Themes: Architectural, Community Development
present owner: McQuade, Robert & Ruth Family Trust

This house was moved here from the north side of Lowell Street at the Route 93 interchange on ramp to Boston. Within the interior loop on the west side can still be see some retaining walls. The current barn is not related to the original property. (Mar 25 1988)
The home on Lowell Street was once owned by Erza Abbot. Ezra Abbot was born on April 19, 1801 in Andover, son of David & Priscilla (Chandler) Abbot. Ezra married on his birthday in 1849 at age 47 to Hannah Bailey b. Mar. 13, 1813 in Andover dau. of William Jr. & Rebecca (Gillson) Bailey. They had one daughter Hattie Rebecca b. Sept. 21, 1852. In the 1850 Andover Valuation schedule Ezra was living at 172 Lowell St. near West Parish Church.

On March 8, 1852 Ezra purchased the farm of David Abbot, (his brother) which included 47 acres, dwelling house, barn and outbuildings. The 1860 Valuation lists Dwelling house, $350, Barn $150, 49 acre home farm $1000, D. Abbott Farm, house $700, barn $250, 47 acres adjoining $1050, 3¾ acre meadow $60, for a total of 99 acres & assessment $3580. Farm stock $134.
His wife Hannah B. died of consumption on Nov. 8, 1860 age 47y 8m and is interred at West Parish Cemetery.
Ezra remarried on April 9, 1863 to Mary Ingalls, d. Sept. 9, 1819 in Andover, Dau. of Ezra & Dolly Ingalls.
They had one son Harry Page Abbot b. July 22, 1867.

On August 8, 1861 Ezra sold to Lewis Comptois of Lowell, wife Susan, four parcels of land with dwelling house, barn and out buildings for $1800. The first two parcels equaled 24 acres, included a natural water spring and the buildings on the north side of the road from the West Parish Meeting house to Haggett's Pond. The 3rd parcel abutted the house lot and the 4th and 5th were on the opposite side of the road. Comptois occuption is listed as a soap manufacturer. They held the property for 12 years then selling for $3250 to Jennie P. Hardy of Lowell, wife of Stephen Hardy. The Hardys occupied the home for nine years.

Elizabeth Raynor, wife of William purchased the home for $3500 on Oct. 2, 1882. Her husband William died and Elizabeth then sold to John L. Hilton of Boston, MA on Sept. 18, 1889. The property contained the 24 acre house parcel and a 13 acre pasture and woodland on the south side of Lowell St. The Hilton family would own the property for the next 68 years.

John Lowell Hilton was born in 1835 in Jefferson, ME, son of Jewell & Hannah (Chapman) Hilton. John was a machinist and lived and worked in Boston. The 1893 Andover directory list him as “in Summer” home on Lowell St. in the Osgood District. John married in 1861 in Boston to Ellen b. 1835 England and they had one son Erwin b. 1861. Erwin married on Dec. 27, 1887 in Boston to Susan Snow b. 1861 in Harwich, MA dau. of Stillman & Elvira Snow. Erwin & Susie had four children; Bernice Snow b. Jan. 1889, Roy Lowell b. Feb. 24, 1891, Kenneth b. July 2, 1893 and Carroll Stillman b. May 30, 1900.

On Nov. 16, 1905 John transferred the deed to Ellen Hilton. John died on Aug. 9, 1907 in Andover and is interred in Spring Grove Cemetery. Ellen Hilton died on March 23, 1914 at age 79. The property was willed to daughter in law, Susie H. Hilton on June 25, 1914. Her husband Irwin Hilton quit claimed the property to Susie. The Andover 1920 valuation lists Erwin of Winchester, MA with the Lowell St. house & shed $600, Barn & shop $250 with 37 acres of land $1000. On Dec 31, 1929 the deed was transferred from Susie to Erwin Hilton of Winchester, MA via Kenneth Hilton.

Kenneth Hilton served during WWI and married Georgianna Lovejoy b. 1896 in Andover, a public school teacher. They rented the home from his parents. In the 1926 directory Kenneth is a poultry-man farmer and Georgianna is the teacher at the Bailey District School. They had two children Irvin b. 1920 and Kenneth Jr. b. 1936.

Erwin died on April 12, 1940 and the property went back to Susie H. Hilton. She then sold to Kenneth & Georgianna L. Hilton on Aug. 17, 1946. Kenneth & Georgianna are listed here until the property was taken for construction of Route 93 in 1957.

With the construction of Interstate 93 in the late 1950's the new highway cut a route through the farmland of West Andover. Land was taken by the Federal Government and owners compensated for the loss of land and in some cases the entire farm. The Hilton homestead was located in the path of the highway.

Commonwealth of Mass. took by eminent domain all the land along the corridor. Hilton sold in Dec. 1956. The Town took a portion in June 1957 to protect the Haggett's Pond watershed. The remaining land was sold off to developers and the Hiltons moved to North Andover.

It is believed that Fred W. Doyle, purchased the Hilton house and moved it onto the lot on Gleason St. Fred W. Doyle was a local builder and contractor and owned a lumber yard on Chandler Rd. where he lived. That site is now occupied by the Greek Orthodox Church. The Lumber yard re-located to River Road.

In 1959 Doyle sold this house to Robert E. & Ruth C. McQuade. The McQuade Family Trust continues as owners of record now 59 years later in 2018. Robert McQuade worked for the Town Public Works Department, became Department Head and the Water Treatment Plant at Haggetts Pond was named in his honor for his service to the Town. His wife Ruth is an active member of the West Parish Church and the Women's Evening Circle. The McQuades raised four children in this home.

After the deaths of Robert and Ruth McQuade the family trust sold the home to Derek B/ & Sarah A. Durkin on Dec. 12, 2019