“TOMMY” O’TOOLE IN SING SING AGAIN? (1915)
Burglaries took place with great regularity in Brooklyn 100 years ago. Skimming through Brooklyn Daily Eagle archives and reading newspapers from that period, I come across them all the time. They usually involve males, between the ages of a 16 and 24, just about all of whom have previous criminal records, and who end up getting sent “up the river” to Sing Sing. Yesterday, while scanning the papers, a small story on a burglary that took place almost 100 years ago – to the day – caught my eye. Why? I cannot say. It was a rather pedestrian article, but it caused me to wonder at what happened to the subject, one William O’Toole. Being in the detective business, there are always ways of finding out these things. Being a history detective, though, it gets a little tougher and requires some more than usual digging. But I was ready for digging yesterday, and so I decided to follow my leads. THE STORY The offense took place on 18 May 1915, at 864 Nostrand Avenue. O’Toole was the unlucky one to get caught as an accomplice got away. Hailing from Manhattan, according to the piece, he was young man of 22 years at the time, referred to in the article as an “Old Offender.” His record of offenses was three deep, having already served time in Elmira, Sing Sing, and the State Penitentiary. This time he was collared for stealing $46 out of a strong box belonging to “Miss Mary Maddren.” […]
BOYS HIGH TO MEET WRECKING BALL
Bedford-Stuyvesant’s Boys High School, the oldest public high school in Brooklyn, is slated for demolition later this year. The structure, located at 832 Marcy Avenue, will be replaced with a 300-unit glass and steel affordable and market-rate apartment building. Formerly regarded as an “historic and architecturally notable public school,” the building recently suffered minor structural problems and was regarded by the Department of Buildings as “too-outmoded for any corrections to be made.” A developer has moved in quietly to purchase the building for $33.9 million – a new record for this section of Brooklyn – and will begin the tear-down process, likely in September. The company, Brooklandia Investments, is an investment firm with headquarters in New Zealand which prides itself on its speed of construction. “We are here for the community,” noted Brooklandia’s Thorin Oakenshield, in a statement yesterday. “We have consulted with numerous other development and building firms, as well as city planners, in order to take the pulse, so to speak, for what the locals want in their neighborhood – the consensus was amazing – residents want top-notch modern apartment buildings. “This,” Oakenshield stated, “we are prepared to deliver on.” The speed with which this deal occurred and the cloak of secrecy under which the Department of Buildings declared the 125-year-old structure unstable has amazed some local residents who felt that they were not informed of the future for the building. “It’s been here since I was a kid. I used to go to that school,” said one […]
THE RISE & FALL OF THE MINIMS
They only lasted about eight years, but the 115-pound class Lady of Good Counsel Minims were as good as any Catholic midget basketball team in Stuyvesant Heights on the court. Fed by the Catholic families of the eastern section of Stuyvesant Heights and parts of Bushwick, the Minim team played its collective heart out from 1911-1919. They inexplicably disappeared, though, just after the Great War. It is not clear where they went, but Our Lady of Good Counsel (915 Putnam Avenue) continued on as the Catholic Church to support Catholic Stuyvesant Heights up into the 21st Century. The church has now, though, gone to wherever the Minims went. Follow @BrownstoneDetec ———————————————————————————————————————– The Brownstone Detectives This story was composed from research performed by The Brownstone Detectives. Let us do an in-depth investigation of your house and its former owners and produce your very own House History Book. Your hardbound coffee table book will include an illustrated and colorful narrative timeline that will bring the history of your house to life. Contact us today.
PICS FROM THE WWI MEMORIAL CEREMONY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTHEW KARAS. Many thanks to so many people who supported the memorial service in Saratoga Park last Wednesday (10 September). In addition to those from the NYC Parks Department and the political representatives who spoke – Borough President Eric Adams and Councilwoman Darlene Mealy – the military was represented by Lt. Col. Joseph Davidson who came out from Fort Hamilton, and the chief historian for the History Channel/A+E Networks (also currently President Obama’s Commissioner on the World War One Centennial Commission) was on-hand to speak about the importance of renovating our old WWI memorials and honoring those who fought for our country. The Brownstone Detectives performed the historical study, researching the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines from the neighborhood who made the ultimate sacrifice almost 100 years ago during the Great War. And in the process, with just two weeks to do it in, The Brownstone Detectives further identified the descendants of many of the men on the honor rolls, three of whom attended the ceremony. And, Michael Lisnet, our great Macon Street neighbor, who helped us out by finding us a wonderful photographer, Matt Karas. Matt, whom we’d never even met or spoke to before, came out to take some wonderful pictures of the event for us. The pictures in this blog post all belong to him – and we thank him very much for his support. Enjoy these wonderful snapshots shared with us by Matthew Karas: Follow @BrownstoneDetec ———————————————————————————————————————– The Brownstone Detectives This story was composed […]
SARATOGA PARK WWI MEMORIAL IS TODAY
Today at noon, the World War I “Victory & Peace” Memorial in Brooklyn’s Saratoga Park will be unveiled and rededicated.All are welcome and invited to attend. Descendants of at least two of the men (who gave their lives in the Great War) will be in attendance, joined by Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey, Borough President Eric Adams, Col. Joseph Davidson of the U.S. Army, and representatives of the George P. Davis Post No. 116 of the American Legion and Auxiliary. Here follows a list of the 105 men and one woman whose names appear on the honor rolls flanking the statue. They were all from the neighborhood. They all gave their lives in service to their country. George Albrecht William Banscher Edward J. Bell Harold Benson Harry S. Bowyer Edward C. Brennan Joseph A. Brunner Francis J. Buckley Arthur J. Burgh J. Edgar Burling Robert F. Carrie James C. Clark Jesus Clemente Joseph A. Collopy Hedley H. Cooper Frank E. Cortes Thomas Cross Leonard Dalton Frank E. Discher Frederick C. Dose John F. Dowd Elmer D. Edwards George H. Edwards Charles D. Elson Edgar H. Fessenden James E. Fitzpatrick John J. Fitzpatrick Frank A. Gaffney Anthony Galgano George E. Gilbert James T. Greene Evan F. Gustafson Walter C. Haeuser Frederick Haupt Thomas F. Herron Raymond D. Hill Frank E. Hillenbrand Charles S. Hilton Arthur V. Holdsworth Thomas B. Hurley James D. Irwin Gordon W. Johnson Arthur P. Jones James Keely Thomas A. Kehoe Arthur C. Kimber Alfred R. Kipling Louis […]
CPL. EDWARD C. BRENNAN (A BED-STUY HERO)
******************************************************************************************************************************** Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes. The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations. Do you know the history of YOUR house? ******************************************************************************************************************************** In 2014, The Brownstone Detectives partnered with the New York City Parks Department to help celebrate the lives of the servicemembers of Bedford-Stuyvesant Heights who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War. We researched these heroes to locate pictures, stories, and their descendants to be brought together for a ceremony that dedicated a new “Victory and Peace” war memorial at Saratoga Park. This biography tells the story of one of those servicemembers. CPL. EDWARD CROMWELL BRENNAN Edward Cromwell Brennan was born to Sebastian and Elsie Brennan on 19 March 1896. Edward was the elder of two boys born to the couple. His father, Sebastian, worked as a “letter carrier,” and the family lived at the time of the war at No. 117 Saratoga Avenue. According to the draft registration card Edward completed and signed before the local draft board on 5 June 1917, he was 21 1/2 years old, a single man of medium height, slender, with brown hair and eyes. Before signing up to serve, Edward had worked as a clerk at the Liverpool London & Globe, an insurance company located at 80 William Street in New York City. On 28 September 1917, Edward was inducted into the U.S. Army as a private in the 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th […]
LT. SAMUEL J. REID (A BEDSTUY HERO)
