278 High Plain Road

Architectural Description: 

Style: two story farmhouse - Southwest corner of the intersection of High Plain Road and the abandoned Boston and Maine railroad bed.

Architectural significance: Plain two story farmhouse with four rooms located on each floor. There is a center staircase, two brick chimneys, and a full field stone basement. The house has balloon framing. The floors are yellow pine tongue and groove. The carriage house walls are field stone.

Historical Narrative: 

Historical significance:
Daniel Trow, a bricklayer, purchased this property on Jan. 27, 1816 from the heirs of John Trow, yeoman. John's widow Hannah, John, Dudley, Richard, Charles, Thomas Trow, Samuel & Jerusha Luscomb, Daniel & Sarah Merrill, Thomas & Lucy Pearson and Daniel Trow. The farm consisting 109 acres, house, barn and buildings. Daniel paid $2000., borrowing from Hannah and William Trow. Daniel Trow sold to Daniel Merrill, wife Sarah on Mar. 13, 1816. Richard Baker then purchased the farm the following year on Dec. 30, 1817 for $1250. Baker acquired and additional two acre parcel on Apr. 3, 1834.

Theodore Poor bought the Baker farm from Ezra Abbott on May 9, 1845 for $1400. In 1850 the Baker Farm, including a dwelling, was owned by Theodore Poor. The Andover 1850 Tax list: lists under non-resident West Parish, that Theodore Poor from Lawrence owns the Barker Farm with 75 acres and Samuel Poor also from Lawrence owns 50 acres of wood and unimproved land. Theodore Poor estate; Samuel Poor Administrator through Probate on Mar. 29, 1859, then sold the Barker farm at auction to Peter Smith on Apr. 26, 1859 for $85. which included 67 acres at that time, with dwelling house, barn and buildings.

Benjamin Franklin Smith, Peter Smith's son, inherited the property in 1880. B. Frank Smith's home was at 65 Central St. Andover, MA, built in 1873. B. Frank Smith, as he was known, was born May 13, 1849, first generation American of the Peter Smith family. Frank married Ella D. Jenkins b. Jan. 22, 1854. They had four children, Peter b. Oct. 29, 1875, Stuart b. 1877, Benjamin Franklin Jr. b. Aug. 14, 1879 and Susanne Ward b. 1882.

September 3, 1880 Andover Advertiser - B. Frank Smith intends to build a new house on the Barker farm, in West Parish, which has recently come into his possession.
May 27, 1887 p2. Andover Advertiser – The management of Mr. B. F. Smith’s farm at West Andover, has been transferred to Mr. Chapman of Natick.
From maps and the lay of the land, it appears that the present house is 100 feet northwest of the old one.

April 17, 1896 Andover Townsman p.1 - B. F. Smith has leased for a term of fifteen years to Mr. Batchelder of North Reading the top of Bald Hill, near his West Parish farm. The lot leased comprises about seven acres and will be used for a fruit orchard, mostly peaches and plums.

Subsequent owners: Wood (1922); Babicki (1929); Whitney (1964); York (1972); and Dillman (1989)

Additional information from 2nd form, recorded by Barbara Thibault, Andover Historical Society, 7 Mar 1991:

Spring 1991, Steve Kearn of High Plain Road says Lake View Farm operated by the American Woolen Co. became the Baticki Farm. The Barn's weather vane in now on the rear building of 166 North Main Street.

1830 - Barker owns land and dwelling in area.
1852 - S. Poor owns land and dwelling in area.
1872 no dwelling
1880 tax list: B. F. Smith, new house and shed at $1200, barn and sheds at $400
1884 atlas: B. F. Smith
1888 map: B. F. Smith, 4 buildings
1900 tax list: Bejamin F. Smith, 65 Central Street owns multiple farm property in West District, see attached 1890 tax list, farm house at $1200, barn and shed at $325, new barn $2000, carriage house $150
1906 atlas: B. - Smith, 1 house and 2 outbuildings
1991: 2 buildings, house (porch were shed was) and barn
Neighbors Whitney and ??? Have old pictures

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, Ma
Town of Andover maps and tax records - 1850, 1860, and 1880.
Map plan #2896 - Aug. 1954 - Daniel Hogan
Map plan #6291 - May 21, 1970 - Chester F. Whitney Jr.

