11 Center Street

Architectural Description: 

Greek Revival - 1 1/2 story Cape style
From the 1885 Ballardvale Center Birdseye view drawing we see what the homes looked like on Center St. The front roof dormer and large front picture window are clearly 20th century additions to the house. The vinyl siding covers much of the original Greek Revival door and window trim.

Historical Narrative: 

#11 Center St. today was formerly #9 Centre St. in earlier directories. Re-numbering and corrections were done in Andover in 1959. Centre St. on earlier maps and deeds was also referred to at times as Central St. in Ballardvale.

The Ballardvale Machine Shop Corp., John Marland, President, purchased much of the property in the center of Ballardvale in 1847. The land was then sub-divided the into house and store lots and began selling off parcels in 1848. John Marland and John Howe Jr. owned the parcel along Centre St. (now Center St.) and began auctioning off their 35 lots on July 28. 1847. The auctioneers were Loring, Abbott and Porter of Boston.

The Ballardvale Machine shop would begin selling off their holdings in 1848 and Samuel Abbott and William Abbott followed suit with their property on Oak and Tewksbury Streets. The greater portion of the village center was developed at this period of time.

Lots #11 and #12 on the Marland & Howe 1847 map, was sold to Hiram O. Tuttle on July 28, 1847 at auction, #11 for $65.67 containing 5254 sq. ft. and lot #12 of 4752 sq. ft. for $59.40. The two combined equaled 10,016 sq. feet which show up in later deeds. The deeds are interesting and confusing in that Tuttle appears to have sold off a portion of lot #12 containing 2016 sq. ft. to Thomas Finn after the auction. The deeds state, "not embraced and included" in the purchase of lot 12. This portion is now #9 Center St.

We know that Tuttle sold this lot to Arthur N. Bean in Dec. 1847. Bean owned an operated a Livery business in Ballardvale, later moved to Elm Sq. in Andover Center. In the 1850 Andover Valuation Schedule, West Parish - Bean is assessed a Dwelling house $600., Barn $150, shed $100, Farm Stock and Carriages $850. No land is assessed. Bean owned for seven years then selling to Owen Caffrey on Jan 12, 1855. Owen then sells to James Caffrey in Aug. 1856 then transferred to Thomas Caffrey, wife Ann in October. The property remained in the Caffrey family for 50 years then was sold to Jeremiah Cronin in Jan. 1905. The Cronin family held for 40 years. Caffrey purchased a second lot to the rear of the property in 1933.

Eugene & Rose R. Murnane purchased the property in March 1945. Eugene b. 1913 was a Mill operative and Rose b. 1900 a L.P. Nurse. Murnanes owned for 42 years.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Historical Sketches of Andover, Sarah Loring Bailey 1880
Andover Advertiser, Andover Townsman
Andover Historical Society files
Marland & Howe map Ballardvale Center - house and store lots July 1847
Ballardvale Machine Shop Corporation May 1848 - Franklin Darracott Engineer
Samuel Abbott & William Abbott house lots amp 1848
Andover maps; 1852, 1856, 1872, 1884, 1888, 1906
Andover Valuation Schedules, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1900, 1910, 1920
Map plan #12386
National Register of Historic Places

Owners:
John Marland & John Howe - July 28, 1847 Auction of lots
Hiram O. Tuttle, wife Harriet - Aug. 19, 1847 - b. 386 leaf 233 -234 - lots 11 & 12 = 10,016 sq. ft.
Arthur W. Bean - Dec. 17, 1847 - b. 393 leaf 231 - lot 12 - $100
Owen Caffrey - Jan. 12, 1855 - b. 508 leaf 21 - $500
James Caffrey - Aug. 19, 1856 - b. 537 leaf 157 - $350
Thomas Caffrey, wife Anne - Oct. 18, 1856 - b. 540 leaf 102 - $400
Thomas Caffrey estate, wife Anne
Jeremiah Cronin - Jan. 13, 1905 - b. 215 p. 275
Jeremiah Cronin - June 27, 1933 - b. 570 p. 558 - second lot - 1150 sq. ft.
Jeremiah Cronin estate, Frederick T. Cronin, Adm. - Apr. 28, 1939 - b. 570 p. 558
Catherine Cronin - May 4, 1939 - b. 622 p. 63
Catherine Cronin estate, Margaret V. Cronin heir - Probate #194108
Eugene & Rose Murnane - Mar. 28, 1945 - b. 671 p. 150
Eugene Murnane estate, Rose Murnane heir - Aug. 10, 1984 -
John C & Patricia A Schwing - July 7, 1987 - b. 2542 p. 259
Peter W. & Deborah H. (Mills) Stevens - Oct. 28, 1987 - b. 2616 p. 231
Robert M. & Carla C. Armstrong - May 6, 1994 - b. 4040 p. 191
Ronald I & Michelle M. (Crowe) Kravette - Feb. 26, 1999 - b. 5351 p. 255
Kristina M. Surette - Apr. 25, 2000 - b. 5734 p. 2
Douglas & Mary C. Gilreath - May 30, 2002 - b. 6863 p. 66
David C. Buczynski & Megan E. Patterson - June 29, 2007 - b. 10821 p. 31
David C. & Megan E. Buczynski - Feb. 27, 2009 - b. 11483 p. 315

Inventory Data:

StreetCenter St
PlaceBallardvale Center
Historic DistrictBallardvale Local Historic District
Historic NameBean - Caffrey - Cronin House
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1848 - 1850
SourceECRDS, ENRDL
Architectural StyleGreek Revival
Foundationstone
Wall/Trimclapboards/wood/vinyl siding
Roofasphalt - gable
Major Alterationsroof dormers, replacement windows, picture window, vinyl siding
Conditionexcellent
Acreage0.158 acre
Settingresidential
Map and parcel138-47
Recorded byRuth A. Sharpe, James S. Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Historical Society, Andover Preservation Commission
Date enteredSep 1998, 3/7/2016

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