Structure · Built 1862 · Demolished 2004
William Symmes House
William Symmes House
| Also Known As | Peple Brothers / Everett Livington House |
| Address | 82 Gray St |
| MACRIS ID | BIL.139 |
| Built | 1862 |
| Demolished | 2004 |
The William Symmes House stood at 82 Gray Street in East Billerica, in the Richardson's Mill neighborhood, on the west side of the road to Tewksbury between the Richardson Homestead and the Boston and Lowell Railroad. It was built about 1862 by John O. Richardson as a house to let, and took its name from William Symmes, the foreman of the Richardson saw mill, who lived there around 1900. It burned in November 2004, and a new house was built on the lot about 2008.
The land was part of the Richardson homestead farm, which Thomas Richardson sold to his brother Oliver Richardson in 1778 and which passed by will to Oliver's son John Richardson 2d in 1836 and to John's sons in 1861. That year John O. and Alden B. Richardson released the farm to their brother Albert R. Richardson, and on June 4, 1862 Albert sold John O. five acres of it north of the homestead for $2,500, running from the highway back to the railroad and keeping for himself the west end of the barn shed and the ice house.
John O. Richardson built the house and rented it. According to local tradition the first tenants were the Peple brothers, Belgian immigrants who made soap in Mill Lane. On January 1, 1881 he sold the five acres to Everett W. Livingston of Billerica for $2,000, reserving a way "as far as the barn" for himself and his brother; Livingston ran a cider mill behind the house. On April 4, 1891 Livingston sold the place back, "with the buildings thereon", for $2,800, and moved his cider business to Billerica Center.
The Richardsons then let the house to William Symmes, John O. Richardson's partner and the foreman of the saw mill, who after the mill pond failed about 1900 ran a power saw mill behind the house until 1919. John O. Richardson died in the late 1890s, and his son John A. Richardson and daughter Fannie P. R. Colby each held a half. In August 1929, after John A. Richardson's death, his administrator and Fannie P. R. Colby sold the two halves to Thomas J. and Nellie D. Knight of Billerica, and the property has belonged to the Knight family ever since. A survey of 1996 shows the house near the road on 3.82 acres. The house burned in November 2004, and the present house on the lot was built about 2008.
References
- MACRIS BIL.139
- Billerica assessor, 82 Gray St (parcel 26-3-0): 3.816 acres, Plan Book 193 Plan 14; fire Nov. 2004, new house about 2008
Title References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Recorded |
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| March 22, 1786 | Warranty | Thomas Richardson of Billerica, yeoman, and Judith Richardson his wife | Oliver Richardson of Billerica, husbandman, his brother | 1778 Thomas Richardson sells the homestead farm on the Tewksbury road to his brother Oliver | 93/377 (South) |
For 266 pounds, "the several pieces of Land hereafter mentioned. The first is my homestead farm lying in said Billerica containing forty six acres," beginning "at the road to Tewksbury at the Southeast corner of said Land at Jonathan Richardson's meadow," by land bought of Jonathan French and of James Lewis, west on William Needham and the heirs of Benjamin Needham to the corner at the road "near Sheldons folly (so called)," on the road across the brook to Samuel Brown's land, "then on said road to the corner where we began near Content Bridge with one quarter part of the saw mill thereon standing with all the appurtenances thereto belonging with all the other buildings thereon standing"; also nine and a quarter acres "near my Dwelling House" bought of Josiah Richardson, bounded westerly on the road to Tewksbury, by Nehemiah Kittredge, John French and Samuel Baldwin; six acres by William Needham's lot and Jonathan Richardson's meadow; two thirds of a great swamp lot in Tewksbury laid out to Caleb Farley; and four acres in Mill Meadow by William Kidder, John French and the Long Pond brook. Dated Feb. 4, 1778, acknowledged March 11, 1778; recorded March 22, 1786. Billerica town book 8, pages 53-55 (Southern Registry Book 93 Page 377). The same day in 1786 was recorded Samuel Brown's deed to Oliver of Jan. 2, 1779, five acres of upland near the upper end of "Richardson's content meadow" (town book 8/52, S. 93/376).
