183 - 187 Andover Street

Architectural Description: 

NRDIS NRMRA LHD
Picturesque - Greek Revival
8 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths; sometimes used as 2 family home. Bay windows on 2nd floor, dormer windows on 3rd floor; Vinyl exterior; Asphalt roof, 2 chimneys. Sunroom added with entrance on Andover Street.

Historical Narrative: 

Original owner: Patrick Scott

This property was formerly owned by John Marland & John Howe Jr. and was numbered lot 30 on a map of land drawn out by George Darracott in 1847. Much of the properties were sold off at auction on July 28, 1847. One half of lot 30 was owned by John Marland, who was declared insolvent in 1849. His estate was assigned to Jeremiah S. Young of Portsmouth, NH to sell off the Marland holdings. J. Putnam Bradlee purchased the 1/2 lot for $21 on April 23, 1850 then sold it to Lucinda Marland, wife of John on that day for $21. Gilbert Barnard had purchased the other half of lot 30 on Aug. 4, 1847. Barnard was a Trader and had built a home at 84 Main St. in Andover. Gilbert Barnard died at age 39 yrs 10m on June 5, 1858, long obit. (AA 6/19/1858)

Nathaniel Swift was Barnard's Executor and sold this property to John Frye with dwelling house, on June 30, 1860. Frye paid $900 for the property. Frye purchased two other lots. Lot #21 from Archibald Scott of Southbridge, MA on June 21, 1860 (lot #21 containing 5290 sq. feet) $100. and later obtained the 1/2 lot from Marland on Nov. 27, 1863.
John Frye and family would own the property for 31 years. With John Frye's death, his widow Lavinia T. Frye and his sister Deborah B. A. Frye inherit the property. Deborah had 1/3 share and quit claimed to Lavinia on March 18, 1881.

Lavinia Frye later lived in Everett and Malden before she sold the property to Patrick J. Scott on Jan. 8, 1891. The Scott family and heirs held the property for 67 years.

Originally the basement was a store run by Joseph Scott. The building was owned by Patrick Scott from 1891 - 1932. The property was inherited by Scott's daughter, Mary E. Scott and Beatrice M. O'Brien wife of Richard O'Brien in the 1930s. B.M. O'Brien Variety prop. Beatrice. 1935- 1938, then Dick's Variety 1939- 1950's The store was also used as a Post Office beginning in 1936 when Mr. O'Brien was appointed Ballardvale Post Master. Building is now used as a rental property. (Post Office and residential)

The first Ballardvale Post Office was in the Counting Room of the Ballard Vale Company before the appointment of a Postmaster. It was then moved to a room in the railroad depot on Andover St. Charles Marland was station agent who also acted as village post-master. Post office moved later to "Shattuck's Drug Store, then to Bruce's Store" at 177 Andover in the basement of the Community Ctr. then to this this site.

The first floor grocery stores were first owned by Mr. Scott from 1920 to 1930, a store owned by Fred L. Buckley 1926 - 1930, .
1930 - Frederick Wrigley owned store next and after his death on Jan. 27, 1931 his wid., Dorothy W. Wrigley took over business. After the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and a new administration, the Post Office was moved from the Community Building to this site. Richard O'Brien and Beatrice (Scott) O'Brien moved into the Scott home and he became the Post Master. The former store owners did not live on the premises.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Lawrence Eagle Tribune, Jan. 31, 1950
Andover Historical Society files.

Owners:
John Marland & John Howe Jr. -
Gilbert Barnard - Aug. 4, 1847 - b. 391 leaf 195
Gilbert Barnard estate, Nathaniel Swift Extr. - died 1856 - lot #30
John Frye - June 21, 1860 - b. 608 leaf 237 - lot # 21 -
John Frye - June 31, 1860 - b. 608 leaf 261 - lot #30 - Barnard estate
John Frye - Nov. 27, 1863 - b. 659 leaf 150 - 1/2 lot #30
John Frye estate; wid. Lavinia T. Frye, Deborah B. A. Frye heirs - probate
Lavinia T. Frye - Mar. 18, 1881 - b. 63 p. 320
Patrick J. Scott - Jan. 8, 1891 - b. 110 p. 151 -
Patrick J. Scott - Mar. 12, 1910 - b. 291 p. 358 - lot #21
Patrick J. Scott estate, heir Mary E. Scott
Mary E. Scott & Mary Elizabeth Scott - Nov. 28, 1932 - b. 569 p.6
Mary E. Scott - Apr. 26, 1935 - b. 588 p. 293
Beatrice M. O'Brien & Mary E. Scott - April 26, 1935 - b. 588 p. 294
Beatrice M. O'Brien - Apr. 28, 1937 - b. 607 p. 247
Leslie J. & Valerie Trombly - Oct. 18, 1958 - b. 1117 p. 185
Eugene J. & Veronica V. Croke - Oct. 20, 1977 - b. 1322 p. 444
Eugene J. Croke estate, Veronica V. Croke - Feb. 14, 1987
Michael Russo - Aug. 29, 2000 - b. 5858 p. 31
Mark P. & Melissa A. Richards - Feb. 10, 2010 - b. 11941 p. 101

Inventory Data:

StreetAndover St
PlaceBallardvale
Historic DistrictBallardvale Local Historic District
Historic DistrictBallardvale National Register District
Historic NameU. S. Post Office - Ballardvale Branch
Present UseU.S.P.O. below, residence above
Original Useresidence - stores
Construction Date1850-60
SourceECRDS, ENRDL, style-njs
Architectural StyleGreek Revival
Foundationstone/granite/brick
Wall/Trimcedar clapboards/vinyl siding
Roofasphalt - gable
Major Alterationsreplacement windows, vinyl siding over original
Conditiongood
Acreage0.241 acres, Approx. distance of bldg. from street 5'
Settingresidential/business
Map and parcel138-27
MHC NumberANV.30
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James S. Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975-77/updated 1993, 3/9/2016

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