The first time I came to Sodus I had dinner at Hotel Sodus, Christmas, 1840. My grandmother was landlady. Two New York Astors were once guests at the hotel. I think this building was erected In 1812 by Enoch Turner. That same year the Presbyterian society was formed. I noticed the Wood cobblestone store on the opposite corner at the time. This building is about 103 years old. built by Harmon Shire, a one time Sodus pettifogger.
The first Maple trees were set on Maple avenue about 1850. A "bee" was held to plant them as far north as Mrs. Royce's. A half mile race track was measured on this street, where horse races were held. Do you remember when Elder Payne and others raced horses on Main street?
I recall when Griffith Borradaile had a fast horse. He invited me to ride with him one winter. The road was full of pitch holes. As the horse jumped over one, I went out over the seat and landed in the road. I rolled out, being missed by a horse behind, by inches.
I remember when a forest bordered the roadside where the Sodus Packing Company's building is now and a potash factory was located just north of that site.
Jonas Miller, the Sodus tailor, built the cobblestone one-story house near Mr. VanWeaver's about 1850. He also built the house on Belden avenue which was the home of the late Levi Cattieu. The cobblestone house owned by Mrs. Mary Royce was built by Ralph Palmer, except the south ell. The cobblestone house on the Gibson farm was constructed by William Swales, son of the old gentleman Swales, about the same time as the Miller house on Maple avenue.
My father thought of building one at one time. In fact, we spent several days gathering stone on the lake shore, but afterwards he gave up the idea. He visited the William Swales house while it was being erected and Mr. Swales complained because his father did not give him financial assistance.
I saw the old Mr. Swales many times. He wore knee leggings, with brass buttons up the side, and road out in a two-wheeled, covered gig ¹, painted yellow. In the early days at Sodus he drew (definition 1-a) wheat at a dollar a bushel to Geneva with oxen. Other early Sodus farmers did the same.
Before the Civil War wheat never brought over a dollar a bushel and often less. Before Mr. Swales came to Sodus he owned at Geneva a part of which is now the state experimental farm.
The Dufloo stone house by the lake was built by a member of the Swales family. A stone school house stood just west of the Gibson house. In 1850 my sister was teacher there. The stone school house opposite Dufloo's was built in an early day in 1846. Peter Buys and family lived there. The cobblestone house on the Jesse Sheep farm was built by Orin Parsons in the fifties of the last century. Some of the older people of Sodus will remember Edward and David Parsons. The stone school house in what is called the Vosburg district was built in 1824. The builder was Josiah Rice of Sodus. After the structure was completed Mr. Rice was teacher for two terms. Before this he taught in the old house now razed on the DeBadts' farm. This house was built by my father in 1817. The idea of stone houses was brought from England. In that country most houses are of stone or brick.
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There is a cobblestone house south of Palmyra. This is the greatest distance from the lake of any I know. The man who drew the stone had the old time ambition in his backbone.
¹ light 2-wheeled one-horse carriage.
Original source, "Out of the Mail Bag" column. Partial transcript provided by Richard Palmer email 12/8/2020.