113. Under the probate license of Feb. 1841 the administrator sold at public auction on April 12, 1841 "all the right in equity of redeeming" the farm to "Susan Adams of said Billerica widow of Amos Adams aforesaid for the sum of two hundred & twenty dollars she being the highest bidder." The land was under mortgage to Joseph F. Hill and the town of Billerica "as surety for two notes" amounting to $1,073; it comprised the lot "of fifty acres more or less with the buildings thereon" east of the road to Concord and the 136-acre lot west of it, "Being the same tract of land conveyed by Joseph F. Hill to the deceased by deed bearing date Sept. 13, 1831 ... Book 307, Pages 372 & 373." Dated April 20, 1841.
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| January 27, 1872 | Warranty Deed | Susan Dodge Adams of Billerica (formerly Susan Adams), wife of John C. Hamilton | Mary D. Boyden of Bedford, wife of Dr. Eben Boyden | Susan (Adams) Hamilton sells the house and the 50 acres east of the road to her sister Mary D. Boyden | 84/257 |
For $2,500, "the East side of my farm, with the buildings thereon: all the land East of the road, containing fifty acres more or less," beginning at the southwest corner by the road from Billerica to Concord "at the land of Wm. Whitford (now owned by Thomas Lyon)," east to Seth Crosby, north to Harvey Crosby, west by Harvey Crosby and Jonathan Hill to Joseph F. Hill and by Hill to the road. "Reference to Deed conveyed by Leonard Thompson of Woburn Administrator of the estate of Amos Adams ... Book 402, Page 564." Under an antenuptial contract of May 1866 she could sell without her husband's signature. Dated Dec. 3, 1867; recorded Jan. 27, 1872. The grantee was her sister.
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| November 11, 1890 | Commissioners' Deed | Dudley Foster, Albert R. Richardson and Charles H. Emmett, commissioners to make partition of the estate of Mary D. Boyden | Thomas Lyons of Billerica | Auction of the Boyden place by the partition commissioners to Thomas Lyons, owner of the Whitford farm next door | 219/372 |
Under a probate warrant of Sept. 16, 1890 to make partition of "all the real estate of Mary D. Boyden late of Billerica," the commissioners sold at public auction on Oct. 22, 1890, after notice in the Boston Post, to Thomas Lyons, the highest bidder, for $2,500, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon" of fifty acres, bounded by Whitford or Thomas Lyons, Seth Crosby, Harvey Crosby, Jonathan Hill, Joseph F. Hill and the road to Concord, "being the same premises described in a deed thereof from Susan Hamilton to said Mary D. Boyden dated December 3, 1867 ... Book 84 Page 257." Dated Oct. 29, 1890; recorded Nov. 11, 1890. (The MACRIS deed list cites this as Book 216 Page 322, which is another deed.)
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| January 29, 1891 | Warranty Deed | Thomas Lyons of Billerica, and Ellen Lyons his wife (dower) | Charles Lyons of Billerica, his son | Thomas Lyons to his son Charles Lyons | 221/178 |
For $3,000, "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon," fifty acres, beginning at the southwest corner "by the road leading from Billerica to Concord at land formerly of Wm. Whitford now of said Thomas Lyons," and bounded as in the earlier deeds, "Being the same premises described in a deed thereof from the Commissioners duly appointed to make partition of all the estate of Mary D. Boyden late of Billerica to me dated Oct 29 A.D. 1890 ... Book 219 Page 372." Dated Jan. 28, 1891; recorded Jan. 29, 1891. Charles gave back a $2,250 mortgage the same day (Book 221, Page 179), discharged June 3, 1891 (Book 224, Page 442).
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| June 4, 1891 | Warranty Deed | Charles Lyons of Billerica, unmarried | Nellie S. Gay of Billerica, wife of George R. Gay | Charles Lyons to Nellie S. Gay; Fowler mortgage the same day | 224/442 |
For "One Dollar and other valuable consideration," "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon" of fifty acres, bounded as before, "Intending hereby to convey the same premises conveyed to me by Thomas Lyons by his deed dated January 28, 1891 ... Libro 221 folio 178, And the same premises conveyed to said Thomas Lyons by deed recorded in said Registry Libro 219 Page 372," free of incumbrances except the 1891 taxes. Dated June 3, 1891; recorded June 4, 1891, on the same page as Thomas Lyons's discharge of his son's mortgage. The Gays at once mortgaged the place to George R. Fowler of Boston for $3,000 (Book 224, Page 443; discharged Book 283, Page 491).
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| April 2, 1897 | Warranty Deed | George R. Gay and Nellie S. Gay his wife, of Billerica (she in her own right) | Lulu A. Beck of Boston, wife of Charles L. Beck | The Gays sell the farm to Lulu A. Beck | 283/475 |
For "one dollar and other valuable considerations," "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon" of fifty acres, bounded as before, "Intending hereby to convey the same premises conveyed to said Nellie S. Gay by Charles Lyons by his deed dated June 3, 1891 ... libro 224 folio 442. Reserving right to occupy said farm until May 1, 1897 if we choose to remain so long, we to pay no rent." Dated April 1, 1897, witnessed by George R. Fowler, whose 1891 mortgage was discharged (Book 283, Page 491) and replaced the same day by Lulu Beck's $4,000 mortgage to him (Book 283, Page 493); recorded April 2, 1897.
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| March 31, 1903 | Warranty Deed | Lulu A. Beck of Billerica, wife of Charles L. Beck (curtesy released) | Flora May Patterson of Newton, wife of Herbert J. Patterson | Lulu A. Beck to Flora May Patterson, subject to a $4,000 mortgage | 352/543 |
For "One Dollar and other valuable considerations," "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon" of fifty acres, bounded as before, "the same premises conveyed to me by George R. Gay and Nellie S. Gay by deed dated April 1, 1897 ... Book 283, Page 475," subject to the taxes of 1901 and 1902 and to "a mortgage for four thousand dollars ($4,000) held by Edward H. Sampson of Boston," originally George R. Fowler's of April 1, 1897 (Book 283, Page 493), both of which the grantee assumed. Dated March 27, 1903; recorded March 31, 1903.
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| 1906 | Mortgage | Herbert J. Patterson and Flora May Patterson (in her right), of Billerica | Frank H. Noyes, Trustee in Bankruptcy of Isaac S. Jacobs | The Pattersons' $700 second mortgage, foreclosed in 1908 | 398/53 |
Mortgage with power of sale, for $700 at six percent payable in one year, of "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon" of fifty acres bounded as before, "the same premises conveyed to the said Flora May Patterson by Lulu A. Beck by deed dated the 27th day of March, 1903 ... Book 352, Page 543," subject to the 1906 taxes and to "a mortgage for thirty-two hundred dollars ($3200) to A. E. Scott." Dated Nov. 13, 1906. Margins note the possession (Book 414, Page 293) and the mortgagee's sale (Book 414, Page 294).
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| January 31, 1908 | Mortgagee's Deed | Frank H. Noyes, Trustee in Bankruptcy of Isaac S. Jacobs, mortgagee | Adelaide L. Burke of Melrose | Foreclosure sale of the Patterson farm for $36.87, subject to the first mortgage | 414/294 |
The Pattersons defaulted, and on Jan. 18, 1908 the mortgagee made "an open, peaceable, and unopposed entry" to foreclose (certificate, Book 414, Page 293). After notice in the Melrose Evening News, "there being no newspaper published in Billerica," the farm was sold at auction on the premises on Saturday, Jan. 18, 1908 at noon, and by this deed of Jan. 29, 1908, for $36.87, Noyes conveyed to Adelaide L. Burke "a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon" of fifty acres, subject to unpaid taxes "and all other existing incumbrances" (the first mortgage). Recorded Jan. 31, 1908.
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| May 20, 1908 | Quitclaim | Adelaide L. Burke of Melrose, and George W. Burke her husband (homestead) | Flora May Patterson of Newton | The farm returned to Flora May Patterson | 418/473 |
For the same $36.87, Adelaide Burke quitclaimed the fifty acres "with the buildings thereon" back to Flora May Patterson, subject to unpaid taxes and existing incumbrances, "being all and the same premises conveyed to me by deed of Frank H. Noyes, Trustee, of even date." Dated Jan. 29, 1908; recorded May 20, 1908. The foreclosure thus cut off the second mortgage and returned the farm to Mrs. Patterson, who mortgaged it again for $300 to Benjamin A. Kaiser of Brookline (Book 418, Page 474; discharged Book 459, Page 473).
