Present owner: Norris, Walter & Mabel (1975)
Themes: architectural; community development
6 High Vale Lane “Sunset Cottage” 1905 – Irving & Alice Shaw House.
In 1990 the street name was changed from High Street in Ballardvale to High Vale Lane to avoid confusion with High Street in Andover Center.

High St. in Ballardvale was changed to High Vale Lane in 1990.

To understand the deed references, one needs to know that in 1875 this area from High Vale Lane eastward to Woburn Street and along the south side of Andover St. had been laid out for development in two separate sections.
Andover Advertiser - AA Aug. 6, 1875 – Ballardvale p. 3 Personal – “Mrs. Elizabeth W. Ryley has sold her valuable Real Estate to a Boston gentleman said to be a developer.” AA Aug. 20, 1875 – BV p. 3 “Mr. J. B. Anderson of Boston purchased all the real estate of Mrs. Eliz. Ryley at Ballard Vale, has commenced improvements by laying out streets and paths upon the premises. It is supposed to be his intention to open a boarding house or hotel.”

The "Ella R. Anderson Tract" contained 89 small lots of about 50' x 200' in size bounded by High St. (High Vale Lane), Andover St., and included new roads named Anderson Ave, Eames Ave, Reynolds, Priest and Dexter Streets. The streets were laid out but never constructed. The second development called "East Vale" extended to Woburn St. (Called the Wilmington Road) and included new roads named First, Second, and Third Streets running parallel to Andover St. and Preston St intersecting the development down the middle. These lots were larger in size. This section of Andover Street on the hill is often referred to as “The Plains” in many deeds.

Ella R. Anderson and her husband Josiah J. Anderson acquired the property from Elizabeth Ryley wife of George W. Ryley in 1875. Most lots were sold off in multiple groups of two, four or six. Today they are considered "Paper Streets" but still referenced in property deeds. A map below in 1906 gives a visual reference to the mentioned developments.
Elizabeth Ryley sold the large track of land to Anderson the deed included the following restrictions: ...that no liquor store, slaughterhouse or other offensive building or occupations shall be allowed on the premises within twenty years from this date, and that all buildings erected on said premises shall be set back at least twenty feet from the line of the street." As for the houses built "It is agreed that the grantee is to erect a good & substantial dwelling house of not less than two stories in height within one year of this date on one or more of the lots here in named." Elizabeth & George Ryley lived at 228 Andover St. in the Marland mansion.

The Andersons began selling off parcels and this property, lot #203, was sold to Ella F. Reynolds, wife of Henry W. Reynolds of Boston. Reynolds paid $3500 for 14 lots numbered #200 - #213. Her deed restriction stated the dwelling had to be started "within three months" of sale of purchase. Three months later on July 25, 1876, Reynolds sells five lots to Charles A. Clark for $2545. He purchased lots #200 and #202 - #205. Clark then sells the lots to the Lawrence Lumber Co., Luther Ladd, the Treasurer in Dec. 1877. We believe the Lumber Co. built the dwelling house on lot #202 (#4 High Vale Ln.) and then sold to Caroline Holt on December 13, 1877, for $1675 which included all five lots.
Caroline Holt of #4 High Vale Ln, owned for 14 years then sold to Timothy Lowe for $2000 on Feb. 10, 1891. Caroline was listed as a resident of Kenduskag, Penobscot, Maine at the time of sale. The Lowe family owned for 33 years. Widow Mary S. Lowe sold this lot #203, to Irving R. Shaw on Sept. 6, 1904.

Irving Rowland Shaw was born on Aug. 14, 1880, in Ballardvale, son of Joseph & Martha (Rowland) Shaw. His father Joseph worked for the Ballardvale Mill Co. and was Superintendent of the Mill from 1887 to 1907. They lived at 228 Andover St. in the Marland mansion. Irving also worked at the mill as a wool sorter. Irving married on Sept. 20, 1905 to Alice Garland McIntyre b. 1882 dau. of John & Agnes (Buchan) McIntyre.

