This property was once owned by Moody Russell an Andover contractor and housewright. Several parcels along Chestnut Street were purchased by Moody Russell and sold off as new house lots when Chestnut St. was extended beyond Whittier St. (once called Punchard Ave.) Russell sold of a lot of land with buildings on Summer St. to Albert W. Lowe, wife Mabel T. who took a mortgage on the property in 1900. The land extended down to Chestnut St.

On July 28, 1921 Thomas E. Rhodes, wife Alice purchased this parcel and Rhodes then moved his barn onto the lot. Aug. 19, 1921 Andover Townsman - Thomas E. Rhodes has moved his barn onto the lot of land he recently purchased on Chestnut St. and is converting it into a dwelling house.

Mar. 16, 1900 AT - After nine years of business life at the old stand in the Square, Thomas E. Rhodes, or “Tommie” as he is familiarly known to the academy and town boys, has moved his entire business into the store adjoining, used by him as his bake shop. No more will he dispense “hot dogs” and like luxuries to the late lunchers. His private stalls, sometime since regulated to the background, have been followed into obscurity by the marble topped tables themselves, so well-remembered by the boys of several years ago, with whom “Tommie’s” was a favorite resort. But not withstanding all this, Rhodes’ soda, his ice cream and his pies, will still be in evidence at the new stand.
July 12, 1907 AT - T. E. Rhodes has given up his bakery and will devote his time entirely to his catering business. Walter Rhodes has severed his connection with Thomas E. Rhodes and is now living in Lawrence.

Tommie Rhodes sold this home to Harry C. Dalton on Sept. 29, 1925 and Dalton took a mortgage through Rhodes for $5500.

Harry Clement Dalton Jr. was born Aug. 8, 1897 in Amesbury, MA, son of Harry C. & Mary E. Dalton. Harry’s father died in 1909 and the family moved to Andover. The 1910 Census has them at 23 Chestnut St. His widowed mother opened a little grocery variety store “Hood’s Creamery” at 42 Main St. Harry was a member of the Punchard High School class of 1917. Harry went to work at the Pacific Mills, in Lawrence and was a Cotton Classer. The 1920 Census list the Dalton’s renting at Tommy Rhodes house at 69 Chestnut St. Harry was 28 when purchased the home at 70 Chestnut where his mother Mary and his younger siblings, Charles Frederick. b. 12/16/1899, William John b. 2/24/1902 and sister Frances Louisa b. 12/28/1904 lived. The 1930 Census lists Charles working in a woolen mill and Bill as a grounds keeper at a golf course. On June 11, 1934 Harry married Edith H. Clark b. 1909 in Andover, daughter of Granville A. Clark.

Harry took a job in Palmer, MA in 1944 as a Cotton buyer for the Boston Duck Co. Harry & Edith had one son Harry C. Jr. b. 1936 in Palmer, MA. The Andover house would continue to be occupied by the Dalton family. Harry died on Feb. 2, 1941 in Ware, MA. His widow Edith C. would sell the house to Harry’s brothers Charles F. Dalton & William J. Dalton on Dec. 3, 1942.

Charles Dalton PHS 1918 grad, would become a Pharmacist, worked for Lowe & Co. pharmacy at 16 Main St and would later become a partner and then owner of Dalton’s Drug Store. Charlie married Dec. 16, 1937 in Chelmsford, MA to Jeanie L. Scrannell b. 1911, and had three sons, Charles Jr, William and Robert. They would later move to 57 Chestnut St. Mary Dalton, Bill and Frances lived out their years at 70 Chestnut St.

Bill Dalton was one of the finest athletes to come out of Greater Lawrence. Bill graduated from Punchard High School in 1920, was a star athlete in football and is said to have had a .650 batting average on the baseball team where he played 2nd base. Bill earned a scholarship for post-graduate year at Phillips Academy. A semi-professional baseball and hockey player on the Town team for two decades, Bill turned down a bid from the Boston Red Sox in 1922. Bill married on Nov. 23, 1938 to Josephine P. Michilun b. 1904 daughter of Bernard Michlun of North Andover. Both were weavers in a woolen mill in North Andover.They later separated and divorced and Bill returned to the Dalton home with his mother Mary and sister Frances. Bill then worked from 1950-1867 at building maintenance at Phillips Acadeny until his retirement. Their mother Mary Dalton died on Nov. 21, 1959.

Frances L. Dalton was an artist, graduated from Punchard High on 1922 and went to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, with Philip Hale. Frances was accepted into the MFA 8 year program which she completed in 7years. She won the Paige Traveling Scholarship and went to Europe 1930-1932 and attended the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. Frances lived in New York City three years after her return, then back to Andover. She had a studio on School St. Frances was hired as a high school Fine Arts teacher in Andover in 1944, a position she held for 24 years. Frances was beloved by her art students as a teacher, mentor and later a friend. A retrospective of Frances Dalton’s work was held at the Old Town House from April 28 – May 7 1989 during the rededication of the restoration of the building. Frances was brought from the nursing home for a private showing prior to the opening.

Brother William Dalton was deeded the property in Dec. 1972 and later put into a Trust with their nephews as trustees. Bill died on Sept. 7, 1989 and Frances died at the Academy Nursing Home the following year on July 27, 1990. The family are all interred at West Parish Garden Cemetery.

The Trust sold the Dalton house to Susan Siegel & Gerard Pouliot on Jan. 4, 1990.