DeJoux House

Finding some wonderful stuff on the previous owners of the house. Seems that George Fiorentino (owner of DeJoux House from 1934-1941 and the first to own our 9.45 acres after the farm was broken into smaller lots) was a co-owner/partner in "the most famous restaurant in the world". The Colony Restaurant @61st and Madison. He can be seen here (top row, 4th from left) in a photo of the staff of the Colony. His partner Gene Cavallero is also in the photo (top row 7th from left). The full story is HERE . From what I can find out, both men worked their way up in the restaurant business from bus boys (as documented in this Milwaukee Sentinel Jan, 11th, 1948). As co-owner of one of the most fashionable restaurants of the period we can only imagine who visited as guests to their country house. I think this is George to the right of the bar,

Daniel and I tested the ice and then went ice skating on the pond (or lake as our friend Cindy calls it). It was the most magical day. Sunshine, blue sky, snow and Ice. Daniel and I stepped on the island for the first time and were able to film from the middle of the pond. The house looks great in the pictures too.

1755 - 1756  House was built by Christoffel Deyo (Baptized New Paltz 1728) Siting by native American Chief from Waranwongkong tribe as referenced in "Native New Yorkers" book. 1756 Christoffel marries Deborah Van Vleit 1765 Kitchen Extension built, Taxes on house listed as GBP 15 (yes Pounds!) 1790 Map of New Paltz shows house marked as D.Deyo 1792 Christoffel dies and house is passed to his son David Benjamin Deyo 1792 David Deyo marries Rachel Ean 1798 Taxes for house listed as $425 (There are 5 slaves listed at the property too) 1804 David Deyo dies and the house is passed to his wife Rachel 1811 Rachel Deyo marries her second husband Abraham Relyea 1840 Rachel Deyo dies leaving 'life right' to Abraham Relyea 1844 Boundary between New Paltz and Rosendale created with Relyea farm as...

Sorry for the delay. Daniel and I spent a whole week at the house and I haven't written about any of the events. Here, in brief, is what is going on. 1) We have spoken to three contractors about the 'removals' stage. This will include removing all of the 1930's closets, kitchen cabinets, the multiple layers of wall 'furring' and the plaster ceilings between the beams which seem to have been put in to hide the heating ducts. The plan is to go back to the ceiling being the reverse side of the wooden floorboards above as seen here in this Huguenot house. 2) Daniel and I cleared the whole north side of the house. There were so many poison ivy vines and bittersweet vines and the old TV antenna pole. This meant cutting down many small trees and clearing some space. 3) Ryan Petit came over with his chain saw and we cut up the tree that blocked the path to the pond. He also cut up the fallen cherry tree, the huge limb of the pine trees on the north side of th...