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| 1836 | Will | Estate of Oliver Richardson of Billerica, yeoman, died 1836 | His son John Richardson (called John Richardson 2d), residuary devisee and executor | 1836 will of Oliver Richardson: the farm to his son John Richardson 2d | Probate #19083 |
Will dated Nov. 4, 1825 (witnesses Marshall Preston, Zadok Howe, John Baldwin): $500 each to the granddaughter Martha Jenney, only child of the late daughter Patty Jenney, and the grandson John Chandler Jr. of Tewksbury; $5 each to the sons-in-law John Chandler, Philip Mills and Benjamin Jenney; daughter Lucy Mills already provided for; "All the rest and residue of my estate, both real and personal ... I give, devise and bequeath to my son John Richardson his heirs and assigns forever," John to be sole executor. The heirs assented Oct. 1, 1836 (Philip Mills for Lucy, Enoch Foster for Martha), and the will was proved Oct. 11, 1836, with John Richardson 2d as executor under a $30,000 bond (sureties Theophilus Manning and Ebenezer Page). No inventory is in the file. The homestead thus passed whole to John, who already owned the west front room under the 1811 deed.
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| 1861 | Will | Estate of John Richardson 2d of Billerica, died June 15, 1861 | His widow Nancy (rooms for life); his sons John O., Alden B. and Albert R. Richardson | 1861 will of John Richardson 2d: the farm to his sons John O., Alden B. and Albert R. | Probate #40437 |
Will dated March 20, 1841 (witnesses Zadok Howe, Charles Hopkins, Marshall Preston). The widow Nancy received "the northwest lower Room in my homestead Dwelling house, and the chamber over the same, and a privilege in the southwest Parlour, and in my Kitchen, Cellar and out buildings" for life or widowhood, with maintenance and a $50 annuity; daughters Abigail A. and Maria E. a home in the house until 21 or marriage and $2,000 each; grandson John Anthony Jones, son of the late daughter Nancy Jones, $300. The rest of the real and personal estate, with the reversion of the widow's rooms, went "to my three sons, John O. Richardson, Alden B. Richardson and Albert R. Richardson," on condition they support their mother. Proved at Framingham June 25, 1861; John O. Richardson executor (bond $10,000). Heirs then: Alden B. of Lowell, Abigail A. Gray (wife of William Gray), Maria E. Teele (wife of Elbridge Teele of Medford). Final account allowed Feb. 4, 1868.
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| November 12, 1861 | Quitclaim | John O. Richardson of Billerica and Alden B. Richardson of Lowell, with their wives Pamelia and Martha releasing dower | Their brother Albert R. Richardson of Billerica | 1861 John O. and Alden B. Richardson release the homestead farm to their brother Albert R. | 29/394 |
For $6,000, the brothers released "all our right, title and interest in and to the following described real estate with all the buildings thereon, situate partly in Billerica and partly in Tewksbury," beginning at "the road leading to Tewksbury at a bound at land of the Proprietors of Boston & Lowell R.R.," north by the railroad 527 feet to "the Long Pond road, so called," by that road to Abiel Saunders and back to the Tewksbury road, "containing one hundred and seventy eight acres 2 R. 24 r." (about four acres of J. Baldwin excepted), "Reserving the right to enter the premises at any time to manage water and make repairs as usual for the mill privilege"; also the 19 1/2-acre "Thompson lot" with a way to the road from Billerica to Andover, and seven acres on Candlewood Island in Tewksbury "conveyed to Oliver Richardson by Joseph Shed Jr." in 1792. Dated Oct. 3, 1861 (witness Dudley Foster); recorded Nov. 12, 1861. Middlesex North Book 29, pages 394-396. With a companion deed of the same date for the Tewksbury lots, this divided John Richardson 2d's estate: Albert took the homestead farm, John O. kept adjoining land to the north.
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| June 6, 1862 | Warranty Deed | Albert R. Richardson of Billerica, yeoman | John O. Richardson of Billerica | 1862 Albert R. Richardson sells the five acres to his brother John O., who built the house | 31/208 |
Dated June 4, 1862. For $2,500, five acres "in the easterly part" of Billerica on the west side of the highway leading to Tewksbury, north of Albert's homestead: from the SE corner at the highway W 12 rods, SW 3 rods to the end of a wall, W by the wall 22 rods to the Boston and Lowell Railroad, NW 4 rods, N 18 rods, E 26 1/2 rods, S 12 rods, E 11 rods to the highway and 5 rods by it. Albert reserved the west 21 feet of the barn shed, the ice house and the stone and manure under the barn, to be removed within three years.
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| January 8, 1881 | Warranty Deed | John O. Richardson of Billerica (Pamelia Richardson releasing dower) | Everett W. Livingston of Billerica | 1881 John O. Richardson sells the place to Everett W. Livingston | 143/266 |
Dated Jan. 1, 1881. For $2,000, "a certain tract of land situate in the Easterly part of said Billerica containing five acres", with the 1862 bounds, "all by land now or formerly of Albert R. Richardson" on the south. Reserved to John O. and Albert R. Richardson a right of way by the railroad "to pass and repass by drawing bars" and "the right of an open way as far as the barn"; Livingston to keep the partition fences except the south line.
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| January 8, 1881 | Mortgage | Everett W. Livingston of Billerica | John O. Richardson of Billerica | 1881 purchase mortgage back to John O. Richardson | 143/267 |
Dated Jan. 1, 1881. Livingston mortgages the same five acres back to John O. Richardson for $1,717, "Being the same premises conveyed to me this day by deed of said John O. Richardson", subject to the same restrictions.
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| April 6, 1891 | Warranty Deed | Everett W. Livingston of Billerica (Anna M. Livingston releasing dower) | John O. Richardson of Billerica | 1891 Livingston sells the house back to John O. Richardson | 222/32 |
Dated April 4, 1891. For $2,800, "a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon situated in the easterly part of Billerica containing five acres", the same bounds, "subject to all conditions and restrictions contained in the deed of John O. Richardson to me dated Jan. 1st 1881, Book 143, Page 266", free of encumbrances "except one mortgage now held by John O. Richardson". Witnessed by Albert R. Richardson.
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| August 31, 1929 | Administrator's Deed | A. Warren Stearns of Billerica, administrator of the estate of John A. Richardson | Thomas J. Knight and Nellie D. Knight, husband and wife, of Billerica | 1929 John A. Richardson's administrator sells his half to the Knights | 781/60 |
Acknowledged Aug. 30, 1929. Under a Probate Court decree of Aug. 16, 1929, for $1,250, "one undivided half interest in a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon" of five acres, the 1862 bounds, "being the same premises conveyed by Albert R. Richardson to John O. Richardson by deed dated June 4, 1862". John O. Richardson had died in 1896-98; this half had passed to his son John A. Richardson, whose widow Ella B. Richardson released her dower the same day (Book 781 Page 61).
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| August 31, 1929 | Quitclaim | Fannie P. R. Colby of Billerica (Homer H. Colby releasing curtesy) | Thomas J. Knight and Nellie D. Knight, husband and wife, of Billerica | 1929 Fannie P. R. Colby sells the other half to the Knights; later Knight family ownership summarized | 781/62 |
Dated Aug. 28, 1929. "An undivided half of a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon" of five acres, the same bounds, subject to the 1881 restrictions; "My title is derived under the will of John O. Richardson, late of said Billerica." The Knights mortgaged the whole to the B. F. Butler Co-operative Bank for $1,600 (Book 781 Page 63). The Knight family has held the land since, with family deeds of 1994, 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2024; Plan Book 193 Plan 14 (1996); the house burned in Nov. 2004.
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| August 31, 1929 | Mortgage | Thomas J. Knight and Nellie D. Knight, husband and wife, of Billerica | B. F. Butler Co-operative Bank, Lowell | 1929 Knight purchase mortgage | 781/63 |
Recorded Aug. 31, 1929. The Knights mortgage "a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon" of five acres for $1,600 at $16 a month, "Being the same premises to us conveyed by two deeds, one from Fannie P. R. Colby dated August 28, 1929 ... and the other from A. Warren Stearns, Admr. of John A. Richardson".
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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.