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GRAND
MASTER’S DAY CELEBRATION IN TAPPAN – OCTOBER 12, 2008
THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE IS FINALLY OVER. PLANS
ARE BEING MADE FOR THE BRITISH TO EVACUATE NEW YORK
ON NOVEMBER 25, 1783. DATES AT WEST POINT - AND THE
DE WINT HOUSE - ARE ON GENERAL WASHINGTON’S SCHEDULE.
BROTHER GEORGE WASHINGTON STAYED AT THE DE WINT HOUSE
IN TAPPAN (NOVEMBER 11-14) AND THE NEXT DAY WENT TO
WEST POINT FOR A FINAL VISIT.
225 YEARS LATER, YOU CAN VISIT WEST POINT ON SATURDAY,
OCTOBER 11TH FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE NEXT DAY,
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12TH, VISIT THE HISTORIC DE WINT HOUSE,
HAVE A GREAT MEAL AT THE OLD ’76 HOUSE AND THEN GRAND
MASONIC FELLOWSHIP CELEBRATING GRAND MASTER’S DAY AT
TAPPAN.
ALL ARE INVITED. DUTCH TREAT BUFFET LUNCHEON AT THE
OLD ’76 HOUSE AT $25.00 PER GUEST SERVED FROM 11:00
TO 1:00 P.M. CEREMONIES WILL BEGIN AT THE DE WINT HOUSE
AT 2:00 P.M.
THERE WILL BE AN EASEL DISPLAY EXPLAINING THE PART
OF THE DE WINT HOUSE BETWEEN YORKTOWN (OCT. 1781) AND
EVACUATION DAY WHEN THE BRITISH FINALLY LEAVE NEW YORK
- AND AMERICA .
HISTORIC DETAILS ON THIS PERIOD AND MASONIC PARTICIPATION
MAY BE FOUND ON THE WEB AT http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/2008_summer_fall/
See article “The Forgotten Holiday”
Celebrating
General (and Brother) Washington's
276th Birthday at His Headquarters in Tappan
 On
Sunday, February 17, 2008, the De Wint Committee hosted
guests in the Carriage House at the George Washington
Masonic Historic Site at Tappan for a different kind
of birthday celebration.
The colors were presented by The Heroes of ’76,
Knickerbocker Chapter #13 of National Sojourners.
The Pledge of Allegiance followed and the Invocation
was given by RW Melvin Eckhaus, Vice Chairman of the
De Wint Committee.
Chairman R. W. C. F. William Maurer welcomed the guests
and introduced the De Wint Committee, House Staff and
the Trustees of the Masonic Hall and Home and then the
speaker.
“As Masons in New York we pledge a belief 1)
in a Supreme Being: One true and everlasting God and
2) the immortality of the soul. The speaker this
afternoon, Brother Garrett Husveth, Raritan Lodge #46,
New Jersey, is a court approved forensic examiner dealing
with digital media. Garrett uses his expertise
in Electronic Voice Phenomena and psychical research
to explore the paranormal. His subject is “Hauntings
in Colonial New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.”
We heard through Garrett’s PowerPoint presentation
of historic sites throughout our area where paranormal
manifestations have been encountered and recorded by
Garrett and his team.
 Brother
Husveth answered questions from the audience, and Brother
Maurer proposed the following toast to General Washington:
“To the immortal memory of Washington –
In the field he taught us to acquire liberty; in the
cabinet how to preserve it; and in private life how
to enjoy it. Thy children will remember thee forever.”
RW David Blasch gave the Benediction. Mrs. Kathy Jones
and our ladies provided refreshments.
The subject was well received by all. In a number of
the small groups gathered together during refreshments,
guests shared their own personal experiences of the
paranormal. Quite an exciting program and one that people
will continue to think about in the future.
Masonic
Family Day
at the George Washington Headquarters National
Historic Site
Sunday, September 16, 2007
The weather was perfect, although a little
cool for Masonic Family Day at Tappan. In the past we
tried to keep out of the sun but today everyone seemed
to want to stay out of the shade and get the sun on
this lovely day.
