Thurston Lenwood Gaines Jr. (1922-2016) was a Tuskegee Institute trained combat pilot; after World War II, he returned to school and became a surgeon.
Gaines was born on March 20, 1922 to Thurston Gaines Sr. and Alberta (nee Robinson). He was raised at 29 Lillian Avenue by his mother and credited her with teaching him a strong work ethic. He attended Freeport schools and graduated from Freeport High School in 1940. During his scholastic career in Freeport, he distinguished himself with many notable accomplishments, among which were membership in the National Honor Society, participation in chorus and orchestra, and service on the yearbook editorial staff. Though Gaines was denied access to college preparatory courses, he received a prize for the highest grade in government and citizenship; he also received an award from the Freeport Veterans of Foreign Wars. Martin M. Mansperger, principal of Freeport High School, later helped Gaines obtain a scholarship to Howard University. He did not graduate; instead, he chose to enlist in the US Army Air Corps in 1943.
Once in the Army Air Corps, Gaines took advantage of the opportunity to enter one of the first pilot training classes held at the Tuskegee Institute. He graduated from the program in 1944 and was sent to Europe to fly combat missions. He served with the 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group with the rank of Flight Officer. During his 26th mission in April 1945, his plane was hit by enemy fire and went down behind German army lines. Gaines was captured and held at Stalag Luft VII in Moosburg, Germany as a prisoner of war. He was freed, along with approximately 25,000 other allied prisoners of war, in June of 1945 by the 14th Armored Division led by General George Patton. During his service for the US Army Air Corps, Gaines was awarded the Air Medal with Two Oak Leaf Cluster, a Presidential Unit Citation, and a Purple Heart.
Upon Gaines’ return to the United States, he returned to the Tuskegee Institute to train future pilots to fly the B-25 bomber. He then enrolled in New York University in 1947 and graduated the year after, and later earned his doctorate in medicine at Meharry Medical College in 1953. He earned his board certification in surgery in 1959 and worked first as a medical examiner before going into hospital administration as a medical director at a veterans’ hospital in Massachusetts. Gaines tried retirement in 1988, but a decade later returned to work, first as a phlebotomist and then as a professor of naturopathic medicine at Southwest College in Arizona.
While growing up in Freeport, he met a young girl named Jacqueline Kelly; he later married her. Their marriage lasted 71 years and produced three children.
In 2007, Gaines and the surviving members of Tuskegee Airmen were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush.
Gaines passed away at the age of 94 on December 31, 2016 and is buried at Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, California.
Sources:
Alberts, Sheldon. "U.S. Honours First Black Military Airmen." National Post. Accessed October 18, 2019. newspapers.com.
Freeport High School yearbook 1940.
"Gaines Is Kept Busy At Howard University." The Leader. January 22, 1942, 8. Accessed October 18, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1942-01-22/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Thurston Gaines in Advanced Class." The Leader. June 15, 1944, 4 . Accessed October 18, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1944-06-15/ed-1/seq-3/.
"Thurston L. Gaines. Jr." The CAF Red Tail Squadron. Accessed October 18, 2019. https://www.redtail.org/thurston-l-gaines-jr/.
Thurston L. Gaines, Jr. [oral history]. "Veterans History Project." Library of Congress. Accessed October 18, 2019. http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/
Toliver, Richard. "Remembering a Tuskegee Airmen." Arizona Republic. January 7, 2019, A3. Accessed October 18, 2019. newspapers.com.
Researched by Denise Rushton, October 18, 2019.
Gala Foods is a supermarket chain store owned by parent company Aurora Grocery Group. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Aurora licensed its initial locations (including 120 North Main Street and 111 West Merrick Road) under the name Compare Foods 30 years ago. In June 2018, Compare Foods was rebranded Gala Foods. In addition to the name change, locations underwent interior remodeling, upgrades to point-of sale systems, and improved online shopping for in-store pickup or at-home delivery.
See Also:
Source:
"A Gala Change for Four LI Groceries." Newsday. June 25, 2018, A29.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, June 25, 2018.
The Gaslite was a restaurant and cocktail bar located at 90 South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue). In 1963, Evelyn (Eve) and Fred Berger were the hosts.
Click here for images of The Gaslite.
Sources:
Gaslite [advertisement]. The Leader. November 14, 1963, 8. Accessed November 2, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1963-11-14/ed-1/seq-8/.
"News and Views." The Leader. November 14, 1963, 16. Accessed November 2, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1963-11-14/ed-1/seq-16/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, November 2, 2017.
Gatter Park is the triangle shaped piece of land at the intersection of Miller Avenue and Smith Street. The owners of the property were Village Trustee William Gatter and his brother, Irving. In 1925, it was purchased by the Village of Freeport for $10.
See Also:
Source:
Village of Freeport. Board Minutes, July 10, 1925, Book 6, page 574.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 16, 2016.
William Mortimer Gatter (1883-1928), served as village trustee from 1925-1926. He also held the position of county tax appraiser. Gatter lived with his wife, Effie, and son, William, at 59 Miller Avenue. He was a member of the Church of the Transfiguration and the Spartan Lodge (Masons). In 1925, Gatter and his brother, Irving, sold the triangle shaped piece of land at the intersection of Miller Avenue and Smith Street to the Village for $10. Today, this land is known as "Gatter Park."
See Also:
Sources:
"Freeport Flag at Half-Mast for W.M. Gatter." Nassau Daily Review. June 30, 1928, 3.
"Gatter Services Planned Sunday." Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 30, 1928, 3.
Rsearched by Regina G. Feeney, May 16, 2016.
