This property was once owned by Samuel Holt. Samuel Holt b. Dec. 18, 1730 and married Abigail Blanchard. Samuel died on Feb. 3, 1803 leaving 1/3 of his estate to his widow Abigail, all the household goods and the use of the west side of the house. Son Isaac, the Executor of his estate inherited all his father’s real estate and personal property except what he willed to his surviving children and wife. Isaac was also to care for his mother. Samuel’s will mentioned sons Samuel b. Sept. 7, 1761 and Isaac b. Jan. 21, 1764, twin daughters Abigail and Elizabeth b. May 19, 1867.

Isaac Holt b. Jan. 21, 1764 in Andover, son of Samuel & Abigail (Blanchard) Holt. Isaac was a Cooper and farmer, said to have been born and married in this house. Isaac married on Dec. 6, 1789 to Tabathy Blunt b. Feb. 7, 1765, dau. of Isaac & Mary (Chandler) Blunt. “Isaac made a number of barrels for vessels.” The first deed recorded to Isaac in Andover was a 6¼ acre parcel on July 16, 1792 rec. May 25, 1793 (b. 156 leaf 153) followed by a 14 acres 100 poles parcel on April 6, 1794 rec. Feb. 11, 1795 (b. 159 leaf 24). Isaac and Tabathy had eleven children: Anna b. Nov. 1, 1790, Persis b. Jan. 3, 1792, Isaac bpt. July 7, 1793 –d. Nov. 12, 1793, Isaac b. Oct. 22, 1794, Larkin b. Jan. 29, 1797, Mary b. Aug. 18, 1798, Jonas b. Dec. 8, 1800, Samuel b. Nov. 1, 1802, Mehitable bpt. Apr. 28, 1805, Warren b. Aug. 19, 1807 and James Hervey b. Oct. 31, 1809. Tabathy died of consumption on June 24, 1840 age 75 and Isaac died on July 25, 1843 of old age at 80 years.

Son Jonas Holt would purchase a portion of the farm from his father’s estate on April 25, 1844. The homestead farm consisted of a dwelling house and other buildings with 35 acres. The 1850 Andover Valuation Schedule list Jonas Holt – Dwelling house $675, Barn & shed $375, 41 adj. acres $1433, 28 acres east of rd. $700, 3a Falls Meadow $24, 12aYoung Wood, 3a Peat Meadow = 87 acres and assessment $3702. His farm stock value $258.
Jonas, b. Dec. 8, 1800, also a cooper and farmer, married on April 24, 1825 to Pamelia Porter Frye b. 1806 in Vermont, dau. of Ezekiel & Mary (Holly) Frye. Jonas & Pamelia had nine children; Caroline Charlotte b. May 4, 1826, Charles Gallen b. June 28, 1829 – d. Oct. 24, 1831, Warren Eugene b. Apr. 17, 1833, Horace Prescott bpt. Aug. 7, 1836, Brooks Frye b. Feb. 1, 1838, Lewis Garrison “Gat” b. Nov. 15, 1839, Albert Newell b. Nov. 10, 1841, Albion Francis b. May 3, 1845 and Charles Albee b. Apr. 22, 1848. Sons Warren and Lewis served in the Civil War.

In the 1860 Valuation Jonas has reduced his farm to the 41 acre homestead lot on the west side of the road and the 28 acre parcel across the road. Pamelia died on Dec. 1, 1868 and Jonas nine months later of consumption on Sept. 21, 1869. Son Lewis “Gat” Holt was the Executor of the estate. Gat purchased the homestead on Apr. 19, 1870. The 1870 Valuation lists Lewis G. Holt – House $475, Barn & shed $400, 69 acres $2575, Slaughter house $150 = $3600. Farm stock $735.

Lewis, a successful Ice Dealer, was living in Lawrence when his father died. Known by “Gat” to family he married Nov. 10, 1869 to Emily “Emma” A. Jenkins, b. Sept. 3, 1845 dau. of Albert H. & Nancy (Giles) Jenkins. Gat served during the Civil War, enlisted in Co. H. Mass. 1st Heavy Artillery on July 5, 1861 and was stationed in Washington D.C. Wounded at Cold Harbor on June 3, 1864 by a mini ball in the neck, Gat was mustered out as Full Corporal on July 8, 1864. His letters of his life as a soldier to his sister Caroline survived and are in the collection of the Andover Historical Society. Gat and Emma had four sons Louis Albert, Edgar Garrison b. 1874 and Arthur Brooks b. 1879-d. 1881 and Ernest Leroy.

Gat sold the family home to Fernando P. Shattuck, wife Sarah J. on May 23, 1873. It has been stated in a biographical sketch of Lewis G. Holt that the Holt house had been in the family for 250 years suggesting it was built in 1722.

Andover Maps 1830 - J. Holt
1888 map - D. Bentley
1906 map - W. Boland
1908 directory - William Boland, farmer, Holt District; Mrs. Boland; Henry J. Boland, farmer; Stephen A. Boland, student
Directory - Mary L. O'Brien (12-7-53)