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| November 2, 1914 | Warranty Deed | Flora May Patterson of Billerica, and Herbert J. Patterson her husband (curtesy) | Isabella B. Bond of Boston | Flora May Patterson sells the farm to Isabella B. Bond | 531/3 |
"For consideration paid," "the land in said Billerica with the buildings thereon containing fifty acres more or less," bounded as in all the deeds since 1831, "Being the same premises to me conveyed by Adelaide L. Burke by deed dated January 29, 1908 ... Book 418, Page 473," subject to a mortgage to The Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank with $2,650 unpaid, which the grantee assumed; "Also all other parcels of land and all rights and easements constituting or appurtenant to the farm now owned and occupied by me in said Billerica." Dated and recorded Nov. 2, 1914. (The 1906 bankruptcy compromise behind the Noyes mortgage is recorded at Book 517, Pages 16-17.)
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| January 28, 1920 | Quitclaim Deed | Isabella B. (Bacon) Bond of Boston, widow | Edith Louise Stearns of Billerica | Isabella B. Bond to Edith Louise Stearns, with the Smith & Brooks plan of 1919 | 618/379 |
"For consideration paid," with quitclaim covenants, "the land with buildings thereon in said Billerica, containing fifty (50) acres, more or less," bounded as before, "Being the same premises to me conveyed by Flora May Patterson by deed dated November 2, 1914 ... Book 531, page 3," and "Being the same premises described in a plan entitled 'Plan of Land in Billerica Mass. belonging to Mrs Isabel B. Bond' drawn by Smith & Brooks Civil Engineers Lowell, Mass and dated August 1919 to be recorded herewith" (the survey found 36.83 acres). Signed April 7, 1919; recorded Jan. 28, 1920, with Mrs. Stearns's $4,500 purchase-money mortgage back to Mrs. Bond (Book 618, Page 380; partial release Book 640, Page 455; discharged Book 675, Page 229).
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| April 30, 1924 | Quitclaim Deed | Edith Louise (Edith B.) Stearns of Boston, unmarried | Beatrice F. G. Sheridan of Cambridge | Edith L. Stearns sells the 36-acre farm (keeping a 0.59-acre house lot) to Beatrice F. G. Sheridan | 701/329 |
For $1 and other consideration, the farm on Concord Road beginning at its southwest corner "at land formerly of Lyons, now of Howard B. Lent," running east by walls to and across the Boston and Maine Railroad to the Dolan heirs, north by Franklin Jacquith and Edward Mace, west by Edward F. Judkins about 1,350 feet, then around "other land of this grantor" to Concord Road and south 729.64 feet by the road to the beginning, "containing 36 acres more or less. Being the premises described in a deed from Isabella B. Bond to me dated April 7, 1919 ... Book 618, page 379 and shown on a plan ... drawn by Smith & Brooks ... August 1919 ... Plan Book 37, Plan 13, excepting and excluding therefrom my small house-lot containing 0.59 of an acre situated in the northwesterly corner of said premises," subject to a $5,800 co-operative bank mortgage of Jan. 12, 1923 and the railroad's rights. Dated and recorded April 30, 1924. The Sheridans gave a further mortgage to Walter Channing (Book 701, Page 330).
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| September 12, 1924 | Quitclaim Deed | Charles H. Sheridan and Beatrice F. G. Sheridan (in her right), of Billerica | Frank L. Mink of Somerville | The Sheridans sell the farm to Frank L. Mink | 709/576 |
For consideration paid ($12 in revenue stamps), "the land in said Billerica with the buildings thereon," bounded by Concord Road, Howard B. Lent, the Boston and Maine Railroad, the Dolan heirs, Jacquith, Mace, Judkins and "land of Stearns" (the 0.59-acre lot kept in April), "Containing 36 acres more or less. Being the same premises to me (B. F. G. S.) conveyed by Edith Louise Stearns by deed dated April 30, 1924 ... Book 701, Page 329," subject to the 1924 taxes and the railroad's rights. Dated Sept. 8, 1924; recorded Sept. 12, 1924, just after Walter Channing's discharge of the Sheridans' April mortgage. (The MACRIS deed list gives Book 709, Page 384, which is another deed.)
