Themes: Architectural, Community development, Industry
This house was one of the Frye Village residences preserved by William Madison Wood when he developed the model Shawsheen Village for American Woolen Company employees in 1920's.

18 Haverhill St Walter Kay House (formerly listed as 26 Haverhill St. when located east of York St.)
This home was moved to this location during the Shawsheen Village development 1918 – 1924 of William M. Wood, President of the American Woolen Company. At that time the Kaye house, then #26 Haverhill St., sat high on a knoll east of York St. about 200' back from Haverhill St. The house was moved to this site for the construction of York St. and the Shawsheen Mill.

Mr. Wood hired about eight different architects to design the homes and structures for the village. Newly designed entrances and updated interiors, were the norm for all the former Frye Village homes that were preserved. 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.

This house was owned by a William Crowell who sold Peter Smith on Aug. 23, 1859 for $1400. Peter sold the property to his son James Byers Smith on Dec. 14, 1877 who held four years then selling to his Uncle John Smith founder of Smith & Dove Co. on June 20, 1881. John died in 1886 and his two surviving children Joseph W. Smith and Helen G. Coburn inherit the estate. Helen later sold her share to her sister-in-law Fannie S. Smith, wife of Joseph W. Smith on Oct. 5, 1891. Fannie Smith sold the property and house to Walter A. Kaye on July 7, 1907. Joseph W. Smith died in Oct. 1907.

The home was leased as a tenement for employees of the company. In 1884 John Bell was a tenant and later occupied by Alexander Morrison. With the Kaye ownership the 1908 directory lists #26 Haverhill St. with Kaye and two other tenants. Mr. & Mrs. David Scott, a laborer, in 1913 a warp dresser and in 1916 an overseer in Lawrence. In 1918 David & Bella Scott were at 38 Walnut Ave. Also in 1908 were Charles & Mary Frederickson, he working for the American Woolen Co.

Walter Kaye b. Jan. 19, 1861 in Kirkheaton, Yorkshire England, son of Simeon & Betty (Dransfield) Kaye. Walter worked in a woolen mill married in Milsbridge, England on June 12, 1886 to Mary Ann Chapman, b. Apr.1861 in Lockwood, Yorkshire, England dau. of Sarah Chapman. Mary as an operative in the mill. They had three daughters Laura b. 1887- d. 1887 and Edith b. 1888 - d. 1889 and Dorothy b. Dec. 20, 1890 in Hudderston, Eng. The Kayes with Mary’s mother Sarah immigrated to Boston on Oct. 7, 1897 on the S.S. Canada and settled in Frye Village. Walter was a wool spinner in 1897 and then a Percher in the Washington Mill of the American Woolen Co. in Lawrence. Walter later became an overseer of his department. They rented a home at 320 North Main St. now the site of Wood Park. That tenement was moved to 11-13 Balmoral St.

Walter & Mary had a son born in Andover, Frederick Thompson on Aug. 23, 1898 but died on July 30, 1899. Their daughter Dorothy graduated from Punchard High School in 1908 became a bookkeeper at the Washington Mills and later the Shawsheen Mill. Dorothy died on May 19, 1914 of pulmonary thrombosis at age 23. Her father Walter died at age 54 on Jan. 23, 1915 of heart failure. The Kayes were members of the Free Church and are interred at Spring Grove Cemetery.

Mary Ann Kaye would sell the home for $5000 to Henry P. Binney, agent for the American Woolen Co. on March 25, 1916. Mary and her mother Sarah Chapman remained in the home as they are listed in 1918, then had moved into the new bungalow, built by William M. Wood at 7 Lowell St. by 1920. The house was relocated to #22 Haverhill St. in 1919.

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 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 occupants in the home in 1923 were Charles & Mary J. Frederickson who rented from the Kayes in 1908. Charles a chauffeur. Their son Charles Jr. was a student at the time. In 1926 #24 were Edward C. & Hannah R. Street. Edward worked for the United Chemical in Lawrence.
In 1943 at #22 were Andrew & Mary G. MacLachlan. Andrew was a spinner at the American Woolen Co. His son Andrew Jr. and wife Marion F. are also listed with his parents. Andrew Jr. employed a Ford Motor CO. in Somerville, MA. In #24 was Emil and F. Ruth Grigger. Emil was an engineer at Remington Arms.
This house returned to private ownership when sold to John F. & Ether P. Moriarty on July 15, 1947.