The Historian - Three Village Historical Society

The Historian
A Publication of the Three Village Historical Society
Inside this issue:
President’s Message
Incoming President
A Strong Case
Chicken Hill
Rhodes Committee
Tri Spy Tours
Crawford Barn
Event Photos
Pg 2
Pg 3
Pg 4
Pg 7
Pg 8
Pg 10
Pg 10
Pgs 9 &
11
The Three Village
Historical Society
Governing Board
Steven Hintze
President
Stephen Healy
Vice President
Janet McCauley
Vice President
Karin Lynch
Treasurer
Cathy White
Recording Secretary
Mildred Mastrion
Corresponding Secretary
Trustees:
Connie Burawa
Jennifer Crane
Paul D’Amico
Charles Glaser
Barbara Gottfried
Carol Lane
Robert Lauto
Ronald LaVita
Michael O’Dwyer
Andrew Pelosi
Frank Turano
John Yantz
Volume 52 Issue 1
36th Annual Candlelight House Tour
Carol Lane,
Candlelight House Tour Co-Chair
The Society celebrated its 36th Annual
Candlelight House Tour, “Life Near the
Trestles” on Friday, December 5th and
Saturday, December 6th, 2014. The
steering committee began working in
April to solicit and confirm the six
houses that were on the Tour – three in
the E. Setauket historic district and
three just south of the LIRR trestle on
Bennett’s Road in Setauket. All of the
houses had roots in the late 18th or 19th
centuries, (but all were adapted to fit
21st Century lifestyles.) As has been the
case for many years, the Friday night
Tour culminated with a reception, this
year at the Three Village Inn, and the
Saturday Tour started for some with a
breakfast at the VFW Hall in E. Setauket. Both events were sold out. Thank
you to all the volunteers – committee,
house chairs, decorators, docents and
the Boy Scouts of Troop #70, as well as
the guests who braved heavy rains on
Saturday afternoon to make the event a
success. The Tour is the Society’s largest fund raising event and without you
all it would not have happened.
Staff:
Beverly Tyler
Historian
Karen Martin
Archivist
Donna Smith
Director of Education
Sandy White
Office Manager
Suzanna Roberts
Office Assistant
Dianne Trautmann
Creative Services
Winter 2015
Above: Docent Grace Lehayne welcomes
tour goer to the Kanestrin home.
Right: Carol Lane visits the raffle table at
the Saturday Morning Breakfast, held at
the VFW Hall Post 3054 in East Setautket
All photos this page by Bev Tyler
Heim House on Saturday December 6th ready for the tour.
Docent Marcia Montoya greeting visitors to the Fisher home.
Page 2
TVHS-The Historian
President’s Message
Dear Friends:
Well, another year has passed and my tenure as president of the Three Village Historic Society
has come to an end. These two years have been educational and very rewarding. This Society has
accomplished many things in the past few years and I am very happy to have been a part it.
We were able to begin the long process of reorganizing our office, which included the new networked computer system and website, as mentioned in a previous president’s message. Whenever a reorganization project begins, it requires a tremendous amount of work and that is why I
would like to give a very special thank you to our staff: Sandy White, Karen Martin, Susie Roberts, Dianne Trautmann, Justin Ray-O’Keefe (who has moved on to greener pastures), and office
volunteer, Marcia Seamen. Their hard work and dedication have been an integral part of the
success of this organization.
We opened yet another successful exhibit Chicken Hill to compliment our already popular
SPIES! exhibit. We are thankful to the curators of the Chicken Hill exhibit, Frank Turano,
Karen Martin, and of course the Rhodes Committee for all of their hard work and thousands of
hours of volunteer time. The SPIES! Exhibit continues to be a popular draw with the help of Bev
and Barbara Tyler and Donna Smith. Ward Melville High School students are being trained to
become docents of our exhibits, helping us bridge the gap to new volunteers.
Let’s not forget the Crawford Barn! As we are waiting for our grant to be finalized, the plans are
still being hammered out with our architect, John Cunniffe, and the Town of Brookhaven. Another thank you to Assemblyman Steven Englebright for his support and generous sponsorship
of the DASNY grant to help get this project started. Also, thank you, Kara Hahn, for your support and helping us secure more grant funding from the NYS Suffolk County Department of
Parks Recreation and Conservation.
On behalf of the Society, I would like to thank Eric Waxman for his many years of volunteerism
and especially his long tenure as a walking tour docent. Eric has been a tremendous help to this
organization and we are very fortunate to have had such a remarkable person guide our many
visitors through our beloved historic Three Villages.
The Historian
Is published bi-annually
by the Three Village
Historical Society.
