2 Stirling Street

Architectural Description: 

Duplex home of one over one.

Historical Narrative: 

Shawsheen Village was named after the Native American name for the river Shawshin, which means Great Spring. Prior to Shawsheen Village this area was known as Frye Village. All the streets in the new Village were named for Castles & Cathedrals in Great Britain Stirling Street takes its name from Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, Scotland and is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill a strategic location overlooking the Fourth River. Several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary Queen of Scots, in 1542

This house is in the Shawsheen Village National Register Historic District, surveyed in 1977 and created in 1979. It was designated a National Register Historic District in 1980 by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

This home was not built as part of the Shawsheen Village development from 1918-1924 by William M. Wood, President of the American Woolen Company. The large 4.3 acres parcel was owned by Thomas T. Clark who purchased the property in 1907. Thomas T Clark did sell off the major portion of the property to the American Woolen CO. in Oct. 1920. Clark kept a portion of the property on Haverhill St. marked lot C and a second parcel to the north marked lot A. The AWCo. purchased lot B which allowed for the construction of Stirling, Dumbarton and Sutherland Streets. While Wood and his architects were building this area Thomas T. Clark and his father-in-law George Dufton were about to build the three duplex homes at #2 - #3 and #4 Stirling St.

Thomas Train Clark was born on May 30, 1880 in Glasgow, Scotland, son of William John & Mary (Train) Clark. Thomas immigrated to America in 1897 and settled in Lawrence, MA. He was a cloth finisher in the woolen mills living at 237 Bailey St. Thomas married on June 21, 1905 to Louisa Ann Dufton, b. 1884 daughter of George & Louisa (Spender) Dufton. Louisa was 21 and a mender in the mills. George became a naturalized citizen on Dec. 15, 1905 at the Lawrence Court House.

Thomas and Louisa purchased the land on Haverhill Street in Andover in 1907 and built a small cottage at 86 Haverhill St. The 1910 and 1920 Census lists the Clarks at this address. With the construction of Shawsheen Village and Stirling Street, Thomas was able to divided up his land behind their home into three lots and build the two family homes. Thomas and Louisa would later move into #4 Stirling Street. They would have three children; Wilbur Thomas b. 1907, Phyllis L. b. May 1909 and Lincoln D. b. 1923.

The Clark family maintain ownership of the property and later it was inherited by their daughter Phyllis L. who had married Charles Dufton. Thomas T. Clark died on June 25, 1946. Louisa A. Clark inheirts his estate and places the property into her and daughter Phyllis L. C. Dufton names on Jan 17, 1947. Louisa A. Clark died on Feb. 28, 1950 and Phyllis L. C. Dufton was then heir. The property remains with the family as grand daughter Gayle Dufton Neiburger is the owner of record in 2015.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Andover Maps, 1852, 1872, 1888, 1906, 1926
Andover Street Directories
Andover Townsman
Mills, Mergers and Mansions, by Edward Roddy 1982
See Map plan #704 - American Woolen Company - Sept. 1927
#708 - Nov. 1927 - AWCo.
Land Court Maps - #1726-E Apr. 12, 1932 sub-divide
#1726-G lot 2 Dec. 14, 1946

Owners;
Isaac Wilson of North Andover - woodland
Isaac Wilson estate; Susan P. (Wilson) Green heir
Issac L. Farnham - Aug. 7, 1880 - b. 80 p. 252 - 14 acre portion
Issac L. Farnham estate, Sarah M. Farnham & Charles H. Farnham heirs
Emeric Pariseau - Sept. 11, 1902 - b. 197 p. 367 - 22.4 acre
John B. Warwick - Feb. 12, 1904 - b. 209 p. 131
Emeric Pariseau - Sept. 20, 1904 - b. 215 p. 42
Thomas E. Bowler - Sept. 21, 1904 - b. 215 p. 44 mtg deed
Emeric Pariseau - Sept. 21, 1904 - b. 215 p. 46 - 6 acres
Thomas E. Bowler - April 21, 1907 - Certificate # 165 - land court
Thomas T. Clark, wife Louisa A. - June 26, 1907 - Ctf. #166
Thomas E. Bowker -
Thomas T. Clark - June 26, 1907 - lot A - Certificate #116 - 4.3 acres
American Woolen Company, Wm. M. Wood Pres. Oct. 2, 1920 – Certificate #992 - lots B and D
Thomas T & Louisa A. Clark - Feb. 3, 1927 - Ctf. #1574
Thomas T Clark estate, Louisa A. Clark heir - June 25, 1946
Louisa A. Clark and Phyllis L. C. Dufton - Jan 17, 1947 - Ctf. #3223
Louisa A. Clark estate, Phyllis L. C. Dufton, heir - Feb. 25, 1950
Phyllis L. C. Dufton, wife of Charles - Aug. 10, 1960 - Doc. 15691
Phyllis L. C. Dufton and Gayle D. Nieburger - Mar. 2, 1972 - Ctf. #6773

Inventory Data:

StreetStirling St
PlaceShawsheen Village - Frye Village
Historic DistrictShawsheen Village NRH District
Present Useresidence - 2 family
Original Useresidence - 2 family
Construction Date1926 - 1927
SourceERDS, ENRDL
Architectural StyleOther
Architect/BuilderGeorge C. H. Dufton/builder
Foundationstone
Wall/Trimcedar shingle/wood clapboard/vinyl covered
Roofasphalt - hip
Major Alterationsvinyl siding covers original wood clapboard on the first story and cedar shingle on the second story.
Conditiongood
Acreage0.105 acre
Settingresidential
Map and parcel18-24A
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975 - 1977, 8/29/2015

Map: