9 Chestnut Street

Horace S. Wilson and George F. Swift sold this lot of land for $1100 to Dr. James F. Richards in May 1875. Richards was a physician and surgeon. Dr. Richards was born in Plainville, MA on July 18, 1832, the son of Jason & Sophia Forsaith Richards. James came from a family of ministers of which three uncles had graduated from the Andover Theological Seminary. Dr. Richards graduated from the College of Physicians & Surgeons New York in 1859. He opened his first practice in North Bridgewater (now Brockton) from 1859 – 1871. Richards then spent two years in Europe before moving to Andover in 1873. He had the house built for his new wife, Ellen Augusta Brown of Lawrence who he married on June 2, 1875. They had two children, Marcia Starr and James Austin.

Dr. Richards moved to Manchester, NH in 1879 and his wife died the following year in 1880. He returned to Andover in 1881 and re-established his practice. James remarried on November 14, 1882 to Anna Hartwell Swift, b. Sept. 18, 1842, daughter of Nathaniel & Martha (Kidder) Swift Jr. Anna was their youngest child, sister of George F.,Martha Elizabeth and Charlotte Harris Swift. They lived in the Swift homesttead at 53 Main Street (now site of TD Bank) until Richards built a new house at 94 Main Street in 1887.

After moving to New Hampshire Dr. Richards sold the Chestnut Street property to the Andover Theological Seminary which kept ownership of the house for thirty years. The house was rented out during the seminary’s stewardship. The Seminary began to divest of their holdings in Andover before moving to Harvard University, Cambridge MA. The former Richards house was sold to Edith M. Grant. A second parcel of land was also included at the time of sale. A parcel that the Trustees of Phillips Academy had purchased from N. Emmeline Cole, wife of George S. Cole, on Jan. 9, 1901 b. 183 p. 17 and then later sold to ATS in July 1908 b. 267 p. 10.

Edith Grant held the property for six years then sold to Henry Herrick. Herrick turned the property a year later after moving to Butte, Montana. Florence Glazier bought in 1916 and kept boarding house here and a shop called "The Chestnut Burr" with a bakery and gifts. Advertised rooms to let, steam heated, with sewing room or boudoir in 1917. Glazier sold to Gertrude A. Lawson, wife of John B. Lawson in 1919.

Emma Frost, wife of Herbert A. Frost, of Medford acquired the property on September 23, 1926 and remained here for twenty years selling to the Noury family in 1946. George A. Noury’s occupation is listed as an assistant manager and wife Lillian a housewife. They had four children; Pamela F. b. 1945 and graduated from Andover High in 1963, Phillip G. b. 1947 enlisted in the Army, Adele b. 195_ class of 1970 and Peter J. b. 195_ class of 1974.

Eileen K. & Frederick Callanen were the next residents of the home and still retain the property today in 2011 under the name of Brook Realty Trust. It appears that the Callanen’s converted the house to apartments after their purchase in 1977.