Sibley-Hoyt House

The Sibley-Hoyt House is a historic house in Pontiac, Michigan that's center is a frame cabin dating to 1820 making it one of Pontiac's first structures. It was built by Solomon and Sarah Sibley, one of the founders of Pontiac. It is also the county's oldest house.^[1]

Sibley-Hoyt House
Former names	Hoyt House
Alternative names	Sibley Cabin
General information
Address	146 West Lawrence Street, Pontiac Michigan
Construction started	1819

Description

The Sibley-Hoyt house is a cabin that dates to 1819 or 1820.^[2] The sawmill and cabin were owned by Solomon and Sarah Sibley.^[2] Located at 146 West Lawrence Street, Pontiac Michigan within the Franklin Boulevard Historic District. The origins of the current house are a cabin measuring 18 feet by 20 feet.^[3][4] It was built on a cellar. The original roof structure for the cabin still exists albeit another larger roof has enclosed it within the attic.^[5] It was built soon after the sawmill in Pontiac was running as of 1819.^[6] Original cabin floor boards and roof boards measure in excess of 18". There was an original chimney in the cabin that still exists today. Additionally, there are original blue glass windows that were moved to the outside wall. ^[7]

The cabin was built on a 10-acre site (outlot 14) part of the original plat of the village of Pontiac.^[8] The structure would have been used for lodging for Judge Sibley when in town, but more importantly for itinerant farmers, workers who needed a place to stay while they worked to build their own home or were just residing here while working on building projects.^[2] The 10 acres provided ample land in town for growing crops and keeping livestock. The cellar, being on high ground from the town proper, was likely the first cellar in town and a community resource for sure. It kept the milk cool in summer, and root vegetables cool, and from freezing, in winter.

Early additions to the cabin were made across the north and west sides. The front portion of the current house dates to 1840^[3] and was a separate house moved in 1866 or 1867 during Hoyt ownership.^[9][10] The house, dating to around 1840 originally, was moved with two rooms downstairs, a staircase and entry hall, two rooms upstairs with a closet. A birds-eye map from 1867, showing structures and other town features, verifies the existence of the house with the larger house moved to this site. There were additions made to the building that include a bathroom, dining room, fireplace, during the 19th century. The front porch was likely widened at this time. A side porch of Victorian style also was added on the east side with a side door entering onto it. The porch and door are since removed. A screened porch off the back of house was the last addition and appears to be from the 1950s or 60s.

Structural evidence in the cabin's attic and cellar support that the front 2-story house was moved to this site.^[11] Patching in of molding, siding, and plaster indicate the front house was part of a greater house and changes were made to it after it was moved to the Sibley-Hoyt house. Existence of a partial chimney and sagging of the front entry hall floor also indicate the house was moved with a fireplace sitting on the floor structure that was never re-supported, causing floor beams to sag.

History

The house was originally dated to 1840 during the creation of the Franklin Boulevard Historic District in 1982.^[12] That date only pertains to the front facade, a two-story mid Greek Revival era structure that was moved to the current site in 1866 or 1867 by George Hoyt and connected to the cabin.^[13] It was owned by Solomon and Sarah Sibley, who were responsible for financing the settlement at Pontiac, the creation of the Pontiac Company and the mercantile firm of Mack, Conant and Sibley.^[14][15]

The cabin remained in the Sibleys' possession for almost ten years when it was sold to William Thompson, another Pontiac Company member. The cabin on its ten acres, became a part of Thompson's greater property, was then sold to Francis Darrow and Abel Peck in 1836 and became part of the Darrow and Peck's Subdivision, Pontiac's second subdivision.^[16]

The cabin was bought and sold four times before being repurchased by Francis Darrow, this time as an individual. He held the property until 1861 when it was sold to Richard Elliott.^[17] Elliott lost the property to foreclosure and in 1863 it was purchased by Professor George Hoyt.^[18] The Hoyt Family would occupy the house for 111 years, ending with the daughter Georgia in 1974.

The house was then purchased in December 1986 by Ronald Gay. He found several inconsistencies with the brief history that existed about the house when he bought it. He used research from the county clerk's office, the Burton Historical Collection in Detroit's main library, and the Pontiac Public Library to determine the current history and renaming of the house. ^{[19] [20][21]}

In November 2004, the Hoyt House became the Sibley-Hoyt House.^[22]

Notable Historical Events

In 1825, the Sibley's, owner of the cabin sold land to the first African American in Pontiac and Oakland County, Elizabeth Denison, later becoming Elizabeth Denison Forth. ^[23][3]

The house was part of the founding of Pontiac and one of the oldest structures in the state and region. ^[1]

The Sibley-Hoyt house is where the Michigan Animal Rescue League began.

