Building date: 1848
Original use:
Corner structures: Tooled
Mortar application and content: Horizontal rounded. Vertical pyramids
Types and uses of stones: Small red
Types and choice of windows:
Structures with similar masonry details:
Masons who worked on building:
Unique features:
Map views courtesy Google Maps. Address is Google Earth confirmed; 42°51'35.30"N 77°01'59.90"W. Current owner of record, Scortichini as of the 2019 Tax Roll.
Town of Seneca and Ontario County Maps
Many of the best examples of cobblestone houses are found in the Finger Lakes region. One of the most striking is this one at 1160 Route 5 and 20 just west of Geneva in the town of Seneca. It was built in 1848 by Thomas Barron who came from England and cleared the land and built his first home on the site which was a log cabin. The original farm consisted of 184 acres.
Several trips were made to the shores of Lake Ontario. Wheat was carried by wagon to Sodus Point for transshipment. Cobblestones were then sorted and loaded and returned which went into the construction of the present house. Great care went into the sorting of the lake-washed sandstone cobblestones for their color, red; and uniform size, and the house took two years to build. The exterior walls are of lake washed stone.
The main two-story section of the house has an Ionic portico, and on either side are one-story wings with Ionic porches across the front. The west wing door is a false one, never used from the inside of the house, but added to the outside to give the two porches perfect symmetry. Two of the interior walls of the home are as thick as outer walls, 18 inches so made to support the weight of the construction. The portal is enflamed by egg and dart moulding; the door fittings are German silver.
Thomas was the youngest of three brothers, whose father emigrated to America from England in 1800. He was accompanied by his wife and two children. They found their way west to this comparative wilderness, coming by water route up the Mohawk and its tributaries through the Seneca Lock Navigation Co.'s canal. They located on the very farm where, a year later, the subject of this notice was born. Their first habitation was a log cabin with two small apertures for a single pane of glass each. Thomas Barron had two sons, John and William. He resided on the farm where the cobblestone house stands all his life, where he died on died September 17, 1892.
The Geneva Gazette reported on September 16, 1892, a day before he died, that he "...has reached the advanced age of 90 years, and is probably the best-preserved man of his years in Ontario county. As evidence we cite the fact that one day last week he walked across lots fully a mile and climbed a five-rail fence to call on his neighbor, Mrs. John Reed, and returned by the same route, all within two and one-half hours. He was not over-wearied by the journey either. His brother, David, is two years older, but shows more perceptibly his great age. It is hoped both will remain with us many years. Since the above was penned, we learn with regret that Mr. Barron has suffered a stroke of paralysis, which threatens a fatal result." Subsequent owners included William F. Fordon, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence W. Gracey [(1938) and Margaret-Anne (Gracey) Milne (2000) ¹]. Richard Palmer email 7/17/2020. ¹ Updated 9/18/2021 by Editor.
The Barron family came from England just before 1800 - came up the Hudson River, trekked across the state and built a log cabin on this site, carrying the window glass from Albany. Friendly Indians warmed themselves before the fire. Then a frame house stood here - of which we know nothing. This house remained in the original family until the early 1920's - and we were privileged to know and talk with [Mr. E. C. Cooper,] the husband of the last [Barron] descendent.
The stones in this house do not reflect the soil of the immediate area of the dwelling, but transported from Lake Ontario, 30 miles away supposedly by ox team when grain was hauled to the Port of Sodus for shipment. It is said it took two years for the construction. The stones were selected for their size and color, and laid with highest skill. This type of houses were very well executed and show fine architectural detail, which developed to a point where textures became secondary in beauty. This Greek Revival building testifies to the social eloquence of the era. Its elaborate tetrastyle Ionic portico overshadows the fine masonry of lake washed red sandstone cobbles.
Limestone quoins have detailed chiseled border as is true of all limestone used. Fake door on west wing complete with fittings built in to complete balance. Egg and dart molding on main door reflect the cobblestones. German Silver fittings on Main door. Etched glass around entrance, is two thin pieces of glass put together with etching on inside.
Key in lock is made the opposite way to most with handle running crosswise.
Original document written by Mrs. Lawrence Gracey, owner.
"The Cobblestone Houses of Upstate New York", compiled by Dorothy Wells Pease. Research done in collaboration with Hazed B. Jeffery, supplemented with material furnished by Carl F. Schmidt, 1941. Reference the first paragraph on page 22.
