Structure · Built 1798
Abner Stearns House
Abner Stearns House
| Also Known As | Pickman House |
| Address | 141 Dudley Rd |
| MACRIS ID | BIL.186 |
| Built | 1798 |
| Owners |
Abner Stearns
(1796 - 1807)
Abner Stearns (1818 - 1838) |
The Abner Stearns House is the large Federal brick house on a knoll at 141 Dudley Road, just north of Mill Brook and the Bedford town line, overlooking the Concord River meadows. MACRIS calls it "the finest house in town." It stands on land that the Stearns family had held since John Stearns bought part of the old Dudley Farm in 1665; in 1752 Lt. John Stearns gave the homestead here to his son Isaac Stearns.
On September 30, 1796 Isaac Stearns sold his nephew Abner Stearns (1766-1838), then "of Bedford, Gentleman," five acres and ten poles for $295. The lot began "twenty eight feet north of said Abners Barn," ran down to "the Brook which divides Bedford from Billerica," and was bounded on the east "by the east side of said mill dam," with a two-pole road reserved through it (Dudley Road). Abner, a son of Edward Stearns of the Bedford farm across the brook, married Anna Hill, a daughter of Jonathan Hill of Hill's Mills, and built the brick house between 1796 and 1801: by December 1801 he was "of Billerica" when he bought a two-acre lot at the auction of Samuel Stearns's estate.
In February 1807, about to move to West Cambridge (Arlington), where he ran woolen, carding, fulling and grinding mills, Abner sold the five acres "and Buildings thereon" for $1,000 to his cousins Timothy Stearns of Billerica and Simeon Stearns of Bedford. He came back in 1816, and in January 1818 Timothy's widow Sarah, his son Sewall and Simeon quitclaimed the place back to him "with the buildings thereon"; that June John Stearns sold him ten acres of meadow east of the house lot along the town line. His mortgage of November 1818 is the first record of the mill: "sixteen acres more or less ... together with the dwelling house saw mill and out buildings," running south to "the northwest corner of the saw mill yard at the brook."
Abner Stearns died in 1838. His inventory valued the "Homestead 16 acres, House Barn Mill &c" at $2,700 and listed carding machines, the south room, south chamber and kitchen chamber of the house. His son Edward H. Stearns, later a maker of sawmill machinery in Erie, Pennsylvania, rented the estate and repaired the mill. Under a probate license the executors sold the homestead at auction on the premises on April 19, 1841 to John C. Hobbs of Roxbury for $1,845: "about sixteen acres ... with a dwelling house barn saw mill grist mill and out buildings." In 1849 Hobbs added nine acres north of the house from Sewall Stearns; the plan copied with that deed shows Hobbs's house and barn on the road. Hobbs, a machinist, deacon of the First Baptist Church and selectman, sold the farm in July 1860 to George S. Mason of Medfield for $2,600 as "fourteen acres more or less with the buildings thereon" and twelve acres across the road, keeping the mill and the right "to flow said land for the benefit of said Mill privilege."
The farm then changed hands quickly: Mason to Mary Ellen Richardson of Medford (1863), the Richardsons to Stephen B. Wingate of Chelsea (April 1864), Wingate to Mary E. Turner (October 1864), Turner to Martha S. Wheeler (1867, with the crops, tools and a cow), Levi W. Wheeler to Francis A. Wheeler and Francis A. Wheeler to Henry G. W. Angell of Weston (both 1869). In September 1871 Angell sold it to George R. Herrick of Boston, who married Rosine M. that year and farmed here for forty years, raising poultry and fruit; he also bought the old mill privilege and built the barn and an ice house. In 1902 the Herricks sold five acres on Mill Brook to Ellen R. Pickman, wife of Dudley L. Pickman of Beverly, who had bought the mill acre in 1888 and the Bedford farm to the south. In July 1911 the Herricks deeded the farm to their son Harry W. Herrick, and in December 1911 he quitclaimed "a certain farm situated in said Billerica ... with the buildings thereon" to Mrs. Pickman.
