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Notes by Sarah G. Bagnall regarding Benjamin Bagnall Senior property purchases
1
From Office of Registry of Deeds
Court House Boston
Benjamin Bagnall, Quaker, Native of England, born 1689, died July 11 1773
Aged 84 years
Came to America (Boston 1711) evidently as soon as he was free at 21
years of age
Either he brought money with him, or he was very successful for he
began to buy property in 1725, when he was 36 years old.
The first considerable purchase recorded has a deed of sale
from Eliz. Pitts of Boston, Suffolk Co, Province of Mass. "in
consideration of a sum of 865£ (over $4000 of American money)
in good lawful Lublick bills of Credit on the Province duly laid by
Benj. Bagnall of Boston, watch-maker etc.
To Benj. Bagnall his heirs and assignees forever all that (etc.,
etc.,) certain Brick Tenement or dwelling house and land thereto
belonging (etc.) founded on the [Front?] Westerly upon Cornhill
Street, there measures 20 ft 2 in more or less Northerly fail by
Land of Andrew Fannel fail by Land of John Gerrish measuring on that
side 108 ft. Tenement and lands continue the full width of 20 ft 2
in for 81 ft and in length then 16 ft 10 in in width down to Pudding
Lane (now Devonshire Street)
This diagram is as near as I can trace it from the Register. You
will see that the Cornhill Street was at the foot of Corn Hill tand
I should say very nearly coincides with Washington Street.
I'd judge that Corn Hill was a hill sloping down from Beacon Hill to
King Street (over State Street) that the old Court House, the old
State House, and the Old South, were all later built on the slope of
that hill.
The next time that I am in the Registry of Deeds Office I am going
to [call?] from the old maps the exact limits of Corn Hill and the
"Corn Exchange"
2a'
The deed for this purchase as given on the other side of this sheet,
after giving the boundaries and abutters, adds "together with all
the houthouses, buildings, easements, fences, ways, wells, water,
water-courses, rights, members, profits, privileges, and
commodities, belonging in or on (etc., etc.) free and
clear, fully acquitted (etc.) Sale Boston March 30 1725, Recorded
April 2 1725
3
I do not find any record of real estate purchase from 1725 to 1733.
In 1733 August 17 -- Vol. 48 -- Benj. Bagnall bought property from
Wm. Cooper for 200£ cash ($1000)
In 1734 June 27 -- Vol. 48 p. 277 -- property from one Samuel Sewall
valued in case 260£ (about $2300). This entry says "land lying
and being near the Training Field" (Boston Common)
In 1735 Oct. 1 -- Vol. 51 p. 157 -- property from [Stephen?]
[Minor?] (Price I do not know)
Also in 1735 Oct. 1 -- Vol. 51 p. 158 -- property from [nezas?]
Richardson for 50£ ($250)
In 1738 April 19 -- Vol. 56 p. 60 -- from Mr. Greenleaf
April 26 -- Vol. 56 p. 69 -- from Jas. Bowdoin
May 10 -- Vol. 56 p. 81 -- from Joseph Turell
These 3 sales are described on paper 4.
4
In 1738 the Wm Greenleaf property as given on 3 consisted of
a Brick Tenement or Dwelling House fronting on Cornhill St, for
which the record says he paid 2340£ cash, which unless
[thane?] made a mistake means about $12,000 -- which seems an
enormous price for that property. I may have copied wrong and
perhaps it should read $2,340 cash or perhaps 234£. I shall
look that up. Vol. 56 p. 60.
In 1738 the sale by Jas. Bowdoin was for Building & Land on
Cornhill St for 271£. (You know where Bowdoin Square and
Revere House used to be when you go from Tremont Row to go out to
Cambridge St.)
In 1738 Turell [Turrel?] to Bagnall for 25£. "Part or Share of
Outwharves and Seahalls with Right of the Flats." From the
boundaries given and the names of the Abutters, I'd say that these
flats & wharves were below Dock Square and near Faneuil Hall Market
-- for $125 and down towards wharfs on Commercial Street or Atlantic
Ave.
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