Andover Historical Society 10/28/88

This property was once part of the Locke estate at 70 Elm St. The 3 acre 41 9/10 rod lot was sold by Annie H. Locke, wife of Samuel B. Locke to Ira C. Randall on Oct. 11, 1884.

Ira C. Randall was born in Mt. Vernon, Maine in June 1833, son of Chandler P. & Esther (Chandler) Randall. Ira a carpenter, specialty stair finisher. Ira married on Apr. 12, 1863 in Haverhill, MA to Ellen Wardwell, b. Apr. 1836, dau. of Simon & Margaret (Dodge) Wardwell. Ira & Ellen had one daughter Edith Maude Randall b. Apr. 19, 1870. They later adopted another daughter, Gertrude B. b. Jan 1882. Ira built the home for his family. Ira deeded the property to his daughter E. Maude Randall on Apr. 6, 1900. The deed came with a live tenancy for Ira and his wife Ellen. Ira died on Nov. 27, 1904 age 71. Daughter Maude married on June 16, 1904 to Charles Henry Newman.

Charles Henry Newman was born 1873 in Andover, son of Henry Jewett & Harriett (Stevens) Newman. Charles H. became a photographer in the mid 1890's and had his studio on Essex St. where his parents lived. Charles had one sister Violet Bailey Newman b. Dec. 1878. After their marriage Charles Newman & Maude moved into the Randall house. Charles & Maude had five children; Ruth F. July 15, 1904, Winthrop Randall b. Aug. 13, 1905, Dorothy Ellen b. Set. 3, 1907, Henry Irving b. Oct. 3, 1909, and Harriet M. b. Dec. 17, 1910. Soon after Newman established his studio and office in the home. Here, in the early decades of the twentieth century, he developed countless glass slide images of Andover's daily life, including school class pictures. Maude raised their five children.

Charles H. Newman died on June 12, 1944 at age 71. Widow Maude R. Newman placed the deed in her and daughter Harriet M. Newman names on Apr. 13, 1945. Maude died the following year on Nov. 17, 1946. The property then went to the Newman children. Winthrop "Winky" Newman continued to live in the home as did his siblings until they married. Winthrop died on April 10, 1987. The remaining Newman heirs then sold the property to Kenneth J. Dillman and Gerald A. Dillman on May 24, 1990.

A period exterior view of 121 Elm Street is in the archives of Andover Historical Society's Newman Historic photograph collection which it purchased at auction in 1988. It is one of the many prints from the collection of Charles Henry Newman that represents his 55 year photography career in Andover. Examining the photograph illustrates more than the Randall-Newman house. The line of residences to the rear are on Pine Street which was accepted by the town in 1902. Street railway tracks run along Elm St. are barely visible in this wintertime scene.

The Dillman family more than doubled the size of the house with an addition and attached garage in the 1990s.