5 Watson Street

Italianate two-story two-family residence.
  • Historic Name: None
  • Uses: Residential 2 family
  • Date of Construction: Circa1890
  • Style/Form: Italianate
  • Architect/Builder: Unknown
  • Foundation: Rubble
  • Wall/Trim: Wood frame
  • Roof: Gable
  • Major Alterations: Asbestos shingles
  • Condition: Good
  • Included in Hengen survey? No
  • Related oral interview? No
  • Portuguese owned? Yes
  • Recorded by: Gregory Gray Fitzsimons and Marie Frank
  • Organization: UMass Lowell
  • Date: July 2023

Description

A modest Italianate two-story two-family residence. The main entrance, off center to the right, still retains its bracketed canopy with carved scrolls and has a transom. The left side of the façade has bow windows on both the first and second floor; brackets under the curved roofs of the bow windows remain, but the shingle siding removed any other trim.  There are two windows in the gable attic and brackets remain under the eaves. The house has an extension off the rear elevation that abuts just under the gable roof that also has bracket moldings under the eaves.

History

This house has been owned by members of the same Portuguese family for one hundred years. In 1923, Joaquim and Rose Furtado purchased 5 Watson Street but did not move there until 1925; they had four children: Antonio, Dominic, Frank, and Mary. Joaquim and Rose immigrated from the Azores in 1914. According to the 1920 census, Joaquim worked as a spinner and the family lived at Edgerley’s Court. Joaquim seems to have followed his older brother, Francisco, who had immigrated in 1901 and lived at 723 Central Street. There was also a third brother, Antonio, but he only stayed in Lowell for ten years before moving his family to Tewkesbury. All three were very active in the early years of St. Anthony’s church. Francisco’s descendants would become the owners and occupiers of the house through the 20th century.

Watson Street was developed much later than other parts of Back Central closer to downtown. In the 1850 map, Watson Street does not even exist; by 1879 the street is there and the south side had lot divisions but the north side remained largely open. Development followed the pattern in other parts of the neighborhood—the first residents were largely Irish. In 1885, the widow Johanna Walsh purchased a large parcel at the corner of Watson and Lawrence; the house, with its extension, first appears in the 1892 atlas. Shortly after completing 5 Watson, Walsh also had a much larger tenement built right on the corner of Watson and Lawrence—this is evident in the 1896 atlas. Margaret Walsh inherited the properties; she died in 1919 (her funeral was held at Sacred Heart) and Bogos Onanian bought both properties in 1921. He then divided the lots and sold 5 Watson to Joaquim in 1923, keeping the tenement building for himself. Renters still occupied both units of 5 Watson in 1924: Kay Walter in unit 2 and Mrs. Sarri Lempi in the other; however, in 1925 the Furtados moved into unit 1 and rented out unit 2 to Benjamin Chulada. However, they only stayed there for a few years—their children were older and moved away—by 1927, both Anthony and Frank moved to New York City; Dominick got married and moved to 34 Cedar Street. After 1928 there is no mention of Joaquim, Rose or Mary—they may have moved from Lowell as well. Chulada stayed in unit 2 and Matthew McNamara moved into unit 1.

However, in 1930, the occupants changed again. Manuel Marshall, a leather worker, moved into unit 1 and Ferdinand Vice, also a leather worker, moved int unit 2. Manuel Marshall had lived next to the Furtado’s at Edgerely’s Court in 1920 and probably ended up at 5 Watson through that friendship; both Marshall and Vice were born in Massachusetts but had Portuguese parents (and Portuguese wives). Marshall moved in 1932 to Merrill Street; Vice stayed until 1935. But by this point Francisco’s family needed the house for themselves. Francisco died in 1930, leaving his widow Maria with 7 of their 9 children still living at their home at 723 Central St. (Maria was from Terceira in the Azores; she was only 47 in 1930) when Francisco died). Their oldest son, Frank, who gained a reputation as the boxer “Frankie Moore,” moved into unit one after Marshall in 1933. He and his wife Julia stayed there until 1937 when they purchased property in Dracut. Unit 2 was occupied by Joseph Freitas and his family—he worked as a laborer in a chemical factory and his wife Virginia as a spinner in one of the mills. His extended family lived at 9-11 Watson just next door (see entry on 9-11). The Freitas’ stayed tin unit 2 until 1945. Unit 1 however, became a haven for various Furtado’s in the late 30s. George and George E. Furtado moved in after Frank and Julia vacated. By 1945 they would occupy the entire house.

