The property was once part of the Nathan W. Hazen Estate at 111 Main Street which extended from Locke Street to Morton Street. John H. & Frances A. Flint purchased the Hazen estate and began to divide the property into house lots which spurred development on both Locke Street and southward along Main Street. The house was built by William S. Jenkins, local contractor who lived across the street at 118 Main Street.

Aug. 28, 1891 – AT p. 4 – The finishing touches are being put on W. S. Jenkins new house on Main Street and it will be ready for occupancy
Sept. 4, 1891 – AT – Dr. C. H. Gilbert and family have taken possession of W.S. Jenkins new house next to the residence of A.S. Manning on Main St.

Dr. Charles Gilbert, a Dentist purchased the house in 1893. Dr. Gilbert was born in Saxson’s River Village, VT July 19, 1841.son of Solomon & Eliza (Pierce) Gilbert. At age twenty enlisted in the 14th New Hampshire Volunteers and served throughout the Civil War. Charles contracted diphtheria during the campaign which made him nearly deaf. Charles married on Dec. 6, 1865 in Walpole, NH to Sarah Louise Hale b. 1845, in Walpole, NH, dau. of Moses Jewett & Sarah (Griswold) Hale. They had three children all born in St. Johnsbury, VT.; Elsie Louise b. Jan. 21, 1867, Perley Fred b. Dec. 14, 1868. and Guy Webster Gilbert b. 1871.

The Gilbert family came to Andover in the 1870’s and Charles opened his practice in the Draper Block at 35 Main Street. Wife Sarah Louisa died in Andover on March 4, 1879 of consumption, age 33y 11m. She was interred in Walpole, NH.
Charles remarried on Dec. 2, 1880 to the widow Emma Augusta (Shattuck) Stone b. June 16, 1843 in Andover, dau. of Thomas & Solome K. (Bailey) Shattuck. Emma’s first husband was Rev. Daniel Joseph Stone b. 1838 in Cambridge, MA. Emma married Daniel on June 2, 1862. Daniel died on May 18, 1869 in Cambridge. They had two children; Mary Susan Stone b. Nov. 5, 1865 in Brookline, MA and Clover Josiah Stone b. Jan. 24, 1869 in Andover, MA.
Charles Gilbert d. July 9, 1911, Andover, MA age 68y 11m 29d. He is interred at West Parish Garden Cemetery. Emma died the following year on Feb. 20, 1912 age 68y 8m 1d.
Dr. Gilbert was a member of Post 99, G. A. R., St. Matthews Lodge and the Royal Arcanum. The family grave is located in West Parish Garden Cemetery.

Son Perley F. Gilbert graduated from Punchard Free School 1887, Phillips Academy 1890, and MIT 1895 with BS in Architecture. Perley was a noted local architect who redesigned the entrance and interior of Old Town Hall in 1902. Other projects encluded the cottage house at 277 North Main St. 1901, the Park Band Stand in 1912, Orlando Cottage (Lanam Club) 1916, Home for the Aged at Carmel Rd 1922, West Parish Vestry 1927 and Memorial Auditorium and the new Jr. High School wing in 1934, and several housing units for the American Woolen Co. in Lawrence and Maynard, MA. He partnered with Lowell, MA architect Otis Merrill in the firm Merrill & Gilbert of Lowell MA in 1899 and later his own company under Perley F. Gilbert & Associates. Perley never married and died May 8, 1956 87y 4m 21d. Interred in the Gilbert family lot at West Parish Garden Cemetery.

Daughter, Elsie Louise Gilbert graduated from Punchard High with brother Perley in 1887 and married Edward Herrick Brown. Guy W. Gilbert b. 1871 in St. Johnsbury, VT was also a dentist and practiced in Lawrence & Andover before moving to Jamaica Plain. Guy married June 1, 1890 in Ipswich, MA to Florence Brown Harris, a school teacher, and dau. of John & Emily (Hulme) Harris.

Perley J. Gilbert took ownership of the house on Aug. 9, 1907 and sold nine years later to Percy J. Look on Sept. 16, 1916. The Look family was long associated with the photography business in town Donald Look owned Look Photo beginning in the Barnard Block, later the Musgrove Building. In 1960’s moved to Old Andover Village and then to Barnard St. location. Many of Look’s photos appeared in the Andover Townsman and Lawrence Eagle Tribune.

The John & Dorothy Birdsall Jr. purchased the house in 1955. Birdsall family were the owners and proprietors of the very popular “Coffee Mill” restaurant at 125 Main street to the right of the Andover Shop. It catered mainly to the students of Phillips and Abbot Academies and closed about 1969.
Donald & Barbara Richmond purchased the house in June 26, 1976 as rental income property. The Richmond family continue to own and maintain several apartment and commercial buildings in town.