Historical Narrative:
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 # 24 on the Marland & Howe 1847 map was sold to Stephen W. Little and David Butler at auction on July 28, 1847. Little & Butler paid $325.80 for the 13,032 sq. foot lot, the largest parcel on Center Street. Little & Butler took a mortgage loan of $293.22 from John Marland and John Howe Jr. the day of sale. The mortage was assigned to John Marland by Howe the following year on Oct. 5, 1848. Marland declared bankruptcy in 1848 and sold off parcel to the Ballard Vale Company on Spet. 10, 1849. This property was the last of four parcels sold to the company.
Bibliography/References:
Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Historical Sketches of Andover, Sarah Loring Bailey 1880
Andover, A Century of Change, Eleanor Richardson 1995
Andover Advertiser, Andover Townsman
Andover Historical Society files
Marland & Howe map Ballardvale Center - house and store lots July 1847
Ballardvale Machine Shop Corporation May 1848 - Franklin Darracott Engineer
Samuel Abbott & William Abbott house lots amp 1848
Andover maps; 1852, 1856, 1872, 1884, 1888, 1906
Andover Valuation Schedules, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1900, 1910, 1920
Owners:
John Marland & John Howe Jr. - July 1847
Stephen W. Litttle & David Butler - July 28, 1847 - b. 386 leaf 231
Little & Butler to John Marland & John Howe Jr. - July 28, 1847 - b. 386 leaf 230 mtg.
Little & Butler to John Marland - Oct. 5, 1848 - b. 402 leaf 223 - mtg. assigned
Little & Butler to Ballard Vale Company - Sept. 10, 1849 - b. 417 leaf 29 - mtg. assigned
Ballard Vale Company, J. Putnam Bradlee, Treas. - March 14, 1855 - Possession
J. P. Bradlee estate, William Hodgkins, Trustee - Feb. 28, 1887 - Probate, Suffolk Co.
J. P. Bradlee estate, William Hodgkins, Trustee - 1889 - parcel #11 - b. 218 p. 600
Ballard Vale Mills Co., Philip R. French Pres. - Feb. 6, 1905 - b. 218 p. 238 (p. 242)
George C. Cheyne, wife Grace - May 1, 1926 - b. 523 p. 161
Fred T. & Erma M. Buckley - Dec. 28, 1948 - b. 719 p. 381
Frederick T. Buckley estate, Joan White Extr. - Sept. 28, 1979 - Probate
Margaret L. Cropper, Frances E. Earl & Joan White - Sept. 28, 1979 - b. 1393 p. 345
Margaret L. Cropper, wife of John F. Cropper - Jan. 5, 1980 - b. 1419 p. 96
Daniel G. & Kelly A. Cameron - Apr. 6, 2001 - b. 6083 p. 186
Inventory Data:
| Street | Center St |
| Place | Ballardvale |
| Historic District | Ballardvale Local Historic District |
| Historic District | Ballardvale National Register District |
| Historic Name | Ballard Vale Company Tenement |
| Present Use | residence - two family |
| Original Use | residence - two family |
| Construction Date | 1849 - 1850 |
| Source | ECRDS, ENRDL, style-njs |
| Architectural Style | Other |
| Foundation | stone/granite |
| Wall/Trim | clapboard/wood/vinyl siding |
| Roof | asphalt - gable |
| Major Alterations | Original Greek Revival window casings removed, entrance sidelights modified. replacement windows and vinyl siding |
| Condition | good |
| Acreage | 0.28205 acre |
| Setting | residential |
| Map and parcel | 138-30 |
| Recorded by | Ruth A. Sharpe (BallardvaleHistoric District) James Batchelder |
| Organization | Andover Preservation Commission |
| Date entered | May 1996, 8/22/2016 |
