357 R North Main Street

Architectural Description: 

Late Federal style built after the Essex Turnpike (North Main St) was constructed.

Historical Narrative: 

357 R. North Main St. 52-30 0.407 acres

The property along the east side of North Main from Haverhill to Kenilworth Streets was once owned by Theophilus Frye. Most of his land was deeded to his son Reuben Frye in the 1820’s. Rueben then sold the Frye estate for $8000 on Mar. 9, 1829 to Dr. Joseph Kitteridge, Thomas C. Foster and Stephen Abbot
All prominent citizens in Andover. The parcels of land were then sold off separately.

The Widow Hannah Hodge purchased this parcel on Nov. 15, 1830. Hodge held the property three years then sold to Lucy (Lovejoy) Frye on April 17, 1833 for $1300 which included 20 acres with all buildings. Lucy was the widow of Theophilus Frye who died on April 21, 1830 at the age of 78.

Lucy sold the property to Ephraim Everson and Job T. Cole both Machinists business partners on May 2, 1838 for $200. The men operated a Machine Shop in one of Elijah Hussey’s buildings on Hussey’s brook. Ephraim Everson took ownership of ½ of all the business and the house in 1842. Ephraim Everson was born in Plymouth, MA in 1809, son of Ephraim and Sarah Everson. His mother was born in Andover. Ephraim married on Jan. 29, 1834 in Andover to Rhoda Gleason b. Mar. 27, 1808, dau. of Benjamin & Rhoda (Gleason) Gleason. They had six children, of which two reached adulthood: George Ephraim b. Dec. 10, 1834, Emily Frances b. Aug. 21, 1836 –d. May 1. 1842 Scarlet fever, Rhoda Gleason b. Feb. 23, 1839 – d. May 23, 1842 Scarlet fever, Benjamin Gleason b. Nov. 1841 – d. Jan. 6, 1842, Emily Frances b. Aug. 20, 1843 – d. May 18, 1861 and Rhoda Gleason b. May 14, 1846 – d. July 30, 1920.
Son George E. fought in the Civil War and died in action at Petersburg, VA on June 17, 1864.

Ephraim and Rhoda joined South Church on Jan. 1, 1832, was a Deacon, but left on April 5, 1846 to become charter members of the Free Christian Church, an Abolitionists congregation founded by John Smith who Everson worked for and lived next door to. He was most likely involved with the Underground Railroad’s safe passage through Frye Village. Ephraim sold his home to William C. Donald on May 30, 1858 and then moved to Haverhill, MA, setting up shop there. His obituary states “ Dea. Everson learned his trade of a machinist, of John Smith at Frye Village, in the town, and continued to be employed in the same machine shop for a long period of time. He Removed to Haverhill some twenty years ago. He was a man of strict integrity, and lived an exemplary Christian life. Ephriam died on Apr. 21, 1881 at age 74. He and his family are interred at South Parish Cemetery.

William Couper Donald b. Mar. 7, 1816 in West Craig two miles from the town of Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus) Scotland. William age 15, first apprenticed to a miller in the parish of Tannadice for about six years. William then went to Farnell where he met and married on Sept. 13, 1839 in Brechin, Scotland to Agnes Bain Smart b. May 21, 1841 Scotland, dau. of William & Jane (Johnson) Smart. The Donald family immigrated to America arriving in NYC on July 26, 1844, then to Andover. William & Agnes joined the South Parish Church on Jan 5, 1845 from the Presbyterian Church in Scotland. They also would leave the following year on April 5, 1846 to become charter member of the Free Christian Church.

William & Agnes had nine children: Frances “Fannie” Smart b. Mar. 1, 1841, Isabella “Belle” b. 1843 both in Scotland, Mary Jane b. Oct. 5, 1844, William Alexander b. July 30, 1846, Elijah W. b. July 30, 1848, Walter Smart b. Mar. 13, 1850 Agnes H. b. 1852, Alice Downing b. Oct. 12, 1856, and Charlotte S. b. Aug. 16, 1860 all in Andover.

