20 Haverhill Street

Architectural Description: 

Colonial Revival - Dutch Colonial

Historical Narrative: 

This property was purchased directly by William M. Wood on July 14, 1909 and saved to became part of the Shawsheen Village development 1918 – 1924 by William M. Wood, President of the American Woolen Company. Wood hired about eight different architects to design the homes and structures for the village. Homes were sold or rented through the Homestead Association who had offices in the Post Office building on the corner of North Main & Poor Streets. The original home on this site was moved down to the corner of Haverhill and York Streets at #26. This home was further east on Haverhill St at #34 and leased to the Proulx family. It was moved to this location when the construction of the Shawsheen Mills began.

After the death of William M. Wood in Feb. 1926 most of the residential and commercial buildings were then sold. Some were held by the Wood family in the "Arden Trust" and others with the American Woolen Company, which had been deeded the property in December 1920. The A.W.Co. Board of Directors authorized its President, Lionel J. Noah, to deliver all deeds, as deemed necessary to the Textile Realty for sale on Dec. 29, 1931. The Arden Trust, created on Feb. 9, 1921 by William & Ellen Wood for their children was was administered by Cornelius A. Wood and Frederick R. Edington; Trustees. The Trust was deed to the Phillips Corporation on March 31, 1926. J. Sumner Draper Pres. was to liquidate all the Trust assets.

The Textile Realty then transferred ownership to the Andover Shawsheen Realty Company on June 30, 1932, holding the mortgage on the properties. T. Edwin Andrew, treasurer, was authorized to sell or rent the properties. With the Great Depression sales were sluggish and many homes were rented until the economy rebounded.

The first occupants of record to lease the home in 1926 were Nathaniel & Anne Stowers. Nathaniel was a dentist.

This house was sold by the Phillips Corporation to Henry E. & Anita C. Hart on June 16, 1926. Hart leased the home. Henry died in New York on Mar. 5, 1940. Anita was living in Queens when she sold the home to Jeremiah J. & Hilda D. Twomey on Dec. 18, 1942.
Jeremiah J. Twomey was an assistant clerk in the courts in Lawrence. Jerry died Oct. 6,1947 and Hilda D. Twomey held the estate for eleven more years then selling to Mavis T. Cox in 1958.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Andover Maps, 1852, 1872, 1888, 1906, 1926
Andover Street Directories
Mills, Mergers and Mansions, by Edward Roddy 1982
See Map plan #704 - American Woolen Company - Sept. 1927
#880 - June 1932 - Textile Realty Company - lot 20

Owners;

Robert Brailsford - July 21, 1902 - b. 197 p. 35
Beacon Trust Co. Dec. 23, 1904 - b. 217 p 80 - indenture
General Degreasing Co., Daniel C.. Smith Tr - March 28, 1909 - b. 258 p. 446 & 450
Arlington National Bank - June 16, 1909 - b. 274 p. 565 - foreclosure
James E. McGovern - July 17, 1909 - b. 275 p. 400
William M. Wood - July 14, 1909 - b. 276 p. 257 - portion of above
Arden Trust - Cornelius A. Wood, Frederick R. Edington; Trustees - Feb. 9, 1921 - b. 447 p. 330
Phillips Corporation - March 31, 1926 - b. 520 p. 462 (p.464 lot 5)
Henry E. & Anita C. Hart - June 16, 1926 - b. b. 523 p. 311
Henry E. Hart estate, Anita C. Hart heir, Probate - Henry d. 3/5/1940 in NY
Jeremiah J. & Hilda D. Twomey - Dec. 18, 1942 - b. 655 p. 534
Jeremiah J. Twomey estate, Hilda D. Twomey heir; Jerry d. 10/6/1947
Mavis T. Cox - July 10, 1958 - b. 876 p. 464
Mavis T. Cox Revocable Trust 2004, Gerald Cox, Tr. - Dec. 16, 2004 - b 9330 p. 212
Lisa M. Cox - Oct. 6, 2009 - b. 11792 p. 190

Inventory Data:

StreetHaverhill St
PlaceShawsheen Village - Frye Village
Historic DistrictShawsheen Village NRH District
Historic NameProulx House
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1920 - 1922
SourceERDS, ENRDL, AHS file, njs, style
Architectural StyleColonial Revival
Foundationstone
Wall/Trimclapboard/wood/vinyl covered
Roofasphalt - gambrel
Major AlterationsVinyl siding and replacement windows
Conditionexcellent
Moved?Yes
Acreage0.27548 acre
Settingresidential/commerical
Map and parcel35-8
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975 - 1977, 7/6/2015

Map: