Structure · Built 1803
Oliver Farmer II House
Oliver Farmer II House
| Address | 34 Colson St |
| MACRIS ID | BIL.98 |
| Built | 1803 |
| Owners |
Oliver Farmer
(1787 - 1839)
Israel A. Colson (1839 - 1884) |
The Oliver Farmer II House at 34 Colson Street, on the southwest corner of Elm Street in North Billerica, is one of Billerica's Federal "brick-enders," houses with clapboarded fronts and brick end walls. Local tradition, recorded in Open House in Billerica (1949), dates it to 1803 and calls it "one of the finest examples of this period in town." It stands in the Billerica Mills Historic District (No. 681), and its barn, converted to a dwelling, survives across Elm Street as the Colson Barn.
The land was a farm long before the house. William Chandler put it together from bare division lots west of the Concord River in 1714 and sold it on August 4, 1724 to Nicholas Sprake: 95 acres "with a Dwelling house and Barn thereon standing," bounded west by the Chelmsford line, north by Broad Meadow and east by "the High Way to Broad meadow," now Colson Street. Sprake left "all my Home Stead with the buildings thereon" to his son Nicholas in 1768. When the younger Nicholas died in 1784 the appraisers found "one old Dwelling House" and a barn on 79 1/2 acres; his widow Margaret was given "The Middle Room in said deceased's House from bottom to top" as part of her dower, and the rest was sold.
The buyer, on March 28, 1787, was Oliver Farmer (1760-1839), son of Oliver Farmer of the Boston Road, who had married Nicholas Sprake's daughter Hannah the previous November. He paid 104 pounds for 71 1/2 acres "with part of the Dwelling & Barn thereon standing," and in 1790 bought the widow's thirds from the other heirs "with that part of the building that was set off to Margarett Sprake." With the farm whole again, he built the present house; tradition holds that his daughter Rachel, born September 13, 1804, was the first child born in it.
Oliver Farmer's will of May 3, 1839 gave his widow Hannah "the two lower rooms at the south end of my house, and the front chamber over the same" for life and his unmarried daughter Rebecca "the lower front room at the north end of my house," and left the rest of the estate to his son-in-law Israel A. Colson, Rachel's husband, on condition that he support the widow. Colson, a selectman, was living "at the Farmer place, by the Baptist church" in 1883, and the 1853 and 1875 maps mark the house with his name. In January 1884 he deeded "my Homestead Farm ... with all the buildings thereon" to his son George F. Colson, whose name is on the 1889 atlas. A center cupola was added on the roof in the late nineteenth century.
After George F. Colson's death the farm, "about sixty (60) acres, with the house, barn and poultry house thereon," was put in trust with Charles H. McIntire in 1914 and laid out as Colson Heights, designed by Warren H. Manning. On September 22, 1922 the trustee deeded the house lot, lots 1 to 4 of section 18 "with the buildings thereon," back to the widow Clara E. Colson and her son George R. Colson. George R. Colson, then of Jamaica, New York, inherited his mother's half and sold the house in July 1941 to Roy M. Kirk, ending more than two centuries of ownership by the Sprake, Farmer and Colson families. Kirk sold it that October to Roger H. Hildreth, who with his wife Audrey (Williams) Hildreth did "much faithful restoration," according to the 1973 survey. They sold in 1952-1953, and the house has passed through several private owners since, each deed describing the same 32,014 square feet bounded by Elm, Holt and Colson Streets.
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Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| July 14, 1726 | Deed | William Grimes of Billerica | William Chandler of Billerica | first-range lot bought by William Chandler, part of the later Sprake farm | 26/96 (South) |
For 8 pounds, "one parcel of Land situate in Billerica aforesaid lying on the west of Concord River in the First Range of Lotts containing nineteen Acres and seventy four Poles," bounded northwest by "Chelmsford Line" about 12 1/2 poles, northeast by Thomas Dutton about 258 poles, southeast "by the Road to broad medow" about 18 poles and southwest by James Kidder about 268 poles, "and there is allowance made in the Lott for the highway upon it." No buildings are named. Dated Dec. 8, 1714; acknowledged Aug. 9, 1716 before Oliver Whiting; recorded July 14, 1726. Billerica town book 3, pages 33-35 (Southern Registry Book 26 Page 96). One of the long, narrow town division lots between the road to Broad Meadow (Colson Street) and the Chelmsford line that William Chandler put together into the 95-acre farm.
