Themes: Architectural, Community development
Present owner: Leo M. Greene

The early deeds state that this property was once owned by Dea. Ebenezer Walcot and acquired by Thomas Chandler Jr. Thomas Chandler married on Feb. 15, 1838-9 to Elizabeth Walcott. Thomas Jr. & Elizabeth had nine children: Elizabeth b. Dec. 17, 1739 – d. Jan. 15, 1739-40, Elizabeth b. Mar. 13, 1741-2, Bridget b. Apr. 2, 1744, Eunice b. Feb. 12, 1745-6 d. May 20, 1749, Ebenezer b. May 18, 1749, Thomas b. Oct. 22, 1751, Eliza b. Aug. 6, 1745, Peter b. Mar. 25, 1755 and Joseph b. Dec. 22, 1756.

Thomas Chandler died intestate and the courts appointed Samuel Blanchard to administer his estate in 1764. The farm consisted of a dwelling house, other buildings with 126 acres 75 poles in two parcels on both sides of Gould Rd. extending to the Reading line. The estate was sold at auction on Sept. 18, 1764 to Thomas widow Elizabeth for 455 pounds 14 shillings 9 pence.

Elizabeth Chandler sold the farm to Joel Jenkins, wife Martha, on April 30, 1777 for 460 pounds. In the deed, the property is described as a farm “(lying) in Andover excepting a part at the southeasterly corner which lies in Reading”, and belonging formerly to an Ebenezer Hallcot. (Wallcot).

Joel Jenkins was born June 4, 1754 Andover, MA, son of Samuel & Rebecca Jenkins. Joel, a farmer, enlisted as a private in Capt. Henry Abbot's Company which marched on the Lexington Alarm in 1775, and saw other Revolutionary service later. Joel married on Dec. 12, 1776 to Martha “Patty” Carter b. 1752 in Wilmington, MA dau. of Nathan & Martha (Jones) Carter. Joel & Patty had ten children. Patty b. June 26, 1777, Nabby b. Nov. 20, 1778, Joel b. Oct. 23, 1780, Jonathan b. June 4, 1782, Lydia b. Nov. 2, 1783, Micah b. July 26, 1786, Hannah b. Oct. 3, 1787, Nathan b. Oct. 7, 1789, Polly b. Apr. 24, 1791 and Eliab b. Jan 11, 1793.

Joel reputedly built the main block of the farmhouse in ca. 1797. This would make Joel Jenkins 43 years of age when he built the house. It is possible that he lived in one of the “buildings” already on the property mentioned in the deed. In the Direct Tax of 1798, there are listed two dwelling houses on the farm, including the Gould Farmhouse. The other dwelling is that of Samuel Jenkins Jr., most likely Joel’s nephew, which is described as a wooden, single-story, 952 square foot structure with eight windows. It is possible that this is where Joel lived before building the farmhouse, and upon completion, left the older (and smaller) house to his nephew Samuel Jenkins Jr.

Joel Jenkins held for 35 years then selling the 135 acre homestead for $3000. to Samuel Jenkins Jr. on March 31, 1812. Samuel Jenkins Jr. had married Survier Holt of Reading, MA in March 1812. Six years later on Sept. 5, 1818 Samuel sells the “whole part of my farm” for $3000 to John Duke of Dunbarton, NH. Duke, listed as a Gentleman, holds the property for two years then sells on Mar. 25, 1820 to Cornelius Gould of Boxford, MA for $1650. The Gould family would own this farm for 108 years.

Cornelius Gould, a Yeoman, was born Feb. 1, 1767 in Topsfield, MA, son of Major Joseph Gould Jr. & Elizabeth Emerson. Cornelius married Feb. 3, 1791 in Danvers, MA to Phebe Porter b. Aug. 20, 1769 in Danvers, dau. of Joseph & Phebe (Barrett) Porter. Cornelius & Phebe lived in Topsfield and Boxford had five children; Clarisa b. June 10, 1791, Betsey b. Dec. 11, 1793, Phebe b. Jan. 23, 1797, Joseph Porter b. Apr. 10, 1799 and Fanny b. Sept. 2, 1801. Wife Phebe died in Boxford in 1807. The 1810 Census lists Cornelius in Boxford, MA with six children.

Cornelius remarried in 1812 to Lydia Jenkins b. Nov. 2, 1783 in Andover, dau. Joel & Martha “Patty” (Carter) Jenkins, intention recorded on May 24, 1812. They had three children all born in Boxford, MA; Barzilia b. Dec. 14, 1814, Henry Augusta b. Mar. 4, 1816 and Emerson Porter b. Jan. 14, 1818.

On Mar. 25, 1820 Cornelius bought the Andover farm of 135 acres from John Duke of Dunbarton, NH. The 1820 Census lists the Gould family here with nine family members.

Son Henry A. Gould, married on Mar. 4, 1837 to Sarah “Sally” Batchelder of Reading b. Sept. 21, 1815. They bought the farm from his father on Aug. 17, 1837 for $800. Henry sells the farm back to his father on Mar. 21, 1839. Cornelius died on July 26, 1847 and was buried on the farm in a small family plot on the Andover and North Reading line. The town boundary line was altered in 1903 and moved north. The Gould Cemetery is now in North Reading about 150 yards south of the farmhouse on Central St. Henry was the Executor of his father’s estate and received the farm in the will.

Henry A. & Sally B. Gould had nine children: Henry E. b. Feb. 27, 1838, Sarah J. b. Aug. 18, 1839, Augustus b. Oct. 26, 1842 d. Oct. 31, 1842, Theodore F. b. Mar. 20, 1846, Mark F. b. Apr. 3, 1849, Evah “Ella” H. b. Oct. 23, 1853, Ida R. Mar. 16, 1856, Milo Hovey b. Feb. 22, 1858 and Asa Tibbets b. Aug. 26, 1860.

Henry A. Gould died on Feb. 13, 1896, age 80, interred at Spring Grove Cemetery. Sally died on Feb. 18, 1913. The Gould homestead went to son Milo Hovey Gould. Milo married on Apr. 27, 1880 to Clara Estella Batchelder b. Sept. 9, 1859 in Reading, dau. of George Otis & Esther (Worth) Batchelder. Milo & Clara had one daughter Florence Worth Gould b. July 19, 1885 and died on July 3, 1892 of Brian Congestion. Clara sadly died of cancer at age 28 on Mar. 12, 1888. Milo remarried on July 2, 1889 at Free Church to Carrie B. (Allen) Palmer v. Nov. 23, 1858 in Andover, dau. of Walter B. & Eliza A. (Findley) Allen. It was also the second marriage for Carrie. Carrie died on Aug. 14, 1921 and interred with her parents in Spring Grove Cemetery.

Milo Gould later sold the 135 acre family farm to Thomas Arnold Thompson on Aug. 24, 1928. The Thompson family owned for 48 years and converted it to a Poulty Farm. “Thomas Arnold and his son Kenneth each had one half interest in the poultry business, and upon Thomas’ death, one half of his share went to Kenneth, and the other to his son Nelson. He left his house and all its furnishings to his daughter, Helen.” The Thompson family also sub-divided acreage through the years. Alan E. & Jane K. Lounsbury purchased the old homestead for $30,000 on June 24, 1976 and owned for 22 years.

Leo M. & Kelly A. Greene purchased the property on Aug. 25, 1998. Leo M. Greene has been restoring the house and continues as owner of record in 2017. In 2009 while a student at Boston University's Preservation program, Leo Green did an extensive report on the history of the house and families for the National Register of Historic Places. Leo is a member of the Andover Preservation Commission.