59 Phillips St. Abbot Academy – Mason - Kellogg House - Circa 1905

The house at 59 Phillips Street is first shown on the 1906 Atlas map of Andover Center on the campus of Abbot Academy. No street number has been assigned to the house. It was most likely built for faculty housing as it is too remote from the core campus for a student dormitory. The 1910 Andover Valuation for Abbot Academy – Centre District includes Mason House, Phillips St. $3000, on 2 acres $4000. The house also appears on a 1932 map of the Abbot Academy campus, labeled #5. A key states “Infirmary” as does the Antionette Hall Taylor Infirmary #5 built in 1913 and dedicated in June 2, 1914. The house may have served as an infirmary for prior to the new building. Abbot Academy’s use has been for many years rental property. With the merger with Phillips Academy in 1973 the property is now owned by the Trustees of Phillips Academy.

Formerly thought to have been owned and built for Ruby A. Carter in 1888 as income property, the deeds and valuation schedule show her property was across the street and #34 Phillips St.

The Andover resident directory of 1908 lists Bartlett H. Hayes, a broker, his wife, (Marjorie S.) at #59 Phillips St., also three housemaids, Bridget Corliss, Mira Faulkner and Nora O’Connell. Bartlet Hayes purchased the Dove house at #24 Phillips St. on Jan. 4, 1909. (Based on other early directories it appears that #59 may be the Dove mansion off Phillips St. and not this location.)

Occupants:
Selden family – 1928 – 1930 - The resident of record at #59 Phillips St. in 1928 is James K. Selden, a textile manufacturer. James Kirtland Selden was born on Jan. 1, 1894, in Lawrence, AM, son of George L. & Mabel (Kidder)) Selden. James graduated from Phillips Academy in 1912 and Harvard in 1916. When James was 17 years old his parents purchased the house at #42 School St. James served in the Army flying unit during WWI and also the Mexican border incident. James married on Nov. 2, 1921, in Bennington, VT, to Anne Holton Everett b. Sept. 13, 1897, in Newark, Ohio, daughter of Edward H. Everett. They met at a Prom at Smith College where Anne was enrolled.
James & Anne had three children: Anne Kirtland b. April 2, 1923, James Kirtland Jr. b. Sept. 12, 1924, both in Boston, and George Lord b. Nov. 28, 1925.

The 1930 Census list James, Anne, their children and three Irish servants; Helen A. Burke 23, Madge Dodge 21 and Elsie Nagart 20. James followed in his father’s business in textiles at the Methuen International Mills and Manchester Mills and was later president of Selden Worsted Mills in Lawrence. James's father died on March 10, 1919, and his mother on March 1, 1929. James purchased his parent’s home at #42 School St. from the estate on Aug. 27, 1930, and moved there.

Leland Family 1931-1951 - The 1932 Directory lists Edmund Francis & Lucille B. Leland at #59 Phillips St. Francis Edmund Leland was born August 19, 1898, in Brookline, MA son of Edmund F. & Eliza Stevens (Smith) Leland. Known as Edmund, he attended Noble and Greenough School, graduated from Phillips Academy class of 1919 and Dartmouth College in 1922. Edmund married on October 24, 1923, in Manchester, NH to Lucille Bradford Conant b. Sept. 19, 1898, in Savanah, GA, daughter of Elbridge Robbins & Elfletah (Launey) Conant. Lucille was a graduate of Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA. Edmund worked at Adams & Leland Wool Brokerage Co. on Summer St., in Boston as did his father and was head of the Wool Warehouse. He was a charter member of the Andover Sportsmen’s and Andover Badminton Clubs and member of North Andover Country Club, of which his father was a founder.
Edward & Lucille had four children: Theodore b. 1925, Charlotte Conant b. Sept. 4, 1926, Suzanne b. 1928 and Francis Edmund Leland III b. 1931? The lived at 59 Phillips St for 20 years then moved to North Andover in 1951.

1951 & 1952 Directory - #59 Phillips St. – Nicholas M. & Elizabeth M. Greene – Physician

The Kellogg Family – 1953 – 1970 - The Kellogg family occupied the home for 19 years. Watters Kellogg was born Oct. 18, 1910, in El Paso, TX, graduate of Noble & Greenough in Boston and Harvard class of 1934. He was commissioned as Ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve following a four-year course on Naval Science. Watters, “Joe”, married on April 22, 1939, in Boston to Juliet Richardson, b. Dec. 9, 1909, in Brookline, MA. dau. of Henry H. & Elizabeth (Perry) Richardson. Juliet was assistant curator at the New England Museum of Natural History. Watters served during WWII as Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy, serving in both the Pacific and Atlantic campaigns. After the war he worked as a sales agent of textile machinery for Universal Winding Co. of Cranston, RI and Reece Corp. of Boston and then president of Kellogg Machine Sales of Boston. Watters died in the Veteran’s hospital in Boston on August 30, 1953. Watters & Juliet had three children: Charles W. II b. 1940 Boston, Elizabeth “Elsie” b. 1942 in TX, and Gardner Perry b. 1948 in RI. Juliet Kellogg remained in the home until 1970.

The 1971 directory lists the home as vacant. At that time the house was remodeled by Abbot Academy by architect John Radford Abbot and converted into faculty apartments. In 1972 Ronald G. Giguere b. 1938, Teacher, Faith H. Kaiser b. 1943 Administrator, Ulrich J. Hepp b. 1942 teacher, and David S. Tower b. 1947 Teacher reside in the newly renovated house. The home continues as faculty housing.

With the merger of Abbot Academy and Phillips Academy in 1973 all the properties we transferred to the Trustees of Phillips Academy.

The Mason name listed is not known at this time. It could be Mr. &. Mrs. (Sarah) Mortimer B. Mason who gave money for the interior decor and furnishings of the Public Reception Room in Draper Hall, or beloved physics teacher Nellie M. Mason.