Commission defers final attribution for house sign at 24 East Main after deed research
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Summary
Research by commissioners found conflicting historical records for 24 East Main; the commission deferred a final house-sign determination and asked for more deed and MACRIS follow-up.
The Historical Commission continued a house-sign discussion for 24 East Main after commissioners described conflicting records in MACRIS, the East Southborough Center area report and earliest deed transactions. Kevin Miller and Kelly O'Brien summarized months of deed research showing the lot ownership record dates to the 19th century but no clear, documentary identification of the housebuilder or first occupant.
Why it matters: assigning a historic name or builder to a house sign requires documentary evidence. Commissioners said they want a correct, verifiable attribution rather than repeating an apparent MACRIS error that had linked Charles B. Wilson to the wrong parcel.
Details: commissioners reviewed that MACRIS and the area report give different circa dates (1880s vs. 1890s) and that the neighboring property at 26 East Main is consistently identified as the Charles B. Wilson House while 24 East Main’s ownership chain included transfers involving Patrick Fitzgerald and the Larocque family. Kelly O'Brien had traced deeds back to the late 19th century and noted several quitclaim and dollar transfers that suggested estate or inheritance transactions; she and Miller said Charles B. Wilson does not appear in 24 East Main’s chain of title.
Decision vs. discussion: commission members praised Kelly’s research but agreed to defer final naming to allow further review, including contacting MACRIS maintainers to correct or explain discrepancies and deeper deed research in the Fitzgerald/Larocque era. The commission asked Kelly to continue investigating and to consult MACRIS contacts about correcting the public record.
Next steps: commission to reconvene on the item next month and to consider possible corrected attribution or a non-personalized sign if documentary evidence remains inconclusive.