MSI 4/4/22

The Newton Chymical (original spelling) Company was founded in 1825 (Sanderson). Its founder, Samuel L. Dana, had been developing the chemical process, which was later used by the company, in the earlier 1820s on land north of the river, which he had bought from the Boston Manufacturing Company in 1821 (MSRD 238:445). The land south of the river and west of Newton Street, where the Newton Chymical Company's main plant was subsequently located, and which was later annexed by Waltham in 1849, was bought by Dana in 1824 (MSRD 257:318), and then transferred by Dana to the company in 1825 (MSRD 264:273). It included most of the land from the river south to High Street, and from Newton Street west to around Lowell Street.

The Woodward and Ward map of the Town of Newton from 1831, showed no Pine Street and no houses along it, but the revised map by James B. Blake in 1848, showed four houses along Pine Street west of Newton Street and one farther west, which correspond to the five structures shown on the 1854 map. The subject houses may have been two of them: 128 Pine Street on its original location and 191 R Newton Street having been moved a little ways back on its lot. These may be the oldest surviving structures built and occupied by the Newton Chymical Company.

128 Pine Street

1872 In 1872, the Newton Chymical Company (Kirk Boott, treasurer) sold Jacob Batchelder his lot on Pine Street for $1,500, and the deed specified the lot came "with buildings" (MSRD 1220:270). There was a duplicate copy of this deed filed in 1888 when the house was later resold (MSRD 1845:378). Batchelder was listed as early as the 1840 census as living in Newton near Horatio Moore, Joel Fuller, and Bradshaw Stearns, so this was probably in the subject house on Pine Street. In the 1850 census he was listed, along with his wife, Alvira, and four children, living near Horatio Moore in Waltham. A similar listing was in the 1855 census, where his occupation is listed as laborer. In the 1869 town directory he was listed as a "watchman in chemical works" with house at 8 Pine, near Newton. In the 1871 directory, his address was the same, but he was listed along with his son, Charles E. Batchelder, who was listed as a landscape painter. The 1877 directory had a similar listing, but Charles E. Batchelder was now listed as a journalist. Jacob Batchelder died in 1880.

1888 In 1888, Joseph Barker, as the executor of the will of Alvira Batchelder, sold the lot and house to Elizabeth Mullen for $1,800 (MSRD 1850:493). The house is labeled "Mrs. Elizabeth Mullen" on the c. 1910 map.

1892 Mullen took out a mortgage with the Waltham Savings Bank for $2,000 four years later, in 1892 (MSRD 2121:456). So, it may have been at this time that the small house between the original Batchelder house and the street was demolished and replaced with the building still there, today.

1914 In 1914, the heirs of Elizabeth Mullen sold the lot and houses to Sarah F. Davock (MSRD 3931:85), and the lot is labeled "Sarah F. Davock" on the 1918 map.

Although the house may have been extensively remodeled through the years (especially in 1960), there is no evidence from the Waltham Building Department street card (formerly 122 Pine Street) that it was ever moved, demolished or replaced. Therefore, this could well be the oldest structure built by the Newton Chymical Company that has survived on its original foundation.

191 R Newton Street

1872 In 1872, the Newton Chymical Company (Kirk Boott, treasurer) sold George F. Vinal the lot between the one sold to Batchelder in 1872 and Newton Street for $3,084 (MSRD 1224:166). The deed specified there were buildings on the lot. George F. Vinal was the son of Melzar and Betsey Vinal, who owned a house on Newton Street opposite the original intersection of Newton and Pine Streets (1854 and 1875 maps, and 1865 census). According to the 1865 census, Melzar worked for the chemical works. George F. Vinal married Mary Proctor in 1869, and they were both listed as living with Melzar and Betty Vinal in the 1870 census, in which George was listed as working for the chemical works. In the 1869 town directory he was listed as working for the chemical company and boarding on Newton Street, while in the 1871 directory he was listed in his own house at 9 Pine Street. Therefore, it appears that George F. and Mary Vinal moved into the house on the lot he bought from the chemical company soon after their marriage, but that they did not live there much before. The house was shown on the 1848, 1854 and 1875 maps, and the 1873/7 and 1883 Birdseye views, but since it was owned by the chemical company all the time before 1872, it is not possible to know who lived in it before George and Mary moved in about 1871.

1888 In 1888, George F. Vinal sold the house and entire corner lot to Patrick H. Concannon for $1,950 (MSRD 1847:140).

1891 In 1891, Concannon sold just the part of the larger lot containing 191 R Newton Street to Patrick J. Coen for $1,050 (MSRD 2068:465).

1907 Coen took out a mortgage on his small lot, with the subject house on it, with the Waltham Cooperative Bank for $300 in 1907 (MSRD 3311:481). Since the house was shown in its original location on the Waltham Engineer's atlas map from the early 1900s, but at a location farther back on the lot on the Waltham Engineer's atlas map from 1918, it may be that it was in 1907 that Patrick Coen moved the house to its current position on the lot.

1918 In 1918, Coen sold the lot and house to Antonio Ferro (MSRD 4232:362), and the house is labeled "Maria Ferro" on the 1928 Waltham Engineer's atlas map.

Therefore, the house currently numbered 191 R Newton Street may be one of the original Newton Chymical Company houses which stood on the original alignment of Pine Street on the 1848 map, however, moved slightly on its lot in 1907. Since it is not possible to know who lived in the house in its early days, 1848 is the earliest date its construction can be certain.