Suggestions for articles
are welcome. Please send
all articles, photos,
feedback and ideas to:
OfficeManager@tvhs.org
In the subject line please
include: The Historian.
Acting Editors:
Sandy White,
Dianne Trautmann
©2015, Three Village
Historical Society
There is still so much more to do for the Society and I hope you will all join me in helping our
new President, John Yantz, and new trustees, Patty Cain and Bob Brown, work towards fulfilling
our mission statement and sustaining the future of this organization.
Thank you for making my two years as President memorable and fulfilling.
Best,
Steven Hintze
Welcome New Board Members
Robert (Bob) W, Brown has been a resident of the Three Village Area for close to 35 years.
He is a Principal of Land Design Associates Consulting Group located in Huntington. Bob has
been a long time member of the Three Village Historical Society, and has served for a number
of years as a volunteer with the Society. He is a President Emeritus of the Three Village Chamber of Commerce. He has served on the Board of many organizations in the Three Village area St. George’s, The Old Field Club, Frank Melville Memorial Park, Unico, Ward Melville School
District - Education/Business/Alliance (Founding Member) and has been honored by the Boy
Scouts. He has also participated on many Historic Building & Site Restoration Projects.
Patricia (Patty) Cain has been a resident of the Three Village area for the past 17 years. Patty
is past recipient of the Maggie Gillie Memorial Award recognizing overall dedicated service to
the Society, and has been a volunteer with TVHS for the past seven years. She previously served
as a TVHS Trustee from 2009-2011, has chaired the Long Island Apple Festival for the past six
years and has co-chaired the Candlelight House Tour. An active volunteer for the Three Village
School District, Patty and her husband Scott have twins who are attending college.
Page 3
TVHS-The Historian
Incoming President’s Message
Happy New Year to the members of the Three Village Historical Society, it’s Officers and
Trustees and the entire Three Village Community.
The next year at the Three Village Historical Society will pose several important challenges
for making the Society function better. The number one challenge will be to find new ways
to raise funds to finance our operations which will enable us to continue to deliver the kind
of services and activities we have been noted for in the past while we seek new ways to
accomplish our mission "to foster and preserve local history and educate the public about
our rich cultural heritage".
There
will
be
an
organizational meeting
in April for volunteers
interested in working
on the Society’s Deed
Re se arc h
Pro jec t.
Volunteers
will
be
working with online
documents. If you are
interested please email
your
contact
information
to
info@tvhs.org. In the
subject line of the
email include: TVHS
Deed Project.
Our usual annual events such as the Spirits Tour, the Candlelight House Tour, the Apple
Festival, Selections from the Collections, Walking Tours, Members Meetings, Awards Dinner and Yard Sale will all be re-evaluated constantly to see if they are still worthwhile
events and are cost effective and bring in sufficient funds for the amount of work they
require to be put together.
We at the Society wish to continue meeting our objectives of: Promoting Historical Awareness by using our resources to research, document and interpret local history; Collaborating with other Community organizations such as our neighbor Gallery North on art shows
with a theme which will highlight local historical places and buildings and to continue our
relationship with the Gallery in regards to their annual show in September. Working with
the Chamber of Commerce and other local businesses whereby the Society’s events becoming a means of advertising for the Chamber members and the local businesses while they
become sponsors and supply funds and/or goods and services for those events.
Now that the Crawford barn has been disassembled and the pieces moved to the grounds of
the TVHS, our next challenge is to erect the barn as soon as possible so that we can begin
to use it for storage, displays and education. The barn will give us a new dimension to help
us with our mission.
With the onset of the second season of the popular television series TURN, the Setauket
Spy Ring will continue to be highlighted by the Society with new ways to bring that story to
the Community and its importance to the history of our country.
Thank you to our new
student docents, who
will be working at our
exhibits on Sundays.
All are local high
school students:
Krissy Moller
Tyler Ritchie
Jacob Bitman
Our two main exhibits: SPIES! How a Group of Long Island Patriots Helped
George Washington Win the Revolution and Chicken Hill: A Community Lost
to Time will continue to run at our headquarters building as we seek to have more exhibits and shows and put more of our archival material and photos on display at other venues
such as the Port Jefferson Cultural Center in order to attract more of the public.
Another important challenge will be to increase our membership to past numbers which
will help us to recruit more volunteers so desperately needed for our activities to function
without exhausting the same few volunteers often from the Board of Trustees.
All in all, we want to bring new ideas and excitement to the Three Village Historical Society
and anyone with such ideas is welcome to bring them to the Board.
Sincerely,
John Yantz
President TVHS
Page 4
TVHS-The Historian
A Case for Anna Smith Strong
By Beverly Tyler
TVHS Historian
To begin to understand Anna “Nancy” Strong’s
depth of involvement in the Setauket-based Culper Spy
Ring it is necessary to understand the complex family and
community relationships that existed between the Strongs,
Woodhulls, Brewsters, Townsends, Roes, Underhills,
Smiths and Hawkinses that existed from well before the
Revolutionary War and that continued after the war as
well.
Setauket was a small community but the connections
between these families and their positions in the
community before, during and after the Revolutionary
War, dictated their actions and responsibilities. For
example, Caleb Brewster was first cousin once removed of
Abraham Woodhull’s wife Mary Smith, second cousin of
Joseph Brewster whose daughter Hannah married
Thomas Shepard Strong; eldest son of Selah and Anna
Smith Strong. Caleb Brewster was also second cousin
twice removed of Tallmadge's wife Mary Floyd. Mary
Floyd is daughter of William Floyd, Suffolk signer of the
Declaration of Independence.
Nancy Strong certainly understood her family
responsibility for both the Smith family and the Strong
family. Anna Smith married Selah Strong in November
1760 and they lived on what was called Little Neck (now
Strong’s Neck) in Setauket. Their first child, Keturah was
born a year later. On September 10, 1782 Keturah married
James Woodhull, first cousin of Abraham Woodhull and
her second cousin once removed. Unfortunately, tragedy
struck the Strong family on August 13, 1790; their
daughter Keturah died, age 28 Their second child, Thomas
was born in May, 1765. In August, 1791, Thomas married
Hannah Brewster daughter of Joseph Brewster. Anna &
Selah’s third child Margaret was born in 1768, their fourth,
Benjamin Franklin, was born in 1770, their fifth, Mary,
was born in 1773 and died three weeks later, their sixth,
William Smith, was born in 1775, and their seventh child,
Joseph, was born on December first, 1777. By then the
British had controlled Long Island for more than a year. It
would be five years before Anna and Selah had their eighth
and last child, George Washington Strong, born January
20th, 1783.
Selah Strong was first elected as a trustee of Brookhaven
Town in 1767 and continued to be elected as a trustee for
the next decade. Selah was last present at a trustees
meeting on May 6, 1777. This was the date of new elections
and Selah Strong and Jonathan Thompson, both captains
in Colonel Smith’s Regiment in 1775, were out as trustees.
Strong was also listed in April, 1776 as captain of
Brookhaven Minutemen. By the beginning of 1777,
Brookhaven was significantly under the control of the
Loyalists in the town. Benjamin Floyd, an avowed Tory
(Loyalist) was elected as a trustee and supervisor of
Brookhaven Town in both 1777 and ‘78.
According to Rivington’s Royal Gazette, Selah Strong was
captured and confined in the sugar house in New York for
“Serendipitous correspondence with the enemy.” How
much involvement, if anything, the new Loyalist trustees
of Brookhaven had on the arrest of Selah Strong is
unknown. Nancy Strong was able to bring her husband
produce from the farm and to get him released by
appealing to her Tory relatives in New York City. Selah
then fled to Connecticut. This adds one more connection
between Nancy Strong and the Culper Spies.
In 1778, with her husband a refugee in Connecticut, Nancy
Strong was living on what was then Seaton’s Neck in
Setauket where she continued, despite the war, to raise
and care for her six children. We do not know if any of the
children went to Connecticut with their father. However
Nancy, running a farm and likely nursing both William
three and Joseph less than one, needed the assistance of
her older children, ages 17, 12, 9 and 7 on the farm.
The Culper Spy Ring began in September, 1778,
carrying intelligence on British operations in New York
City to Setauket, across Long Island Sound to Fairfield, CT
and on to General Washington’s headquarters.
Abraham Woodhull, a Setauket farmer and boyhood
friend of Benjamin Tallmadge was selected by Tallmadge
to head up the spying operation. Woodhull’s sister and her
husband Amos Underhill ran a boarding house in
Manhattan. This gave Woodhull the perfect cover to spend
time in New York City gathering intelligence. However,
Woodhull was concerned that his frequent trips to New
York would cast suspicion on a simple farmer from
Setauket. On a few occasions Nancy Strong accompanied
Abraham Woodhull to New York posing as his wife. It
seems it was easier for a man and wife to travel through
checkpoints to Manhattan than for a single man.
Woodhull wrote, “I intend to visit 727 (New York) before
long and think by the assistance of a 355 (lady) of my
acquaintance, shall be able to outwit them all.” The “lady”
in question, Anna Smith Strong, having Loyalist relatives
in Manhattan, including her brothers, had the opportunity
to gather useful information.