The house then belonged to the Pickmans for nearly eighty years. Their son Edward M. Pickman and his wife Hester settled here after their marriage in 1915; in 1924 they joined the Herrick barn to the house as a library paneled with chestnut, a wing that was cut off and moved to 240 Dudley Road, Bedford in 1964. Edward M. Pickman inherited the estate after his parents died in 1938 and 1939 and lived here year-round after World War II; at his death in 1959 he left it in trust for his widow. His children and grandchildren put the land into the Pickman Liquidating Trust in 1988, and on January 11, 1990 the trustees sold the house on a 4.7-acre lot, with ten acres across the road, to private owners; the plan recorded with that deed shows the "2 story W/F and masonry dwelling," a guest house and the barn. The house is a contributing building in the Two Brothers Rocks-Dudley Road Historic District, listed on the National Register in 2010.
Abner bought the site from his uncle in 1796, sold the house in 1807 and bought it back in 1818; Hobbs bought it at auction in 1841, and the Pickmans acquired it in 1911-12.
References
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| 1665 | Deed | James Parker of Groton and Elizabeth Parker | John Stearns of Billerica | 1665 Stearns purchase of part of the Dudley farm (background) | 4/134 (South) |
Dated Nov. 24, 1665 (recorded 1670). For a valuable sum, James Parker of Groton sells John Sternes of Billerica sundry parcels, "a part of the farme purchased of Thomas Dudly Esqr decd": about fifty acres bounded north by the township line; about fifty acres "on the west end of the farme" bounded southeast by George Farley, south by land bought of Ralph Hill Jr., north by Elder Champney and northwest "the river"; about fifty acres bounded southwest by Mr. Winthrops farm, northwest by the river and east by Crooked Meadow; with meadow lots in Crooked Meadow, Long Meadow, River Meadow and Pond Meadow. These river lots at the south-west corner of the Dudley Farm are the ground of the Stearns homestead. Billerica town book 1, pages 54-56.
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| January 21, 1729 | Deed of Gift | Capt. John Stearns of Billerica and Joanna Stearns | Lt. John Stearns of Billerica, his son | 1728 Stearns homestead on the Dudley farm (background) | 29/200 (South) |
Dated and acknowledged Feb. 21, 1727/8, recorded Jan. 21, 1728/9. For love, Capt. John Stearns gives his son John "one Messuage or tract of Land and medow ... Being The place or scituation That I now Dwell upon Containing about two Hundred and Fifty acres," bounded south by Matthew Whipple, west by the Concord River, north by Ralph Hill and east by the meadow and Nathaniel Hill, "with all The Buildings fences and Trees Thereon," the son "not to be in ye possession of the same untill after my Decease." Witnesses Samuel Hill and Samuel Barron. Capt. Stearns died later in 1728. Billerica town book 3, pages 205-206.
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| July 21, 1760 | Deed of Gift | John Stearns Sr. (Lt. John Stearns) | Isaac Stearns | 1752 gift to Isaac Stearns of the homestead from which the house lot was cut | 58/72 (South) |
John Stearns of Billerica, "Senior," "for and in consideration of the love good will and affection" he bore his son Isaac Stearns of Billerica, husbandman, gave him "a certain tract or parcel of plowland mowing land and pasture land lying in Billerica ... containing one hundred acres," beginning by Samuel Stearns's land "where the brook runs into my land," bounding southerly on the brook "down to Concord River," then down the river to the meadow of Jonathan Hill and back by Hill's meadow and marked bounds over the brook, "together with all the building thereon but not to be in the possession but of one half part of the premises until after my decease and then in the whole," reserving liberty "to pass and repass to the saw mill," for carrying hay or wood, "for digging gravel in the old gravel pits," and "flowing of the meadow land at the usual times." Dated March 20, 1752; acknowledged March 21, 1752; recorded July 21, 1760. Billerica town book 5, pages 496-497.
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| August 11, 1807 | Deed | Isaac Stearns of Billerica, Esq. (wife Sarah releasing dower) | His nephew Abner Stearns of Bedford, gentleman | 1796 house lot, 5 acres 10 poles, from Isaac Stearns | 175/194 (South) |
Dated Sept. 30, 1796 (Billerica town book 11, pages 46-47; acknowledged March 24, 1807, recorded Aug. 11, 1807). For $295, a tract in Billerica "beginning at a stake and stones twenty eight feet north of said Abners Barn (meaning the northeasterly corner of said Barn)", west 23 6/10 poles to the wall, southwest 19 poles "to a stake and stones by the Brook which divides Bedford from Billerica", east by the brook and the town line to an elm "at the end of the mill dam", north "by the east side of said mill dam" 20 1/10 poles and on to the first bound: "five acres and ten Poles", reserving "a way or road two Poles wide through said premises" (Dudley Road). The house lot of the brick house, which Abner built on it between 1796 and 1801; his barn already stood there.
