Themes - Architectural and Community Development.

Maurice Joyce Curran Jr. was b. July 14, 1896, the son of Maurice J. and Abigail Florence (Morrison) Curran who lived at 250 North Main Street in the "Croft", former home of George & Susan W.W. Dove.

Maurice's father, Maurice J. Curran and John Joyce of Lawrence purchased the "Croft" estate jointly in 1895. Curran and Joyce were co-partners in the firm “Curran & Joyce” established in 1877 as bottlers and manufactures of soda water and ginger ale. They later expanded the business to include imports and wholesale dealers of liquor and were bottling agents for several brewing companies in the northeast.

Curran & Joyce were also brothers-in law as they had married sisters Abigail Florence Morrison and Mary Jane Morrison. The two families moved into the “Croft” in 1895 and shared the estate for nearly eighteen years before Joyce built "Ledgecroft" next door. Maurice Joseph Curran was born on Sept. 4, 1854 in Palmer, MA, son of Lawrence & Mary (Morrison) Curran. He first married on Nov. 24, 1878 to Teresa Keating b. 1856 in Charlestown, MA, daughter of John & Catherine Keating. They had two children; Mary (Mollie)Teresa b. 1879 and son Lawrence Curran. Teresa died on Aug. 28, 1884 in Lawrence, MA.

Maurice remarried Abigail Florence Morrison sister to Mary Jane Joyce. Maurice and Abigail Curran had four children; Joseph Frederick b. Nov. 2, 1888 - d. May 15, 1971, Margaret Monica b. May 5, 1890 - d. July 1959, Maurice Joyce b. July 14, 1896 - July 6,1959 and Lydiona (Lidwine) Abigail b. 1901 - d. June 1952.

Of Maurice and Abigail (Morrison) Curran’s four children; daughters, Mary T. married Daniel J. Murphy, having three children, Daniel J. Jr., Edwin C. and Marie Elizabeth. Lidwine Margaret Curran married Donald Falvey, their children; Abigail F., Joan, and Donald Falvey Jr..
Sons; Joseph Frederick Curran married Genevieve Constance Ford of Lawrence, daughter of Patrick Ford of Ford Bro. in Lawrence, J. Frederick & Genevieve moved to Brookline, MA. They had one son Charles F. Curran, who married Frances Shea of Brookline, a widowed mother with a son William Callanan. Charles & Frances had three children: Frederick, Abigail and Charles Jr.

Maurice J. Curran Jr. married in Jan. 1923 to Annette Marie LaFrance b. May 15, 1901 in Holyoke, MA, daughter of Louis A. & Eugenie (LaRiviere) LaFrance. Annette's father was a building contractor. The couple took their two month honeymoon in Europe, sailing on the S.S. Paris on Jan. 17, 1923 and returning on the "S.S. Majestic" out of South Hampton, England on Mar. 21, 1923. The couple would have three children, Joyce M.,b. Dec. 10,1923 - d. 2014, Annette L. b. 1926 - d. 2012, and Maurice J. Curran 3rd b. Sept. 17, 1930 in Boston.

Maurice Jr. bought this property on Apr. 21, 1925 and had the beautiful Tudor Revival home "Greencourt" built in 1926-1927. Maurice Jr. was an attorney, and worked in Banking as a Bond Salesman. He was a partner in the banking firm Chase & Co. and later with White, Weld & Co. in Boston. The property deed was transferred to Paul LaFrance on Apr. 14, 1932. Paul was the brother of Annette (LaFrance) Curran. Paul held the deed for four years then transferring the deed to Annette Curran on Dec. 31, 1936.

The 1930 Census lists the Maurice & Annette, the two daughters Joyce and Annette. The house staff included; Margaret McFarland 43 governess, Anielia Douvane 32 cook, Mary O'Leary 27 waitress and Helen Hart 26 chamber maid. In 1940 Maurice J. Curran 3rd age 9 b. Sept. 17, 1930 in Boston is the new addition to the family. The staff has changed to Catherine Demody 38 cook, Mary H. Gorman 58 and Anne E. Davis 28 as general maids.

Maurice and Annette would later separate and divorced in 1944 in Dade County, Florida.

Maurice Curran re-married on June 25, 1944 to Yvonne Theresa (Pellerin) Blanchette . Yvonne was b. in 1910 in Tourville, Canada, the daughter of Auguste & Eugenie (Bouchard) Pellerin. Yvonne was married before to Wilfrid Blanchette, b. Aug. 6, 1893 in Canada, a Barber and lived in Lawrence. Yvonne was a beautician and had an early singing career, stage name Yvonne Buchard with the "Boudelevardiers Orchestra" They had three daughters, Gladys. b. 1928 - d. 2014., Litha Y. b. 1929 - d. 11/11/2016 and Joan Dorothy b. 1931.

The 1950 Census lists Maurice and Yvonne with his step-children; Gladys Brown 22, with her husband Stanley Brown, Litha Yvonne age 20, and Joan D. age 19. Maurice J. Curran died on July 6, 1959 age 62 after a long illness. Wife Yvonne inherited the estate and continued to live at "Greencourt" until her death in on Oct. 9, 1992 in Gulf Stream, FL. Yvanne was the proprietor of "Madam Yvonne's Beauty Salon" in Lawrence, MA.

Daughter Gladys married Stanley Brown in the 1940s. Gladys was interviewed by Barbara Thibault, Director of the Andover Historical Society (4/9/93). Gladys had the original drawings, garden plans and photographs of the 18 room house.

The property was placed in the Greencourt Realty Trust, Dana Willis Trustee, on August 11, 1994 and continues in trust in 2020.

(see also 276 Main Street; also 232 No. Main St.)
1926 - 280 “Greencourt” 4.8. acres built by Curran
1927 -1945 - Curran, Maurice J. Jr, Bonds, Boston
1961 - Curran, Yvonne T, b. 1910
1985 - Curran, Yvonne T,
1995 - Vacant