In his 1939 book: General Washington’s Spies on
Long Island and in New York, Morton Pennypacker
made a connection between Woodhull and Strong: “A clue
was found among the papers of the Floyd family and when
this was compared with the (Abraham) Woodhull account
book it was discovered that the signals were arranged by
no less a personage than the wife of Judge Selah Strong.
Anna Smith was her maiden name.”
On one of the many occasions when Caleb Brewster came
across Long Island Sound from Fairfield to Setauket to
retrieve spy messages for General Washington he noted
his location. “I lay up back of Esqr. Strong’s yesterday...”
Thus, by letting the Strongs know where Brewster and his
whaleboat crew were located, Nancy Strong could signal
Abraham Woodhull.
Page 5
TVHS-The Historian
A Case for Anna Smith Strong (continued)
On May 2, 1780, Selah Strong, Nancy’s husband, was
elected as president of the Town of Brookhaven trustees.
He was present in Setauket at the first meeting on July
15th. By this time British influence in Brookhaven was
fading. Many residents, disturbed by British treatment of
all Americans, turned to the Patriot cause and abandoned
their Loyalist sentiments. In May, 1781, 1782 and 1783,
Strong was again elected president of the Town of
Brookhaven trustees. However, in 1782, he was also
elected as town supervisor. In 1784-89, Strong, now
referred to as Judge Strong, was elected as both president
of the trustees and town supervisor. Strong continued to
serve as head of the Town of Brookhaven through 1797.
We know more about Selah Strong than we do about his
wife Anna Strong. Even though Selah was elected as
president of Brookhaven trustees (equal to today’s town
supervisor), we are not sure when he was in Brookhaven
and when he was not. As detailed in Mather’s Refugees,
“On March 20, 1781, Selah Strong and his sister Susannah
(Mrs. William Shelton), asked leave to visit their aged
parents at Brookhaven.” So it seems that ten months after
being elected head of the Town of Brookhaven, Strong was
still in Connecticut, or was he?
Anna Smith Strong found ways to assist the Culper spies in
their efforts between New York City and Setauket. As
reported by Kate Wheeler Strong (March 21,1879-July 22,
1977) local historian and keeper of the Strong family
history: “I went to the East Hampton Library and Mr.
Pennypacker read me bits of old documents... He showed
me an old account book in which “Nancy”, the name by
which my great, great grandmother Anna Smith Strong
was known, had ordered expensive goods to be bought in
New York. That was so Austin Roe would have the excuse
to go to the city where he gathered news for General
Washington.”
Kate Strong reported that family records also showed
Nancy Strong purchasing materials in New York City. “As
the old account books show, Madam Nancy found need for
many things and needed them at once. Yards and yards of
tablecloths and other expensive things were ordered in
haste. And those trips to town brought back information as
well as drygoods.”
The spy ring was never exposed but a number of times the
identities of members of the ring were in jeopardy, never
more so than in 1781 when a British spy reported his
discovery, “Private dispatches are frequently sent From
your city to the Chieftain [Washington] here by some
traitors. They come by the Way of Setalket [sic], where a
certain Brewster receives them at, or near, a Certain
woman’s.”
This note from British spy William Heron to British
Intelligence Chief Oliver Delancey revealed the Culper Spy
Ring. Fortunately the British never suspected Robert
Townsend in New York, nor Austin Roe carrying the
messages to Setauket, nor Anna Smith Strong being the
“certain woman” who coordinated between Abraham
Woodhull and Caleb Brewster. One more confirmation of
the part that Anna, known as Nancy Strong played.
The Strong’s last child, George Washington Strong, was
born on January 20th, 1783. So, in spite of the war and the
British occupation, life returned to a degree of normalcy
for the Strongs.
Congress proclaimed the end of the war with Great Britain
on April 11, 1783, however it was not until November 21,
1783 that all British soldiers left Long Island.
Seaton’s Neck, where the Strongs lived, where Nancy
Strong had lived with her children throughout the war,
where she kept a line of communication going between
Abraham Woodhull and Caleb Brewster, became Strong’s
Neck on February 16, 1785 when Selah Strong purchased
the neck at auction. Andrew Seaton, the Loyalist who
owned it, had by this time, moved to Florida.
The only activity remaining for the Culper Spies was to
meet President Washington when he stayed at the Roe
Tavern in Setauket on April 22, 1790 during his four-day
tour of Long Island. Washington and his entourage were
led from Coram to Setauket by Selah Strong, leader of the
Town of Brookhaven, first judge of of the County of Suffolk
(1784) and husband of Culper spy Anna Strong. On his
departure the next morning, President Washington
described the Roe Tavern as “Tolerably decent with
obliging people in it.” Obliging people then and during the
Revolutionary War.
Conclusion
Written sources, both primary and secondary, combined
with family genealogy, oral history and folklore provides
sufficient evidence to establish the direct connection
between Anna Smith Strong and the Revolutionary War
Culper Spy Ring. In addition, the one, and only one,
primary source use of the code number 355, combined
with the additional references, firmly establishes the
identity of the “lady” in question as Anna Smith Strong.
All of the agents in the Culper Spy Ring were given code
numbers between 711 (General Washington) and 726
(James Rivington). Fanciful articles and novels following
the Revolutionary War suggested that a female agent 355
worked for Robert Townsend, bore his child, was arrested
as a spy and confined on the British prison ship Jersey
where she died. In truth, 355 was simply the code for
“lady” as 371 was the code for man. Known details on the
life of Robert Townsend, including a well-researched
article in the Long Island Forum by Estelle Lockwood,
have now completely discredited the Agent 355 story.
Note:
The entire article, complete with footnotes for The Case for
Anna Smith Strong can be found on the Three Village
Historical Society website: www.tvhs.org You will find the
article in the Education section, under Resources
Page 6
TVHS-The Historian
MEMBERSHIP CORNER
Winter is here and the holiday season has ended with all of its festivities. Now it’s time to think about the year ahead
and renew your membership with the Three Village Historical Society. Please encourage friends who might share
your interest in the history and the culture of our beautiful area to become members. Individual dues are only $35,
Dual/Family dues are $50 which entitle members to Basic Benefits – 10% discount on Gift Shop Purchases, the newsletter: The Historian, and discount and advance purchases on many of our programs and events. Patron dues are
$100 and along with basis benefits you will receive 2 complimentary walking tour tickets. With membership you are
able to attend our new Member’s Only event: Tea with a Spot of History and gain free entrance to our exhibits.
Higher categories of membership bring additional benefits, such as complimentary tickets to the Candlelight House
Tour and the Spirits Tour. You can see all that is planned by going on to our website: www.tvhs.org
Thank you for your support.
Millie Mastrion
Chair, Membership Committee
Visit our website: TVHS.org and use PayPal, or fill out the mail-in application below to become a member.
2015 The Three Village Historical Society-Membership Application
10% Discount on all Gift Shop Purchases
Subscription to The Historian Newsletter, free
entrance to our exhibits, Nine Monthly
Member Meetings, Discount and Advance
purchase on Society special events
Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Phone:
Suggested Membership
Levels:
Individual:
Dual/Family:
Patron:
Benefactor:
Major Contributor:
Founders:
$35.00
$50.00
$100.00
$250.00
$500.00
$1000.00
Email:
Volunteering Interests: _______________________________
Payment:
Check payable to: Three Village Historical Society
or
Credit Card: MasterCard or Visa:
Name on Card:
Exp.
Account Number:
Rates Reflect Annual Dues,
Renewable January of Each Year
For a complete list of benefits for each
level of membership please visit our
website:
www.tvhs.org
Mail application to:
The Three Village Historical Society
93 North Country Rd.
Setauket, NY 11733
Page 7
TVHS-The Historian
Chicken Hill: A Work in Progress
By Frank Turano, Ph.D.
Curator, Chicken Hill Exhibit
After opening at Society headquarters in June, the
Chicken Hill exhibit, “A Community Lost to Time,”
has experienced an active and enthusiastic welcome. A
steady stream of visitors has viewed the exhibit every
Sunday from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. The exchange of
information has been a two way street. Many visitors are
unaware of the existence of the community and find the
exhibit “eye-opening,” while others who grew up in
Setauket share their own experience and stories of life
on Chicken Hill. These stories have been recorded and
will be part of the exhibit guide that is in preparation.
Our oldest visitor was 103 year old Marie Haussler
Sturm. She grew up on the hill and spoke of her father
passing the hat at Sunday Baseball Games, collecting
proceeds to help pay for uniforms. Our most distant
visitor was John Waterhouse, a Historian from
Melbourne, Australia. Waterhouse said that there was
nothing like the Chicken Hill Exhibit anywhere in
Australia. The Society has also been able to add many
pictures to our archives as well as to the digital screens
in the exhibit. Perhaps the most gratifying thing has
been the repeat visits by people from Chicken Hill who
then bring their relatives to see the exhibit.
