Themes - Architectural and Community development
Original owner Stephen Osgood.

The awkwardly composed design reflects its centuries of architectural growth. The original building consisted of four rooms built around a central chimney; Isaac Osgood is thought to have added the eastern part of the house (making its L shape) and the northeast corner wing. The pretentiousness of this status-conscious owner is reflected in the buildings dignified window cornices, fine pedimented doorway, uncommon in Andover, and large windows and hipped roof. The home is one of a few remaining First Period homes in Andover.

116 Osgood St. is traditionally dated from 1699, the year of Stephen Osgood's marriage to Hannah Blanchard, uniting two very prominent West Andover families. Samuel Blanchard gave 50 acres of land to his daughter, Hannah, upon her marriage to Stephen Osgood. It is the sister house to 7 Heartstone Place (formerly 62 Osgood St. and the same year Thomas Blanchard got 50 acres and built his house to live in). The Osgood House is famous for the location where James Otis died. In the 1700’s when you became senile, they sent you into the country, which was Andover in those days. James Otis is credited with his political activism prior to the Revolution. Some say it was his voice that started us on the path to Revolution. Otis was killed by a bolt of lightning on the back step in 1783.

The house was built on part of the extensive landholdings of Hannah's father, Samuel Blanchard, whose property stretched between Lovejoy Road and Tewksbury from Blanchard's Pond (now Haggett's Pond) to Dascomb Rd. Hannah's brother Thomas lived just east of his sister at what is now 7 Hearthstone Rd, former #62 Osgood St. This area is referred to as Blanchard's Plain in many old deeds.

Stephen Osgood, b. Aug. 16, 1670 Andover, MA , son of Stephen & Mary Osgood, married May 24, 1699 to Hannah Blanchard b. Sept. 26, 1681 in Charlestown, MA ,daughter of Samuel & Hannah (Doggett)Blanchard. Stephen & Hannah had nine children: Hannah b. Mar. 4, 1702 d. Mar. 11, 1729, Sarah b. Jul 8, 1704 d. Mar. 31, 1732, Mary b. Apr. 5,1706 d. Dec. 4, 1745, Lt. Stephen b. Aug. 18, 1709 d. Mar. 24, 1772, Lydia b. Mar 9, 1712 d. Sept. 14, 1816, Capt. Isaac b. Feb. 21, 1713 d. Oct. 8, 1792, David b. Feb. 25, 1718 d. Feb. 8, 1742, Rachel b. Jan. 7, 1720 d. 1745 and Joshua b. July 17, 1724 d. Apr. 26, 1808. Stephen Osgood died Jan. 10, 1749. Hannah died March 16, 1774.

The homestead was inherited by the Osgoods' second son, Isaac. a Captain in the "French and Indian War" who is said to have always worn a wig to emphasize his position in this simple farming community. Captain Isaac Osgood b. Feb. 1713, married on April 18, 1745, in Reading, MA to Elizabeth “Betsy” Flint b. Feb. 8, 1722, in Reading, MA daughter of William & Abigail (Nichols) Flint. Isaac & Betsy had seven children: Elizabeth b. Apr. 14, 1746, d. Sept. 30, 1750, David b. Oct. 14, 1747, d. Dec. 12, 1822, Isaac b. Nov. 24, 1749, d. Feb. 24, 1775, Lucy b. 1750 d.______, Jacob b. Nov. 16, 1752, d. Nov. 29, 1838, Kendall b. July 11, 1756, d. Aug. 19, 1801, and Eliza b. 1758 d. Nov. 8, 1821. Betsy Osgood died on June 11, 1773, and Isaac on October 8, 1792.

Isaac's third son, Jacob, inherited the property and was a wealthy and highly respected farmer. He served in Nicholas Holt's company during the Revolutionary War, was a friend and host to James Otis Jr., the patriot lawyer and orator. Otis spent nearly two years at the Osgood farm recuperating from a head injury and was killed here by lightening in 1783. This homestead has since been connected to Otis and his tragic end.

From Wikipedia, - James Otis, Jr. (February 5, 1725 – May 23, 1783) was a lawyer in colonial Massachusetts Bay Colony, a member of the Massachusetts provincial assembly, and an early advocate of the Patriot views against British policy that led to the American Revolution. His catchphrase "Taxation without representation is tyranny” became the basic Patriot position. "Otis became one of the most vocal opponents of the Stamp Act and wrote numerous outwardly critical tracts against the Act."
Unique in his era, Otis favored extending the basic natural law freedoms of life, liberty and property to African Americans. He asserted that blacks had inalienable rights. The idea of racial equality also permeates Otis's Rights of the British Colonies (1764), in which he stated: “The colonists are by the law of nature free born, as indeed all men are, white or black.”

