These identical houses were built on part of the land Eli Brewster bought from Caroline Cushing in 1869. Eli and Freelove Brewster sold the lot which is now #20 and #22 for $2700 to Fred Bradbury and Arthur Whittemore in 1894. The following year Whittemore and Bradbury drew up two deeds: 1) Bradbury sold his part of the southerly half of the lot (described as land with buildings) to Whittemore; 2) Whittemore sold his part of the northerly half of the lot to Bradbury (described as land only on the deed).
Fred and Ellen Bradbury built their house at #20 about 1895. Fred was a manager at Haskell, Adams and Co. on Chestnut Street, which was a Wholesale Grocer, Importers of Tea, and Receiver of Famous Ivory Flour. In 1924 the Bradburys moved around the corner to 8 Richmond Street, and the house was sold to Dr. John E. Lawlor and his wife Helen C. Lawlor. At the same time, the Lawlors also purchased (in several packets) the land now comprising the large lot north of the house. Mrs. Lawlor owned the property until 1955, when she sold it to Ruth and Robert Sebris. They in turn sold it in 1957 to Dr. Robert F. and Mary Helen Wilson. He was a long-time pediatrician, founder of Dover Pediatrics ; she was a well-known champion tennis player and distance runner in the Seacoast.
Arthur and Caroline Whittemore had lived across the street at #19 Lexington until the house at #22 was ready for them in early 1894. Arhtur was a lawyer, notary public, vice president of Strafford Savings Bank, and mayor of Dover from 1901-1903. He was also the trustee of George Buzzells bankruptcy proceedings. The Whittemores has a daughter also named Caroline, who attended Radcliffe and was employed for awhile at the Hanover, NH Library.
From the 1990 Heritage Walking Tour booklet