Themes: Architectural, Community development

This property was once owned by the Holt family and acquired by Herman Holt, wife Nancy. The original homestead on this site was dismantled in the 1930's and replaced with this elegant Colonial Revival home.

Herman Holt sold the property to John Adams, Jr., wife Elizabeth, on May 8, 1824 for $2400. The property contained two parcels with the 22 acre 65 poles homestead lot on the east side of the road which extended to Hidden Rd. Opposite the house on the west died of the road was a 16 acre parcel, "with buildings" enclosed by a stone wall. We believe the barn was located there.

John Adams, Master of Arts, was the 4th Principal of Phillips Academy from September 1810 to November 1832. John was born on Sept. 18, 1772 in Canterbury, CT, son of John & Mary (Parker) Adams. John graduated from Yale in 1795 and became a teacher in Plainfield and Colchester, CT prior to coming to Andover. John married on May 9, 1798 to Elizabeth Ripley b. Mar. 19, 1776 in Colchester, CT. James & Elizabeth had eleven children of which two died in infancy.

Phillips Academy offered John a $900. salary and a house as Headmaster of the school. Adams home is the current Hardy House on Salem St. What prompted Adams to purchase this farm is not known, but he did take a mortgage through the Trustees of Phillips Academy for $2200. and paid it off a few years later. "In order to get away from his duties as Principal, Mr. Adams purchased some land near the school and used to drive over to it in his shay. There were two houses on the property that provided him with some income. and in addition, supervision of the estate gave him an outdoors interest that became his chief relaxation."

Sadly wife Elizabeth died on on Feb. 23, 1829 age 52 and is interred at the Phillips Academy Cemetery. John remarried on Aug. 30, 1831 in Troy, NY to the widow Mrs. Mehitable "Mabel" (Stratton) Burritt b. July 19, 1779 in Williamstown, MA, dau. of Ebenezer & Mary (Blair) Stratton. John was Headmaster for 32 years and resigned on November 22, 1832 at age 60. He was offered a Principalship to a new "Monroe Academy" in Elbridge, NY and moved there in September 1833.

John Adams sold the Andover property to Enoch Pearson, wife Phebe, and Charles F. Abbot on Apr. 8, 1834 for $2500. Enoch Pearson was a Butcher and probably a partner with Charles F. Abbot. The men owned the farm for six years. Pearson also bought a parcel lot on School St. in Aug. 1834.

William E. Carter, wife Silence G. of Cambridge, MA purchased the property on Apr. 24, 1840 for $3600. and held for nine years. The farm was then sold for $3175. to Augustus Whiting of Charlestown, MA, a Physician, on Jan. 5, 1849.

Augustus Whiting's name appears on the 1852 map of Andover. The 1850 Andover Valuation in South Parish of Non-Residents lists Augustus Whiting; Dwelling house, Barn & Small House $2250. 42 acre farm $2050. It appears that this was strictly investment property for Whiting who owned for 16 years. Dr. Whiting was b. on Mar. 2, 1795 in Billerica, MA, son of Samuel & Rachel Whiting. He married on Oct. 19, 1843 to Catherine Walker, b. in 1799 in Burlington, MA, dau. of Timothy & Abigail Walker. They had six children. Catherine died on June 6, 1864 in Charlestown of Consumption. Dr. Whiting died on May 4, 1867 of Apoplexy.

James White Stearns of Somerville, MA, wife Sarah M., purchased the farm on Mar. 21, 1865 paying $6000. Whiting financed the Stearns' mortgage loan. James was b. on Sept. 27, 1818 in Boston, son of James W. & Lydia Porter (Emerson) Whiting. James Jr. first married on Mar. 5, 1848 to Hannah Maria Hollis. They had one daughter Hannah U. b. Aug. 24, 1848. His wife died in childbirth. James was a grocer in Somerville, MA at that time and moved back with his parents as he is there in the 1850 census. James remarried on in 1852 to Sarah Maria Foster. b. Jan. 29, 1835. James and Sarah had two daughters; Harriet b. 1853 and Lizzie b. Oct. 5, 1855. Lizzie died in 1859 and his oldest daughter Hannah died on Dec. 19, 1866. The 1870 Census lists James here in Andover, farmer, age 51, wife Sarah 35, and daughter Harriet age 16, a student at Abbot Female Academy. A 20 year old farm hand John F. Finney from Maine also lives with Stearns. Stearns held the farm for seven years then selling for $6500. Stearns then moved to California and began farming there.

George W. Woodman, wife Martha B., of Boston purchased from Stearns on Apr. 18, 1872. Woodman sold four years later to Matilda Mathews, wife of P. C. Mathews, of Boston for $6500 on July 13, 1876. Mathews had just 9 months then selling to Fernando S. Shattuck on Sept. 20, 1877. for $6000.

The Shuttack family owned the property for 28 years. Fernando P. Shattuck, b. Jan. 7, 1834 in Weston, VT, son of Parker & Nancy (Jewett) Shattuck. He married on Dec. 31, 1863 in Weston, VT to Sarah J. Comstock, b. Sept. 30, 1835 in Shetford, VT daughter of Willard & Fanny Comstock. Fernando was a Teamster and they moved to Boston where their son Frederick H. was born at 13 Ash St. on Feb. 5, 1865. They moved to Andover in 1877 and Fernando became a farmer. Tragically his wife Sarah took her life on July 6, 1889 at age 54. Fernando died of heart disease on Aug. 19, 1891 age 57 years. Their son Frederick H. married on October 28, 1891 in Andover to Gladys M. Haskell b. Mar. 27, 1867 at Deer Island, ME, daughter of Clarnece M. & Harriet F. (Small) Haskell. Fred & Gladys would have five children: Helen b. 1893, Dorothy b. 1897, Frederick N. b. 1898, Leota S. b. 1902 and Delwin Dana b. 1917. Frederick would continue farming the land but later went into the retail coal business. They sold the property in 1905 and moved to Center St., Ballardvale.

The property was then owned by John S. Critchely on Mar. 16, 1905. Critchley later sells to Ellen M. Donovan on Aug. 19, 1908. Daniel F. & Ellen M. Donovan then take a mortgage loan on May 24, 1912 with the Andover Saving Bank. The Bank took possession of the property on Aug. 14, 1935 during the Depression. The 16 acre pasture land on the west side of the road was sold to Henry Tyer. The 24 acre homestead parcel on the east side of the road was sold to Vasco E. Nunez and wife Edith R. on Feb. 29, 1936.

Vincent P. & Suzanne B. Morton purchased the house on Sept. 23, 1961.

Historical significance (note dated 7 Apr 1992):
According to John Sullivan, former Preservation Commission board member and once owner of 50 Sunset Rock Rd. - " the old house was dismantled"

1852 Map - A. Whiting - structures on both sides of road, one may have been the barn.
1906 has house attached to barn J. Critchley
1930s Nunez rebuilt, once owned all land down to Pike School
1935 Nunez house on Bancroft Road

1860 tax list dwelling house, barn & small dwelling house value $2300, farm stock $460
1932 left side Cushman? Barnes?
1937 left side Donovan, 80+ acres Barnes?
1934 Donovans were foreclosed on by bank, sold land in two parcels, west side to Tyer and east side to Nunez,
Nunez sold land to Pike School (1960s)?