Gellman's Luncheonette was located at 5 West Merrick Road in the 1940s. It was run by Murray and Sarah Gellman.
Sources:
"1940s." The Leader. March 19, 1981, 6. Accessed September 27, 2022. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1981-03-19/ed-1/seq-6/.
Telephone Books [Great Neck Public Library].
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, September 27, 2022.
George Combs' Boatyard (also known as George Combs Boat Yard and Comb's Boatyard) was located on South Main Street at Southside Avenue. It was owned by George Combs (1848-1930).
Some of the boats constructed at George Combs' Boatyard included: a skiff for John Van Nostrand; a skiff for Walter Van Nostrand; and a sneak boat for Charles Kimble of New York. In 1912, it was reported he repaired the following boats: a pleasure boat owned by John Hendrickson of Jamaica; Plover owned by Duryea Bros.; Dory by William Powell; Chum by George Reynolds; and a pleasure craft for William Plyer of Hempstead. That same year, the boatyard constructed a new cabin for a 20-foot launch owned by Frederick Knowles.
Combs was the uncle of Daniel B. Combs, another Freeport boat builder.
Sources:
Ancestry.com.
"Boating Activities." Nassau County Review. April 19, 1912, 1. Accessed June 3, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1912-04-19/ed-1/seq-1/.
George Comb's Boat Yard [classified advertisement]. Nassau County Review. June 28, 1912, 6. Accessed May 11, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1912-06-28/ed-1/seq-6/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 29, 2019.
George Frenzelos & Company sold fancy fruits and vegetables in 1928. The store was located at 48 South Main Street.
Source:
Voyageur, 1928 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, December 27, 2016.
George Morrison's Tavern was located at 16 South End Place. Before George Morrison assumed ownership of the building, Algot Luthandor applied for a liquor license for his establishment at this location in 1939. His bar and grill was called "Al Luthandor's." This establishment came under the management of John Kruger in 1947. Tragically, 27-year old bartender Mary Hart was shot and killed by her estranged husband at the tavern in 1949.
In 1950, the tavern sold sirloin steaks for $1.25. In 1964, this establishment was reopened by Dick and Barbara Okeson and renamed the Little Hideaway. It was renamed Edith & Harry's Steak House in 1966 when Edith and Harry Schwartz took over ownership.
Sources:
"Grand Opening." The Leader. October 13, 1966, 16. Accessed December 7, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1966-10-13/ed-1/seq-18/.
"In the News." The Leader. December 3, 1964, 4. Accessed December 7, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1964-12-03/ed-1/seq-4/.
"Lady Barkeep Shot in Quarrel With Hubby, 21." The Brooklyn Daily Review. June 24, 1949, 1. Accessed December 8, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57096902/?terms=luthander%27s%2Bfreeport.
Legal notice [liquor license]. Nassau Daily Review-Star. October 11, 1939, 14. Accessed December 8, 2017. fultonhistory.com.
"Man About Town." The Leader. November 30, 1950. Accessed December 7, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1950-11-30/ed-1/seq-5/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, December 8, 2017.
Gere's Bowling Alley was located at 36-38 North Main Street and owned by C. F. Gere. In 1911, the bowling alley installed a large "fireless cooker" so patrons could order food. That same year, Gere's expanded and added four lanes, for a total of six lanes. The two older lanes were designated for "the exclusive use of the ladies." On May 5, 1913, the bowling alley had a fire that caused $4,500 in damages. It was reported that it took the Freeport Fire Department two hours to extinguish the blaze. Gere's reopened in June 1912.
See Also:
Sources:
"Freeport." South Side Messenger. June 7, 1912. Accessed April 29, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn96083504/1912-06-07/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Freeport." South Side Messenger. September 15, 1911, 1. Accessed April 29, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn96083504/1911-09-15/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Freeport." South Side Messenger. October 27, 1911, 1. Accessed April 29, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn96083504/1911-10-27/ed-1/seq-1/.
H. E. P. "Fires in 1912." Nassau County Review. January 3, 1913, 1. Accessed April 29, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1913-01-03/ed-1/seq-1/.
H. E. P. "Freeport Fire Affairs." South Side Messenger. May 10, 1912, 5. Accessed April 29, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn96083504/1912-05-10/ed-1/seq-5/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, April 29, 2019.
Leo Frederick Giblyn (?-1960) was a member of the Freeport Board of Education from July 1, 1932 to December 19, 1960. He became president of the board from July 1, 1940 and remained in that role for the rest of his tenure on the board.
Born in Watertown, NY, he was ninth in a family of 10 children. In 1911, he enlisted in Company M 71st Infantry. During World War I, he commanded the 105th Infantry in Belgium and on the Hindenburg Line in France. He was wounded in action in 1918 in St. Souplet, France and later received the Purple Heart and the Conspicuous Service Cross.
In 1929, Giblyn was appointed chairman of the Northeast Civic School Committee in Freeport. He was elected to the Board of Education in 1934 and became vice president of the school board in 1934. He would become president in 1940. During his tenure, the number of children attending school in Freeport nearly tripled. The new Freeport High School, Cleveland Avenue School, Caroline G. Atkinson School, Bayview Avenue School, the athletic field house and field at Cleveland Avenue school, were all constructed while he was president.
In celebration of this 25th anniversary in 1957 on the school board, a testimonial dinner was held in his honor at Guy Lombardo's East Point House restaurant. At the dinner, he was presented with a Buick sedan, lifetime membership in the Freeport Teachers Association, and an Airplane Trophy from the Grumman Corporation.
Giblyn was a member of the American Legion and was very active in Our Holy Redeemer Church.
In 1962, the Leo F. Giblyn School was dedicated in his honor.
Giblyn lived at 121 Washburn Avenue.
Click here for images related to Leo F. Giblyn.
Sources:
"Freeport Shocked, Leo F. Giblyn Dies." The Leader. December 2, 1960, 5.
Voyageur, 1961 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, August 30, 2017.
Rudolph (Rudy) Giuliani, formerly mayor of the City of New York, worked as a summer assistant at a Freeport savings bank in 1963.
Source:
Saltonstall, David. "Italian-Americans Give Boost for Their Paisan, Rudy" Daily News. October 8 2007.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, September 2, 2016.
Gladys Lane was originally planned to be called Fifth Street.
Source:
Zimmerman, Charles J. "What Ever Happened To Randolph, Claude and Jerome?" The Leader. October 15, 1992, 24.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 29, 2016.
William F. Glacken, Sr. was the twenty-eighth mayor of Freeport (1953 to 1961). His son later served as the thirty-fourth mayor of Freeport.
Glacken was preceded by Robert L. Doxsee and succeeded by Robert J. Sweeney.
Click here for images related to William F. Glacken, Sr.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 29, 2016.
William F. Glacken, Jr. was the thirty-fourth mayor of Freeport (1997 to 2009). His father served as the twenty-eighth mayor of Freeport.
Glacken was preceded by Richard Wissler and succeeded by Andrew Hardwick.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 29, 2016.
Glenada Realty Company, Inc. was headquartered at 47-49 Railroad Avenue in the 1910s. Albin N. Johnson served as its president. The company owned the Freeport Terrace residential development.
Sources:
An Authentic Classified Directory of the Village of Freeport, Nassau County, New York, For the Year 1914-15. Freeport, NY: The Long Island Directory Company, 1914. (Ancestry.com).
Glenada Realty Co. [advertisement]. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. May 3, 1914, 55. Accessed July 3, 2018. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/54437692/?terms=%22Glenada%2BRealty%22%2Bfreeport.
Supreme Court of Nassau County [legal notice]. Nassau County Review. April 16, 1915, 4. Accessed July 3, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1915-04-16/ed-1/seq-4/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, July 3, 2018.
Glencort Tennis Club was organized on April 29, 1914. Its officers included: Olive Fawcett, president; Wesley Devlin, vice president; Signe Nygren, treasurer; Estelle Fawcett, treasurer, Edwin Heming, press agent; Wallace H. Campbell, chairman of the investigating committee; Frederick Henderson, chairman of the court committee; and Fanny Devlin, chairman of the social committee. Ralph Randall and Frederick Joerisson became members on May 27, 1914.
In May 1915, Olive and Estelle Fawcett resigned their positions and nothing more was heard from the club.
Sources:
"Freeport." Nassau County Review. May 8, 1914, 1. Accessed March 6, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1914-05-08/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Social and Personal." Nassau County Review. June 12, 1914, 1. Accessed June 12, 1914, 1. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1914-06-12/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Social and Personal." Nassau County Review. May 14, 1915, 1. Accessed March 6, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1915-05-14/ed-1/seq-1/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, March 6, 2019.
Glickman Studio was located at 37 West Merrick Road. It was owned by Samuel Glickman. The photography studio was opened in 1918 and was originally located at 13 Railroad Avenue. Later, the Glickman Studio was moved to 31 South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue). This location was once occupied by another notable local photographer, Jacob D. Keifer. Between 1949 and 1950, Glickman Studio relocated to 37 West Merrick Road.
According to a 1984 Leader article, Samuel Glickman learned his trade as an apprentice in Germany and was the official photographer of the Czar’s Russian Army in 1905. Glickman worked for The New York Times and The New York Herald Tribune. He was known for his ability to retouch faded and damaged photographs.
Glickman Studio went out of business in 2009.
Sources:
"Around Town." Nassau County Review. May 30, 1919, 5. Accessed April 22, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1919-05-30/ed-1/seq-5/.
Glickman [advertisement]. The Nassau Post. March 15, 1918, 6. Accessed April 22, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071434/1918-04-19/ed-1/seq-3/.
Glickman Studio [advertisement]. The Leader. May 26, 1949, 7. Accessed April 22, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1949-05-26/ed-1/seq-7/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, February 22, 2019.
Glovers Canal (sometimes spelled Glover's Canal) is located in the Meister Beach residential development in Freeport, between South Bayview Avenue and Stirling Avenue. In 1930, it was given to the Village of Freeport by Nation Wide Home Builders.
In 1970, three year old Sharon Deis of Brentwood drowned after falling into Glovers Canal; she had been visiting her grandparents who lived in Meister Beach at 49 Stirling Ave., and fell into the water after going through an unfenced section of the backyard.
See Also:
Sources:
"Child Drowns." The Leader. October 8, 1970, 1. Accessed October 10, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1970-10-08/ed-1/seq-1/.
Village of Freeport Board Minutes, 1930.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, October 10, 2018.
Henry Gobetz (circa 1853-1925) was a pioneering merchant in Freeport. Born in Russian, Gobetz was involved the cigar manufacturing business and owned a cigar store on South Main Street.
Gobetz died at the age of 72 at his home at 209 Chauncey Street, Brooklyn. He is buried in Washington Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY. He was survived by three children: Jessie, Barnard, and James I. Gobetz, as well as three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Sources:
Henry Gobetz [obituary]. The Daily Review. June 23, 1925, 2. Accessed January 14, 2022. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071431/1925-06-23/ed-1/seq-2/.
Henry Gobetz [obituary]. The New York Times. June 21, 1925, E5.