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| July 14, 1726 | Deed | Samuel Fassett of Billerica | William Chandler of Billerica | first-range lot bought by William Chandler, part of the later Sprake farm | 26/97 (South) |
For 12 pounds, "one parcel of Land situate in Billerica ... containing forty acres and seventy four Pole ... lying on the west of Concord River in the first Range of Lotts," bounded west by Chelmsford line about 124 poles, southwest by Thomas Dutton about 165 poles, and east "by the Land of Isaac Stearns and the Proprietors of broad medow according to marked Trees"; "the northward Corner is a white oak Tree marked F," the westward a great rock, the eastward a white oak marked E.D.W., with allowance for the highway. No buildings are named. Dated Dec. 8, 1714; acknowledged Apr. 11, 1716 before Jonathan Tyng; recorded July 14, 1726. Billerica town book 3, pages 35-37 (Southern Registry Book 26 Page 97). The white oak "marked F" is the northwest corner of the farm Chandler sold to Nicholas Sprake in 1724.
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| June 15, 1726 | Deed | William Chandler of Billerica, with Susannah his wife releasing dower | Nicholas Sprake of Billerica | Chandler sells the 95-acre farm "with a Dwelling house and Barn" to Nicholas Sprake | 25/453 (South) |
For 300 pounds, "One Messuage or house Lott Scituate Lying and being in Billerica aforesaid Containing Ninety five acres more or less with a Dwelling house and Barn thereon standing," bounded "Northerly by Broad meadow in a crooked line Westerly by Chelmsford line Southerly by the Land of James Kidder Easterly by the said High Way to Broad meadow," the northwest corner "a White oak tree marked F"; also meadow in Long Hill meadow "which was Granted to Wm Hamlet," swamp bought of the committee for straightening the fence, and lots in the easterly part of Chelmsford and Chelmsford Neck. Dated Aug. 4, 1724 (witnesses Joseph Wyman, Mary Highgate); acknowledged Aug. 5, 1724 before Oliver Whiting; recorded June 15, 1726. Billerica town book 3, pages 18-21 (Southern Registry Book 25 Page 453). The first record of a house and barn on the farm: Chandler had bought bare division lots in 1714, so he built them between 1714 and 1724. The "High Way to Broad meadow" is Colson Street.
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| 1768 | Will | Estate of Nicholas Sprake of Billerica, clothier | His sons Nicholas, Samuel and John Sprake and daughters | Nicholas Sprake will: homestead with buildings to his son Nicholas | Probate #21112 |
Will dated Sept. 15, 1761, proved 1768 (he died March 31, 1768). To son Nicholas the homestead by Broad Meadow; "to my well beloved son Samuel Sprake ... one lot of land with the buildings thereon which I bought of Christopher Osgood as it may appear bounded by a deed I put upon record of the same", with part of a lot bought of Samuel Hill, the Mock meadow land bought of widow Rebecca Farmer and 2 acres of meadow bought of John Dunkin, "all which joins upon the house lot"; to son John 40 acres in Tewksbury with a grist mill. Sons Nicholas and Samuel executors.
