Building date: 1837
Original use:
Corner structures: Lacking, No corner structures
Mortar application and content: Vertical, slight embellishment. Horizontal and vertical similar.
Types and uses of stones:
Types and choice of windows: Lintels none
Structures with similar masonry details:
Masons who worked on building:
Unique features: No corner structure
Courtesy Google Maps. Address is Google Earth confirmed; 43°13'42.65"N 77°54'07.46"W. Current owner of record, Mercer as of the 2018 Tax Roll.
Town of Clarkson and Monroe County Maps
A very few cobblestone buildings are constructed with rounded corners, obviating the need for quoins. Only six such buildings were found, and occur in only three counties. In Cayuga, Ven-1 Vanorman Cay-12 and Vic-1 Haas Cay-13; in Monroe, this building Cla-7 Jones-Mercer, Cla-7a Jones-Mercer Barn and Cla-11 Galbraith; and in Ontario, Gen-1a Gazebo, are constructed in this manner. Roudabush Survey page 16
"The Cobblestone Houses of Upstate New York", compiled by Dorothy Wells Pease 1941. Research done in collaboration with Hazed B. Jeffery, supplemented with material furnished by Carl F. Schmidt. Reference the fifth paragraph on page 4.
This is a most unusual group of cobblestone buildings featuring rounded cobblestone corners instead of the usual flat corner stones or "quoins".
In 1837 Mr. David Jones built the carriage house and reportedly lived in it while the cobblestone house was being completed. Later the cobblestone wing was added behind the house and about 1910 the wooden addition completed the house as it stands today.
During the 1940's and 1950's the house was unoccupied and served variously for storage and raising chickens.
Since 1962 it has been restored by Mr. and Mrs. Kermit Mercer. Missing moldings have been replaced from of the old house and it now features a large living room with fireplace an antiques.
The carriage house is unique. It is the best example of rounded cobblestone corners and has retained its wooden beams and paneling. It was obviously built to be lived in, but, with its wide front opening (now enclosed to a single door size) was also suitable as a carriage house.
Local legend relates a tragedy once took place here. One tale describes how a group of children playing cowboys and indians decided to have a mock hanging. When the chair slipped one child was accidentally hung. Another version tells of a man committing suicide in the room by hanging.
To the rear of the carriage house stood an animal shed.
Hand written notes for the planned Seventh Annual Cobblestone Tour 06/10/1967, Eastern Orleans and Western Monroe Counties. This home was included in the tour, see below.
7816 Ridge Road, built 1837. Richard Palmer blog.
The Cobblestone Society & Museum Tours:
Mercer House 7th Annual 06/10/1967, Kermit and Pamela Mercer 1993 Tour 06/05/1993
- "Cobblestone Masonry", 1966, Carl Schmidt: Name reference, Jones-Mercer and Barn House
- Page 46
On file duplicate or unused imagery not included above.
¹ Image courtesy Cobblestone Museum.
² Photography courtesy Martin and Sheila Wolfish.
³ Photography courtesy Richard Palmer.
