Themes: Architectural, Community Development
Present owner: Appleton, Lyman & Helen (14 Aug 1958)

Woodland Rd was named in 1905 but prior to that was called Missionary Lane, and was still referenced that in 1920 Andover Valuation Schedules. With the establishment of the Andover Theological Seminary nearby, some of these homes were occupied and owned by teachers and the name Missionary Lane was used. Old deeds list it as the “back road leading from Jonathan Holt 3rd,” and or “from Joseph L. Holt’s house to the Meetinghouse in North Parish” and later “from Charles Wardwell’s house to the Meetinghouse in the North Parish” in 1830.

This property at 45 Woodland Rd. and the property at 64 Salem St. both share the same ownership line until 1947 when Clark D. & Dorothy R. True purchase this home on May 28, 1947 and Miles S. & Lucille B. Pendleton purchase 64 Salem St. on Mar. 11, 1947. The 1920 Andover Valuation lists Mrs. Eve Mercer, 64 Salem St. House $9000, House rear 64 Salem St. $1300, Henhouse $150, Garage $150, and 3 3/4 acres of land $4000. Only two homes are listed on Woodland Rd. (still listed Missionary Lane in 1920), both on the east side of that road. The 1906 map of Andover does not show a second home at 64 Salem or at this location. This home however predates the Salem St. home and may be the original home to the site and moved to this location.

This property was once owned by Clark Holt, yeoman, wife Lydia, in 1839. Holt sold the property for $1200 to John Coolidge Farnham (Farnum)of Cambridge, MA, a Printer, on April 4, 1839. John was born Mar. 11, 1815 in Andover, son of Benjamin & Ruth (Saltmarsh) Farnham. John married Dorcas Abbott b. July 14, 1813 dau. of Henry & Dorcas (Holt) Abbott. John & Dorcas had two children, Abby Anne b. Feb. 15, 1838 and Sarah Maria b. Nov. 18, 1839. Dorcas died July 14, 1845, age 32 of consumption. John C. remarried on Apr. 7, 1846 to Sarah Tufts. They had Clara b. Dec. 4, 1848, Helen L. b. 1857, Hattie H. b. 1859, and John Ernest b. 1862. The 1850 Andover Valuation schedule lists John C. Farnham; 4 1/2 acres of land, Dwelling house & barn $1500. Farnham owned for fifteen years then moved back to Cambridge.

John Farnham sold the property for $1800 to the Rev. Calvin E. & Harriet Beecher Stowe on June 30, 1854. Rev. Stowe was a Professor of Sacred Literature at the Theological Institution at Andover. His wife was Harriet Beecher Stowe who had just published Uncle Tom’s Cabin. We do know the Stowes were deeded the Stone building on Chapel Ave on Oct. 11, 1852 from the Trustees of Phillips Academy for conversion to a dwelling house. They did convert it into a home and lived there until 1864. (The Stowe house was moved to 80 Bartlet St.) This home was most likely income property for the Stowe family. They owned this property for three years then selling to Myra J. Bodwell, wife of Henry Bodwell on Oct. 2, 1857 for $1800. The Bodwell family owned for 21 years.

With the death of Myra Bodwell the Bodwell heirs, Edward A., Emma G. and Henry A. Bodwell, all of Keene, NH inherit. They sell the property to Hannah B. Hultgren for $1800. on April 15, 1878. The land contains a dwelling house and out buildings. The deed notes "except the line between these premises and the Adams & Hammond premises is as the wall now stands." The dwelling house mentioned is not the current house on the property at 64 Salem St., but we believe the home at 45 Woodland Rd. In 1920 two houses are valued at the Salem St. location, one to the rear of the property.

In the 1880 Census a Thomas Timlin, age 50, Steward in a Hotel, his wife Louise age 45 and their children; Mary L. 18, William T. age 15, Oscar F. 12 and John T. age 6. and Charlotte Hulttran [sic] age 47, sister, seamstress, is living with the Timlins. Hannah B. Hultgren sold the property to Oscar F. Timlin on April 22, 1892. Oscar then deeds half interest in the property his brother William F. Timlin on Jan 30, 1896. The Timlins hold until 1901 then selling to Charlemagne & Emma Bricault on Aug. 6, 1901. The Bricaults take a mortgage through the William F. & Oscar F. Timlin. A default on the loan forces a sale of the property with buildings at auction on March 16, 1909.

John W. Bell purchases the property for $1200. John and wife Helen M. may have built the current home on the property or completed what the Bricaults had begun. The deed references the "property with current improvements",

With the death of John Bell, Helen M. & Howard W. Bell sell the estate to Evelyn Somerville Mercer on May 19, 1919 for $17,500. John T. Mercer is the husband of Evelyn "Eva". The property now consists of 3.76 acres. John T. Mercer, widower, sells a portion of the property to Harley F. & Verna B. Bragdon on Feb. 23, 1944.

Bragdons then sell to Elmer J. & Gladys M. Grover on Apr. 18, 1944. Grover then transfers the property to Mary E. Cronin on May 22, 1947 who then sells to Clark D. & Dorothy R. True on May 28, 1947. True owns just two years then selling to Lyman S. & Winifred O. Appleton on Mar. 18, 1949. The Appleton family continue as owners of record in 2020, now 71 years at this location, with their son Thomas and his wife Elizabeth (Hopkins) Appleton the residents.