Something new was tried and done quite
successfully. A great BBQ was set up by Master Chef
Bob Reynolds and the Brothers of Hudson River Lodge
#309. Lunch started at noon and by 2 pm the program
began.
The afternoon started with the presentation
of a Plum Tree in honor of MW Neal I. Bidnick, Grand
Master of Masons in the State on New York. The tree
presentation was made by RW Mel Eckhaus, Vice President
of the Tappan Committee and Grand Tiler. Site Superintendent
RW Harold Jones explained the history of the tree, followed
by the MW Bidnick accepting the plum tree with his lovely
wife, Joyce.
RW Kenneth Wagner, Grand Chaplain, gave
the Invocation. The colors were presented by the Masonic
War Veterans under the command of First Lt. Commander
General of Grand Post, Eustace Kiryakos, and the Heroes
of '76, National Sojourners #13, accompanied the colors
under the direction of RW Edmund Kolb Jr. The Pledge
of Allegiance followed and RW C.F.William Maurer, Committee
Chairman, welcomed the visitors.
The first of four presentations was when
RW C.F. William Maurer introduced RW and Mrs. Eugene
Ericson who presented the print The Men Surrounding
Washington as a gift to be displayed in the De
Wint House in memory of their parents. Accepting the
print was RW Harold Jones. Maurer then presented Brother
Jones with a "Chancellor Livingston" medal
that had been awarded to RW Fred Dresdale, former Chairman
of the De Wint House, at Grand Lodge in 1992. RW Harold
Dresdale had desired that the medal be given to the
De Wint House in honor of his late father for display
in the De Wint Carriage House.
Past Grand Master Richard P. Thomas, President
of the Trustees of the Masonic Hall and Home, was introducted
and introduced the Trustees of the Masonic Hall and
Home. He then presented the De Wint House with a copy
of Greg Valentine's portrait of General Washington along
with a descriptive brochure that would explain the meaning
of the picture from the Erickson's and the Washington
portrait to our many visitors.
PGM Master Richard P. Thomas and RW Dominick
C. Grippo. Trustee and Liaison to the De Wint House,
then presented certificates of appreciation for "a
job well done" to Hugh O'Reilly, O'Reilly Family
Construction and Ronald Cook, County Tree Preservation.
Both these firms had worked for many years keeping the
De Wint House and the beautiful trees in tip top condition.
RW Kurt Ott, Grand Marshal, had the honor
in recognizing the Grand Line and their ladies and the
other prominent Masons. He then introduced RW Joe Leo,
District Deputy Grand Master, of the Orange/Rockland
District. Brother Leo is also a key member of the De
Wint House Committee.
RW Joseph R. Leo, DDGM, gave a brief history
of the site and then introduced the Grand Master of
Masons in the State of New York, the Most Honorable
Neal A. Bidnick.
Grand Master of Masons in the State of
New York, the Most Honorable Grand Master Neal A. Bidnick.
Grand Master Bidnick's remarks were concise
and to the point. He thanked the Trustees, the site's
staff and those present for their attendance and outlined
key plans for the coming season.
Grand Master Bidnick had a surprise for
Committee Member, RW Martin Dashevsky, and the surprise
is still in the works.
RW Kenneth Wagner, Grand Chaplain gave
the Benediction, and Taps was played, with echo, by
RW Raymond P. Alvarez, PC General, Grand Post, Masonic
War Veterans.
Light refreshments were served by Kathy
Jones and the ladies.
Thank you to Steven P. Koch, Netnews,
and W. Harry Anderson, Athelstane Lodge #839 for these
pictures.
