Old Homes of Oswego

This essay was originally published in the 1940 OCHS Yearbook. Please note that this essay was published over 80 years ago. While still useful for general education, language may be outdated and at times offensive. The Oswego County Historical Society does not stand by the language used in this essay. All photos were added in 2024 when this article was uploaded to the web. To view the original document, please visit NYHeritage.org.

Paper Presented Before Oswego Historical Society March 12, 1940, by Mrs. Karl Kellogg

Before I read this paper I wish to express my thanks to the many people who have supplied me with dates, stories and facts; also their encouragement.

To Mr. Faust for the help of his “Story of Oswego” and perhaps most of all for his confidence in my ability to interest you. This is not the erudite paper this society is in the habit of hearing, but just the “jotting down” and remembrances of people who made the Oswego Homes.

When you recall the old lines, “How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood” and realize that so many of our old homes have been torn down— for taxes, for gas stations—or perhaps cut up into apartments— and the old families long since, gone, to live elsewhere, you may feel as I do, and want to sit down at the piano and play “Home Sweet Home”.

Was it not Gest who wrote, “It takes a heap of livin’ to make a home”—so my talk will be chiefly human interest stories.

As I have received conflicting dates and data of all kinds, I would appreciate very much any corrections.

James Lyon

Except for receiving “letters patent” from the Government I know very little about the actual house of my Great Grandfather James Lyon—but will quote from Mr. F. O. Clarke’s address before the D. A. R. in 1908:

“Mr. James Lyon came to Oswego in 1814 then 27 years old and soon owned and operated the “carry” or portage necessary for freight at Oswego Falls, until the Oswego Canal was completed. He then came to Oswego where he lived until his death in 1861. In 1811, he married Ann Forman, daughter of Judge Joshua Forman, the most powerful of the pioneers of Onondaga County and the acknowledged founder of the City of Syracuse.”

The old Lyon house was at East Second and Schuyler streets and I found the paper deeding the house to his grandson, my father, on his first birthday, August 2, 1842. My Great Grandmother Ann Forman was known as “the belle of Onondaga Valley.” Judging from the facts of being the mother of eight children—apparently doing a lot of sewing—(I have two wonderful quilts she made) and an apparently busy housekeeper, I can understand the old story handed down in our family “that when things got thick”, she would just go to bed, and tell her daughters to carry on.”—These old pioneers of Oswego were staunch supporters of the Methodist church from 1848 and though the old home is long since gone, a street has been named for them on the East side.

Speaking of “homes”, on the site of this deed, later, were built two jails—one the Oswego County Jail, a picture of which was among the Palladium-Times reproductions of Oswego’s old time places. I believe this was the building where was installed the rotary cell block which proved a failure as it was harder at times to reach the prisoners than it was for them to escape. Needless to say it was abandoned. I told this story to an out-of-town person and was accused of making it up —so I said, “Just refer to the Palladium’s ‘Looking Backward’. If you see it in the Pall, it’s so”.

John E. Lyon

In the next Lyon generation, my grandfather, John E. Lyon, bought the “old stone house” as we always called it, on the S. W. corner of West Fifth and Seneca streets. It was built by Richard De Zang in 1834—the same man who was in charge of the construction of the Varick Canal. I wish I knew more about the Fitzhughs who lived at this house before the Lyons. But there are two things I do know—a window pane is still in a dining room window on which are scratched the names of some of the Fitzhugh ‘boys’. Also the literally thousands of imported English yellow primroses that are blossoming today in many Oswego gardens, were brought here in later years by the Fitzhughs from their home in Canada.

This Lyon home certainly stood for gracious hospitality. Mr. F. O. Clarke used to tell that after the Civil War was over when celebrations of fire works, parades, bands, etc., were held in the West Park, the friends attending were always invited to the Lyon’s open house—bountiful repasts and wines, served in the old basement dining room. Their house guests included names which will live: Frederick Douglas, former slave, and noted Negro orator and editor; Bishops from fine old Bishop Huntington, down; George Bird Grinnel, editor of “Forest and Stream” recipient of the medal given by President Coolidge for his outstanding work for the National Parks and work among the Indians whose language he spoke. (The Blackfoot tribe, by the way, made him one of their chiefs.) Being a great friend of Theodore Roosevelt, they were co-editors of “American Big Game Hunters”; also a frequent guest was Maurice Kingsley, son of Canon Charles Kingsley of England.

