12 Highland
Street, A Cutler Row house.
8, 10, 12 Highland - Cutler Row Houses built by Elisha Cutler before
1854. Cutler bought this land from Ralph Mann in 1824. These were boarding houses for workers (mostly Irish) in
the local factories.
2/20/1824 Norfolk County Deed: 72:193
Executors
for Ralph Mann (deceased) to Elisha Cutler, gentleman
11.25 acres “beginning from the road which leads from the West
Parish Meetinghouse to William Adams by land of Amos Shumway (bottom of Highland), hence run north by said Shumways land to
a stake and stones by Timothy Mann (top of Mechanic St.), hence running N83W approximately 66 rods to said Road, hence running
southeast by said Road to corner first mentioned”. No buildings listed.
In 1854, Elisha Cutler built the 3 houses at 8,10,12 Highland. He
housed individuals and families who worked in Medways factories. Elisha was a yeoman farmer who lived at 201 Main Street
from 1825-29. In 1854 he was 63 years old with one son and heir Nathaniel age 29. He was having money troubles
and mortgaged the Cutler Row Houses to the “West Medway Loan Association” which for the most part consisted of
his friends and neighbors.
10/5/1859 Norfolk County Deed: 285:106
Mortgage Elisha Cutler to Edward G Plympton 12 rods deep by 10 rods wide “certain lot with dwelling house”
10/2/1865
Norfolk County Deed: 235:212
Edward G Plympton, printer to Charles H Deans ”dwelling house on easterly side of Cutler
Road Deans still owned the property in 1888.
