44 Morton Street – 40-73 – 0.970 acre
Daniel & Mary Dwane House
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 on Pike Street extended down into what is now the “Playstead”. 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 this lot to Daniel Dwane, wife Mary on Apr. 7, 1857 for $300.

Daniel Dwane [aka Dwine] was born in Cork, Ireland abt. 1802 and married there to Mary O’Keefe [aka Keefe] b. 1825 Cork, Ire. dau. of Patrick O’Keefe. Daniel and Mary had nine children, four in Ireland and five in Andover; Bridgett b. abt. 1841, Margaret b. abt. 1843, Joanna b. abt. 1845 and Daniel b. Mar. 8, 1845 in Kildorrery. James J. b. abt. 1848, Patrick b. 1856, Michael b. Mar. 10, 1859, Mary A. b. Aug. 1, 1860 and John J. b. Apr. 2, 1963. Daniel is listed as a laborer in census records.

The 1860 Andover Valuation lists Daniel Dwine, 1 acre house and barn $800, Swine $30. 1870 Valuation includes farm stock $80. Daniel died on July 8, 1875 at age 73 and is interred at St. Augustine’s Cemetery. In 1880 Widow Mary now 60 remains with her daughter Mary A. 22, sons Michael 20, and John J. 16. John J. died July 8, 1893, of consumption. He was an Upholsterer. Daniel Sr. had taken a mortgage loan from Peter Smith in 1858 which was assigned to Lucy O’Neill who took possession of the property in 1896. Son Patrick J. Dwane bought the property from O’Neill in Aug. 1899. Mary died on April 21, 1900 at age 69.

Patrick married at age 45 on July 10, 1900 to Bridgett Byrne b. 1867 in Co. Kildare, Ireland age 35 dau. of Michael & Julia (O’Neill) Byrne. They did not have children but did care for several nieces & nephews while living in Andover. Patrick worked as a janitor at Abbot Academy, then he and Bridgett began the “Morton Street Steam Laundry” business at their home. The 1920 Valuation list, Patrick J. Dwane 44 Morton St. - House & barn $1200, Laundry 44 Morton -$200, 1 acre land $900 = $2300. After WWI they moved to Harford, CT to supervise a laundry business. The house in Andover was rented to the Byrne family. Patrick died on April 10, 1925 in St. Francis Hospital, Harford, CT and Bridgett returned to their home in Andover which appears to be a two family house as in the1926 Directory Bridget listed at #44r and Robert E. & Margaret A. O'Neil at #44, O' Neil Production manager at Smith & Dove Co.

The 1930 Census list Bridgett as a laundress at Abbot Academy. Bridgett is renting the other part of her home to George W. & Elizabeth M. Beaumont who have a 4 year old son George Jr. Beaumont would later purchase the property after Bridgett’s death on March 15, 1949.
The smaller west side of the house became rental property first listed as 44R and then in 1965 44a, and in 1967 to 42 Morton St. SOme tenants were Annie Colby in 1953, Barry & Dunay Rosa in 1963 - 1965, Dennis M & Francis A Root in 1967m Sarah J. Brogna 1969, Robert & Pamela Larson renting 42 Morton St. in 1971. and Daryl R. & Wayne Arsenault in 1974.

George Beaumont was born May 30, 1904 in Lawrence, MA son of William & Josephine (Grandpre) Beaumont. At age 15 George was living with his Uncle George and Aunt Eva Dooley in Lawrence. George married in 1925 to Elizabeth M. b. 1905 in Lawrence. George was a truck driver for Hildreth & Rogers Publishing Co. in Lawrence, delivering the Lawrence Tribune. George later became a Pressman. Elizabeth died on Feb. 18, 1968. George remarried and the deed was placed in George W. & Santa P. Beaumont ‘s names on July 29, 1968. The Beaumonts lived her for nearly 50 years prior to selling to Santo M. & Filonilla M. Rabito on Nov. 1, 1978.

The new home replaced the original structure circa 2006 was built by Gerard Pouliot & Susan Siegel. Old barn incorporated into the additions.