14 Hidden Field - Thompson House built 1920

The property was owned by the Trustees of Phillips Academy who sold the parcel to Charles D. Thompson on Jan. 12, 1920. The parcel came with deed restrictions for 999 years. The home had to be for one family for private use, had to cost a minimum of $4000 above the foundation, and may include a detached stable of $1500. The house had to be 30 foot setback from the road and the stable 60 feet. Bay windows could project only 5’ from the façade, and any pizzas porticos, steps and balustrades could extend 10 feet. No mechanical or other trade or manufacture of any kind shall be carried out on said lot.

Charles Dunning Thompson was born on February 3, 1887, in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, son of Andrew & Frances R. Thompson. Charles attended Hill School in PA and graduated from Yale in 1908 from the Sheffield Scientific School. Charles married on September 24, 1914, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Aline McMilliam. Born Dec. 9, 1890 in Salt Lake City, dau. of Henry G. & Emma Lewis McMillian. Charles served during WWI as Lieutenant in Army Air Service. Charles became the manager and later president of the Merrimack Paper Co. in Lawrence. He later was founder and president of Merrimaid, Inc. on Parker St. in Lawrence.

Charles & Aline had three sons: David McMillian b. Sept. 1, 1915, in Methuen, Robert Torry b. Oct. 11, 1917, and Donald Gordon b. 1922. All three sons attend Phillips Academy and Yale. Son Robert, PA 1936, left Yale to join the Flying Cadets at the Southeast Air Corps Training Center in Montgomery Alabama. Sadly, he died on April 9, 1941, while bailing out as he was bringing his plane into Maxwell Field. as his parachute did not open in time. Robert was to graduate on April 25th. He is interred at the Chapel Cemetery at Phillips Academy, Andover. Both brothers served during WWII, David (PA 1934) in the Navy and Donald (PA1940) in the Army.

Charles Thompson revised the deed to the property in 1946, to include life tenancy to himself, wife Aline and their two sons. Charles died in Boston on March 6, 1959, at age 72. Aline then deeds the property over to her sons in October 1959. David and Donald then sold the house to Phillips Academy on Dec. 10, 1959. Aline died in 1976 son David in 1978 and Donald in 2008. All are interred in the Chapel Cemetery.