Currently, the most exciting aspect of the exhibit is the
restoration of the 1860 Robert Nunns Piano by Michael
Costa of Costa Piano Shoppes in Port Jefferson
Station. Arthur Bryant, Jr., instigated the restoration
which is expected to be completed in the early part of
the new year and we anticipate that there will be a
concert featuring the piano in the spring. Along a similar
line, the history of the Piano/Rubber Factory buildings
on Chicken Hill will be presented as the program at our
April Lecture at the Setauket Neighborhood House.
Robert Droessel, formerly of Chicken Hill, now a
resident of North Carolina related the following story:
“During the Depression and shortly thereafter, my
family had a chicken farm down on Gnarled Hollow
Road at number 67. We had about 500 broilers in an
Michael Costa of Costa Piano Shoppes, Port Jefferson Station,
hard at work restoring the 1860 Robert Nunns Piano. The piano, manufactured in Setauket is part of the Society’s permanent collection and currently on display in the Chicken Hill
Exhibit.
open pen. Papa noticed that occasionally a few chickens were
missing even though we had two watchdogs on duty. He told
my brother and me to keep our shotguns loaded and to get
outside if we heard a disturbance during the night. Not
hearing anything and noting that there were no feathers left
by a predator, Papa decided to stay up to see what was going
on. One night, after midnight, a truck pulled up on Gnarled
Hollow Road and two men got out and proceeded to help
themselves to several chickens. Papa recognized the men as
Stony Brook residents and confronted them. They explain
that times were tough and they were only taking food for
their table. Papa gave them the chickens and the next time
they should just ask and he would give them the chickens.
Papa then asked how the men got rid of the watchdogs.
They said it was easy. They just tied two females in heat to
the front of the truck and let nature take its course. The men
showed up at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The following
spring, when the men had jobs, they returned with a wash
tub full of ice and beer for Papa.”
If you have a Chicken Hill Story, please come to the exhibit
and share it with us.
Crystalizations Systems, Inc., of Holbrook
were on hand in December to install an Art Wall
for the Society’s painting collection. The system is
constructed from flattened and expanded aluminum sheets. Located in a hidden storage section
in our exhibit space, the system provides safer
storage for the Society’s growing art collection.
Photo Inset: Displayed on the new storage wall are works of Stony Brook
artist Christopher J. Donnelly, recently acquired by the Society.
Photo far right: CSI installation crew: Joe Rossi, Shane Madigan and Michael Ortiz.
TVHS-The Historian
Page 8
Rhodes Committee: Preserving Our Community’s Shared Heritage
By Karen Martin
TVHS Archivist
One of the original purposes of the Society, as stated in
the by-laws, “is to seek out, and preserve, all materials of
an historic nature which pertain to the Three Villages.”
Over the past 50 years the Society has carried out that
mission presenting the history of the Three Village area
through family and community events, educational
programs, exhibitions, tours, publishing, and as the
founders stated by collecting and preserving the artifacts
and documents of that heritage. How did we get to today?
The Society’s beginnings
There are many who have
contributed to the history of
the Three Village Historical
Society, but it started with
one man: Captain Edward
Reginald Rhodes. Rhodes, a
retired
merchant
ship
captain, was a founder and
the first President of the
Three Village Historical
Society.
Relocating to
Setauket in 1960, he
recognized
the
great
historic potential of the
Three Village Area. The first
Captain Edward R. Rhodes
organizational meeting of
mounting historical plaque
the Society was held at the
The Long Islander:
Suffolk Museum on Friday,
October 30, 1964. In
November 1964 the following Officers and Trustees were
elected: Edward R. Rhodes (President), William F. Ploch
(Vice President), Frank G. Davis (Secretary), Andrew M.
White (Treasurer).
Because of his maritime background, Capt. Rhodes was
particularly interested in documenting the history of
shipping and ship building here. He searched out the
names, records and homes of local seafaring men and
embarked on a program to mark these homes. A talented
marine artist he did the artwork on many of the plaques
which went up on houses in the area. He originated and
edited the Three Village Historian which he filled
with articles about local history. William Minuse, one of
the incorporators of TVHS and later President, brought
with him the knowledge of the history of shipbuilding in
Setauket, and was a contributor to the newsletter as well.
Capt. Rhodes corresponded frequently with
Archie Raynor who relayed detailed
information on the maritime history of
Stony Brook. In a letter, dated June 16,
1968, from Capt. Rhodes to Archie, residing
at Sailors Snug Harbor,
Archie Raynor
c. 1915
“It now appears that there is a
considerable possibility that I will have
my “Marine Museum of the Three Village
Historical Soc.” While I am still alive to
get it organized. The plans call for a hall
about 60 feet long in which to hang
paintings of our ships, photographs of
our captains, sextants, log books, etc.”