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| August 11, 1807 | Executor's Deed | Elijah Stearns of Bedford, executor of the will of Samuel Stearns late of Billerica, yeoman | Abner Stearns of Billerica, gentleman | 1801 two-acre lot north of the homestead (related) | 175/195 (South) |
Dated Dec. 21, 1801 (town book 11, pages 47-49; acknowledged Feb. 11, 1802, recorded Aug. 11, 1807). Sold at "a public vendue held on the premises" for $109.51 to pay the debts of Samuel Stearns: "two acres and one hundred and ten Poles more or less" beginning at an angle in the wall "about a Rod north of a Brook at land of Isaac Stearns Esqr" and running by Isaac Stearns to an angle in the wall "at Job Hills land", with a right "to pass and repass in the now way from the road by the dwelling house of said Deceased". A separate lot north of the homestead; the deed shows Abner already "of Billerica" in December 1801.
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| August 11, 1807 | Deed | Abner Stearns of Billerica, gentleman (wife Anna releasing dower) | Timothy Stearns of Billerica, gentleman, and Simeon Stearns of Bedford, yeoman | 1807 house and 5 acres sold to Timothy and Simeon Stearns | 175/196 (South) |
Dated Feb. 24, 1807 (town book 11, pages 49-50; acknowledged March 24, 1807). For $1,000, "Five acres and ten Poles being all the land I Bought of Isaac Stearns Esquire", south on the brook dividing Billerica from Bedford, east, north and west on Isaac Stearns, "with all the privileges thereof and Buildings thereon standing", reserving the two-pole road. The price, against $295 for the bare land in 1796, shows the brick house was standing. Abner was then moving his business to West Cambridge. The deed was copied twice into the Cambridge register (Book 175 Pages 196 and 197). Timothy Stearns (died 1816) and Simeon Stearns held the place until they, Timothy's widow Sarah and son Sewall quitclaimed it back to him in January 1818.
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| November 25, 1818 | Quitclaim | Sarah Stearns, widow, and Sewall Stearns of Billerica, and Simeon Stearns of Bedford (Sally Stearns releasing dower) | Abner Stearns of Billerica, gentleman | 1818 house and 5 acres returned to Abner Stearns | 228/115 (South) |
Dated Jan. 12, 1818 (town book 11, pages 488-489). For $600, quitclaim of the "five acres and ten poles" on the brook dividing Billerica from Bedford, bounded east, north and west on land "lately belonging to Isaac Stearns Esqr deceased", reserving the two-pole road, "meaning hereby to convey to said Abner the same land with the buildings thereon in the same manner as he the said Abner conveyed said premises to Timothy Stearns and the said Simeon by his deed dated February 24th 1807." Abner had sold the house when he moved to West Cambridge; this deed returned it to him from Timothy Stearns's widow and son and from Simeon Stearns.
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| November 25, 1818 | Quitclaim | John Stearns of Billerica, yeoman (wife Susanna releasing dower) | Abner Stearns of Billerica, gentleman | 1818 ten acres east of the house lot | 228/116 (South) |
Dated June 5, 1818 (town book 11, pages 489-490; acknowledged Nov. 16, 1818). For $180, "a certain tract or parcel of land lying in the southwesterly part of said Billerica containing ten acres more or less bounded southerly on land of James Vila westerly on land of said Abner northerly and easterly on land of Sewel and Obed Stearns": the meadow east of the house lot along the Bedford line, later the cranberry meadow.
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| November 25, 1818 | Mortgage | Abner Stearns of Billerica, gentleman (wife Anna releasing dower) | Job Hill of Billerica, yeoman, and Thomas Russell of West Cambridge, Esq. | 1818 mortgage: dwelling house, sawmill, 16 acres | 228/117 (South) |
Dated Nov. 21, 1818 (town book 11, pages 490-491). For $600, "sixteen acres more or less", north and east on the heirs of Timothy Stearns, south on James Vila "until it comes to the northwest corner of the saw mill yard at the brook", then by the brook, "together with the dwelling house saw mill and out buildings thereon standing", being the land quitclaimed to him by the Stearns heirs on Jan. 12, 1818 and by John Stearns on June 5, 1818. An indemnity mortgage: void when Abner paid the $600 note of Jan. 1, 1818 that he, Job Hill and Thomas Russell had signed to Isaac Hastings of Lexington "in trust for said town". The first record naming the sawmill.
