The building is of stone and older people remember it as having an attractive porch and dormer windows. It was plastered on the outside and at the rear overlooks a long sweep of the Indian river with the Tannery falls just a little upstream.

Joseph Fayel, historian and once owner of the place, claimed that LaFarge, having obtained options from the Antwerp company for several lots in this section, employed John N. Rotiers to erect the building. It was near where LeRay had opened a large clearing in 1822 and where during the war of 1812 John Hoover captured British soldiers spying out the large herd of cattle grazing here. LaFarge had other buildings erected at this spot and used the stone building as a land office for a time. He is reported to have resided there for two years. John Fayal (sic) coachman for James LeRay, purchased the place from the Antwerp Land company in 1830. When Lafarge was dispossessed he went to Perch Lake where he erected a fine mansion of chiseled limestone. Later he erected the mansion near LaFargeville.

The Fayel family resided in the house and there grew up two newspaper men, William, a reporter in the west, and John, who worked in this state. The older brother, Joseph, who helped found the Republican party, was more of a newspaper man than farmer and always wrote much of historic matters.

The late John P. Douglas purchased the property from the Fayel estate and some years ago the People’s Oil company purchased the house with two and one-half acres of land for a filling station. It has been rented to different tenants but some years ago was abandoned as a filling station when the Watertown-Ogdensburg highway changed its course.

About a year ago Mr. Schell purchased the Cooper property that borders the LaFarge house. When the owners of the LaFarge place urged Mr. Schell to buy, he refused, but did offer $50, although the place is assessed for $700. To his surprise he found he had purchased the property. This place has another building, nearly new, which contains a dwelling and garage. In looking over the stone house Mr. Schell was convinced that the building was too far gone to preserve.

He said that some of the interior trimming had been taken out in former years. The fireplaces were closed and the fine stair-rail gone. From the building he is taking great pine planks, some 30 inches wide and without a knot. Handmade nails and spikes were used in the construction of the building. These range in length from twelve inches down to five and one half. In the woodwork on the eves there is a pine timber, hollowed out like a trough, to carry off water that might get under the cornice.

Mr. Shell last summer erected a barn on the Cooper place from materials secured from the old woolen mill long known as the woolen mill of the Flower family. His barn will be finished inside with planks and timbers from the LaFarge house.

It was in the LaFarge house, when owned by the Fayel family, that the first missionaries sent here by the Mormon church found lodging.

Many people have supposed that the stone house was built about 1819, but Mr. Fayel wrote that the house was built in 1825.