4 Maple Ave

Historical Narrative: 

The property was once part of the Valpey estate and purchased by John H. Flint who lived at 8 Elm Street. John H. Flint sold the house lot on the corner of Maple Ave. to Lemuel H. Eames on Aug. 30, 1879. (48 Elm St)
Andover Advertiser, October 17, 1879 - "Messrs. Abbott & Jenkins have contracted to build a dwelling house for L. H. Eames on the corner of Elm street and Maple avenue."

Following the construction of the Eames house, Lemuel H. Eames divided off a house lot on the northeast corner of his property of 5376 sq. ft. at 4 Maple Ave. AT - Nov. 29, 1889 p. 4 - Andover News - L.H. Ames is to build a new house on his vacant lot on Maple Ave. The ground has already been staked out, and Hardy & Cole have the contract for building, and J. McCarthy for putting in the cellar. Lemuel sold it to his mother Sophrina O. (Knight) Eames for $500 on Feb. 13, 1890. The home however was not occupied by Sophrina who remained living with her son. The house was first income rental property.

In 1899 Directory lists Ellen Gray, housekeeper at 4 Maple St. The 1900 census lists Frank H. Knight, age 29, b. Oct. 1870 in NH. He was an Express Messenger for Tuttle's Express Co. His wife Susan b. Nov. 1865, son Leroy b. Nov. 1895 and his mother Louise Knight, age 60 widow.

Sophrina was born on Jan. 27, 1821 in So. Reading, (now Wakefield, MA) dau. of Henry & Ruhamah (Eaton) Knight. Sophrina married Feb. 27, 1841 to Jonathan Eames of Wilmington, MA, a carpenter. They had two children; Lemuel b. 1841 and Helen b. 1843. They lived in Wilmington, MA. Lemuel H. was a successful butcher & provisions dealer, moved to Andover and built his home at 48 Elm St. Sophrina's deed was not recorded until she sold the property to Ann & John Gordon in March 1905 with a home on the lot.

The Andover directories of 1904 list Knight at 4 Maple Ave and the Gordons at #18. In 1908 Susan and Louise Knight are listed with the Gordon family at 18 Maple St. Frank Knight is mining in California. The 1910 census lists the Gordons at #4 which they owned for 35 years.
John Hendery Gordon was born in Arbroath, Scotland on Mar. 7, 1859, son of James & Catherine (Hendery) Gordon. John married in 1881 to Ann Tindall b. April 17, 1859 in Arbirlot, Co. Forfarshire (Angus) Scotland dau. of Alexander & Jane (Findlay) Tindall. They had three daughters; Jennie "Jane" b. Aug. 1882, Margaret A. "Maggie" b. Aug. 1884 and Elizabeth S. Lizzie b. Apr. 1888 all in Arbroath. John came to Andover in 1892 and secured a job at Smith & Dove Co. as an overseer in the flax spinning room. His family arrived in Boston on April 30, 1893 on the S.S. Bothnia.

John worked for Smith and Dove until it closed in 1927. Daughter Jennie was a flax spinner there until she married on Oct. 7, 1907 to David Lindsay Coutts, b. Feb. 1882, son of William C. & Isabelle (Lindsay) Coutts. David was a printer and lived at 34 Maple St. Margaret worked as a pacjer at Tyer Rubber CO., She married Oct. 26, 1910 to Harry Chadwick. b. 1880 in England. Daughter Elizabeth "Lizzie", became a bookkeeper, worked for a fish markert, then a newspaper and later at the Andover Bookstore. She never married and lived with her parents. John Gordon and wife Ann both died in 1940 and are interred at Spring Grove Cemetery.

Ann Gordon sold the property to Richard M. & Marjorie S. Zecchini on Oct. 17, 1940. A second parcel of 3120 sq. ft to the rear of the lot was acquired by Richard M Zecchini from the Eliza N. Richardson estate (48 Elm) on Dec. 27, 1946. Zecchini owned nine years then selling to David H. Stafford and Ruth Elizabeth Stafford -on Sept. 7, 1949.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA

Owners:
Lemuel H. Eames, wife Helen M.
Sophrina O. Eames - Feb 13, 1890 - b. 218 p. 252 - $500 lot 5376 sq. ft.
Ann Gordon, wife of John Gordon - Mar. 13, 1905 - b. 218 p. 253
Richard M. & Marjorie S. Zecchini - Oct. 17, 1940 - b. 635 p. 337
Richard M. & Marjorie S. Zecchini - Dec. 27, 1946 - b. 693 p. 307 - lot 2 - 3120 sq. ft.
David H. Stafford and Ruth Eliz. Stafford - Sept. 7, 1949 - b. 727 p. 484 - 8496 sq. ft. 2 lots
Walter & Marion C. Pearson - Dec. 27, 1950 - b. 745 p. 402
John N. & Corinne V. Lanigan - Aug. 3, 1962 - b. 964 p. 344
James W. & Mary J. Martin - Nov. 6, 1975 - b. 1271 p. 31
Douglas J. Ahern - Mar. 31, 2003 - b. 7653 p. 202
William W. & Clare E. Wood - Mar. 31, 2011 - b. 12449 p. 155

Inventory Data:

StreetMaple Av
PlaceAndover Center District
Historic DistrictAndover Historic Building Survey
Historic NameEames - Gordon House
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1898 - 1899
SourceERDS, NERDL, style,
Architectural StyleQueen Anne
Architect/BuilderHardy & Cole (builders)
Foundationstone & granite
Wall/Trimclapboard/wood/vinyl clad
Roofasphalt - gable
Outbuildings / Secondary Structuresattached garage
Major Alterationsvinyl siding, replacement windows, ell, attached garage with room above circa 2003
Conditionexcellent
Acreage0.195 acre, 8496 sq. ft.
Settingresidential
Map and parcel38-140
Recorded byJames S. Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date enteredJune 14, 2019

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