Built in 1800, this historic farm house is one of the original buildings in the New Hurley neighborhood. It was a Constable-owned home and general store for most of the second half of the 1800s.

The 10-acre property contains a homestead and three-story barn on the street corner. For many years, the barn was the location of the neighborhood general store and also served as its post office from 1834 to 1905.

John Constable and his wife Mary bought the property from its previous owner — a man named William Mickles — for a sum of 50 pounds in 1856.

During his more than 40 years living here, John operated the New Hurley General Store and also served as New Hurley’s postmaster for at least part of that time. He and Mary raised two children in the house, Charlotte (b. 1853) and DeWitt (b. 1862).

Mary died early in 1899. John followed later that year. They are buried in the New Hurley Reformed Church cemetery, about a half-mile away.

More about John: John was born to Moses and Charlotte Constable in 1829 on the nearby Constable family farm in Gardiner. He was baptized at the New Hurley Reformed Church.

Moses and Charlotte lived with Moses’ father, also named John. The elder John brought the Constable family to the area in 1794. Upon his death in 1839, Moses inherited the family farm. It stayed in the family until 1856.

The property is now known as Tantillo Farm, located on Route 208. None of the original structures have survived, but the old Constable burial ground is still on the property.

The former John Constable House and New Hurley General Store are located at 1091 Plains Road, Plattekill, New York 12589.