 |
MEET SOME OF GORDON'S FAMILY
"GORD'S GOLD"
That is a title of one of my Gordon Lightfoot record albums and it certainly seems to apply here to this collection of photos from Pioneer Moriches Bay Area resident, Gordon Hackney. Gordon is a trustee with the Moriches Historical Society and can be found there on many weekends. Tip Of The Old Knapp Fedora To Another Lifelong Moriches Pioneer, Robert Chartuck for doing the scanning and emailing of these rare nuggets. Once again folks out there ..... If you have photos or know of someone who does that are relevant to the wide panaroma of subjects on The Knapps Lived Here website ..... feel free to get intouch with me Photo condition is not that important as most of them can be restored using digital technology.
|
|
MEET SOME OF GORDON'S FAMILY
The Nine Brothers & Sisters of Bartlett (1822-1908) & Emeline (1827 -1898) Ross . In Moriches History The Ross Name Goes Back To The Beginning Of The Colonial Days. Turns Out Gordon Hackney Is Related By Marriage To Them.
Front Row : George b 1868 , Maria b 1847 and Charles b 1849 ___ Back Row : Ida b 1852 , John b 1860, Arletta b 1865, Theron b 1863, Bartlett b 1857 and Sarah b 1854
( Thanks To Darby Penney Bart's Great Grandaughter For The Ross Family Dates)
The photo is circa late 19th or very early 20th Century. Regular readers of the website, will be familiar with the names Bart , Clarence, William, and LeeRoy Ross (sidekick to Dodi Knapp). Bart Ross who is pictured in his younger years here, was the father in law of Clarence G. Penney whose brother Willis O. Penney was Claire Knapp's husband .... Charles Ross who was 51 years old in the 1900 Census was father to Clarence Ross who like his father was an estate superintendentant for both Floyds & Danas. Some other old time Moriches familys related by marriage to the Ross' are Baker, Bishop, Chichester, Edwards, Homan, Robinson, Rogers and so it goes on and on .....
______________________
AERIAL COAST PATROL USNR "KNAPP's AIR FORCE" AT SMITH's POINT MONDAY SEPTEMBER 3 ,1917
America was 5 months into full involment in WW1 when these two photos above were taken on Labor Day in 1917. The members of Unit 3 of Aerial Coast Patrol USNR was founded on the mainland shorefront of Joseph F. Knapp's Mastic (beach) estate in April that year. They moved their operation across the bay to Smith's Point mid summer when their ranks expanded from 12 to over 36 flyers in the span of two months. The new flyers stayed at the Hedges Hotel on the beach at Fire Island. The general public either crossed over the wooden Tangier Smith Point Bridge or came by boat and got to watch them do an air show on most any given day that summer and into the late fall. That could very well be J. F. "Dodi" Knapp taxi-ing off the hanger ramps in his $12,000.00 Curtis F-5 Flying Boat.
CONTACT!
This spin meister is possibly Eugene Untermyer, nephew of Samuel Untermyer world famous lawyer and J. P. Knapp chrony.
Eugene was a PR guy for Unit 3
FISHING ON THE FIRE FLY
Smith's Point was and remains a major recreation area even before the first bridge to it was built in 1911. Before the bridge people would just sail on over from Bellport, Brookhaven and Moriches. This photo also appears in the book Illustrated History Of Moriches Bay Area by Van & Mary Field.
--------------------------
"They're Gonna Put Me In The Movies"
Almost 50 years before Ringo Star would cover Buck Owens country hit "Act Naturally", Moriches area folks were treated to watching movie making at Smith's Point in the 1920's. Rudolph Valentino's last film "Son Of The Sheik" was made there in 1925. These three photos might be from one called "Man Of Stone" made by the Selznik studio in 1920 and released in 1921. The history of making silent films at Smith's Point is well documented on the pages "Quiet On The Sand" in the links below.
"Midnight At The Oasis ..... Send Your Camel To Bed".... sang Maria Muldaur in 1974
This may be silent actress Betty Howe or Martha Mansfield
Had to be great fun for the locals , but hard work for the camera man to keep all the buildings like the Smith Point House (in the background here) , Hedges Hotel, and the Coast Guard Station out of the shots over there. I wonder how many of the locals went to the theatres in Patchogue to watch the films they saw being made, on the silver screen.
______________________
A Few Miles Down The Beach To The East Was This Other Great Recreation Spot
This shot is probably taken circa 1930s or early 1940s. I like to call it "Dana's Dock" for reasons explained here. It was a goverment dock originally built for the Forge River Life Saving Station, and of course rebuilt over the years. It was sold to the MBPOA in 1949 by Ella Dana who had a summer cottage there.
HEADING FOR HOME
Here's Some More Links With Many More Related Photos & Info
KEEPIN' THEM FLYING AT THE KNAPP ESTATE IN MASTIC 1917
KNAPPS AERO SQUAD AT SMITH'S POINT