161 Lowell Street

Architectural Description: 

NRDIS NRMRA

Historical Narrative: 

Themes: Architectural, community development.

A tavern was operated here since it was a convenient stop for the Tewksbury to Salem stagecoach route The English-style barn is a rare survivor of an agricultural structure typical of local 18th century farms
Built by Herman Abbot about 1780. Herman Abbot sells to Captain John White before 1830, Capt. White sells to Rev. Chester Adams
Rev. Chester Adams sells to Artemas Brown October 24, 1842 - bk. 336 leaf 96 Salem Registry of Deeds.

Artemus Brown was born January 26, 1804 in Sudbury, MA and was employed at the machine shop of Smith and Dove Co. in Frye Village in 1846. When he married Lydia H. Wardwell of Andover on April 18, 1831 he is listed from Worcester, MA. Brown purchased the farm in West Parish and became a farmer marketing vegetables. During his ownership the farm extended on both sides of Lowell St. and southward to Shawsheen Rd. They had two daughters;
1. Angelina Brown born Feb. 8, 1832 and died Aug. 27, 1865, married Mar. 25, 1851 to William H. Burtt b. Mar. 16, 1829 son of Jedediah & Mary Burtt, died May 1900 Burtt was a Merchant and trader at time of marriage. They had one child, Edward William Burtt b. Sept. 13, 1852.
2. Sarah Elizabeth Brown b. Sept. 26, 1834, married Oct. 15, 1867 to her sister’s widowed husband William H. Burtt and they had three children;
a. Angie May Burtt b. 1869 died April 22, 1958 age 89y 5m 29d never married.
b. Albert B. Burtt b. Jan 18, 1870 d. May 3,1923. Albert was a teamster, became Superintendent of West Parish Cemetery 1919-1923 and was a laborer during its expansion 1909 -1912. His son Edward A. Burtt was Superintendent from 1923-1927. Albert lived at 189 Lowell Street and after his death it was purchased by the West Parish Church and served as its new Parsonage.
c. Gertrude A. Burtt. b. 3/29/1875 d. 3/18/1928 Gertrude married Granville K. Cutler on June 29, 1899 – Granville K. was the Purchasing Agent for the American Woolen Company and chairman of the West Parish Cemetery board during its expansion 1908 - 1912. In a 1926 Andover Directory he also lists himself as janitor of the West Center School. They would later own the Brown homestead in 1902.

Artemas Brown sells to his daughter Sarah E. (Brown) Burtt sole rights to the farm for $1000. on March 18, 1880. The first lot contained 16 acres included the homestead, barn and other buildings. The second a wood lot of 5 acres. Sarah must however support her father for the rest of his natural life. Artemas died nine months later on December 9, 1880. Wife Lydia H. (Wardwell) Brown had died on June 5, 1877.

Sadly Sarah died Apr. 24, 1881 age 46y 7m 18d. William Burtt continued to work the farm and to raise the children. William died on May 12, 1900 and is interred at West Parish Cemetery.

The farm inherited by the three children, with Angie M. Burtt & Albert B. Burtt selling their share to sister Gertrude B. Cutler February 26, 1902, (bk. 192 pg. 186.) On April 17, 1902 Granville K. Cutler of Lawrence and wife Gertrude B. Cutler, take a mortgage of $1200.

In 1909 Granville K. & Gertrude create a new lot to the east of their farm and the new Hardy House is moved from the West Parish Church green at 182 Lowell St. to 129 Lowell Street. Granville & Gertrude Cutler had four children; Dorothy B. Cutler married Stanley High lived in Mt. Vernon, NY. Priscilla Nourse Cutler married George A. Stanley Jr., Margaret Thurston Cutler married George Morton Fuller and Granville K. Cutler Jr. who married Barbara Batcheller and had two children; Granville K. 3rd and Sherry Cutler.

Alice E. Batcheller, b. 1895 wife of Kirk Roland Batcheller purchased the farm from the Cutler heirs on Jan. 2, 1937. Granville Keith Cutler died on May 24, 1933. Batcheller owned the property until 1979. It has been stated that the Herbert Lewis family managed their farm. In 1955 Alice & Kirk created a new sub-division of house lots behind her home named Kirkland Drive after her husband. Kirk died on October 1, 1957 age 67. They had four children; Barbara, Ben P., Virginia and Jeanette.

