Themes - Architectural, Community development and Education
Present owner Phillips Academy.
Residence of Abbot Academy headmistress, Bertha Bailey.

This property is listed on the 1852 map of Andover as an Andover Theological Seminary house between the homes of John L. Taylor on the north and Minor G. Pratt on the south. It is believed the old Tufts - Butterfield house was built by "Flagg, a carpenter" in 1830's.

The property was acquired by Charles Tufts for $4000. on Aug. 1, 1857 from the Trustees of Phillips Academy. The lot contained 1 1/2 acres with buildings. Charles Tufts also purchased a second parcel from John L. Taylor, adjoining Taylors land next door at 22 School St. Rev. Taylor was the minister of South Church and also the P.A. treasurer who signed both deeds.

Charles Tufts was born on June 29, 1803 in Plymouth, MA son of Johnathan & Priscilla (Drew) Tufts. Charles was married three times, a widower twice. His first wife Cordelia Sanders b. 1808 died June 10, 1840. Charles & Cordelia had five children: James W. b. 1829 - d. Feb. 10, 1830 2 mo, Mary Jane b. 1832 - d. Aug. 20, 1833 13 mo., Sarah Elizabeth b. 1835 - d. July 3, 1859, Emma Cordilia b. 1837 - d. Mar. 19, 1859 and Charles b. 1840 - d. July 15, 1841 age 2.

Charles married a second time on Feb. 28, 1844 to Eunice Sprague Churchill b. 1815 - d. June 20, 1847 in Methuen, MA. Charles & Eunice had two children Laura S. b. 1845 and Charles Henry b. 1847. Charles, now with four surviving children, married Sophia Kimball, b. 1805 NH dau. of Joseph & Anna Kimball. Charles & Sophia were married on June 18, 1848 by Rev. John L. Taylor.

Charles was a master mason and building contractor. He was listed as living in Boston at the time he wed Sophia. With the purchase of the property on School St. in 1857, recorded on Aug. 27, 1858, Tufts also purchased a lot of land in Lawrence, MA for $2500. from the Essex Co. on the SE corner of Essex St. and the Turnpike, now Broadway or Route 28. The deed stated that any building on the lot had to be no less than thee stories, built of brick or stone, with slate, tile or metal roof.

Sadly Charles two oldest daughters died in 1859. All are interred with their mother Cordelia at Burial Hill in Plymouth, MA. In 1860 Charles 57, Sophia 59, Laura L. 15 and Charles 12 are living at School St. and Mary Regan 35 b. Ireland is the domestic. Charles died on Jan. 22, 1871 in Andover. His Will left the house, furniture, property, a 15 acre pasture on Highland Rd, my cow and 1/3 of the family pew at South Church to his wife. Upon her death the estate would go to his two children Laura Sprague Stewart and Charles H. Tufts. Laura S. Stewart died Feb. 3, 1875, her son Edwin Stewart became her heir. Sophia K. Tufts died on Jan. 25, 1886. Joseph Kimball guardian for Edwin Stewart. The Tufts family estate held the property until May 20, 1891 when sold to Elizabeth B. Butterfield, wife of James Butterfield, a Mill wright.

Mrs. Butterfield ran a boarding house for Phillips Academy boys. This home is listed as one of nine such boarding houses in the first Phillips Academy yearbook, the "Masque", in 1893. Due to lack of dormitory space, private boarding houses were a necessity for the Academies and the Seminary students. The lack of uniformity in accommodations, rates, food quality and adherence to rules created problems between the landladies and the Trustees of Phillips Academy. In the 1890's the Trustees refused to renew the licenses of three ladies, "Mrs. Butterfield's boarding house on School Street close to Abbot Academy was a particularly troublesome house."

Elizabeth "Belle" (Jenkins) Butterfield, daughter William and Sarah Jenkins, inherited the family homestead (8 Douglass Lane) from her father. Belle was born June 20, 1838 in Andover, married on June 20, 1863 to James P. Butterfield b. Oct. 18, 1828 in Tyngsboro, MA, son of James & Rachel Butterfield. They were married by Rev. Calvin E. Stowe, of the Andover Theological Seminary. (husband of Harriet Beecher Stowe). Belle & James had five children; Blanche b. Aug. 7, 1866 Tyngsboro-d. July 24,1869, James Kirk b. Feb.18,1868 Tyngsboro -d. July 25,1869, Belle Joy b. Nov. 3, 1869 Tyngsboro d. 1928, Polly Farnham b. May 5,1875 Andover, and William Jenkins b. June 22, 1878 Andover. James & Elizabeth also owned a home at 23 Salem St (1881-1927). James died on Sept. 30, 1900. Belle sold the Jenkins farm to John Frank Morse on May 10, 1904.

Elizabeth Butterfield sold the property, a 2 acre lot, to the Trustees of Abbot Academy on September 19, 1903. The indentured deed was a 99 year lease for Mrs. Butterfield. The 1910 Census lists Elizabeth B. age 71 widow, and daughter Belle J. Butterfield age 39 as residing here. Elizabeth sells her indenture deed to Edward V. French on Aug. 24, 1915 and relocated to 154 Main St.

The Trustees of Abbot entered into the same lease with French and later his wife Mary Olive French on Dec. 30, 1935. An additional easement was included for access to the rear of the property by the Academy.

The home is now known as the Bertha Bailey House, for the Abbot Academy headmistress, who had a great impact on the the school during her administration. The home has also served as faculty residence and dormitory.

With the merger of Abbot and Phillips Academies on June 2, 1973 the property was then transferred over to the Trustees of Phillips Academy.