46 Salem Street; Griffin - Hammond House -
1790s – 1970
Site with History;
On this site stood the William & Betsey Griffin Jr. homestead built in the late 18th Century and was razed in 1971. The property ownership connection remained through the Hammond family until 1889. The homestead then went to William W. Cropley 1889 – 1905, Frank D. Somers 1905 – 1919, Emery E. & Mabel Trott 1919 – 1929, Emery J. & Emma Trott 1929 - 1968 and then Trustees of Phillips Academy in 1968. The house which had been converted to three apartments by the Trott family. The house at 3 Stonehedge Road was connected to this property and stood in the rear yard of the property. The property was razed in 1970 prior to the establishment of the Andover Historical Commission in 1971, (renamed Andover Preservation Commission in 1996) and the Andover Building Survey begun in 1974.
The Griffin Homestead location is important in understanding the neighborhood development and land holdings of abutting properties.

William Griffin Jr. was born Sept. 6, 1766 in Newbury, MA son of William & Mary (Howard) Griffin. William, a Yeoman, joined the South Church on April 1, 1792 (#925), married Sept. 4, 1794 to Betsey Holt b. Aug. 7, 1763 dau. of Jonathan Holt. The 1810 census list three household residents, one a girl between 10-15 years of age. As the 1800 census lists only two in the home, the girl (daughter?) Betsey would be ten. Charlotte H. Abbott’s Griffin genealogy states. “Mrs. “Bill” kept a boarding house and when the boarders ate everything in sight, she would say “How nice! I guessed just right.” Wife Betsey died Feb, 7, 1827 age 62, (59 GR2) William was excommunicated from the church on March 6, 1830 and died May 24, 1830 age 63 (64 GR2). He is however buried in South Parish Cemetery. William’s will gave his estate to Betsey Town, mother of George F. and William G. Hammond, and now wife of Ezra Hammond.

The linage connection with Betsey Town is a conflicting one as no birth of Betsey Griffin to William & Betsey has been found. Abbott’s genealogy states that Griffin did not have children. The Betsey Griffin Town who married Ezra Hammond about 1824 in Paris, ME was born Aug. 5, 1804 in Albany, Oxford Co. ME, dau. of Samuel & Lydia P. (Holt) Town(e). Samuel Towne was born March 26, 1768 in Andover, married Lydia Holt on Nov. 22, 1795. Betsey Griffin Town may have been a niece to Griffin.

From a deed of the Samuel Richardson’s property at 52 Salem St. in 1849 the north boundary line states “near the house of Ezra Hammond”. Ezra Hammond was born May 21, 1796 in Lincoln, Penobscot Co. Maine, married Betsey and had three sons born in Paris, ME: George Francis v. June 16, 1825, Henry Edwin b. Sept. 12, 1827 and William Griffin b. May 4, 1830 an just a few weeks prior to William Griffin’s death. Ezra and family are enumerated in Paris, Maine in the 1840 Census. It appears that when all the sons were of age Betsey transferred the Andover property to them. George and William moved to Andover and Henry remained in Maine and quit claimed his share on Dec. 1850.

George F. Hammond married on Nov. 22, 1846 in Bethel, ME to Julia Ann Albee b. Feb. 28, 1829 in Bethel dau. of Peter & Sarah Freeland (Newton) Albee. They had 7 children of which 5 survived to adulthood. Lowell Freeland b. Aug. 19, 1847 Paris, ME, George Lincoln b. Apr. 2, 1849, Kate Ellen b. Jan. 17, 1852 and Caroline Frances b. Feb. 4, 1855 in Andover. Frank Bates b. Oct. 11, 1860 and Frederick Porter b. Apr. 22, 1863 in Paris, ME. George was listed as a laborer, shoemaker and farmer. George returned to Maine and sold his share to William on May 15, 1862. It appears that the brothers shared the house.