William purchased property on Holt Rd. from Leonard Wheeler on Sept. 17, 1852. An Ink shop is located there on thee 1852 map of Andover. Donald established a lamp black and printing ink manufacturing company with partners Samuel & George Morrill. The Morrill, Donald & Co. Ink Manufacturing factory was located near the site of the Public Safety Building at 20 North Main St. The factory was a former Andover & Wilmington Rail Road repair building purchased by Morrill in 1851.

Andover Advertiser (AA) Feb. 19, 1853 Samuel Morrill, William C. Donald, George H. Morrell, - Printing Ink Manufactory old Depot buildings on Main St.
AA Apr. 29, 1854 Printing Ink Manufactory – Old depot building on Main Street. Morrill & Donald & Co.
AA June 3, 1854 – Co-partnership – dissolved by Morrill, Donald, Scrimgeour & Co. on June 1. Donald to close affairs of the late company.
AA Feb. 16, 1856- Morrill, Donald & Co. removed to South Dedham, Ma. Printing Ink Manufacturing
William then established his own company in Frye Village just north of his home on North Main St. in 1856.

The home in Frye Village was located 359 North Main St. next door to John Smith, President of the Smith & Dove Co. and founder of the Free Christian Church. William’s daughter Fannie later married John Smith’s son Joseph Warren Smith in 1865.

AA July 6, 1866 – The printing ink factory of William C. Donald in Frye Village was burned on Thursday afternoon, together with the contents
AA Sept. 7, 1866 William C. Donald has rebuilt his printing ink establishment, which was destroyed by fire a few months ago. It is now built of brick with fire proof roof and is divided into eight apartments each so distinct form the other that a fire cannot be communicated. The engine was so little injured by the late fire that the manufacturing of ink was continued without interruption. Mr. D. occupying “all out doors” for his factory. Having perfected his machinery, and completed arrangements, he is now prepared to supply all orders.
AA Dec. 5, 1873 – William C. Donald is erecting a building 30 x 40 feet with sixteen feet posts for a lamp black house in connection with his printing ink manufactory at Frye Village.

The 1870 Valuation for William Donald: House $1600, barn & shed $300, Ink factory $900, 8 acres $600, Flagg land 9 acres $540, New house $500 = $4440 Farm stock $340, Stock in Trade $1000 = #1340 Division Store #112 $800.

William was a devout Christian, abolitionist, taught Sunday school for the church for 50 years. William & Agnes celebrated their Golden Anniversary in 1889. William retired in 1892 and the business was then taken over by his son Walter S. Donald. Agnes died on Feb. 2, 1893. William wintered in Boston for 12 years after his wife died at 227 Newbury St., the home of his daughter Charlotte and her husband Dr. George Garland. William died there on April 22, 1906. William was the oldest and last original charter member of the Free Church. William and Agnes are interred at South Parish Cemetery, Andover.

Jan 27, 1892 AT pg. 4 – Business change – W. C. Donald retires, son continues with partners Harrison H. Church of Lawrence and Walter S. Donald – new firm name is W. C. Donald & Co. The Donald house remained with the family until 1919 when sold to Henry P. Binney, trustee for William M. Wood and the American Woolen Co.

The Frye Village was transformed into Shawsheen Village from 1919 -1926. Once Wood had the property he moved to the house to the current location and built three more houses just north of the site. The Donald Ink Factory was located beyond just before Kenilworth St. and was not sold until after Wm. Wood’s death in 1926.

The house is sometimes referred to as “Garland House” as it was used as an annex for the Shawsheen Manor and William & Agnes youngest daughter Charlotte S. Donald married George M. Garland, a physician in Boston. They lived on Newbury St. but summered in Andover in the Donald House until it was sold.