Rhodes mentions receiving some of this
type of material already and a recent
conversation with a local resident about
family papers. He then addresses Archie
directly “…You better check your own
papers. You can’t take them with you
when you go, and you should want
something here to tell people that Archie
Raynor, seaman lived in Stony Brook.
Think it over…”
Captain Edward R. Rhodes served as President from 19641970. He continued active in the Society until his death in
1982. On March 27, 1983 the Society’s collection was
formally dedicated in his honor: The Captain Edward R.
Rhodes Memorial Collection of Local History.
The Society finds a home
Initially the Society held its meetings at the Suffolk Museum
located on Christian Ave. (later the Three Village Garden
Club Exchange), then at the Marco Smith Building at
Caroline Church, and by 1979 the Setauket Neighborhood
House. The Society’s collection of documents and
photographs found a home at the Emma S. Clark Memorial
Library in 1978, an arrangement which still exists to this
day. In 1985 the Society established a small office and
collections storage at the Setauket Neighborhood House.
Dreams for a building to house the Society had been an
early consideration of the founders. In 1968 Mrs. John H.
Fisher (Helen) (member of the board of trustees 1968-1970)
donated $25,000 towards acquiring a headquarters for the
Society. Upon her death in 1970 this became known as “The
Helen Fisher Memorial Fund”.
As time progressed, programs were developed to educate
children and adults alike: children’s programs, working with
the local school district to promote and teach local history,
local and regional tours for adults, national celebrations
with a local focus (Three Village Bicentennial Committee),
working for the establishment of local historic districts,
collecting oral histories, cemetery preservation, programs
and events focusing on local Native American and African
American heritage (annual Corn Festival & Pow Wow and
Eel Catching), conducting tours of the Thompson House and
the Stony Brook Grist Mill, and much more.
The Society continued to grow but was still without a home
of its own. In 1991 Michele Morrisson was hired as the
Society’s first professional director. (continued on page 10)
Page 9
TVHS-The Historian
Apple Festival– September 21, 2014
The Apple Festival, Chaired by Patty Cain, is an
annual event held in conjunction with the Three
Village Historical Society, SPLIA (Society for the
Preservation of Long Island Antiquities) and
Homestead Arts. The family event takes place at
the Sherwood Jayne House in East Setauket.
Photo on left: Volunteer Marie Healy (front) and Janet
McCauley (on the right, background) working in the TVHS
food booth at the Apple Festival. On the right: TVHS Vice
President Steve Healy showing off one of the pies for sale in
the TVHS food booth.
Apple Festival Photos courtesy of SPLIA/Margie Burkett
Star Spangled Banner Community Sing– September 19, 2014
From left: Steve Hintze, President and John Yantz, Chair of
The Star Spangled Banner Community Sing
Setauket School 9th Annual Open House and
Founders Day, April 24th.
Rededication of William Leroy Sells plaque.
Above: Arleen Gargiulo singing on the Community Sing
stage.
Photo to Left: Bonfire blazes during the Community
Sing event.
Community Sing Photos by : Joseph White
Page 10
TVHS-The Historian
Rhodes Committee (continued)
Continued from page 8
Morrison developed new programs, obtained grants, and created a major exhibition with
the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum The Sailing Circle. In June 1995 the Society
began to share headquarters with the Society for the Preservation of Long Island
Antiquities (SPLIA) in their building at 93 North Country Road. By 1998 SPLIA had
relocated to their new headquarters at Cold Spring Harbor and the Three Village
Historical Society purchased the Bayles-Sweezey House from SPLIA as it current
headquarters.
Tri Spy Tours Return this Spring
Our newest touring program, Tri Spy Tours, started
last fall to great success. We will once again be
offering tour dates starting in April 2015.
Margo Arceri, a historical educator working in conjunction with the Three Village Historical Society
will guide cyclists, walkers and kayakers (selfguided tour) through the actual trails where the
British and Patriots once roamed. Those participating will follow in the actual footsteps of the Culper
Spy Ring, and along the way, historical places of interest will be pointed out and
discussed.
There will be three options to choose from: a one day bike, walk or self guided kayak tour.
The biking adventure will be a fifteen mile trek, and the walking tour a three mile trek.
Both options can accommodate up to twenty people. The kayak adventure will be self
guided and at your own risk. Private tour are available.
Our Ward Melville High
School film crew are
hard at work on the
finishing touches to our
new commercial to air
in April during season 2
of TURN on AMC.
The
commercial
will
also be posted on our
website (for those who
are not customers of
Cablevision).
Check the events page of our website: www.tvhs.org for a complete listing of dates,
times, and options as they become available.
