january - february, 2015 best wishes for a happy, healthy new … · best wishes for a happy, ......

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Robert Hawkins House P.O. Box 111 Yaphank, NY 11980-0111 www.yaphankhistorical.org Meetings: Third Thursday of the Month; 7:30pm, Swezey-Avey House. Newsletter Editor: Peggy Judd Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter Historic Yaphank - Where the Past Greets the Present January - February, 2015 Board of Directors President - Robert Kessler Vice President - Peggy Judd Treasurer - Audrey Kessler Recording Secretary - Kayann Donaldson Corresponding Secretary - Marie Desch Librarian - Olive Archer Historian –Tricia Foley Historian Emeritus - Karen Mouzakes Curator - Helen Kalbach 3-Yr. Trustee - Liz Horan 2-Yr. Trustee - Kathy Schmidt & Mindy Hausman 1-Yr Trustee - Jim Vavrina & Tony Germano President’s Message ... 2 From the Historian Emeritus ... 3 Looking Back 2014 ... 4-5 Railroad Fence Update ... 6 Upcoming Events Calendar ... 7 Inside this issue: Booth House Museum listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places The New York State Office of Parks and Historic Preservaon approved the nominaon of the Mary L. Booth House for the New York State Register of Historic Places at their quarterly meeng in Albany on December 4th, 2014. We worked with Richard Marn, Director of the Suffolk County Parks Historic Services, over the past year on the lengthy and complex applicaon process. This is the first important step on our way to Naonal Register Recognion for the Booth House Museum. President Bob Kessler, Treasurer Audrey Kessler, and Historian Tricia Foley, who prepared the Booth House applicaon, aended the presentaon. Jennifer Betsworth, the New York State Parks Historic Preservaon Specialist who represents Long Island, edited our applicaon and did a wonderful job presenng it before the board. The board unanimously approved our request. The applicaon will now go to the Naonal level and we are hoping to hear good news from them in early February. From the Editor: A Very Special Thank You Special thanks go to our Board Members and members-at-large for all their work and support in keeping the day-to-day operaons and special fund-raising events of the Society going and successful. To name just a few: the annual Victorian Dinner, two Victorian Teas, the Historical Society Website, the Giſt Shop, two Yard Sales, the Newsleer, the Christmas House Tour, Historical Research and Documentaon, the General Meeng Speaker Program, and the Summer House Tours. All of this work enables and supports our ongoing historical preservaon efforts. Without all of your help, none of this would be possible. Thank you all. 631.924.3401 - Hawkins House 631.924.4803 -Swezey-Avey House Happy New Year--2015! The Yaphank Historical Society sends New Year’s wishes for prosperity, good fortune, happiness, and most of all, good health to all of our members and readers.

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Page 1: January - February, 2015 Best Wishes for a Happy, Healthy New … · Best Wishes for a Happy, ... fortune, happiness, and most of all, good health to all of our members and readers

Robert Hawkins House P.O. Box 111

Yaphank, NY 11980-0111 www.yaphankhistorical.org

Meetings: Third Thursday of the

Month; 7:30pm, Swezey-Avey House.

Newsletter Editor: Peggy Judd

≈ Best Wishes for a Happy, Healthy New Year ≈

Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter

Historic Yaphank - Where the Past Greets the Present January - February, 2015

Board of Directors

President - Robert Kessler

Vice President - Peggy Judd

Treasurer - Audrey Kessler

Recording Secretary -

Kayann Donaldson

Corresponding Secretary -

Marie Desch

Librarian - Olive Archer

Historian –Tricia Foley

Historian Emeritus -

Karen Mouzakes

Curator - Helen Kalbach

3-Yr. Trustee - Liz Horan

2-Yr. Trustee - Kathy Schmidt &

Mindy Hausman

1-Yr Trustee - Jim Vavrina &

Tony Germano

President’s Message ... 2

From the Historian Emeritus ... 3

Looking Back 2014 ... 4-5

Railroad Fence Update ... 6

Upcoming Events Calendar ... 7

Inside this issue:

Booth House Museum listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places

The New York State Office of Parks and Historic Preservation approved the nomination of the Mary L. Booth House for the New York State Register of Historic Places at their quarterly meeting in Albany on December 4th, 2014. We worked with Richard Martin, Director of the Suffolk County Parks Historic Services, over the past year on the lengthy and complex application process. This is the first important step on our

way to National Register Recognition for the Booth House Museum.

