64 Second Street

2006

Early in the 19th century, the original part of this house was built for Mr. and Mrs. Ogden Willey.  When the first Livingston County Board of Supervisors met in 1821, Mr. Willey, an attorney, was named Clerk, an office he held for several years.  He died in 1849 and in 1861 Mrs. Willey sold the house to William and Rhoda Bond.  In 1863, they sold it to Ralzamon Beckwith who made improvements and it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Stevens in 1876.  It was sold again in 1884 to Mr. and Mrs. Eliza Bacon.  Mr. Bacon was a hardware dealer.  Extensive improvements were made in 1909-10 and in 1911 the Bacons transferred the deed to their daughter Ina and her husband Elbert Foland.  A 1916 issue of McCall’s magazine featured “The Little Bride’s Garden” at this house including reference to a well which had served residents of this house for over 100 years.  About 1818, Mr. and Mrs. Foland purchased Gooding Hall on Wadsworth Street from William S. Gooding, renamed it Emerson Hall, and continued to run it as a boarding home for Normal School students.  They sold their house on Second Street to Harriet and Luderne Green.  Mr. Green served as Superintendent of the Poor for several years.    In 1924, they sold it to Miss Lillian Stewart who moved here from Cleveland to accept a teaching position at the Normal School.  She lived here with her mother and uncle until about 1952.