The Ballardvale Machine Shop Corp., John Marland, President, purchased much of the property in the center of Ballardvale in 1847. The land was then sub-divided into house and store lots and the company began selling off parcels in 1848. John Marland and John Howe Jr. owned the parcel along Centre St. (now Center St.) and auctioned off 35 lots on July 28. 1847. The auctioneers were Loring, Abbott and Porter of Boston.

The Ballardvale Machine shop would begin selling off their holdings in 1848. Samuel Abbott of Boston and William Abbott of Andover followed suit with their property on Oak and Tewksbury Streets. The greater portion of the village center was developed at this period of time.

This lot #23 on the Marland & Howe 1847 map was sold to Benjamin W. Gleason at auction on July 28, 1847. rec. Aug. 4, 1847. Joseph G. Dorr purchased the lot from Gleason on July 28, 1847 rec. Mar. 29, 1848. at the same price of $136.50. Dorr then sold to the Ballard Vale Machine Shop for $136.50 on Mar. 21, 1849. The parcel contained 8591 sq. feet.

Marland was forced into bankruptcy in 1848 and the creditors of the Ballard Vale Machine Shop took possession of the company holdings. The 1850 Andover Valuation schedule of the company's assessed holdings totaled $47,050.

The Whipple File & Steel Co. would later purchase the property. The company also fell into bankruptcy and the holdings were assigned to Edward Page, John W. Beals, Thomas J. Horner all of Boston and Thornton K. Lothrop of Milton on Dec. 12, 1868, rec. May 3, 1869. The company holdings were auctioned off on April 2, 1867 and purchased by George W. Simmons and George McKay. These deeds were recorded on July 7, 1871. Simmons owned 2/3 of the company and McKay the other 1/3. The deed reference for this lot can be found in b. 10 on page 23.

A George W. Simmonds, wife Frances A., held the property. On Simmons death the property was inherited by family members and investors; John Beals, Joshua Beals, Geo. W. Simmons, Sally M. Simmons and Thornton H. Simmons in Mar. 1884. - They sold their 6/7 parts to William Finn on April 18, 1885. The last share came from Edward Henshaw, Guardian on April 16, 1884.

William Finn appears to have been the father of Elizabeth J. Finn who married John A. Riley in 1893. They would later own the property.

John A. Riley and wife Elizabeth J. (Finn) Riley later purchase the property. John A. Riley b. June 1870 son of Patrick & Betsy (Hannon) Riley married on Dec. 27, 1893 to Elizabeth J. Finn b. June 1870 daughter of William & Catherine (Gibney) Finn. John was a wool sorter in the Ballardvale Mills and Elizabeth a weaver. John & Elizabeth had two children; William J. b. May 1897 and Grace M. b. Mar. 1899. Grace would become a school teacher, later married George Cheyne b. 1894 a proprietor of a grocery store. They would reside with her parents. Elizabeth died in 1934 and John the following year in 1935. The estate would go to their children and Grace & George would purchase the home from the estate in Oct. 1935. They held for seven years then selling on Feb. 14, 1942 to William M. & Jane Rice Perry.