Original owner: Gilbert Barnard at 84 Main St.
Owner 1955: Killorin, Karl and Geneva at 150 Main St.

Themes: Architectural, Community development
Historical significance: Karl Killoran moved this house from 3-4 Main Street Court from the rear of 84 Main St. to an empty lot at 150 Main St. in the first week of May 1955.

The house was rented for 22 years and was one of several income properties owned by the Killorians in Andover. The new lot was once part of the Gorianski property at #148. Tenants in the home from 1956 to 1994 include, George & Alera Graw 1955-57, George & Mercedes Lister, owners of the Gift House, 1955- 1961, Anita M. Powell 1958- 1963, Frank & Helena McCann 1962-1968, the Tewksbury sisters Ethel & Helen 1968-1977, and the last tenant Dorothy Tavern 1963-1994 who was the secretary at South Church, active member of the American Red Cross and Andover Historical Society.

The property was sold to Timothy & Melinda Thomas in September 1977. Tim Thomas was a science teacher at Andover High School, hired shortly before they purchased the house. It was the Thomas family that converted the duplex to a single family residence after the death of Dot Tavern in 1994. Tim Thomas became an assistant principal and then elected to principal of AHS in July 1991. He served for four years and then chose to resigned in June 1995 to return to the classroom and his students. Tim & Melinda have two children Kalley born 1979 and Michael born 1980. The Thomas family moved to Newbury in 2006 after the sale of the property to Lisa White. Tim Thomas retired from teaching at Andover High School on June 30, 2008.

Ms. White owned the property for three years before selling to Hamilton T. Bailey Jr. on December 31, 2009.

History of the Gilbert Barnard house and barn at 84 Main St.
Prior to the bank building built in 1955 on the lot at #84 Main there was Victorian home with an attached barn occupying the site. Built in 1856 by Gilbert Barnard, he purchased the land for $337.50 in August 1853 from Samuel Abbott and William Abbot. An additional parcel to Barnard from Joseph Richardson was purchased on Nov. 17, 1854. Gilbert Barnard died at age 39 yrs 10m on June 5, 1858, (long obit. 6/19/1858 AA). Aug. 28, 1858 AA – Public Auction on Tuesday next Aug. 31, 2 pm at the house of the late Gilbert Barnard… Items sold at the auction included; an excellent family horse, 8 years old, 1 buggy, 1 wagon, 1 chaise, 1 sleigh, hay wagon, horse cart and harness. The estate was listed for sale on March 12, 1859 AA. A Desirable Residence, situated on Main St., belonging to the estate of Gilbert Barnard. The House is modern, having been built three years since, in the most thorough manner. Connected with the house is an excellent Stable, Carriage House, and about three quarters of an acre of Land, well stocked with choice Fruit Trees…and is one of the most desirable places in Andover.

March 12, 1859 AA – Gilbert Barnard Estate For Sale. The property was deeded to James S. Dodge on June 15, 1860. Nathaniel Swift was the executor of Barnard’s estate.

James Dodge was in business with co-partner Horace P. Beard under the name of Dodge & Beard on Red Spring Rd across from the Essex St. bridge. March 10, 1855 AA – New firm of Dodge & Beard – purchased C. G. McNeil’s stock of Goods, consisting of Dry Goods, Groceries, Farming tools, Grass & Garden Seeds, Bondi Common & Fancy Crackers. James S. Dodge & Horace P. Beard. The partnership continued for eleven years before Beard bought out Dodge in April 1866 and moved the store to 10 Essex St.

Moses A. & Elizabeth T. Dow of Charlestown, MA purchased the house for $4750 from Dodge on March 9, 1864 and remained owners for two years. Samuel D. Warren of Waltham acquired the property from Moses A. Dow at public auction on May 28, 1866. Mr. Warren paid $5675 for nearly one acre of land with house & barn, for his sister, Mrs. S. E. Mason to live in.

