LAST TO LIVE ON OLDEST FARM IN ANDOVER, BUILT BY SIMEON HAND
Eugene W. Hand and his wife Hattie E. Kelly Hand. They were the last Hands to live in the old Hand house that was built by Simeon Hand 2nd in Sept. 1893. Picture # 16 in the Andover Picture page is the house. The house is still standing and is owned by Rick and Angie Freeman.
The farm is the oldest farm in the Town of Andover. It had been owned and occupied by the Hand and Cole families for over 127 years, being first purchased by Stephen Cole, the first settler in the Town of Andover in the year 1796. He moved here from Tioga Co. Pa. and lived on the farm the remainder of his life. Daniel Cole, his son, who was born on the this farm on Feb. 18, 1797 and was the first white child born in Allegany Co. He died at the age of 73, on the same farm.
Both Eugene and wife Hattie died in the house in the same year 1936. The farm was sold to later to a C.M. Karnes, then to Carl Burch on Nov. 1, 1943, he and his wife both died in this house. Now the Freeman's make this their home.