******************************************************************************************************************************** Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes. The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations. Do you know the history of YOUR house? ******************************************************************************************************************************** In 2014, The Brownstone Detectives partnered with the New York City Parks Department to help celebrate the lives of the servicemembers of Bedford-Stuyvesant Heights who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War. We researched these heroes to locate pictures, stories, and their descendants to be brought together for a ceremony that dedicated a new “Victory and Peace” war memorial at Saratoga Park. This biography tells the story of one of those servicemembers. LT. SAMUEL JACKSON REID “Today I have lost the best pal I ever had.” So began the diary entry of Lt. Samuel Jackson Reid’s orderly for 22 August 1918. Such words might have been more understandable describing lifetimes friends or companions, but this touching and heartfelt line was written by a man who had known his commanding officer for a mere few months. But Reid was not only a beloved officer in his field artillery battery; he was also popular with the entire regiment, according to Reid’s first sergeant, who explained this to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle after Reid’s death. “Sam, by never having driven the men when it was unnecessary, by his consideration and personal regard for them and by his immediate demonstration of himself as a man of fighting spirit, a lover of justice and of […]
A BROWNSTONE DETECTIVES BOOK: PROGRESS!
This is from a chapter of a book we are currently working on! Those of you who’ve been to our home may recognize the woodwork along the left side of this image. Our graphic designer has a way with re-imagining 122-year-old millwork! Tell us how you like it! 🙂
CPL. ALBERT G. MASON (A BEDSTUY HERO)
******************************************************************************************************************************** Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes. The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations. Do you know the history of YOUR house? ******************************************************************************************************************************** In 2014, The Brownstone Detectives partnered with the New York City Parks Department to help celebrate the lives of the servicemembers of Bedford-Stuyvesant Heights who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War. We researched these heroes to locate pictures, stories, and their descendants to be brought together for a ceremony that dedicated a new “Victory and Peace” war memorial at Saratoga Park. This biography tells the story of one of those servicemembers. CORPORAL ALBERT G. MASON Born in the Stuyvesant section on 3 April 1893, Albert G. Mason was the son of Mrs. Minnie Clifford Mason. Although he grew up at 591 Bainbridge and 798 Macon Street, his mother was living at 117 Patchen Avenue during the war. Mason was a member of the 47th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, and had been in the Army for seven years before the U.S. got involved in WWI. He had served at that point from the Philippines to Texas to Mexico, but soon would find himself in another more dangerous theatre of war. On May 25th, 1918, Mason’s regiment landed at Brest in France. Two months were spent training with British and French units before July 27th, when “the Raiders” (the nickname of the 47th) were marching knee deep in mud to […]
CPL. JAMES D. IRWIN (A BEDSTUY HERO)
******************************************************************************************************************************** Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes. The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations. Do you know the history of YOUR house? ******************************************************************************************************************************** In 2014, The Brownstone Detectives partnered with the New York City Parks Department to help celebrate the lives of the servicemembers of Bedford-Stuyvesant Heights who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War. We researched these heroes to locate pictures, stories, and their descendants to be brought together for a ceremony that dedicated a new “Victory and Peace” war memorial at Saratoga Park. This biography tells the story of one of those servicemembers. CORPORAL JAMES D. IRWIN Before joining the U.S. Army and heading out to fight in the Great War, a 20-year-old James D. Irwin sat down with his sweetheart, Elsie, to discuss their future. Although the two felt somewhat apprehensive, considering James’ impending commitment, it didn’t take long for the young couple to decide to formalize their relationship. Going off to war has a way of inspiring people to make these sorts of decisions – and it was happening with many other couples – all across the borough. Irwin, a resident of Stuyvesant Heights, lived at 324A Decatur Street with his mother, two sisters, and a brother. Soon after news of the U.S. entrance in the Great War was announced, Irwin decided he did not want to wait for a draft. He went straight down to the local Army […]