"Hold Funeral Services for Henry Gobetz." Brooklyn Times Union. January 23, 1925, 8. Accessed January 14, 2022. newspapers.com.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, January 24, 2022.
George W. Goeller (1883-1968), founder of the Freeport Leader, was born in 1883 in Manhattan. He attended Commercial High School and began his newspaper career at the age of 17 as a copy boy for the Brooklyn Times. Goeller eventually became an editor at The Brooklyn Eagle. Goeller and his wife Augusta moved to Freeport in 1919 and resided at 77 Smith Street. In 1935, Goeller started the Freeport Leader, which he sold 20 years later. In 1958, he became the editor of the Long Island Graphic and eight years later became semi-retired serving as Editor Emeritus of the L.I. Graphic and the Roosevelt Press. Goeller was a member of the First Baptist Church of Freeport and the Salvation Army. He was also an honorary guest at the Exchange Club weekly luncheons. He and Augusta had one child, Harold Goeller. Augusta died in 1950. Goeller died at Doctor's Hospital on February 9, 1968 a few months before his 85th birthday. He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Bethel, NY.
Source:
"George W. Goeller Dies," Long Island Graphic. February 15, 1968, 1.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 16, 2016.
Golden Building (sometimes referred to as the "New Golden Building") is located on the northwest corner of Merrick Road and South Main Street. It was constructed by Samuel Golden in 1926 on property originally owned by Stella Foreman. Freeport architect Ben Holman designed the building.
Golden headed the Ruth Elaine Realty Corporation. He is credited with coining the slogan "Try Freeport First" which was adopted by the Freeport Chamber of Commerce for the 1932 Christmas shopping campaign.
In 1932, the building suffered over $10,000 damages due to a fire that began after an explosion in the Paradise Hat Shop.
Sources:
"Blast and Blaze Cause Heavy Loss to Freeport Shop." The Nassau Daily Review. June 16, 1932, 1. Accessed February 15, 2023. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071428/1932-06-16/ed-1/seq-1/.
Nassau Secretarial School [advertisement], The Nassau Daily Review. May 14, 1927, 19. Accessed February 17, 2023. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071428/1927-05-14/ed-1/seq-19/.
"Slogan Adopted in the Buying Drive." The Nassau Daily Review. December 3, 1932, 12. Accessed February 15, 2023. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071428/1932-12-03/ed-1/seq-12/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, February 25, 2023.
William Edgar Golder (1856-1945) was born in Freeport in 1856. His father, William T. Golder, a harness maker, joined the Fourth New York Heavy Artillery at the outset of the Civil War. While serving the Union forces, he fell ill and died in Virginia. His mother, Caroline, was a member of the Raynor family that settled Freeport.
When William grew up, he first aspired to be a boatman after he completed his schooling in the Freeport Public Schools, but soon changed his mind and trained under Dr. G.H. Hammond to be a pharmacist. Golder also attended the National Institute of Pharmacy of Chicago. He became partners in a pharmacy with Dr. Hammond, but had to sell his share in 1890 due to ill health. Two years later, once he recovered, Golder opened a drug store in Milburn and also regained his share in the Freeport store.
Along with his duties as a pharmacist, Golder was one of the organizers of the Freeport Bank; he later served as its president. He also served several terms as the treasurer of the Village of Freeport.
In 1878, Golder married Clara Bedell, daughter of John W. Bedell. They had four children: Millard, Earle, Russell and Hazel. The family attended the Methodist Church, where Golder served as a trustee for many years, as well as the superintendent of the Sunday school.
Later in life, Golder wrote his "Simple Biography" and a history of the Methodist Church.
Golder died in 1945 at 88 years old, and is buried in Greenfield Cemetery, Uniondale, NY. His wife preceded him in death.
Click here for images related to William G. Golder.
Sources:
Portrait and Biographical Record of Queens County (Long Island) New York containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County. New York: Chapman Publishing Company, c. 1896.
"William E. Golder Dies; Freeport Bank President." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 3, 1945, 15. Accessed August 8, 2016. http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/52680293/?terms=%22William%2BE.%2BGolder%2BDies%3B%2BFreeport%2BBank%2BPresident%22
Researched by Denise Rushton, August 8, 2016.
John E. Golding (also known as J. E. Golding) owned a jewelry store in Freeport. The first advertisement for his establishment appeared in 1892. In addition to being a jeweler, he was also a watchmaker and an optician. His store was located at 63 South Main Street.
In 1929, Golding's jewelry store was purchased by William A. Moser. Moser sold the business to Herman Shenker in 1946. During the 59th anniversary of the store, it was reported that it was oldest jewelry establishment in Freeport.
See Also:
Sources:
"Golding's Jewelry Store Now Moser's." The Nassau Daily Review. May 22, 1929. Accessed October 31, 2022. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071428/1929-05-22/ed-1/seq-6/
J. E. Golding [advertisement]. South Side Observer. September 30, 1892, 4. Accessed October 31, 2022. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn84031784/1892-09-30/ed-1/seq-4/.
"Moser Sale to Mark 59th Year." The Nassau Daily Review-Star. August 10, 1949, 36. Accessed May 6, 2019. fultonhistory.com.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, October 31, 2022.
See:
Milburn Country Club (later known as Willowbrook Country Club)
Edgar Elias Goodridge (1883-1945) was a business owner and resident of Bennington Park. Born in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, Goodridge worked as a cook in a boarding house in Manhattan and in George Strong Harral's soap making factory in Brooklyn. He ran several businesses in Freeport including a grocery store, a barber shop, a billiards parlor, and a garage.
Goodridge married Madeline Plaskett in 1904. They lived at 12 Waverly Place with their son Albert E.
See Also:
Sources:
Ancestry.com
Pearse, Joysetta. "African-Americans in Freeport." The Leader. October 27, 2005, 28. Accessed September 10, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/2005-10-27/ed-1/seq-28/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, September 10, 2018.
Max Gordon was a dental surgeon in Freeport, during the early 1920s. His office was described as being in the Flatiron Building of Freeport (this was the original First National Bank Building).
Source:
Hazelton, Henry Isham. The Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens Counties of Nassau and Suffolk Long Island, New York 1609-1924 (Volume 5). New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1925.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, July 8, 2016.
Gordon Place was named for Gordon Ellison.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 24, 2016.
Gouz "Rhymes With Cows" was a supermarket located at 120 North Main Street. Gouz, originally founded in Elmont circa 1927, opened a store in Freeport in 1977 through the use of village community development funds. The store featured a barn with farm animals for viewing. The store was owned by Alan Gouz. The store became Compare Foods in 1989.
See Also:
Sources:
Cohn, Al. "People" Newsday. June 5, 1977, 2 LI.
Jenny Jorge (email, March 30, 2018).
Village News. March 1977. Accessed April 3, 2018. https://cdm16694.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15281coll12/id/17309/rec/1.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, April 3, 2018.
The Governor's Boss was a 1915 silent motion picture which was financed by Freeporters and included about 30 scenes filmed in the village. The movie was based on the book of the same title written by James S. Barcus. Barcus, a former senator from Indiana and newspaper journalist, was inspired to write the book by the impeachment trial of New York State governor William Sulzer. In the movie version, Sulzer played himself.
The movie follows the career of a governor who has made it clear that he will not follow the orders of party boss Hiram Tally. Whereas the governor is seen refusing the overtures of women, the boss is seen collecting bribes from brothels and dive bars. The boss threatens the governor with impeachment. The boss's son, Archie Tally, approaches the governor; he claims the boss will drop the impeachment if the governor allows Archie to marry the governor's daughter, Edith. The governor refuses. Ruth, a woman "ruined" by Archie, uses a dictograph and moving picture machine to gather evidence against the boss. Ruth rushes to the court with the evidence, but with a nod to the boss, the impeachment judge refuses to allow a postponement and the governor is impeached on the first ballot.
The film was produced by the Governor's Boss Photo Play Company of which, J. Huyler Ellison was the president. Directors of the company included: David Sutherland, Charles E. Whitehouse, Edward Uhe, Dr. William Runcie, Leonard S. Mabee, Joseph Hegeman, and Stephen Pettit. The company incorporated with $30,000 in capital.
The crew included: Charles E. Davenport, director; Jack Brown, director's assistant; Fred Armitage, cameraman; and Otis Mill, property man. In addition to Sulzer, the cast included Pauline Hall as Mrs. Morton; Edward P. Sullivan as Boss Tally; Anna Logan as Ruth; Edward Roseman as Fordyce Manville; Elsie Balfour as Edith; Bert Tuey as Archie Tally; Dorothy Kingdon (also known as Baroness van Raven) as Grace Ferguson; Rev. Madison C. Peter, as a delegate; Sidney D'Albrook, as Fox; Roy Gahris as Tango; and Frank Tinney, as a policy seller.
Other members of the cast and crew included: Douglas Harrison, Clifford Saum, Harriett Luntin, Billie Melbourne, Helen Milholland, N. J. Thompson and L. M. Ackerman. Freeporters were given small roles in the film including: Charlie Winnton as a campaign speaker; Charles Sigmond as clerk of the impeachment court; Archer B. Wallace as a Sulzer campaigner; George Bennett Smith as a chauffeur; Thomas Forbes and Al Dorlan as policy players.
The cast for the mob scenes was handled through the agency of Ben Weiss. About 300 local residents appeared as members of the mob, including William S. Hall, William Willets, A. R. Collard, Leo Fishel, Ernest S. Randall, Henry Raymore, James Hanse, Elvin A. Dorlon, and D. Wesley Pine. Sulzer's dog, Patsy, also made an appearance in the film.
All interior shots were film at Mittenthal Studio (possibly located in Manhattan). Freeport locations included the Freeport train station, the sidewalk in front of the Freeport Bank, and the home of Dr. George A. Newton at 50 Brooklyn Avenue. Supposedly, the film also included scenes filmed in Rockville Centre, Albany, and Jersey City.
On June 2nd and 3rd of 1915, The Governor's Boss was shown at the Plaza Theatre. The matinee price was 10 and 15 cents with evening admission set at 15 and 20 cents.
Newspapers reported that the driver of one of the cars in the film was arrested in Baldwin for driving with a 1914 license, the year the film was to have taken place. Sulzer first acting experience was not without issues. According to newspaper accounts, Sulzer "refused to attend rehearsals, objected to instructions, wasted hundreds of feet of film and drove the directors to despair a dozen times." He was reported to have angrily walked out of a scene when one of the characters was identified as the governor's daughter (Edith). Sulzer was under the impression that the character was supposed to be his sister-in-law. In another scene, Sulzer was said by the director to have "kicked like a steer" when he found out that he had to kiss the actress playing Mrs. Morton. Actress Anna Logan was reported to have been badly bruised during the filming and actor Roy Gahris broke two ribs during a scene where he jumped from one moving car to another in Freeport.
The Governor's Boss was not a financial success. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported in July 1915, that the movie was to be made over in Los Angeles because "the heroism of Sulzer did not stand out in paying quantities." In 1916, Mabee sued the Governor's Boss Photo Play Company for $122.85.