"Cobblestone Architecture in the Rochester Area", by Gerda Peterich, 1953. Reference Barron House and figure 24. Editor's Note: This digitized version of the original typescript manuscript is reformatted for digital display, edited for errors, and includes blue tinted highlighted links to improve access within the document, to the appropriate structure pages in the Cobblestone Info Base, or to external resources on the internet. This document is one of two known typescript drafts, likely a thesis or essay bound as a book and apparently never published. One is available in the Cobblestone Museum Resource Center, the other in the University of Rochester Art and Music Library. A companion or precursor typed paper of the same title exists, perhaps used for a talk and/or photographic display of cobblestone structures.
"The Geological Origin of Cobblestone Architecture", by Gerda Peterich. Specific references to this structure on pages 6, and 18.
"Cobblestone homes, never to be built again..", by Tom Gable, The Geneva Times, 8/21/1970.
"Woman's Club plans tour of homes", The Geneva Times, 10/9/1970
The Cobblestone Society & Museum Tours:
Barron - Gracey House & Lafayette Inn 5th Annual 06/12/1965
Editor's Note: On the tour map, the house name of Barron - Gracey differs from the Barron - Gracy spelling in Schmidt's 1966 book "Cobblestone Masonry", page Page 108; however, in an email dated 8/17/2020 from the previous home owner Margaret-Anne Milne, she states the correct spelling of the last name as Gracey. All Cobblestone Info Base name instances have been corrected as of this date.5th Tour Flyer 06/12/1965
Historic Structures Visited, 5th Annual Cobblestone Tour Brings 1,100 to City, by Mildred Jennings, The Geneva Times, page 6, 6/15/1965
|
National Register of Historic Places Registration
- "Cobblestone Architecture", 1944, Carl Schmidt: Name reference, Barron House
- Page 16, Page 25, Page 41, Page 46
- "Cobblestone Architecture of Upstate New York", by Gerda Peterich, Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol 15, Issue 2 1956, Page 16. By permission of the University of California Press, "The requested material is in the public domain and you are welcome to use it."
- "Cobblestone Masonry", 1966, Carl Schmidt: Name reference, Barron - Grac[e]y House
- Page 108, Comparison of Cobblestones and Quoins Page 259
- "Cobblestone Landmarks of New York State", 1978, by Olaf William Shelgren, Jr., Cary Lattin, and Robert W. Frasch, Photographs by Gerda Peterich: Name reference, Barron House
- Page 125
- "The Era of Cobblestone Architecture", unpublished manuscript 1972. To access the manuscript content about this structure, see 75. Ontario County, Barron-Gracey House, and 168. Ontario County, Barron-Gracey House.
 Sen-6 Gracey 2.jpg ¹ Pease Collection 1940-41 |  Sen-6 Gracey 3.jpg ¹ Pease Collection 1940-41. Posing is Elsie Clark Gracey (Mrs. Lawrence Gracey) |  GP Ontario Seneca Sen-6 2-1 N.jpg ² |  GP Ontario Seneca Sen-6 3-1 N.jpg ² |
 GP Ontario Seneca Sen-6 10-1 N.jpg ² |  GP Ontario Seneca Sen-6 1-1 N.jpg ² |  GP Ontario Seneca Sen-6 4-1 N.jpg ² |  GP Ontario Seneca Sen-6 5-1 N.jpg ² |
 GP Ontario Seneca Sen-6 6-1 N.jpg ² |  GP Ontario Seneca Sen-6 7-1 N.jpg ² |  GP Ontario Seneca Sen-6 8-1 N.jpg ² |  GP Ontario Seneca Sen-6 9-1 N.jpg ² |
 GP Ontario Seneca Sen-6 11-1 N.jpg ² |  GP Ontario Seneca Sen-6 12-1 N.jpg ² |  Sen_6_1.jpg Correct spelling of the name is Gracey. |  Sen_6_2.jpg |
 Sen_6_3.jpg |  Sen_6_4.jpg |  Sen_6_5.jpg |  Sen_6_6.jpg |
 Sen-6 1160 Routes 5 & 20 1.jpg ² |  Sen-6 1160 Routes 5 & 20 2.jpg ² |  Sen-6 1160 Routes 5 & 20 3.jpg ² |  Sen-6 1160 Routes 5 & 20 4.jpg ² |
 Sen-6 1160 Routes 5 & 20 5.jpg ² |  Barron House, Geneva.jpg ³ |  IMG_0114.jpg ³ Rear of Thomas Barron House |  IMG_1573.jpg ³ |
 IMG_0111.jpg ³ |  Barron house, Geneva 1.jpg ³ |
¹ Image courtesy Cobblestone Museum.
² Photography courtesy Gerda Peterich. Cobblestone Museum.
³ Photography courtesy Martin and Sheila Wolfish.
4 Photography courtesy Richard Palmer.
