house

Our House Page

Built in 1883 by Thomas Craig*, a local store owner and postmaster. He died within a year of its completion. It remained in his family until 1917 when it was sold to L. L. Rasey*, who owned a harness shop,grain store,and sold John Deere equipment here in Dekalb Junction. For many years he was the town justice, running his office and holding court in the house. He is still known as Judge Rasey. Many people who got traffic tickets in the forties and early fifties remember this house not for the fines he handed out but for the scolding that came with them. Judge Rasey died in 1956. The house remained in his family until 1964 when Clarence & Edna Cross* bought it. We bought it in 1998 just before Edna died.Picture of the Crosses below, have yet to find pictures of Craig, or Rasey.
Other than the front porch being rebuilt and the back porch being glassed in in the late 60's the exterior has changed very little since it was built. On the inside a coal furnace was installed in 1910 replacing four coal stoves. It was wired and the plumbing was installed in the early fifties. The kicthen was remodeled in the early 60's. We do not plan on making any changes other than putting things back to as built condition where we can.

This house had caught Diane's and my eye when passing for the last twenty years. So when it came onto the market even though we had a new house half built we jumped at the chance to buy it, and have been very happy here since, and look forward to living here for many years.

House

1890, Earliest picture I have

House

1908, From a post card of army maneuvers. Finding this was a bit of luck, the church spire was the only way I would have know at first look.This is the back of the house looking east.

Before 68, was written on the back. Horse barn was replaced with garage and open back porch closed-in in 1968.Old maple tree before crown lost at far left.

1975 maple was still in front on house

1979 last year for maple tree

1980 maple stump

1985 Healthy young elm growing out of maple stump.
Front porch was restored in 1984

1998 the elm tree was fourteen inches at chest high at sixteen years old ( ring count). It died in the summer of 1999 and I removed it with remains of maple stump..

1998 December

1999 December

If you have noticed the two yews in front of the house had been getting larger in every picture.They were blocking air and light from the front porch so I trimmed them into a square hedge in the fall of 1999

2001 I planted six silver maples in the front yard, and one native soft maple.

2001 We put a new roof on the house. With help (thanks JIM) it took seven weeks. The old roofing was four inches thick.

The Interior

The walls are still lath & lime plaster all the way through the house. The woodwork is poplar with ash moulding. Stain is light to dark reds & browns. The doors are all painted oak woodgrain.

Winter sunlight works it's way from room to room.

Birch cabinets put in by the Crosses

Always a cat on every bed.

On the second floor there are three bedrooms a sitting room at the landing. Over the kitchen ell there is a hired girls room, and a box room.

Chistmas tree 2002 in parlor

From living room looking into parlor.

The Craig-Rasey-Cross House *

All the fields around the house are now into lawn.

2003 June

1990

I believe this house was built from a pattern book, but so far have been unable to find the design. The brick is what is locally know as soft Hermon brick. Layed up with lime mortar. There are four inch stud walls on the interior (now insulated). The plan is of three wings each 18' x 26'. Ceiling height on both floors is 9'- 0".Basement walls 24" thick random rubble , clear basement head space is 6'- 6". Roof is (45 degree) full 12/12 pitch. Shutters were installed,but removed at some point to make room for wooden storm sash.There were three stool chimneys to start with, only one remains. Framing is of hemlock, and all joist beams and sills are of elm.The brick work remains in very good shape, and has never been repointed.The trim has been painted six times (greens, greys, whites, once bright red). I am slowly stripping it to bare wood, and will repaint with an oil-based paint(white or pale cream)

We hope you have enjoyed coming to our house for a short tour.

I would like to thank: Don Blount for many of the old house pictures

The bathroom was placed in part of what was office/library in 1954

From parlor looking into living room

Clerance & Edna Cross 1979

Map of Village Lots
at DeKalb Junction
Laid out on Lands of
Gen. R. W. Judson
as Surveyed by H. Thompson
June 3d 1867

This was a large map that gave me fits scanning in, but thought it was worth the effort.
The white blocks of the house foot print was added by me.