Themes: Architectural, Community development

Historical significance: made of bricks from Frye Village brick factory nearby. "on road to town farm"
Original owner: Jeheil Cochran 1838 - Brick maker

Original owner: Jeheil Cochran 1838
Jehiel Cochran purchased the property from Thomas C. Foster on Dec. 18, 1838 for $700. Jehiel is listed as a Brick maker in the deed. Jehiel was born Oct. 29, 1810 in Andover, son of Samuel & Mary “Polly” (Bailey) Cochran. Jehiel most likely worked in the Brickyard on the Town Farm property on Burnham Road. (see 7 Argyle St.)
Brick making:
Ephriam Mayo invented the “Single Lever Brick Press” and received a U.S. patent on his device on Dec. 9, 1828 by President John Q. Adams and signed by Secretary of State H. Clay. The patent was issued for 14 years. On June 3, 1830 Mayo, of Hallowell, Maine sells his patent for $50 “to the Town of Andover and their successors, or assigns, for the residue of the term of fourteen years mentioned in the above recited Letters Patent, now unexpired, the full and exclusive right and liberty of making, constructing, & using, the new and useful improvement in the Machine for pressing unburnt Brick and Tile, at one operation, mentioned in the Letters Patent, a recital whereof is hearto annexed, in the Brickyard on their Farm in said Andover”

Brick production continued for many years in the nearby clay flats on the Shawsheen River, not far from where "Penguin Park" is located today. When Jeheil purchased the property the B&M Railroad had not yet cut through the property (1848), so the house would have commanded a view down to the river and the brickyard.

The US Census of 1850 on Aug. 5, lists Jehiel Cochran as age 38, a farmer, Real estate $1500. Jehiel never married but his sister Mary b. Oct. 17, 1808, resides with him with her husband Charles Jarvis Townsend, age 51, a Brickmaker, and six of their nine children: William Warren 14 b. Sept. 19, 1836, Milton B. 11 b. Aug. 25, 1838, twins Mary Augusta. & Rhoda Abba age 9 b. July 8, 1840, George A. age 6 b. Nov. 16, 1844 and Walter N. age 1 b June 21, 1848. Mary & Charles married on Aug. 30, 1829 in Andover. Children not listed were Charles b. Dec. 19, 1832, Henry W. b. Oct. 24, 1834 and Abby Ann b. Aug. 11, 1842.
The 1850 Andover Valuation Schedule lists Dwelling house & barn $1000, 5 acres adjoining $250 = $1250 assessment.
The 1855 State Census lists daughter Abby Ann age 13 (b. Aug. 11, 1842) but she was not recorded in the Andover Vital Records of Births.

Jehiel Cochran died on May 20, 1860 at age 49y 7m of an enlarged liver. He is interred at West Parish Garden Cemetery. Charles Townsend died in 1861 and the Cochran estate was sold at auction to John Bailey of Lawrence on April 9, 1861 for $825 including house and six acres. Bailey then sold to James O’Keefe of Lawrence on June 20, 1861 for $1200.

James O’Keefe was born in Ireland, son of Patrick & Bridget O’Keefe. James married in Lawrence, MA on Dec. 1, 1853 to Catherine Leary b. Ireland dau. of Daniel. James name is listed as James O. Keefe in directories and in 1870 census as Kieff. James & Catherine had nine children: Mary E. b. 1857, Bridget b. 1858, and Patrick b. June 11, 1860 in Lawrence, Michael b. 1863, Catherine b. 1864, James b. 1866, Daniel b. 1868, Richard V. b. 1871 and John b. 1875 in Andover. James was a laborer for the Railroad in 1870. Sons James an operative died on Aug. 14, 1886 age 19 of Phthisis (TB) Michael died on Sept. 14, 1887 of consumption (TB) age 25 and John on Apr. 1, 1891 age 16y of pneumonia. James O. Keefe estate was administered by his son Richard V. Keefe on Nov. 25, 1898. The property was then auctioned off.
April 7, 1899 –AT pg. 1 - Estate of the late James O’Keefe, brick house, small farm near the poor farm in Frye Village will be sold at auction Sat. April 29th.

Patrick Barrett purchased the property for $950 and the deed signed on June 13, 1899. The 1900 Census list the road as Alms Street. Patrick Barret was born in Jan. 1848 in Ireland son of Robert & Honora Barrett. They immigrated in 1873. Patrick worked at Marland Mill on Stevens St. He married in July 24, 1876 to Margaret Barrett b. Aug. 1851 in Ireland dau. of Patrick & Catherine Barrett. Margaret immigrated in 1872. They had four children: Nora b. May 1878, Robert James b. July 16, 1881 in North Andover, John Stephen b. Dec. 20, 1887, and Margaret M. b. June 11, 1893. Nora worked at Marland Mill as a Spooler, Robert worked for Tyer Rubber in 1904 but later as a farmhand at Wm. M. Wood’s estate at Arden on North Main St. John S. worked for American Express Co. in Lawrence and Margaret was at home most of her life then worked for Merrimack Mutual Fire Insurance Co. after her mother died. Patrick’s mother-in-law Catherine b. Dec. 1813 also lived with them in 1900. Catherine had eleven children of which five survived. All the children lived at home and none seem to have married.

Son Robert J. died in the 1925 and his mother Margaret in 1928. Patrick deeds the property to dau. Margaret M. Barrett in 1927. Patrick died on July 31, 1930 at age 81 years. Nora, John and Margaret continued to live in “Brickhaven” Nora died in 1937-38 and Margaret adds her brother John S. to the deed on June 11, 1938. John died on Oct. 10, 1952. He had retired in April as payroll clerk at Arlington Mill in Lawrence. His carrer included Clerk at American Railway Express Co., salesman at J. H. Clifford Co. and then T. J. Buckley Furniture Co. all in Lawrence. John is interred in the family lot at St. Augustine’s Cemetery on Lupine Rd.
The Barrett family had owned the property for 54 years when Margaret M. Barrett sold to Charles E. & Rosella V. Naylor on June 17, 1953.