81 Lowell Street

Architectural Description: 

This home contains eight rooms and four bedrooms. The front dormer and gable ends are enhanced by decorative gingerbread scroll work suggesting Gothic Revival, sometimes called Carpenter Gothic. A house of smillar sytye and design is a 6 Smithshire Estates.

Historical Narrative: 

Themes: Architectural, community development.

It appears that the property was formerly owned by the Abbott family and was sold to George W.W. Dove via three deeds of the Abbott family on May 17, 1879. The deed notes the "new house lot" and is about 3/4 of an acre with buildings. It was then transferred over to his sister Isabella Dove on June 28, 1879. Dove held the property for eight years. Hannah V. Abbott, widow of Moody B. Abbott, purchased the home on Mar.10, 1887 and held until her death on April 9, 1897. Her estate was handled by Charles M. Abbott who then sold to the Anthony Ward family on Sept. 8, 1897. The Wards had purchased the "First Period" Chandler-Bixby-Abbott homestead farm at 88 Lowell St. in 1885.

Anthony Ward Family -1885 - 1940. The Ward children inherited the estate and quit claimed portions of the old farm to different siblings.
88 Lowell St. - Ward ownership -
Anthony Ward b. Sept. 26, 1826 d. Aug. 29, 1901 age 75 m. Sarah Dodson b. March 16, 1833 Yorkshire, England, she came to America in 1847 at age fourteen, in the company of her parents, and eleven brothers and sisters. d. April 22, 1919. Sara joined the West Parish Church on March 5, 1876 and at the time of her death was its oldest member. Anthony was a farmer, and was associated with the Lawrence lodge, I.O.O.F. He taught his sons Richard and George farming at 88 Lowell Street.

Richard later becomes a milkman and operated a dairy in Lawrence until 1905. He and his family lived at 63 Lowell St. George and his family lived next to the homestead at #78 Lowell Street. After Anthony and Sarah died Margaret continued to reside in the old homestead until her death in 1939. All the Ward family seems to have been active members of West Parish Church and the Andover Grange. All are interred at West Parish Cemetery.
Anthony & Sara Ward -
Children:
1. Jennie E. b. Oct. 7, 1851- d. July 17, 1916 - m. Charles J. Gardner b. July 31, 1844 d. March 2, 1891
2. Ella T. b. 1856- d. Jan 15, 1933 - m. Herman Sydney Phelps - Children; Emma, Luella and Fred Phelps
3. Richard Alfred, b. July 1854- d. Jan. 1946 age 91y 6m 9d. m. Mary Elizabeth Abbott b. 1852 d. Feb. 1921. Richard was a milkman and ran a dairy in Lawrence before retiring in 1905. He built birdhouses as a hobby and gave them to the Andover Red Cross to sell, the proceeds were used for the war relief. He was highly esteemed resident, well read and took a keen interest in world affairs. Children. Dora Abbott b. 1883 d. Aug. 1972, Mildred G. b. 1885 d. 1968 m. Leverett N. Putnam and Paul Anthony Ward b. Oct. 12, 1893 d. Oct. 10, 1943 - Vet. WWI
4. Emma A. Louisa, b. Jan. 6, 1859 d. July 13, 1919 age 60y 7m. Graduate of Punchard High School, Class of 1877. She becomes a teacher and begins in 1878-80 at Abbott District School at a salary of $ 8.10 / week. She taught at North School 1881-86, Frye School Intermediate 1886-1891, then goes to teach at Harvard, MA.
5. Margaret Julia b. Oct. 6, 1860 d. Dec. 28, 1939 dressmaker in Lawrence, graduate of Punchard High School Class of 1880.
6. George Dodson b. Aug. 12, 1862 d. Feb. 10, 1938 m. Laura Greenbank Foster b. May 13, 1873 d. Nov. 17, 1940. George was a farmer and lived next to his parents at #78 Lowell St. Children: Edna May b. May 13, 1894 - d. Feb. 10, 1938 m. Russell Foster, Mabel Foster b. Apr. 1, 1899 - d. 1982 m. James Marshall (Chicopee, MA), and George Chester b. Jul 20, 1907 - d. 1975 m. Amie ____________ (Cumberland, MD).
7. Eva, b.

1992 - The Coreys' think the house bldg. was a former barn.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Ancestry.com
Andover Directories
Andover Vital Records
West Parish Garden Cemetery burial records
Andover Building Survey
See parcel plot map 5907 - Aug. 1968

Owners;
Abbott Family Heirs - 1879
Charles M. Abbott, Hannah V. Abbott, M. Lizzie Abbott, Maria Hardy, William Noddin and children
George W.W. Dove - May 17, 1879 - b. 56 p. 244 - three deeds - New house lot
Isabella Dove - June 28, 1879 - b. 56 p. 248
Hannah V. Abbott - March 10, 1887 - b. 89 p. 576
Hannah V. Abbott estate - died Apr. 8, 1897
Abbott heirs, Charles M. Abbott - extr.
Anthony Ward - Sept. 8, 1897 - b. 159 p. 202-204 - (later parcel #3)
Sarah Ward, wife of Anthony, probate Anthony d. Aug. 29, 1901
Sarah Ward estate - died Apr. 21, 1919 - probate
Emma Ward - died July 13, 1919 - Probate doc. #134,148
Ward estate Heirs - Richard A. Ward, Ella T. Phelps, George D. Ward, Margaret J. Ward - 1920 -
Margaret J. Ward estate, Walter C. Tomlinson, extr. - July 22, 1920 - b. 428 p. 310
Allan M. Flye - July 14, 1941 - b. 642 p. 516
Jean J. Chalifour - Aug. 30, 1967 - b. 1089 p. 385
Forest Hills of Andover, Inc. Jean Chalifour pres. - Aug. 30, 1967 - b. 1089 p. 385
Paul C. & Dorothy L. Pelletier - Sept. 20, 1968 - b. 1115 p. 86
Edwin A. Quinn - July 24, 1969 - b. 1136 p. 87
Robert A. & Patricia E. Mirisola - Aug. 24, 1970 - b. 1158 p. 39
William D. & Deborah R. Westaway - June 29, 1972 - b. 1196 p. 198
John E. & Linda A. Corey Jr. - Aug. 11, 1978 - b. 1347 p. 477
Linda A. Corey - Sept. 25, 2001 - b. 6382 p. 33

Inventory Data:

StreetLowell St
PlaceShawsheen Village - Frye Village
Historic DistrictNot Applicable
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1870's
SourceERDS, ENRDL
Architectural StyleGothic Revival
Foundationbrick or stone
Wall/Trimclapboards
Roofasphalt
Major Alterationsgarage razed 1969 Rear additions late 20th century
Conditionexcellent
Acreage.382 acre - 16,646 sq. ft. approximate frontage 135'.
Settingresidential
Map and parcel70-34C
MHC NumberANV.299
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975-77, 02/21/2006, 12/2014

Map: