76 Morton Street – 22-110 – 0.540 acre
Welch – Collins House – built 1858
Morton St., east of Main St. was first known as Pike Street or Pike Lane, then Green St. on 1872 maps. Pike and East Pike St. appear on earlier deeds. Morton St. originally began at School St. and ended at Main Street. Morton St. was extended to include Pike in the late 1890’s. Pike also was nick-named "Ram Cat Alley" by local old-timers. The Pike Soap Company was located near the intersection of Bartlet St. and later further east on the south side of the road. It was formerly believed some of the houses on the east end of Morton St. were built by Willard Pike for his employees. Recent research disproves this claim. Most of the modest homes were built for Irish emigrants between 1854 – 1860.

George H. French was a merchant in Andover when he purchased 10 acres 9 rods of land from Phillips Academy on Mar. 8, 1854. The parcel’s south border along Pike Street extended down into what is now the “Playstead”. French subdivided the property into house lots along the street. Each lot sold contained a caveat that the new owner had to build a fence along the property line and maintain their half. French sold a portion of his property to Rev. Varnum Lincoln for $750. Lincoln sold 3 acres 15 rods to Thomas Welsh on Mar. 16, 1858 $464

Thomas Welch was born about 1818 in Ireland, son of Patrick & Elizabeth Welch. Thomas married on Jan. 21, 1864 in Andover to Anne Kane b. 1834 in Ireland. This was Thomas second marriage. Thomas is listed as an Operative in a mill, later a Dyer. The 1870 Census list them near Nathan Frye, on North Main St the superintendent of Marland Mill. The 1860 Valuation list Thomas Welch; 3 acres of land $300. Thomas sells 1 acre to Michael Welch on July 2, 1866 for $500.

The property was sold to Johanna Collins, wife of Daniel J. on Oct. 29, 1869. Daniel Collins was born Feb. 1840 in Ireland son of Dennis & Margaret (Fitzgerald) Collins, immigrated in 1860 to Andover. Daniel married on Sept. 24, 1860 to Joanna Foley b. May 1847 in Ireland, dau. of Michael & Margaret Foley. Daniel & Joanna had eight children; six survived: Margaret b. 1862, Mary A. b. 1864–d. 11/10/1865, Ellen b. 1866, Joanna b.pt. 10/20/1867, Annie b. 1868, John J. b. 1869, Bridget b. 1872, Agnes b. Apr. 1876 and Elizabeth “Lizzie” b. Jan. 1879.

The 1900 Census enumerated Daniel age 60, a farm laborer, Joanna 59, Agnes age 24, Elizabeth G. 21 and their grandson John Macintosh age 12. In 1910 Daniel & Joanna have their granddaughter Eleanor A. Dugan age 11 listed with them. Joanna died Nov. 11, 1910 and Daniel died Feb. 24, 1912. They are interred at St. Augustin’s Cemetery. The property went to the surviving children; John J. Collins, Mrs. Daniel Murray, Mrs. Daniel Dugan, Mrs. John Macintosh and Ellen and Elizabeth Collins.
Ellen Collins moved from Lawrence back into the house in the early 1920s. The house was then used as a two family with Ellen at 76a and Thomas H. & Elizabeth McElroy at 76. Thomas Henry McElroy was b. Oct. 24, 1886 in Lawrence, MA and was a teacher at Lawrence High School. The McElroys were here from 1923-1942. The house is vacant in 1943. The house was sold to Daniel F. Murphy, wife Agnes C. on Aug. 11, 1944. The property remained in the family ownership for 75 years.