26 Wildwood Road – 241 Holt Road – 61-8D
John Holt – Daniel Cummings - Ebenezer Jenkins Homestead
D’Arcy Mansion – Converse Mansion – Willdwood Farm

The property at the northwest corner of Wildwood and Holt Roads is now occupied by five different homes all built in 1972. The parcel however has a unique and historic history. Three different homesteads have occupied the former 9.9 acres parcel built between 1705 and 1915.

The first home to occupy the site is said to have been built by John Holt in 1705 and passed down through family until acquired by Jonathan Cummings in June 1766. Daniel Cummings sold the farm to Samuel Jenkins for $2800 in 1823. The homestead was then purchased by Thomas D’Arcy in 1900 and transferred to his father Michael D’Arcy in 1901. D’Arcy lived here until his Mansion house was completed behind the old homestead in October 1901. The old Holt homestead was then razed.

John Holt Homestead
John Holt Sr., (b. 1762 – d. 1747) son of Samuel and Sarah Allen Holt, is said to have built the house in 1705 (1713?) after he married Mehitable Wilson on July 17, 1712. His father Samuel died on Nov. 7, 1703 and John inherited one half of his father’s estate of 100 acres in 1703. His mother Sarah died on Apr. 2, 1716. John & Mehitable had five children; John Jr. bpt. May 24, 1713, Mehitable bpt. Oct. 23, 1715, Elizabeth b. 1718, Isaac bpt. July 23, 1721, Joshua b. June 11, 1724 and Daniel b. abt. 1726. Mehitable died 1732 and John Sr. died July 20, 1747.

John Sr. deeds to son John Jr. 17 acres on the east side of the homestead, east ½ house, on Mar. 5, 1745. John gets the remaining eastern part of his father’s farm of 36a 63 poles on Apr. 26, 1759. John Holt Jr. married twice, first Rachael Fletcher and then to Deborah Holt.

John & Mehitable’s son Joshua Holt, a husbandman, b. June 11, 1724 purchased from his brother John Holt, yeoman, 15 acres of tillage, mowing and pasture of the northerly end of the farm on May, 29, 1749. Joshua married Ruth Burnap of Reading, MA, intention filed Deb. 4, 1849. Joshua would get an undivided half of his father’s homestead farm from his brother John Jr. in April 1859. The brothers appear to share the farm and homestead. Joshua & Ruth had nine children; Samuel b. Mar. 18, 1849/50, Isaac b. May 15, 1752, Ruth b. May 11, 1758, Hannah B. Mar. 17, 1764, Uzziel b. Apr. 12, 1766, Uzziel bpt. Mar. 1, 1767, Timothy bpt. Apr. 5, 1767, Michah b. Mar. 31, 1768, Solomon b.pt. Dec. 18, 1868.

John and Joshua are said to have moved to Wilton, NH. The Holt Family History – Third Generation pg. 17 states; John Holt b. May 24, 1713 “He was killed by being thrown from a wagon, in moving to Wilton, NH, May 10, 1794 age 81”.

Joshua Holt sold two parcels to Abiel Abbott, a physician, on Apr. 6, 1762. The first was for 83 pounds 4 shillings and contained a small house. The second lot was 19.5 acres for 273 pds. 16 shillings.

Abiel Abbott held just one year then selling to Samuel Martin, a Tanner on Feb. 4, 1763 the easterly part of the farm purchased from John Holt 3rd, with buildings and 45.25 acres. Samuel paid 286 pds. 11 shillings. Samuel Martin married Elizabeth Osgood on Apr. 24, 1753. Samuel & Elizabeth had nine children; Elizabeth b. July 16 1753, Samuel b. Aug. 31, 1754, Phebe b. Feb. 24, 1756, Peter b. Feb. 22, 1759, Mary b. June 22, 1760, Amos b. Oct. 5, 1761, Nathan b. Apr. 3, 1763, Hannah b. Sept. 18, 1764 and Lydia b. Mar. 6, 1773-d. Sept. 28, 1773. Samuel Martin owned just three years then selling to Jonathan Cummings Jr. on June 10, 1766.

