town of clifton park historical designation notice & town historian's article 05-03-2014 email

8/11/2019 Town of Clifton Park Historical Designation Notice & Town Historian's Article 05-03-2014 Email

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37 Nott Road, Rexford

SBL #269.20-1-1

Owner: Susan D. & Danielle Senecal


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(Photo circa 1905)

Built by Nathaniel Holmes, the earliest section of the house is to the right of the

main entrance. The two story structure shown in the photograph, was built in the

Federal style in about 1820 and a Victorian addition has been built in the rear.


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A BIT OF HISTORY

By John L. Scherer

(May 28, 2010)

The Nathaniel Holmes & Olde Nott Farm House

Tells Its Story

Old houses have so many inter esting stor ies to tell. Through the year s they have

survived violent weather and generations of families who owned and cherished them.

They speak of how our ancestors once lived without central heat or indoor plumbing

and they reflect the tastes and preferences of previous owners who may have madealterations thr ough the years. An old house can be read like a book and sometimes you

can even sense the presence of former owners.

Recently in conjunction with an up coming May 16 tour of historic houses in

Clifton Par k I had occasion to research a home on Nott Road in Rexford. The home is

owned by Wayne and Susan Senecal. They acquired it in 1980, and later subdivided a

portion of the or iginal far m land for the development now known as Olde Nott Far m.


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The original house is actually a small wing to the r ight of the front door. This

original one room building with loft above and salt box addition at the rear was

constructed sometime between 1790 and 1800 by Nathaniel Holmes (1750-1828) and his

wife Jane. They came to Rexford from Nor th Castle, Westchester County, New York

some time after the 1790 census was taken when they were living in Westchester and

before the 1800 census was taken and they were in their home in Rexford.

Nathaniel and Jane had a large family and one wonders how they managed to

exist in such small quar ters. They had at least thr ee sons: Eldad; Solomon; and

Cassander, and probably other childr en. One can imagine the family gathered ar ound

the large living room fireplace, the sole source of heat , on a cold winter day. This

original fireplace still exists along with the or iginal paneling. Not only was it a source of

warmth for the family it also served as the kitchen range.

Some time in the 1820s a large addition was added to the original house and it

shows the affluence that Nathaniel had achieved. Built in the Federal style popular at

the time, it is truly a grand house with outstanding federal moldings and fireplace

mantels. The new two story addition added a lar ge side hall with a grand stairway with

two rooms off the hall on both floors. Fireplaces on both the first and second floors

were used to heat the house. A two story shed type portico originally graced the front of

the house. The high ceilings, exquisitely carved federa l moldings and grand open

stairway contrast with the simplicity of the original c. 1795 farmhouse.

Nathaniel died in December 1828 shortly after he completed this new addition

and is bur ied in a small family cemetery across Nott Road from the house. Another

stone in the cemetery is for his son Solomon who died in March of 1828, and the onlyother stone is for Ruth, wife of Casander Holmes who died in 1830. Amazingly, this

cemetery is a recent discovery for the towns preservation commission, and has now

been added to the inventory of town cemeter ies.

According to deeds in the Saratoga County Court House, Nathaniels son,

Cassander, was given the r ight to remain in the house for the rest of his life. This was

granted to him by his br other, Eldad Holmes (1784-1869) and Nathaniels widow, Jane,

who had moved to Johnstown, New York. Eldad was a prominent New York City

merchant . He founded and served as the first pr esident of the Tradesmans Bank in

New York City in 1823.

Cassander must have died by 1845 because his surviving brother, Eldad, sold the

farm to Howar d Nott tha t year . The farm at that time consisted of two hundred and

sixteen acres. Howar d Nott (1808-1884) was the son of Eliphalet Nott (1773-1866), long

time President of Union College from 1804 to 1866, and inventor of the first stove for

anthr acite coal. In fact Howar d manufactured his father s patent stoves in Albany

under the firm name of H. Nott & Co. It was Howar d who gave his name to the road

that now passes by the old house.


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After Howards death in 1884, his son, Eliphalet Nott II, sold the home to Frank

Beers who added a large Victor ian addition to the rear . Passing thr ough several more

families over the years the house was eventually acquired by Har ry and Dorothy Winne

in 1940. The Winnes hir ed well-known local restoration ar chitect, Paul Schaeffer of

Niskayuna, to restore their house. Paul Schaefer (1909-1996), famed Adirondack

conservationist and naturalist also designed and built homes. He restored many homesin the Schenectady Stockade and was involved in creating the Stockade Historic

Distr ict, the first National Register Histor ic Distr ict in New York. He also built a

number of replica Dutch Colonial and Colonial Revival homes in the area.

The Winnes sold the house to Har ry W. and Jean Baker in 1958 who in turn sold

it to Ar thur and Louise Adams in 1966. The Senecals acquired the house from Mrs.

Adams in 1980 and continue to preserve and care for this historic treasur e. They have

also restored the front portico that had been removed at some point in the homes past.

This home along with others will be featured in a tour of historic Clifton Park

homes on Sunday, May 16 from Noon until 5 PM. Tickets ar e available at the Town

Hall or the day of the tour at the Historic Grooms Tavern. These historic buildings all

have their own unique stor ies to tell.

town of clifton park historical designation notice & town historian's article 05-03-2014 email

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