By 1934, Maria had remarried; she and her husband, Manuel Raymond occupied various apartments around Back Central through the late 30’s. Manuel Medeiros Raymond (Raimundo) immigrated from the Azores (St. Miguel) around 1924; an occupation is rarely indicated (“laborer” is listed once). Maria’s life may not have been a happy one—on at least one occasion (1936) Manuel was put on probation for domestic violence. In 1940 she moved into 5 Watson with Manuel and three of her children Anthony, John, and Lillian. By 1943 her daughter Margaret Gordon, also joined them. Margaret worked as a nurse at the Tewkesbury State Hospital. In 1946, after the Freitas’ moved from unit 1, another daughter, Maria, moved in with her young family to that downstairs unit. Maria had married James Balakin in 1933 when they were both 19. Balakin was the son of Polish parents Nicholas and Fannie and lived on Hale Street. The young couple lived at a number of locations after their marriage—James’s jobs seemed to change yearly. He began working at a shoe factory, then as a laborer, a dishwasher, and a presser for Johns-Mansville; in 1945 he landed and kept a job as an enumerator for the US Census. Maria and James Balakin had six children: Joan Carlsen (b. 1934), James T. Balakin, b. 1935, Dorothy Hibbert, b. 1937 who worked at Digital Equipment Corporation, Robert T. Balakin , b. 1941 who worked at the Courier-Citizen Company, Paul A. Balakin, b. 1949 and proprietor of Tony’s Pizzeria on E. Merrimack St. and Richard F. Balakin, also b. in 1949 who worked at the Central Middlesex Printing Company. Thus, by the 1950 census, there were 8 Balakins living downstairs and six Furtados living upstairs.

Maria Balakin remained at 5 Watson until her death in 1976. The house witnessed both their joys and sorrows. Their son James T., embarked on a life of crime. In 1953, at age 17, he made the front page of the Lowell Sun for a series of burglaries that resulted in a five-year sentence at Concord Penitentiary. He did not repent—in 1958 and 59 he was again arrested. Police caught him after one theft by simply following his footsteps in the snow back to 5 Watson. By the 60’s he was considered part of the “Lowell Hold Up Gang” and finally, in 1968, along with other gang members, he was indicted and sentenced up to 30 years for armed robbery and arson. In 1970, Maria and James’ youngest son, Richard, was awarded the Air Medal for his service in Vietnam as a pilot. Richard flew 25 missions over hostile territory to support ground troops. But the trauma of the Vietnam war that affected so many veterans also plagued Richard. After his return to the U.S., he was arrested and sentenced for the rape.

Unit 2, upstairs, remained the home of Margaret Gordon, Lillian and George Furtado after their mother died in 1958 (Anthony and his wife moved out with their son by 1960 as well—Anthony had joined the U.S. Navy). Margaret continued to work as a nurse for Tewkesbury State Hospital; Lillian also became a nurse and worked in Boston; and George took over operation of Tony’s Pizza on E. Merrimack.

The house is currently owned by the Hibbert Balakin Trust. Dorothy Balakin married David Hibbert of Groton in 1972. They met while working at the Digital Equipment Corporation—Dorothy worked as a fabrication inspector there.

Sources

  • Registry of Deeds.
  • Sidney & Neff Map of Lowell, 1850.
  • Lowell atlases 1879, 1882, 1892, 1906, 1924 & 1936.
  • Massic Falls Manufacturing Company map by I.A. Beard, 1829, copied by Caleb Butler, 1831.
  • Lowell city directories.
  • Federal Census 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950.
  • Lowell Sun, April 15, 1958, p. 26 obituary for Maria Raimundo Furtado (wife of Francisco).
  • Lowell Sun, Nov. 18, 1963, p. 23 “Fire Damages East Merrimack St. Block” (Tony’s Pizza).
  • Lowell Sun, June 1, 1976, p. 22 obituary for Maria Furtado Balakin.
  • Lowell Sun, Jan. 16, 1953, p. 1 James T. Balakin’s arrest for burglary and auto theft.
  • Lowell Sun, April 5, 1968, p. 76 “Gang members Plead Guilty to 21 Indictments.”
  • Lowell Sun, Nov. 19, 1970. Richard Balakin awarded Air Medal.
  • Lowell Sun, Dec. 17, 1971, p. 13 Richard Balakin arrested for rape.
  • Lowell Sun, Jan. 26, 1946, p. 3 obituary for Manuel Raymond.