Moses & Betsey Wood House
The land was once owned by Asa Abbott who sold a one acre lot on the southerly side of the road leading from Phillips Academy to Salem to Moses Wood on March 22, 1811 for $140. Six years later on Nov. 24, 1817 Wood takes a loan of $1219 on the property, with buildings, from Joseph Andrews, a merchant of Salem, MA. Moses Wood born May 16, 1779 Andover son of Israel & Sarah (Stevens) Wood, married in Andover on June 15, 1807 to Betsey Abbot of Wilton, NH, b. Aug. 21, 1800 dau. of Jerimiah & Cloe (Abbot) Abbot. They joined South Church on Nov. 7, 1830 from the Free Church of Norridgewock, ME. Moses & Betsey had five children: Moses b. 6/13/1812, Betsey b. 5/15/1814 – d. y., David b. 6/13/1816, Catherine b. 1/1/1819 and Betsey Emily b. 12/19/1821 in Stark, ME. Wife Betsey died on July 30, 1835 age 57 and is interred at South Parish Cemetery.
Joseph Andrews later took possession of the property and sold for $987.50 to Alpheus Gurney & Silvanus Packard of the firm “Gurney & Packard” in Boston on Mar. 18, 1822. The partners held the property for seven years then selling to Henry Smith & Watson Gore “Smith & Gore” Traders on June 15, 1829. Moses Wood moved from town.

Samuel K. Hutchinson, wife Susan, then purchased the home on Mar. 25, 1830. Hutchinson however purchased 9 Red Spring Rd. in Abbott Village in Dec. 1833 and resided there. Samuel would sell this property for $1700 to Franklin Barnard, a carpenter on January 11, 1833. Two years later Hutchinson bought the property back for $100 and then sold to John V. Bean who held for two years. Josiah Hill purchased from Bean in May 1837 and then resold to Nathaniel A. Prentiss (Prentice) on October 20, 1837. Prentiss owned for 18 years. Prentiss purchased a second house next door at #49 Salem St. on Nov. 18. 1842 for $900 from Abraham J. Gould.

Nathaniel Appleton Prentiss was born Sept. 2, 1787 in Boston, son of Appleton & Silence (Conant) Prentiss. Nathaniel was in the Navy and “went to sea at the age of 15, served as a sailing master in the US Navy during the war of 1812. He was later stationed at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, assigned with overseeing the razing of the frigate "Independence", when he fell down the hatchway and was severely wounded. He was placed on the retired list, with a pension.” (Find-A-Grave history)
Nathaniel married on June 10, 1822 to Elizabeth Cobb Paine b. Aug. 9, 1796 dau. of Robert Treat Paine & Elizabeth Baker. They had four children: Mary Ann Paine b. 1824 NH, Charles Norris b. 1826 d. 6/30/1834, Elizabeth Paine b. Sept. 1828–d. 6/7/1834 and Nathaniel A. Jr. b. 1833–d. 3/8/1834. Wife Elizabeth C. died on June 7, 1834.
Nathaniel remarried on April 16, 1836 in Charlestown, MA to Mrs. Abigail Welch Payson b. Mar. 22, 1800 in Charlestown, dau. of Samuel & Grace Payson. They had two sons born in Andover; Samuel Payson b. 6/3/1838 and Nathaniel A. b. Aug. 20, 1840.

The 1850 Andover Valuation for Nathaniel A. Prentiss; Dwelling House, barn, and 1¾ acres $2500, Salem St. House, barn and adjoining 1 acre $1800. 14 acre pasture $350, Farm Stock $19 Income $400. (deed lines also include the property at #49 Salem St. in Prentiss ownership as does the 1852 map of Andover.) Nathaniel Sr. died on April 20, 1852 in Andover age 64 and is interred in Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett, MA. His estate went to his widow Abigail, their daughter Mary A. Claggett and two sons, both minors at the time.

This property was sold at auction on October 22, 1855 for $1650 to William H. Foster of Andover.
The Andover Advertiser Oct. 6, 1855 -Adverts. Dwelling House at Auction – A dwelling house 30 x 36 feet, 2 stories high, and a barn and shed 46 x 16 feet, and about one acre of land under and adjoining the same, pleasantly situated about on fourth of a mile south easterly of the Theological Institution Phillips Academy. Sale to be on the premises. Conditions made known at the sale; Edward Payson Guardian by Samuel Merrill, Attorney, Thos. C. Foster Auctioneer.

Nathaniel Coffin, wife Mary purchased the house on Sept. 22, 1854 for $2500 with a second adjacent parcel. [1st lot bought of J. Hill – at E corner x road SW 16 rods – NW 10 rods, - NE 16 rods – SE 10 rods – 2nd lot from S & Asa Abbott at. N corner of Prentiss land SE x rd. 4 rods to wall, - x Abbott land SW 16 rods to stake x Abbotts land NW 4 rods to Prentiss land – x Prentiss 16 rods and also added to the 1st lot on NW side a strip of land 8½‘wide running back to a point in the West corner of the lot.] Coffin held four years then selling to Sarah L. Beecher, wife of Charles on Apr. 1, 1858, rec. Feb. 12, 1859. Charles Beecher was the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe and a minister in Georgetown.
May 24, 1856 Andover Advertiser p.3 Advertisements - For Sale in Andover – A HOUSE, Barn, Woodhouse, &c, with good Wells and a large Lot covered with choice Fruit Trees. A pleasant situation, five minutes’ walk east from the Theological Seminary, on the road to Salem, in immediate vicinity of good schools, and convenient for a boarding house or a large family. Terms of payment made easy to the purchaser. Apply to SPEAR & FISK – No. 33 School St., Boston or to C. BEECHER, on the premises. (Apr. 12, 3pm)

J. Alvin Farley, wife Margaret E. were the next to own the property on June 18, 1863 for $1250 with two acres of land. Farley sold the next year to Nathaniel S. & Louisa Berry on Nov. 10, 1864. With the Nathaniel's death widow Louisa Berry sold on May 3, 1870 to Mary Smith for $3800. The 1872 map of Andover has Mary at this location which she owned four years then selling to Franklin & Mary E. Barnard on April 25, 1874. Barnard owned for eleven years, were residents of Boston when they sold to Eliza J. C (Wiley) Towne of North Hampton, NH on April 1, 1885.
Eliza Jackson Childs Wiley was born Dec. 10, 1815 in Lynn, MA dau. of Caleb & Eliza J. (Childs) Wiley. Eliza married May 1, 1833 to Joseph Hardy Towne, a minister born May 27, 1805 in Salem, MA.
Eliza J. C. (Wiley) Towne died Sept. 18, 1894 and the property went to her daughter Kate Wiley Towne. The 1897 Directory lists Rev. Joseph H. Towne at 53 Salem St. who died July 30, 1897. In 1904 Kate W. and Martha A. Towne reside here. Kate married on Aug. 30, 1905 at age 50 to widower Benjamin Brown age 69. Benjamin Brown b. Dec. 17, 1835, in Andover, son of Jacob & Ruby (Farnum) Brown established a shoe & boot shop in 1861 in the Deacon Albert Abbott building on the “Hill”. His father Jacob was also a cordwainer.

Benjamin Brown relocated his shop to the center of town in Swift’s building at #43 Main St. in August 1870. His son George A. b. Dec. 1859 joined the business in 1873 at age 14. Benjamin Brown b. Dec. 17, 1835, in Andover, son of Jacob & Ruby (Farnum) Brown established a shoe & boot shop in 1861 in the Deacon Albert Abbott building on the “Hill”. Benjamin relocated in Aug. 1870 to the center of town at #43 Main St. in the Swift’s building. They did a large trade in custom work.

Benjamin Brown was one of 9 children. He first married Susan J. and had just one son George. Susan died in July 1901. Benjamin remarried at age 69 on Aug. 30, 1905 to Kate Wiley Towne daughter of Joseph H. & Eliza J. C. (Wiley) Towne. Kate was born in Bridgeport, CT. in Benjamin died on Feb. 16, 1915 and son George 1918. Benjamin's first wife Susan died in July 1901. The Kate & George Brown held the property until 1907. Kate died the following year in Dec. 1908 and husband Benjamin died in Feb. 1915. They are interred at Spring Grove Cemetery, Andover, MA. Benjamin & Kate lived in Benjamin's home at 72 Park Street.

Edward T. & Anna G. Strong purchased the property from Brown on July 24, 1907. Edward died and his widow Anna then sold to Frank H. & Gertrude Paige of Methuen on Apr. 13, 1910.

Frank Paige was a wool buyer for the American Woolen Co. Frank Hill Page was born Sept. 29, 1878 in Proctorsville, VT, son of Edwin D. & Ella J. (Hill) Paige. His father was an Agent for the AWCo. mill in Providence RI. Frank was a clerk in the mill at age 21. Frank married Oct. 4, 1905 to Gertrude Augusta Pearce b. 1880 in Fitchburg, MA dau. of James & Martha (Cogswell) Pearce. Gertrude was an accomplished musician, served for a tie as organist of the First Baptist Church in Fitchburg. She was a member of the Grace Episcopal Church in Lawrence. Gertrude died on Nov. 10, 1942. They did not have children. Paige was long term owner of 49 years.

Robert & Beatrice A. Orchard were the next owners in August 1959. They stayed just two years then sold to E. Wells & Elizabeth McLean on Aug. 11, 1961. McLeans sold off a portion of their property to S. Leonard & Ann D. Kent in Jan. 1964 but retain the house for 16 years. Elizabeth died on December 31, 1972 and Wells McLean sold five years later to James G. & Susan C. Wepsic in June 1977.
The Wepsics' owned the property for 23 years before selling in April 2000 to Bruce G. & Lynn Hook. Hook remained four years then sold to the current owners Mark & Flora McQuillan on Dec. 9, 2004