Boys Brigade (Wayne Camp) Historical Committee American Scenic and Historic Society Daughters of the Revolution Carriage The members of the Independent Order of Red Men in their Indian costumes; the Campfire Girls in their outing suits sugges tive of Indians; the historical float bearing a typical "Uncle Sam" and Continental soldier; the old time stagecoach with its complement of young men and young women in Colonial costumes; and the soldiers, marines, Grand Army veterans, Odd Fellows, etc., made a picturesque procession which was reviewed with enthusiastic interest by about 1,500 spectators. The order of exercises on the battle-field was as follows: Music, by Glassing's Band. Salute to the Flag, by the School Children, under the direction of Miss Lillian V. Lilburn. Music, by Stony Point Drum Corps. Address of Welcome, by Frank E. Wiles, President of the Stony Point Village Improvement Association. Invocation, by the Rev. W. C. Timbrell, Pastor Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church of Stony Point. Music, by Glassing's Band. Salute of 13 Guns, by Boys' Brigade. English Folk Dances, by young ladies of Stony Point and Tomkins Cove, under direction of Mrs. Herbert Quaife. Solo Dance, by Miss Hope W. Barry. Music, by Stony Point Drum Corps. Address, by Hon. William S. Bennett of New York City, Member of Congress. Song, "Wayne Day," by Audience, accompanied by band. Address, by Dr. George Frederick Kunz of New York, President of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society. Address, by H. K. Bush-Brown of Washington, D. C., a Trustee of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society. Poem, "Wayne's Assault of Stony Point," by the author, the Rev. W. R. Kiefer. Music, by Glassing's Band. Benediction, by the Rev. George A. Hill, Pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Stony Point, The folk dances by about thirty girls, who wore white dresses and green sashes, had garlands of flowers on their heads, and carried flowers in their hands, were a most attractive feature of the exercises, and the applause which they evoked was an interesting illustration of the universal appeal which pageant dancing makes to people of all kinds, and to residents of country and city alike. The Chairmen of the various committees were as follows: Program, C. T. Allison; Music, E. O. Rose; Publicity, Sidney White; Parade, C. Clinton Mayall; Speakers, B. J. Allison, Jr.; Grounds, E. D. Keesler; Finance, F. E. Wiles; Badges, Miss Sarah A. Gilmor; Historical, E. D. Keesler; Reception, William B. Cavel. Other members of the committees were: Mrs. B. J. Allison George S. Allison Dr. A. F. Barry Joseph Bedford Carl Blume William L. Bulson James Clark A. H. Ellis Albert Holt C. Hubner David Hurd Hudson M. Hurd Matthew B. Hurd William J. Hurd Mrs. Edward Keesler Mrs. Thomas H. Lee Miss Lillian Lilburn Mrs. William Quelch Harry W. Rose Mrs. Harry W. Rose Dr. J. Sengstacken Miss Georgena Springsteen E. A. Thompson Miss Lydia A. Wiles United States Lighthouse Reservation On the outer end of Stony Point peninsula, and comprising about 9 acres, is the United States Lighthouse reservation, adjoining the State Park. Upon its summit is a picturesque old-fashioned lighthouse, standing on the site of the Revolutionary powder magazine. Near the water on the extreme tip of the point is a tower and fog-bell. There are several distinctly traceable earth works of the Revolutionary period on the Federal reservation, and it has long been the desire of the Society to have the United States government improve it by roads and paths connecting with those on the State reservation. By a public act No. 217, approved June 17, 1910, Congress authorized "a park road and approaches thereto and footpaths and other improvements on the lighthouse reservation at Stony Point on the Hudson River, New York, at a total cost not to exceed $7,500," but as Congress made no appropriation for the purpose, the construction of roads and paths on the United States Reservation in connection with those on the State Reservation has been held in abeyance. The local lighthouse inspector has recently recommended that the lighthouse on the top of the hill be abandoned and a new one be built near the bell-tower on the extreme point near the water, and in October, 1913, our representative conferred with Hon. George R. Putnam, Lighthouse Commissioner, in Washington, with reference to our assuming control of the unused part of the lighthouse reservation if the projected plan is carried out. Commissioner Putnam expressed himself in favor of turning over to this Society the unused portion of the Federal Reservation either by order of the Commissioner of Commerce or by deed to be authorized by Congress. On October 18, 1916, Mr. J. T. Yates, Inspector of the Third Lighthouse District, called at the headquarters of this Society in New York in regard to the new