Original owner: John Marland
Themes: Architectural, Commerce, Community Development

This was the residence of John Marland, proprietor of Ballardvale mills. He designed this country "mansion house" to his own liking and according to the taste of his time sparing no expense. John spent between $60,000 - $70,000 on the house and property. John Marland had several business and real estate ventures including one of the principal owners of the Ballard Vale Company woolen mills and The Ballard Vale Machine Shop 1846.

John Marland was born Dec. 19, 1802, in Beverly, MA, was the second son of Abraham & Mary (Sykes) Marland, owner of the Marland Mill on Stevens St in Andover. John married June 2,1829 in Framingham, MA to Lucretia Dorr of Boston b. Nov. 14, 1806, in Boston, daughter of John & Esther (Goldwaithe) Dorr. John & Lucretia had seven children: Lucretia Dorr b.5/1830. Frances Ann “Fanny’ b.2/13/1833 d. 3.17. 1836, John Thomas b. 10/8/1835, Mary Bertody b. 9/4/1841, Martha Punchard b. 2/21/1844, Andrew Stewart b. 12/3/1846 and William b. 12/19/1848.

John built the mansion house at 228 Andover St. which included a 200-acre homestead estate. This was the second house on the site. John’s first house built in 1836 burned to the ground in 1842 “while he was on a trip abroad to buy machinery and secure skilled laborers.” It has been stated that "he rebuilt the house in six weeks". The hedge, the long stone wall and orchard had been set in 1840. A grotto was built in 1845. Large gardens stretched down Andover St. and an aqueduct (1848) provided water to the property from Porter Road. Unfortunately, John’s financial dealings were over extended, and he became insolvent in 1849 and his assets were sold. The 1850 Census however still lists the Marland family in this home.

From 1851 to 1856 John and family lived in England returning to Andover 1856. The Marlands spent three more years in England from 1858-1861 living in the town of Southport, Civil Parish of North Meols, Lancashire County. John returned to Andover in 1861, and his family followed in 1862. They occupied the home at 25 High St. which his sister Martha (Marland) Punchard purchased on July 1, 1862, and held in trust for her brother John. John died on April 17, 1865. Widow Lucretia died on May 10, 1887, in Cleveland Ohio. They are interred at Christ Church cemetery.

The Marland house with about 76 acres was acquired by Little, Alden & Co. of Boston. James L. Little, Wm. Monroe, Daniel Ranney of Boston and Paul Alden of NY were the business partners. The property was then sold to James Damon, wife Sarah F, of Andover for $7750 on June 14, 1852. Damon held the deed for a year, selling to Gardner Warren on Boston for $14,000 on May 17, 1853.

Gardner Warren acquired several other parcels and sold to George Ellis of Newton, MA on Aug. 14, 1853, for the sum of $24,000. George Ellis occupation is listed as Merchant, Commission Merchant & Agent for Sales of Broker in census records. George Ellis was born in Henley, Staffordshire, England in 1806. George married Elizabeth Lawler, b. 1816 in England and they had three children, Frederick L. b. 1836 in England, Mathew H. b. 1845 in Montreal, Canada and Charlotte H. b. 1847 in Boston. The 1860 Andover Valuation for George Ellis; Dwell, house, Greenhouse, Barn & other blds. $9800, Wormsley house $1000, Lynch house $400, Large barn $1000, Small barn $300, 164 acres home farm, $4300, John Hackett place 21 acres & Bld. $1600. = $18450 and 185 total acres. Personal estate; Farm Stock & Income $5920.

George and Elizabeth Ellis sold off their accumulated holdings on April 27, 1864, to business partners George J. Tenney & Samuel Little of Georgetown, MA for $37,500. George Tenney then sells the Marland house to Elizabeth Ryley, wife of Geo. W. Ryley on Dec. 15, 1864, for $15,050. The parcel included 25 acres 63rods adjoining the property.

George William Ryley was born on Sept. 29, 1823, in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, son of Thomas & Harriet (Strictland) Ryley. George immigrated about 1842 and married on Oct. 18, 1849, in Andover to Elizabeth (Fletcher) Whitley. Elizabeth was born in 1828 in England, dau. of George & Sarah (Parker) Fletcher. George and Elizabeth had eight children: Thomas b. 1850, George Parker b. 12, 3, 1852, Edwin Strickland b. 11/27/1854, Harriet b. 12/5/1856, Elizabeth b. 1861-d. 6/17/1862, Jane Elizabeth b. 3/18/1862-d. 9/21/1877, Fletcher b. 6/23/1863 and Addie E. b. 11/25/1864.

George Ryley by “his own account he was a wool sorter, but by his superior knowledge in his profession, arose rapidly to the enviable position” as a salesman and business partner in extensive wool trade. Ryley was a partner in the firms Strung, Platt & Co., in NY and in Boston the George W. Ryley & Co. Sadly, also an interest in Butler & Robinson Mill in Methuen and the Revere Woolen Mill at Ipswich. George died tragic accident in Lawrence on June 6, 1867.

Lawrence American – Andover Advertiser June 7, 1867, page 1 “SAD AND FATAL ACCIDENT - On Thursday afternoon, as Mr. George W. Ryley of Ballardvale, was driving a buggy into the city across the lower bridge, the horse took fright and dashing through Union Street, attempted to turn into the alley on the left, at the new Pemberton Block. He struck the sidewalk between the trees and the house, somewhat damaging the blinds. Mr. Ryley was thrown out and so severely injured that he survived only about two hours, not having his senses after the fall. Mr. Ryley was a man of wealth and position in this vicinity…He was 42 years of age, and a warm hearted, generous man, very much esteemed in Ballardvale and by all who knew him…. He was an Englishman by birth and had been in this country about twenty-five years. As a salesman he had few equals, and no superiors.
He has left a widow and eight children, who reside at Ballard Vale, on the place formerly occupied by the late John Marland, Esq. His buildings and their surroundings are beautified and arranged in such a manner as to excite the admiration of all beholders.”

George’s estate revealed large debts owed to his partners and was declared insolvent and most of his property was sold at auction. The house deed was in his wife’s name and a life insurance policy saved Elizabeth from losing their home and the 27 acres adjoining. The 1870 Valuation: Mrs. George Ryley; House $5200, barn $800, Greenhouse $400, Farmhouse $500, 27 acres $1600 = $8500. Farm stock and Carriages $300.

Elizabeth remained in the house until 1875 when she sold the property to Ella R. Anderson, wife of Josiah B. on July 28, 1875, and moved to Lawrence. AA Aug. 6, 1875 – Ballardvale p. 3 Personal – “Mrs. Elizabeth W. Ryley has sold her valuable Real Estate to a Boston gentleman said to be a developer.” AA Aug. 20, 1875 – BV p. 3 “Mr. J. B. Anderson of Boston purchased all the real estate of Mrs. Eliz. Ryley at Ballard Vale has commenced improvements by laying out streets and paths upon the premises. It is supposed to be his intention to open a boarding house or hotel.”

The Marland Mansion was later acquired by the J. Putnam Bradlee for the Bradlee Mills and would then be associated as the residence for the superintendents of the mill. Mr. Bradlee lived in Boston on Ashburton Place and never resided in the house. Capt. J. Putnam Bradlee however did much to develop Ballardvale. He built an amusement center, Bradlee Hall, (205 Andover St. in the store building) where concerts and other events were held. He opened his own personal library in 1878 to the employees and residents of Ballardvale as the Vale's first public library.

Josiah Putnam Bradlee was connected with Ballardvale Mills from its founding as a textile plant; associated first with John Marland as mill's treasurer on Jan. 15, 1842. In 1866, Mr. Bradlee was sole proprietor and there "he made the finest flannels in the world." At Philadelphia Centennial, 1876 - Ballardvale products took the prize for "perfection in fabric."
When Capt. Bradlee died on Feb. 2, 1887, in Boston. He left over one million dollars in his Trust for his sister, Helen C. Bradlee. Trustees were Nathaniel J. Bradlee, a Boston architect, who died in 1888, Wm. L. Strong and William H. Hodgkins who later was named President & Treasurer of the Ballard Vale Company. The new Ballardvale district schoolhouse built in 1889 at #149 Andover St. was named in honor of J.P. Bradlee in 1897.

