108 Lowell Street

Architectural Description: 

unusual form- seems to have been converted to house in late 18th century-early 19th cent.

Historical Narrative: 

Themes: Architectural, community development.
108 Lowell St

This home is said to be a first period house built about 1692. More research is needed to substantiate that claim. We do know that the Mooar family owned the property in the nineteenth century and are direct descendants from Abraham Mooar b. 1660 in Andover and died on April 12, 1706. Abraham married to Priscilla Poor b. June 22, 1667 and died on March 30, 1688.

Benjamin Mooar [5th generation], was born on Sept. 3, 1770 in Andover, son of Benjamin & Hannah (Phelps) Mooar. Ben, a carpenter, married on Nov. 19, 1795 to Phoebe Chandler b. Aug. 29, 1776 dau. of Zebadiah & Lucy Chandler. They had three children; Lucy C. b. 1800, John b. Mar. 6, 1810 and Nathan b. Sept. 18, 1812. Phoebe died on Feb. 29, 1824 and Benjamin remarried May 1, 1826 to Susanna Cummings. Susanna was b. on April 29, 1789 in Andover. They had two children; Hannah Jane b. July 18, 1827 and George b. May 27, 1830.
We do know that Benjamin Mooar deeded the property to his son Nathan on July 8, 1845. In the 1850 Federal census Nathan is listed as a farmer age 37. His wife Elizabeth H. is 35. They have a daughter Olive F. b. 1841 in Ipswich and his parents Benjamin age 80 and step-mother Susanna age 62 are living with them in the homestead.

Nathan married on Oct. 12, 1837 in Ipswich, MA to Elizabeth Howes Chapman born in 1818 in Ipswich. Nathan at the time was living in Rowley which also recorded their marriage. They had two children Olive F. b. 1841 and Joseph Warren b. May 1852 in Andover. He would be known as Warren Mooar.

Father Benjamin died on Jan. 17, 1855 and was interred at West Parish Cemetery. Susanna died on July 16, 1868 in Medford and is also buried at West Parish Cemetery. Nathan changed occupations and is listed as a shoemaker in the State census in 1855. Nathan died of heart disease on Oct. 14, 1887 age 75y 25 days. Elizabeth H. died ___________.

Son J. Warren Mooar married on June 16, 1881 in Andover to Ellen Eldesta Chandler b. July 1858 daughter of Joshua & Eldesta C. (Goldsmith) Chandler. Ellen was known as “Nellie” and was born in the Chandler family homestead just up the road at 59 Chandler Circle (now 3 Crenshaw Lane). Warren became a carriage painter. They had two sons; Phillip Chandler b. July 4, 1882 AVR (July 1 other records) and Clarence Warren b. June 25, 1883 d. Mar. 12, 1905. J. Warren died on May 12, 1922 and Nellie died on Aug. 26, 1933. Son Phillip C. inherited the property through his father’s estate.

Phillip C. Mooar listed his birth as July 1, 1882 on both the WWI and WWII draft registrations. He married in 1911 to Mary Ruth ________. b. 1888. They had one son Clarence Warren b. Dec. 19, 1912 in Maine. Phillip became an auto mechanic and was working in Boston at 255 North Hampton St. in 1917. He later had an auto repair business. After WWII he worked at J. P. Stevens Marland Mills and listed his residence as 87 No. Main St. in 1949. Son Clarence W. died on Apr. 20, 1951. He worked as a stock clerk for the American Woolen Co. Mary Ruth died in 1961 and Phillip died the following year in 1962. All are interred in West Parish Garden Cemetery.

The property was sold to C. Lincoln Giles, a local developer on Nov. 5, 1962. Giles then sold the property to Francis W. Donahue Jr., wife Judith, and Carol G. Donahue who co-owned the property for five years. They then sold to Marshall & Susan W. Field on Dec. 1, 1967. Field had the home for a little over two years selling on Feb. 27, 1970 to Vincent E. & Martha J. Giuliano.

The Giulianos held the property for five years then sold to Eugenes & Gail M. Schultz on Mar. 31, 1975. The Schultz family did extensive restoration work on the house during their stewardship of the property of 36 years.

Jacob W. & Amy M. Hafensteiner purchased the home on June 21, 2011 and are the current owners in 2014.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Ancestry.com – Mooar Family Genealogy
Chandler Family Genealogy
Andover Directories
Andover Vital Records
West Parish Garden Cemetery burial records
South Church Cemetery burial records
Andover Building Survey

Owners;
Thomas C. Foster -
Benjamin Mooar, wife Susana – Dec, 3, 1838, rec. Jul. 2, 1839 - b. 400 leaf 209 - $350 w/blds
Nathan Mooar – July 8, 1845 – b. 400 leaf 209 - $500 w/ blds.
Nathan Mooar estate – Oct. 14, 1887 - Probate #65650
Elizabeth H. Mooar – 1887 – Probate #66572
Joseph Warren Mooar
Phillip C. & Mary R. Mooar – May 12, 1928 – b. 540 p. 225 mtg. Lawrence deeds
Phillip C. Mooar estate, Charles G. Hatch extr. – Oct. 2, 1962 Probate
C. Lincoln Giles – Nov. 5, 1962 – b. 973 p. 337
Francis W. Donahue Jr. & Carol G. Donahue – Nov. 15, 1962 – b. 973 p. 337
Marshall & Susan W. Field – Dec. 1, 1967 – b. 1096 p. 325
Vincent E. & Martha J. Giuliano – Feb. 27, 1970 – b. 1149 p. 309
Eugenes & Gail M. Schultz – Mar. 31, 1975 – b. 1257 p. 525
Jacob W. & Amy M. Hafensteiner – June 21, 2011 – b. 12521 p. 320
Kenneth R. & Dorothy Lorenze - Sept. 25, 2019 - b. 16013 p. 54

Inventory Data:

StreetLowell St
PlaceWest Parish - West Andover
Historic DistrictNot Applicable
Historic NameMooar House
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence
Construction Datecirca 1692
SourceERDS, ENRDL
Architectural StyleFirst Period
Foundationstone & granite
Wall/Trimclapboards
Roofasphalt
Outbuildings / Secondary Structures20th century garage
Conditionexcellent
Acreage.349 acre - 15,196 sq. ft. approximate frontage 152' on Lowell and 130' on Lincoln St.
Settingresidential
Map and parcel71-62
MHC NumberANV.301
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975-77, 02/28/2006, 12/2014

Map: