Themes: Architectural, community development.

This property is technically in the West Parish (created in 1826) as it is west of the Shawsheen River. Valuation schedules list in the West District but the school district places the home in the Ballardvale School District with Dascomb Rd. being the division line between the Osgood District. Children would have attended the Ballardvale Grammar school and later Bradlee School 1890-1957. As the main house faced Dascomb Rd. that address is given. Street numbers were adjusted in 1958 and the property was given 2 Lovejoy Rd. now #4. In 1900 census Freeman Abbott is listed on Lowell St, but is actually Clark Rd. and not the Route 133 Lowell St. today.

This home was once the property on Herman Phelps Abbott and may have been owned jointly with Job Abbott. Herman acquired several properties in 1832 from Job Abbott, John Mann and Abel Abbott.

Herman Phelps Chandler was born Dec. 19, 1801, son of Nathan 3rd & Lucy (Ballard) Chandler. Herman married Feb. 17, 1831 to Phebe Abbot Ballard b. Aug. 22, 1811 dau. of Joshua & Phebe (Abbot) Ballard. Herman & Phebe had four children: Herman George b. Mar. 28, 1832, Phebe Maria b. Nov. 18, 1838, William Henry b. July 31, 1839 and Albert Ballard b. Oct. 18, 1847. Herman and Phebe joined the West Parish Church by letter on Mar. 1, 1839 and were members for 20 years then joined South Church on May 1, 1859 after they sold the West Parish farm in 1855 and built a new home at 34 School St. The 1860 Valuation list H. P. Chandler in the Center District: Dwelling house, barn and 1/2 acre lot $3100. House and land in Ballardvale $225. 23 acre Osgood Pasture, $420, 18 acres $720, 3 acre Boutwell land $50 = $4515 assessment. His farm stock $310 and 12 shares of B&M RR stock $1212.

Herman P. died on Jan. 9, 1862 age 60, leaving the new house to his wife Phebe. Son H. George received the house in Ballardvale and the Osgood Pasture. William who lived in Plattsburg, NY was released from his debts to his father. Albert Ballard, a minor, did not receive money as his father had "spent considerable money on his education". He left is up to his mother to invest in Albert's continued education. Albert enlisted during the Civil War, served 6th NY Cavalry and died at Clarysville Hospital, Maryland on May 11, 1865 age 17y 6m 24d. Daughter Phebe M. had died on Dec. 3, 1858. They are interred in South Parish Cemetery.

David Morgan purchased the property from Herman P. Chandler on Jan. 25, 1855.
David Morgan was born Jan. 12, 1797 in Beverly, MA son of Lachaviah & Hepsibah Morgan. David, a mason, lived in Johnson, VT prior to moving to Andover. He married on Feb. 1825 to Roxanna Whiting b. Mar. 11, 1801. David and Roxanna had six children: Pliny Fisk b. May 22, 1827, infant b. Dec. 19, -d. 20, 1829, Calvin Whiting b. Apr. 29, 1831 – d. Mar. 20, 1836, David Starret b. May 24, 1835, Louisa b. Dec. 25, 1836 and Annetta b. Nov. 21, 1838. Roxanna died on Apr. 16, 1848. David remarried Betsey L. and they had one son Pyam Dodge b. Aug. 27, 1849 in Johnson, VT. Betsey died and David married a 3rd time to on July 1, 1851 in Lawrence, MA to Alpha Maria H. Buck b. 1806 in Norwich, VT. A family history states that David moved to Andover in 1851. His son David S. enrolled at Phillips Academy, attended Amherst College, Union College, served during the Civil War and was wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania. David S. became a minister.

The 1860 Andover Valuation list David Morgan: Dwelling house $1100, barn $250 31 1;2 acres adjoining $846 = $2196 – Farm Stock $110. David Morgan married a 4th time on Dec. 8, 1865 to Dolly A. (Batchelder) Richards b. 1811 in Gilmanton, NH, dau. of Samuel & Mary Batchelder. David lived out his years on the farm and died on Feb. 23, 1878. He is interred in Bellevue Cemetery in Lawrence. David’s estate went to his children which was sold and quit claimed to his youngest son Pyam Dodge Morgan on June 30, 1879.

Pyam D. married Nov. 29, 1876 to Jane Elizabeth Frost. B. Aug. 1850 in Andover, dau. of Oren & Harriett Jane Frost. They had one daughter Emily b. April 1878. Pyam was a bricklayer and mason. He did work the farm too but sold Zebulon Erastus Coffin on May 1, 1891 and moved to Santa Clara, CA.
Zebulon Erastus Coffin owned for five years then sold to Eva A. Drisko, wife of Fred Drisko on Apr. 1, 1896. Fred H. & Eva A. (Wass) Drisko were both born in Addison, Maine and married in Somerville, MA on Dec. 1, 1880. Fred was a carpenter and contractor and they lived in Boston during the time they owned the Andover property. They had four children, Burton J., Arthur H., Alice and Catherine.

Freeman R. Abbott purchased the farm on Sept. 11, 1905. Freeman was born in Feb. 1870 in Nova Scotia, son of Benjamin & Mary (Comeau) Abbott. Freeman immigrated in 1888 and married on July 3, 1893 at West Parish Church to Isabella Sellars Graham b. Jan 1873 in Andover, dau. of John & Isabella (Black) Graham. They had seven children: Lester Freeman b. Aug. 6, 1895, Cora Elizabeth b. Nov. 12, 1897, Isabella Bertha b. Dec. 12, 1899, Florence May b. Oct. 9, 1902, Mildred Carlene b. Oct. 11, 1904, Burton Drisko b. Aug. 25, 1907 and Edith Viola. b. Apr. 3, 1909. The 1910 census lists the Abbot family, four hired men and Mabel G. Ryan age 17, servant. The 1920 Andover Valuation of Freeman’s farm: West District, Dascomb Rd. - House & shed $1800, Barn & shed $900, 51½ land $2500, 10 Woodland $200 = $5400. By 1930 Freeman had expanded to 186 acres on both sides of Lovejoy Rd.
Isabella died Dec. 31, 1938. Freeman R. Abbott sold the property to Mabel G. Griffin on June 6, 1942. Mable Gertrude (Ryan) Griffin was the longtime housekeeper to the Abbott family. Mable born on Dec. 25, 1892 in Methuen, dau. of Robert & Amminella (Ross) Ryan. Mabel married on July 3, 1914 in Salem, NH. to Frank W. Griffin b. Aug. 13, 1876 in Boston, son of George & Nelle (Cole) Griffin. They had one daughter Edith A. b. Mar. 5, 1915 in Ballardvale. Mabel and daughter Edith are listed with the Abbot family in the 1920 and 1930 census. Husband Frank Griffin does not appear. Mabel is listed as a housekeeper, sharing the home with Freeman until 1946 when the property was sold to Ray S. & Sarah Youmans on Feb. 13, 1946.
Ray Sedrick Youmans b. 1892 in Wellsbridge, NY son of John J. & Ida (Cutler) Youmans was a Veterinarian, married to Sarah E. Springall. The Youmans sold off lots and sub-divided the property. They built a new home at 16 Lovejoy Rd. Ray Youmans died on Dec. 15, 1957 age 65. His widow Sarah would continue to develop house lots along Dascomb and Lovejoy Roads in 1929. A portion of the former farm was sold to Realty Construction & Engineering Co. Inc., Mar. 4, 1959. The homestead was sold to Mary M. Stevens, wife of Wm. H. Y. on March 24, 1959.