James Shaw was the Superintendent of the Ballard Vale Manufacturing Co. for 26 years, serving from 1855 to his death in 1881. James Shaw was b. May 10, 1822, in Delph, Yorkshire, England, son of James & Hannah Shaw and immigrated with his parents to Patterson, NJ at age 4½ years old. Later to Leicester and Southbridge, MA. James married on May 3, 1847, in Bellingham, MA to Matilda Armitage, b. Nov. 27, 1826, in Leeds, England. They had four children: James Arthur b. 2/23/1853 Ware, MA, Martha b. 1854, Susan Matilda b. 12/17/1858-d. 12/26/1859 and Mary Emma b. 11/1/1861. James died on Oct. 4, 1881, age 59 years and the funeral was at the Methodist Church. AA Oct. 14, 1881 – Obsequies – James Shaw – “climbed the latter from Bobbin Boy to Superintendent…being a friend of the toiling, and the various means he devised in connection with the proprietor of the mills for the improvement and happiness of the employees, instancing the music stand, evening schools, free lectures, library, Fourth of July occasions, Thanksgiving services and in other ways….”

Joseph Shaw, (no relation to James), would be the next to occupy the house. Joseph Shaw was born Dec. 11, 1849, son of George & Sarah (Stocks) Shaw. Joseph married on May 29, 1879, in Sherbourne Falls, MA to Martha A. Rowland b. Dec. 1857 dau. of Sleigh & Susanna (Whitaker) Rowland. Martha’s father moved to Ballardvale in 1864 and lived at 18-20 River St. in the stone house from 1895-1920. Joseph & Martha had one son Irving Rowland Shaw b. Aug. 14, 1880. Irving would also work in the mills as a wool sorter. Joseph would suffer a shock and retired in 1907. He lived with his son Irving at 6 High Vale St and died on Sept. 4, 1911.

Willis Bradlee Hodgkins was Superintendent of the mills after Shaw. Willis was the son of William H. Hodgkins, President of the Ballard Vale Mills, who died in Sept. 24, 1905. Willis was born on Dec. 15, 1874, in Somerville, MA, son of William H. & Susanna Augusta (Hayward) Hodgkins. Willis graduated from Dartmouth College in 1899. It was there that he met Helen Osgood Ruggles b. Jan. 28, 1877, in Hanover, NH dau. of Professor Edward Rush & Charlotte O. (Blaisdel) Ruggles. They married on Aug. 15, 1901, in Kennebunk, ME. Willis was a clerk and paymaster at the Ballardvale Mills and became Superintendent in 1907- to about 1913. Willis is listed as Paymaster for the B&MRR in 1916 and 1918, but still resides at the house. They had four children born in Andover: Barbara b. 4/12/1905, Edward Ruggles b. 6/27/1910, William Henry b. 3/23/1914 and Richard Bradlee b. 10/17/1915. In the 1920 Census Willis and family have moved to Maricopa, AZ.

The Ballardvale Mills sold the property to E. Marion (Marsden) Dyson on Nov. 3, 1927. Marion and her husband Tom are listed here in the 1926 Andover directory. Tom born 1872 in England, was a designer, but died on Sept. 9, 1926, age 54 years. Marion b. 1882 in England immigrated in 1906, was the proprietor of a variety store called “The Whatnot Store” at 6 Park St. Marion’s brother John Marsden b. 1876 in England lived with her and was a salesman in the store. John died on Sunday Jan. 6, 1945, age 69. Marion died on Nov. 16, 1953, age 76. All are interred at Spring Grove Cemetery.

The Dyson estate sold the property to C. Lincoln & Janice E. Giles on Apr. 18, 1955. Giles was an architect and developer and specialized in preserving older structures by renovation to multi-faimly units and retail space. Examples of his work are the “Old Andover Village” at 89-93 Main St., Nathan Frye house at 116 North Main St. and the Marland house from a single-family home to apartments. The house contains 20 rooms and was converted into 7 apartments with 9 bedrooms and 7 baths. Giles also converted the former carriage/greenhouse building to the east into house into a home

1856 map: George Ellis lived in the Marland house in the Vale
1866: Josiah Putnam Bradlee owned it but lived in Boston and often had employees or visitors staying in the Marland House.
1872: George and Elizabeth Riley and 5 children occupied house
1884: James Shaw, superintendent of the mill
1887, Feb. 2 - Sept. 24, 1905 Mr. William H. Hodgkins Trustee of the Ballardvale Mills.
1905 - Howell K. Wilson Pres. & Treas. of Mill
Willis B. Hodgkins Superintendent 1907

Deed states property was once numbered #392 Andover St. - many properties in Andover were renumbered in 1959.