The Turell house.
In regard to the statement in the Register (Vol.
XVI, page 51) that the Turell, or Jonathan Porter house was built by Mr. Turell, I wish to state that the land upon which the above-named house stood was a deed of gift from Ebenezer Nutting to his son, Jonathan Nutting.
Ebenezer's estate extended along High street from Ram's Head lane (Rural avenue) to the stone wall on the westerly boundary of the Puffer estate.
The portion conveyed to Jonathan was bounded southerly on the country road (High street), seven rods easterly on a highway allowed from the country road to the several divisions of the Wade estate, northerly on a highway between said land and land then in the possession of John Albree, measuring on that line nine rods, westerly on the remaining land of Ebenezer Nutting.
The lot contained two acres, and no mention of a building was made.
The deed was dated March 12, 1717-8.
By deed dated February 8, 1723-4, Jonathan Nutting sold to John Giles a tenement and two acres of land, and John Giles sold the estate September 22, 1725, to the Rev. Ebenezer Turell.
The house was no doubt subject to many changes during its existence, but the original portion must have been built by Jonathan Nutting soon after the land came into his possession.
The highway [p. 42] on the northerly boundary was the way to John Albree's farm and mill.
In the year 1720 John Albree purchased of Percival Hall the following described estate, ‘Thirty-two acres of land with house and other buildings bounded westerly on land formerly of Deacon John Willis; north on woodland laid out to Major Jonathan Wade's heirs; east on land of John Bradshaw; south on land of Ebenezer Nutting, excepting one-fourth of Mill.’
This estate comprises a considerable portion of the ‘Lawrence farm’ being that portion upon which the farmhouse and other buildings connected therewith are located.
Marble, or Meeting-house brook runs through the southerly portion of the estate, and the mill of John Albree, weaver, must have been located upon this brook near the location of North Winthrop street (formerly Purchase street).
