The following is an index to property transfer deeds and party wall and building restriction agreements recorded at the Suffolk County Deed Registry from the original land purchase until conversion of the building into condominium units. Mortgages, trust agreements, and other similar recorded documents are not included. This index is intended as a guide only; actual deeds should be reviewed for details.
| Transfers of Land and Buildings | ||||||||
| Date of Deed | Grantor | Grantee | Book | Page | ||||
| 03Feb1984 | Back Bay Restorations Company LP (274-276-278-280-282 Commonwealth) | 280 Commonwealth Condominium | 10812 | 181 | ||||
| 15Dec1976 | Bernard P. Rome, trustee in bankruptcy under Article II of the Plan of Arrangement of Chamberlayne School and Chamberlayne Junior College in Chapter XI Proceedings (278-280-282 Commonwealth) | Back Bay Restorations Company LP | 8927 | 90 | ||||
| 11Jun1975 | Chamberlayne School and Chamberlayne Junior College (282 Commonwealth) | Bernard P. Rome, trustee in bankruptcy under Article II of the Plan of Arrangement of Chamberlayne School and Chamberlayne Junior College in Chapter XI Proceedings | 8897 | 86 | ||||
| 11Jun1975 | Chamberlayne School and Chamberlayne Junior College (280 Commonwealth) | Bernard P. Rome, trustee in bankruptcy under Article II of the Plan of Arrangement of Chamberlayne School and Chamberlayne Junior College in Chapter XI Proceedings | 8897 | 85 | ||||
| 11Jun1975 | Chamberlayne School and Chamberlayne Junior College (278 Commonwealth) | Bernard P. Rome, trustee in bankruptcy under Article II of the Plan of Arrangement of Chamberlayne School and Chamberlayne Junior College in Chapter XI Proceedings | 8897 | 84 | ||||
| 13Jun1966 | First Community Investment Co., inc. (278-280-282 Commonwealth) | Chamberlayne School and Chamberlayne Junior College | 8046 | 509 | ||||
| 13Aug1965 | Robert J. McHugh, trustee, Mifro Realty Trust (278-280 Commonwealth) | First Community Investment Co., inc. | 7974 | 483 | ||||
| 03Jul1962 | First Community Investment Co., Inc. (278-280 Commonwealth) | Robert J. McHugh, trustee, Mifro Realty Trust | 7662 | 184 | ||||
| 07May1962 | Robert O. Tillinghast (280 Commonwealth) | First Community Investment Co., Inc. | 7660 | 400 | ||||
| 10Sep1954 | Christopher Dounelis | Robert O. Tillinghast | 6990 | 407 | ||||
| 26Jun1952 | Stanley C. Wilson | Christopher Dounelis | 6788 | 474 | ||||
| 22Jan1946 | William Karmazine, trustee, Esdith Realty Trust | Stanley C. Wilson | 6199 | 342 | ||||
| 15Mar1940 | Samuel Handler | William Karmazine, trustee, Esdith Realty Trust | 5844 | 176 | ||||
| 06Aug1937 | John E. Searle, Corinna S. Mitchell, and Richard W. Searle, executors of and trustees under the will of Cora A. Searle | Samuel Handler | 5682 | 43 | ||||
| 16Apr1898 | John Hogg | Cora A. Searle, wife of Charles P. Searle | 2808 | 245 | ||||
| Transfers of Unimproved Land | ||||||||
| Date of Deed | Grantor | Grantee | Book | Page | ||||
| 18Dec1893 | Augustus F. Arnold (lot with 28 foot frontage) | John Hogg | 2171 | 613 | ||||
| 18Dec1893 | Alexander Moseley (lot with 28 foot frontage) | Augustus F. Arnold | 2171 | 609 | ||||
| 14May1890 | Eustace C. Fitz (lot with 28 foot frontage) | Alexander Moseley | 1935 | 468 | ||||
| 08Dec1886 | William G. Saltonstall (lot with 28 foot frontage) | Eustace C. Fitz | 1752 | 414 | ||||
| 12Feb1886 | Nathan Samuel and Fanny Samuel, his wife, in her own right (lot with 28 foot frontage) | William G. Saltonstall | 1714 | 79 | ||||