The house then served as rental property by the American Woolen Co. It was sold to Joseph DeAcutis – on Jan. 12, 1931. DeAcutis was the owner and manager of the Shawsheen Manor. He held the property until May 6, 1953 when it was purchased by Edward S. & Katherine M. Moss. They owned two years then the house changed hands twice more before Arthur C. Antonopoulos and his wife Madeline purchased the property in Nov. 26, 1956. Arthur C. Antonopoulos would be Arthur C. Anton Realty, who then built their cleaning business on the front lawn of the property in 1957.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Andover Advertiser and Andover Townsman
Andover maps, 1830, 1852, 1884, 1888, 1906,
Shawsheen Village 1924 map
Andover street directories
Andover Valuation Schedules 1850, 1860, 1870, 1900, 1920
Andover Center of History & Culture, files.
History of Free Christian Church.
South Church Membership Manuels

Owners;
Owners:
Theophilus Frye
Reuben Frye & Theophilus Frye – Nov. 14, 1823 – b. 238 leaf 169
Reuben Frye from Theo – Feb. 15, 1825 b. 245 leaf 78 – Tim. Poor
Reuben Frye from Theo – Apr. 2, 1825 – n. 238 p. 169
Reuben Frye from Theo - June 13, 1827 – b. 249 leaf 95
Joseph Kitteridge, Thomas C. Foster, Stephen Abbot - Mar. 9, 1829 - b. 251 leaf 293 – $8000.
Hannah Hodge, wid. – Nov. 15, 1830 – b. 269 leaf 175
Lucy Frye – April 17, 1833 – b. 268 leaf 224 - $1300 – 20a/wblds
Ephraim Everson & Job F. Cole – May 2, 1838 rec. 4/19/1839 – b. 312 leaf 244 - $200
Ephraim Everson – Mar. 31, 1842 – b. 330 leaf 155 - $850 – ½ of property
William C. Donald – May 30, 1858 – b. 567 leaf 246
William C. Donald – May 13, 1861 – b. 623 p. 128 – from Solomon Holt
William C. Donald estate, Gordon Donald, Trustee – d. April 22, 1906
Henry P. Binney, Trustee – April 28, 1919 – b. 398 p. 52 & 54 – 9.86 acres w/house
William M. Wood, American Woolen Company - Dec. 30, 1920 - b. 435 p. 215 (parcel #14 p. 226)
Joseph DeAcutis - Jan. 12, 1931 - b. 556 p. 144
Edward S. & Katherine M. Moss - May 6, 1953 - b. 775 p. 307 - this house and lot
Nicholas R. & Stella R. Mulick - Feb. 8, 1955 b. 808 p. 159
John G. & Anne B. Gourdeau - Oct. 18, 1955 - b. 882 p. 204
Arthur C. Antonopoulos, wife Madeline - Nov. 26, 1956 - b. 846 p. 43
Arthur C. Anton Realty Trust, Arthur C. Anton & Socrates C. Antonopoulas, Tr. - Oct. 1, 1966 - b. 1079 p. 113
Anton Realty Trust, Arthur C. Anton - Jan 4, 1971 - b. 1172 p. 427
Anton Realty Trust, John C. Anton (Antonopoulos) - May 19, 1976 - b. 1282 p. 200

Inventory Data:

StreetNorth Main St
PlaceShawsheen Village - Frye Village
Historic DistrictShawsheen Village NRH District
Historic NameEverson - Donald House
Present UseResidence 3 apartments
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1820's
SourceERDS, NERDL, style,
Architectural StyleFederal
Foundationstone & granite
Wall/Trimclapboard/wood/vinyl clad
Roofasphalt/gable
Outbuildings / Secondary StructuresAnton's Cleaners building built 1957 in front of the historic house
Major AlterationsConverted into 3 apartments, windows replaced and altered. Vinyl siding covers original clapboard siding.
Conditiongood
Moved?Yes
Move Detailswas at 359 North Main, facing south, turned and moved in 1920
Acreage0.407 acre
Settingresidential/commercial
Map and parcel52-30
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James S. Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975-77, 4/23/2020

Images: 

Map: