03/19/2026
Another piece to share to celebrate Lowell's 200th!
In 1792, the Proprietors of Locks and Canals was created to construct the Pawtucket Canal off of the Pawtucket Dam on the Merrimack River, in what was then, East Chelmsford. It became the first canal of its kind in what became Lowell, and while it was originally created to move lumber, it evolved into something so much more. As the 1820s came, it was seen to become the beginning of the canal / mill system in which Lowell was created. The Proprietors of Locks and Canals basically became the owner of the canals and the accompanying lands, and had control over who could build mills for use with the canals. This particular sheet, is the deed for the sale of the 2,614 square feet of land to the Appleton Manufacturing Company on the westerly side of Garnet Street in what is in between the current roads of Appleton St and Jackson St. Mill No 5 and 6 now reside in that location, which these two buildings were built in 1873. The system that was created in Lowell, was based off of designs and ideas by Francis Cabot Lowell and his associated, but Francis died prior to the founding of the city. In honor of him, the founders of this new town decided to name it after their peer. This piece is signed by multiple founders of Lowell, including John Amory Lowell (Francis Cabot Lowell's nephew and son in Law), Nathan Appleton, Francis Cabot Lowell Jr, and Patrick Tracy Jackson, accompanied with the seal of Locks and Canals. It is truly an astonishing historical document affiliated with the building of the city. The Appleton Manufacturing company moved the production of the mill to South Carolina in the 1920s, and owned the land in Lowell until early 1943 when they sold the building.
The transcription of the Deed:
Know All Men by These Presents, That The Proprietors of the Locks and Canals on Merrimack River, In Consideration of the sum of One Hundred Eighty Three 1/100 Dollars, to them paid by The Appleton Manufacturing Company the receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge, have remised, released, and forever quit-claimed, and do for themselves, their successors and assigns, by these PRESENTS, remise, release, and forever quit-claim unto the said Appleton Manufacturing Company their succesor and assigns,
A Certain piece of land in the City of Lowell the County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts containing Two Thousand Six Hundred Fourteen 50/100 square feet and thus bounded viz.
Beginning on the Westerly side of Garnet Street at the South Easterly Corner of land conveyed by said Propreitors to Josiah W. and Zephaniah Goward by Deed dated the first day of June AD eighteen hundred forty-four. Thence owning Westerly Forty Five feet on said Gowards land, then Southerly at arightangle Fifty Eight10/100 feet, thence Easterly at a right angle Forty Five Feet to said Garnet Street, thence Northerly at a right angle Fifty Eight 10/100 feet on said Garnet Street to the point of beginning.
The aforesaid premises are Section Ninety-Seven of a catalogue and plans deposited in the Middlesex Registry of Deeds of lands and buildings sold by the Granton at Lowell by public auction the fifteenth day of April now last past.
To have and to hold the above-mentioned premises, which all the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging, to the said Appleton Manufacturing Company their succesor and assigns forever; so that neither the said PROPRIETORS OF THE LOCKS AND CANALS, their successors, assigns, or any other person or persons claiming from or under them, or in the name, right, or stead of them, shall or will, by any way or means, have, claim, or demand any right or title to the aforesaid premises, or their appurtenances, or to any part or parcel there of, forever.
In Witness, Whereof, the said Proprietors of the Locks and Canals, by P.T. Jackson their TREASURER, have hereunto affixed their Seal, and the said P.T. Jackson Treasurer as aforesaid, hath hereunto set his hand this sixteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty five.
Signed, sealed and delivered, in presence of "by" being first interlined Jnas Morse, Suffolk ss May 16 1845. Then the above named P.T. Jackson Treasurer personally appeared and acknowledged the above instrument to be the free act and deed of the said Proprietors of the Locks and Canals on Merrimack River, before me, Eben. Chadwick Justice of the Peace
[Signed]
P.T. Jackson - props Locks & Canals
Directors:
J.A. Lowell
N. Appleton
Francis C Lowell
P.T. Jackson