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| September 30, 1927 | Collector's Tax Deed | John J. Ritchie, Collector of Taxes of Billerica (taxes of Edith Louise Stearns, 1925) | Harry P. Chadwick of Roxbury | Tax deed of Mrs. Stearns's remaining land next to the farm; it later clouded the Stoker title | 755/80 |
Edith Louise Stearns did not pay her 1925 taxes of $72.80; after demand and notice in the Billerica Enterprise the collector sold at auction at the Town Hall on Sept. 3, 1927, to Harry P. Chadwick for $85.44, "Fourteen (14) acres of land more or less with buildings thereon being remainder of premises as described in deed from Isabella B. Bond to said Stearns dated April 7, 1919 ... Book 618, Page 379." Dated Sept. 27, 1927; recorded Sept. 30, 1927 (partial release noted at Book 763, Page 168). This was the land Mrs. Stearns kept north of the 36-acre farm in 1924, but the loose description later clouded the farm's title.
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| April 1, 1941 | Quitclaim Deed | William Mink of Kimberton, Pa., and Alexander E. Mink of Bedford, heirs of Frank L. Mink | Herbert A. Barbour and Margaret Barbour of Newton | Frank L. Mink's heirs sell the farm to the Barbours | 958/176 |
For consideration paid ($4.95 in stamps), "the land with the buildings thereon situated in Billerica," the same 36 acres on Concord Road bounded by Lent, the railroad, the Dolan heirs, Jacquith, Mace, Judkins and "land now or formerly of Edith L. Stearns," "Being the same premises described in a deed from Beatrice F. G. Sheridan to Frank L. Mink, dated September 8, 1924 ... Book 709, Page 576, and shown on a plan ... Plan Book 37, Plan 13. For our title see probate of Estate of Frank L. Mink, Middlesex Probate #226861." Dated March 29, 1941; recorded April 1, 1941. The Barbours mortgaged it to the Lexington Co-operative Bank (Book 958, Page 178).
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| June 27, 1947 | Quitclaim Deed | Herbert A. Barbour and Margaret Barbour of Newton | Ralph W. Stoker and Claire H. Stoker of Newton | The Barbours sell the farm to Ralph W. and Claire H. Stoker | 1071/231 |
For consideration paid ($14.30 in stamps), "the land in Billerica, in said County, with the buildings thereon, situated on the easterly side of Concord Road, and being shown on a plan entitled, 'Plan of Land in Billerica, Mass., belonging to Mrs. Isabel B. Bond, Surveyed August 1919, Smith and Brooks, Civil Engrs.' ... Book of Plans 37, Plan 13," bounded as in the deeds since 1924, "Containing thirty-six acres of land, more or less. For our title see deed given by Alexander E. Mink et al dated March 29, 1941 ... Book 958, Page 176." Dated June 26, 1947; recorded June 27, 1947, with the Stokers' $8,000 mortgage to The Central Savings Bank of Lowell (Book 1071, Page 233).
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| May 26, 1961 | Release | Helen C. Bird, administratrix and sole heir of Mabel E. Chadwick (heir of Harry P. Chadwick) | Ralph W. Stoker and Claire H. Stoker of Billerica | Release of the Chadwick tax-title claim to the Stokers before the Honeywell sale | 1514/546 |
For consideration paid, Helen C. Bird of Hingham, as administratrix of Mabel E. Chadwick (Plymouth probate 73942) and individually as her sole heir, released to the Stokers "all my interest in a certain parcel of land with the buildings thereon, situated in said Billerica, being described in a tax deed by John J. Ritchie, Collector of Taxes, to Harry P. Chadwick dated September 27, 1927 ... Book 755, Page 80, for nonpayment of taxes for the year 1925," citing also the estate of Harry P. Chadwick (Suffolk probate 321206). Dated May 11, 1961; recorded May 26, 1961, to clear the title before the Stokers' sale to Honeywell.
