Pepper
House, Delanson, NY
(currently known as Random Acres)

Along
Western Turnpike, also known as Route 20, is this home which was once
a well known tavern. The back portion of the home was built in 1765
by a Mr. Vedder. He added the front part in 1875 and lived in the home
for 65 years until he sold it to a Mr. Lasher, who in turn sold it to
a Mr. Turnbull. John S. Hoag bought it from Turnbull in 1872 and it
became known as the Turnbull-Hoag Tavern. Hoag traded a Duanesburg store
for the farm. The store was valued at $3,000 and the farm for $10,000.
It is believed that the farm came with 300 acres including what is now
the Delanson Reservoir. Mrs. Karl Pepper, a daughter of the Hoag's,
lived here until 1957, when the house and 30 acres of land were purchased
by the Anthony's. Four years later, in 1961, they sold it to the Fredericks
who completely restored the house and barns and added a garage. The
present owners, the Siegel family, purchased the home in 1990. The rear
portion of the house was destroyed by fire in 1995. The house was moved
up the hill to the back of the property and the rear section rebuilt.
An old ledger from
the 1920's through the 1940's lists the names of many travelers who
stayed at the tavern. Names of people from as far away as Kansas and
Missouri to the west and Maine to the east, as well as Toronto, Ontario,
Canada can be found all through the ledger.
Other
Links:
Historic
photo