The first family believed to have lived in this particular structure was William Edmonston and his wife, Elizabeth Stamply, probably in the 1830's. The Ory House may have been their new family home. They gave birth to William Louis Edmonston, who married Mary Aucoin. Their daughter, Mary E. Edmonston, born in 1870, married John Wilton Ory and gave birth to Elmer Eugene Ory. He married Olive Daigle and had a son, Eugene Hyle Ory and four daughters, 'Erin' Marie, Elva 'Clare', Mary 'Nell', and 'Ivy' Rose, who married Bruce Smith. Their son, Wiley Smith, was instrumental in selling the Ory House to Dr. F. Wayne Stromeyer, the present owner.
Eugene was the last adult male Ory to live in this house. Eugene married Norma Elizabeth Theriot and gave birth to three daughters and three sons,including Katherine 'Dianne', Norma Gene 'Genie', Sherry 'Beth', Stephan, Allen 'Keith', and Donald.The house is constructed in the bousillage-entre-poteaux sur solle, or "mud-between posts on a sill" method. The main wall posts are mortised into heavy cypress sills. A mixture of mud and moss was used as infill between the posts. The sills are elevated about 2 feet on cypress blocks. Evidence from nails demonstrates that the house was constructed after 1834 and before the late 1880's. Family tradition is that the house was constructed about 1830. An earlier cabin, perhaps the original settler's house, survives on the property.
The Ory House is a folk house, constructed by those who lived in it. That is demonstrated by the lack of beading of the exposed ceiling joists, the modest use of bracing, and the lack of decorative features. As originally built, the core of the house was divided between a 14 foot wide salle and a 10 foot chambre. Later, the partition was moved to a more central location. There is an 8 foot deep gallery across the front and a 10 foot cabinet range behind the two main rooms. This was asymmetrically partitioned into two smaller rooms identical in widths to the original main rooms. Stairs to the attic, which was employed as a girl's bedroom, are set in the larger cabinet. The doors and windows were originally unglazed, simply protected with board and batten shutters. Later, six-over-six double hung windows were added and several of the plank doors were replaced with commercial paneled doors. The original chimney, perhaps of mud and sticks, was replaced with a larger brick chimney. The Ory House was moved from its original location approximately 200 feet to the south in March of 1992.
The following pictures were taken by Lloyd Daigle before the Ory House was moved to it's present location. Lloyd has been gracious enough to allow me to publish these pictures on my website. Thanks Lloyd, we all appreciate the pictures.
This picture is shot from the inside of the Ory House attic; note the rather large cracks between the wood planks where the bousillage-entre-poteaux sur solle has fallen out. Also note the chimney that dominates this picture of the attic.
More Links
Darlene'sPage
List of German Documents
Early Map Site
Maps of Alsace - Lorrainne Region
Ory House Plans
