Philbrick-Eastman House - Epsom, NH

Submission from Epsom, NH History Blog

  Philbrick-Eastman House, 1618 Dover Road, Epsom, NH

It is not unusual to find deeds with land being bought where residents already lived, and this is one such case. Samuel bought Lot No.3, common land owned by the Town of Epsom, land where Samuel Bickford already resided, establishing an early house on the property. His brother Thomas owned adjoining property, Lot No. 95, where Samuel soon after moved to. Samuel died about 1773, and his son Thomas sold Lot No. 3 to John Batchelder, who had established earlier a residence, apparently near the corner of the current Dover and New Orchard Roads. The property passed through several owners until purchased in 1818 by Robert Knox who established a store where John Batchelder had been established, yet there is no mention in the prior deeds of the early dwelling of Samuel Bickford. Knox left Epsom about 1850, selling a small lot to Albon Perkins, who appears in this house on the 1858 county map. About the same time, Knox sold adjoining land to the Town of Epsom for the building of the new Town House, and the store to John Wallace.

John Wallace sold the store on the corner of New Orchard Road to Arthur C. Locke, and Albon Perkins sold his residence to Arthur’s father, Francis T. Locke. After Francis died, Arthur bought his fathers house from the widow Rhoda Locke. Arthur C. Locke then sold the house to e, .  The Eastman’s owned the property for about 30 years, and shortly thereafter was bought by James O. Fisk, in whose family it remained until 1943. The CAI card incorrectly  lists the house as 1700.
    

Arthur Caverno Locke Enlisted from Epsom Aug. 15, 1862 as 1st Lt., promoted to Captain Dec. 18, 1862 and was wounded Sept. 30, 1864. Member of the Gordon Post GAR of Suncook (Pembroke) N.H. Born in Epsom, New Hampshire on October 15, 1824, son of Francis Locke and Mary Philbrick. He married in Epsom September 23, 1847, Salina O. Bickford. They had five children. He died in Epsom, NH May 10, 1884, and is buried in the McClary Cemetery there.

McClary-Epsom Center Cemetery

CHRONOLOGY of owners (not necessarily resident):
1765, Samuel Bickford from the Town of Epsom (John McClary, George Wallace and Ephraim Locke), sale of common land Lot No. 3, where he now lives; 1808, John Batchelder from Thomas Bickford, part of the estate of the late Samuel Bickford, included one quarter of an acre which said Batchelder bought of Col. J.H. McClary in March 1806 and took a deed from said Thomas Bickford for the same it being at the southeast corner of the said tract where said Batchelder now lives, containing 10 acres more or less; 1815, Richard Webster from John Batchelder, 14 acres with the buildings thereon; 1817, Alexander Salter from Richard Webster, 27 acres; 1818, Robert Knox from Alexander Salter (R. 217-401); 1848, Albon W. Perkins from Robert Knox. both of Epsom, no buildings mentioned; 1865, Francis Locke of Epsom from Albon W. Perkins, land and buildings, north side of turnpike; 1870, Arthur C. Locke from Rhoda Locke, homestead farm of Francis Locke, deceased (father of Arthur C.); 1871, Lowell Eastman from Arthur C. Locke, part of homestead farm of Francis Locke, late of Epsom, tract 1, 3 acres. land and buildings;

1904, Herbert S. Little from Lydia Eastman, the estate of Lowell Eastman, deceased; 1906, Charles S. Hall Lumber Co. from Herbert S. Little and wife, tract 1 with land and buildings, reserving the hen house behind the house for 1 year; 1907, Henry E. Dotey from Charles S. Hall, tract 1, 3 acres, land and buildings; 1908, James O. Fisk from Henry E. Dotey; 1911, Hester A. Fisk from James O. Fisk; 1943, Mary S. Curtis from George V. (son of James O. and Augusta A. ‘Hester’ Fisk) and Reginald E. (son of George V.) Fiske; 1979, Arthur I. Mooers and Arthur Lawrence from Mary S. Curtis; 1984, Kenneth and Carole Brown from Arthur I. Mooers and Arthur F. Lawrence.