87 Chestnut St. lot #4
Map plan #109 – July 16, 1911, Henry Pasho Estate – John Franklin, CE

The land on this side of Chestnut Street from #71 -#99 was once part of the Henry Pasho Estate at 36 Summer St. Henry died in July 1904. The Pasho heirs began to divide up the property. They hired Civil Engineer John Franklin, to sub-divide the parcel on the south side of Chestnut St. into eight lots which were then sold off for residential development. Lot #4 was purchased by Albion A. Comeau, a carpenter on Sept. 26, 1911. Albion then sells the parcel a month later to Arthur N. & Elizabeth J. Comeau. Arthur was a developer and carpenter and built the house.
AT Oct. 27, 1911 – p. 1 Arthur N. Comeau has begun work on his new house on Chestnut Street.
Arthur Comeau took a mortgage loan from the Andover Savings Bank for $2200 on Nov. 27, 1911 with buildings. William C. Ford & Edmond J. Ford of Lawrence in December 1911 also gave a loan to Comeau.

Arthur Nicholas Comeau was born in 1872 in Nova Scotia, Canada, son of Marcel & Mary (O’Donnell) Comeau. Arthur married on Aug. 31, 1897 in Lawrence, MA to Elizabeth Josephine Hogan b. 1876 in Ireland, dau. of John J. & Mary J. (Ryan) Hogan. They had five children: Fidele b. June 2, 1898-d. Sept. 2, 1898 of cholera, Mary E. b. 1900, Arthur F. b. 1901, John A b. 1902, and Agnes E. b. 1906.

Comeau’s property at then numbered 77 Chestnut St. (87) was foreclosed on by the Ford partners in Aug. 1913 and auctioned off on Sept. 2, 1913. Purchased by Evelyn F. Wilson for $2905.75 and later sold back to the Ford partners on Oct. 21, 2013.

AT Nov. 28, 1913 p. 8 - Real Estate Transfers
John S. Anderson of the firm Anderson & Bowman has purchase the Comeau property on Chestnut Street and expects to move there at once.
Joseph McCarthy has purchased from Mary S. Anderson her property on Cuba Street.(#15)
The deed was placed in John’s wife Mary Ann name.
John’s wife Mary Ann purchased lot #4 at 87 Chestnut St. on Nov. 6, 1913

John Samuel Anderson b. Oct. 22, 1856, son of Samuel & Isabella (Howarth) Anderson. Grew up on Cuba Street and became a blacksmith, apprenticed with John Faulkner. He later formed a partnership with Charles Bowman in the firm “Anderson & Bowman”. Their business was purchased from James Cochran located at 5 Punchard Ave. in Cochrane’s former shop.

May 20, 1887 Andover Advertiser AA p2 – “Two young men known in Andover, John Anderson and Charles Bowman, have formed a partnership, and purchased the blacksmith business and good will of James H. Cochrane, who has done business for many years on Punchard Avenue (#5). They are both competent workmen, the former has been employed both by Mr. John Faulkner, and later by Mr. Harriman; the junior member served his apprenticeship under Mr. Cochrane.”
“ANDERSON & BOWMAN” - Successors to James H. Cochrane – Blacksmithing, Horse Shoeing and Jobbing done with promptness and dispatch. Particular attention paid to the treatment of interfering and over-reaching horses. Punchard Ave. Andover Mass.”

Andover Townsman AT May 4, 1888 “Anderson & Bowman have already out-grown the accommodations of their shop on Punchard Ave. and this week has moved into the old stand of A. R. Frame on Park St. Here they have increased faculties not only for their shoeing, but for general jobbing and carriage work.” Their shop was located on the corner at 39 Park Street and 2 Bartlet St.
John married on Sept. 19, 1881 at Christ Church to Mary Ann McIntosh b. Nov. 1857, dau. of John & Mary (Smith) McIntosh. They had three children; John Faulkner b. Aug. 9, 1882, Jemima “Mima” Howarth b. Mar. 24, 1884 and Burtt McIntosh b. Feb. 10, 1886.

Their first home was built at 15 Cuba St. in 1897 where they remained until moving to Chestnut St. John also purchased a second lot at 79 -81 Chestnut St. and a duplex house was built there for their children; Mima H. who married William Mitchell and lived in #79 with their daughter Ruth Eleanor. Her brother Burtt M. married Florence Wood and lived in the upper unit at #81 with their children John W. & Ruth M. Andreson.

The 1920 Valuation Schedule lists Mrs. Mary A. Anderson 87 Chestnut St. – House $2200, Auto shed $100, 13,890 sq. ft. lot $600 – 79-81 Chestnut St. House $3800, land 13,531 sq. ft. $1000 = $7700.

With the change from horse and carriage to gas powered automobiles and trucks the blacksmith trade declined. The firm Anderson & Bowman retired on January 1, 1927. Mary Ann died on June 24, 1931 age 73 years and is interred at Christ Church Cemetery. After Mary died John lived with his daughter Mima. John S. Anderson died on June 21, 1940 at age 82 years. The property was inherited by Mima and Burtt who would sell to Paul & Elizabeth Bagosian on Jan. 3, 1942.