Original owner Samuel Cheever?
Toll house for Essex Turnpike (now Rt. 28/South Main Street).
Residence mid-19th century on.
Themes - Architectural, Community Development and Transportation.

The Essex Turnpike Corporation, established in 1803, laid out this toll road (now known at Route 28 and North Main/Main/South Main Street) in 1805 -1810 The toll road ran from the New Hampshire boarder to the land of Lt. John Russell. The stopping-point at Russell's land was near the present intersection of South Main St, Boston Road, and Rocky Hill Road -- about 1/2 mile north of 469 South Main Street. In 1806, the road was continued a short distance south to the Middlesex County line. A collection or Toll Station near this important boundary line then became necessary. The small and simple cottage whose design and proximity to the street reflects its functional origin.

Samuel Cheever is reported to have lived in and kept the toll house, which was built just for that purpose, from 1810-1827. Samuel Cheever was b. 1769 married Sarah Blumpie and had two sons Samuel b. 1924 and Benjamin b. 1827. Samuel died on Sept. 20, 1834 age 69. He is interred at South Parish Cemetery. The 1830 map indicates the continued use of a toll house here, the only toll house in Andover at the time. By mid-century, however, the building passed into purely residential use.

The deed of 1847 describes the building as formerly known and occupied as a Toll House. The second known owner of #469 was Joseph Holt of nearby Reading, who sold the property in 1847 to Hovey Emerson, yeoman. Ivory Hovey Emerson was born on Feb. 13, 1824 in Middleton, son of Stephen & Sarah "Sally" Emerson. His father was a shoemaker and moved to Andover. Hovey married on Nov. 20, 1845 to Ruth Fairbank Hatch b. 1824 in Maine. They first lived with Hovey's parents where Hovey learned the shoemaker trade. They purchased the property in 1847 and in 1850 all are living together. Hovey, Ruth and Stephen are all shoemakers. Hovey and Ruth did not have children. Hovey died on April 1,1894 and wife Ruth F. Emerson inherits the property. Ruth Emerson then sells to James Hill of Lawrence, MA on Jan. 21, 1896.

James Hill was born in England in Aug. 1841, son of James & Mary Hill, both Scottish. He married Esther Wolsencroft b. 1837 in England and they had a daughter Sarah b. 1869 before immigrating to America. They settled in Lawrence, MA where James was employed in on of the Cotton Mills. They had more children in the US; James Jr. b. 1870, Mary b. 1872, Abel b., Alice b, Robert b., Elizabeth b., and Clara May Hill b. 1883. Wife Esther died and James re-married at age 56 on Sept. 14, 1895 in Lawrence to Mary Beaty M. N. Boyd b. 1856 in NYC dau. of Margaret Boyd.

Four months later on Jan. 21, 1896 James Hill purchases the house in Andover. The 1900 Census lists James as a farmer and in 1910 doing odd jobs for income. Wife Mary M. died before 1920 as James is now 78, a widower. Living with him are two daughters, Sarah K. Hill age 50, a widow, and her daughter Ethel K. age 16, a Doffer in Flax Mill. (Smith & Dove Manf. Co.) Daughter Clara May age 37 and her family, husband Asa Stocks 40, a Carpenter in a machine shop, and four children, Edward, Ernest A. Esther May and John R. Stocks.

James owned the property for 25 years until his death in1921. James Hill's estate was sold by Robert Hill, Extr. to family Asa and Clara M. Stocks on Aug. 19, 1921.

During the early 20th century, the house was moved back from the street because of street widening by the State.

The Hill - Stocks family have owned the property for 119 years in 2015. Asa Stocks was born on Oct. 30, 1878 in Bradford, England son of Henry & Artemisha (Whitely) Stocks. Asa was a Carpenter for the Railroad when he married on Dec. 24, 1906 in Lawrence to Clara May Hill b. 1882 daughter of James & Esther (Wolsencroft) Hill. Asa was later employed as a carpenter for the J. H. Horne Co. in Lawrence. Asa & Clara had five children; Edward b. June 19, 1909, Ernest b. Nov. 30, 1913, Esther May b. Sept. 26, 1915, John R. b. Apr. 13, 1919 and Robert C. b. 1921. Asa died in Nov. 1956 and Clara M. Stock on Jan. 24, 1977.

Clara Stocks estate was inherited by family heirs; Esther M. Estell, Donna L. [Bode] Abbott, Alan R. Stocks, Barbara A. [Couture] Sweeney, Ernest Stocks and Edward Stocks. Sons, Robert C. died on April 22, 1972 and Robert C. in 1977.

Patricia P. Stocks purchased the property form the estate in July 1979 and 17 years later sold to John D. & Barbara (Stocks) Sweeney on March 27, 1996.

The barn had a structural failure of the sill and bracing on the north wall in the summer of 2016. The town condemned the building and it was razed in Sept. 2016.