See Also:
Sources:
"'Bill' Sulzer and Troupe Enact Photo Play Scenes." The Nassau Post. April 16, 1915, 1. Accessed August 6, 2021.http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071434/1915-04-16/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Ellison Stars Gov. Sulzer in Movies." The Nassau Post. March 25, 1915, 1. Accessed August 6, 2021. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071434/1915-03-25/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Freeport Wild-Eyed Over Sulzer Films." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 13, 1915, 14. Accessed August 6, 2021. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/54333741/?terms=freeport%20wild%20eyed%20sulzer&match=1.
"'The Governor's Boss' Photo-Film, Proves to be One of Freeport's Greatest Advertising Mediums." The Nassau Post. May 21, 1915, 1. Accessed August 5, 2021. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071434/1915-05-21/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Personal and Impersonal." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 18, 1915, 16. Accessed August 6, 2021. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/54450284/?terms=%22governor%27s%20boss%22%20sulzer%20freeport&match=1.
Plaza Theatre [advertisement]. The Nassau Post. May 28, 1915, 1. Accessed August 2021. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071434/1915-05-28/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Sulzer Sees Himself." Brooklyn Times Union. June 2, 1915, 7. Accessed August 6, 2021. newspapers.com.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, August 6, 2021.
Graffing Court apartment building is located at 25 Graffing Place. This building was constructed in 1928.
See Also:
Sources:
nynassauproperty.com
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 13, 2019.
Grafing Place was named for the Diedrich Grafing family, who lived in Freeport before the 1900s. The street sign is misspelled. Grafing Place from East Lincoln Place to Lillian Avenue became Pershing Place in 1926.
Source:
Village of Freeport Board Minutes, December 12, 1926.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 24, 2016.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney, July 19, 2017.
Grand Army of the Republic, Dandridge B. P. Mott Post No. 527 was chartered on December 2, 1884. The post was named for Freeporter Dandridge Beverly Pitts Mott, who died at the age of 17 in 1864 at Pine Mountain, GA, while under the command of General Joseph Hooker. Mott's oldest brother Joseph died at the age of 19 in 1864 from starvation and exposure as a prisoner of war.
Captain John Anderson served as the D. B. P. Mott post's first commander. An early newspaper account about the post documents their participation in the New York City funeral procession of President Ulysses S. Grant in 1885. Locally, the D. B. P. Mott Post No. 527 participated in parades, decorated the graves of soldiers, attended the dedication of a Civil War memorial in Greenfield Cemetery in 1888, and unveiled the Spanish American War trophy "Trubia" in 1902. The members of the post also attended the opening the Freeport Memorial Library in 1924, the re-dedication of the Mott Memorial in 1927, and the dedication of the library's memorial tablet in 1928 .
In 1887, the Post's officers included: Joseph T. Weyant, Charles H. Lott, Thomas Grady, F. S. Mahan, Henry Mead, William H. Patterson, Timothy Nostrand, Allen S. Health, and John W. Albro.
Originally, there were 16 charter members of the Mott post. It was reported that 137 men were mustered into the post. By 1920, only 28 members remained.
In 1929, the post was disbanded since only seven post members were still living. All of the post's annals and mementos were given to the American Legion, William Clinton Story Post. William H. Patterson served as one of the Mott post's last commanders. He held the commander position for over 25 years.
The last surviving member of the D. B. P. Mott Post No. 527 was Carlton J. Greenleaf. Greenleaf died in 1934.
See:
War Memorials / Wartime Freeport
Sources:
"C. J. Greenleaf Dies in Freeport." Nassau Daily Review. October 17, 1934, 1. Accessed July 13. 2017. fultonhistory.com
"50 Group Houses in Freeport, Plan. " The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. January 27, 1929, 15. Accessed July 13, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/59902360/?terms=%22mott%2Bpost%22.
"G. A. R. Officers Elected." South Side Signal. December 17, 1887, 2. Accessed July 13, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031038/1887-12-17/ed-1/seq-2/.
"G. A. R. Recollections." Nassau County Review. May 28, 1920, 1. Accessed July 14, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1920-05-28/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Miscellaneous Island Notes." South Side Signal. August 15, 1885, 2. Accessed July 13, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031038/1885-08-15/ed-1/seq-2/.
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Grand Army of the Republic Records Project. Accessed July 13, 2017. http://www.garrecords.org/,
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, July 14, 2017.
Grand Union, which was located on South Long Beach Avenue between Merrick Road and Porterfield Place, opened on April 29, 1959. This store was said to be 21,000 square feet with parking for 91 cars. The original store included a "Kiddie Korner," a supervised play area for children. It also featured and 91 foot-long Food-O-Mat, a gravity feed food service for canned and glassed items, and also provided a selection of dietetic and kosher foods.
Before the store opened, many neighborhood and civic groups opposed this location for a supermarket. In 1958, three Freeport churches attempted to bar the supermarket through legal action in the Supreme Court in Mineola. Building permits were eventually granted.
Grand Union closed in 1994. The location was purchased by Gregorio Pena and became Compare Foods. Francisco Jorge and his partner, Jose Gutierrez, bought the store in 1995. They sold this location to CVS in 2006.
Sources:
"Goodbye, Grand Union!" The Leader. July 21, 1994, 1. Accessed March 30, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/1994-07-21/ed-1/seq-1/.
Jenny Jorge (email, March 30, 2018).
"New Freeport Grand Union Supermarket Opens Apr. 29." The Leader. Accessed March 30, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1959-04-30/ed-1/seq-17/.
