MSI 2/15/22

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".

1855 In 1855, Horatio Moore sold a lot on the south side of today's John Street (originally called High Street, and then Friend Street, and finally John Street) at the corner of Moore and John Streets to Josiah Rutter for $250 (MLR 743/149). The lot stretched 141 feet along John Street, and 81 feet south from the street at the western end and 87 feet at the eastern end. Josiah Rutter was a well known lawyer in Waltham, living in an ornate, Italianate house on Lyman Street (still there as No. 54 Lyman Street).

1856 Josiah Rutter sold the western portion of the lot from Moore to Barnard McCusker for $1,000 in 1856 (MLR 743/150). The lot stretched for 92 feet along today's John Street, and the deed specified the lot came "with buildings". This is probably the house at No. 9 John Street. At the same time, McCusker took out a mortgage with Rutter for $800 (MLR 743/151), and Rutter then transferred the mortgage to Lois B. Adams in 1857 (MLR 795/165).

1860 It appears that, in 1860, Rutter foreclosed on the mortgage and sold the lot to Frederick Steirburk (or Steirbuck) for $500 (MLR 834/215). Frederick and his wife, Mary, then took out a mortgage with Rutter for $400 (MLR 834/216). Frederick Steirbuck was listed in the 1865 census in this location as a laborer, who came from Germany, along with Mary Steirbuck, who came from Ireland. The Dolan family was listed as a separate family in the same house. In the 1870 census, they were listed without another family in the house and Frederick working "in Chemistry". Frederick appeared in the 1871 directory with a house on John Street, and in the 1888 directory as an engineer working for the Parmenter Crayon Company, and living at 5 John Street.

1868 In 1868, Mary Steirbuck took out a mortgage with the Waltham Savings Bank for $800 based on this lot (MLR 1044/395). It was probably at this time that the second house on the lot was built. It is probable that No. 9 John Street was the older house, and Frederick and Mary moved to the new house, No. 5 John Street, when it was built in 1868. The 1875 map showed the two houses on the lot, which was labeled "S. Burke". This may have been an error, since no S. Burke appeared in any of the deeds.

1895 In 1895, Frederick Steirbuck sold the lot with both houses to Lizzie A. Chessman (MLR 2386/441, also see MLR 1044/561). In the 1897 directory, Lizzie Chessman was listed as boarding with J. Albert Chessman, who was involved in real estate. Also, from voting lists, it looks like the houses were used as rental properties during this period. At the time Lizzie Chessman bought the houses, she took out a mortgage with Louise B. Bemis on the property (MLR 2427/226). It appears that there was a court case, in 1896, with the heirs of Louise B. Adams claiming the property because of the mortgage given in 1857, but the court determined it rightfully belonged to Chessman (MLR 2458/259).

1900 In 1900, Frank D. Adams, as agent for Louise B. Bemis foreclosed on the mortgage with Chessman, and sold the property to Minnie E. Adams (MLR 2799/27). From voting lists a the time, it appears that the property continued to be used for rental income. the lot with both houses was shown on the 1918 map and labeled "Minnie E. and F.D. Adams".

1919 Frank B. Adams along with the other heirs of Minnie E. Adams sold the lot with both houses to Charles McGovern (MLR 4291/11). According to the 1920 voting list, Charles McGovern lived in No. 9 John Street with, presumably, his son, James P. McGovern. Charles worked at the foundry, while James worked at the bleachery. The 1928 map shoed the lot as still owned by the McGovern family.