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Note: At some point in our House family history a photograph of Josiah House and his wife Julia
was sent to one of his relatives. Who that relative was, and who his ancestors are, have been lost to conjecture.
The first known record of Josiah is the 1840 Ulster County Census of New York. It shows him living in Esopus, N.Y., and as being born in Connecticut. Curiously, this is also where my House ancestors came from.
Josiah spent most of his life in the employ of the Astor - Chanler family in Red Hook, New York.
He was most likely their caretaker, and was very well liked and respected by both families. He lived at the estate with Julia until his death.
Sometime near his 75th year, he contracted with the Astors and Chanlers to erect a stone wall
on their estate. Between 1880 - 88, he quarried and hand cut each stone that was to comprise a 3000 ft.
long stone wall. This wall still stands at Rokeby, the Astor Chanler Estate, in Red Hook, New York.
On a stone inscribed by Josiah it is written: Hunc Murum Josiah House Ex Fundamentis Erexit Quem Sibi Monumentum Posuit. Translated: Just as it stands, with his own his own hands, He quarried and he cut 'em. When he is gone may every stone Stay where Josiah put 'em. The inscription given above was composed by Winthrop Astor Chanler in 1888, three years
after his graduation from Harvard College where he studied the Latin language, and was chiseled into a slab of bluestone by Josiah House himself, which surmounts his great ornamental walll immediately south of the southerly pillar at the front entrance to Rokeby. During the last 25 years of his life, Josiah House and his wife Julia occupied the adjoining gatehouse.
In part because of this wall, River Road has been designated a Scenic Road by the State of New York and an historic tourway by Dutchess County. The Federal Government has declared the wall to be a contributing feature to the Hudson River Historic Landmark District, established by the Secretary of the Interior in 1990.
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