Whittier Street was named after Nathaniel Whittier who lived at 10 Summer Street and much of the property along the route was part of his homestead. This street was an extension of Punchard Ave originally extending around the south and east side of the “Park” and through to Elm Street. All early deeds state Punchard Ave.

51 Whittier Street – (formerly Punchard Ave) 39-119 – 0.238 a 10,370 sq. ft. (1886) 2 family
Mrs. Susan M. Holt (Warren E.) Etta, a teacher, Frank L. Clerk Valpey Bros.

Daniel F. Shannon acquired most of the land on the east side of Whittier Street from Chestnut to Summer Street. Shannon was a housewright and built several homes in this neighborhood. He lived at 19 Summer St. Shannon sold this house to Frank L. Holt, wife Esther on Oct. 13, 1889.
The house is on the 1882 maps and may have been rented by the Holt family prior to the purchase. Frank L. was the son of Warren & Susan Holt.

Warren Eugene Holt b. Apr. 7, 1833 son of Jonas & Pamelia P. (Frye) Holt, married Feb. 25, 1858 to Susan M. Stevens b. Mar. 1839. Warren was a Watchman for the B&M Railroad. He was a veteran of the Civil War serving in Co. H. Mass Heavy Artillery from 1861-1865. Warren & Susan had four children: Henrietta “Etta” b. 1859, George E. b. 1861, Frank Lewis b. Feb. 13, 1865 and Anna A b. 1868. Warren had a horse step on his foot in October 1883 but the wound never healed. He went to Mass General Hospital in March where his foot was amputated below the knee. Warren died on April 8, 1884 in hospital of pneumonia.

Widow Susan Holt remained in the home with son Frank and his family. Daughter Etta was a teacher at the Phillips District School 1883-1886. Frank was a salesman and meat cutter for Valpey Bros. market at 2 Main Street. Frank cared for his mother and raised his family here. Frank L. married Oct. 4, 1894 to Esther Gould b. Aug. 1872 dau. of Henry E. & Sarah C. (Mason) Gould. Frank & Esther had three children; Emma E. b. Mar. 1896, Herbert W. b. Nov. 1897 and Lillian G. b. Feb. 1899.

The 1910 Census also lists four boarders Florence Appleyard 28 widow, born in England, a servant with her daughter Florence age 5. Gertrude J. Green age 31 a 6th grade teacher at Stowe School, and Malcolm McGuener 25, a Dentist. Susan Holt died on January 26, 1912 of heart failure age 73, 10m 12d. She is interred at Spring Grove Cemetery. Frank sold the house in 1917 to Alexander & Ruby MacKenzie and moved to 78 Haverhill St. in Frye Village.

Alexander MacKenzie was born in Dundee, Scotland on June 19, 1885 and arrived in Andover at age two with his parents William & Sarah (Jenkins) MacKenzie. Alex attended school until age 14 then went to work at Tyer Rubber Co. He later became a Janitor at Phillips Academy then a Fireman joining to Andover Fire Department in 1923-1950. Alex married on Jan. 1, 1912 at Free Church to Rubina T Nicoll b. 1887 in Arbroath, Scotland. Ruby arrived in 1907 with her parents, Robert & Isabella (Black) Nicoll and two siblings John M. and Robert J. Nicoll. Alex & Ruby purchased the house on April 27, 1917 and both families lived in the two family home.
Alex and Ruby had three children: William b. Dec. 3, 1912, Harry Nicoll b. Aug. 23, 1916 and Isabella Nicoll b. Aug. 16, 1918.
Ruby’s father and brother John both worked for Tyer Rubber Company. Robert sold fire insurance. In the 1940 census only John Nicoll remained living at 52 Whittier with the MacKenzies who owned for 40 years. Alex was a 50 year member of Clan Johnson, Order of Scottish Clans and Andover Lodge I.O.O.F. Alexander died on April 13, 1958 and Ruby on Feb. 6, 1971. Ruby & Alex sold the property to Laurence J. Jr. and Teresa P. Hannon on April 8, 1957.