97 Village Road is a charming Victorian-style home built in 1885 by Samuel Dutton, featuring a side-gable (also known as temple-and-wing) design. This construction stands out in Steuben due to the scarcity of similar new homes built at such a grand scale and with meticulous detail during that era.

Samuel Dutton (1861-1926) was the son of William R.H. Dutton (1825-1893) and Mary J. Shaw (1836-1916). The Duttons came from a wealthy Ellsworth family who started a lumber operation in Steuben near the town landing. Samuel Dutton founded a general store on the Village Road near his house. Samuel married Effie Smith of Smithville, Steuben in 1886 and the couple had one child, Philip S. Dutton (1893-1955). The store burned down between 1930-40.

Samuel Dutton’s brother, Edward Martin Dutton (1821-1878) owned 138 Village Road.