Tappan's
Carriage House Celebrates Washington's Birthday
By ALICE GOMSTYN
THE JOURNAL NEWS (Original publication: February 19,
2007)
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| Above: Artist Greg V. Valentine shows
his portrait of Gen. George Washington and
11 other Revolutionary War figures during
yesterday's celebration at the Carriage House
in Tappan. |
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The De Wint House will shortly received
copies of the two portraits that W.Cary Eberly
and Greg Valentine spoke about last Sunday
at Washington’s Birthday commemoration
at the De Wint House. RW Gene and Martha Erickson
and MW Richard Thomas - on behalf of the Trustees
– have purchased a copy of each painting
to be gifted to us. The paintings are in the
process of being framed and will be presented
shortly and displayed in the Carriage House.
Thank you so much for this gift.
 Download
the brochure based on Mr. Eberly's notes and
to be kept alongside the paintings when on
display. |
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TAPPAN - Everyone knows about George Washington, whose
275th birthday will be on Thursday.
But what about Alexander Millner, a Lake George native
who was a drummer boy in the battles of Saratoga and
Yorktown? And Conrad Heyer, who was with then-Gen. Washington
when he crossed the Delaware River in 1776? And Capt.
George Fishley, who served at Valley Forge without shoes
or stockings and who witnessed the hanging of British
spy Maj. John André at Tappan's now famous André
Hill?
The three were among 11 little-known Revolutionary
War figures memorialized in a speech yesterday by historian
W. Cary Eberly.
Eberly, of West Chester, Pa., addressed a standing-room-only
crowd at the Carriage House, a museum and visitors center
at the George Washington Masonic Historic Site.
The building, which yesterday hosted a celebration
of Washington's upcoming birthday, is adjacent to the
historic DeWint House, where Washington stayed on four
occasions during the Revolutionary War.
"We are all familiar with the statesmen and the
generals" of the war, Eberly said, "but we
are less familiar with the privates and the corporals."
The men who made up the rank and file of state militias
and the Continental Army came "from all walks of
life, occupations and social status," he said.
By 1778, slaves and free black men, he said, made up
nearly 10 percent of Washington's fighting force.
"From the very wealthy to the very poorest creatures,"
he said, "they could be found somewhere in the
Continental Army."
While the legal minimum age to enlist was 16, some
took up arms as early as 12 or 13.
"Certainly, many a wide-eyed youth were drawn
in by the adventure of going to war," Eberly said.
The men whom Eberly profiled yesterday - Millner, Heyer,
Fishley, William Hutchings, Peter Stephen Duponceau,
Daniel Waldo, Lemuel Cook, Samuel Downing, Daniel Bakeman,
Adam Link and John Gray - lived long enough to see the
invention of rudimentary photography techniques and
to have their pictures taken.
All but one lived to be at least a century old.
"So many of these men, they lived either into
the Civil War or lived to see the conclusion of the
Civil War," Eberly said. "That's another extraordinary
part of these stories."
Artist Greg V. Valentine of West Conshohocken, Pa.,
included the men's likenesses in a portrait of Washington
that was displayed at the Carriage House yesterday.
(Copies of the painting are on sale through Historic
American Prints, a business owned by Eberly and Valentine.)
Eberly also passed around booklets containing copies
of the original pictures taken of the 11 men.
"Does this rock your soul, at all, to be looking
at these guys?" Eberly asked the crowd, many of
whom nodded in agreement.
Joan Steiner of Wesley Hills said she enjoyed Eberly's
presentation.
"I thought it was excellent," she said. "I
learned a lot, and it opened my mind."
Information on the men included in Eberly's speech
may be found at www.historicamericanprints.com
under the "Soldier History" link.
Reach Alice Gomstyn at agomstyn@lohud.com
or 845-578-2420.
Masonic
Family Day at Tappan Honors Four For Service to the
Community
September 17, 2006
Grand Master of Masons of the State of New York, Neal
I. Bidnick, suggested that he would like something a
little different to be held this year rather than the
annual “Grand Master's Day” at Washington's Headquarters
in Tappan. GM Bidnick felt a “Masonic Family Day” would
provide a pleasurable afternoon out for the Masons and
their families. This past Sunday, September 17th the
plans all came together.