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| May 26, 1961 | Quitclaim Deed | Ralph W. Stoker and Claire H. Stoker of Billerica | Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company (Delaware corporation) | The Stokers sell the back 20 acres to Honeywell and keep the house | 1514/548 |
For consideration paid, Parcel "B" on "Plan of Land in Billerica, Mass. surveyed for Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company," March 1961, Emmons and Fleming, Inc.: 111 feet on Concord Road, then around the Gallagher house lot and north by Parcel "A" (Frances M. Stearns) to State Route 3, 815.39 feet along Route 3, south by Parcel "C" and the Davises, and "Westerly again by remaining land of these grantors" 565.02 feet and "Southerly again by remaining land of these grantors" 179.38 feet; 20.38 acres. "For title ... see deed from Herbert A. Barbour et al ... Book 1071, Page 231 and deed of release from Helen C. Bird," merged with their title; "Said Parcel 'B' is part of the lot entitled '36.83 acres' on plan ... Plan Book 37, Plan 13." The Stokers certified that "no railroad crosses or ever crossed said Parcel 'B'." Signed May 1961; recorded May 26, 1961. The Stokers kept the house and the land along Concord Road.
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| November 1, 1968 | Quitclaim Deed | Ralph W. Stoker and Claire H. Stoker of Billerica | Honeywell Inc., a Delaware corporation | The Stokers sell the house lot to Honeywell | 1865/33 |
For consideration paid, "the land in Billerica, Middlesex County, with the buildings thereon," bounded westerly by Concord Road, northerly 179.38 feet and easterly 565.02 feet by the land the Stokers had sold to Minneapolis-Honeywell in 1961 (Book 1514, Page 548; Plan Book 94, Plan 127), and southerly 169.67 feet by the former Davis farm conveyed to Honeywell Inc. in 1966 (Book 1764, Page 589; Plan Book 104, Plan 44, Sheet 2). "For the Grantors' title see deed of Herbert A. Barbour et al. to Ralph W. Stoker et al., dated June 26, 1947 ... Book 1071, Page 231." Acknowledged Oct. 31, 1968; recorded Nov. 1, 1968. With this the old Adams house became part of the Honeywell campus.
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| November 15, 2000 | Quitclaim Deed | Concord Opco, L.L.C. (by Leggat McCall Opportunity Investors, LLC) | Middlesex Community College Foundation, Inc. of Bedford | Lot 6, the house and 0.6 acre, sold by Leggat McCall's Concord Opco to the Middlesex Community College Foundation | 11171/59 |
For $20,000, "That certain parcel of land consisting of approximately .60 acres of land located at 300 Concord Road, Billerica, Massachusetts, shown as Lot 6" on the "Plan of Land in Billerica ... Prepared for Leggat McCall Properties, 300 Concord Road," Oct. 20, 1998, by Consulting Engineers and Scientists, Inc., recorded June 6, 2000 (Plan Book 203, Plan 76), with reference to the zoning variance for Lot 4 (Book 10837, Page 1) and subject to a Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions and Rights of Refusal and Repurchase recorded herewith (Book 11171, Page 61). "For Grantor's title see deed from Wang Laboratories, Inc. to Grantor dated September 30, 1997 ... Book 8812, Page 152." Executed November 2000; recorded Nov. 15, 2000. Lot 6 is the Adams-Stoker house, cut out of the office campus.
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| September 1, 2021 | Quitclaim Deed | Middlesex Community College Foundation, Inc. of Bedford | ZEM Holdings, LLC of Billerica | The Foundation sells 294 Concord Road (Lot 6) to ZEM Holdings, LLC, the present owner | 36206/36 |
Property address "294 Concord Road, Billerica." For $725,000, "A certain parcel of land consisting of approximately .60 acres of land located on Concord Road," Lot 6 on the Leggat McCall plan of Oct. 20, 1998 (Plan No. 28877 of 2000), subject to the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions of Nov. 14, 2000 (Book 11171, Page 61), "MEANING AND INTENDING to describe and convey the same premises conveyed to Middlesex Community College Foundation, Inc. by deed of Concord OPPCO, L.L.C. dated November 14, 2000 ... Book 11171, Page 59." Executed Aug. 30, 2021; recorded Sept. 1, 2021, with the new owner's mortgages and assignments (Book 36206, Pages 40-289). The present owner of record.
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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.