President Bob Kessler, Treasurer Audrey Kessler, and Historian Tricia Foley, who prepared the Booth House application, attended the presentation. Jennifer Betsworth, the New York State Parks Historic Preservation Specialist who represents Long Island, edited our application and did a wonderful job presenting it before the board. The board unanimously approved our request. The application will now go to the National level and we are hoping to hear good news from them in early February.

From the Editor:

A Very Special Thank You

Special thanks go to our Board Members and members-at-large for all their work and support in keeping the day-to-day operations and special fund-raising events of the Society going and successful. To name just a few: the annual Victorian Dinner, two Victorian Teas, the Historical Society Website, the Gift Shop, two Yard Sales, the Newsletter, the Christmas House Tour, Historical Research and Documentation, the General Meeting Speaker Program, and the Summer House Tours. All of this work enables and supports our ongoing historical preservation efforts. Without all of your help, none of this would be possible. Thank you all.

631.924.3401 - Hawkins House

631.924.4803 -Swezey-Avey House

Happy New Year--2015! The Yaphank Historical Society sends New Year’s wishes for prosperity, good fortune, happiness, and most of all, good health to all of our members and readers.

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Letter from the President

Recent activity and work regarding the Homan-Gerard House has occurred and I welcome this opportunity to give you an update on the restoration of the house. The Suffolk County Department of Public Works has finally hired an architect. The architectural firm of BBS ARCHITECTS of Patchogue has been chosen for the project. The lead architect for the project is Karalisa Grundner. Ms. Grundner has been to the site many times and she has a good working understanding of the project. BBS has also hired Joel Snodgrass who is an architectural conservationist and he will guide us through the correct restoration of the project.

I think that the team that is in place is a good team, and the Society will get a true and accurate restoration of this very important historical Yaphank house. The Homan-Gerard House (c. 1790), remnants of the earlier mill complex, and the large surrounding property are already listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Joel has been busy cataloguing all of the wood, windows, flooring, and other miscellaneous items which were taken out of the house and stored in our onsite storage container. He has also gone through the entire house and listed all of the items that we have, and also all of the items that we need. His part of the project will be on-going throughout the entire restoration.

The architects have been measuring the entire house to get an accurate layout, not only of the house, but of all of the rooms, walls, windows, ceilings, and fireplaces. They have produced some progress drawings. We have elevations, floor plans, and some sections through parts of the house. There are still many drawings to produce, but they are on their way. We hope to have a complete set by the spring.

We also have an engineer on board. He is also going to have to submit some drawings for the house. One part of his job is to tell us how we can remove all of the temporary structural shoring that is now in the house. We need to remove all of this shoring before we can begin the restoration. Before this shoring is removed, we need to put permanent beams in the walls and the ceilings to take the place of the temporary shoring. Some of the floor joist and ceiling beams are rotted; and some of the house has sustained water damage from when the roof was leaking. These will have to be identified and fixed before we can go forward with the restoration.

In addition, the entire chimney needs to be rebuilt. There are two fireplaces on the first floor and one on the second floor. In the basement there is another fireplace and a “bee hive” oven and we think that this might have been an early kitchen. Most of the original trim is still in the house and in good condition. A lot of the windows are also original to the house.

The house when finished will be a museum; the final interpretation date of the house has not yet been established. We do know that the final date (around 1790) will mean there will be no water in the house. There will be minimal electric lighting for safety, and the heat will be a hot air system, but the remaining structure and furnishings will be period appropriate. This is a great house and when it is restored it will be a beautiful part of the history of Yaphank.

Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter

Page 2

Robert Kessler

Welcome New Members Laura Gallignani, Shirley, NY

Louise Reeves, East Quogue, NY

Herb Feigenbaum, Coram, NY

Funds for this newsletter were provided by the Suffolk County Legislature,

Kate Browning, 3rd Legislative District. Thank You !

Renewal Dues Reminder

Your membership is important to us. Dues are currently payable for the Yaphank Historical Society 2014-2015 membership year. Please see current member types and current dues rates on page 7 of this Newsletter. Please include your current email address when you send in your dues. We look forward to hearing from you soon. If you have already submitted your dues, your payment is much appreciated.

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Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter Page 3

Squire William Phillips (1776-1858) was the son of Revolutionary War officer Capt. William Phillips. As a young man he clerked in his uncle’s store in Connecticut and at an early age he learned to drive a hard bargain. Upon returning to Long Island, he took up residence at the family homestead standing on the west side of the road from Millville to Middle Island. He took over his father’s prosperous farm and supplemented his income by speculating in cordwood. He also brought dry goods and pantry staples from New York City to sell to his friends and neighbors. Reading through his Day Book 1816-1817, tells us who of his neighbors made purchases and what staples were most in demand.

For instance, the wife of William Homan came by his house for butter, lump sugar and 13 oz. of pork. Black Robin (perhaps a slave) wanted 1 gill of rum. He is a frequent customer. One hand of tobacco and a pint of rum were needed by John Overton, while William Saxon purchased for his wife (as noted) one black handkerchief, one pair of morocco shoes and a gallon of molasses.

Our own Robert Hawkins paid $2.00 for six plates, while mill owner Christopher paid $11 for a pair of shoes. Daniel Homan, the other wealthy mill owner bought his wife Ency five yards of calico and one gallon of St. Croix Rum. John Saxon, with the notation “Indian” next to his name bought one gill each of gin and rum. Evidently

Squire Phillips did not find fault with selling “firewater” to the Indians. Snuff went for three cents an ounce. Buttons, ribbons, vest patterns, thread, veal, pork and nails were all sold at the Phillips residence.

William Phillips married Nancy Phillips in 1822. They had five children named William, Mary Ester, Urania, Nancy and Philetus. Because of his many business ventures, Squire Phillips amassed a fortune. Some of it he used to build an elegant new house (c. 1848) on or near the site of his father’s house. The house had ornate moldings, many fireplaces and one overmantel painted in oil on wood that was entitled, “Situation of America, 1848.” The overmantel has long been parted from the house, but many of the ornate moldings remain. Squire Phillips’ home still stands on Yaphank-Middle Island Road and is occupied by Dana and Paula Bianca.

Squire Phillips and His Day Book By Karen Mouzakes

Phillips-Bianca Home Squire Phillips’ Overmantel

Notes:

The Yaphank Historical Society acquired the William Phillips Day Book (1816-1817) in 2010. It can be found in our archives.

The Squire Phillips Overmantel was pictured in SPLIA’s Preservation Notes Spring/Summer 1980 edition.

Many generations of the Phillips family are buried in Union Cemetery at Middle Island.

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Looking Back 2014

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Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter Page 4

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Page 5

Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter

Looking Back 2014

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Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter Page 6

Sills Road Overpass Railroad Fence Update

In the November/December issue of the Newsletter we noted the removal of the old black iron railroad fence that used to be located in front of the Hawkins House. We replaced that fence with period-appropriate white picket fencing. The Society has found an appropriate home for the railroad fence which ensures its preservation. We are partnering with the Railroad Museum of Long Island, located in Riverhead, NY. We recently received official notification of the transfer of the fence, information on its new location, and assurance that it will be preserved. Donald G. Fisher, President of the Museum states “We are honored to partner with the Society in maintaining this important Long Island artifact, utilizing it in a prototypical railroad manner and being able to tell one more story of the colorful history of railroading on Long Island.” (See copy of letter below.)

Downton Abbey, Season 5

New Loves, New Secrets! Downton Abbey fans have been waiting and now the new season is here. Season 5 airs Sundays, January 4 through March 1, 2015 on Masterpiece on PBS. Preview videos appear in various places on the web.

The fifth season of interlaced stories continues to be centered on the English country estate. This year the acclaimed regular cast is joined by various guest stars who interact with our regulars, bringing new intrigue and romance stories for us to enjoy. Since its debut, Downton Abbey has continued as one of the highest-rated drama series in PBS history.