"An Open Letter to the President of Grand Union." The Leader. September 11, 1958, 7. Accessed March 30, 2018.
"Supermarket Case In Courty Today." The Leader. November 6, 1958, 1. Accessed March 30, 2018.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, March 30, 2018.
George H. Gray (circa 1883-1957) was president of the Pyle and Gray Real Estate Company and founder of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers. He moved to Freeport around 1920 and lived with his wife, Bessie, and three sons, George, Robert, and Thomas at 49 Madison Avenue.
In 1920, the Nassau County Review reported that Gray had lost a diamond worth $200 from a ring while participating in "vigorous bowling in Freeport." The article said that he purchased the ring after the completion of a real estate deal that involved Ebbets Field.
Gray was a former president of the Brooklyn Real Estate Board, director of the Flatbush Savings Bank, and a member of the advisory board of the Manufacturers Trust Company. He was a member of the Brooklyn Rotary Club and a founder of the Freeport Rotary Club. Gray attended Our Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church and was a former president of the Holy Name Society.
Gray died of heart attack in 1958 at the age of 74. He is buried in Holy Rood Cemetery, Westbury, NY.
Sources:
Ancestry.com.
"G. H. Gray, 74. Real Estate Exec." Newsday. November 10, 1958, 27C.
"Loses Valuable Ring." Nassau County Review. November 12, 1920, 6. Accessed June 12, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1920-11-12/ed-1/seq-6/.
Kirk, Vincent R. "This and That in the Realty Market." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 23, 1934, 43. Accessed June 12, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/58336492/?terms=%22Mr.%2BGray%2Bis%2Bone%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bbest%2Bposted%2Bmen%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bborough%2Bon%2Breal%2Bestate%2Bvalues%22.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, June 12, 2017.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney, September 2, 2022.
Greater Freeport Association supported the creation of a city through the consolidation of Freeport, Baldwin, and Roosevelt in 1908. Baldwin businessman Edwin H. Payne proposed this idea to the Freeport trustees during the board meeting held on January 17, 1908. During the meeting, attorney Ernest S. Wallace claimed to represent a large number of prominent and influential residents of Freeport, Baldwin, and Roosevelt who favored consolidation. These interested parties were said to have organized themselves into the Greater Freeport Association. Members of this association were not identified and the plan for consolidation never gained popularity.
Sources:
"Freeport Taxpayers Oppose City Scheme." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. January 24, 1908, 15. Accessed July 3, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/53878189/?terms=%22greater%2Bfreeport%2Bassociation%22.
"Village Trustees." Nassau County Review., January 24, 1908, 1. Accessed July 3, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1908-01-24/ed-1/seq-1/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, July 3, 2017.
Green Avenue was renamed East Dean Street in 1926.
Source:
Village of Freeport Board Minutes, December 12, 1926.
Zimmerman, Charles. "Strolling the Archives." The Northwester [newsletter of the Northwest Civic Association]. January 1991
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, July 19, 2017.
Morris B. Green (circa 1895-1966) was a medical doctor who practiced in Freeport for 40 years. Dr. Green began practicing medicine in Freeport in 1922. In 1930, with a group of other doctors, he helped found South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, NY. He also helped found Central Synagogue in Rockville Centre and the Sunrise Masonic Lodge in Freeport. Green was also a member of the Elks Club and the American Legion.
Morris married his wife, Hortense Jonas Mayer, in 1922. They had two children, Murray and Richard.
Sources:
"Dr. Morris B. Green, at 71; Services will be Tomorrow." Newsday. October 29, 1966, 27.
Hazelton, Henry Isham. The Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens Counties of Nassau and Suffolk Long Island, New York 1609-1924 (Volume 5). New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1925.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, July 11, 2016.
Carleton J. Greenleaf (circa 1846-1934) was the last surviving member of Freeport's D. B. P. Mott Post No. 527 of the Grand Army of the Republic. Greenleaf was born in Indiana and served in the 24th Michigan Infantry during the Civil War. He was a member of the famed "Iron Brigade" and was present at Gettysburg. According to his obituary, he was detailed to assist photographer Matthew Brady in the photograph section of the Union Army. After the war, he became a newspaper photographer and eventually opened an agency of his own.
Greenleaf moved to Freeport when he retired and lived with his son, Roy, at 29 Elm Place. He succeeded William H. Patterson as commander of the D. B. P. Mott Post. As the last commander for the Freeport GAR, Greenleaf gave the organization's records and mementos, including trophies, a worn Bible, and a battle-drum, to the American Legion, William Clinton Story Post No. 342.
Greenleaf was reported to have been a life-long teetotaler. He is buried in Greenfield Cemetery.
Sources:
"C. J. Greenleaf Dies in Freeport." Brooklyn Times Union. October 17, 1934, 1. Accessed January 19, 2023. Newspapers.com.
"C. J. Greenleaf Dies in Freeport." The Nassau Daily Review. October 17, 1934, 1. Accessed January 19, 2023. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071428/1934-10-17/ed-1/seq-1/.
Carleton J. Greenleaf [obituary]. The New York Times. October 17, 1934, 23.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, January 30, 2023.
See:
Roosevelt (Town)
Greenview Terrace was deeveloped in the early 1900s by the Long Island Realty Company. Owner of the company, Cadman H. Frederick, bought a large amount of acreage on Grand Avenue close to the train station. The lots sold originally for $49.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg and Regina G. Feeney, May 31, 2016.
Morlon Greenwood graduated Freeport High School in 1996. He attended Syracuse University. Greenwood was a linebacker for Miami Dolphins (2001), Houston Texans (2005), and Oakland Raiders (2009).