lighthouses proposed to be erected at various points along the Hudson river. (See pp. 256259 of our last Annual Report.) He said that the one proposed to be erected on the outer extremity of Stony Point would be substantially like that at Rondout, which is built of yellow brick, but that as it would be built on the mainland instead of on an island as at Rondout it would not be cluttered up as much as the latter. It will not be painted white, like the present Stony Point lighthouse, but will be of light colored brick. He expressed his willingness to recommend to his superiors that after the new lighthouse is built, the old lighthouse and the unused portion of the Federal reservation be turned over to the custody of this Society, to be treated in harmony with the State reservation. We expressed our readiness to assume this additional care, but stated that we could not bind the State to make appropriations for the necessary new roads and paths. We assured him, however, that we would commend the matter to the favorable consideration of the Legislature in the hope that suitable appropriations would be made in due time. This plan, if carried out will materially enlarge the Stony Point Park and add greatly to the interest of visitors. Death of William Ten Eyck The Society records with sincere sorrow the death of William Ten Eyck, the faithful keeper of the Reservation, which occurred suddenly from heart failure on Thursday, June 29, 1916. Mr. Ten Eyck was born at King's Ferry Landing on Stony Point adjacent to the property now constituting the State Reservation, on March 11, 1846, and had therefore reached the allotted age of three score years and ten. He was the son of Henry Ten Eyck and Ann Higgins and grandson of David Ten Eyck and Elizabeth Springsteen. His earliest Ten Eyck ancestors in this country came from Holland. David Ten Eyck, who was born April 26, 1774, and died. November 21, 1849, at the age of 75, was for many years the ferryman at the historic King's Ferry which plied between Stony Point and Verplanck's Point. He was the "jolly old ferryman mentioned by Benson J. Lossing in his "Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution." Lossing visited Stony Point in 1848, the year before the ferryman died, and gleaned from him much local lore. David Ten Eyck, according to the historian, had plied the oar at King's Ferry almost continuously since 1784, but in 1848 the ferryman lacked six years of deserving the title of " octogenarian which Lossing applied to him. Speaking of Stony Point, the historian says: "Upon its mounds I sat and listened for an hour to the adventurous tales of the octogenarian until the long shadows of the mountains warned me that the day was fast waning." The old ferryman is buried in the little graveyard at Stony Point. William Ten Eyck's maternal grandfather, Higgins, died of heart disease in the old house which still stands in the State Reser vation near its southern boundary. William Ten Eyck married Sarah Gilleo who survives him with nine children seven daughters and two sons. Ten granchildren represent the youngest generation. At the time of the Civil War an injured leg prevented Mr. Ten Eyck's enlistment in defense of the Union, but he was an ardent patriot and was very proud of the Revolutionary history of the region in which he was born and spent all his life. He always lived at Stony Point and took particular pride in the care of the State Reservation from the time of his appointment on August 15, 1903, to the time of his death. Nothwithstanding his advanced years, he was out cutting grass the very day before he died. His faithful service and neverfailing courtesy were thoroughly appreciated by the officers of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society and by the people visiting the park. For the past twenty-five years Mr. Ten Eyck was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, by the members of which, as well as by his acquaintances generally, he was highly respected. Mr. Ten Eyck's funeral was held on Sunday, July 2, 1916, the officiating clergymen being the Rev. R. I. MacBride and the Rev. W. C. Timbrell. The interment was at Mount Rest Cemetery in the town of Stony Point. The announcement that the Scenic Society, as custodian for the State of New York, had appointed Mrs. Ten Eyck to the position of keeper of the reservation to succeed her husband, gave much satisfaction in the neighborhood as Mrs. Ten Eyck was a genuine and practical helpmeet to her husband in the care of the property and takes the same pride in it that he did. When it is remembered that the United States employed a woman, Mrs. Nancy Rose, as keeper of the lighthouse on the adjacent Federal reservation for half a century up to the time of her death, the engagement of Mrs. Ten Eyck as keeper of the State Reservation seems to be quite in harmony with the traditions of this historic locality. |