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| October 2, 1784 | Quitclaim | John Sprake and Samuel Sprake of Billerica, husbandmen | Their brother Nicholas Sprake Jr. of Billerica, husbandman | brothers release their shares of the Sprake house and barn | 85/549 (South) |
For 266 pounds 13 shillings 4 pence, a release of lots "which was part of our honoured Father Mr. Nicholas Sprake's Estate," the first beginning at the highway "by the ford way at the end of the stone wall by the Wyman lot so called," to the highway leading to Seth Levestone's, then east "to a stake and stones by the road leading to broad meadow standing about three feet southward of the bars which goes into the barn yard," "with one half of the west end of the dwelling house thereon both above and below and the one half of the east chamber and the East garret with conveniency of yard room about the house And also the one half of the barn and leanto adjoining"; also 15 acres west of the road to Levestone's, a lot in Broad Meadow by Concord River, and half of three acres in Mock Meadow from the brothers' division. Dated and acknowledged July 3, 1769 before William Stickney; recorded Oct. 2, 1784. Billerica town book 7, pages 417-419 (Southern Registry Book 85 Page 549).
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| October 2, 1784 | Quitclaim | Samuel Sprake of Billerica, husbandman | His brother Nicholas Sprake Jr. of Billerica | last outside share of the Sprake homestead to Nicholas Jr. | 85/551 (South) |
For 10 pounds, the easterly end of the land "set off by a committee to John Sprake late of Billerica Decd," from the highway leading to Broad Meadow by Nicholas's land to the New Meadow and Broad Meadow, by Nicholas's own land to Concord River, by the river to Mr. Carlton's land and by the wall on the west side of the highway, "together with the buildings and priviledges that was by said Comtee set off for or did in any wise belong unto the aforesaid John Sprake deceased and to our Honoured Mother the widow Judith Sprake and to our sister Elizabeth." Dated June 26, 1773; acknowledged Nov. 4, 1774 before William Stickney; recorded Oct. 2, 1784. Billerica town book 7, pages 420-421 (Southern Registry Book 85 Page 551). With the 1769 release it put the whole of the father's homestead in Nicholas Jr.
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| 1784 | Administration and Dower | Estate of Nicholas Sprake (Jr.) of Billerica, yeoman, deceased intestate | His widow Margaret Sprake, administratrix (dower), and his heirs | Nicholas Sprake estate: "old Dwelling House," barn and 79 1/2 acre homestead | Probate #21114 |
Administration to the widow Margaret, Sept. 8, 1784. The appraisers found "about eighty acres, with the house and barn thereon standing," worth 200 pounds; the real estate inventory of Oct. 21, 1784 lists "one old Dwelling House Eight pounds," "one Barn prised at Eight pounds," "Seventy nine and a half acres called the Homsted" (by Samuel Sprake, Timothy Levingstone, Wm. Manning, Ebenr. French, the widow Carlton and Concord River) and 18 1/2 acres south of the road. The widow's dower was "The Middle Room in said deceased's House from bottom to top" with part of the cellar and the oven, about twenty acres of the homestead whose line ran "to the South Corner of the Barn yard then runs Southerly to the West end of the House then by the back of said House to the Road," five acres of wood land, and "the West End of the Barn as far as to the floor way" with the right to cart in hay and thresh. On the heirs' petition of June 13, 1786 the whole two thirds was sold; the account allowed Nov. 15, 1787 charges "Proceeds of the Two thirds Sold by her 104-0-0."
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| October 4, 1794 | Administrator's Deed | Margaret Sprake of Billerica, administratrix of Nicholas Sprake | Oliver Farmer Jr. of Billerica, yeoman | Sprake farm "with part of the Dwelling & Barn" to Oliver Farmer | 117/293 (South) |
By liberty from the Court of Common Pleas, for 104 pounds, "A certain parcel of Land lying in said Billerica with part of the Dwelling & Barn thereon standing being about seventy one Acres and an half," beginning at the house and running south on the road leading to Isaac Sprake's, by the widow Carlton, Thomas Richardson and "Levengstones" land and the widow's thirds, with another tract north of the farm from Concord River by William Manning and French, "being the whole of what the said Nicholas Sprake died seized of exclusive of what was set off for the Widows' Dowry." Dated Mar. 28, 1787 (witnesses Joshua Abbot, Jona. Stickney); acknowledged Oct. 8, 1787 before Edward Farmer; recorded Oct. 4, 1794. Billerica town book 7, pages 514-515 (Southern Registry Book 117 Page 293). Oliver Farmer had married Hannah Sprake on Nov. 30, 1786.