Brothers from the Orange-Rockland Masonic District,
Athelstane Lodge #839 and Naurashank Lodge #589, both
in Pearl River, prepared hot dogs and hamburgers for
the hungry families. District Deputy GM Joe Leo and
wife Helen planned and supervised the food buffet.
RW (and Bishop) Herbert Groce Jr., Grand Chaplain,
gave the Invocation.
The NY Masonic War Veterans, accompanied by the Heroes
of '76 from Knickerbocker Chapter of National Sojourners,
Inc., presented the colors, and led the pledge of Allegiance.
GM Bidnick was presented his “five star” cap as Commander
of the NY Masonic War Veterans by Mel Hennen, Past Commander
General of the Masonic War Veterans of the State of
New York.
The award presentations were for Masonic Service to
the Washington's Headquarters Tappan Site and for contributions
to the local community. Superintendent of Buildings
and Grounds, the RW Harold Jones and wife, Kathy, were
awarded special certificates and a medal on behalf of
the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution
(DAR) for their continued efforts in the preservation
of this historic Revolutionary War home. Representing
the Statemuc Chapter, DAR, was Regent Martha Erickson,
Accompanying Mrs. Erickson was Conservation Chairperson
Isabel Wortendyke and many members of Statemuc Chapter.
(Marty noted that just the evening before, husband RW
Gene Erickson, was named as the “Outstanding Veteran
in Rockland County.”)
This past June, the New York Masons lost a loving representative
of the Masonic family. Mrs. Gerardine M. Ellis was the
wife of the late GM Raymond Ellis. GM Ellis was a descendent
of the De Wints and he and Gerardine had contributed
many lovely and important family artifacts to this historic
house. A plaque was presented by the RW Paul Dewe-Mathews,
chairman emeritus of the committee, to be placed alongside
GM Ellis' dedicated tree on the house grounds.
Brother Arthur Gunther, of Athelstane Lodge #839, former
Editorial Page Editor of the Rockland Journal News was
introduced by RW Ronald J. Steiner, Chairman Emeritus
of the De Wint House. The Grand Master then came forward
joining Ron and presented a special certificate from
the Grand Lodge of Masons of the State of New York for
Arthur's long and dedicated service to the Craft and
the Rockland community.
Recognizing an outstanding Mason and De Wint House
Committee member is always a pleasure. RW Mel Eckhaus
had the pleasure of asking RW Herbert Wasserman and
wife Gertrude to the dias to present and dedicate a
lovely white oak tree - just outside the presentation
area - for Herb's long and dedicated service as a member
of the committee and as its secretary. Grand Master
Bidnick and RW Glazer who had both served in the 6th
Masonic District with Brother Herb added kind remarks
to the presentation. Gertrude presented a gift to the
Masonic Brotherhood Fund to be used in preservation
and education at the site. RW William Maurer, De Wint
House Committee Chairman, accepted the check for the
committee.
Speeches were kept to a minimum. Past GM Richard Thomas,
the chairman of the Trustees of the Masonic Hall and
Home praised the beauty and the pride taken by his committee
in the ownership and care of this historic site. Deputy
Grand Master Edward G. Gilbert commented on the afternoon
and had the pleasure of introducing the more attractive
half of the Grand Line, their wives and family.
The key note speaker, the Most Worshipful Neal I. Bidnick,
capped the lovely afternoon with his easy manner and
thoughtful message. He presented a framed certificate
of the new Masonic Compact for display within the Carriage
House to show the world the Masonic ideals of America,
Brotherhood and Charity.
Reverend Groce's benediction was followed by a moment
of silence and the playing of Taps by RW Raymond Alvarez
of the Masonic War Veterans.
Brethren and the public are invited to visit George
Washington's Headquarters in Tappan, NY. The house,
built in 1700, has been under the care and concern of
the New York Masons since November 22, 1931, some seventy-five
years.
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