Andover Townsman AT April 28, 1905 p. 2 BV - Irving R. Shaw is building a new house on High street. L. N. Holden of Lawrence is doing the work.
AT - Aug. 4, 1905 BV - Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Shaw and family have moved into their new home on High street.
Irving’s parents moved into his house just prior to his marriage to Alice McIntyre and lived with their son.
AT - Aug. 18, 1905, BV - Miss Alice McIntyre and Irving R. Shaw returned Tuesday from a week's stay at Sagamore beach.
Aug. 25, 1905, p. 2 BV - Twenty of the friends of Miss Alice McIntyre tendered her a Handkerchief party last Wednesday evening at the home of Miss Anna S. Davies. Games were played and a grand social evening was enjoyed by all.
AT - Sept. 22, 1905, p. 2- Wedding - Shaw—McIntyre. A very pretty home wedding took place Wednesday evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John McIntyre, Dale Street, when their daughter Miss Alice Gardner McIntyre was united in marriage to Irving Rowland Shaw, son of Supt. Joseph Shaw and wife of this place. The bridal party marched into the parlor about 8 o'clock to the stirring strains of the wedding march played by Miss Adele Matthews. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Augustus II. Fuller, beneath a beautiful floral arch, in the presence of about 75 of the immediate relatives and friends. The parlor was decorated and arranged in a very elaborate and tasteful manner by Miss Lizzie M. Rowland and Miss Jean McFarlane. The happy couple left amid the usual showers of rice and other expressions of good will on their wedding trip. On their return they will live in their new home on High street.
AT - Sept. 22, 1905, BV - The bridal party was greatly surprised last Wednesday evening, when they were met by two Vale young men as they alighted from the train in the North Station, Boston.
Aug. 3, 1906, BV - Mr. and Mrs. John Mclntyre and family and Mr. and Mrs. Irving R. Shaw are spending ten days at the Breezy- View cottage, Salisbury Beach.
Irving & Alice had two children: Gardner Rowland b. Oct. 31, 1906, and Doris Agnes b. Dec. 8, 1910.
The 1910 Census also lists Joseph Shaw, Irving’s father, who had suffered a shock in 1907 and retired as Superintendent of the Ballardvale Mills Co. and his mother Martha. Joseph died on Sept. 4, 1911, at age 61 and is interred at Spring Grove Cemetery.

In 1927 Irving placed the deed in both his and wife Alice names. The property remained in the Shaw family ownership for 40 years. Alice’s brother William D. McIntyre lived two doors down at 229 Andover St. with his family and the Shaws would later move into his house. They are all residing there in the 1930 census. The 1930 Census enumerated Bill, his father John and Bill’s sister Alice G. 48, and her husband Irving R. Shaw 50, an operator in the mill, with their children Gardner R. and Doris A. Also residing with them is Martha A. Shaw, age 72, Irving’s widowed mother. John McIntyre died on June 25, 1935.
Irving and Alice then rented their house as income property.

1930 - 1940: Tenants; Jane and Otto Escholz, b. 1893 CT. Manager of Wonder Baking, Lawrence, wife Jane (Stevenson) Escholx b. 1894 Harford, CT., one son Theodore b. 1928 CT. 1941-1944 John W. Baxter, wife Genevieve B., Chief clerk of Cont. Baking Co. Lawrence, MA.

On June 1, 1944 the Shaws sold the home to B. Mildred Gray. Gray owned just four years then selling to M. A. Louise Robinson in September 1948. Louise held the property for eight years.

Obit - AT Nov. 23, 1949 - IRVING R. SHAW Irving Roland Shaw of 401 Andover St., Ballardvale, who had been in failing health for several months, died Thursday, Nov. 17 at his home. Born in Ballardvale 69 years ago, he was employed as a wool sorter by the American Woolen company for a long period and more recently was employed as a watchman at Abbot Academy. He was a member of St. Matthew's lodge. A. F. & A. M., Andover, and the Ballardvale Union Congregational church. Surviving are his widow, Alice G. (McIntyre) Shaw one daughter, Miss Doris Shaw of Ballardvale, and one son, Gardner Shaw of Andover. The funeral was held from the late home, Sunday with services in the Union Congregational church at 3 p.m. by the Rev. Russell B. Richardson, pastor of the Attleboro Congregational Church, and the Rev. Paul E. Callahan, Union Church pastor. Cremation took place in Harmony Grove, Salem. The honorary hearers were William D. McIntyre, Frank Petty, Frederick Cheever, Theodore Tyler, and Edward York.

Walter E. Norris Jr. and wife Mabel T. Norris purchased the property on July 5, 1956. The Norris family were long term owners of 57 years. Walter was born 1924, in Brooklyn, NY, an Electrical engineer for Bell Labs in North Andover. Wife Mabel b. 1925. Children: Gary, Nancy, Janice, David, Mary and Barbara. Walter Norris died in Methuen on Mar. 2, 1984. Mable placed the property into a Revocable Trust with her as Trustee.
In July 2013 Norris sold the property to Kimberly Rzepecki.