Otis suffered from increasingly erratic behavior as the 1760s progressed. Otis received a gash on the head by British tax collector John Robinson's cudgel at the British Coffee House in 1769. Some mistakenly attribute Otis's mental illness to this event alone, but John Adams, Thomas Hutchinson, and many others mention Otis's mental illness well before 1769; in reality, though it was not the cause, the blow to the head Otis received made the mental illness he suffered far worse, and shortly after, he could no longer continue his work. By the end of the decade, Otis's public life largely came to an end. Otis was able to do occasional legal practice during times of clarity.
Otis died suddenly on May 23, 1783 at the age of 58 when, as he stood in the doorway of his friend's house, (Jacob Osgood), he was struck by lightning. He is reported to have said to his sister, Mercy Otis Warren, "My dear sister, I hope, when God Almighty in his righteous providence shall take me out of time into eternity that it will be by a flash of lightning".

This is what is written by his biographer back in 1823 in "The Life of James Otis" by William Tudor p. 485 - 1823 Boston:
"Six weeks exactly after his return, on Friday afternoon the 23rd day of May 1783, a heavy cloud suddenly arose, and the greater part of the family were collected in one of the rooms to wait till the shower should have past. Otis, with his cane in one hand, stood against the post of the door which opened from this apartment into the front entry."..
Footnote*
His own room was on the left-hand side of the front door, when looking at the plate; and at his death, he was standing in the doorway of the room to the right. The lightning struck the chimney, followed a rafter of the roof which rested upon one of the upright timbers, to which the door post was contiguous. The casing of this door was split, and several of the nails torn out all which marks still remain as they were at the time. (all lost in fire in 1925)

Isaac & Betsy's oldest son David Osgood b. 1747 - d. 1822, became a Minister and lived in Medford, MA. David married Hannah Breed b. 1847 - d. 1818. They had four children: Mary b. 1787-d.1859, Lucy b. 1789 d. 1789, Lucy b. 1791 d.1873 and David b. 1793 d. 1863.

Isaac & Betsy's son Jacob Osgood b. Nov. 16, 1752 - d. Nov. 29, 1838, inherited the Osgood farm after his father died in 1792. Jacob married on June 27, 1811, in Reading, MA to the widow Lucy (Tufts) Putnam b. Dec. 11, 1767, in Medford, MA, daughter of Peter & Anne (Adams) Tufts. Lucy first married Dr. Daniel Putnam Jr. of Reading. Daniel died on Nov. 3, 1773, age 26. Jacob and Lucy had no children. Jacob died on Nov. 29, 1838, at age 86. Lucy died on June 10, 1849. Jacob & Lucy Osgood’s estate went to the three children of Jacob’s brother Rev. Daniel Osgood. Mary Osgood and Lucy Osgood lived in Medford and Dr. David Osgood in Boston. David quit claimed the property to his two sisters. Isaac P. Osgood was the executor.

The 1850 Andover Valuation lists the West Parish farm: Isaac Osgood of Boston – Dwelling House $1000., Barn & other buildings $500., 185 acre Farm $7000.

On October 9, 1851, Mary & Lucy Osgood sold the farm ending 152 years of Osgood ownership. The property was purchased by Augustus E. Spaulding of Chelmsford who then sold the 84-acre homestead lot and a 16-acre pasture lot to Job Abbot and Herman P. Chandler the same day. Abbot & Chandler held the place for one year then sold for $2500 to Daniel Fox Jr., Yeoman and wife Abigail E. on June 16, 1852.

Fox held for one year then selling to Wadleigh Noyes and wife Phebe A. of Bedford, NH. The homestead lot is the first parcel mentioned in the deed. Noyes owned for 15 years. Another historically significant owner as Wadley Noyes kept an inn and tavern here from 1853-1863. Wadleigh was born in Methuen on Apr. 8, 1796, married Phoebe Abbot Ballard b. June 1801 in Peterborough, NH daughter of William & Mary (Chandler) Ballard. Children; Nathan B. b. 1827 - d 1829, Aaron b. Jan. 27, 1829 - d. May 11, 1900, Mary Ann b. 1832 d. Sept. 11, 1835, Mary A. & Martha E. b. 1839. Moses b. 1836 - d. Dec. 25, 1839, William Gilbert b. Nov. 12, 1837 - d. Oct. 17, 1864, Josiah Milton b. Jan. 6,1833 - d. Sept. 7, 1886 Henry Alfred b. 1847 - d Aug. 28, 1887. Noyes then sold to Charles S. Clark and wife Esther Ann of Lawrence for $4000 on June 15, 1868. Wadleigh Noyes moved to Tewksbury where he died May 24, 1871. Phoebe Noyes died in Melrose on Mar. 5, 1881. Both are interred at West Parish Cemetery, Andover, MA

1868 – 1884 Charles S. Clark was b. 1820 in Alton, NH son of Aaron Clark and is listed as a carpenter. Charles married Esther Ann Richards b. Oct. 14, 1827 in Montpelier, VT, dau. of Elias & Mary (Tuttle) Richards. The family lived in Lawrence, MA where their six children were born. Charles A. b. 8/30/1850 - d. 7/2/1913, George L. b. 2/17/1853 - d. 11/29/1921,
William DeForest b. 10/3/1857 - d. 11/19/1911, Adelbert F. “Dell” b. 5/ /1862 - d. 5/21/1931, Lillian A. b. 8/17/1864 -d. 6/2/1866 Measles, Ella B. b. 8/13/1867 - d. 4/1946
1870 Census lists Charles S. 50 farmer, Esther A. 47, son Charles A. 19 milk peddler, George L. 17, farm laborer, William D. 12 and Adelbert 7 at school and Ella B. age 2.
1880 Census – Charles, wife Esther, William, Adelbert & Ella B. 13 at school. Also George E. Shute 32 Boarder laborer. Charles died on Oct. 6, 1881 age 61 and is interred at West Parish Cemetery.
Andover Advertiser Oct. 14, 1881 p.2 - Mr. Charles S. Clark who died at his residence in the West Parish, on the 6th inst. last., at the age of 61 years, formerly lived in Lawrence, and removed to this town some fifteen years ago. He had been out of health for 24 years, and had not done a day’s work for nearly seven years. His disease was probably consumption and during the last or his sickness he was a great sufferer.
Widow Esther Ann Clark later sold the now 85-acre farm on June 19, 1884, to Joseph & Delia Bourdelais for $3475.

1884 – 1950 - Joseph Bourdelais was born Aug. 20, 1851 in Lanoraie, Quebec, Canada . Joseph married on 1/25/1875 in Lawrence to Delia LaPoint b. July 1854 also from Quebec, Canada. Joseph & Delia lived in Lawrence prior to the move to West Andover. They had ten children, eight survived to adulthood: Louis b. 6/25/1876 - d. 7/25/1876, Joseph Harry b. 4/17/1878 - d. 12/24/1946, Alma b. 7/19/1880 -d. 1957, Mathilda Rose b. 4/9/1882 -d. 1957 m. 3/30/1910 Louis C. Cyr, Sarah b. 11/1884 - d. 1974, Mary Georgina b. 5/13/1887 - d.1987, Wilfred b. 2/1889 - d. 12/25l1907 age 18y 10m., Louis Joseph b. 7/29/1890 -d. 4/6/1971, Ida b. 11/1893 - d. and Arthur b. 12/1895 d. 8/26/1899 age 3y 9m.

The 1900 Census lists the entire family and in 1910 only J. Harry, Mary G. and Ida remain with their parents. Harry is working the farm with his father and Mary is working in a millinery shop. Joseph’s farm was both general and dairy. The 1920 Valuation House & shed $900, Barn & shed $600, House Osgood District $600, 70 acres $2000, 15 acres adj. small house $400, 42 ½ acres $700 = $5200. 127.5 acres.
Andover Townsman - Jan. 30, 1925 – West Parish p. 6 "Observe Golden Anniversary" – Sunday, January 25, marked the golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Bourdelais, Osgood road. On Saturday morning, Mr. and Mrs. Bourdelais renewed their marriage vows at a high mass celebrated by the Rev. Father Millet of the Sacred Heart Church, Lawrence. Mrs. Bourdelais was attended by her sister, Mrs. Ida Gallant of Minneapolis, Minnesota, while Mr. Bourdelais was attended by his brother, Octave Bourdelais of Lawrence.
The family gathered at the old home on Osgood road Sunday to partake of the dinner served by Caterer Weigel of Lawrence and to attend the reception which followed. Rev. Father Millet sat at the head of the table and offered prayer. Luis Cyr, Jr., a grandson, presented the happy couple with a beautiful shower bouquet of roses, each rose having a gold piece attached, and Wilfred Cyr presented a platter with several gold pieces on it. Friends from Lawrence, Nashua, N. H., Boston, Hartford, Conn., Minneapolis, Minn., and Andover were present with congratulations and best wishes. Music and readings by some of the guests gave another happy touch to an already perfect day.

