The deeds to this property of land reveal a partial story of the one half acre of land with "small dwelling house on land formerly of Lee Farm", located at 134 Elm Street. One deed states the dwelling house formerly occupied by Dudley Dole, an African American. Andover Vital records list Dudley married Ginne Gage of Bradford, int. Oct. 30, 1802 in the AVR a white. Dudley was born Aug. 24, 1776, son of Cesar & Tamar, a Negro. Jenny died on April 15, 1812 at age 47, but is listed as a Negro. It has been stated that Capt. John Lee gave Dudley land in Andover, and he most likely worked for Lee.

The home at 134 Elm is said to have been built by Dr. Nehemiah Abbott (1717-1785) on the "old North Parish Road". Dr. Abbott moved to Chelmsford 1770. The property was then owned by Edward Weld and his wife Hannah. Weld sold a 40 acre parcel of land adjoining his farm to Isaac Abbot Jr. on July 12, 1770, recorded on May 3, 1784. This deed suggests the Weld ownership in 1770 and Weld may have purchased from Dr. Nehemiah Abbott or family.

Edward Weld sold the homestead lot , one of five parcels, for 6000 pounds to Capt. John Lee of Newburyport, a Mariner, on May 14, 1779 (rec. Feb. 28, 1780). The first parcel contained the homestead (134 Elm), parcel two - 20 acres adjoining, lot three - 34 acres on the south side of the Boston Rd. (Elm St), lot four - 6 acres of woodland at “Merrimack Woods”, and lot five - an additional 2 acres of woodland.

Capt. John Lee was b. May 14, 1738 in Manchester, MA, son of John & Joanna (Raymond) Lee. John first married on Nov. 4, 1765 in Marbelhead to Sybelle Breck Cailleteau. They had three sons; David Lee b. Map. 10, 1768, John Lee b. Nov. 17, 1769 and Robert Lee b. June 12, 1772. Sybelle died and John remarried on May 5, 1779 in Newburyport, MA to Hannah Osgood b. Nov. 6, 1754 dau. of Col. John Osgood & Martha Carlton. John and Hannah had four children; Mary b. 1784, Hannah b 1784, John b. May 27, 1788 and Jeremiah b.? Capt. John was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. Capt. Lee "was among the foremost privateers of Revolutionary War, sailing out of Marblehead, Salem, and Newburyport. On his most successful cruise against the British, he was captured off the coast of France. He never recovered from the effects of three years of incarceration in Forton Prison. In his last 20 years (retired to his farm in Andover) he could hardly walk." John died on March 26, 1812 at age 74. He is interred in South Parish Cemetery.

His widow Hannah Lee died on Nov. 6, 1827 in Manchester, MA. Thomas C. Foster was named guardian of Hannah Lee and John Lee, both minors, under the age of 21 in 1828. These children were Capt. Lee's grandchildren and issue of his oldest son David. Foster and Benjamin L. & Hannah L. Allen, of Manchester, sold the Andover property to Hobart Clark on Jan. 28, 1829. This property at 147 Elm St. and a second property in Marblehead, was sold off separately.

Harriet Dole, a single woman, purchased the 1/2 acre with "small dwelling house" at auction in March 1828 for $1.50. The deed was recorded on Jan. 28, 1829. Harriet then purchased an adjoining lot of 10 rods and 2 acres for $50 on Apr. 30, 1830. Harriet takes a mortgage of $60 from Hobart Clark who held the deed for two years. The mortgage was then assigned to Henry Tyler of Boston for $63 & $103 on Mar. 31, 1832. Peter Capen then purchased the mortgage on Mar. 16, 1833 for $103.

The Andover Vital records list Dudley Dole died on November 24, 1835 age 59 years at the Alms House. Dudley is listed as white. Harriet died intestate on Dec. 16, 1839 age 35 [notation "insane and perished in the snow"] Harriet Dole's estate was administered by William Chickering via Probate Court on the third Tuesday of August 1840. Chickering sold at auction on April 6, 1841 to Timothy P. Holt, cordwainer, for $320. Holt took a $300 mortgage from Daniel Peters. Peters died in 1848 and his estate was then administered by his son Daniel K. Peters. who sold five parcels to Isaac Wilson on Aug. 24, 1848. The last parcel was the former Dole property.

Hannah Wilson, wife of Isaac Wilson of North Parish then held the mortgage deed which was later purchased by Mary H. Holt, wife of Timothy P. The 1850 Andover Valuation schedule lists Timothy P. Holt - Dwelling house, barn $300 3 acres land adjoining $120 and personal estate Cow $20. Timothy Parker Holt was born on Feb. 27, 1811 in the North Parish of Andover, son of Nathaniel and Mehitable (Foster) Holt. Timothy became a shoemaker (cordwainer), married on Nov. 17, 1834 to Mary H. Lovejoy, b. Sept. 24, 1811 daughter of Orlando & Abiah (Gray) Lovejoy of Andover. Children: Charles b. 1835, Sarah 1839, Nathaniel b Feb. 15, 1842, Ellen F. b. Sept. 5, 1843, Joseph S. b. 1845, John Milton b. Apr. 9, 1847 and Albert J. b. Dec. 28, 1855.

In the 1860 census sons Charles and Joseph are shoemakers and daughter Ellen is a shoe binder, son John M. also began in his father's trade. The 1880 census just lists Timothy and Mary in the home. The census also contains a page Schedule of residents who are blind. A Timothy P. Holt is listed as having cataracts. The property was deeded over to Timothy P. on Oct. 25, 1887. His wife Mary H. died on Feb. 4, 1888. Timothy then sold the property to his son John M. and wife Elizabeth J. Holt on May 14, 1888. Timothy died on Nov. 23, 1892 of stomach cancer. He was 81. Timothy and Mary and interred in North Andover.

John M. Holt married on June 4, 1873 in Haverhill, MA to Elizabeth Jenkins, born Aug. 1847 in Milton, NH daughter of William Patten & Maria Sargent ( Rogers) Jenkins. Both were residents of Haverhill at the time of marriage and John occupation was shoemaker. In 1900 they are in the home in Andover, John a laborer. John died on Nov. 22, 1907 of Cullulitus of leg, Pseudo-Leukemia. His occupation was listed as Stone mason. Elizabeth inherited the home and died in 1915. Both are interred at Ridgewood Cemetery in North Andover, MA. John & Elizabeth had no issue.

Elizabeth J. Holt's estate was administered by Harry M. Eames on May 18, 1914. The property was then sold to James & Blanche D. Farnsworth on Oct. 3, 1916. The Farnsworth family owned the home for 35 years selling to Boyd E. & Katheryn P. Brodhead on July 18, 1951. Brodhead owned for three years then sold to William T. & Bernice E. Downs on Dec. 28, 1954. The Downs family were owners of record for 68 years.

The property was sold by Bernice E. Downs on April 14, 2020 to Merrimack College.