Architectural Description:
Gable end to street, bay window, assymmetrical facade design
Historical Narrative:
Themes: architectural, community development
From 1879 to 1899 this lot was a part of the property for 85 Central St.
In 1879 F. Lewis Bookwell and Adelaide Bodwell, his wife, bought the house, now 85 Central, and this enlarged house lot.* They sold the property to Richard and Ida Major in 1893. Sometime between 1893 and 1899 this house was built and in October 1899 Richard and Ida Major divided and transferred the property, whereby they sold a portion of the land and buildings to William H. Clark for one dollar and Clark sold the portion including this house and its land to Ida Major for one dollar.
Richard Major was an African American who had married a German widow when both lived in Boston. She had a daughter by her previous marriage who had died, leaving a granddaughter Hazel Bickford who Ida took in and raise. Ida Major passed this property to her granddaughter, Hazel Bickford, who married George Bateson and lived there until selling the property to Francis M. Bryne in 1926.
* The lot was the size of the lots for #83 and #85 Central St. in 1976.
Bibliography/References:
Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MAOwners;
See #85 Central for early history of property
Owners;
John Lovejoy Abbot, wife Phebe - land 1811
#85 Central St.
Elizabeth Frye - Sept. 12, 1811 rec. Sept. 15, 1821 - b. 226 leaf 264 - $35 lot 1764 sq.ft.
Susan Frye - Mar. 14, 1821 rec. Sept. 15, 1821 - b. 226 leaf 264 - $400
Ann W. Evans, widow - Jan. 26, 1822 - b. 228 leaf 218 - $350
Margaret Cooper, widow - June 23, 1830 - b. 257 leaf 271 - $300
Margaret Cooper - Apr. 28, 1831, rec. Feb. 21, 1832 - b. 263 leaf 104 - $19.68 - 7 1/2 rods land #85 & #83
Margaret Cooper estate, d. Feb. 19, 1844 - Probate will May 1, 1844 - heirs - son's children
Sam G. Cooper, Wm. P. Cooper, Margaret Eliz. Farley, Charles A. Cooper heirs - 1844
Caroline L. F. Cooper, wife of Samuel Cooper - 1872 rec. Nov. 11, 1873 - b. 24 p. 193
John Abbot & George F. Swift - Sept. 13, 1879 - b. 57 p. 494 - $550
F. Lewis Boutwell, wife Addie, - Oct. 14, 1879 - b. 57 p/ 496 - $950
Richard Major - Sept. 18, 1893 - b. 128 p. 365 - $1300
William H. Clark - Oct. 9, 1899 - b. 173 p. 25 - #85 Central St.
Ida F. Major, wife of Richard - Oct. 9, 1899 - b. 173 p. 26 - #83 Central St.
Ida F. Major Estate, d. Mar. 15, 1919, heir - Hazel M. (Bicknell) Bateson - Probate
George & Hazel M/ Bateson - Noc. 20, 1925 - b. 518 p. 166 mtg.
Ida Major Estate - Jan. 18, 1926 - b. 519 p. 394
Francis M. Byrne - Jan. 18, 1926 - b. 519 p. 394
Francis M. Byrne estate
Michael J. Byrne - Feb. 8, 1951 - probate
John D. Thompson - Feb. 8, 1951 - b. 746 p. 598
John C. & Linda L. Natori - Nov. 2, 1970 - b. 1161 p. 541
Corrine (Corrie) W. Staid - Aug. 10, 1976 - b. 1288 p. 631
Edward & Susan O,Brien - Dec. 3, 1984 - b. 1899 p. 294
Jack N. & Kristina L. Morris - June 14, 2005 - b. 9568 p. 298
Judy Ferstenberg - July 14, 2021 - b. 17030 p. 94
Inventory Data:
| Street | Central St |
| Place | Andover Center |
| Historic District | Not Applicable |
| Historic Name | Richard & Ida Major House |
| Present Use | residence |
| Original Use | residence |
| Construction Date | 1893-1895 |
| Source | ERDS, ENRDL |
| Architectural Style | Other |
| Foundation | stone/brick |
| Wall/Trim | clapboards |
| Roof | asphalt |
| Major Alterations | shed (1976) |
| Condition | good |
| Acreage | less than one acre |
| Setting | residential |
| Map and parcel | 74-86 |
| MHC Number | ANV.125 |
| Recorded by | Stack & Mofford/Burns, J. S. Batchelder |
| Organization | Andover Preservation Commission |
| Date entered | 1975-77, 2006, 4/2014 |
