Original house on site was known as "Little red house on the Woburn Road". Built around 1750 by Josiah Chandler who died on Aug. 12, 1752, at age 69. His son David Chandler was executor of his estate and inherited the homestead. His mother Sarah (Ingalls) Chandler had use of the west side of the house and barn and was to be provided for by David. Sarah died on Feb. 13, 1754, age 69.

David Chandler was born Dec. 15, 1724, and had nine siblings. David married on Aug. 30, 1750, to Mary Ballard b. May 1, 1732, dau. of Timothy & Hannah (Chandler) Ballard. David & Mary had nine children: David b. 6/10/1751, Daniel b. 7/9/1754, Hannah bpt. 6/22/1755, Samuel b. 11/4/1757, Sarah b. 5/17/1761, Josiah b. 1/20/1762, Ballard b. 1/23/1765, John b. 6/4/1771 and Mary b. 10/27/1773.

David was in the Andover Militia, a corporal in the 2nd Military Co. in Andover, April 23, 1757, under Capt. Jonathan Abbot. In 1762 an Ensign in Capt. Benj. Ames’s Co. of Militia and at the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775. Then Lieut. and Captain. David contracted smallpox at the camp in Cambridge. Mary went to see him 3 days before his death and he was buried on Feb. 11, 1776, at South Parish Cemetery age 51 yrs. 2 m. Widow Mary had 1/3rd share of the estate, and the children held 1/6th shares. Mary remained in the home until she remarried on Nov. 10, 1779, to David Parker of Reading and removed there.

Son John Chandler, b. July 4, 1771, was a shoemaker, married Abigail Hay b. 1771 of South Reading, MA and lived in the house. They had six children: Hannah bp. Oct. 2, 1791, Nancy b. Oct. 17, 1795, John b. Dec. 28, 1789, Clarissa b. Oct. 8, 1799, Samuel b. Dec. 7, 1803, and George b. Oct. 16, 1805. It was John who sold the west side of the homestead to Moses Abbot in 1802.

Daniel Chandler, wife Joanna (Stevens) of Wilton, NH sold his 1/6th share of the estate on Aug. 6, 1782, to Samuel Phillips Jr. for the sum of 80 Spanish milled dollars. Samuel, wife Phebe and son John b. 1776 moved here after vacating the former George Abbot House, (19 Phillips Street), to accommodate Eliphapet Pearson, the first principal of the Academy. Their second son, Samuel Phillips, was born here on April 30, 1782. Phillips purchased thirds from widow Mary of David Chandler Samuel lived here while waiting for his grand Mansion House to be built on Main Street, raised in 1782 and completed in 1785.

(Benjamin Butters said to have occupied 1783.)

John Chandler sold to Moses Abbot Jr. on Oct. 28, 1802, rec. 11/2/1802. The deed reads: certain part of the house and barn… formerly owned by David Chandler, late of Andover. Viz, the west room Chamber and garret of sd. House with the entry and cellar under., also the back room of sd. House with the chamber, entryway and garret over the same, with the liberty to those who shall improve the other part of sd. House, to use the back room for washing, baking and other necessary work in the kitchen, also liberty to pass through either of the stairways to the east chamber & garret. Also convey the floor-way formerly owned by the sd. David, reserving liberty to those who shall improve the other part of said barn to cart hay, thresh grain in sd. Floor-way. One acre 110 poles, conclusive of the south part of the garden, east half of the front yard and that part of the house which is not here before granted to pass from the front door into the garden.

Samuel Phillips Jr. took Samuel Chandler to court over the east half of the house and property on October 24, 1794. Chandler owed Phillips 22 pounds 13 shillings 3 pence which he had defaulted on. His mother Mary (Ballard) Chandler had 1/3rd right of Dower to the east half of the house. The court ruled in Phillips favor, and he took possession of the east side of the house and several parcels of land connected with the estate.
Prior to moving here, Moses lived in Judge Phillips house and store on Main St. on the south corner of Phillips St. now part of the “Vista”. The Moses Abbot family would hold the property for 109 years.

Moses Abbot Jr. born Nov. 30, 1765, son of Moses & Elizabeth (Holt) Abbot, married on Feb. 5, 1799, to Martha “Polly” Frye b. 1772. Children; Martha Frye b. Mar. 16, 1800, Moses Jr. b. April 10, 1802, infant son b. Sept. 10, 1804, Salem d. 1804. Polly died on Sept. 15, 1804, age 32.
Moses married a second time on May 28, 1809, to Priscilla Flint, b. 1784. They had one son Daniel Flint b. Dec. 1, 1810 – d. May 31, 1811. Priscilla died April 15, 1811, age 27.

The 1850 Valuation: Moses Abbot & Son, Dwelling house & adjoining building on 1 acre $700. 4 acres opposite house $375, 5a Falls Woods $450, 1a Carlton Swamp $90, 9a Preston Plain $378, 5a Carlton Path $70, 6a Phillips’ land $240 = 38 acres at $2693. Personal Estate – Farm Stock $60, 1 Bank share $90 = $150.
The 1850 Census: Moses Abbot age 84, Moses Jr. 47, wife Tryphena 47, Oramel G. 16, Moses H. 11 and George B. 7.

Andover Advertiser – March 12, 1859, DEATH OF THE OLDEST INHABITANT.
The death of our aged friend, Mr. MOSES ABBOTT, which took place on Wednesday forenoon, the 9th inst, in the 94th year of his age, deserves a special notice from us, such as there is scarcely time to prepare before going to press. Though not unexpected, it will yet take our community by surprise, he has been so long with us, and has seemed so essential to our identity.
Mr. Abbott was one of a very numerous family, remarkable for the many instances of longevity which it has furnished. His father lived to be over ninety years old, and his mother ninety-five; and not only his own great age, but many things in his history and character, will long be remembered with much interest.
He was born November 30, 1765, and, according to the custom of the times, was baptized the next day, in the meeting house, by Rev. Mr. Phillips, the first pastor of the Old South Church. The larger portion of his life has been spent here, in his native town. For a period of some ten or eleven years, he was a clerk in the store of Judge Phillips, and an inmate of his family. The reverence and admiration which he felt for the Judge and for Madam Phillips, were often expressed so heartily, as to be an index of his own pure and upright character, not less than of theirs.
Mr. Abbott was, however, especially fond of agriculture, and ultimately left the store for the farm; nor did anything upon his own grounds or others interest him more than useful or ornamental trees—so many of which are now standing upon our hill, as the monuments of his taste and industry Every tree which he had helped to plant had a history which he loved to tell; and its decay or destruction affected him like the loss of a personal friend.
Few men retain, in old age, so much activity of both body and mind as has characterized Mr. Abbott. His memory was remarkably accurate and fresh, as many can testify who have had occasion to consult him in regard to the events or personages which were associated with his earlier years.— And this, with his quick social sympathy and his natural sprightliness, made him especially attractive in conversation. One could never sit down with him and waste an hour in uttering or hearing mere com- mon-places. He would talk on some subject, and you left him always with some new fact or hint to stimulate you; though he never seemed conscious of making, nor even of aiming to make, such an impression upon you.
For many years Mr. Abbott has lived in seclusion; not so much on account of his age, perhaps, as of long cherished habits and tastes. Disappointments and trials, instead of leading him to seek for sympathy or solace in others, may have rather driven him to take refuge too much in himself.— Yet when others were in any affliction or want, he was remarkable for the timeliness and heartiness of his sympathy for them.
The house in which he has lived for so many years, was once for a short period the residence of Judge Phillips, soon after the founding of Phillips Academy; and here it was fitting that he should expire—to be borne forth, beneath the overhanging branches of the elms which they together planted, down to his grave, near the tomb of his friend whom he so much extolled.

His son Moses Abbot Jr. b. April 10, 1802, a shoemaker, inherits the estate. Moses Jr. married on April 23, 1832, to Tryphena M. Bowman b. Dec. 23, 1804, in Sunderland, MA. They have four sons Oramel Graves b.4/2/1834, William Francis b. 2/25/1837, Hubbard Moses b. 1.29/1839 and George Bowman b. 5/20/1843. Moses & Tryphena adopted a girl Maria Edice Fairchild b. Aug. 23, 1843, in Sunderland, dau. of Curtis & Marie Fairchild. She is listed in the 1855 State census and 1860 Census as Maria E. Abbot age 17 schoolteacher.
Moses died on Dec. 28, 1888, in Andover – items from obituary AT Jan. 4, 1889.
“Living with his father on the farm until he was twenty-one, he worked for Mr. Locke, the tavern-keeper, at the Mansion House and at the Hazen place, and afterwards in Kidder's livery-stable and at Mayo's (the Elm House). He worked for three years in Amherst, as employee of Mark H. Newman, then in business there, returning to Andover…” “Here on the old homestead he has since lived, a hard- working, industrious farmer, an honest, up- right, and respected man. In 1803 he spent two months in a Washington hospital, caring for his youngest son, and there contracted disease, which so poisoned his blood that he has been very lame ever since. But with all his infirmities he kept up his love and habit of work, and only two weeks before his death spent nearly the whole fore-noon in sawing wood, and taking a cold which resulted in bronchial pneumonia and death. His oldest son, Oramel G. Abbot, died last October (1888) in Milford, CT.; of the three others, William F. resides in Lynn, Hubbard M. in Northampton (where he is the Register of Probate), George B. in E. Saginaw, Mich.

AT July 16, 1897, p. 5- MRS. MOSES ABBOTT. The death of Mrs. (Tryphena) Moses Abbott at her home on the Hill last Wednesday morning takes away one of the oldest residents of the town. Deceased had always lived in Andover and at the time of her death occupied the same house where for over 60 years she has lived. She was 93 years, 6 months and 22 days old and till within a few months of her death, had enjoyed excellent health. Four sons were born to her, all of whom went to the war and of which three are now living; Wm. F. Abbott, now in California, Hubbard M. Abbott of Northampton in this state, and Geo. B. Abbott of East Saginaw, Mich. Mrs. Abbott was a woman of many superior qualities, and possessed a rare fund of information regarding old Andover history. She had been a constant attendant at the South Church for many years.

The estate went to the three remaining sons and William, known as Frank, later sold the property to Addison R. Saunders on Aug. 9, 1911. It contained 7 acres at that time. Saunders sub-divided the property and sold the house lot to Lucy H. Berry, wife of Fred P. on Dec. 29, 1911. Fred is listed as a Furniture Dealer. The Berry’s remodeled the house and in 1918 removed to Ann Harbor, Mich.

Berry sold the property to Ralph S. Bartlett on May 3, 1919. Bartlett appears to have rented the house to Amielia Shapleigh, listed in 1923 – 1932. Amelia was born on Aug. 29, 1868, in Elliot, ME, dau. of George Almon & Abbie E. (Bartlett) Shapliegh. Amelia lived in Lebanon, ME, never married but adopted or raised four children who all took the Shapliegh name: Dorothy [Urquart] b. May 10, 1898, in Boston, David Miller b. Sept. 10, 1899, Boston, Sylvia Bull [Vaughn] b. Nov. 22, 1907, Switz. and John B. b. Feb. 16, 1917. Boston. She may have moved here so her children could attend the Academies. David did graduate from Phillips. Amelia was nationally known as a temperance worker. Amelia died March 17, 1952, in Maine.

Sylvia Bull Smith, daughter of Ameila and wife of Mortimer Brewster Smith purchased on June 14, 1932, and two years after sold to Marcelle M. Morrison, wife of Clarence E. Morrison Jr. on June 1, 1934. Clarence E. is listed as a manufacturer in Lawrence. Morrison’s owned for 20 years.

More recent owners:
L. Gleynn Jr. & Elizabeth N. Yeaton - Aug. 18, 1954, Rev. Robert H. Gamble – April 13, 1959, b. 1907 a writer, Leon J. Jr. & Dabney P. Roversi - June 1, 1964.

The current owners of record are John B. & Janet H. Constantine who purchased the home on Sept. 16, 1975, and continue as stewards of the property for 50 years in 2025.

Other Tenants.
Subsequent uses: boarding house for road builders and seminary, carpenters after 1805
Gardener Abbot, blacksmith;
Capt. Joseph Gleason;
Amelia Shapliegh 1923 – 1932, with Sylvia 1926