In 1878 Samuel Morse Downs purchased the home which then became known as the Downs House. Professor Downs was a master musician, composer and music teacher for nearly 50 years at both Abbot and Bradford Academies. His wife Annie Sawyer Downs was a nationally published writer & poetess. Both shared great intellects and brilliant careers. Annie died in Dec. 1903 and Samuel on Oct. 30, 1909. Both are buried at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, MA.

Ernest W. Pitman, who resided next door at #76 Main St., acquired the Down’s estate in May 1910. Pitman, a prominent contractor in the area, built the Wood Mill in Lawrence and several other large mills in New England. He was a director of the Merchants’ Trust Co., president & treasurer of the E. W. Pitman Construction Co., president of the Wilson Building Moving Company and a director of the Taxi Service Co. of Boston & the Boston Garage Co. Ernest had a wife Alice E. and one daughter Ernestine. He died tragically at age 45 on Aug. 27, 1912.

The former Barnard-Downs property was sold to Myerscough & Buchan, co-partners of an automotive garage in Aug. 1914. A deed restriction prevented the property from being used for any purpose other than residential for 20 years. “No additional buildings, or parts there of shall be erected on any part of the front of the lot, no dwellings for more than two families shall be erected on any part of the lot during the 20 years.”

We do know that the Abbot-Odlin House at #90 was moved and converted into a two family in 1913 when Myerscough & Buchan built their new garage at #90. It appears that the house was moved twice, first directly behind the new garage and later in the early 1920’s, to behind the former Downs home.

A two family home constructed at the rear of the property after 1920 became #3 & #4. Evidence shows it was the original Barnard carriage house that was detached and moved to end of the lot. The dimensions of the barn match that of the new house and the roof line is identical to the barn in a period photo. The Abbot-Odlin home was then moved over onto the former carriage house location. This created private way would become known as Main Street Terrace by 1922.

On July 14, 1922 the Townsman notes a Mrs. George Dick of Main Street Terrace at this address. The 1923 directory lists Mr. George & Madaline E. Dick at #3.

Buchan may have developed the property before he sold it on Sept. 19, 1921, but it appears that Frederick Smith was probably responsible for the additional properties added to the lot.

The site had also been numbered in resident directories as; #84, #84r, #86 Main St.. The Abbot-Odlin house as #1 & #2 and the rear duplex as #3 & #4 Main Street Terrace in 1927. Several families lived in these rental properties to the rear of #84. The Chadwick & Whitcomb families resided here from 1926 – 1955.

The Downs house had become a rental property after Pitman’s purchase in 1912. It was converted to a two family residence iand numbered 84 & 86. It was used for offices by doctors & dentists and apartments through the remaining years. From 1930 - 1937 dentist, Nathaniel Stowers lived here and in 1939 Dr. Stanley Chart, a physician.

In 1941 it was occupied by the Ivar & Monimia Sjostrom family. Daughter Olga was a music & piano teacher and son Ivar L. Jr. an organist in Newton. Isabelle A. & Lucille C. Rainville operated a hairdresser shop at 86 in the mid 1930s and Ernest & Gloria Verette owners of “Gloria Lunch” on Main Street also resided here in 1932. In 1953 Fred H. Smith owner of the property, now retired, was living at #86.

When the Bay State Merchants Bank purchased the property in 1955 the former Downs house was razed first and the new foundation for the bank went in. The last house on Main St. Terrace #3- #4 was purchased by the Karl & Geneva Killorian and moved south up the hill to #150 Main Street. The Abbot-Odlin house was the last house to be razed, possibly remained until the bank was completed in November 1955.

Additional comments on this property
The Downs homestead with connecting ell and stable barn in the 1911 newspaper advertisement and a 1955 image of the house being moved reveal the similar dimensions and scale of both the former barn and created house.

The 1901 Sanborn Maps at the Andover Historical Society, page 7, show a diagram of the lot with the buildings. Using the map scale legend, the barn is two stories in height and measures approximately 25’ deep by 32’ in width. The current 2010 assessors dimension sketch of this house 150 Main Street, minus the two enclosed porches on each end, the house original main body measures 26’ x 33’.