New Book. For those who cannot get enough of Downton Abbey and its occupants, there is a new publication available (2014), Downton Abbey, Rules for Household Staff. This instruction manual was compiled under the supervision of Mr. Charles Carson, Downton Abbey’s esteemed Head Butler. The book shows an Hierarchy of Staff, indicating no fewer than 24 staff (probably more) to run the estate and lists the approved directions, rules, and regulations for each member of the staff. Particular attention is paid to the Butler, Housekeeper, Cook, Valet, Lady’s Maid, Footman, Housemaid, and Kitchen Staff. There is also a section of useful information on “tried and tested methods for all.” In fact, ten pages at the beginning of the booklet are general notes and instructions for the attention of all household servants----such things as courtesy, honesty, benefits of early rising, respect, dress, personal hygiene, servants quarters, etc.

As you know from watching the show, the head butler takes his position and responsibilities very seriously. The following quote from the book clearly illustrates that fact. “Lord and Lady Grantham take great pride in their estate, and servants are expected to show that same pride when carrying out their work because they are part of the estate and its ambassadors among servants from other households. Above and below stairs, we all share the duty of keeping the house in good order, something we expect to be passed on to generations to come. It is only by everyone understanding their role and discharging their daily duties efficiently that this will be achieved.”

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Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter Page 7

Yaphank Historical Society

JANUARY through APRi l, 2015

UPCOMING EVENTS

>>>>>>No January 2015 General Meeting<<<<<<

February General Meeting Thursday, February 19th, 7:30pm, Swezey-Avey House

(weather permitting) Speaker to be Announced;

Check our website later this month.

March General Meeting Thursday, March 19th, 7:30pm, Swezey-Avey House

Guest speaker will be Bruce Kagan, former teacher and popular speaker.

Program: The Modern Erie Canal: explored by sea kayak

Spring Cleaning and Dusting Saturday, March 21st, 10:00am—4:00pm,

meet at the Hawkins House Volunteers needed to help get the Hawkins House and

the Swezey-Avey House ready for our Spring events. Help clean & share a buffet supper,

served at 5:00pm at the Swezey-Avey House. Call 631.924.4803 and leave a message

if you plan to participate.

April General Meeting Thursday, April 16th, 7:30pm, Swezey-Avey House

Guest speaker will be Karen Mouzakes, Society Historian Emeritus

Program: The Homan-Gerard House, An Integral Part of Yaphank’s Past

Refreshments will follow the meeting.

Spring Victorian Tea

Saturday, April 25th, Hawkins House, 2:00—5:00pm Donation is $25 per person

Reservations: call Kayann Donaldson, 631.395.9870

Keep current with all our events and projects by visiting our website—www.yaphankhistorical.org

Gift Shop Winter Hours

Thursdays from 12 noon to 4:00pm

The Yaphank Historical Gift Shop, managed and operated by Society Trustee Kathy Schmidt, will be open most Thursday afternoons (weather permitting) through the winter months. If the “OPEN” sign is posted outside of the Hawkins House on a Thursday, the shop is open and customers are welcome. You may want to call first before heading out to check that the shop is open (631.924.3401, after 12 noon).

Visits to the Gift Shop have been very popular this past year and Kathy decided to keep the shop open this winter instead of closing and waiting for spring to open again. Kathy also extends thanks to everyone who has contributed wonderful and interesting items for the shop that make shopping there a fun adventure. Almost everyone leaves the shop with something they “just can’t live without”.

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Thank You To Our Supporters If you are interested in having your business card printed in the Yaphank Historical Society newsletter, you may do so for a $50

donation per year. Please leave a phone number message at the Swezey-Avey House, (631)924.4803 OR (631)924.2241. Our members support our local businesses.

Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter

Page 8

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

244 E. Main Street

Yaphank, NY 11980 631-924-5083

Sunday Services: 8:30 & 10 A.M. Sunday School at 10 A.M. Service

494 Long Island Ave., Medford, NY 11763

Showroom: 631-289-8086

Millwork Factory: 631-924-4195

Automotive Products, Inc.

14 Todd Court Extension

Yaphank, NY 11980-0540

631-567-2000

www.big-li.com