38-40 Whittier Street
Whittier Street was named after Nathaniel Whittier who lived at 10 Summer Street and much of the property along the route was part of his homestead. This street was an extension of Punchard Ave originally extending around the south and east side of the “Park” and through to Elm Street. All early deeds state Punchard Ave.
Andover Advertiser - April 24, 1858 The building of Punchard Avenue was let out to Auction on Monday to William Sullivan of Lawrence. Length one hundred fifty- five rods (155 rods), price $4.25 / rod. It is to be completed on the first of July.

This lot was once part of a larger parcel purchased by John Soeherns on Sept. 25, 1882. John built his home at 44 Whittier St. and sold off the corner lot at Chestnut and Whittier to Jacob Warren Berry on Sept. 29, 1883. The Berry house was built facing the Park at 52 Chestnut St.
The 1906 map of Andover does not show this home on the Berry lot. Berry estate sold to Evangeline B. Proctor, wife of John H. on July 28, 1920. The Proctors later sub-divied their lot selling of the west side at 50 Chestnut and this lot on the north side of the lot to Myra J. Harding, wife of William H. on June 24, 1927. William H. & Myra J. Harding lived at 93 Woburn St. (189 Abbot St.) and built this two family house as income property. It is not listed in the 1928-29 directories but appears in the 1930-31 listing. We assume it was built prior to the Stock Market crash in 1929.

William Harlow Harding was born May 4, 1877 in Akron, Ohio, son of John M. & Emily (Ewing) Harding. William was a Commercial Traveler (Com Trav) salesman of Drug sundries. William married on Oct. 7, 1908 in Providence, RI, to Myra Josephine (Weld) Gilman b. 1872 in Fitchburg, MA dau. of Marcellus & Maria L. (Goldsmith) Weld. Her mother Maria was the daughter of Isaac & Lydia (Favor) Goldsmith who was born in Andover at 180 Abbot St. Myra was first married to Charles Gilman a druggist from Wakefield. Their marriage ended in divorce.

The first two tenants listed in 1930-31 were Paul M. & Florence P. Cheney at #38. Paul was an insurance adjuster. Richard E. & Florence M. Davis occupied #40. Richard is listed as Com Trav (salesman).

In 1931 # 40 is occupied by Howarth J. & Josephine Peters. Howarth was a printer who later moved to #44 Whittier. William F. & Dorothy C. Simeone occupied #40 for a few years. William owned Simone’s Drug Store at 2 Main Street.
#38 Paul Cheney age 35 and wife Florence would move to Canterbury St. and Arthur M. & Josephine M. Graham then moved into #38. Arthur was a machinist at Davis & Furber Co. in North Andover.
William H. & Myra Harding moved into #40 in 1935. Myra died on April 4, 1943 and is interred at Spring Grove with her grandparents Isaac & Lydia Goldsmith. William would remarry and sold the property Walter J. & Anne M. Morrissey on May 29, 1951. Both William Harding and Arthur Graham lived in the apartments until it was sold.
The Morrissey family occupied #38. Walter, b. 1926, was president and proprietor of Walters Cafe Inc, at 6 Park St. His mother Catherine J. Morrissey, b. 1892, widow, lived at #40. Catherine is listed a secretary-treasurer of Walters Inc. in 1951. Walter also worked for the telephone company.