The town of Billerica was founded from a deed of land from the Shawshin, or Billerica Indians. This site not only looks at the early settlers, but the making of towns that became the culture of America, the United States of America.

Wiliam Manning, Jr (c1615-1690) William Manning, Jr was concerned in the settlement of the estates of his fellow citizens either as executor, administrator at least eighteen times, often taking the inventory in his own hand. He was one of the inhabitants of Cambridge to whom the Shawshin, or Billerica, territory was granted in 1644, he being allotted 60 acres, and who joined in the “great deed” of 1650, conveying it to the Billerica settlers. William Manning made a real estate purchase in 1646 described in the Proprietors’ records of Cambridge as: “William Manning Junr. bought of Henry Addams one dwelling house with about half a rod of land Edward Shepard East John Trumbull south water-street West, marsh-land north.” He also had several grants of land from the town, when “divisions” were generally made to the inhabitants: 3 acres in 1662, 20 acres in 1663, 25 acres in 1664 and 1665, etc. These grants he disposed of before his death, though there is no deed or other record to show who bought the land. Paige’s history of Cambridge states thBillerica, Massachussets foundersat William “inherited the homestead” of his father. How he disposed of it is unknown for when he died, he possessed only one house and this was at the SE corner of Dunster and South streets, opposite to his warehouse -- the same he bought from Henry Adams (Water street was changed to Dunster and Marsh Land – or Lane – was changed to South street.) He probably resided on this site from 1646 to the time of his death, and died there. After his death, the premises passed to his son Samuel Sr., and in 1698, to his grandson Samuel Jr. At the time the Manning Family book was written in 1900, there was a house there built before the American Revolution, but there is no reason to believe it was built during the ownership of the Manning family, but more likely during an earlier period.