238 South Main Street

Architectural Description: 

NRDIS NRMRA Federal style home, hip roof,
Overlap in gable field

Historical Narrative: 

This property was owned by John Phillips who sold off house lots to Abraham J. Gould and Timothy Flagg in 1817. The men were Printers, booksellers and business partners who established the Flagg & Gould printing company in Andover. Their print shop was located just north of their homes on the green triangle of lawn between Main & Dwight Streets and Highland Rd. Many publications were published for Andover Theological Seminary and the missionary movement. Flagg & Gould were pioneers in Oriental languages printed in this country; Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, Greek & Hebrew Grammars, Lexicons, etc. Eleven different languages in type. Through their dedication, Andover Press had an international reputation in education and theology. The “Bibliotheca Sacra”, American Track Society and the fist temperance newspaper, the “Journal of Humanity” in 1829 were printed here. Both active members of South Church. Mr. Gould was a Deacon for 23 years. Mr. Flagg died in 1833 and Gould took on a new partner Mark H. Newman, a Bowdoin College graduate. In 1841 the business was sold to Messrs. Allen, Morrill and Wardwell. Abraham continued as proof reader until three years before his death.

Abraham Jones Gould was born in 1792 in Weston, MA son of Isaac & Esther Gould. Abraham served his apprenticeship at the University printing office in Cambridge. Abraham married on Nov. 16, 1815 in Andover to Zeruiah Griffin b. Feb. 6, 1797 in Andover, dau. of Jonathan & Zeruiah (Vicker) Griffin. Abraham & Zeruiah had four children: Wm. Henry Jones b. Sept. 28, 1816- d. Oct. 18, 1816, Esther Marie b. June 28, 1819 – d. Jan. 25, 1847 Abraham J. b. May 7, 1821 and Julia Ann b. Dec. 6, 1822 d. June 12, 1894. Wife Zeruiah died on May 23, 1823 at age 26.

Abraham remarried on July 8, 1824 to Mary B. Brown b. 1799 in Tewksbury, MA and there were six children from their union. Timothy Ballard b. Aug. 2, 1825 –d. Aug. 24, 1825, Mary Ballard b. Aug. 24, 1827, George B. b. June 1830 - d. Oct. 2, 1844, Zeruiah Elizabeth b. Aug. 3, 1831, infant b. Mar. 24, 1834 died Mar. 25, 1834 and Edward Brown b. July 27, 1839 –d. Oct. 2, 1844.
The 1850 Valuation of A. J. Gould; Dwelling House, barn and 1 ¼ acre $2300, 1a Pearson lot $75, 5a pasture $150, 2a meadow $60, 1 a. opp. Curtis $100 = $2685 Farm Stock $90, Stock $200. Mrs. M. Gould, Child’n 5 shares Andover Bank $450.

The census records also reveal the Gould house boarding students at the Academy and Seminary. In 1850; children Julia 24, Mary D. 21 and Timothy 25 at home with 8 students, and Hannah Brown 48 and a domestic Margaret Tierney 24 from Ireland. State census of 1855 lists 8 ATS students and 3 academy students, one domestic and a 14 year old boy Lewis Thomas of Wales.
Abraham died on May 24, 1868 at the age of 76 and is interred at South Parish Cemetery. Wife Mary B. remained in their home until her death on Nov. 30, 1893 at the age of 94y 9m 8d.

Their son George became a broker and married July 29, 1862 to Amelia C. Temple b. Nov. 7, 1834 in Woburn, MA dau. of Charles & Bridget Temple. Amelia was a teacher in Worcester, MA in 1856 and from 1858 to spring of 1862 a missionary teacher in a Female boarding school at Suk el Ghurb, on Mount Lebanon in Syria. George and Amelia had two children: Emma b. 1863 and Edward Stafford b. Sept. 17, 1866. Sadly Amelia died Dec. 20, 1873 in W. Roxbury, MA. The 1880 census list George and children here with his mother, sister Julia, Roxanna Temple 58 and two domestics. Emma tragically drown at Ogunquit Beach with a friend Mary Bigelow Stafford on July 23, 1883.
George later remarried Oct. 5, 1887 to Lydia W. (Herrick) Brown, a teacher from Woodstock, CT.
Mary B. Gould died on Nov.30, 1893 at the age of 94y 9m 8d. Daughter Julia A. died June 12, 1894.
George Gould was the Executor of the estate and sold to property to Sarah J Chandler, wife of George W. on Jan. 5, 1898. George Chandler had a wood and Coal business in 1898 and in 1913 is listed as a Postal letter carrier.

1830 Andover Map - Gould
1852 " A. J. Gould
1872 " " p 53, Mrs. Gould
1884 Essex County p. 117, Est. A, J. Gould
1906 plan.24 - Geo. W. Chandler, 2 barns, one connected to the house

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Andover Advertiser May 29, 1868 A..J. Gould obit.
Federal & State Census
Ancestry.com Gould family
Andover Maps
Andover Valuation Schedule

Owners:
John Phillips
Abraham J. Gould – July 19, 1817 rec. 5/28/1818 – b. 228 leaf 286
Abraham J. Gould estate, Mary B. heir
Mary B. Gould estate, George Gould Extr. – Jan. 8, 1894 – Probate
Sarah J Chandler, wife of George W. – Jan. 5, 1898 – b.160 p. 442
Sarah J. & George W. Chandler – May 10, 1913 – b. 330 p. 129
Sarah J. & George W. Chandler to Cyrus W Scott - May 10, 1913 – b. 330 p. 130 mtg.
George W. Chandler
Helen H. Bloomberg, wife of Horace D. – Feb. 24, 1923 – Certificate #1193
Trustees of Phillips Academy – July 6, 1927 – Ctf. #1591
David & Joan Breitman – Sept. 30, 1975 – Ctf. #7361
Paul E. Pullen – Jan. 5, 1981 – Ctf. #8684
Paul E. & Frances Pullen – June 3, 1981 – Ctf. #8740
Michael J. & Susan B. Sullivan – Feb. 25, 1986 – Ctf. #9931
Yeeshin K. & Michael D. Harvey – June 5, 2015 – Ctf. #17312

Inventory Data:

StreetSouth Main St
PlacePhillips District
Historic DistrictAcademy Hill NRH District
Historic NameGould, Abraham House
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1817
SourceERDS, NERDL, style,
Architectural StyleOther
Foundationstone & granite
Wall/TrimClapboard/wood
RoofAsphalt/hip
Outbuildings / Secondary Structuresbarn
Conditionexcellent
Acreage0.845 acre
SettingResidential/Educational
Map and parcel58-20
MHC NumberANV.364
Recorded byBarbara Thibault, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Historical Society, Andover Preservation Commission
Date enteredOct. 1987, Dec. 13, 2021

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