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| 1839 | Will | Estate of Abner Stearns of Billerica, gentleman | Widow Anna (use for life); children Mary Ann Monroe, Edward Harrison, George Sullivan, Albert Thomas and Henry Augustus Stearns and stepson John B. Russell | 1839 will and inventory of Abner Stearns: homestead 16 acres, house, barn, mill | Probate #21209 |
Will dated Aug. 11, 1838, proved March 19, 1839; executors Jonas Monroe of Bedford and Edward H. Stearns. The inventory of March 7, 1839 values "Homestead 16 acres, House Barn Mill &c" at $2,700, with the Neck woods (11 acres), a 24-acre pasture and pews, and lists the south room, south chamber, kitchen chamber and garret of the house and "carding and other machines". On March 16, 1841 the executors were licensed to sell the whole real estate; their account (allowed Sept. 7, 1841) charges the "Proceeds of the real estate as the same sold at public auction" ($2,376.66) and pays off the $1,000 Lexington Ministerial Fund note "secured by mortgage" (the 1818 mortgage). Edward H. Stearns had hired the estate and repaired the mill.
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| 1841 | Executors' Deed | Jonas Munroe of Bedford and Edward H. Stearns of Billerica, executors of the will of Abner Stearns | John C. Hobbs of Roxbury | 1841 executors sell the homestead (16 acres, house, barn, saw and grist mills) to John C. Hobbs | 405/263 (South) |
Dated July 19, 1841 (Billerica town book 17, pages 93-95; acknowledged July 22, 1841). Under the probate license of March 16, 1841 the executors sold at "public vendue on the premises" on April 19, 1841, for $1,845 to the highest bidder, "the homestead of the deceased where he last dwelt consisting of about sixteen acres of land more or less with a dwelling house barn saw mill grist mill and out buildings thereon situated in the south westerly part of Billerica", bounded north and east by Sewall Stearns, west by Concord River, south "by the Mill brook land used for a Mill yard and land of Jabez Wolcott", excepting the road, subject to the $1,000 mortgage to the Trustees of the Lexington Ministerial Fund.
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| 1849 | Administration | Estate of Sewall Stearns, Esq., of Billerica, intestate | Obed Stearns of Bedford, administrator; the widow Lucretia and the heirs | 1849 Sewall Stearns estate: owner of the land north of the house (1849 sale to Hobbs) | Probate #42248 |
Sewall Stearns died intestate in 1849; at the request of his widow Lucretia, his brother Obed Stearns was appointed administrator Nov. 20, 1849. The inventory of Nov. 23, 1849 values "The Homestead Farm of said deceased situate in said Billerica and Carlisle containing about ninety six acres, with the buildings on the same" at $4,900, with woodlots, a sixty acre Ashburnham pasture and pews, and a large personal estate including hay, grain, potatoes, apples, cider, vinegar and cranberries. Papers read, pages 2-5 and 8-11.
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| July 27, 1849 | Deed | Sewall Stearns of Billerica, yeoman (wife Lucretia releasing dower) | John C. Hobbs of Billerica | 1849 nine acres north of the house added, with plan showing the house and barn | 565/448 (South) |
Dated July 3, 1849 (town book 20, pages 312-314). For $238.25, land north of the Hobbs homestead, beginning at its southeast corner "upon a road and land of said Hobbs", southwest by Hobbs "to a stake at the end of a wall near the north west corner of said Hobbs barn", by a ditch 37 rods to Concord River, north 43 rods along the river, then by Sewall Stearns's land and the wall back to the road: "nine acres and eighty five rods" per "the plan annexed". The plan copied on page 314 (surveyed June 1849 by J. W. Simonds) shows the road and Hobbs's house and barn. This brought the homestead to about 26 acres.
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| August 14, 1860 | Deed | John C. Hobbs of Billerica, machinist (wife Caroline G. Hobbs releasing dower and homestead) | George S. Mason of Medfield | 1860 Hobbs sells the homestead farm (14 + 12 acres) to George S. Mason, keeping the mill | 25/135 |
Dated July 4, 1860. For $2,600, "my homestead farm situate in said Billerica": from the west corner of the mill at the race, by the race or brook to Concord River, north by the river to Moses P. Greenwood, by Greenwood to the road, by the road "to the garden wall" and by the wall to the mill, "fourteen acres more or less with the buildings thereon"; also about 12 acres opposite, from the southeast end of the mill dam by the mill yard and land formerly of Thomas G. Atkins to Greenwood. "Being premises conveyed to me by Jonas Monroe & E. H. Stearns ... Book 405 page 263, and Sewall Stearns deed ... Book 565 page 448." Hobbs reserved the right "to flow said land for the benefit of said Mill privilege or water power", keeping the mill.
