Compiled by Delbert E. Van Etten
The Keller Memorial, Town of Liberty Government Center, formerly the home
of Otto E. and Polly Young Keller located at 120 North Main Street, Liberty,
N.Y., with its tree laden lawns remains to all outward appearances, with the
exception of the few necessary alterations, much the same as when the Keller
family occupied the dwelling as their home.
The house and grounds have changed little since the early part of the
century when the home was rebuilt and the grounds were developed much as
they exist today by James Chandler Young.
The prime forces in retaining the property in the later years were two
sisters, Mrs. Polly Y. Keller and Miss Louise Kimball Young, daughters of
James Chandler Young and Emma Crary Young, who were responsible for making
most of the alterations and additions to the structure as we see it today.
The front and central section of the house was originally built by Dr.
John . Watkins in the year 1836 or close thereto. Dr. Watkins, who was born
June 7, 1806 near Campbell Hall in Orange County, was a graduate of the
College of Physicians and Surgeons in Fairfield, Herkimer County. He began
his practice of medicine at Neversink, later moving to Bloomingburgh, and
finally settling at Liberty, where in 1833 he married Harriet Young, a
daughter of Joseph Young. He went into the mercantile pursuits with his
father-in-law and later bought out the stock of goods of the late Caleb
Buckley and commenced business in the settlement of his own account as a
merchant, with John Davidge as a partner.
When Dr. Watkins built the "Watkins House" as it was known in
those days, it was vastly different from the structure as it exists today.
The front of the house was quite plain, having a small porch centered at the
middle extension that houses the front door. At the top of the existing
front steps is a large thick flag stone which served as the floor for the
small porch as built by Dr. Watkins.
The front of the house had one window centered in the space on either
side of the front door with an "eyebrow" of gingerbread over the
top of each, and there were no windows in the front of the house on the
second floor. The large curved bay windows were not on the southerly side of
the house and there was at that time but one central chimney protruding
through the center of the roof.
The existing middle section or real ell at that time did not have the
large screened sleeping porch on the second floor which Mr. Otto Keller put
on and the large wood-house which now stands directly in the rear of the
main building stood on the lawn to the south and faced Main Street.
The entire frontage on Main Street at this time was adorned by an
ornamental iron fence. In the summer of 1914, J.C. Young had the existing
stone work done and the old iron fence was sold to Frank and Phoebe Edmonds
to adorn their property at the corner of Chestnut and Clements Streets. The
Edmonds place was later purchased by Dr. Luther Grant and eventually made
into his home and office complex.
Russell and Grace Garrabrant, who worked for the family a couple of years
before the Kellers left for Connecticut, stayed as caretakers, keeping the
house and grounds in immaculate condition and to all outward appearances,
the Kellers were still at home.
Shortly after the first of January 1976, there were rumors that the house
was to be given to the Town of Liberty for office purposes and this was
later confirmed in the local papers.
About mid-summer, the family began the staggering task of removing the
furnishings and the general accumulation of the years and years of occupancy
by one family.
On August 25, 1976, the deed conveying the lands to the Town of Liberty
was signed by Polly Y. Keller and the house and grounds officially became
Town property.
After the Labor Day weekend all was gone and the house and grounds
awaited the coming of a new cycle of events in its existence.
Architect Martin Schwartz of Rock Hill was hired by the Town Board and
plans were drawn and put out for bids for the necessary renovations to be
made on the structure so that it might be converted into public office
space, yet retain as far as possible the dignity and graciousness of the
fine old home.
On March 10, 1977 bids were awarded for the general contract, electrical
contract, and the contract for the sprinkler installation. Ralph Manzi,
doing business as DeRossa Builders, Inc. of White Plains, New York, received
the general contract. Ross Electric of Liberty did the electrical work and
Sullivan Sprinkler Service Corporation of South Fallsburg put in the
sprinkler system. Marty Hoffman and William Nicoll did an excellent job on
the interior painting of the building.
While the house was in the remodeling stage, the sad news came from
Connecticut that Mrs. Keller, who had been ill for a short period of time,
had died on April 24, 1977. A Service of Remembrance was held at her beloved
Methodist Church and was attended by many friends. She was buried beside her
husband in the family plot in the Liberty Cemetery.
Although Mrs. Keller didn't live to be present at the dedication, we
shall remember her for the loving, generous, kind, and thoughtful person
that she was in her everyday affairs.
Due to her generosity, and that of her family, the historic house and
grounds will be preserved and the Town has its needed offices, and we, the
people of Liberty, have something to be proud of.
Source:
Delbert E. Van Etten
Town and Village of Liberty Historian
August 1977
Other Liberty Links
Greater Liberty Chamber of Commerce
See Liberty Businesses