William Griffin Hammond b. 1830 married May 10, 1853 in Tisbury, MA to Thais Frances Albee b. June 2, 1833 in Canton, ME dau. of Peter & Sarah Freeland (Newton) Albee, the sister of Julia Ann, wife of his brother George. William & Francis had three children; Fanny Towne b. Apr. 19, 1856 and Lillie Remington b. Apr. 22, 1857 both in Tisbury, MA and William Ezra b. Dec. 20, 1862 in Paris, ME. William G. is listed as a shoemaker and painter. William & Frances remained in Andover. Frances died on Dec. 13, 1888 of cancer at age 55y 6m and is interred in South Parish Cemetery.
The 1860 Valuation: Wm. Hammond, Dwelling house, barn, 15 1/2 acres $1800, 1/2 acre Meadow $13 = $1813, Farm stock $20
1870 Valuation; Wm. Hammond: House $1500, Barn $150, 11 5/8 acres $750, 1/2 acre Meadow $20 = $2400.

Daughter Fannie T. married Dec. 30, 1875 to the Rev. Austin H. Burr b. June 18, 1849 in Charleston, Ohio and served as the minister of West Parish Church, in Andover from 1880 to 1885. They had seven children. Daughter Lillie R. became a teacher in Andover, taught at the Phillips District School 1879-1883,which was a short distance away on Highland Rd. Lillie married on May 25, 1886 at the Andover Theological Seminary to Rev. Horace E. Morrow b. Aug. 27, 1858 in Gloucester, MA son of Charles & Mary Morrow. They had two daughters Mildred and Marguerite. Son Willie Ezra became a watchmaker, married Nov. 12, 1888 in Webster, NH to Georgia F. French dau. of Hiram F. & Dorothy L (Farnum) French.
William G. Hammond would remarry on Feb. 22, 1891 to Victoria Nancy Hathaway b. July 22, 1842 in Paris, ME. William sold the old Homestead to William W. Cropley on Aug. 18, 1889 for $6500 which then included 9 acres enclosed by stone walls. William Hammond died in Paris, ME on Feb. 21, 1903.

William Wallace Cropley was born June 15, 1850 in Hadley Mt., Annapolis, Nova Scotia, son of John & Louisa (Miller) Cropley. William immigrated to Boston in June 1869, became a shoe salesman in Boston. He moved to Marblehead, MA and married on Sept. 15, 1879 to Mary Oliver Stevens b. Aug. 1860 in Marblehead, dau of William & Martha R. (Martin) Stevens. They had four children born in Marblehead; William Stevens b. Sept. 10, 1880, Harry M. b. Oct. 16, 1881 – d. July 9, 1883, Martha L. b. May 17, 1883 – d. Oct. 31, 1890 in Andover, and Wallace L. b. 1886 –d. Oct. 20, 1890 in Andover. Cropley owned the Salem Street house for 16 years then sold to Frank D. Somers on May 26, 1905 and moved back to Marblehead.

Somers purchased three parcels from Cropley, the first was the homestead lot of 9 acres enclosed by a wall. The second parcel of two acres and the third parcel of 51,215 sq. ft. from Ruby Carter. Frank Doremus Somers was born July 10, 1853 in New Haven, CT son of Henry & Emma (Drew) Somers. His father Henry was a successful merchant tailor and Frank also mastered the trade. Frank attended Phillips Academy graduating in 1870 and was one of 32 boys living at Rhoda Atkinson’s boarding house. Frank married in Andover on Nov. 19, 1873 at age 20 to Harriot Parker Hervey b. Dec. 23, 1847 in North Parish, Andover, dau. of Albert & Ann W. (Greenough) Hervey. Frank’s business was at 5 Park St. in Boston. Frank and Ann had four children; Raymond Hervey b. Mar. 26, 1875 CT –d. Apr. 22, 1876 Wakefield, MA, Marion Strong b. Aug. 14, 1878, Lawrence Drew b. Sept. 24, 1880 and Constance b. July 14, 1882.
Andover Townsman - Sept. 8, 1905 - F. D.Somers is building a fine old fashoned English wall around his estate on Salem Street. The 1906 map of Andover lists Somers at this location. The 1910 Census lists Frank age 56 Clothing merchant, wife Harriet age 63 and two servants, Catherine Findley age 27 and Samuel Black age 40, both from Nova Scotia, Canada. Frank and Harriet sold the property on Oct. 2, 1919 to Samuel B. Hulme, a Real estate broker and moved to Brookline, MA and later to Hingham, MA.

