 |
|||
|
Home ~ History ~ Visit Us ~ Friends ~ Calendar ~ Pictures ~ Links ~ Contact Us |
|||
| Property |
Job Lane, the son of John Lane, and the grandson of the original
Lane who settled in Billerica, the Massachusetts Bay Colony, was
named for his grandfather according to Ina Mansur’s genealogy of
Deacon Job Lane of Bedford. Job inherited 166 acres in the northeast
part of the farm, some along the Concord River. At 21, Job was given a seat in the Billerica meeting house, and was a tythingman, one who helps maintain peace in a public meeting place. He married Martha Ruggles, on December 16, 1713, the minister’s sister and built the present house at 295 North Road, Bedford, at this time. They had 11 children, and six lived and grew up in this house. At 28, he was elected constable, tax collector. In 1724, the acting governor, William Dummer, named him a lieutenant in the Provincial Troops. He became one of the founding fathers of Bedford, when on September 23, 1729; the Town of Bedford was incorporated from Billerica and Concord lands. He helped search for a minister, and Nicholas Bowes, a Harvard graduate, then teaching in Billerica, was chosen to be the first minister of the newly formed town. Job was assigned a pew on the first floor of the meeting house and elected deacon. He held this post for 25 years until his death. Deacon Job contributed much to the Town of Bedford. It is fitting today that we show his house and how it has withstood time and the elements of nature. At 70 years of age, Job wrote a will, and gave the house to his son John, except for the old back kitchen, which he gave for use as a schoolhouse. John Lane’s son, Ziba Lane, (grandson of our Deacon Job Lane), married in 1778 and John deeded this house to Ziba as a wedding gift, writing a gift, of love. Although many of Ziba’s siblings had moved away, Ziba remained here for some time. He was a veteran of the Revolutionary war and the parent of two children. He took in to board his wife’s sister and a man who may have helped with the farm work. In 1790, there were four adults and four children in the household. Probably it was during Ziba’s ownership that an ell, including a shed, was attached to the house. It was arranged to cover the family’s well so that no one would be required to go outside for water. At last Ziba decided to move away. He sold the Deacon’s house to his cousin, Stephen Lane (1755-1827). Stephen was Ziba’s age, unmarried, and the sole heir of his own father’s house (Timothy Lane’s House) north of this one, and he did not need a home. Probably he bought this one to help Ziba and to rent it for an income. The North schoolhouse was being built across the road nearby and the tenant here was the caretaker of the schoolhouse. He allowed the pupils to carry drinking water from his well. |
||
|
|
|||