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Aneka Carsten

By Kimberly Phyfe

The Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) celebrated its 30th Annual Spirits Graveyard Tour on Oct. 19.  The sold out event, titled Revolutionary Women: Living History/ Sharing Her Story, honored local women from as far back as 300 years ago who were revolutionary in their time.

TVHS Director Mari Irizarry commented on the staying power of three decades of this event. “We are so proud that the Spirits Tour has been running for thirty years, and grateful that the community continues to come out to enjoy this event! There is no shortage of incredible stories to tell of the people who lived, worked, died, and are buried here. With over three hundred years of history, there is something new to discover every time we put on a show!”

All eight scenes of the humorous, honest, and often heart-breaking women and men portrayed on the Spirits Tour were real people who lived in Setauket at one point in their lives. The majority of them are buried at Setauket Presbyterian Church or Caroline Episcopal Church, where the walking tour takes place every year.

As you wander Three Village and explore the historic sites, inspiration is everywhere. The theme for Revolutionary Women came up as traditionally, a woman’s place in history was in relation to the men around her. The Society wanted to give these women a chance to tell their own stories, many of them in their own words.

Rebecca Kassay was a first time actor in this year’s tour who wishes that everyone knew “that the spirits being portrayed were real people whose dynamic lives shaped the community we know and love today, and the Spirits Tour is a rare opportunity to hear their stories.”

When asked why she chose to get involved for the first time, Kassay stated “I’m grateful to be a part of the TVHS’s innovative efforts to bring history to life for audiences of all ages, connecting our past to our present, which helps to build a stronger future for our community.”

Elizabeth Marra is another first time actor on the Spirits Tour who noted that “our area is renowned for the contributions of local men in our revolutionary and seafaring history, but there were such beautiful, poignant, and inspiring women that history has forgotten. I enjoyed getting to know all of their stories.”

Marra spoke about her character that “the young woman I got to play, Mary Swift Jones — she was one of the first Americans (not just women) to see China and Japan. It was fascinating to think of the scale of the experience she must have had and how that must have sat with locals, especially for her time and being such a young woman.”

Mary Swift Jones and her husband, Captain Benjamin Jones, are both laid to rest at Setauket Presbyterian Church. Rob Von Bernewitz, long time tour guide and chair of the Cemetery Committee at TVHS, cleaned Mary’s headstone with permission for the special occasion.

While there were fresh faces joining the Tour this year, there were several long standing actors and guides who have been around for all three decades! Morton Rosen “has been performing in the tour ever since it was started 30 years ago! I have portrayed men who lived in our community in the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Each time I learn something new that makes me proud to live in Setauket and it is a pleasure to share that pride with those who visit our spirits. It is so important for everyone to know that what we call history was generated by the people who lived here and created the stories we celebrate today.” Rosen portrayed Captain Gilbert Floyd in a scene with his granddaughter, Blanche Dominick played by Suzanne Velazquez.

George Overin has been part of the Spirits Tour since 2017. This year, he was Thomas Hodgkins, uncle of Emma S. Clark. “So many people came up to talk to me after the tour who love the library, but didn’t know anything about Emma, her uncle who founded it in her honor, or Emma’s revolutionary generosity in helping others! The Three Village Historical Society seeks to answer questions we maybe haven’t even thought to ask — and they do it all with knowledge, compassion, and by creating wonderfully memorable experiences!”

An incredibly special touch this year was the inclusion of the four female lighthouse keepers at Old Field Point Lighthouse. The Society worked with Old Field Point in 2023 to assist Trustee Rebecca Van Der Bogart on getting the lighthouse on the National Register of Historic Places. In the Spirits Tour, Van Der Bogart herself portrayed Elizabeth Shoemaker — the first female lighthouse keeper not only at Old Field Point, but in New York State history! Haley Ogle portrayed the longest serving female lighthouse keeper, Betsy Smith, along with Caterina Vacchi Suzzi as Mary Foster, and Karen Wexler as Amelia Jayne.

Choosing which spirits to include every year is a daunting task. First the Society creates a theme, then researches which people would best fit the narrative. Irizarry joked that “if we honored all the women we wanted to, the tour would have been several days long! Choosing which stories to include is a grueling process, and we end up saving many of the spirits for future years.”

The scripts were written and edited by Kimberly Phyfe and researched by TVHS Archives Fellow Kayleigh Smith. The Society invited two professional guest writers for the monologues: Camile Arnone wrote for Amelia Shepard Jones Clay and Stephanie Drewisis wrote for Thomas Hodgkins.

Mary Satterly Rowland’s script was comprised entirely in her own words, from journal entries in the society’s archives. The witch trials of Mary and Ralph Hall and Goody Garlick were shaped by Scott Ferrara’s book, Accused of Witchcraft in New York. 

The scene for Mary Swift Jones was heavily influenced by Bev Tyler’s new book Love and Letters from Japan which included many of Mary’s letters. Tyler will be presenting his book at the Society’s free monthly lecture series on Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Setauket Neighborhood House.