Crawford Barn Update
Stephen Healy
TVHS – Vice President
The Crawford Barn project is moving along well. We have relinquished full site control back to the Village of Old Field. Removable housing was built and all the salvaged timbers were stored within this structure at our headquarters. We also have the
larger doors stored within our storage unit in Setauket. The Old Field site has been seeded and raked clean. With the rich soil,
we feel within a year or so the natural plants and grass will take over the entire site, returning it back to its original pre-barn
days. During the winter months the process has mostly shifted to paperwork and approvals . Currently we are working on :
 Moving forward on all grant paperwork and are waiting to receive our first
reimbursement check in June.
 Coordinating with the Town of Brookhaven and Steve Englebright to approve
all plans for the new barn site.
 The determination of what type of septic system has been finalized and we
will apply to the town for those permits when we apply for the foundation.
 We hope to pour the foundation by spring/summer 2015.
 We will be finalizing the building process and final size of the barn within the
next two months.
 Our Barn committee will be meeting monthly starting in February. This will
ensure all areas are covered within this large process.
Moving the Crawford Barn, Sept. 2014
Photo by Frank Turano
TVHS-The Historian
Page 11
20th Annual Spirits Tour: In the Spirit of the Spies: A Journey with the Culper Spy Ring
L-R: Brian Cea, Karin Lynch, Steve Healy, Donna Smith, Bev Tyler, Art Billadello, Steve
Divisconti, Morton Rosen, Chuck Glaser, Pat Divisconti, Frank Turano, Bill Menendez and
George Monez.
Young Historian working on
the secret coded message.
Nathan Hale: Steve Divisconti, talks with tour goers.
Photo courtesy of Mark Kauffman, Angelica Studios
Gen. Washington portrayed by
John Galla and Gen. Charles Scott
portrayed by Spirits Tour Chair,
Brian Cea.
Agent 355 portrayed by
Stephanie Carsten.
Lecture Series at the Setauket Neighborhood House
Sept. 15 :Joshua Ruff spoke about Long
Island at War.
Oct 20th: Dale Spencer: Mirrors to the
Past– Lake Ronkonkoma’s History.
Nov 17th Joshua Crane related the
History of the Stony Brook School.
Three Village Historical Society
PO Box 76
East Setauket, NY 11733-0076
Non-Profit Org
U.S. Postage Paid
E. Setauket, NY
Permit No. 88
Deliver to addressee or current resident:
Clip and save.
TVHS Calendar of Events
Save the Date:
March 25, 2015: Annual Awards Dinner
Stony Brook Yacht Club, 21 Shore Rd, Stony Brook, NY
Spy Gala– 50th Anniversary Celebration:
Date to be announced
Tea with a Spot Of History:
Feb 19th: Eel Catching in Setauket w/Bev Tyler
March 18th: Hawkins House & Other Stories w/Bev Tyler
April 13th: Long Island Landscapes w/Frank Turano
May 11th: Long Island Seascapes w/ Frank Turano
June 8th: Margaret Fuller w/ Frank Turano
Founders Day: April 14, 2015
Brookhaven celebrates 360th Anniversary
Chicken Hill:
“A Community Lost to Time”
Exhibit Hours: Open Sundays from 1:00 PM 4:00 PM.
Admission: $5 Children/Students, $8 Adults. Members Free.
Walking Tours *
Lecture Series
Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main Street, Setauket.
Free and open to the public. 7pm start unless otherwise noted
February 16th: Thad Gaebelein: Foreign Policy
April 20th: Annual Pot Luck Supper early start time: 6 pm
Frank Turano: Chicken Hill: A Community Lost to Time
May 18th: Richard Welsh: The Talented Major Tallmadge
June 15th: Art Mattson: Water & Ice: Two Tragic Long Island
Ship Wrecks
How a Group of Long Island
Patriots Helped George Washington
Win the Revolution.
Down the Ways: The Wooden Ship Era: April 26th, May 30th. June 13th,
July 12th, August 9th, Sept. 26th, Oct. 25th, Nov. 7th— At 2:00 pm
Walk Through History with Abraham Woodhull: April 19th, May 16th, June
14th , July11th, August 16th, Sept. 11th, Nov. 11th — At 2:00 pm
Setauket Village Green Tour: April 18, May 9th, June 27th, July 25th,
Aug. 2nd, Aug. 29th, Sept. 19th and Oct. 24
*Please check the Society’s website for location and
starting times for all of the Walking Tours or contact the office at (631)751-3730.
Admission: $8
Tri Spy Tours– Dates to be announced. See website for
dates/pricing.