The land on this corner was once part of the Benjamin Abbott farm at #9 Andover Street. The old homestead and farm eventually descended down to James Abbot and then to his son Hartwell B. Abbott in 1858 after the death of his father. The farm once included 289 acres with various parcels located on Andover and Central Streets, Argilla, Reservation, Red Spring and Dascomb Roads and also included part of what is now the AVIS Indian Ridge Reservation. Hartwell Barachias Abbott was born in the old homestead on June 24, 1816. He married on November 14, 1855 at age 39 to Sarah Abbott Jones, b. Nov. 5, 1817, age 36, daughter of Jewett & Susan Jones. They had three children Elizabeth Punchard b. Aug. 31, 1857, James Jewett b. April 6, 1859 and Mary Alice b. June 15, 1860.

The 1860 Andover valuation lists two houses owned by Hartwell B. and it is probable that he built the house after he married. The 1860 Census list Hartwell next to his brother Timothy who is lives in the old homestead at 9 Andover St. The agricultural schedule lists his livestock as; 2 horses, 5 cows, 2 oxen, 2 swine and 10 other cattle. He has 90 acres of improved land and 140 acres unimproved. In 1870 the occupants of his house include his family and Margaret Gorman 40, b. Ireland, servant girl, Ellen Cotter 15, servant girl, Henshawe B. Walley 31 broker and Charles F. Fulsom, Physician. The 1880 census has his son James J. living and working on the family farm.

James J. married on June 22, 1882 to Lucy Abbott Blunt born July 22, 1860 daughter of Charles & Lucy J. (Holt) Blunt. They were living at 123 Mineral Street (Red Spring Rd) in 1888 which may have been built for him by his father after they married. Their daughters Elizabeth P. graduated from Punchard Free School in 1872 and married Thomas Franklin Pratt. Mary Alice graduated from Punchard in 1877 and became a teacher at Punchard from 1888-1896. Their mother Sara A. died on December 27, 1891. Hartwell died on April 14, 1896. They are interred at South Church Cemetery.
The 1900 Andover Real Estate Valuation lists the property of the Hartwell B. Abbott Estate as; House and shed $1500, Barn & shed $700, New house $1600, Old house and shed $350 and seven parcels of land totaling 196.5 acres. His son James Jewett Abbot inherited the family farm and moved back into his boyhood home at #3 Andover Street. James and Lucy had seven children; Chester Denning b. Apr. 3, 1883, James Harwell b. Nov. 11, 1884, Lucy Ballard b. May 4, 1887, Alice Josephine b. July 13, 1889, Elizabeth Carroll b. Oct. 29, 1894, Ruth b. Apr. 27, 1891 and Paul Jewett b. March 9, 1899.

His uncle, Timothy Abbot moved into James’ house from the old Benjamin Abbott house by 1898. In the 1910 census Timothy age 86, his sister Aunt Hannah age 84 and James’ sister Mary Alice, age 47 are living in the Red Spring Rd. house. Aunt Hannah died in 1911 and Uncle Timothy was given the Boston Post cane on his 90th birthday on Aug. 13, 1913 as Andover's oldest male resident. Timothy died a few months on Dec. 12, 1913.

James continued farming his entire life and sold off land when the need arose. The old Abbott homestead at 9 Andover St. was sold in 1933 with one acre of land. It had been in the Abbott family for nearly 250 years. James and Lucy had been married for 68 years before Lucy died on Dec. 2, 1950. James died 16 months later on April 5, 1952. His estate was divided among his children. Son Chester D. inherited the farmhouse at 3 Andover St. and most of the remaining farm land. His wife Grace was given the Chippendale chair and mirror. Daughter Lucy A. Pollock was bequeathed the house at 123 Red Spring Rd. Chester and Grace purchased the house they had been living in from Lucy the following year in 1953. Chester married on Sept. 21, 1909 in Westerly, RI to Grace Emily Brown age 28 born July 19, 1882 in Allston, MA, daughter of Cyrus H. & Sarah K. (Maxon) Brown. Grace was a teacher in Allston, MA.

Chester continued in the family business as a farmer and milk dealer operating the “Horn Bridge Farm” in Ballardvale. He also became a school bus driver in the 1930’s transporting the students in West Andover. Chester & Grace had three children, one son died in infancy in 1911, Hartwell Brown b. Dec. 31, 1912 and an adopted daughter Priscilla B, b. April 25, 1917 in RI. They made their home at 123 Red Spring Rd for 55 years. Tragically Chester & Grace were both killed in an automobile accident in Enfield, NH on August 6, 1965 while in route to visit their son Hartwell. Chester was 82 and Grace was age 83. They are interred in South Church Cemetery. The homestead at 3 Andover Street was rented out after the death of James J. and converted into apartments. With the death of Chester his son Hartwell was the executor of his parent’s estate. The farm was subdivided lots sold off to liquidate the estate. Chester & Graces house was sold to Richard W. & Esther L. Baker Jr. who had been residing in the apartment of the house. The farmhouse was sold to Donald C. Milligan in May 1968 where he and his family continue to reside at this date.