118 Main Street

Originally built as a grocery and dry goods store, this building was constructed around 1832 by John Wyman. He lost the business to default on a mortgage about 1847. In 1850, the building was purchased by William Jones Wilson and until well after the turn of the century was known as the “Jones Wilson Building.” Jones Wilson came to Geneseo in 1824 and after his marriage, he and his wife managed the boarding house on the Wadsworth Flats for several years. After purchasing this building, they lived here for the remainder of their lives. 

In 1902, his heirs sold the building to Joseph Cone who moved his marble works into the rear part and rented the front. He subsequently transferred the business and the property to Matthew J. Murphy. In 1906, Mr. Murphy made extensive improvements and laid a solid retaining wall of stone and cement along the entire south line of the property. In 1908, he put a new front on the building. Daniel Chiara purchased the property in 1942 from Matthew Murphy, and bought the shoe repair business of John Correnti that occupied the front. He put a new stone front on the building in 1956 and in 1972 sold the building to George and Hedy Peters.