 Wealthy agriculturists Nehemiah (also known as William) and Louisa (also known as Louise) Denton moved from New York City to Geneva in 1852, at a time when the area was the center of agricultural prosperity in New York.They purchased the land then known as the Old Castle Farm in the early 1850s, commissioned the building of the
Italiante villa now known as Parrott Hall, and moved into the new mansion in 1856.Both Nehemiah and Louisa were deaf mutes.