I remember one night at dinner sitting next to Chester Lord, then member of the New York State Board of Regents, and in town for a Normal school meeting of some kind. A wire came for him from the committee of the New York University Club of which Mr. Lord was president, asking if, at the entertainment to be given for Mary Garden after her recent debut, should they greet her with bag pipes, as she was of Scottish descent? He turned to me and said “You shall decide”. Little did Mary Garden know I was responsible for her bag pipe welcome.

Lord

I spoke of Chester Lord particularly as I had hoped to find out where he lived while in Oswego when he was a reporter on the Oswego Daily Times and later with the Oswego Palladium in his early newspaper career. Later he was editor of the “New York Sun” for many years. He, by the way Mr. Clark Morrison tells me, was no relative of John H. Lord who owned and published the Weekly Oswego Palladium until 1830. I quote from Mr. F. O. Clarke’s records:

“Mr. John H. Lord married Catherine Connor, daughter of Captain Edward Connor, who accompanied Colonel Willett on his attempt to re-capture Oswego near the close of the Revolutionary War.”

John H. Lord, a prominent early settler, built the house at the S. W. corner of West Fifth and Van Buren streets. This home was later lived in by the George Burts, the McMurrichs, the Quirks and the Churchills, and is now the home of Dr. L. B. Kinney of the Normal school faculty and Mrs. Kinney.

James Lyon—Kellogg

This block on West Fifth street between Van Buren and Schuyler streets, was known as “the Parsonage Block,” because Father McCarty, rector of Christ church until 1845, had built his house, the Rectory, at the corner of Fifth and Schuyler streets probably in the late ’30s. My father, James Lyon, bought this house from Col. Robert Chaffee Morgan and my grandchildren are the fourth generation to enjoy it. From Mr. F. O. Clarke’s 1908 records, I read, that later Col. Morgan’s home was on West Second street near Seneca and was at that time still standing. He had married my great aunt, Mary Lyon, and their only son was killed in the Civil War.

Our original house was just the width of the front porches on Fifth street, and later the southern wing, and again later still, the second story above it, were added. The grounds used to be enclosed by a white picket fence and a hedge of hawthorne. Many years ago when this fence was removed, the Palladium published an article about the old stones having been taken over to East Bridge street where they were used for the foundation of a house then being built. I wish I had saved that clipping as this must have been one of the last of the original old fences.

When I was a little girl, an old lady living on the opposite corner, Mrs. Whitney, used to enchant me with a story about seeing bears come out of the woods, which covered what is now, our lawn.

W. J. Pardee—Adams

There are two old Pardee homes standing and lived in today—one at West Fourth and Seneca and now owned by Mrs. Mary Deane Adams. This house was built by my grandfather, William J. Pardee, and my mother was born there in 1840. Mr. Faust refers to it as one of the underground railroad houses and they say there is still evidence of a passage in the basement. This house was bought by the Olivers in 1853. Some years ago Miss Elvina Seeley told me that when she was attending the private school held in the Wells Pitkin house at West Fifth and Seneca streets, she remembered looking down the street and behind the picket fence around this old Pardee property, she could see my mother, then a little girl, playing with a fawn as her playmate. It always made me think of Sir John Tenniel’s illustration in “Alice in the Looking Glass” of Alice and the fawn in the forest.

Myron Pardee—Williams

The other Pardee house at 8 Montcalm street was built by William J. Pardee’s brother, Myron Pardee, and is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Daniel A. Williams. It has passed through many hands in between—among them the Bentons, the Jerymns, the R. A. Downeys, and was always the scene of a great deal of charming entertaining.

This lovely old stone house with its well-kept grounds and noted garden, is one of the loveliest spots here and contains one of Oswego’s most beautiful staircases. But playing there as a girl with the Pardee grandchildren, my memories are, that the bannisters were perfect to slide down; that there always seemed to be unlimited hot ginger bread on hand; that there was a lovely big sunny porch on the South; and on the North side of the house the garden, enclosed by a high brick wall, had fine fruit trees to climb. And best of all, the summer house, called “Sunset Rest”. That name telling the story of its being popular as a place to watch the glorious sunset over the lake. It is built at the N. E. corner of the garden up high, even with the wall, so that the stairs reaching this fascinating place could be a ladder leading to a hide out; a palace stairway or anything which suited our childish imaginations—truly a delightful place to play. But through the years many of us will remember this lovely old home called “Lakeside” alive with a big family, delightful entertaining, and unforgetable [sic] good times.

L. B. Crocker—Peebles

The early history of the Crocker house at the N. W. corner of West Fifth and Seneca Streets has been traced through the early deeds, the data of which, was kindly given to me by Mrs. Peebles—this being the home since 1920, of Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Peebles.

It seems Jonathan Walton bought the original lot for $390.00 in 1815 and on this lot built a small building. This was later pulled down, and the real house was built in 1831 by H. N. Walton for my Great Uncle, Lucius B. Crocker, a prominent citizen of Oswego. The house then was deeply shaded by trees, and the yard protected by a very ornamental iron fence, and the house itself almost on a level with the sidewalk. In the photograph recently reproduced by the Palladium-Times you saw at the corner the old gas lamp post which must have stood long after this first house was changed, as I remember, as a small girl seeing the little lamplighter with his ladder, lighting that old flickering gas flame.

From all accounts this Crocker house was the center of a great deal of entertaining. Miss Casey told me, that at one of the Crocker parties, her Aunt, then a young girl, needed a great deal of urging to go, but at the ball that night met her future husband— Dr. Coe, one of the first physicians of Oswego. This house was also where my Mother and Father were married. Mrs. Crocker being Mother’s Aunt. Father had just returned from the Civil War where he served as Second and First Lieutenant, and Captain, and Aide-de-camp to General Moses P. Hatch. Another reason the Crocker house is of especial interest to me, is that my Father-in-law, John G. Kellogg, bought this property and remodelled the house in the late 60s. My husband lived there as a little boy. Later Mr. Kellogg, an old ’49er, took his family back to California to live and minted gold for the government. In Philadelphia and New York and many pneumismatic collections can be seen these gold coins with “Kellogg and Co.” across the figure of the head, where the word Liberty is now seen. So through the years, this property has passed through many hands: J. W. Walton, J. B. Crocker, J. G. Kellogg, W. D. Allen, John Eaton—besides having been rented many times, making this fine old house quite historically interesting.

Jacob I. Fort-Casey

I am thankful I had an interesting visit with Miss Katherine Casey a few weeks ago when she told me the following story, Much of it has been published since then in her obituaries but in a few instances differs slightly from her own narrative: Her Grandfather, Jacob I. Fort, built the stone house on the S. W. corner of West Cayuga and Third Streets in 1826. She let me take this sketch of the old Fort house to show you and I hope it may eventually become the property of this Society. She said her Mother, one of five daughters, and born in Albany in 1823 came to Oswego via the canal, and they were brought up in this old home. The marriage of her Mother and Father was performed by the Rev. John S. Davenport, then rector of Christ Church. This Mr. Davenport, she told me, lived in the house next door to the Forts, facing the West Park in Cayuga Street now the Scoville Funeral Home—but long known to many as the delightfully hospitable home of Dr. and Mrs. Carrington MacFarlane. This house by the way, was built in 1827 by Thaddeus Clarke, a vessel owner who was on the “Medora” when she foundered and all were lost.

Miss Casey’s father, John M. Casey, built their home next door south of the Forts’ home on Third Street. This is not a double house as stated in the Palladium Times but two separate houses built exactly on the dividing line. It seems that there was a decided difference of opinion between the two architects employed and Miss Casey was very particular in stating Mr. Lippencott built her father’s house, and a Mr. Harsha, the house on the south, and as the architects would not divulge their plans to each other, bets must have been high over the outcome! I have been told a great deal of the so-called “ginger bread decoration” was later removed from the south house which was much more ornate than Mr. Casey’s. This has been the home for over forty years of Miss Florence Thompson and more recently also that of her sister, Mrs. Percy Klock. While Mr. Casey was a lawyer, an organist at Christ Church for many years and Miss Casey’s sister, May, was an artist, I cannot help feeling that Miss “Kittie” Casey, as we always called her, will be longer remembered, living almost her entire 94 years in a home which contained interesting old treasures, the first sofa brought to Oswego—a stool her Mother used, but the treasure of all, was this Church woman of the highest ideals; untiring, and unselfish in her life interest, her work in Christ Church.

Burt-Turner

One of the oldest and most interesting Oswego Homes and I mean home in every sense of the word, is now where Dr. and Mrs. R. C. Turner live at 250 West First Street. This house was built in the early 1800’s on one of the original five Burt farms, extending from Oswego to Minetto. In Minetto a Burt house still stands, and I understand this one of the Burt brothers, added a furniture factory to his business as farmer and a great deal of very fine old furniture, made at this farm, was sold, not so very long ago. Dr. Turner bought his home from the Bundys. Mr. Philo Bundy, I find, served in 1847 as a Trustee, when Mr. Dewitt C. Little John was President of Oswego village, and had married for his first wife Margaret, daughter of George Burt, builder of this home. This home still has the same old brick oven and fire place and crane in the basement, and the hand hewn sills. The big beams under the floors, until recently were covered with the crumbling old bark, since removed and the beams white washed for preservation. The square corner uprights In the living room were never even with the walls and still stand out, left just as they were originally. The old brass front door key measured 8 or 9 inches and was unfortunately carried to California by Miss Bundy, who writes it has been lost. Dr. Turner tells of his Father and Grandfather and other ship captains, all coming to the front upper room of this house for their clearance papers. The collector’s office was kept, in various places before Collector Robinson moved it into the Government Building in 1858.

Irwin

Just after the Civil War times, was built the house of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Irwin on the Southwest corner of East Utica and Sixth Streets. Unfortunately this house has recently been torn down but will long be remembered for housing the magnificent art and book collection for which Mr. Irwin was so well known as having diligently collected with rare skill. Mr. J. P. Morgan bought much of it, but a large part of the books, some 6000 volumes, are now in the house of Mr. Irwin’s grand-daughter, Mrs. Edward Hilliard in Louisville, Kentucky. In one of my Mother’s old receipt books, I found an elaborate menu of a dinner which my Mother and Father attended at the Irwin home. There were about 12 courses with accompanying wines, which attest to the magnificent entertainments which Mr. and Mrs. Irwin enjoyed giving for their friends, and the many noted out-of-town guests.

Old Ladies Home

G. B. Sloan

After speaking of the Irwins’ house, it seems fitting to tell next of the Sloan home as the Honorable George B. Sloan was a business partner of Mr. Irwin’s and one of our most outstanding citizens and a New York Senator. He was born at 17 East Fifth street in a house built in 1828 by his father, James Sloan. This house is still standing though somewhat changed, I understand. Mr. George B. Sloan after living opposite Grace church, brought up his family of four children in the big stone house at West Eighth and Van Buren—built by “Long John Mott” as he was called. This house is now empty and deserted, the fountain no more showing to advantage its lovely surrounding circle of iris. The big stable is empty of the many carriages and horses. I might add incidentally it also housed a good many years, George Sloan, Jr’s and my husband’s, two old-fashioned, great big-wheeled bicycles. But the pity of it all is that all Mr. Sloan’s direct descendants are living elsewhere, so this home has not been known as the Sloan house in recent years. I have the mos t delightful memories of happy fourth of July parties at this lovely house and grounds, when whole families were invited. I have no recollection what the grown-ups did, but I do remember happy times there and safe and sane fourths of July.

Hughes-Tribe

I wonder how many of us remember a white picket fence around a small white frame house built at the back of the lot on the property now owned by Mr. Thompson Kingsford at West Fourth and Oneida streets? This home was reached by a long path leading from a gate in the Oneida street side, and will live in the minds of many as the home ol Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes, of the United States Supreme Court, then a little boy, while his father was minister at the West Baptist church where, I understand, he has made it possible for a window to be placed as a memorial to his father. Later a family by the name of Tribe lived in this house. Mr. Tribe came from England and was associated with the Kingsfords in the starch business. Among his children a daughter Margaret, still lives in London. She was for years a London guide; but now news comes from her, telling of being deep in war work, of course. A son, Dr. Paul Tribe, has had a most colorful life In Egypt, Australia and Europe.

Beattie-Piez

During the time of the Civil War, Mr. John Beattie, father of Mr. Robert Beattie, owned a farm on the East side and brought the lumber from this farm to build a home in West Seneca street, now the home of Dr. and Mrs. R. K. Piez. It seems this lovely old pine was seasoned here for five years, and in both house and barn, there are hand hewn beams. The original old house on this lot had been moved back to make room for the new home in front, and Mr. Beattie as a little boy, remembers the thrill of sitting on the door step while the house was being moved, and was so impressed with the marvel of it all.

The handsome old staircase railing was made from a wild cherry tree which was growing near the house. This home is beautifully situated, with fine views of the lake, and distant hills which make it most outstanding.

Mott

I feel as though I should group what I call “Fifth Generation homes” which are today lived in by descendants of the same families, and still enjoyed and visited by the young people of the fifth generation.

At 64 West Fifth street is the home of Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Moti which was built by Mr. Bonsteel in 1834. Squire Lewis brought it after the panic of 1837, and Mr. Thomas Mott bought it of him in 1859, and it has been lived in by the Motts ever since. Mr. Thomas Mott’s interests in Oswego—first a grocery at West Seneca and First streets, and after a short time in New York, returning to help Oswego to prosperity through great shipping success, and later followed by his banking interests in 1864,made him one ot our most outstanding men. As a small girl I remember seeing him play his piano-player which was such a joy to him after blindness had curtailed his activities. The garden north and west of thi’; house used to extend to West Sixth street and on the lawn stood a charming summer house just as much fun to play in, as a place to sit and watch the fountain, which we, as neighbors, arappreciating and enjoying today as much as ever.

S. B. Johnson

The second in this group of “Fifth Generation Homes” is the S. B. Johnson home. Mr. Johnson came to Oswego in 1836 when he was first married. The family lived in the house now owned by Mrs. J. T. Dwyer at 242 West First street, next to Dr. Turner’s old home. Some of the little Johnsons were born there. Later in 1848 Mr. Johnson built the big old stone home at 130 West Fifth street, N. W. corner of Bridge street, architectually very much like the Stephen H. Lathrop home, the present Amdursky home, which Mr. Johnson much admired The house is full of lovely old things, some of them bought by Mr. Johnson in his travels. Fortunately there are members of this family still living there to enjoy this home and, as I said before, there is a Fifth generation to also enjoy its charm.

Joel B. Penfield—Conway

Next door north is the home of Mrs. Daniel H. Conway, a house built by Mr. Joel B. Penfield, father of Dr. Lida S. Penfield of the State Normal faculty. This lovely old house with the big white pillars has a charming garden. You may remember the Palladium – Times photograph of this garden in which stood, among the flowers and boxbordered flower beds, the figure of a deer which now stands in front of the Elks’ club, right near his old home.

Miss Millicent Penlield, also a daughter of Joel B. Penfield, tells me she spent some of her girlhood in a small white frame house which stood where Christ church chapel now stands. This house was moved to West Cayuga between Sixth and Seventh streets and was long the home of Miss Harriet Burt—but that house has since been torn down. Mrs. Conway’s home has been made into apartments but the dignity and beauty of the exterior is not changed and looks just as it has for these many years.

Bennett—Bates

Another house in the “Fifth Generation” class, is one of the most delightfully hospitable homes in Oswego—that of Mrs. Norman L. Bates. The first house that stood on this site was a frame building erected by Morris Bennett (who had previously lived on a large farm just East of Oswego’s present city line and now known as Paul Schneible’s farm home.) This building was occupied by the members of the Richardson family while the present imposing stone mansion was being built for Jacob Richardson and his bride, Naomi Bennett. Their daughter, Harriet Richardson, married Byron H. Bates, who was the son of Simeon Bates and Polly Stone. (Simeon Bates and his family lived in the building at 115 East Third street, now occupied by Dr. and Mrs. G. C. Elder.) The son and only child of this marriage was Norman L. Bates who married Florence Morley, who survives and occupies today the homestead where she entertains the eight grandchildren who now share in this lovely old home. The house is filled with valuable paintings and has a delightful atmosphere of a place really lived in and enjoyed.

To John M. Gill go my thanks for looking over old papers and finding both the names of Burckle and Turrill on the old deeds; and at one time “an out of town party” paid $.17 on an assessed value of $60.00. The deed for this property was in the name of Mrs. Naomi Richardson by 1860.

S. H. Lathrop-Amdursky

The Stephen H. Lathrop house of which I just spoke as largely the pattern on which Mr. S. B. Johnson built his home, is at 36 West Eighth street, and is now the home of Mr. and Mrs. L. H. Amdursky. It is beautifully situated near the lake, with fine old trees making a perfect setting for it. The property originally covered the entire block, which must account for the remark that Miss Casey heard made by a Lathrop relative, a Mrs. Turrell, at the time the house was being built. “I can’t understand why Stephen wants to build his home in that old swamp.” So the western end of that lot must have been very low land. Until 1935 Mr. Lathrop’s daughter, Miss Mary T. Lathrop, his only survivor, lived there alone, and when she went out, still trustingly hung her great big front door key behind the blind. She was organist at Christ church for many years and besides being a musician, was a fine French scholar, a great reader, and vitally interested in politics, being an exceptionally strong Republican. She was the last member of the Lathrop family to live in this beautiful old place. Two streets in Oswego are named for this family, Lathrop and Dorcas, the latter having been Mrs. Lathrop’s Christian name.

O. J. Harmon

On the originally owned Gerrit Smith property, on East Oneida between Second and Third streets next to the Evangelist church, is the old Harmon home. You have already read the account of its being a station in the underground railroad, and the closet where the little darky boy was hidden is still there. The house was built in the ’30’s by a James Brown, who was lame, and built his entrance with only one step for his convenience. I have been told by Miss Post, that he, being a Scotchman, and his wife an Englishwoman, he planted three trees in that garden, an English larch, a Scotch pine and an Irish rowan or mountain ash. Mr. Brown sold this home in 1855 to Mr. O. J. Harmon, one of the outstanding citizens of Oswego’s early days. Unfortunately the attractive white decorative railing around the roof, in later years, was removed, but one of those three_ trees, the mountain ash, still stood there until a short time ago when it unfortunately was cut down.

Perry-Ward

One of the most charming and beautifully situated homes was built by an old Oswego pioneer of the early 1800’s, at the top of Perry Hill, and is now owned by my sister and brother-in-law, Col. and Mrs. P. R. Ward. This house was built about 1816, by Eleazor Perry, Jr. But I shall quote the account just as Mrs. R. H. Hobbie, Mrs. Perry’s great granddaughter, wrote it for me:

“Eleazor Perry settled in Fruit Valley in 1805. He was the first supervisor of Oswego town. He had two sons, Montgomery and Eleazor, Jr. Eleazor, Sr. had built a home on the Rural Cemetery road opposite the little cobblestone school house. About 1813 Eleazor Jr. married Electa Rathbone and built their home on top of the hill, probably about 1816 and named it “Rathbone House” after Electa Perry’s home in Springfield, Otsego County. She was one of nine children and was very lonely in her wilderness home and the country seemed flat after the hills about Otsego Lake and it was her wish to build their home on top of this hill afterwards known as “Perry Hill.” It was reached by means of a blazed trail from Oswego village. Eleazor, Jr. died in 1842 and Electa lived on in this house until her death, when a very old lady. Afterwards it was occupied by her daughter until the early 90s when it came into the possession of Daniel Perry who made many changes, among others, changing the front door from the north to the east side of the house. He named it Perry Inn and rumor has it that three Presidents have slept there. About 1865 the long wing to the west had been moved across to the west driveway and was remodeled into a house bi . this was eventually entirely removed.”

As the house stands today, high up above the state road with the lovely garden and the fine views in all directions including a big expanse of the lake, it is certainly one of our beauty spots. One scene there two years ago I like to remember—Mrs. Ward and I were having tea on the lawn on the east side of the house and we saw a rare sight—about eight deer feeding not many yards south of the house. By the time Col. Ward was called to bring a Kodak, the little herd had gone. I will never forget those big antlers standing up high and then that sudden dash over the fence.

Hawkins—Downey

On this same blazed trail from Oswego towards the west, there is a house which dates from just after the War of 1812. Rufus Hawkins built his home on what we now call, “Fruit Valley road” and his son sold it to Mr. E. W. Mott. It is now, extensively rebuilt, the most charming home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Downey, so this home has only passed through the hands of three families— though over 125 years old. The property runs way back south over the hills and commands wonderful views in all directions.

Bunner-Emerick

Among the people we are proud to claim as Oswegonians are the Bunners. The family first lived at 26 West Cayuga street, southeast corner of West Second street —a house built by Capt. John Trowbridge in 1819 and is said to have the timbers fastened together by wooden pegs. In 1825, Rudolph Bunner who came to Oswego in 1819 and for whom by the way, Bunner street is named, has been supposed to have built the delightfully situated house at 15 Bronson street, then outside the village limits, and now the home of Mr. F. A. Emerick. Just recently a member of the Emerick family told me Miss Mary T. Lathrop always maintained that the house was built by an Englishman, who sold it to Rudolph C. Bunner. I cannot verify either statement except that the Bunners were of English ancestry. Rudolph F. Bunner, the third Rudolph in the Bunner family during its days in Oswego, in writing of the birthplace of his brother, Henry Cuyler Bunner, the editor and author, is quoted in Jensen’s recent book as saying, “my grandmother’s husband had built a stone mansion” which the grandmother later had to leave—because of financial reverses.

The beautifully kept grounds, view of the lake and spacious house all make it one of our show places. Mr. Henry Cuyler Bunner, son of Rudolph Bunner, and grandson of the Rudolph Bunner who established the family in Oswego in 1819, lived there. He was editor of “Puck” wrote with charm and wit—”Short Sixes”— “Love in Old Clothes,” “Airs from Arcady,” “The Runaway Browns,” and many other stories which will live. I understand his “Life and Letters” by Gerard E. Jensen and published by the Duke University Press, has just been acquired by the Society. His widow lives at New London, Conn. May I quote from a letter from Mrs. Roosevelt Beardslee, who has met Mrs. Bunner at Miami, Florida. The letter is dated November ’38, after the hurricane and storm which struck New England that fall, in September:

“Mrs. H. C. Bunner, eighty odd, was in her summer home—a delightful, famous, old lighthouse, alone with a colored servant, and they stayed in the house until the chimney fell into it, then waded to a ridge, where her son, in a boat, rescued her. Nine refugees spent the night together in a friend’s deserted house—found a little food in the ice box. Mrs. Bunner, for all her soaking and exertion and excitement seems none the worse! How’s that for the good, tough, ‘old time’ kind!”

Herrick- Wheeler

Here is an interesting account Mrs. Homan Hallock gave me, in regard to an old landmark:

“Few Oswegonians of today would realize that the old deserted square frame house which stands high up in the South side of West Seneca street, between Sixth and Seventh, had ever been one of Oswego’s beautiful homes. The house was surrounded by spacious grounds extending over the whole block, from East to West, and to St. Mary’s church on the South, and surrounded by a stone wall and iron fence. The house was originally a large, square, one story cottage, known first as “Yates Cottage,” and later as “Summit Cottage.’ It was occupied by Mr. Robert Gordon and his family, who removed there from New York. Mr. Gordon owned the largest dry goods store in Oswego and was the father of Mr. Donald Gordon, Misses Elizabeth and Margaret Gordon of Montcalm street. In 1856 Mr. William H. Herrick moved to Oswego from Albany and bought Summit Cottage. A second floor and attic and also several wings were added to the house, until it was large enough to accomodate the large Herrick family, of which Mrs. William D. Wheeler is the only surviving member. A few of the older residents remember the lawn parties, weddings and social gatherings in this beautiful old house. All the smaller houses standing now on that block on Seneca street and two, one each on Sixth and Seventh streets, were originally parts ot the Old Herrick Home.”

Straight—Mackin

Perhaps not many Oswegonians know that Willard Dickerman Straight was born in the house which is the present home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mackin, 33 West Sixth street ? It is right next to our garden, so I remember Willard and my brother, Ned, toddling down our garden path together. Willard’s father and mother were educators and teachers of note, in our Normal school here, and other schools. Later after Mr. Straight’s death in California, Mrs. Straight took Willard and his little sister. Hazel, to Japan where Mrs. Straight taught, but failing in health she also later died in California, and the two small children came east alone, and made their home with Miss Laura Newkirk, my mother’s cousin. She and Dr. Ranier, two old maids, adopted the children, and according to Herbert Croly’s “Story of Willard Straight,” had their hands full—not understanding Willard at all, but longing to be what he so sadly missed—his mother. Willard distinguished himself as illustrator, artist, and diplomat, as Consul General at Mukden, and lastly as a soldier and he died in France in 1918. Many know of his splendid bequest to Cornell which was so wonderfully carried out by his wife in “The Willard Straight Hall.” Willard wanted the students to have a place which would give them, an atmosphere of home. But I think the finest thing he left was his letter to his children, written in France in case he should not come back.

Bronson-Culkin

We read in Mr. F. O. Clarke’s notes that in 1810 “no name was so well known between Albany and Detroit and on the upper St. Lawrence, as that of Alvin Bronson, who came here when he was 27 years old, and among other positions he held, became a leading figure in transportation.” In the War of 1812 he was taken prisoner and carried off to Canada because as collector of the port he was custodian of military stores and he refused to tell where the ammunition was concealed that had been sent to Oswego. He held many positions, among them, that as the first president of the village in 1828. He was closely intimate with President Martin VanBuren who had large real estate holdings in Oswego. In that same year, 1828, in which Oswego became a village, he got the deed to a great deal of land, some of it extending to the river. On the southeast corner of West Fifth and Cayuga streets Mr. Bronson built a cottage which was later moved to West Eighth and Cayuga where it still stands. Then in the early ’30s on that lot, he built his fine old stone house, the walls of which are as firm and true as ever. Mr. Bronson lived there until he died at the age of 98. Oswego’s Ellen street was named for his daughter, Ellen, who married Hon. Leander Babcock. This house, has been the home of several families, Mrs. Isaacs, the Babcocks, the Pouchers, the Dudley Irwins and others, and is now the charming home of Congressman and Mrs. Francis D. Culkin.

Murray-Johnson

A curious slant in prophecy, brings to mind the fact that one of the Murrays, back in early days, sold his New York Murray Hill property thinking it would never amount to anything, and bought extensively in Oswego, where he thought there was a future. On the west river road, the lovely place now called “Brinnington,” was his home and he called it “Green vale”

This Hamilton Murray held very important positions in Oswego and did much to promote Oswego interests.

Before this property passed to Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Johnson, it was at one time the house used as our first Country Club house, and the golf links were partly on this land. Later the Johnsons made it their summer home. Mr. Johnson was an Englishman, who came over to take an important position with the Minetto Shade Cloth Company and married Miss Helen E. Page, daughter of one of our prominent citizens, Mr. A. S. Page. It may or may not have been intentional that the garden is planned in the form of the Union Jack. A sun dial in the center, broad, grass paths, big rose arches, the continuous bloom of many flowers, and an unusually high and handsome hedge enclosing this beautiful spot, all make this garden one that is not surpassed in Northern New York.

Hugunln-Eggleston

Mr. Faust refers to a severe fire raging around a house at 33 East Fourth street when it was saved through the heroic efforts of the family who used wet blankets and rugs and brooms to beat out the hot cinders as they fell on the roof. Curiously enough, Miss Frances Eggleston told me her mother, then a little girl, was living there at that time, and had been sent to a friend’s home temporarily. On her return she was quite overcome at the devastated surroundings as not one other house remained. Their house was hard to recognize in its lonliness [sic]. The house was built in 1827 by Peter D. Hugunin, head of one of the first families to settle in Oswego.

I have not been able to cover many homes. I would have liked to 38 have told you about the McWhorter’s, the Goble’s, the Luther Wright’s, the Wells Pitkin’s, the Wentworth’s, the old Ludlow place now St. Francis Home, the Kingsford’s, the Capt. Trowbridge house at W. Third and Schuyler streets; the Littlejohn’s, built by Marshall Foward, a cousin of the Gordons; Dr. H. S. Albertson’s home on West Fourth street built by Dr. Andrew Van Dyck, one of Oswego’s earliest physicians. The Mollison home built and lived in by H. Wentworth who came to Oswego in 1806. The home of Dr. Lida S. Penfield where the Seeleys came in the early 1830s. The home now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allison at 51 West Fifth street, built in the 50’s by Captain Dobey, a grandfather of Miss Grace Allen—and where the Fred Lathrops, the Rev. H. H. Stebbins family, the English Maurice Kingsley all lived. Also a house where the City Hall now stands, was where Mrs. Perry, mother of Mrs. John Phelps, was born—part of this house was moved to West Fifth street nearly opposite Grace Church and is now the Otis home—the Ames, the Clarkes, the Allen home, known as “the Castle,” and many other Oswego homes with interesting facts that I could name.

But the material on homes is so vast, it is impossible to include it in one paper—so I will call this Part I and hope some one else will “carry on” with Part II, of “the Old Homes of Oswego.”