Jonathan & Daniel Cummings Homestead
Jonathan Cummings Jr., a Blacksmith, purchased the 51 acre farm with buildings for 236 pounds. Jonathan was born on Oct. 14, 1743 in Topsfield, MA son of David and Sarah (Goodhue) Cummings. Jonathan married about 1766 to Mary Eastman b. May 22, 1742 in Pembroke, NH, dau. of Richard & Molly (Lovejoy) Eastman. Jonathan & Mary had ten children: Sarah b. May 21, 1767, Mary b. Aug. 25, 1768 – d. Sept. 21, 1768, Jonathan b. Feb. 5, 1771, Stephen b. Jan. 12, 1773, Mary b. Nov. 1, 1774, Daniel b. Dec. 6, 1776 – d. June 25, 1778, Daniel b. Sept. 2, 1778, Amos b. July 2, 1781, Betty b. Oct. 13, 1783, child d. Dec. 1, 1773.

Jonathan Cummings served in 1775 as a private in Capt. Benjamin Ames Company, and Col. James Fry’s Mass. regiment. His wife Mary died of cancer on July 26, 1801 age 59 y 2m. Jonathan would remarry intention Dec. 30, 1802 to Widow Mary Parker. Jonathan died of nervous fever on May 6, 1805 age 61y 6m. They are interred in South Parish Cemetery, Andover, MA

Son Daniel Cummings b. Sept. 2, 1778 would inherit the farm. Daniel married Hannah Ames on June 30, 1801. Daniel and Hannah had four children: Daniel b. Apr. 21, 1804, Hannah bpt. Oct. 27, 1805, Elizabeth b. May 20, 1808 and Mary Eastman b. Dec. 22, 1811. Daniel died Dec. 26, 1827 in Maidstone, VT. His son Daniel would administer the estate and sold the remaining half of the property to Samuel Jenkins on Jan. 14, 1832.

Samuel & Ebenezer Jenkins Homestead
Samuel Jenkins was born Jan 3, 1775 in Reading, MA, son of Samuel & Anna (Upton) Jenkins. Samuel, a Yeoman, married on Feb. 15, 1800 to Lydia Damon b. 1779 in Reading. Sam and Lydia had three children; Lydia b. June 14, 1801, Samuel Jr. b. Apr. 9, 1803 and Ebenezer b. Apr. 28, 1807. The two brothers would each acquire one undivided half of the homestead.

Their father Samuel died in 1845. Son Ebenezer would purchase his brother’s share and would care for his mother Lydia until her death on Sept. 14, 1856. Ebenezer married Sally Russell, intention filed Sept. 18, 1828. Sally “Polly” was born Dec. 13, 1806 in Andover, dau. of Joel & Sally (Curtis) Russell of 28 Rocky Hill Rd. Ebenezer & Polly had eleven children. Infant son b. Aug. 6, 1829-d Aug.22, Ebenezer Jr. b. June 5, 1831-d. Mar. 28, 1833, Lydia b. Mar. 3, 1833 d. Dec. 9. 1869, Milton b. Mar. 29, 1835-d. Dec. 16, 1852, Nancy b. Mar. 19, 1838, Omar b. Jan. 9, 1840 d. Feb. 9, Matilda H. b. Jan. 14, 1842 – d. Mar. 19, 1845, Samuel b. July 15, 1845-d. 1851, Matilda b. Apr. 5, 1847- d. Sept. 23, 1845, Wendell Phillips b. Jan. 25, 1849 – d. Aug. 13, 1932 and Sarah F. b. Dec. 31, 1850 – d. Mar. 14, 1916.

The 1850 Andover Valuation Schedule lists Ebenezer Jenkins; Dwell House $650, Barn $450, 78 acres adjoining buildings $2340, 10a. Cummings land $350, Saw Mill $500, 53 acres Saw Mill land $850 = 150 acre farm assessed at $5115. His Farm stock value $315. The barn sat across the street from the house on the south side of Wildwood Rd. In the 1860 Valuation the 10a Cummings lot is not listed but and 11a Aunt Sarah lot has been added. The farm now 142 acres. When Ebenezer died on Dec. 22, 1883 only three of his children remained. Daughter Nancy had married E. Kendall Jenkins, Wendell and Sarah F. were unmarried. The property was willed to the youngest Sarah F. Her mother Polly died Dec. 18, 1896.

Sarah F. Jenkins would sell the family homestead to Thomas F. D’Arcy on Apr. 9, 1900. The farm contained four parcels of land, the first lot held the house. D’Arcy also purchased the Jones farm and homestead at 233 Holt Rd. to the north the following day. These properties would be transferred to Thomas father Michael D’Arcy in 1901. The D’Arcy family lived here until the completion of the D’Arcy Mansion behind the old Holt-Cummings- Jenkins Homestead in October 1901. The home and barn across the street were then razed in 1901-02 and the house site became the front lawn and drive into the new home.