19 Washington Ave (formerly #21 in 1906, #15 in 1920) – 21-75 – 0.251a – 10,420 sq. ft.

Washington Ave. was constructed in 1889 and named on the Centennial of George Washington’s visit to Andover in 1789. Constructed over farm land of Charles O. Cummings, house lots were then sold off to residents and developers. By 1906 eighteen new homes had been built. Interesting to note that five new owners, Tyler, Lewis, Gray, Stiles and Caldwell were House Carpenters and Cummings and Wardwell were developers at each end of the avenue.

Aug. 30, 1889 Andover Townsman p. 4 - The new street, Washington Ave. is progressing rapidly, and from all appearances it is likely to be a good piece of road. The ledge at the Elm Street end had been blasted sufficiently, and the men are now engaged cutting down the ground above the grad and filling in the lower places. Quite a piece stretching from Summer Street is ready for the finishing touches.
October 25, 1889 AT – The new street Washington Ave. is beginning to look like a very good piece of road. The top dressing of red spring gravel is being put on.
Nov. 1, 1889 p.1 AT Commissioner Hayward has finished putting the top coat of Red Spring gravel on Washington Ave. and one sidewalk has been made the entire length.
#19 Washington Ave -
This property was once part of the Charles O. Cummings farm at 105 Elm St. and was sub-divided by Cummings into house lots. Charles died in 1898, his widow Augusta C. remarried to Andrew Thompson. This home does not appear ion the 1900 Census records and was first listed as #21 and later #15.

Andrew inherited the property after Augusta’s death in 1916. Andrew was a blacksmith and lived in the Cummings homestead. This home is listed as A. C. Thompson on the 1906 map as part of the Ward lot at #13. The 1910 Census lists Edward W. Walker, age 56, wife Mary E. age 58 and two daughters Bessie M., 18 and Nina A. age 13, all born in New Hampshire. Walker, a railroad engineer is renting the home.

The home was sold to Annie Saunders, wife of Peter J. Saunders on August 1, 1916. The parcel was 21,628 sq. ft. Peter J. Saunders was born in Dundee, Scotland on July 11, 1871. Peter married on Dec. 20, 1893 in Dundee to Annie R.

Peter and Annie had three children: Bessie b. 1895, James A. b. 1899, and Peter born 1904. Peter, a reed maker emigrated on April 7, 1907 from Glasgow to Boston. He gave his final destination as Andover, to see friend Thomas McLeish at 96 No. Main St. In 1910 Peter is listed as a house carpenter, later as a carpenter at Tyer Rubber. Peter’s family came after he secured employment. All were naturalized on Sept. 13, 1913. Just prior to the purchase of this home in 1916 they rented at 3 Pine Street. The 1920 Valuation lists Mrs. Annie Saunder’s home at 15 Washington Ave; house $2000, land 21,628 sq. ft. $1000 = $3100
Daughter Bessie is a bookkeeper as Tyer Rubber Co. In 1920 the Saunders family moved to New York and sold the house to Margaret T. Dole, wife of Perry J. Dole on Aug. 28, 1920.

The Dole family owned the property for 34 years. Percy Joseph Dole was born Oct. 31, 1890 in Andover, son of Joseph C. & Georgina (Wardwell) Dole. Percy attended public schools, was a member of Punchard High School class 1910, graduate of Phillips Academy in 1911. Percy married on Jan. 13, 1913 in Kittery, ME to Margaret T. McGuire b. 1891 dau. of Thomas & Margaret (Roach) McGuire. Margaret was a stenographer in Lawrence, MA. Percy and Margaret had eight sons; John Joseph. b. Dec. 15, 1913, Laurence Kenneth b. May 17, 1916, Thomas b. Dec. 31, 1919, Percy J. Jr. b. July 25, 1921- d. Mar. 10, 1925, Edward C. b. Oct. 19, 1924, William D. b. June 25, 1928, Frederick b. Nov. 11, 1931, and Philip Kenneth b. Nov. 25, 1933.

Percy served during WWI from Jan. 26, 1916 to Nov. 30, 1919 as a Private 1st class, in the Air Corps, the 870 Aero Squadron. Percy was a mechanic and later established the Percy J. Dole Trucking and Rigging Co. of Andover and Methuen. Sons J. Joseph and Laurence K. worked with their father. By 1935 Dole had moved to 2 Washington Ave but rented their house.

John Darby is listed as renting the house in 1940 of which he would later purchase on Dec. 2, 1954.