| 10Nov1884 | Louis D. Brandeis (lot with 28 foot frontage) | Fanny Samuel, wife of Nathan Samuel | 1659 | 74 | ||||
| 10Nov1884 | Nathan Samuel (lot with 28 foot frontage) | Louis D. Brandeis | 1659 | 72 | ||||
| 10Feb1880 | Grenville T. W. Braman and Susie A. Braman, his wife, in her own right (lot with 28 foot frontage) | Nathan Samuel | 1483 | 223 | ||||
| 19Nov1875 | Harvey N. Shepard (lot with 250 foot frontage) | Susie W. Braman, wife of Grenville T. W. Braman | 1303 | 157 | ||||
| 19Nov1875 | Nathan Matthews, Henry D. Hyde, and Grenville T. W. Braman, trustees | Harvey N. Shepard | 1303 | 157 | ||||
| 16Oct1873 | Harvey N. Shepard | Nathan Matthews, Henry D. Hyde, and Grenville T. W. Braman, trustees | 1182 | 271 | ||||
| 16Oct1873 | Nathan Matthews | Harvey N. Shepard | 1182 | 270 | ||||
| 30May1873 | David N. Skillings, trustee of an indenture between David N. Skillings, Charles Whitney, David Whitney, Jr., and Lawrence Barnes | Nathan Matthews | 1163 | 259 | ||||
| 02Jan1871 | Nathan Matthews | David N. Skillings, trustee | 1029 | 238 | ||||
| 02Jan1871 | David Sears, Jr., Frederick R. Sears, and Knyvet Sears | Nathan Matthews | 1029 | 233 | ||||
| 10Feb1859 | David Sears | David Sears, Jr., Frederick Richard Sears, and Knyvet Winthrop Sears | 819 | 233 | ||||
| Party wall stipulations in land transfer deed and agreements | ||||||||
| Date | Grantor | grantee | Book | Page | ||||
| 10Feb1880 | Grenville T. W. Braman and Susie A. Braman, his wife, in her own right (seller of lot at 278 Commonwealth and owner of lot at 280 Commonwealth) | William G. Saltonstall (purchaser of lot at 278 Commonwealth) | 1483 | 238 | ||||
| 10Feb1880 | Grenville T. W. Braman and Susie A. Braman, his wife, in her own right (seller of lot at 280 Commonwealth and owner of lot at 278 Commonwealth) | Nathan Samuel (purchaser of lot at 280 Commonwealth) | 1483 | 223 | ||||
| 02Feb1878 | Grenville T. W. Braman and Susie A. Braman, his wife, in her own right (seller of lot at 282 Commonwealth and owner of lot at 280 Commonwealth) | Nathan Samuel (purchaser of lot at 282 Commonwealth) | 1408 | 54 | ||||
| Building restrictions included in land transfer deed (to remain in effect during the lifetime of grantor’s wife, Frances A. Moseley, and his daughters, Ellen F. Moseley and Annie Moseley Pomeroy, but not more than 25 years) specifying that no building may be erected at 280 Commonwealth other than a dwelling house for one family; no part of any such dwelling house shall be more than four stories above the basement; and no bay window, porch, or other projection may extend further than a line 90 feet south of Commonwealth, except for an ell one story in height above the basement may be erected beyond that line. | ||||||||
| Date | Grantor | grantee | Book | Page | ||||
| 18Dec1893 | Alexander Moseley (seller of lot at 280 Commonwealth and owner of 282 Commonwealth) | Augustus F. Arnold (purchaser of lot at 280 Commonwealth) | 2171 | 609 | ||||
| Building Restriction Agreements | ||||||||
| Date | Parties to the Agreement | Book | Page | |||||
| 12Jun1876 | Owners of property on Commonwealth and Newbury between the land of the Commonwealth on the east, and Gloucester Street on the west: Susie A. Braman, Charles H. Mann, George B. Hyde, Asa P. Potter, N. Matthews, National Bank of Commerce, George H. Braman, Boylston National Bank of Boston, D. J. Potter | 1330 | 300 | |||||
Back Bay Houses 