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| August 14, 1860 | Mortgage | George S. Mason of Billerica | Middlesex Institution for Savings, Concord | 1860 Mason mortgage to the Middlesex Institution for Savings | 25/136 |
Recorded with the Hobbs deed. For $1,700, George S. Mason mortgages the farm he had just bought from John C. Hobbs (the 14-acre homestead with the buildings and the 12 acres across the road).
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| 1863 | Deed | George S. Mason of Billerica, yeoman (wife Ellen B. Mason releasing dower and homestead) | Mary Ellen Richardson, wife of Albert Richardson of Medford, to her sole and separate use | 1863 homestead farm from George S. Mason to Mary Ellen Richardson | 35/91 |
Dated June 3, 1863 (pages 91-93). For $2,500, "my homestead farm situate in said Billerica": the 14 acres "with the buildings thereon" from the west corner of the mill at the race to Concord River, Moses P. Greenwood, the road and the garden wall, and the 12 acres across the road; "being premises conveyed to me by John C. Hobbs deed dated July 4 1860 ... Book 25 Page 135", reserving Hobbs's right to flow the land "for the benefit of said Mill privilege or water power" and Greenwood's right to team hay; also 7 acres of Carlisle woodland bought of Obed Stearns and others in 1861. The Middlesex Institution for Savings released Mason's 1860 mortgage the same month.
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| 1864 | Deed | Stephen B. Wingate of Billerica, yeoman (wife Mary D. Wingate releasing dower and homestead) | Mary E. Turner, wife of William G. Turner of Billerica, to her sole and separate use | 1864 homestead farm from Stephen B. Wingate to Mary E. Turner | 38/310 |
Dated Oct. 10, 1864. For $3,000, "my homestead farm situate in said Billerica": the 14 acres "with the buildings thereon" from the west corner of the mill at the race to Concord River, Moses P. Greenwood, the road and the garden wall; the 12 acres across the road from the southeast end of the mill dam at John C. Hobbs's land, reserving Hobbs's right to flow "for the benefit of his mill privilege or water power"; 7 acres of Carlisle woodland. "Being premises conveyed to me by Albert Richardson & Mary E. Richardson his wife, deed dated April 30 A.D. 1864", subject to a $2,000 mortgage which Mary E. Turner assumed as part of the price.
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| June 14, 1864 | Deed | Albert Richardson and Mary E. Richardson, his wife, in her right | Stephen B. Wingate of Chelsea | 1864 farm from the Richardsons to Stephen B. Wingate | 39/160 |
Dated April 30, 1864. For $2,500, the same farm: 14 acres with the buildings, 12 acres across the road and 7 acres in Carlisle, "Being the premises conveyed ... by George S. Mason deed dated June 3 1863 ... Book 35 Page 91", reserving Hobbs's flowage and Greenwood's teaming rights; "The above described property is the sole and separate property of the said Mary E."
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| 1867 | Deed | Mary E. Turner of Billerica, with William G. Turner, her husband | Martha S. Wheeler, wife of Levi W. Wheeler, "in her own right" | 1867 homestead farm from Mary E. Turner to Martha S. Wheeler | 58/460 |
Dated Sept. 18, 1867. For $5,500, "our homestead farm situate in said Billerica": the 14 acres "with the buildings" from the west corner of the mill at the race to Concord River, Moses P. Greenwood, the road and the garden wall; the 12 acres across the road from the southeast end of the mill dam "at land of John C. Hobbs", reserving Hobbs's right "to flow said land for the benefit of said mill privilege or water power" ("not to flow high enough to flow land now owned by M. P. Greenwood except as a winter privilege"); 7 acres of Carlisle woodland; with "all the crops now on said premises", the farming tools and one cow. "Being the same premises conveyed to me by S. B. Wingate ... Book 38 Page 310." A $2,200 mortgage back to Mary E. Turner (Book 59 Page 106) followed.
