45 Center Street

The original part of this house was built about 1925 by Dr. Cyrus Wells, one of Geneseo’s first doctors.  Due to failing health, Dr. and Mrs. Wells left Geneseo in 1836 and sold the property to David and Dolly Shepard who moved into the village from a log cabin on Lakeville Road near the present Livingston County Country Club.  David Shepard died in 1850 but his widow continued to occupy the house until her death in 1896.  The property then passed to her four surviving children.  Charles, the only bachelor, purchased the interest of the other three and continued to reside in his childhood home until his death in 1937 at the age of 99.  He left the property to his nephew and his wife, James and Frances Colt, who were living in California.  They returned to Geneseo with their daughter Sylvia, and completely remodeled and renovated the house.

A few years after Sylvia’s death in 1949, the estate sold the property to Dr. and Mrs. Clayton Young.  The Youngs sold it to Mr. and Mrs. John Chanler who in turn sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Armbruster.