16 Argyle Street

Architectural Description: 

Colonial Revival

Historical Narrative: 

This home was built as part of the Shawsheen Village development 1918 – 1924 by William M. Wood, President of the American Woolen Company. Wood hired about eight different architects to design the homes and structures for the village. Homes were sold or leased through the Homestead Association who had offices in the Post Office building on the corner of North Main & Poor Streets.

After the death of William M. Wood on Feb. 2, 1926 most of the residential and commercial buildings were then sold. Some were held by the Wood family in the "Arden Trust" and others with the American Woolen Company, which had been deeded the property in December 1920. The A.W.Co. Board of Directors authorized its President, Lionel J. Noah, to deliver all deeds, as deemed necessary to the Textile Realty for sale on Dec. 29, 1931.

The Textile Realty then transferred ownership to the Andover Shawsheen Realty Company on June 30, 1932, holding the mortgage on the properties. T. Edwin Andrew, treasurer, was authorized to sell or lease the properties. With the Great Depression sales were sluggish and many homes were rented until the economy rebounded.

One of the first occupants of record to lease the home in 1926 were Chester O. & Ethel M. Williams. Chester was a clerk in Boston.

This house was sold to Alexander & Dorothy P. Campbell on June 1, 1940. The Campbells owned for fourteen years. Alexander was an engineer. Robert A. & Mary Lee Prochazka purchased the home on Aug. 20, 1954. From the sale to the Western Electric Company, Inc. on Jan. 21, 1959 we can conclude that Robert worked for the company. In the 1950's and 1960's there was a great influx of Western Electric Employees transferred from New Jersey to the new North Andover plant. Ofter they were transferred again and Western Electric would buy the home to facilitate the transfer.

Dennis F. & Gloria L. Connely Jr. purchased the property a few month later on Apr. 23, 1959.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Andover Maps, 1852, 1872, 1888, 1906, 1926
Andover Street Directories
Mills, Mergers and Mansions, by Edward Roddy 1982
See Map plan #704 - American Woolen Company - Sept. 1927
#878 - June 1932 - Textile Realty Company lot # 36
See #7 Argyle St. for Town Farm history

Owners;
Samuel Abbot - 1804 - 90 acre farm
Inhabitants of Town of Andover - 1807 – 1921 – Town Farm
Varter & Havenes Dagdegian - July 11, 1921 - b. 443 p. 503
Town of Andover, Geo. C. H. Dufton - July 12, 1921 - b. 443 p. 505 - 13.66 A
Town of Andover, July 12, 1921 - Town Meeting Nov. 1, 1921 sell
American Woolen Co., Wm. M. Wood - July 11, 1921 - b. 443 p. 296 - 12.56 acres - lot 1
American Woolen Co.- Nov. 15, 1921 - b. 450 p. 342 - 10 acres- lot 2
Textile Realty Co., Lionel J. Noah, Pres. A.W.Co. - Dec. 30, 1931 - b. 563 p. 334
Andover Shawsheen Realty Co. - June. 30, 1932 - b. 565 p. 87 - 14th parcel
Alexander & Dorothy P. Campbell - June 1, 1940 - b. 631 p. 241
Robert A. & Mary Lee Prochazka - Aug. 20, 1954 - b. 797 p. 294
Western Electric Company, Inc. - Jan. 21, 1959 - b. 889 p. 396
Dennis F. & Gloria L. Connely Jr. - Apr. 23, 1959 - b. 892 p. 281
J. Alan & Ingrid Hesketh - May 26, 1967 - b. 1082 p. 407
William A. Charlet C. Van Brunt - Aug. 12, 1979 - b. 1137 p. 344
James L. & Jane C. Batts - Mar. 24, 1974 - b. 1237 p. 684

Inventory Data:

StreetArgyle St
PlaceShawsheen Village - Frye Village
Historic DistrictShawsheen Village NRH District
Historic NameAlexander & Dorothy Campbell House
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1922 - 1923
SourceERDS, ENRDL, assessers' rec./style-njs
Architectural StyleColonial Revival
Foundationstone
Wall/Trimclapboard/wood
Roofgable - slate
Conditionexcellent
Acreage0.198 acre
Settingresidential
Map and parcel36-48
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975 - 1977, 7/9/2015

Map: