MSI 3/3/22

1658 John Fuller bought 750 acres of land in Newton from Joseph Cook in 1658, including this lot, along with most of what later became the part of Newton annexed to Waltham in 1849 known as the Southside (MLR 2/180). According to Francis Jackson's 1854 history of Newton, John Fuller came to Cambridge (and Newton, which was part of Cambridge at the time) from England in 1644. For about the next 150 years, this area was farmed by the descendents of John Fuller, and known as the "Fuller Farm".

The origin of the name "Newton" is rather interesting. Today's Newton was originally part of colonial Cambridge in the 1630s, but by 1654 it was being referred to as "Cambridge Village". In 1679, Cambridge Village became a separate town from Cambridge, and between 1679 and 1691, it was referred to as either "Cambridge Village" or "New Cambridge". In 1691, the colony's General Court officially renamed it "New Town". Then, in 1766 it was arbitrarily changed to "Newton" by the current town clerk, Judge Fuller (according to Jackson's 1854 history of Newton, p. 6).

c1800 In the late 1700s and early 1800s, Dr. Marshall Spring purchased much of the land in this part of what used to be Newton (see MLR 145/35, 152/133, 176/183 and 181/505). These were farm lands, pasture lands, and woodlots on the original Fuller Farm of 1658. Doctor Marshall Spring, who lived in Watertown, was a loyalist before the Revolutionary War, but rushed to Lexington during the Battle of Lexington and Concord to treat the wounded patriots. He was so much respected that his loyalist leanings were later forgiven (from Bond and Nelson). The Spring family goes back to the beginning of Newton as a colonial town, but the connection of Dr. Spring with this branch of the family is not clear.

1844 In 1844, William Minot and the other trustees of the assets of Nancy Wharton sold two large lots in the part of Newton that would become Waltham to Frances C. Lowell (MLR 459/65 and 68). This Francis C. Lowell was the son of the Francis Cabot Lowell, who had founded the Boston Manufacturing Company. One parcel, a woodlot of 115 acres, appears to have been near the Newton Chymical (Chemical) Company, but south of today's High Street. The other parcel, consisting of 60 acres of woodlot and pasture called the "Brush Pasture", stretched east from today's Newton Street about 2,000 feet (to about Flood Street) and south from the river about 1,600 feet (to about Clinton Street). Nancy Wharton was the daughter of Marshall B. Spring, who was the son of Dr. Marshall Spring. Before her wedding to William Wharton, Nancy W. Spring owned a large amount of land, which was described in their prenuptial agreement (MLR 444/7 and 13). Nancy Spring later became the mother-in-law of Edith Wharton, the author.

1846 In 1846, Lowell sold most of the north east corner of the "Brush Pasture" to Horatio Moore (MLR 495/98). Moore was the manager of the Newton Chymical Company, associated with the Boston Manufacturing Company, at the time. The lot, containing a bit over 10 acres, stretched from east to west from today's house lots on the east of Flood Street to those on the west of Moore Street, and from north to south from today's house lots on the south side of today's Calvary Street to those on the south of today's John Street.

1849 In 1849, Waltham annexed the Southside from Newton, including all of what formerly had been the "Brush Pasture".

1871 In 1871, Horatio Moore sold a lot on the west side of Flood Street to Michael Kinneen (also spelled Kinnean) for $150 (MLR 1167/329). The lot measured 75 feet along Flood Street. Flood Street was not named on the 1875 map, but was named in this deed and on the 1886 map, so Moore may have named it as a private road, and the city may have accepted it by 1886. Also in 1871, Michael Kinneen took out a mortgage with the Waltham Savings Bank for $600 (MLR 1167/330). Catherine Kinneen, Michael's wife, also signed the deed. It is probable that the original part of the house at today's 17 Flood Street was built at this time for Michael and Catherine Kinneen. Michael Kinneen was listed as working in the bleachery and living "between John and Calvary" in the 1871 town directory. He was listed in the 1877 directory at "Flood, near John".

1881 In 1881, Michael Kinneen bought an additional strip of land ten feet in width, along the southern boundary of his lot, from Horatio Moore (MLR 1566/59), making the lot measure 85 feet along Flood Street. Michael Kinneen was on the voter's rolls here in 1886, however, the 1888 directory listed "Catherine, widow of Michael, on Flood, near John". The 1893 directory had Joseph Cooper, an organ builder, boarding at No. 3 Flood Street. And the 1894 voting list had Joseph G. Cooper, an organ builder, living in the Kinneen house on Flood Street. A later mortgage deed (MLR 2384/299) listed Winifred Cooper, wife of Garrett J. Cooper, as a daughter of Michael Kinneen. Therefore, it appears that the house continued to be lived in by the Kinneen family at this time. Joseph G. Cooper also appeared at No. 3 Flood in the 1900 annual listing of voters.

1902 The heirs of Michael Kinneen sold the house to Bridget Madden in 1902 (MLR 2976/309). The 1903 annual listing of voters had Thomas Madden, a teamster, at No. 3 Flood Street; and the 1910 city directory had Beasy Madden, widow of Thomas, at 5 Flood Street. The 1921 voters' listing, the first time women could vote, had Bridget Madden, age 65, at No. 9 Flood Street. The 1918 and 1923 city atlases showed the house numbered No. 17, and labeled "Bridget, Thomas Madden's Ux". There was no No. 9 Flood Street. It appears that the numbering of Flood Street was quite fluid.

1926 In 1926, The administrator of Bridget Madden's estate sold the house to Sidney E. Nix (MLR 4943/69). The 1930 voting list had Sidney E. Nix, a worker at the Ford factory, and Pauline J. Nix, a housewife, living at No. 17 Flood Street. However, they sold the house in 1930.

1930 In 1930, the Nixes sold the house to Andrew W. Gray (MLR 5454/14). However, it appears that Andrew Gray did not live in the house, since there were various others there on voters' lists through most of the 1930s.

1940 Andrew W. Gray subdivided the lot into two sub-lots in 1940 (MLR 6384/284).

1944 In 1944, Andrew W. Gray sold the lot for today's No. 17 Flood Street to Earl and Evelyn Gray (MLR 6814/1). The deed was signed by Andrew's wife, Dorothy I. Gray. It is not clear if there was a family relationship between Andrew and Dorothy on one hand and Earl and Evelyn on the other. Earl was a carpenter, and Evelyn a housewife. According to voting lists, Earl and Evelyn had been living at No. 17 Flood Street since 1939, and continued to live there into the 1950s.

1958 Earl L. and Evelyn Gray sold the house to Michael J. and Juanita E. Chagnon in 1958 (MLR 9294/450). According to the 1965 listing of voters, the Chagnons were at No. 21 Flood Street, and Michael was an accountant. However, the 1966 city atlas showed the Chagnon house as numbered 17 Flood Street.