The Three Elms Farm

By Ruthann Tomassini & Jennifer Richards
August 8, 2022

Have you regretted not asking your family members about their history when you had the chance? Do you feel that you are missing pieces to your family history? Many do, and the Framingham History Center (FHC) Research Team can help piece your genealogical puzzle together. 

A recent request from Barbara (Hessel) Hammond asked if the FHC could explore some of the unknowns in her family history. She inquired: 

I am trying to gather [more] information about the orchard/farm my grandfather, Robert Hessel, owned on Worcester Road in Framingham starting in about 1910. He came to America in 1896, first living in Westboro, then became a fruit grower along Worcester Road. I have two addresses for the farm – 1538 Worcester Road and 1611 Worcester Road. 

My dad, Robert, was born in 1903 and grew up on a farm called ‘The Three Elms.’ My dad told me the original farm house became a restaurant (which may have burned down) and the Red Coach opened a restaurant on the same spot in the 1960s and 1970s. The family later opened a retirement home across the road called Stone Hurst in 1926. Stone Hurst, I believe, was demolished when the Route 9 interchange was developed.”

The Research Team went to work digging into the FHC’s expansive collection. Researcher Ruthann Tomassini found some intriguing details in her research. She located a postcard of The Three Elms that identified Framingham’s John Temple (1774 – 1869) as the original owner/builder of the house in 1809. In addition to the postcard, there is a painting of the estate done by well-known Framingham artist, Margaret Kendall, who created beautiful pen and ink sketches of many local landmarks.

Ruthann then turned to the United States Census Records to examine Barbara’s grandfather’s occupation. Not only was he a fruit grower, but in 1900 Robert Hessel worked as a nurse at Westborough State Hospital. In 1902, he married Myra Fletcher, a nurse who emigrated from England in 1885. According to the 1910 census, Robert Hessel was farming, and Myra Fletcher Hessel was running a sanitarium (nursing home) at 290 Worcester Road in Framingham.

After exhausting the census information, Ruthann explored what could be gleaned from the Framingham Directories at the FHC. The 1916 Framingham Directory listed Myra Fletcher Hessel as the proprietor of The Three Elms Sanitarium, located on Worcester Road. It wasn’t until 1933 that the Echo Farm Company at 1650 Worcester Road was first listed as a restaurant but it was listed as vacant. This is most likely the restaurant that preceded the Red Coach Grill. 

Finally, the question of Stone Hurst’s history was partially resolved due to an ad from the 1920 Framingham Directory. It appears the Hessel family were the second proprietors of the sanitarium as it was first listed in operation by 1920. It is unclear exactly when Stone Hurst was demolished. However the year 1969 is our best educated guess as that was the same year the Route 9 interchange was constructed and a popular restaurant, Timothy’s Spirit Co., opened soon after. From ca. 1970 to 1984, Timothy’s Spirits Co. was located in the Stone Hurst area. It may be part of the former Stone Hurst property but does not appear to be the same building.

After relaying these findings to Barbara, she mailed a few family photos to the FHC that we have added to our research collection. We are appreciative to Barbara for sharing her family history with us and for the chance to improve our holdings. In working with individuals seeking to learn about their roots, we in turn know more about Framingham. 

If you have a research question for us, please email research@framinghamhistory.org or call 508-872-3780. Don’t forget – FHC Members receive two free hours of research assistance each year!