Original owner: Ezra Valpey

Themes: Agricultural, Architectural, Community development

Historical significance: By tradition, builder said he "wanted to make a house strong enough to drive a team of four horses through!"

House difficult to date because cellar beams look 1840's or earlier.
In cellar is hand-made brick arch said to be remains of early blacksmith's forge. [unlikely. arch probable supported a second chimney later removed]. Carriage house was also stable (stalls and hayloft evident). House may have been built on earlier foundations.

This property was once part of Nathaniel Whittier's estate (he lived at 10 Summer Street - name came late in 1900). Whittier's land broken up and sold for house lots so street # 5 changed. Whittier's heirs his widow Hannah and three daughters Ann E. & Hannah E. Whittier and Mary L. Dickinson sold this lot to Ezra H. Valpey on Apr. 1, 1874 for $1000. Valpey then had the house built.
Ezra Valpey estate, Clover J. Stone Extr. - Feb. 12, 1924 - Probate
Charles R. Hoffman - Feb. 25, 1924 -

George Valpey and his brother Ezra Valpey followed in the family business as butchers. Their father Samuel George Valpey was b. April 12, 1819, son of Samuel S. Valpey & Elizabeth Abbott. Samuel G. owned a butcher shop in Andover in the Brick Block on Elm Square (5 Main St.). He married on Nov. 7, 1840 to Sarah Church Holt, b. April 1, 1821 in NH, dau. of Ezra & & Elizabeth G. (Wardwell) Holt. Samuel & Elizabeth had four children; George Harrison b. Aug. 3, 1841, Sarah C. b. Sept. 17, 1843, Ezra Holt b. July 26, 1846 and Charles Abram b. Sept. 22, 1849. The Valpey home was at 60 Elm St. Samuel died age 44 on Nov. 13, 1863. Wife Sarah died on Aug. 30, 1864.

Samuel's brother, Rev. Thomas Gilbert Valpey, was named guardian of his two nephews Ezra H. & Charles A., both minors at the time. Thomas was licensed to sell off the estate at auction on May 15, 1866. Son George H. Valpey, wife Ellen F. (Dodd), was the highest bidder at $3350. The following year Ezra Valpey receives his one undivided 1/4 share of the property. George H. Valpey and Ezra H. Valpey later sold the Elm St. property to John H. Flint for $8000. on August 23, 1873, which included the house and out-building with nine and half acres.

From the proceeds Ezra Valpey then built this home on Summer St., a short walk to work. They established meat market at 2 Main Street on Sept. 1866, the last of three locations. In 1880, brother George opened a market in Boston, Ezra ran the Andover business. Ezra began his career started by driving butcher cart for father Samuel from yard to yard.

Ezra Holt Valpey born July 26, 1846 died March 25, 1923 age 77. Ezra married in 1870 to Adelaide Mayberry of Bridgeton, Maine b. Dec. 3, 1842 d. June 14, 1921, lived at 13 Summer St. for 50 years. Ezra and Adelaide had two children; Fred S. b. Feb. 13, 1871 - d. June 6, 1907 and Edith Hilton b. March 8, 1880 - d. Sept. 18, 1945.

The Family was active in community affairs - gave to fund to establish Memorial Hall Library; active members of Christ Church, Andover Village Improvement Society. Ezra also owned land on Whittier Street (Real Estate Valuation, 1900) jointly owned the Mayberry House at 7 Summer Street with his brother George. The Valpey family were members are interred in the Christ Church cemetery.

The Valpey home was sold to Charles R. Hoffman on Feb. 25, 1924.