Andover Townsman - Jan. 30, 1925 -
Fire at the Bourdelais Homestead - Four rooms were gutted, with damage estimated at $3000, by a fire discovered shortly after ten o'clock Wednesday morning (28th) at the Bourdelais homestead on Osgood road. This is one of the oldest houses in Andover, said to have been built in 1711, and a huge beam, imbedded in the old-fashioned chimney and gradually eaten away by the fires of many years caused the fire. Owing to the excellent condition of the roads and the fact that a hydrant with good pressure was situated just in front of the house, the firemen were able to confine the flames to the rear of the house, to two rooms on the ground floor and two on the second floor. The furniture was removed to the yard where it was covered and returned to the shelter of the house when the fire was extinguished. The loss was partially covered by insurance.

Joseph died Sept. 13, 1929. Obit p. 4 Joseph Bourdelais 77 yrs. – 45 years in Andover. Born Canada, wife Edith, two sons Louis and Harold, five daughters Sarah, Mary, Mrs. Alma Defayette, Mrs. Matilda Cyr, and Mrs. Ida Clair. – 1 brother Octave – interred St. Augustine’s Cemetery.
Son Louis J. would take over operation of the farm. The 1930 Census lists Delia 75, Sarah M. 44, a nurse, Mary G. 42 and Lewis J. general farmer, also John Lynch age 16 b. RI, lodger and farm laborer. On April 25, 1931, Delia & Mary sold 16 acres parcel of farm land to Almas Assoian. Widow Delia died in 1935 and her half of the farm went to her daughter Mary G. Bourdelais. The 1940 Census includes Leo Legender, age 16, lodger, farm laborer.

1950 – 1975 - The farm was sold to John M. & Elizabeth W. Forbes on Nov. 4, 1950. John Murry Forbes b. July 14, 1910 in Milton, MA son of John Waldo & Margaret (Leighton) Forbes. John graduated Harvard in 1932 and was a physicist. He married Elizabeth W. Bean John served in the US Army Air Corps during WWII, was a radio operator and gunner, and flew 21 bombing missions over Germany. He also worked for the Navy, on a process of demagnetizing ships hulls. After the war John was VP of Carolina Orchid Growers, of Southern Pines. N.C. and then Consolidated Chemical Co. in Woburn. Forbes later moved to Woods Hole and became administrator of the Falmouth Nursing Home. John & Elizabeth had two children; Children: Beryl M. b. 1944 and Christopher L. b. 1947.
With the construction of Route 93 in the late 1950s many of the working farms were subdivided and sold off to developers for housing. When Forbes later sold to Russell G. & Sarah M. Baker in 1975 for $90,000 only10.94 acres remained of the former Osgood Farm.

1975 – 1979 - Russell G. Buker b. 1926 and was a financial consultant. Sarah “Sally” Buker b. 1928 was a Retailer. They owned four years then moved to 361 River Rd. Theysold the home for $100,000 to Thomas O. Jones & Betty G. Mobbs .

1979 – 1982 Thomas O. Jones & Betty G. Mobbs purchased the property on Mar. 23, 1979. Thomas b. 1944 was a Data Processor, Betty b. 1952 is listed as At Home in 1981.

1982 – 1996 - Peter Fine & Ramona J. Martinez purchased the property on Aug. 30, 1982 for $182,500. The deed was transferred to Peter Fine on Oct. 25, 1990 who took a mortgage with the Northeastern Mortgage Co., Inc. on Oct. 29, 1990. The mortgage was later sold to Antucket Trust, James F. Gately II, Trustee on July 7, 1995. The property was foreclosed on in 1996 and sold at public auction on August 6, 1996 for $168,000. Susa E. Odle was the purchaser.

1996 – 2024 - Susan E. (Berberian) Odle was b. Sept. 11, 1952, daughter of Vahan "Vi" and Beverly (Hagopian) Berberian. Susan married David Odle and lived in Lexington. Susan purchased the Osgood homestead on Aug. 16, 1996. Susan owned the property for 26 years until her death on June 28, 2024. It does not appear that she resided in the home very long but used it only as a storage facility. Eleven sheds were added to the property over the years. At some point a new metal roof was put on the house, which protected the interior of the building from the elements. Susan filed a Homestead deed on Aug. 27, 2012. The property was vacant in 2015 and condemned by the Town in 2018 as uninhabitable.

2024 – 2025 Bank Owned. The Odle estate was taken by the bank and was to be sold at public auction on April 18, 2024. Demolition of the house was filed in April 2024. The bank continues to own the Historic homestead and the house was emptied of all the accumulated belongings. The Preservation Commission was allowed to enter the homestead, photograph the interior rooms, and take measurements for floor plans.

The Northeast bedroom on the second floor next to the fireplace has sagged due to the excessive weight and has been reinforced from the room below for safety reasons. It is the opinion of the Commission that the home could be repaired and restored if the right buyer came forward.