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| February 27, 1813 | Quitclaim | Samuel Sprake of Litchfield, N.H., and Anna his wife, Rebekkah Sprake and Susanna Sprake of Billerica | Oliver Farmer Jr. of Billerica, yeoman | widow Sprake's thirds (middle room of the house) to Oliver Farmer | 203/372 (South) |
For 36 pounds, "all our right title and interest in and unto the lands and buildings that were set off to as thirds Margaret Sprake our honored mother late of said Billerica widow deceast," about 22 acres from the road "that goes from the fordway to Richardsons mills" to Broad Meadow, east on the road and Concord River, north and south on Oliver Farmer's land, west on Timothy Livingston, "with that part of the building that was set off to Margarett Sprake as her thirds," and 5 1/2 acres of woodland toward Chelmsford Neck, "meaning to convey the whole of the land and buildings that was set off to Margaret Sprake." Dated July 15, 1790 (Susannah acknowledged Mar. 27, 1806); recorded Feb. 27, 1813, with an agreement of the same parties and Benjamin Dows Jr., guardian of the Carleton children, by which Farmer bought the four outside shares of the widow's thirds at 12 pounds each (Book 203, Page 374). Billerica town book 11, pages 220-224 (Southern Registry Book 203 Page 372). This reunited the house, the barn and the farm in Oliver Farmer, who built the brick-ended house in 1803.
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| 1839 | Will | Estate of Oliver Farmer (1760-1839) of Billerica, yeoman | His son-in-law Israel A. Colson, residuary devisee and executor | Oliver Farmer will: house (widow keeps south rooms) and farm to Israel A. Colson | Probate #7205 |
Will dated May 3, 1839, witnessed by Reuben Chamberlin, Marshall Preston and James R. Faulkner; proved at Concord Aug. 13, 1839 on the petition of Israel A. Colson, executor (bond $30,000 with Daniel Wilson and Francis Faulkner). The widow Hannah received for life "the two lower rooms at the south end of my house, and the front chamber over the same," with the front entry, stairs, well room, well and cellar, an annual allowance of food and "six cords of good wood, cut up and housed," and whatever she had from her sister Susannah Sprague, in lieu of dower; daughter Rebecca had money, the furniture and "the lower front room at the north end of my house" until marriage; Oliver Jr., Asa, Hannah Abbot, Rachel Colson, Zadoc and three grandchildren had money legacies. "All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real personal and mixed" went to "my said Son in law Israel A. Colson," on condition that he support the widow. No inventory survives in the file. The farm with the 1803 brick-end house passed to the Colsons by this will, not by Rachel Farmer's marriage alone.
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| November 8, 1884 | Warranty Deed | Israel A. Colson of Billerica, unmarried | George F. Colson of Billerica | Israel A. Colson to George F. Colson, the homestead farm | 170/272 |
For "Two Thousand Dollars and other valuable consideration," "my Homestead Farm situated in that part of Billerica called North Billerica," beginning "at the dwelling house on said premises and road leading to Billerica Centre," running by the road and the old back road to the Lowell road, by land formerly of T. F. Farmer, the heirs of Betsy Richardson and Bernard Kearney "to the old Middlesex Canal," west by the canal to the Chelmsford line, by Ready, the late John Barrett and Patrick Meehan back to the Lowell road, across it by Mixer and Kearney "to Concord River," then south on the river to C. P. Talbot and Co. and the road, "with all the buildings thereon. Reserving all the public roads." Also the stock, hay, grain, wagons, carts, farming tools and household furniture. Dated Jan. 23, 1884 (Dudley Foster, witness and justice); recorded Nov. 8, 1884. Middlesex North Book 170, pages 272-273.