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| October 12, 1869 | Deed | Levi W. Wheeler of Billerica | Francis A. Wheeler of Billerica | 1869 farm from Levi W. Wheeler to Francis A. Wheeler | 70/177 |
Dated Oct. 11, 1869. For $3,500, "a certain farm situate in said Billerica" with the same bounds: the 14 acres "with the buildings thereon" by the mill race, Concord River, M. P. Greenwood, the road and the garden wall; the 12 acres across the road from the mill dam "at land of John C. Hobbs", subject to Hobbs's flowage right; 7 acres of Carlisle woodland. "Meaning and intending to convey by this deed all the Real estate described in a deed from Mary E. Turner ... dated September 18th A.D. 1867 ... Book 58 Page 461", subject to the $2,200 mortgage to Mary E. Turner of the same date (Book 59 Page 106).
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| December 15, 1869 | Deed | Francis A. Wheeler of Billerica | Henry G. W. Angell of Weston | 1869 farm to Henry G. W. Angell | 71/248 |
For $3,400, "a certain farm situated in said Billerica": the 14 acres "with the buildings thereon" from the west corner of the mill at the race to Concord River, M. P. Greenwood, the road and the garden wall, and the 12 acres across the road from the southeast end of the mill dam "at land of John C. Hobbs", subject to Hobbs's flowage right; also 7 acres of Carlisle woodland. "Being the same premises conveyed to me by Levi W. Wheeler and wife by deed dated October 11th A.D. 1869 ... Book 70 Page 177", subject to the mortgage to Mary E. Turner of Sept. 18, 1867 (Book 59 Page 106) "on which there is now due seven hundred" dollars.
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| 1871 | Deed | Henry D. W. Angell of Cranston, R.I. (wife Sarah L. Angell releasing dower and homestead) | George R. Herrick of Boston | 1871 farm (14 + 12 acres with the buildings) to George R. Herrick | 88/153 |
Dated Sept. 13, 1871. For $2,546.67, "a certain farm situated in said Billerica": the same 14 acres "with the buildings thereon" from the west corner of the mill at the race to Concord River, Moses P. Greenwood, the road and "the garden wall", and the 12 acres across the road from the southeast end of the mill dam "at land of John C. Hobbs", reserving Hobbs's right "to flow said land, which right is to flow only to the line of said Greenwood's land except in winter"; also 7 acres of woodland in Carlisle. "Being the same premises conveyed to me by Francis Wheeler of Billerica ... dated December 15th 1869 ... Book 71 Page 218", subject to a $700 mortgage from Levi W. Wheeler to Mary E. Turner of Sept. 18, 1867. Herrick (born 1850) married Rosine M. that year and farmed here until about 1915.
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| 1889 | Mortgage | George R. Herrick and Rosine M. Herrick | John B. Stearns | 1889 Herrick mortgage of the farm to John B. Stearns | 203/178 |
Recorded Jan. 30, 1889. For $1,500, the Herricks mortgaged their farm on the Billerica-Bedford road: the 14 acres from the west corner of the mill at the race to Concord River by M. P. Greenwood, and the 12 acres on the opposite side from the southeast end of the mill dam at land of John C. Hobbs, "part of land conveyed to Herrick" in 1871 (Book 88 Page 153). One of several Herrick mortgages of the farm (1887, 1889, 1896, 1904, 1910); the index describes the 1888 mechanics lien on the "Hobbs Place" by George H. Hall.
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| March 25, 1904 | Deed | George R. Herrick and Rosine M. Herrick, his wife, in her right, of Billerica | Ellen R. Pickman of Beverly, wife of Dudley L. Pickman | 1902 five acres on Mill Brook to Ellen R. Pickman (excepted in 1911) | 363/397 |
Dated Dec. 18, 1902, recorded March 25, 1904. For $1 and other valuable consideration, about five acres on the south bank of Mill Brook between Moses P. Greenwood's ditch and Dudley Road, "a portion of the premises conveyed to the said Rosine by Frank T. Bemer ... Book 124 Page 43", reserving to the Herricks and their children Harry W. and Florence M. "the exclusive possession and control of the by-pass or canal opening out of said brook easterly of the water wheel" with the small island and the right to keep the water wheel, while they occupied the rest; Mrs. Pickman was to keep the bank sloped and forbid fishing. The first piece of the Herrick holdings to go to the Pickmans after the mill acre in 1888.
