17 Chester Street

Historical Narrative: 

Goldsmith 1888 - South Church receipt

Present owner, Mrs. Nicoll, found 2 paper items in house circa 1888 when she bought the house 29 years ago.

This property was once part of the Nathan Clark farm located at the corner of Dascomb and Clark roads. With the death of Clark his daughter Martha A. Hall, now sole heir, inherited the homestead farm. The farm consisted of three parcels of homestead and 63 acres, 25 acres on the east side of Clark Rd. and a small 2 rod lot. Martha, A widow, was living in San Francisco County California when she sold the Clark farm to Herbert A. Moody on Sept. 9, 1882. Moody paid $2230.42 for the land and all the buildings.

On Nov. 19, 1887 Moody sells this wooded lot of land to John B. Gill for $100. Gill was loaned $75 by Moody to buy the parcel. Gill paid off the loan in 1890. There is no mention of buildings on the parcel so we assume that sometime after 1890 Gill had the home built. Upon Gill's death his son, Thomas B. Gill, Administered the estate, and purchased the property for $2000. on Feb. 15, 1915.

Gill sold the home the following year on Aug. 28, 1916 to Alfred & Janet Greenwood. The Greenwoods later deeded the property to Margaret Etta Greenwood, but held a life tenancy in the home. Janet died on Aug. 28, 1934 and Alfred on Feb. 27, 1935. Margaret held the property until her death in 1944. Walter I. Churchill was the executor of her estate and sold the home on Oct. 26, 1944 to J. Elwin & Margaret N. Russell.

Melvin A. & Cecile R. Nicole were the next owners, purchasing the property on July 18, 1960. Melvin placed the deed in his wife's name on Aug. 27, 1979. Their estate was inherited by their daughter Sharon L. Nicoll upon the death of Cecile on June 5, 2007. The property remains with the family in 2016.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA

Owners:
Nathan Clark farm land
Nathan Clark estate, heir Martha A. Hall
Herbert A. Moody - Sept. 9, 1882 - b. 69 p. 95 - Clark farm
John B. Gill - Nov. 19, 1887 - b. 93 p. 547 - lot of land - $100
John B. Gill estate, Thomas F. Gill, Admin. - Jan. 21, 1915 - Probate
Emma L. Young - Feb. 15, 1915 - b. 351 p. 144 - deed transfer
Thomas F. Gill - Feb. 15, 1915 - b. 351 p. 145 - $2000
Alfred & Janet Greenwood - Aug. 28, 1916 - b. 367 p. 238
Margaret Etta Greenwood - Apr. 29, 1930 - b. 552 p. 39
Margaret Etta Greenwood estate, Walter I Churchill, Extr. - Oct. 13, 1944 - Probate
J. Elwin & Margaret N. Russell - Oct. 26, 1944 - b. 668 p. 363
Melvin A. & Cecile R. Nicole - July 18, 1960 - b. 919 p. 73
Cecile R. Nicole - Aug. 27, 1979 - b. 1389 p. 266
Cecile R. Nicole, Sharon L. Nicoll, Sandra L. Nocole - Feb. 26, 1985 - b. 1932 p. 255
Cecile R. Nicole estate, heir Sharon L. Nicoll - June 5, 2007
Sharon L. (Nicoll) McCarthy - Sept. 14, 2007 - b. 10917 p. 36
Sandra L. McCarthy & Andrew John McCarthy - Feb. 22, 2010 - b. 11951 p. 223

Inventory Data:

StreetChester St
PlaceBallardvale Center
Historic DistrictBallardvale Local Historic District
Historic NameJohn B. Gill House
Present Useresidencial
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1888 - 1890
SourceECRDS, ENRDL
Architectural StyleOther
Foundationstone/granite
Wall/Trimcedar shingles/wood
Roofasphalt - gable
Conditiongood
Acreage0.315 acre
Settingresidential
Map and parcel157-6
Recorded byRuth Sharpe, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Historical Society, Andover Preservation Commission
Date entered1988, 5/30/2016

Map: