Andover historian Charlotte Helen Abbott (1844 -1921) states that the original house on this land was very old and burned to the ground after being occupied by John Dane’s mother [Mary (Moody) Dane] who died on Sept. 21, 1793. It was rebuilt by the Dane family. This house was a Cape style one story house with bedrooms on the second floor. It may have originally been a half Cape as there is only a full cellar under the east side of the house. A later addition on the west side created the full cape symmetrical front façade with two windows flanking both sides of a center entrance door. The property was owned by Ralph & Irene Gilman from 1952-1965 and the Gilman family made extensive alterations adding a full second story to the house in the mid 1950’s and a rear addition. At close inspection you can see a slight indent where the two stories meet and the original corner boards stop at the first story where the roofline once joined.

The Moses Dorman Andover map 1830, places a J. Dane at this property.  The Dane genealogy gives James Moody Dane, son of John & Mary (Moody) Dane, married to Rebecca Pillsbury. Deed references of abutting farm properties list James Dane on this land. James may have rebuilt the house after the fire sometime between 1812 and 1820.  James M. and Rebecca had five daughters, Mary, b. 1800, Rebecca b. 1803, Phebe b. 1807, Louisa b. 1810 and Eunice Pillsbury who was born in Andover on Sept. 28, 1813.  Both James M. and Rebecca became members of South Church on July 5, 1818 but transferred to the newly established West Parish Church on November 28, 1826. They were received on Dec. 5^th, members #13 & #14 of the 58 parishioners to become the new founding members of the church. James M. died on June 24, 1844 and Rebecca died on Nov. 18, 1847. Three of their daughters continued living in the house at the 1850 census, Rebecca 42, Louisa 40 and Eunice P. 36.  The Andover Valuation of 1850 lists Heirs of James Dane, House & barn $350, 6 ½ acres land $190 total $540 valuation. The oldest daughter Mary married John Humphrey of Hingham, MA and was received in membership to the South Church on July 5, 1818 along with her sister Rebecca.  Mary would later transfer to the Lawrence St. Church, Lawrence, MA on March 2, 1853. Rebecca joined her parents at West Parish Church by letter on Jan. 2, 1835. Rebecca died on March 24, 1869 age 66. Eunice P. d. Jan 6, 1890 at 76, Louisa died Oct. 24, 1891 at age 81 and Phebe died on Jan. 20, 1892. The daughters may have inherited the property as John A. Humphrey brother-in-law and husband of Mary, sells the house to Louis A. Belisle on Dec. 7, 1896. Louis Belisle was a farmer and later purchased and moved to a larger farm on Osgood St.  Dennis & Nellie Collins bought the home in June 1912 and stayed 2½ years before selling to the Kimball family.    

Albert Kimball b. Aug. 23, 1857 in Bradford, MA, son of Stillman & Ann Rebecca (Poor) Kimball.  Albert was a farmer, married June 22, 1887 in North Andover to  Elizabeth “Lizzie” Robinson b. Dec. 21, 1859 in Dennysville, Washington Co., ME dau. of Samuel & Jane (Chase) Robinson. They had one daughter Alice Florence b. Jan. 26, 1889 in North Andover. Albert moved to Methuen and then to Andover by 1910.  They first rented a house on Argilla Rd then purchased this property on Jan. 20, 1915 where Albert had a Poultry Farm.

Elizabeth (Robinson) Kimball became a member of West Parish Church Sept. 9, 1917 with her daughter Alice Florence Kimball. Lizzie died on March 2, 1928 at 68. Albert was presented with the Boston Post Cane on October 28, 1949 as the oldest male resident in Andover.  Albert died on April 13, 1952 at age 95y 7m 17d.  and daughter Alice just one month later on May 17^th age 63.  All are interred at West Parish Cemetery.

Ralph & Irene Gilman purchased the property in Sept. 1952. Ralph was a plasterer by trade. He and Irene raised their family here and did most of the renovations to the house that we see today. After 25 years as residents of Andover they sold to Richard & Ruth Gould in 1978.  The property is still with the Gould family.            

Charlote Helen Abbott (CHA) notes on Settlers & Old Home Sites in West Parish

Goodell, C.E. ..[Calvin Edwin Goodell, wife Harriet Lovejoy] lived on Lowell Street, east of Lovejoy Road opposite Bailey Lovejoy’s. (see 1872 map) It was owned by John Dane, son of the Revolutionary veteran. Next owner was Timothy Frye, a tanner. The tan yard was at the east end of the house and the vats were in the garden. Tim Frye died soon after 1853 and his son , Gilbert Frye sold the place to Goodell, who was there in 1863, [Near entrance to Wild Rose Drive today]

(John Dane’s mother died 1792 in an old house she lived in opposite the Shattuck’s, and her son John bought the above place from its original owner. It was a very old house.)

[This home was located at 242 Lowell Street.]

The 1872 map places Mrs. Dane’s house at 242 Lowell Street. Bailey Lovejoy house was about where the Andover Bible Chapel is today and Fielding lived at 244 Lowell St. As four of the five Dane daughters never married the Mrs. Dane noted on the map must be in reference to their moth Mrs. James Moody Dane who survived her husband by three years.