Historical Narrative:
Mark Newman House -
The Deacon Mark H. Newman house (now 18 Ridge St.) once stood on the corner lot of Central & School Streets where the current Episcopal Church building is located. The house is a Federal period structure which had its center main entrance facing Central St. and two large wings off the rear of the house.
It is said Newman boarded boys from Phillips Academy here. Mark was married twice, first to Sarah Phillips and then to Abigail Dodge. Mark died on June 15, 1859. His daughters Margaret Newman and Hannah N. Fay sold the house and property to the Proprietors of Protestant Episcopal Church also known as Christ Church Parish on November 21, 1885 for $6000. The next month the Christ Church Parish put the Newman house up for auction provided it was moved off the site.
Dec. 11, 1885 Andover Advertiser (AA) p2 – The Henry [sic] Newman house, corner of School &Central Streets will be sold at public auction tomorrow afternoon at 3’ o’clock.
Dec. 18, 1885 AA p9 - The Mark Newman house was sold last Sat. to Mr. Dennis O’Brien. Mr. Dennis O’Brien has purchased two house lots on School Street, near the B & M Station of Messrs. Abbott & Jenkins, he intends moving his Mark Newman house to that place.
Dennis O’Brien did move the house and the two back additions down to this location. The main house was placed on a high, ground floor cellar foundation and the two wings were placed on the lot to the east and north of the house creating four separate buildings for tenement housing. The houses at #14–#16 and #18 Ridge St. and #77 School St. comprise the original parts of Newman house. O’Brien converted all the structures into income rental apartments with the plan to rent to workers at the mills of the Smith & Dove Manufacturing Co. and the Tyer Rubber Co. nearby.
When O’Brien died his estate was auctioned off and the properties purchased by John J. Sweeney on May 26, 1900 for $2670. Sweeney held until his death in 1929. The Sweeny heirs sold to Patrick Daly in January 1929 and the Daly family held the property for 28 years. It sold to Westport Realty Trust in Jan. 1957. Westport Realty Trustees were; Guy B Howe and Amita M. & Charles P. Howe of Andover. The property was surveyed in August 1959 and a map Plan #4034 divided up the lot and houses into four separate lots including #75 School St.
The properties changed hands several times in the years that followed and were finally sold off separately in the 1970’s. Chester D. & Ann Lear purchased the property on Mar. 30, 1979
Bibliography/References:
Ridge Street location
Owners;
George L. Abbott & William S. Jenkins - – Aug. 4, 1877 – b. 47 p. 245 land
Dennis O’Brian - Dec. 17, 1885 – b. 84 p. 343
Dennis O’Brian estate, Margaret O’Brien Extrx – Apr. 9, 1900
John J. Sweeney – May 26, 1900 – b. 177 p. 298 - $2670 at auction
John J. Sweeney estate, Catherine Sweeney Extrx. – Feb. 20, 1929 – Probate
Patrick Daly – Mar. 1, 1929 – b. 545 p. 134
Patrick Daly estate - d. May 31, 1943
Daly estate, John R. Daly, Trustee – Apr. 9, 1947 –Probate
Westport Realty Trust, Guy & Anita Howe, Marion Young – Jan. 28, 1959 – b. 887 p. 484
Suburban Household Enterprises Inc., John R. Daly – March 31, 1960 – b. 912 p. 413
Westport Realty Trust, Guy & Anita Howe, Charles P. Howe – Apr. 4, 1960 – b. 912 p. 416
Empire Realty Trust, Sebastian & Ann Curzo, Ernest & Elvira Kaufman – Dec. 1, 1964 – b. 1023 p. 459
Empire Realty Trust, Sebastian & Ann Curzo – Feb. 21, 1966 – b. 1055 p. 20
Paul V. & Antonia M. Meli – Nov. 1, 1967 – b. 1094 p. 166-167
Meli Realty Trust, Paul & Antonia Meli – Aug. 11, 1972 – b. 1199 p. 529 – 1st of four lots
Torrisi & DiForie, Inc., Raymond E. DiForie, pres. – May 28, 1974 – b. 1241 p. 586 – 5 parcels
Alfred Realty Trust, Ralph A. & Matie Barbagallo –Sept. 19, 1977 – b. 1322 p. 583
Chester D. & Ann Lear – Mar. 30, 1979 – b. 1366 p. 403 - #14-16 Ridge
Chester D. & Ann Lear to Lawrence Co-op Bank – Mar. 30, 1979 – b. 1366 p. 404 mtg.
Lear, Valley Co-op Bank – Mar. 30, 1979 – b. 1540 p. 94 – mtg. sale
Lear, Arlington Trust – Oct. 2, 1981 – b. 1540 p. 94 – mtg. sale
Paul & Andrea Maltacca – Dec. 29, 1981 – b. 1553 p. 204
Paul Maltacca – Apr. 17, 1985 – b. 1955 p. 332
Ridge St. Realty Trust, Thomas S. Pennace – Mar. 8, 1988 – b. 2689 p. 184
Shawmut Bank NA Arlington Trust Co. – Mar. 9, 1988 – b. 2689 p. 192 – mtg. sale
Douglas W. Peck – June 19, 1991 – b. 3316 p.5
Daniel J. Devine & Heather E. Skrekas – Oct.31, 2006 – b. 10470 p. 62
John B. Rensink – May 30, 2014 – b. 13864 p. 333
Inventory Data:
| Street | Ridge St |
| Place | Andover Center District |
| Historic Name | Mark Newman house ells |
| Present Use | residence |
| Original Use | residence ell addition |
| Construction Date | 1820 |
| Source | ERDS, NERDL, style, |
| Architectural Style | Federal |
| Foundation | stone & granite |
| Wall/Trim | clapboard/wood/vinyl clad |
| Roof | asphalt/gable |
| Major Alterations | replacement windows, vinyl siding |
| Condition | good |
| Move Details | 1882 |
| Acreage | 0.176 acre |
| Setting | residential |
| Map and parcel | 55-32 |
| Recorded by | James S. Batchelder |
| Organization | Andover Preservation Commission |
| Date entered | Oct. 9, 2018 |
