Otis, Job and Deborah, House
Also known as: East Otis Farm
Why it's listed
Built in 1815 by Dr. Pearley Kinney, this Federal style farmhouse stands on 4.5 acres just east of Sherwood in Scipio, Cayuga County. It has a two-story, three-bay main block with a side ell, a pedimented front gable with a louvered fan, and a trabeated entrance with sidelights. Inside, the room layout, wide-plank floors, original doors, staircases and two fine Federal mantelpieces survive. A mid- to late 19th-century barn also remains. Job and Deborah Otis bought the farm in 1833 after leaving New Bedford, Massachusetts. Deborah was a Quaker minister who opposed Gurneyite reform activism and became a leading Wilburite. A group of her followers in the Sherwood area came to be called Otisites. The house is valued for its link to this Quaker family and the area's equal rights movements, and as an outstanding example of Federal domestic architecture. Later Otis descendants continued to live on the farm into the 1930s.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to the Otis family, prominent Quakers in the Sherwood area who were active during a period of Quaker-based equal rights movements. Deborah Otis, a Quaker minister, guided a local Wilburite group that came to be known as Otisites. The house is also considered an outstanding, highly intact example of Federal style domestic architecture in Scipio.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 08000468, listed May 29, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1882-1886 Sherwood Rd., Sherwood |
|---|---|
| County | Cayuga County |
| Listed | May 29, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000468 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1815-ca. 1900 |
| Architect / builder | unknown (built in 1815 by Dr. Pearley Kinney, per the narrative) |
| Architectural style | Early 19th century; Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single family dwelling; the interior and the house itself are described as remarkably intact. |
| Acreage | 4.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.76277, -76.61495 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 08000468.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6206703
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.