53 - 55 Whittier Street – (formerly Punchard Ave)
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.

Daniel F. Shannon acquired most of the land on the east side of Whittier Street from Chestnut to Summer Street. Shannon was a housewright and built several homes in this neighborhood and lived at 19 Summer St. Daniel purchased the corner lot at Summer and Whittier Streets on June 5, 1851 from the Trustees of Phillips Academy. The parcel consisted of 1.533 acres. Shannon built his home on Summer Street which included this lot. Daniel sold his home and property to Edgecomb J. Rowe, wife Margaret J. on Aug. 29, 1894.

Edgecomb Jesse Rowe was born Mar. 1, 1859 in Stafford, Devonshire, England and came to the US in 1872. He married in 1888 to Margaret J. Meldrum b. March 1864 in Aberdeen, Scotland. Edgecomb was a house painter and decorator. They bought the property and house of Daniel Shannon at 19 Summer St. on Aug. 16, 1894 which included the corner of Summer & Whittier and this property. Edgecomb & Margaret had three children; Margurite E. b. Mar. 1889 in Ill. Frances S. b. Oct. 1891 and Phillip N. b. Jan. 1894 in Andover. Edgecomb’s mortgage was assigned to George H. Poor and at auction Margaret Rowe purchased the note. The lot was sub-divided and this parcel was sold for $750 to John Henry & Margaret J. Clinton on July 9, 1901.

Andover Townsman – May 5 1901 – John Clinton, janitor at Abbot Academy has purchased one of the Rowe lots on Whittier Street, next to the residence of Frank Holt, through the agency of Barnett Rogers, and will build upon it very soon.

John was born on Oct. 10, 1860 in Dorchester, MA, son of Thomas J. & Sarah (Fay) Clinton. John was a Moulder when he married in 1888 in Andover to Margaret J. Haggerty b. July 1862 dau. of Timothy & Ellen (Donovan) Haggerty. John became the night watchman at Abbot Academy. John & Margaret had five children: Margaret Etta Sept. 1888, Mary Linda b. May 1891, Eva b. Oct. 1895, Joseph Anthony b. Jan. 30, 1903 and Agnes Catherine b. Oct. 12, 1904.

John Clinton sold the house to Annie L. Lundgren on May 20, 1904 and moved to Andover Street in Ballardvale.

Widow Annie (Laffin) Lundgren purchased the house on May 20, 1904. Annie was born in NYC June 1859 to Irish parents. Annie married Aug. 26, 1880 in Newport, RI to Martin Lundgren b. Nov. 10, 1852 in Dahlstand, Sweden, son fo Carl & Lisa M. (Peterson) Lundgren. Martin, a Tailor, immigrated to NYC on Aug. 18, 1873. The had eight children: Charles W. b. 5/31/1881, Alfred John b. 1/8/1883, Everett Martin b. 9/24/1884, Annie Edith b. 4/1886, Augustave A. b. 07/1888 all in Rhode Island and Henry b. 11/12/1894, Lena M. b. 8/7/1897 and Amy Isabel b. 9/17/1900 in Andover. They lived at 31 Pearson St. in 1900. Martin died on April 11, 1904 of pneumonia.

Annie lived in the home with her children; Son Alfred J. was the manager of a grocery store at 50 Main St. then in the Musgrove Building. Daughters Lena & Amy I were stenographers, Lena at Smith & Dove. Co., and Amy with the Railroad. Edith A. Donaldson worked at Tyer Rubber Co.
Annie Lundgren died in 1935 and is interred at Spring Grove Cemetery. The home remained with the heirs until 1942 when they sold to Squire Moss on Sept. 28, 1942.