The 30th Annual Spirits Graveyard Tour was sponsored by Annmarie’s Farm Stand, Luigi’s Pizzeria, Starbucks, Apple Bank and Stop & Shop in East Setauket. Chamber music was provided by students in the Ward Melville High School orchestra, and traffic assistance was given by the History Honor Society at WMHS. Special contributions were made by the Education Committee: Bev Tyler, Donna Smith, Lindsey Steward-Goldberg, Town of Brookhaven Historian Barbara Russell, and Spirits Tour Committee Chair Janet McCauley.

Three Village Historical Society would especially like to thank Setauket Presbyterian Church and Caroline Episcopal Church for their unwavering support of this sold-out event year after year!

Author Kimberly Phyfe is the Community Engagement Manager at the Three Village Historical Society.

Top row, from left, Wayne Hart, Kimberly Hart, Ed McNamara and Tim Adams; middle row, from left, Tom Comisky, Rob Pellegrino, George Overin and David Phyfe; front row, from left, Chris De Francis, Alle Wallace, Kathryn Comisky, Helen McCarthy, Aneka Carsten, George Fear, Stephanie Carsten, Stephanie Sakson, Bianca Dresch and Mort Rosen Photo by Kimberly Phyfe

By Kimberly Phyfe

On Saturday, October 21st, the Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) welcomed over 300 guests through their annual graveyard walk, the Spirits Tour, made possible through the help of 50 volunteers and staff.

Visitors met spirits from the Chicken Hill neighborhood in Setauket throughout the 100 years people lived there, between 1860 and 1960.

Chicken Hill was a one mile neighborhood located along Route 25A, where Stop & Shop is now, originally made up of Eastern European immigrants, Native Americans, and African Americans.

Today, the community of Chicken Hill is far from its original housing and cultural form. The people who lived there have lost their personal, cultural and social past. At present, they risk losing even that important and precious heritage: the memory and collective history of Chicken Hill. 

This 29th Annual Spirits Tour was an effort to preserve that memory and to establish Chicken Hill’s place in the evolution of the Three Village Area.

The tour began at the Setauket Presbyterian Church at dusk and continued into the clear, moonlit night. Inside the fellowship hall were cider & donuts, a pop-up gift shop, and live music from the wonderfully talented Long Island Youth Development Inc.

Scott Ferrara, Exhibits & Collections Coordinator at TVHS, assembled an incredible mobile display of artifacts from the award-winning Chicken Hill exhibit. Scott printed dozens of historical images and brought out treasured items from the archives such as the Ridgway Family Bible.            

Beverly and Barbara Tyler were on hand to speak about the Day Book on exhibit from the Tyler Brothers General Store circa 1908, mentioned by the first spirit Jacob Hart, portrayed by Wayne Hart. Both Beverly and Wayne shared about their family’s history in Chicken Hill with deep affection, and a desire for future preservation.

Nancy Scuri was a tour guide and remarked that “Having the family members tell their ancestors’ stories was an incredibly special touch. The group I led was interested and listening to all the actors, but when I told them they were watching direct descendants of the people they were portraying, it was all the more meaningful!”

Owen Murphy, a recipient of the Three Village Young Historian Award, also volunteered as a tour guide this year. “The fact that all the spirits were from the same place was amazing, as you were able to peer into the life of ordinary people in the 100 years of Chicken Hill’s existence,” he said.

There were four stops throughout the graveyard at Setauket Presbyterian, two more at the Village Green, and the last four were at Caroline Episcopal Church.

TVHS told humorous, honest, and heart-breaking stories of the actual people who lived, worked, and died here. Scripts were originally written by the TVHS Education Committee comprised of Donna Smith, Bev Tyler, Brian Bennett, Town of Brookhaven Historian Barbara Russell & Education Coordinator Lindsey Steward-Goldberg. 

They then went on to be edited by Development Coordinator Kimberly Phyfe and volunteer / spirit Stephanie Sakson.

George Fear portrayed Charles, a spirit tending to the fenced-in Searing plot in the far corner of Caroline Church. “I’d heard about Chicken Hill but hadn’t had an appreciation for the richness of its history in Three Village until being exposed to it this year. It’s not a time in history which is documented or discussed nearly to the extent of others in the Three Village area (i.e. George Washington and the Culper Spy Ring) but so relevant and relatable given the ties so many families have to Chicken Hill and its history.”

TVHS Director Mari Irizarry says that plans for the 30th Annual Spirits Tour are already in the works. “We have so many ideas inspired by the Three Village area, our actors and guides, and local lore. Bringing history to life for our community is an incredible honor and one that I am proud to share in year after year. It is no exaggeration to say that this was our best Spirits Tour to date!”

So what keeps family, friends, and neighbors coming back for more? George Fear says that “I have always loved history, there’s an abundance of it in Three Village, and you learn something new and interesting every year. Most importantly, it’s the opportunity to meet and collaborate with a terrific group of people who are passionate and enthusiastic about history and make it an absolute pleasure to volunteer. What could be better than that? Needless to say, count me in as a spirit for next year and I am looking forward to the 30th Spirits Tour!”

Special thanks to Setauket Presbyterian Church, Caroline Episcopal Church, and the sponsors of the 29th Annual Spirits Tour: Annmarie’s Farm Stand, Luigi’s Pizzeria, Starbucks, Stop & Shop, and Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich.

Author Kimberly Phyfe is the Development Coordinator for the Three Village Historical Society in Setauket.