15 Elm Street

This house was probably built about 1855 by/for Isaac Vroman. He moved to Michigan and sold it to Sidney Ward in 1858. Sidney Ward was an attorney who came to Geneseo in 1857 and practiced here until he moved to New York City in 1867 and sold the house to Daniel Alvord. The Alvords moved to the village from a farm. He was appointed village lamplighter and Mrs. Alvord pursued the occupation of dressmaker. They improved this house in 1872 and sold it to Anna Smith. She sold it to Caroline Gibbs, a widow, and in 1887 Mrs. Gibbs sold it to Mary Waite. She sold it to Loretta Moore and Amanda Lyon in 1895 and in 1900 they sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Finley. Samuel Finley was the 5th generation in Geneseo to bear the name; the first Samuel Finley had come here before 1800 and established a farm on the present Lakeville Road. After Mr. Finley’s death his widow Jennie continued to reside here. In 1915, a large barn on the property, then rented to a junk dealer, was destroyed by fire. Mrs. Finley died in 1922 but the house remained the property of the Finleys until 1945. Since then there have been at least eight different owners.