Hulme then sold to Mabel J. Trott, wife of Emery E. on Oct. 3, 1919. The 9.8 acres extended from Salem St. back to Woodland Rd. Emery was a carpenter and had a business in Lawrence, MA.

Emery Ephrian Trott was born Oct. 4, 1866 in Perry, Maine son of John H. & Martha Jane (Grove) Trott. Emery’s father was a ship builder. Emery was a carpenter when he married on Sept. 22, 1892 in Clinton, MA to Mabel J. Johnstone b. 1865 in Sherbroke, Quebec, Canada dau. of Charles & Mabel Johnstone. They had one son Emery J. born Sept. 27, 1902 in Manchester, NH. Emery E. Trott moved to Worcester where he is a house carpenter. Later they came to Lawrence, MA where Emery worked for Briggs & Allyn Sash & Blind Co. All census records list him as a wood worker and carpenter. Mabel J. Trott, purchased lot #2 at 29 Morton St. on Mar. 5, 1914 and they built a home there and are listed at 29 Morton St. in the 1916 directory. The Trotts moved to Lawrence in 1917 but return to Andover in 1919 and purchased 46 Salem St.

Emery joined the firm D.W. Pingree Box Co. in Lawrence in 1922, later became president and his son Emery J. as treasurer. The Trotts sub-divided the property and developed Stonehedge Rd. Their son Emery J. built the Cape home at 48 Salem St. in 1935 which became his home and wife Emma. The property was deeded to their son Emery J. and wife Emma on Dec. 23, 1929. Emery J. Trott, married Emma Dickerman. Emery Sr. and Mable moved into 10 Stonehedge Rd. about 1940 and Emery E. died July 22, 1942. Mabel died on Feb. 23, 1945. The old homestead at 46 Salem St had been converted into apartments in the late 1920’s, one occupied by Emery & Mabel. Emery J. & Emma Trott continued to live at 48 Salem St. until Feb. 17, 1945 when they sold to Hollowell Family. They then moved into 10 Stonehedge Rd. and later back into 46 Salem St. Emery J. Trott died in 1967 and Emma sold the property to the Trustees of Phillips Academy on Sept. 20, 1968.

The 1969 and 1970 Andover Directories list Frederick R. Kent b. 1903, Sexton, and wife Celia A. b 1894 who were living at 93 Main St. in 1968. #46 Salem St. is no longer listed in 1971 and was razed at this time.
Past tenants in the house:
1931 - William R. & Erma Hill who owned Hill’s Hardware Store on Main St.
1934 – Trott, Charlotte Symonds 80, Ethel Urquhart 50, and Priscilla M. Wilkinson
1943 – Raymond Johnson, W. Winfred Groves
1961 – George H. & Clara W. Jaspert 3rd. Radio News Director.
1965 – James & Katherine Dow
1969 &1970 Frederick R. & Celia A. Kent

Census Records: Hammond
1850 Census – George F. Hammond, 25 farmer b. Maine, wife Julia A 21 b. ME, Lowell F. age 3 b. ME
Also 3 Printers, 2 Agents of farming tools
Abby Francis 18 ME and Lydia S. Anderson 15, from Penn.
1860 Census; William Hammond 30 Shoe maker, Francis F. 27, Fanny 4, Lillie R. 25m and Geo. Constantine a college student from Greece, also at house is Dolly Barnham 84, Dolly Blunt 61 and Freeland Albee 13.
1865 State Census – William Hammond 35, Francis F. 32, Fanny T. 9, Lillie B. 7 and William age 3
1870 Census; William 40, Painter, Francis 37, Fanny T, 14, Lillie R. 13, William 8, and 6 Phillips Academy students.
1880 Census - William Hammond 50, Francis F. 47, Lillie R. 22 teacher, William E. 18 student.
Sarah A. Towns 17, servant and 6 male students.
Rhoda Bradock, 70 keeping house, Herbert Stebbins 23 VT and his mother Betsy C. 60 VT