71 School St.

This house lot was once part of a 4¼ acre parcel owned by Andover builders George L. Abbott & Wm. S. Jenkins in 1877 of the firm Abbott & Jenkins. They sold a portion of the parcel to Phebe F. Pasho, wife of Geo. N. on Dec. 18, 1877 for $600. Phebe built at 16 Brook St. and sold off a ¾ acre portion of her land on School St. to George Piddington on Sept. 14, 1880 for $235. It was Piddington who had the home built at #71 School St. His property boarded on the east by the Christ Church cemetery and on the west side by Rodger’s brook. Piddington, was a gardener, florist with his nursery on this site.

George Piddington was born Feb. 4, 1844 in England, son of William & Jane (Lawrence) Piddington. George first went to Canada where he met and married in 1872 Sarah LaRochelle b. Oct. 1846 in Canada, dau. of Charles & Ursula (Leroy) LaRochelle. George and Sarah had five children: Jane W. b. 187 and Sarah L “Sadie” b. Nov. 1875 in Canada. They came to Massachusetts in 1878 and had William b. June 1879, George b. July 1881 and Ade E. b. Mar. 1886.

George built a second home on his lot, now #73 [listed as #75 in the 1900 census] His son William, age 20, his wife Rose (Stevenson) 19 and son George W. age 2, are living in the home. William worked in the Tyer Rubber Co.

George’s wife Sarah died tragically on Apr. 25, 1905 from burns sustained from a brush fire on their property. Sarah was 57. George remarried on Jan 17, 1906 to Mary Napier b. 1864 in Scotland dau. of Goerge & Christina (Cuthill) Napier.

The Andover Valuation schedule for 1920 lists George Piddington: 71 School St. House #71 #1400, House #73 $1100., Greenhouse #71 $50. Land 3/4 acre $1000. = $3550 George sold off the second house to John H. Clinton, wife Bessie M. on Aug. 5, 1920. George died on July 23, 1926. Colver J. Stone administered the estate and the Piddiigton house was sold to Clarence S. & Eva L. Smalley on June 29, 1927. Piddington owned the property for 47 years. The family is interred in Spring Grove Cemetery.