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| July 13, 1914 | Administrator's Deed | Edgar F. Twombly of Billerica, administrator of the estate of George F. Colson | Charles H. McIntire of Lowell (trustee for the Colson heirs) | administrator sells the Colson homestead farm to the trustee | 525/316 |
By license of the Middlesex Probate Court, a private sale for $6,000 of "The Homestead Farm situated in that part of said Billerica called North Billerica, containing about sixty (60) acres and being the same premises described in a deed given by Israel A. Colson to George F. Colson, dated Jan. 23, 1884 ... Book 170, Page 272, excepting those portions thereof heretofore conveyed by said George F. Colson in his lifetime," with four other lots (the Jones and Dix meadow, the Burrows and Baldwin wood lot, the Cowdry lot and the Wood-Pollard wood lot), "being all the real estate of which George F. Colson died seized and possessed." Dated May 12, 1914; acknowledged June 1, 1914; recorded July 13, 1914. Middlesex North Book 525, pages 316-318.
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| July 13, 1914 | Deed in Trust | George R. Colson, Clara E. Colson and Edgar F. Twombly of Billerica (heirs of George F. Colson), with Elizabeth E. Colson and Sabina G. Twombly | Charles H. McIntire of Lowell, trustee | Colson heirs put the farm and house in trust | 525/318 |
For $1, "five certain lots of land with the buildings thereon situated in the Town of Billerica in and about the North Village thereof," the first being "the Homestead Farm of the late George F. Colson, containing about sixty (60) acres, with the house, barn and poultry house thereon, being all of the premises not heretofore conveyed, described in a deed from Israel A. Colson to George F. Colson dated January 23, 1884 ... Book 170, Page 272," in trust to insure the buildings, pay the taxes, sell the land "for the best interest of the grantors" and divide the proceeds equally among them. The wives released dower and homestead. Dated Apr. 16, 1914; recorded July 13, 1914. Middlesex North Book 525, pages 318-320. The barn named here is the building now at 36 Colson Street.
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| October 24, 1914 | Declaration of Trust | Charles H. McIntire of Lowell, with Martha J. McIntire | The heirs of George F. Colson (beneficiaries) | trustee declares he holds the Colson farm for the heirs | 528/79 |
McIntire, grantee in the administrator's deed of Edgar F. Twombly (Book 525, Page 316) and in the deed of George R. Colson and others (Book 525, Page 318), declares that he holds "the premises described in both said Deeds as Trustee and not for my own benefit, according to the Trust declared in the second above named deed"; his wife disclaims dower and homestead. Dated Oct. 19, 1914; recorded Oct. 24, 1914. Middlesex North Book 528, page 79. The trustee then laid the farm out as "Colson Heights" (Plan Book 31, Plan 88) and sold it by lots.
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| March 7, 1921 | Trustee's Deed | Charles H. McIntire of Lowell, trustee under the deed of trust of 1914 | Hugh G. Desmond of Billerica | barn lot split from the Colson house lot | 640/510 |
For $1 (one dollar in stamps), "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon situated in the northerly village of Billerica on the westerly side of Colson Street and the northerly side of a new street called Elm Street," beginning at the intersection, north on Colson Street 100.10 feet to lot 11, west by lot 11 114.60 feet, south by lot 13 100 feet to Elm Street, east by Elm Street 110.08 feet; "Being lots numbered 14 and 15, section 9, on plan entitled Colson Heights, North Billerica, Mass, owned by the heirs of George F. Colson. Being a part of the farm of which the late George F. Colson died seized and possessed." Restrictions to Jan. 1, 1940: buildings "of good class" set back 15 feet, no house under $1,500, no three-family house, nothing over two and a half stories, residential use only "excepting stores, private garage or stable." Dated and recorded Mar. 7, 1921. Middlesex North Book 640, pages 510-511. The "buildings thereon" are the old Colson barn, first sold here as a separate house lot.
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| October 3, 1922 | Trustee's Deed | Charles H. McIntire of Lowell, trustee under the Colson deed of trust of 1914 (approved by Edgar F. Twombly) | Clara E. Colson and George R. Colson of Billerica | Colson Heights trustee returns the house lot to Clara E. and George R. Colson | 669/574 |
For $1, "a certain lot of land with the buildings thereon situated in said Billerica on the westerly side of Colson Street and the southerly side of Elm Street and being lots one, two, three and four, section 18" on "Colson Heights, North Billerica, Mass." (Plan Book 31, Plan 88), bounded north by Elm Street, west by Holt Street, east by Colson Street and south by "land of owner unknown," with the Colson Heights restrictions to Jan. 1, 1940. Made "by virtue and in execution of the power given" in the trust deed of Apr. 16, 1914 (Book 525, Page 318) and the declaration of Oct. 19, 1914 (Book 528, Page 79); "Approved and signed by Edgar F. Twombly." Dated and acknowledged Sept. 22, 1922; recorded Oct. 3, 1922. Middlesex North Book 669, pages 574-575 (given as page 54 in the 1941 deed). The trustee here returned the old Farmer house and its corner lots to two of the Colson heirs, George F. Colson's widow Clara and son George R.
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| July 21, 1941 | Quitclaim | George R. Colson of Jamaica, N.Y., with Elizabeth E. Colson releasing dower | Roy M. Kirk of Billerica | George R. Colson sells the Farmer-Colson house, ending 150 years in the family | 962/556 |
"The land with buildings thereon, in said Billerica, in that part thereof known as North Billerica," bounded north by Elm Street 208.90 feet, west by Holt Street 140.87 feet, east by Colson Street 164.40 feet and south "by land recently conveyed by me to William G. Schmidt and Lillian W. Schmidt" 200 feet, "being Lots 1 and 2 and the greater portion of Lots 3 and 4, Section No. 18," Colson Heights, 32,014 square feet, "being the same premises described in a deed from Charles H. McIntire, Trustee to Clara E. and George R. Colson, dated September 22, 1922 ... excepting therefrom a ten-foot strip off the southerly portion"; "George R. Colson having acquired the interest of said Clara E. Colson by inheritance; see Middlesex Probate Records, No. 169846." Stamps $2.20. Dated July 2, 1941 (acknowledged in Queens County, N.Y.); recorded July 21, 1941. Middlesex North Book 962, pages 556-557. The last Colson to own the house.
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| October 8, 1941 | Quitclaim | Roy M. Kirk of Billerica, with Florence H. Kirk releasing dower | Roger H. Hildreth of Westford | Kirk to Roger H. Hildreth; later private owners | 968/432 |
"The land, with the buildings thereon, in said Billerica, in that part thereof known as North Billerica," bounded by Elm Street 208.90 feet, Holt Street 140.87 feet, Colson Street 164.40 feet and William G. Schmidt et ux 200 feet, lots 1 and 2 and the greater portion of lots 3 and 4, Section No. 18, Colson Heights, 32,014 square feet, "being the same premises described in a deed to me from George R. Colson ... Book 962, Page 556." Stamps $2.20; Hildreth gave a $3,000 mortgage to the Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank the same day (pages 432-433). Dated and recorded Oct. 8, 1941. Middlesex North Book 968, page 432. On Apr. 7, 1942 Hildreth conveyed the lot without consideration to Ruth Buxton of Milford, N.H., who conveyed it back the same day to him and his wife Audrey W. Hildreth as tenants by the entirety (Book 976, Pages 50-52). The MACRIS form credits the Hildreths with "much faithful restoration" of the house. They sold in 1952-1953; later private owners (1957, 1964, 1968, 1976, 1978, 1979, 2013) are not named here, each deed describing the same lot "with the buildings thereon" (Book 1187 Page 352, Book 1215 Page 113, Book 1379 Page 49, Book 1662 Page 57, Book 1858 Page 2, Book 2184 Page 740, Book 2287 Page 664, Book 2374 Page 448, Book 27715 Page 159).
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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.