70 Morton Street – 40-84 – 0.448 acre –
John & Eliza Connelly House
Now four Condos

Morton St., east of Main St. was first known as Pike Street or Pike Lane, then Green St. on 1872 maps. Pike and East Pike St. appear on earlier deeds. Morton St. originally began at School St. and ended at Main Street. Morton St. was extended to include Pike in the late 1890’s. Pike also was nick-named "Ram Cat Alley" by local old-timers. The Pike Soap Company was located near the intersection of Bartlet St. and later further east on the south side of the road. It was formerly believed some of the houses on the east end of Morton St. were built by Willard Pike for his employees. Recent research disproves this claim. Most of the modest homes were built for Irish emigrants between 1854 – 1860.

George H. French was a merchant in Andover when he purchased 10 acres 9 rods of land from Phillips Academy on Mar. 8, 1854. The parcel’s south border along Pike Street extended down into what is now the “Playstead” and a portion of the Andover Housing Authority. French subdivided the property into house lots along the street. Each lot sold contained a caveat that the new owner had to build a fence along the property line and maintain their half. French sold a portion of his property to Rev. Varnum Lincoln for $750. Lincoln sold 3 acres to Rogers Sweeney, wife Catherine on June 17, 1857 for $442.50.

Sweeney sold one acre, which included a small dwelling house to Michael Donovan on Feb. 25, 1860 $350. Donovan then sold to John Coney [Connelly] wife Eliza on Mar. 22, 1860.

John T. Connelly was born in County Cork, Ireland in June 1829, son of John & Julia (Dempsey) Connelly. John immigrated in 1854 and married Oct. 7, 1855 to Elizabeth M. Williamson b. Dec. 1829 in Cork County, Ire., dau. of Edward & Anne (French) Williamson. Elizabeth arrived in the USA in 1850. John was a laborer. The 1860 Andover Valuation lists; John Connelly 1 acre, House and Land $325. In 1870 House $450, barn $50, 1 acre $125 = $625; John & Eliza had eight children, 5 survived. Children; John E. b. Sept. 1856, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Martha b. June 21, 1861, Ellen “Nellie” R. b. Sept. 20, 1863, James Henry b. Jan. 10, 1866, Julia b. Oct. 19, 1867, Francis “Franny” b. 1868 and Mary A. “Minnie b. July 4, 1875. John sold this property on July 15, 1869 to Timothy O’Brien, wife Honora.

Timothy O'Brien was born in 1836 in Ireland, son of Timothy, a laborer, married Honora Hurley b. Aug. 1829 in Ireland dau. of James & Margaret (Hayes) Hurley, arrived in 1858. They had five children of which only Kathleen A. b. Aug. 1865 and Timothy A. b. Oct. 1867 survived. Timothy O’Brien died on Jan. 5, 1879 of Pneumonia. , Honora inherits the property and in the 1880 census is listed with her children Cathleen age 14 and Timothy age 12. The O’Briens moved to 5 Baker Lane by 1885 and rent the house on Morton St. to John Connelly the previous owner. Timothy O’Brien died on Jan. 24, 1901 and is interred in the family lot at St. Augustine’s Cemetery. Daughter Kathleen A. O’Brien and her mother Honora sell the property to John Connelly on Nov. 17, 1903. Honora died June 13, 1909.

The 1900 Census has John Connelly at 70 Morton St. John a teamster, Eliza, their son James H. age 32 single, day laborer and their grandson James Francis Connelly age 13, at school, b. Jan. 23, 1887, son of John & Annie. John Connelly died on Sept. 30, 1906 at age 68 years. His widow Elizabeth died on March 3, 1910 and their son James H. Connelly inherits the property which includes two lots. James sold the properties to James & Ellen Coates on Apr. 26, 1913.