90 Maple Ave (formerly #40 then #72)
Maple Ave. was once a 17 acre parcel of land that was owned by Samuel G. Valpey who purchased the home at 60 Elm Street for $6600 on Feb. 17, 1855. The Maple Ave parcel of 17 acres 26 rods was purchased at auction by John H. Flint for $858.12 on June 16, 1866. Andover Advertiser (AA) Oct. 23, 1874 – John H. Flint is at work on a new avenue leading through his land from Elm Street to Carmel lane. AA - July 23, 1875 - Maple St. opened; description of 1st house, a brick one on Flint's land.

This property was purchased from John H. Flint by Lorin A. Dinsmore on Aug. 8, 1833 for $500. The lot was 90 feet on Maple Ave x 190 x 101 x 193 feet. Dinsmore held the parcel for nine months then selling for $500 to Alice M. & George F. Cheever on Aug. 8, 1884. Andover Advertiser May 9, 1884 p.2 – "Brainerd Cummings has contracted to build the new dwelling house for George F. Cheever on Maple Avenue. Milton Bancroft puts in the cellar."

George Franklin Cheever was born Dec. 10, 1851 in Andover, son of Benjamin & Betsy Jane (Hatch) Cheever. George married on Nov. 30, 1881 to Alice Monroe Bancroft b. Nov. 7, 1860 in Andover, dau. of Albert & Hannah (Pearson) Bancroft. George & Alice had nine children, seven survived to adults. Arthur b. Mar. 1883, Grace B. b. Sept. 1884, George L. b. Mar. 1887, Frederick Eaton b. June 18, 1888, Philip Stanley b. Aug. 7, 1892, Laura A. b. Aug. 1896, Brooks b. Mar. 28, 1898 and Doris Jennette b. Nov. 20, 1901 – d. Nov 18, 1902.
AT Sept. 24, 1897 – An addition is being built on the house of George F. Cheever on Maple Ave.

George listed his occupation as shoe dealer in 1900 and house carpenter in 1910 but he also served as Chief of Police in 1894-95 and was a Broker. The Cheever family occupied this home for 25 years. Alice Cheever would inherit her parent’s home at 9 Bancroft Rd. in 1909 so they sold this property to Josephine Knowles, wife of David B. on Sept. 15, 1909 and moved to the Bancroft family homestead. Their son Fred E. Cheever, was pay master at Tyer Rubber Co., an established realtor, developed Johnson Acres and served as Post Master in Andover in the 1930’s.

David Benjamin Knowles b. June 26, 1864, in Lawrence, son of David & Jan Ann (Eden) Knowles was a Jeweler in Lawrence. He married on Oct. 3, 1892 Josephine Brackett b. Mar. 1865 in Perry, ME dau. of John and Adeline Brackett. Her father John owned a successful electricial company in Lawrence. David and Josie had five children: Clifford B b. July 1893, Helen E. b. Mar. 1895, D. Russell b. Mar. 1898, Leslie Watkins b. 1901, and Audrey b. 1909. They held six years then selling to James Curren on Oct. 16, 1915.