Themes: architectural, community development

This area of West Andover was once the Bailey School District of West Parish. The former schoolhouse built in 1868 is now part of the home at 47 Bailey Rd. This Cape style home now occupies the site of the former home of the Miles Flint farmhouse listed in 1975 on the Andover Building Survey.

The Miles Flint house visually appeared as mid-19th century building. The deeds confirm that assessment. The property was owned by Simeon Hardy, Yeoman, wife Mary, in 1847. Hardy sold this small 1/8 acre of land on the north side of the road to Miles Flint, a House-wright, on July 1, 1847. Miles paid $12. for the lot, then borrowed $150. from Moses Foster to build his home. Miles paid off the loan on May 5, 1851. Miles Flint was born on Sept. 13, 1813, son of Simeon & Martha (Furbush) Flint. Miles married on Sept. 30, 1838 to Catherine Hardy b. 1816 in Tewksbury, daughter of Stephen & Sarah (Bailey) Hardy. In the 1850 Andover Valuation Schedule Miles Flint is assessed $500 for dwelling house and $308 for 14 acres of adjoining land.

Miles Flint became a farmer but also listed his occupation as Carpenter. Miles purchased a 16 acre parcel of land across the street from his home and built a barn with connecting sheds. His farm totaled 82 acres along Bailey and Haggetts Pond Roads. Miles & Catherine had six children: Charles b. Oct. 1841, George Edward b. Feb. 24, 1848, Sarah F. b. May 5, 1849, James Seldan b. July 31, 1851, Mary Ella b. 1854, and Simeon b. Aug. 6, 1857.

The 1860 Census lists Miles as carpenter and his son George E. as a farmer. In 1870 son James is also working the farm. Miles died on Sept. 30, 1875 at age 62y 9 d. He is interred at West Parish Garden Cemetery. George E. appears as the head of the household in 1880. With his mother and siblings living together on the farm. George E. married Roxanna Long on April 11, 1882. His mother Catherine died a few months later on Oct. 10, 1882. The farm was inherited by all her four surviving children.

George Edward Flint would later buy out his siblings. George and Roxanna had three children; William M., George D. L. and Cynthia Ella Flint. Daughter Cynthia married Walter E. Pike, an accountant, and built a home in 1922 at 126 Lowell Street. Cynthia, a teacher, founded Pike School in Andover. According to the Pike School history, in 1926, Cynthia began the school with the first classes in the two front rooms. The school moved into rented space in the former American Woolen Co. Administration Building in Shawsheen Village then purchased the former Forbes Home at 5 Porter Rd and converted it into Pike School.

Louis Russell, wife Kathryn M. purchased a portion of the farm from the Flint heirs in 1918. On Oct. 26, 1937 Russell receives the remainder of the farm from Mary Russell Flint.

Louis Russell sold the 82 acre farm to Lawrence A. Thomes on June 9, 1939. Thomes owned until his death in 1992. His estate was administered by James H. Eaton III via Probate on Sept. 23, 1992. The farmhouse lot was sold to Thomas & Mary Ellen Carroll in September 1992. The Flint farmhouse was razed in October 1992 and the new home built on the site. The Carroll family continue as owners of record in 2016.

The barn lot was sold to Herbert Schurion, etc. in 1970's. With the construction of Routes 93 and 495 in the late 1950's and early 1960's, the farm land in Andover was purchased by developers and the agricultural makeup of West Andover shifted to suburban housing neighborhoods.