Little Yellow House - 1816

Little Yellow House - 1816. . In 1810, the few settlers of the village under the leadership of pioneers Bates Cooke and Benjamin Barton petitioned the state of New York to have this area changed from a public square to building lots for purposes of selling. Benjamin Barton was commissioned by the land office to have it surveyed and presented for approval to the New York legislature. The legislative session of 1815-16 approved the opening of the lands for sale with the following provision: The area included shall become lands of the common schools, and the commissioners of said schools are to sell, maintain and invest the funds derived therefrom, for the support and maintenance of common schools of the Village of Lewiston. , This lot No. 129, Block EE, was the first lot sold by the commissioners of the common schools exactly 16 days from the April 1816 opening of the land sale. Peter B. Porter and Benjamin Barton purchased the land. Barton was one of the builders of the adjacent Frontier House. Shortly after the land sale record revealed that this parcel was sold to David Shockney with the stipulation that within two years he was to erect a building not less that eighteen by twenty feet and fit for habitation of man. In 1818 this parcel was owned by Robert Fleming, Esquire who was first judge of the Common Pleas Court in Niagara County. The house remained in the Fleming family until 1915, when it was sold to Jesse R. Piper. Piper in turn sold to Mr. and Mrs. Guy Antolene in 1920 and it remained in the Antolene family until 1961, when it was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. John Simon. Mr. Simon maintained his law office on these premises until 1995., In 1999 this parcel was purchased from the Simon family by the Village of Lewiston Board of Trustees for the purpose pf preserving a part of our historical heritage for future generations. There is very little doubt that his structure is one of the oldest standing buildings in the Village of Lewiston today!