Francis Darrow, was an owner twice, lastly and singularly in 1850. Darrow was a known abolitionist. He was treasurer, and a founding member, of the Oakland County Free Discussion and Anti-Slavery Society here in 1836. He owned a large house directly next door on the east side of the Sibley-Hoyt House. It's possible that during the years of the Fugitive Slave Act, enacted in 1850, the Dred Scott Case of 1857, this cabin was used for the purpose of assisting Freedom Seekers.^{[citation needed] [24]}

Notable Designations^[3]

• Library of Congress distinguished American building in 1934
• Michigan State Historic Site in 1958
• National Register of Historic Places in 1971

References

1. "Walled Lake community leaders join together to rehabilitate 188-year-old Foster Farmhouse". The Oakland Press. 2021-02-10. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
2. "Welcome to City of Pontiac, Michigan". www.pontiac.mi.us. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
3. HistoricDetroit.org, Deborah J. Gillespie for. "Sibley House | Historic Detroit". historicdetroit.org. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
4. Observation from Dr. L.Sickles-Taves, Phd. in historic preservation and research, after a personal visit to the home. Eastern Michigan University.
5. Letter from Sarah to Solomon Sibley dated 1819, states the saw mill and grist mill up and running by 1819. Detroit Public Library Burton Historical Collection, Solomon Sibley manuscript file.
6. Conclusion was drawn based on purpose of Solomon Sibley owning outlet 14, the need for housing by itinerant workers, the Sibley's financial, emotional, and physical involvement in the settlement, the use of the term appurtenances in subsequent deeds, the early features of the cabin's construction. This evidence was accepted by the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office and preceded the name change and historical file change on the house.
7. These window sash are very thin and primitive in appearance, as are many of the doors that are hand planed. The blue tinted glass is also very primitive in appearance as in waviness and bubbles.
8. Property remained a ten acre parcel until 1836 when it was purchased and subdivided. City of Pontiac Assessor's Office.
9. A deed dated 1867 conveys the house and property to Caroline Wilcox Hoyt from George A. Hoyt. A story related to the author states that George gave Caroline the house as a wedding present. The story teller was a descendant of the man who came to Pontiac with George Hoyt, from Romeo. The other part of the story states that the storyteller's ancestor, Charles Palmer, gave the Hoyt's the house as a wedding present. The possible whole story is that Palmer gave George the house, had it moved here for him as George was blind, Palmer well off, and upon completion of the move and renovation George gave it to his new young bride as a wedding give.
10. Oakland County Register of Deeds has deed on file from George A. Hoyt to Caroline Wilcox Hoyt for the property located at Sibley-Hoyt House address. A map from 1867 shows the house entire with the front house in place on the property.
11. Primary evidence is the missing mud sill at cabin cellar south wall, replaced with a mud sill that matches front house structure; a large iron dog (like a staple) used to tie this smaller mud sill to the larger original cabin mud sill; in the attic the siding of the front house continues through the attic, indicating the siding was not attached after the structure was built on this site but instead was moved up against this house with siding intact; sagging front entry hall floor and absence of fireplace where signs of one exist in front parlor indicates the front house was moved here with the fireplace weighing on the structure of the floor and was never underpinned after house was moved, resulting in the weight of the fireplace bowing floor, it was subsequently removed albeit leaving a chimney in second floor attic resting on roof structure beams (it has also since been removed for the same reason, inadequate support per weight).
12. "Michigan Historical Markers". www.michmarkers.com. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
13. Oakland County County Clerk's office, register of deeds, deed from George Hoyt to Caroline Hoyt, in 1867, their year of marriage. Extant structural evidence supports the move of the house as well as an 1867 map which depicts the house shape on the street.
14. Copy of the deed titled "Mill Privilege" includes outlot 14, with appurtenances, as does subsequent deeds. Detroit Public Library, Burton Historical Collection, Solomon Sibley manuscript file.
15. Several documents exist between Steven Mack and Solomon Sibley detailing their partnership from the beginning of Pontiac in 1818 and how Mack was financially indebted to Sibley until Mack's death in 1826. Sibley was chairman of the committee to assign and sell U.S. land in the newly formed Michigan Territory that included the area now known as Pontiac. Sibley was chairman of the Pontiac Company its beginning years. His wife Sarah corresponded to Solomon when he was traveling in order to get finances and provisions to the fledgling town as evidenced in one letter from her to him. Detroit Public Library, Burton Historical Collection; Solomon Sibley manuscript file; Pontiac Public Library, historical collection of Pontiac Company original minutes.
16. City of Pontiac Assessor's office subdivision plat maps.
17. City directory form 1861, Oakland County Pioneer & Historical Society.
18. Citing deed from Richard Elliott to George Hoyt 1863, Oakland County Clerk's office, deed retention.
19. "Oakland County, Michigan". www.oakgov.com. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
20. "Burton Historical Collection | Detroit Public Library". www.detroit.lib.mi.us. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
21. "Pontiac Public Library". www.pontiac.lib.mi.us. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
22. "PreservationNation". preservationnation.org. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
23. . www.michmarkers.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2007. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
24. . www.michmarkers.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2007. Retrieved 2016-01-31.

42°38′12.8″N 83°17′51.5″W / 42.636889°N 83.297639°W / 42.636889; -83.297639