96 Maple Ave (formerly #44 then #76, #80 and #98 ) 38-165– 0.113a
Map plan #1932 – Lot B - #96 [fire in 1997, new build 1998]
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 Nehemiah W. Smith on Aug. 7, 1883. Andover Advertiser – Aug. 10, 1883 – “John H. Flint has sold a house lot on Maple Avenue, north of the new house of George S. Cole, to N. W. Smith. The 1883 Andover Directory lists Nehemiah Smith as a Teamster, worked for Hardy & Cole contractors in 1885.

Nehemiah Ward Smith was born 1852 in Whiting, Maine, son of Robert Stirling & Emily Frost (Ward) Smith. He came to Andover after the 1870 census, married in 1874 to Lucy C. Dinsmore b. 1854 dau. of Alexander & Lucy (Dinsmore) Dinsmore. They had one son Albert D. b. 1881. died on Apr. 21, 1886 of meningitis. Sadly Lucy died the following year on Feb. 17, 1887 of Consumption. Nehemiah remarried on Sept. 19, 1889 to Elizabeth “Lizzie” A. Stiles, a Dressmaker, b. Feb. 16, 1857 in Lowell, MA, dau. of John P. & Lucy J. (Buxton) Stiles. Tragically Lizzie died in childbirth on Nov. 22, 1889. Nehemiah would marry a third time in 1892 to Helen (Goodrich/Goodwin) Leighton b. Aug. 16, 1855 St. Johns, New Brunswick, Canada, her second marriage. Nehemiah would sell his home to William Miller in April 1892. Nehemiah is listed in St. John’s, NB in 1901 Canadian census with Helen, 4 step-children and son Ernest Harold Smith b. Oct. 14, 1893. They later settled in Melrose, had son Roy L. b. Apr. 25, 1902 in Malden.
AT Apr. 10, 1891 - Charles Anderson, who has lived in Nehemiah Smith’s house, on Maple Avenue. Has moved to Bradford.
AT - May 1, 1891 – Andrew J. Abbott has moved from Essex Street to the tenement in the house of Nehemiah Smith on Maple Avenue.

Andover Townsman April 29, 1892 p. 5 Frye Village – William Miller has purchased the house belonging to Nehemiah Smith on Maple Avenue. William paid $2700 for the property on Maple Ave. with buildings. The Double house at at #92-94 Maple Ave and the single house #7 Walnut St. to rear of the lot do not appear on the 1888 map of Andover. The 1900 Valuation Schedule of Miller’s property includes a three homes. William Miller built the two additional tenements in 1897 as investment income properties but resided at 9 Lowell St.

AT July 16, 1897 – The batters are up for a cottage house being built on Walnut Avenue for William Miller of Frye Village. Richardson & Pitman have the contract
AT July 23, 1897 – Richardson & Pitnam have started to frame the two-tenement house on Maple Avenue for William Miller of Frye Village.

The 1900 Valuation lists House, 44 Maple Ave.(#96) $1600, Double house #42 Maple Ave (#92-#94) $2000, House #7 Walnut Ave $1000, on 12187 sq. ft. of land $650 = $5250 assessment for this property.

William Miller was born on May 7, 1843 in Dundee, Scotland, son of William Miller. He was a Machine Smith in Scotland. He married on May 31, 1867 in Dundee to Mary A. Charles b. 1846 dau. of Alexander & Mary (Anderson) Charles. They immigrated to the US in 1884 settling in Andover at Frye Village. William was the master blacksmith for the Smith & Dove Co. and purchased the Faulkner Homestead at 9 Lowell St. on Oct. 30, 1885. William & Mary had ten children: Mary A. b. Jan 8, 1863, Elizabeth Bruce b. Sept. 13, 1869, Jessie Bell b. Oct. 11, 1873, Wilhelmina B. Sept. 1874, David McRitchie b. Oct. 11, 1877, Jane Charles b. Apr. 1880, William b. May 1, 1882, James Charles b. Feb. 28, 1884 all in Dundee, and Joseph Abbott b. Dec. 25, 1885 and Margaret Kydd b. Apr. 12, 1888 in Andover.
William Miller died on November 16, 1897 of stomach cancer, His widow Mary A. Miller inherited the estate. The 1920 Andover Valuation lists Mary A. Miller, West District, at 56 Poor St: House 1/3 acre of land $2400, House 76 Maple Ave $1900, Double house 74 Maple Ave $2500, House 7 Walnut Ave $1500. All on 12187 sq. ft. lot 47-76 Maple & 7 Walnut $1400 = $9700.

All the Miller children married. In the 1910 census Mary A. Miller now 63 and son Joseph 24, a house carpenter, are living in one side of the house at 9 Lowell St. Her extended family; Frank Ellis 44 a grocery clerk, wife Elizabeth (Miller – Abbott) 40, and son William 14 live in the rear of the house. George Baxter 24, a gardener at Wm. M. Woods farm, wife Margaret (Miller) 22, son James 4, live in the front of 9 Lowell St. Mary Miller sells 9 Lowell St. to William M. Wood, President of the American Woolen Co. on Jan. 13, 1914. Mary moved to 56 Poor St. She died on Aug. 2, 1921 and is interred at West Parish Cemetery.
Mary's daughter Margaret Baxter, on behalf of her siblings as heirs, petitioned the courts for partition of the properties on Oct. 17, 1921. It was approved in April 11, 1923 and the property at 56 Poor street was auctioned off and Mary's son Joseph A. Miller, high bidder at $6100. [See #9 Lowell St and #56 Poor St.]

The three houses at the corner of Maple & Walnut Ave where sold to John A. Cregg of Lawrence for $15,200 on Feb. 25, 1924. The Great Depression took its toll on Mr. Cregg’s investments and the property went to the Lawrence Trust Company. Arthur J. Buckley of Lawrence purchased the parcel on Apr. 28, 1941. Buckley held four years then selling to Tom Leone on Mar. 10, 1944. Leone would sub-divide the properties in 1948. Lot A is the Double House #92-#94 Maple Ave. Lot B #96 was the Smith House, then a two family, and Lot C was #7 Walnut Ave. [Map plan #1932]

The original Nehemiah Smith house built in 1883 was at #96 Maple Ave. Through the years the numbering changed from #46 to #76 then #80 & #98. A fire gutted the home in 1997 and the current house was built in 1998 is now listed #96 Maple Ave.