Alice sold her home to Vincent T. & Carole E. Zahornasky on May 16, 1979 Vincent was an engineer. They lived here until selling on Apr. 12, 1984 to George & Jean Mollineaux, George was also an engineer. Richard H. & Jana L. Perkal purchased on Jan. 20, 1995 and remained until 2000 selling to Cormier Andover Const. Corp. on Sept. 12, 2000. Cormier then subdivided the homestead lot creating the last remaining house lot from the historic farm. On June 22, 2001 Stephen V. & Andrea S Cirbee purchased the old homestead and are the current owners in 2014.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Northern Essex Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Andover, Maps, 1830, 1852, 1884, 1906
Andover Advertiser, Andover Townsman
Owners:
Nathan Chandler
Nathan Chandler Estate, Nathan Chandler Adm. 1793
Zebadiah Chandler - Mar. 13, 1793 - b. 162 leaf 21 - $425 pounds - w/blds
Zebadiah Chandler, (Lucy) & Ezra Chandler
Herman Abbot - April 7, 1807 - b. 181 leaf 114
Captain John White - Oct. 29, 1828 - b. 251 leaf98 - $2600 w/blds.
Rev. Chester Adams - Nov. 16, 1839 - b. 316 leaf 15 - $3000 w/blds
Artemas Brown - October 24, 1842 - bk. 334 leaf 94 - $2500 w/bld
Sarah E. (Brown) Burtt - March 18, 1880 – bk. 59 pg. 91 NERD Lawrence
Sarah E. (Brown) wife of William H. Burtt – 1880
Sarah B. Burtt died 4/24/1881 estate
William Henry Burtt – died 5/13/1900
Angie May Burtt and Albert B. Burtt , heirs of Sarah
Gertrude (Burtt) Cutler - February 26, 1902 - bk. 192 pg. 186
Grandville K. & Gertrude (Burtt) Cutler Feb. 26, 1902 - bk. 193 pg. 417 mtg.
Grandville K. Cutler, estate -
Grandville K Cutler, Dorothy C. High, Priscilla C. Stanley & Margaret C. Fuller; Heirs
Alice E. Batcheller, wife of Kirk R. Batchelder – Jan. 2, 1937 – b. 605 p. 203
Vincent T. & Carole E. Zahornasky – May 16, 1979 b. 1370 p. 553
George & Jean Mollineaux – Apr. 12, 1984 – b. 1796 p. 80
Richard H. & Jana L. Perkal – Jan. 20, 1995 – b. 4200 p. 189
Cormier Andover Const. Corp. – Sept. 12, 2000 – b. 5875 p. 121
Stephen V. & Andrea S Cirbee – June 22, 2001 – b. 6213 p. 112

Registry of Deeds, Salem, MA and Lawrence, MA
See plans # 668 Nov. 1926, # 3103 June 1955 plan of Kirkland Drive, and # 13891 Nov. 2000 sub-division of homestead lot.
(Andover Advertiser Artemus Brown obituary Dec 10, 1880)
Andover Building Survey
* see also: Barn Survey - Andover Historical Society - construction techniques suggest one of the oldest barns in Andover

1994 Awarded Certificate of Appreciation at Annual Preservation Awards.

Inventory Data:

StreetLowell St
PlaceWest Parish - West Andover
Historic DistrictWest Parish Center NRH District
Historic NameHerman Abbot - Artemus Brown, House
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence, tavern
Construction Datepre 1800
SourceDorman map style-njs
Architectural StyleGeorgian Revival
Foundationstone & granite
Wall/Trimclapboards
Roofasphalt
Outbuildings / Secondary Structureslarge English style barn and one of the oldest original barns in Andover modern garage
Major AlterationsInterior renovation to kitchen Some exterior changes to barn siding and new windows added.
Conditiongood
Acreage.705 acres
Settingresidential
Map and parcel88-72
MHC NumberANV.305
Recorded byStack/Mofford; James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975-77, 02/28/2006, 1/2014

Map: