58 Abbot Street

Architectural Description: 

Saltbox roof; 5 fireplaces; hot water vapor & auto. Heating

Historical Narrative: 

The saltbox house was moved from North Andover by Helen Shattuck Yeaw to this property in 1948 - 1949. The house lot was sub-divided from the Castle property next door at 54 Abbot St. in Aug. 1948. This lot was then sold to Helen S. Yeaw of Chatham, MA. Helen Yeaw took a mortgage for $15,000. in Oct. 1949 with the Essex Savings Bank. At that time Helen was living in Groton, MA. The home is said to have been moved from North Andover. Yeaw paid off the loan in 1960.

Helen S. Yeaw was born on Mar. 29, 1892 in Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY, dau. of Everett & Lucy Russell (Shattuck) Yeaw. Her father was born in Lawrence, MA on Mar. 24, 1860 , graduated from Cornell University in 1882 and became a publisher in New York. The family lived in South Orange, NJ.
Helen's older sister Marion Chandler, b. Oct. 9, 1889, was a Smith College graduate and her two younger brothers Everett Jr., b. Aug. 14, 1893, and Albion b. Nov. 9, 1895 were also in publishing in NY. Their father Everett died on Jan. 17, 1922. Helen lived with her mother Lucy in Old Lyme, CT. until Lucy's death in 1943. Helen moved to Andover shortly after the purchase of this property. Helen resided on Abbot St. until her death on Sept. 6, 1973. Helen's estate was settled by her brother-in-law Lucius H. Biglow and nephew Coleman C. Yeaw. Her home was sold to John & Michelle Edelsberg on June 20, 1974. Helen is interred at West Parish Garden Cemetery, with her family in the Shattuck family circle on Primrose Terr. Sec. N.

This property was once part of a larger parcel of land owned by John H. Abbot and comprised two parcels; one of 9 acres on the north end, once owned by John Abbot, and a second parcel of about 3 acres on the south end of David P. Abbot of which John H. Abbot was an heir. John H. & wife Jessie L. Abbot were living in Big Spring, Nebraska when he sold the 12 acre lot to Frances A. Flint, wife of John H. Flint of Andover, MA. Frances Flint held the vacant property for a year before selling to Susanna Ward Smith.

Susanna W. Smith was born on Dec. 12, 1843, the daughter of Peter & Esther (Ward) Smith. Her father was one of the founders of the Smith & Dove Manufacturing Co. and one of the wealthiest families in Andover. Susanna’s father died in 1880 and her mother died in May 1889. Her inheritance may have funded the construction of her house on the southwest corner of Abbot and Phillips Street (now listed as 50 Phillips St).

On June 5, 1895 Susanna W. Smith sold off a portion of her property (99,267 sq. feet) to the south of her home to T. Dennie Thompson. Thompson then hired Boston architect James T. Kelley to design the Colonial Revival home.

The house was sited on the rise just above the former Andover & Wilmington Railroad line (1836-1848) which once ran along the south side of Abbot Street and crossed the road at this intersection of Phillips St. The old railroad bed acted as a long lane for pedestrians to stroll on their way to Pomp’s Pond or Spring Grove Cemetery and is now a portion of the driveway leading up to the house.

When the house was completed Dennie placed the property into his wife's name Abby L. Thompson. This was a common practice to protect the wife and family in the event of financial ruin and creditors. In 1924 Abby Thompson purchased an additional 6 3/10 acres from the estate of Susanna W. Smith. The Thompson family owned for 49 years then with the death of Abby the property was sold by their son Phillip W. Thompson to Henry C. & Marion L. Morrison of Chicago, IL on Aug. 14, 1944.

Sadly Henry Morrison died seven months later on March 19, 1945. Wife Marion remained until 1948 when she sold the property to Alfred L. & Eleanor T. Castle on Aug. 2, 1948. A boundary line dispute between the 50 Phillips St and 54 Abbot St properties was settled in 1950. The Chapin and Castle families facilitated an agreement on the boundary line on May 1, 1950 recorded in b. 734 p. 585.

Alfred L. Castle sub-divided his property in Aug. 1948 creating three additional lots, B,C, & D along Abbot St. (once this portion from the corner of Phillips St. was part of Woburn St.) Number 58 Abbot was placed on parcel D. by Helen S. Yeaw.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Ancestry.com Smith & Means family
Federal Census records
West Parish Garden Cemetery burial records
S.P.N.E.A. archives - Architectural drawing for residence of T. Dennie Thomson, by James T. Kelley of Boston, architect. Drawer 2, File 5 - no date on drawing
See Thomson family file at Andover Historical Society
See plan map #2194 - Alfred L. Castle - Aug. 1948 lots. B,C, & D

Owners;
John H. Abbot – 1888 – two parcels of land 12 acres
Frances A. Flint, wife of John H. Flint – Jan. 1, 1889 – b. 98 p. 547 – 12 acres land
Susanna W. Smith – Jan. 25, 1890 – b. 105 p. 10 – 12 acres
T. Dennie Thompson - June 5, 1895 - b. 105 p. 10
Marcus Morton - June 22, 1896 - b. 148 p. 87
Abby T. Thompson - June 22, 1896 - b. 148 p. 89
Henry C. & Marion L. Morrison - Aug. 14, 1944 - b. 667 p. 42
Henry C. Morrison estate - died March 19, 1945 - Probate will
Marion L. Morrison - 1945
Marion L. Morrison estate, Elliott V. Grabill, Extr. - July 30, 1948 Probate
Alfred L. & Eleanor T. Castle - Aug. 2, 1948 - b. 714 p. 307
Helen S. Yeaw - Sept. 22, 1948 - b. 715 p. 490
Helen S. Yeaw, estate, Coleman C. Yeaw, Lucius M. Biglow, Extrs - June 19, 1974 - Probate
John & Michelle Edelsberg - June 20, 1974 - b. 1243 p. 296
Trumbull C. & Leslie F. Curtis - Aug. 15, 1980 -b. 1449 p. 22
Leslie F. Curtis - Nov. 17, 1999 - b. 5623 p. 41
Leslie F. Curtis - Oct. 20, 2000 - b. 5895 p. 339 conf. deed
Kirkman & Colleen G. O'Neal - Oct. 21, 2000 - b. 5895 p. 341

Additional parcels;
John & Michelle Edelsberg - Aug. 15, 1980 - b. 1449 p. 17 parcel 1
John & Michelle Edelsberg - Aug. 15, 1980 - b. 1449 p. 22
Curtis Tuition Trust - Nov. 20, 1985 - b. 2085 p. 189 - parcel B

Inventory Data:

StreetAbbot St
PlacePhillips District
Historic DistrictNot Applicable
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1745
SourceERDS, ENRDL
Architectural StyleGeorgian
Foundationstone
Wall/Trimclapboards/wood/shingles
Roofcedar shingles/gable
Major Alterations2000's - large addition to east and garage,
Conditionexcellent
Moved?Yes
Move Detailsfrom No. Andover ca 1948
Acreage1.56 acres; 68,045 sq. ft.; approx. frontage 200'
Settingresidential
Map and parcel56-17
MHC NumberANV.14
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975-77, 11/25/2015

Map: