7 Foster Circle
Site of History 🛈The Site of History tag is given to properties that were lost before this building survey was undertaken.

Historical Narrative: 

The Moses Foster homestead was sited just west of Foster Cir. on Elm St. on the lots now occupied by #81 & #83 Elm St. This home was the rear portion of the home and was saved, turned 180 degrees and is now very close to its original position lot 8. The Foster Acres development was laid out in Dec. 1938 and recorded on March 13, 1940. (Map #1227) The Foster house occupied lots 9, 10, & 8 to the rear. Nineteen house lots were created from the Foster estate and were sold off from 1939 - 1950s. The Foster estate was called "Foster Acres" in October 1938, by Howarth J. Peters, Attorney for Arthur H. Foster. Arthur Foster died in 1955.

Moses Foster Jr. was born in the North Parish of Andover on Aug. 29, 1821, son of Moses & Sarah (Baldwin) Foster. Moses became a successful accountant and Cashier of the Andover National Bank from 1856 to his death in 1895. Moses first married on Oct. 24, 1851 to Clara M. Hyde b. 1834 Gilford, VT, daughter of Dana & Lanson C. Hyde. Clara died in 1856.

Moses remarried on Dec. 2, 1858 to Caroline Hall b. May 26, 1834 in Hopkinton, MA, daughter of Rev. Jeffries & Sarah F. (Swift) Hall. Caroline's mother Sarah was the daughter of Dr. Nathaniel & Sarah (Abbott) Swift, prominent Andover family who lived at 35 Central St. Moses and Caroline had four children; Anna Dwight b. June 7, 1860, Edward Reginald b. Nov. 30, 1861, Arthur Hollan b. Aug. 31, 1863 and Herbert Baldwin b. Nov. 12, 1874.

Moses built this home on Elm St. about 1851. He purchased the lot on Feb. 15, 1851 from Amos Abbott. He later acquired a second adjoining parcel of land from Samuel B. Locke on June 3, 1863. Locke had purchased for Amos Abbott in Nov. 14, 1861. Much of the former estate is now the Foster Circle development. Moses Foster died on June 27, 1895, of Apoplexy, at age 73y 9m 29d. He is interred in the family lot at Ridgewood Cemetery in North Andover.

After his death, son Edward Reginald Foster was appointed Cashier of the bank, replacing his father. Widow Caroline would continue to live in the home until her death in 1930. Daughter Anna D. died on Sept.1, 1905 of Diabetes. Son Herbert B. married Honoree Frederique Jenkins b. 1862, daughter of Charles & Mary E. (Murphy) Jenkins. Herbert became a teacher and died in 1906 in Pittsburgh, PA of Typhoid Fever at age 32. Arthur H. married Lehal L. Peters dau. of Joseph & Julia (Grinnell) Peters. Arthur was a Jeweler and watch maker.

Edward & Arthur would become sole heirs with the death of their mother Caroline in 1930. Edward lived with of his mother in the homestead. Edward died on June 5, 1936 and Arthur would inherit his brother's share of the property.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Ancestry.com - Moses Foster Jr. Genealogy
Andover Advertiser
Andover Townsman
Business History of Andover, Anniversary Souvenir 1896
photo file: Elm Street; vertical file 7 Foster
Map plan # 1227 - Foster Acres - Oct. 1939 - Howarth J. Peters

Owners;
Benjamin Gleason
Amos Abbott - June 15, 1850 - b. 450 leaf 141
Moses Foster Jr. - Feb. 15, 1851 - b. 441 p. 98 - $850
Moses Foster Jr. Estate, heirs, Wid. Caroline, Anna, Edward, Arthur, Herbert - June 27, 1895
Anna Dwight Foster estate, heirs Caroline, Edward, Arthur and Herbert - Sept. 1, 1905
Herbert B. Foster estate, heirs Caroline, Edward and Arthur - 1906 - Probate Will
Herbert B. Foster estate, Edward R. Foster, Adm. - Dec. 9, 1909 - Probate
Caroline H. Foster - Jan. 29, 1910 - b. 291 p. 329 - $1000. by auction, 1/4 share - 3 parcels
Caroline Foster estate, heirs Edward and Arthur - 1930 - Probate #166879
Edward Reginald Foster estate, heir Arthur Foster - June 5, 1936
William P. & Lydia Doyle - Nov. 29, 1939 - b. 628 p. 253 lot 8
Pearl B. Playdon - Jan. 22, 1952 - b. 759 p. 298 deed transfer
Lydia L. Doyle - Jan. 22, 1952 - b. 759 p. 299
Frank C. & Susan . M. Bomba - Oct. 31, 1980 - b. 1466 p. 173
Eric C. & Robina W. Egertson - Sept. 16, 1992 - b. 3555 p. 27
Mark A. Chisholm & Theresa L. Anderson - Sept. 3, 1999 - b. 5545 p. 182

Inventory Data:

StreetFoster Ci
PlaceAndover Center District
Historic DistrictAndover Historic Building Survey
Historic NameMoses Foster Jr. House
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1851 - 1852
SourceECRDS, ENRDL, style-njs
Architectural StyleItalianate
Foundationstone/granite/brick
Wall/Trimclapboards/wood/asbestos clad
Roofasphalt - gable
Outbuildings / Secondary Structurestwo stall garage
Major Alterationsmoved to site in 1937-1938 - Rear ell of the former Moses Foster Mansion on Elm Street; near the corner of Whittier St. (once called Punchard Ave)
Conditionexcellent
Acreage0.244 acre
Settingresidential
Map and parcel21-40
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James S. Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975-1977, 3/30/2017

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