Owners;
John Trow, yeoman, estate, wife Hannah
John Trow heirs, John, Dudley, Richard, Charles, Thomas Trow, Samuel & Jerusha Luscomb, Daniel & Sarah Merrill, Thomas & Lucy Pearson
Daniel Trow, bricklayer, Jan. 27, 1816 - rec. Apr. 25, 1816 - b. 210 leaf 129 - 109 acres, house, barn & blds. $2000.
Daniel Merrill, wife Sarah - Mar. 13, 1816 - b. 201 leaf 130
Richard Baker - Dec. 30, 1817 - b. 219 leaf 91 - $1250
Richard Baker - Apr. 3, 1834 - b. 289 leaf 290 - two acres
Ezra Abbott -
Theodore Poor- May 9, 1845 - b. 366 leaf 63 - $1400.
Theodore Poor estate; Samuel Poor Adm. - Mar. 29, 1859 - Probate
Peter Smith - Apr. 26, 1859 - at auction - $85 - 67 acre Barker Farm
Benjamin Franklin Smith - April 29, 1859 - b. 590 leaf 89
Benjamin Franklin Smith - Dec. 1, 1873 - b. 25 p. 440 - Low parcel
Benjamin Franklin Smith - May 10, 1881 - b. 63 p. 282 - Belnap parcel
Francis A. Perry - May 3, 1882 - b 68 p. 213 - deed transfer
Benjamin Franklin Smith - May 3, 1882 - b 68 p. 215 - deed heirs defined
B. F. Smith heirs; Stuart J., Peter Smith, & Susan S. Purdon - May 3, 1882 - b 68 p. 215
Elizabeth M. McDonald & Ada E> Brooks - July 5, 1919 - b. 405, p. 238 - 241
Elizabeth M. McDonald, wife of Thomas E. - May 20, 1920 - b. 424 pgs. 336 -340
Ignatz Kanupa & John Butrevich - Oct. 8, 1920 - b. 431, pgs. 135 - 139
Phillips Corporation - Dec. 29, 1922 - b. 466, pg. 584 - 591;
Elizabeth M. McDonald - Jan. 7, 1927 - b. 466 p. 584 - 591
John Chemielecki and Jan Budziszeski - Jan. 27, 1927 - b 530 p. 163 - 166;
Jan Budziszeski - July 27, 1927 - b. 534 pg. 172 - 174
Frank & Serafina Babicki - Mar. 1, 1929 - b. 545 pg. 250 - 251
Daniel E. & Gisele B. Hogan - Sept. 1, 1954 - b. 798 pg. 136 - 137
D. & G. Real Estate Trust; Daniel E. & Gisele B. Hogan Sam. S. Dennis III Dec. 29, 1955 - b825, p. 465
D. & G. Real Estate Trust; Richard C. Simmers, John M. McCoy Trs. - May 29, 1958 -b. 873, p. 386
John M. McCoy - Jan. 2, 1959 - b. 905 p. 286
Henry M. Sewell - Jan. 16, 1964 - b. 1002 p. 211
Chester F. & Margaret M. Whitney, Jr. - Jan. 24, 1964 - b. 1002 p. 481
Chester F. & Margaret M. Whitney, Jr. - May 21, 1970 - b. 1161 p. 776
Dennis R. & Delores M. York - Dec. 25, 1989 - b. 3048 p. 330
Richard F. & Suanne C. Dillman - Aug. 3, 1972 - b. 1199 p. 63
Dillman Realty Trust, Richard & Suanne Dillman - Apr. 12, 2005 - b. 9468 p. 247

Inventory Data:

StreetHigh Plain Rd
PlaceWest Parish - West Center District
Historic DistrictNot Applicable
Historic NameBarker Place, Lake View Farm
Present UseDwelling
Original UseDwelling
Construction Date1880
SourceECRDS, ENRDL
Architectural StyleOther
Foundationstone/granite
Wall/Trimclapboards/wood
Roofasphalt - gable
Outbuildings / Secondary StructuresCarriage house, built in 1880's
Major AlterationsThe milk room was demolished in the 1930's. Exterior rehabilitation and back porch addition in 1990.
Conditionexcellent
Acreage2.3 acres
Settingresidential
Map and parcel194-1B
Recorded bySuanne C. Dillman, James S. Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Historical Society, Andover Preservation Commission
Date entered2005, 4/26/2016

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Map: