Smith Road Barn

Smith Road Barn

Then: Post Card from Dieter Friedrichsen’s collection
Now: Photo by Teddi (2017)

This barn is located on Smith Road in the Town of Pleasant Valley. The land, on which it is located, was conveyed by Jan De Graeff, one of the original Nine Partners, to his daughter Hester and his Son-in-Law Nicholas Van Wagenen in 1739.

Jan De Graeff died in 1734, but the title to the land remained in his estate until 1767. The actual date of construction is unknown, but the deed of 1767 mentions “buildings, fences, improvements, water, water courses, trees, meadows, marshes, swamps, woods, underwoods, privileges, appurtences, whatsoever”. The crude construction and 2-foot thick walls suggest that it was built much earlier than 1767.

In his will of 1769 (proved in 1772) Nicholas bequeathed the farm and the buildings to his eldest son Evert (born 1740), whose descendants in direct male line owned and occupied it until 1923.

It is possible that the building was originally a tenant house with a porch in front, two rooms with separate entrance doors, windows of irregular size and two chimneys, one in each gable. The louvered ventilator on the roof has been added since the building was converted to a barn.

Information provided by Dieter Friedrichsen – 2017