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| January 20, 1912 | Quitclaim | George R. Herrick and Rosine M. Herrick, his wife, in her right, of Billerica | Their son Harry W. Herrick of Billerica | 1911 Herricks to their son Harry W. Herrick | 481/351 |
Dated July 26, 1911 (pages 351-353). For $1 and other valuable considerations, "a certain farm situated in said Billerica": the 14 acres "with the buildings thereon" from the west corner of the mill at the race to Concord River, Greenwood, the road and the garden wall, and the 12 acres across the road from the mill dam at John C. Hobbs's land, with Hobbs's flowage right "only to the line of said Greenwood's land, except in winter"; "Excepting ... a lot containing five acres, more or less, conveyed by the grantors to Ellen R. Pickman by deed ... dated December 18, 1902 ... Book 363, Page 397"; "subject to a certain mortgage for $6500.00". A family conveyance made so that the son could pass the title to Mrs. Pickman.
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| January 20, 1912 | Quitclaim | Harry W. Herrick of Billerica (wife Ethel A. Herrick releasing dower and homestead) | Ellen R. Pickman, wife of Dudley L. Pickman, of Beverly | 1911-12 Harry W. Herrick to Ellen R. Pickman: the house passes to the Pickmans | 481/353 |
Dated Dec. 26, 1911, recorded Jan. 20, 1912 (pages 353-355). For $1 and other good and valuable considerations, quitclaim with covenants against his own acts of "a certain farm situated in said Billerica": the same 14 acres "with the buildings thereon" and 12 acres across the road, excepting the five acres the Herricks had sold Mrs. Pickman in 1902, and cancelling the bank-sloping stipulation of that deed. "For my title see deed of George R. Herrick and Rosine M. Herrick to me dated July 26 1911 and to be recorded herewith." With this deed the Abner Stearns house became part of the Pickman estate on both sides of the town line; their son Edward M. Pickman and his wife Hester settled here after their marriage in 1915.
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| June 5, 1989 | Declaration of Trust | The children and adult grandchildren of Edward M. Pickman, remaindermen under his will | Trustees of the Pickman Liquidating Trust | 1988 Pickman Liquidating Trust (Edward M. Pickman heirs) | 4911/237 |
Agreement dated as of May 6, 1988, recorded June 5, 1989 (50 pages). The donors, "all of the children of Edward M. Pickman, late of Billerica, Massachusetts and all of his grandchildren now living who are of age", the "presumptive remaindermen of the trust under Article 3 of his will" (which was to end at the death of his widow Hester M. Pickman), assign their interests to trustees, since the trust property "will be distributed to the family or sold for development" after her death. The vehicle through which the Pickman land on Dudley Road, including the Abner Stearns house, was sold.
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| January 12, 1990 | Quitclaim | Trustees under the will of Edward M. Pickman (Middlesex Probate No. 356472), with the consent of the trustees of the Pickman Liquidating Trust | Private owners | 1990 Pickman trustees sell the house lot (Lot 1) and the east lot | 5122/124 |
Dated Jan. 11, 1990. For $720,785.81, "the property in Billerica ... with the improvements thereon": Lot 1, 4.727 acres on the west side of Dudley Road at the Bedford line, bounded by the Great Meadows Wildlife Refuge (Plan Book 172 Plan 5, which shows the "2 story W/F and masonry dwelling"), and Lot 2, 10 acres 29,483 square feet across the road (Plan Book 172 Plan 6); a driveway easement over the house lot was reserved to a Bedford lot. "For title reference, see Will of Edward Pickman, Probate No. 356,472, Middlesex County and the Pickman Liquidating Trust ... Book 4911, Page 237." A restriction agreement of the same date (Book 5122 Page 135) limits the lots to single-family use and protects the guest house. The buyers mortgaged the property in 1999 and 2009; no later sale is recorded.
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| January 12, 1990 | Restriction Agreement | Trustees under the will of Edward M. Pickman and of the Pickman Liquidating Trust | The buyers of Lot 1 (the Abner Stearns house) and the east lot | 1990 restriction agreement on the house lot | 5122/135 |
As of Jan. 11, 1990. Mutual restrictions on the house lot (Lot 1), the trustees' retained Lot 2 and the 10-acre east lot: single-family use only, no multi-family buildings, and "no replacement of the so-called guest house on Lot 1 shall operate to materially enlarge" it; a mutual right of first offer.
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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.