233 Holt Road

Architectural Description: 

This home is the classic Saltbox Colonial home. Most likely built in stages over the years as family expanded. The shed roof addition attached to the rear of the home creates the saltbox style from two story in front and one story to the rear. The asymmetrical front facade visually suggests that the east right side of the home may have been an early first addition.

June 28, 1901 The Andover Townsman describes the neighborhood as "fair farmland, including knolls, wooded hills, pine groves, meadows, a pond, cultivated ground and pasture lands..., a mile or so outside the town, within a few minutes walk of the electric cars."

Historical Narrative: 

Darius & Mary (Holt) Abbot – Darius, a house-wright, sells for 480 pounds his homestead land in three parcels to Jacob Jones of Wilmington, MA on Apr. 16, 1776. The first plot with dwelling house is 17a 146 poles. The second lot is 29a 14 poles on west side of the road with barns. The third is 20 acres of pasture and woodland near Fuller Sawmill. Jacob buys a forth parcel on the north end of Preston’s Plain for 80 ponds. (rec. Mar. 7, 1778 – b. 135 leaf 246)

Daniel Poor, wife Hannah (Frye) sells to Jacob Jones for 106 pounds the former house and barn of Elijah Patten, deceased (Oct. 15, 1774) and a 15 acre lot on the south side of the road on May 10, 1777; Jacob Jones – Apr. 16, 1778 – b. 135 leaf 247

Jacob Jones was born on Sept. 23, 1737 in Woburn, MA, son of Capt. Ebenezer & Elizabeth (Dale) Jones. Jacob married May 16, 1758 to Mary Winn b. Sept. 9, 1739, dau. of Hezekiah & Bethia (Parker) Winn of Wilmington, MA. Jacob inherited property in Andover from his father. Jacob acquired extensive estates in Andover, MA in Apr. 16, 1776. Jacob served as a private in Capt. Jonathan Eaton’s company in Aug. 1758 and in the Revolution in Capt. Timothy Walker’s Wilmington company, which marched on the Lexington alarm. Jacob & Mary joined the South Parish Church on Oct. 29, 1786. Jacob died Jan. 11, 1814 and his will (dated July 4, 1810), was probated May 5, 1814. His will mentioned his wife Mary, son Ebenezer to whom was left all real estate and a “great bible”, son Reuben deceased, children of son Nathan deceased, daughters Elizabeth and Rachael, and grand-daughter Mary Holt child of dau. Mary Holt deceased. His wife Mary had died on Jan. 28, 1812.
Jacob & Mary had ten children: Ebenezer b. abt. 1759, Jacob b. abt. 1761, Elizabeth b. abt. 1763, Reuben b. abt. 1765- d. 1798, Nathan b. 1767, Mary b. abt. 1769, Rachel b. abt. 1771, Phebe b. abt. 1774, Abigail b. abt. 1776, Joanna b. abt. 1780.

Ebenezer married on Feb. 15, 1780 to Elizabeth Abbot b. Nov. 2, 1755 daughter of Samuel & Elizabeth (Wyman) Abbot. Ebenezer inherited and occupied his father’s homestead. He served as private in the Revolutionary, in Capt. John Abbott’s company, from Sept. 30 – Nov. 6, 1777, in the Saratoga campaign. Elizabeth joined South Parish Church on Sept. 7, 1783. Elizabeth died on Oct. 26, 1815. Ebenezer and son Jacob purchased the former Abel Holt Jr. farm on Dec. 20, 1815. Ebenezer would acquire 20 acres from Stephen Abbot in 1815, and the Peter Holt farm on Aug. 22, 1818. Ebenezer and Elizabeth had eight children: Elizabeth “Betsey” b. Oct. 4, 1780 in Wilmington, Jacob b. Aug. 13, 1782, Jewett b. June 15, 1784, Mary b. July 29, 1786, Abbot b. July 4, 1789, Ebenezer b. Jan. 31, 1792, Hezekiah b. Feb. 14, 1794 and Reuben b. 1797 in Lyndboro, NH.

Ebenezer would remarry on Dec. 2, 1819 to Dorcus Dane b. April 14, 1769 – d. Oct. 6, 1854, dau. of Joseph & Elizabeth (Wyman) Dane. Dorcus was half-sister of his first wife Elizabeth. Dorcas began teaching at age 16 and taught 23 summers in local schools; Scotland District 1785-6, and 1795-1805 inclusive, in the Osgood District 1787, Holt District 1791-1794, Centre District West Parish 1809-10, Abbott District 1806-8. It is said that Dorcus gave land to the town for the Scotland School on South Main St. Ebenezer died Aug. 24, 1832 age 75. His will dated Aug. 16, 1832 names Dorcas, and all his children and leaves his real estate to his son Ebenezer. 1850 Valuation of his farm Dwell. House $1000, barn 7 shed $350, 28 acres adjoining $1260, 35 a pasture $875, 20a Foster meadow $200, 20 Further pasture $600, ¼ Dwell house $400 = $4685 and 103 acres. His Personal estate Farm stock $319, Money $400, 3 B.&M.R.R. shares $150 = $869

Ebenezer sold to his son Reuben Jones three parcels of land with buildings for $1200 on June 13, 1828. Lot one of 2 acres, parcel two of 30 acres and a 1/3 share of woodland in Wilmington. Reuben had married on Feb. 21, 1828 to Rachel S. Woodbridge. Rachel was b. 1807 in Milford, NH, dau. of Joshua and Rachael Woodbridge. Reuben and Rachael had five children: Reuben Abbot b. Aug. 23, 1829, Charles E. b. Mar. 13, 1832, Martha Maria b. Feb. 9, 1835, Phebe Ann b. Dec. 27, 1844 and Samuel Milton b. Mar. 28, 1852.

Reuben worked his 35 acre farm. The 1850 Valuation Schedule lists Reuben Jones; Dwell. House$400, Barn $100, 3 acres adjoining $150, 29 acres east of road $580, 2 acre Peat meadow $50 = $1280. Personal estate, Farm Stock $65, 1 Bank share $90. In 1860 a shop had been added and son Charles E. was assessed for 1 ¾ acres of land $65. Charles enlisted during the Civil War on Aug. 4, 1862 in Co. H. Mass. 1st Heavy Artillery. He mustered out on Apr. 27, 1865 in Arlington, VA. Charles was a shoemaker. In the 1870 census Charles and his brother Reuben, a farmer, were both listed as an invalids. Reuben died at age 48 on Jan. 28, 1878. The Jones farm would be shared by Charles E. and Samuel Milton on Feb. 8, 1879. Reuben Sr. died on May 25, 1881 age 84 and wife Rachel on Nov. 25, 1889 at age 82.

Charles married on Feb. 5, 1879 to Mary Jane Buxton b. Aug. 16, 1831 Charlestown, MA dau. of David & Sarah Buxton. Charles died on Jan. 24, 1890 of pneumonia age 57.

Widow Mary J. Jones and Samuel M. Jones held the property on Feb. 6, 1891. Samuel Milton married on May 5, 1891 to Annie (Jones) Billington b. Weld, ME, dau. of Benjamin & Roxanna (Littlefield) Jones. Annie had a son Jesse S. Billington b. Aug. 1884 in Maine. Sam & Annie had one daughter Bertha Annie Jones b. Oct. 17, 1892.

Samuel Jones and Mary Jane Jones sold the farm to Thomas F. D’Arcy on Apr. 10, 1900. The farm contained five parcels of land. Thomas F. D’Arcy purchased several properties in the immediate area.

Thomas Francis D’Arcy was born in Massachusetts in July 1878, son of Michael F. & Sarah E. (Cottan) D’Arcy. His father emigrated from Ireland and established a sash and blinds business in Boston. Thomas may have briefly lived at the Jones homestead. Thomas sold off parcels of the Jones farm to his father Michael F. D’Arcy in 1902. His father Michael built a grand mansion house at the intersection of Wildwood (called D’Arcy Rd. then) and Holt Roads in 1901 with an estate of 300 acres. It burned down on Dec. 8, 1906 and was later replaced. This home was used to house laborers of the D'Arcy farm.

Michael D’Arcy sold the Jones farm to Marquise M. Converse on Mar. 31, 1911. Converse would later purchase the D’Arcy mansion site at 46 Wildwood Rd. Marguis deeded all his holdings to his wife Alice H. Converse on Feb. 10, 1920. The Jones house continued as rental property and farm laborers of the Converse and Spaulding families.

Marquis was born on Oct. 1861 in Lime, Grafton, NH, son of Peter M. & Sarah S. (Clement) Converse. He was the Superintendent of a Dry Goods Store when he married on Oct. 23, 1884 to Alice Houghton Sargent, b. July 1862 in Lebanon, NH. He would later establish in Malden, MA, the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in February 1908. Converse purchased several farms in the area, had five houses and 357 acres. Marquis & Alice had five children; Frieda b. May 1888, Harold M. b. Mar. 21, 1890, John Kendrick b. Jan. 1898, Ralph H. b. 1904 and Dorothy b. 1906. Maquise died in April 1931.

The Jones place was sold to Henry S. Hopper on Mar. 18, 1930 and contained 5.8 acres. Two years later Alice H. Converse bought the farm back. Alice then sold to Arianna T. & Bert G. Spaulding on Aug. 10, 1933. The Spauldings lived in the Converse Mansion at 26 Wildwood and named the place Wildwood Farm. The property across the street at 34 Wildwood was purchased by Clinton & Anna (Spaulding) Shaw, Anna the daughter of the Bert and Arianna. The Shaws would later purchase this property. When Clinton deeded it to his son John T. Shaw in 1975 a life tenancy was given to Marguerite Hood, his daughter.

An interview with Judd Holt on Dec. 11, 2008, stated that he believed from his research that this home was once owned by Benjamin Holt Sr. who had married the widow Braviter Gray.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
North American Family Histories – Jones, pgs. 8, 9, 17, 18
Andover Vital Records
Historical Manuel of South Church 1859
South Parish Cemetery database
Ancester.com – Jones family, census
Essex County Probate
Mass. Archives, vol. xcv, p. 529 – Military service
See plan map #97 – 1911
Plan map #778 -
Plan map #1212 -

Owners:
James Holt Jr., wife Dorothy
Darius & Mary Holt - Homestead,
Jacob Jones - Apr. 13, 1776 - b. 135 leaf 246 - 3 parcels w/dwelling
Ebenezer Jones - Dec. 25, 1793 rec. 6/18/1796 – b. 159 leaf 287 – 180 pds. 2 lots w/blds
Jacob Jones estate - Jan 11, 1814 –
William Tucker and Asa Holt – (former Abel Holt Jr. place) - 1815
Jacob Jones & Ebenezer Jones– Dec. 20, 1815 – b. 207 leaf 232 - $1200 two lots
Ebenezer Jones – Dec. 20, 1815 – b. 207 leaf 231 - $700
Reuben Jones – Apr. 12, rec. June 13, 1828 – b. 249 leaf 184 - $1200 – 3 lots
Charles E. Jones – Apr. 9, 1866, rec. Feb. 8, 1879 – b. 54 p. 305 – ½ lot
Samuel M. Jones – Feb. 8, 1879 – b. 54 p. 306 – $700 –1/2 blds, land
Charles E. Jones & Samuel M. Jones – Apr. 5, 1879 – b. 54 p. 598 loan
Charles E. Jones estate, Mary J., Samuel M. Jones – Feb. 6, 1891 – b. 110 p. 341
Thomas F. D’Arcy – Apr. 10, 1900 – b. 176 p. 154 – 155 – five parcels
Thomas F. D’Arcy – June 6, 1900 – b. 195 p. 367 – land Salem St. area
Michael F. D’Arcy – May 12, 1902 – b. 195 p. 371 lot #2
Michael F. D’Arcy – June 30, 1902 – b. 205 p. 455 – lot #5
Marquise M. Converse – Mar. 31, 1911 – b. 302 p. 237
Alice H. Converse – Feb. 10, 1920 – b. 416 p. 389
Henry S. Hopper – Mar. 18, 1930 – b. 551 p. 203 – 5.8 acres
Alice H. Converse – Sept. 20, 1932 – b. 566 p. 401
Arianna T. & Bert G. Spaulding – Aug. 10, 1933 – b. 571 p. 299
Bert G. Spaulding estate, Arianna T. – died Mar. 16, 1950
Clinton D. & Ann S. Shaw – June 29, 1955 – b. 816 p. 75 – several parcels
Margaret B. Holder – May 7, 1965 – b. 1033 p. 119
Clinton D. & Ann S. Shaw, Margaret Hood life tenant – May 7, 1965 – b. 1033 p. 120
John T. Shaw – July 31, 1975 – b. 1264 p. 563 – parcel II
John T. & Judith E. Shaw – Jan. 18, 2012 – b. 12857 p. 37 & 52
John T. & Judith E. Shaw Revocable Trust – Mar. 15, 2012 – b. 12857 p. 67 – 4.947 acres

Inventory Data:

StreetHolt Rd
PlaceScotland District
Historic DistrictNot Applicable
Historic NameEbenezer Jones - Jacob Jones House
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1770
SourceECRDS, ENRDL, style-njs
Architectural StyleGeorgian
Foundationstone/granite
Wall/Trimcedar shingles/wood
Roofasphalt - gable
Outbuildings / Secondary Structuressmall barn and wagon shed (1978)
Conditionpoor
Acreage4.95 acres
Settingresidential
Map and parcel61-1
MHC NumberANV.274
Recorded byBarbara Thibault, James S. Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Historical Society, Andover Preservation Commission
Date enteredNovember 1991, 5/30/2018

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