1875 map of Chelmsford
Enlargement showing properties of
Lucinda and her cousin Joseph Manning
A Brief History
Back in 1973, when we were about to celebrate our nation's bicentennial anniversary, Chelmsford historian, Jane Drury, was asked to research some of the older homes in our town. As I recall, a pamphlet was printed up listing the houses that Jane had investigated. The pamphlet was available at the Chelmsford Historical Society museum (Barrett Byam Homestead) and other locations in town. The designated houses received wooden plaques naming the original owner and date the house was built. The pamphlet contained the history of each house and directions (map?) indicating where it is located.
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1875 map of Chelmsford |
Enlargement showing properties of |
Lucinda and her cousin Joseph Manning |
At that time, we were buying the house this web site is about. Through our association with the Historical Society (we were the museum's caretakers) , we knew Jane and of her project. On the day we were moving to our 'new' old home, Jane came by and presented us with information on Lucinda Manning and the home she built back in 1860!
This was the first we had heard about Lucinda. Knowing some of the history of our home made it more special.
According to the information Jane found, Lucinda Manning was born in 1790 in the old 'Manning Tavern' in Billerica, Massachusetts. That made her 70 years old when she moved to Chelmsford and built the house. Up until that time, she had lived with her seven unmarried brothers and sisters in their old family home. She taught school for 30 years, I assume in Billerica as commuting long distances was not an option back then.
As they got older, Lucinda took care of her brothers and sisters. Apparently, after they had all passed away, she decided to move to Chelmsford. Her bought from her cousin, Joseph Manning, a plot of land not far from the center of town. The home that Lucinda left in Billerica, known today as the Manning Manse, was built in 1696. It is owned by the Manning Family Association which leases part of the property to a restaurant.
Joseph Manning had purchased land a few years before which included a house built in the 1700's located very close to the road and "100 rods south of the Meeting House". Some distance from the road and to the left of the old farmhouse, there was a large barn belonging to the farm. The land behind the farmhouse and barn included open fields bounded by stone walls all of which slopped naturally down to the road from the hill behind. The parcel to the right was different. It extended as far back as the rest of the property but was much narrower. Sometime in the past, someone had terraced this area into relatively flat plots of land. A well near the top supplied water by gravity to a cistern belonging to a farm located on the other side of Boston Road. A well restriction, included in the deed allowed the farm continued access to that source of water.
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1889 map of Chelmsford Center |
Lucinda's house still bears her name |
although she died 9 years earlier and |
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Joseph Manning's home now belongs |
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to someone named Holt. |
Around 1858, Joseph Manning built a house in front of and attached to the barn. It appears that he sold the old farmhouse but kept most of the land behind it. Then he sold the parcel to the right to his cousin, Lucinda.
Lucinda was 70 years old when she built her new home. Why she left the home where she had lived all her life and that had belonged to her family for generations, I don't know. Perhaps, after caring for her siblings for so long, she needed a change. Perhaps it was because she had a number of relatives in the area including the cousin she purchased the land from and a niece who lived across the street.
Lucinda Manning lived in the home for 20 years, dying there August 10, 1880 at 90 years of age. She willed her home to a niece, Lucinda Parkhurst, who grew up on North Rd. and died in 1892. This Lucinda left the house to her sister, Jerusha Jane (Parkhurst) Shed who, with her husband, John, lived across the street from Lucinda Manning's home. Six years after her death in 1900, the house was sold out of the family.
Seventy years later, we purchased the house.
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This sketch was taken from Jane Drury's 1976 research and |
The list of owners prior to our |
shows the modern buildings now located across the street. |
purchasing the Lucinda Manning House. |
Any additional information on Lucinda Manning would be appreciated.
Links
The Chelmsford Historical Commission was also the source of the 1875 and 1889 Historic Map
I had the privilege of serving on the boards of both of the historical museums in Chelmsford:
The Chelmsford Historical Society (Barrett Byam Homestead) web site
The Old Chelmsford Garrison House Association web site
Contact: info@manninghouse1860.com