Source:
Voyageur, 1996 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 16, 2016.
John J. Grgurevich (also spelled Gregurevich; his birth name was Ivan) (1872-1955) was one of the original ten agents for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Grgurevich was born in Yugoslavia/Croatia and educated at the University of Vienna. It was reported that he spoke ten languages. Grgurevich came to the United States in 1891 and served in the United States military during the Spanish American War.
Grgurevich worked as an immigration inspector on Ellis Island and in Baltimore, MD. He joined the FBI and was put in charge of the Baltimore district. His law enforcement career also included being the chief of the US Treasury's Foreign Division, as well as being an Alcohol and Brewery Inspector for the Treasury Department. Between 1932 and 1933, he was a licensed and bonded detective with the Cosmopolitan Investigating Service of New York.
Tragedy struck Grgurevich and his family in 1928. His sons Arthur Milan (1914-1928) and Wilson (1919-1928) drowned on the morning of December 27, 1928 while attempting to save their dog, which fell through the ice at the Baldwin/Milburn Reservoir. The brothers were playing fetch with their collie when the dog broke through the ice. Wilson tried to save the dog but he fell into the freezing water. Arthur, attempting to save his brother, broke through the ice and also drowned. Arthur Strassle, of Truck Company of the Freeport Fire Department recovered the two children's bodies. For his actions, Strassel received a medal, the first ever awarded by the Freeport Fire Department.
Grgurevich was given permission to place a monument to his sons near the reservoir. No record of this monument being dedicated has been located.
In addition to Arthur and Wilson, Grgurevich and his wife Jennie had three other children Alice (Hunter), Edwin, and Edward.
At the time of his death, Grgurevich lived 129 Atlantic Avenue. He is buried in Trinity Cemetery, Amityville, NY.
See Also:
Sources:
"Hero Decorated." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 29, 1929, 17. Accessed November 1, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/59854666/?terms=Gregurevich%2Bfreeport.
"J. J. Gregurevich Dies: Original F.B.I. Man." The Leader. December 22, 1955, 4. Accessed November 1, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1955-12-22/ed-1/seq-4/.
"Two Boys Drown Trying to Rescue Pet Dog." Cattaragus Republican. January 2, 1929, 4. Accessed October 31, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn85054110/1929-01-02/ed-1/seq-4/.
"Two Small Brothers Drown In Effort to Save Pet Dog From Ice-Coated L.I. Pond." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Accessed November 1, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/59902504/?terms=Grgurevich.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, November 1, 2017.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney, December 10, 2020.
Max Samuel Grifenhagen (1861-1932) lived at 314 South Ocean Avenue. He was the former sheriff of New York County. Grifenhagen was born in Chicago. After his father died, his family moved to New York City. In his teens Grifenhagen moved to Denver, CO and engaged in the cattle industry for six years. He later moved back to New York.
In 1880, Grifenhagen and his brother formed Grifenhagen Brothers, which was a wholesale dealer and manufacturer of bottles. Their company was one of the largest in the country. He also founded the Duffy-Mott Company, Inc., which manufactured and sold cider and vinegar and the Monopole Vineyards Corporation in Rheims, NY. During Prohibition, the latter sold sacramental wines and non-alcoholic beverages.
Grifenhagen served as a Republican Alderman representing Washington Heights in 1904. In 1909, he was elected New York County Register and in 1913 was elected Sheriff. Harry Thaw, the murderer of Stanford White, was among Grifenhagen's prisoners. Grifenhagen helped political reformers end the corruptible practice of paying fees directly to the Sheriff.
In 1913, Max Grifenhagen purchased "Stonehurst," a house in Freeport, as a summer residence. In 1916, Max S. Grifenhagen purchased the Grove Hotel, located at 98 Rose Street, for $60,000. His wife Carrie lived in their Freeport home until her death until 1942.
See Also:
Source:
Max Grifenhagen Obituary. The New York Times. October 30, 1932, 36.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, June 15, 2016.
Dr. Pauline Viola Grissom (nee West) (1937-1994) was an educator and civil rights activist and trailblazer. Born in Freeport, she was Freeport High School's first African American drum majorette. In 1959, she was among the first Black teachers hired by the Freeport Public School District. She taught third grade at Cleveland Avenue School, the same school she attended as a child.
Grissom was chosen drum majorette for the 1954-1955 school year after winning a twirling competition. She led the Freeport High School Band during the 1954 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. During her senior year, she was voted by her peers "most popular and versatile" as well as "class wit and most talented." Grissom received a $150 scholarship from the Freeport Junior-Senior High School PTA and was awarded the Cleveland Avenue School Student Council Award as well as the Freeport High School Band Mothers' Club Award. After graduation, Grissom attended Teachers' State College at Cortland, NY, where she majored in early childhood education. She married David Grissom of St. Albans, NY.
After teaching in Freeport for a few years, she moved to Detroit, MI and taught elementary school from 1962 to 1974. Grissom received her Masters and PhD degrees from the University of Michigan in 1971 and 1975 respectively. Grissom became research assistant for the Detroit Public Schools Department of Evaluation and Testing, where she analyzed student achievement test results and trained educators in methods to improve test scores. She took a few law school classes at the University of Michigan but never completed the program.
In 1986, Grissom defeated civil rights icon, Rosa Parks, to become first vice president of the Detroit NAACP. She served on the board of the Harmonie Park Playhouse, was a past board member of Detroit's Legal Aid Defense Association as well as former board member of the Detroit Urban League.
She retired from the school district in 1988 after suffering an aneurysm.
As a child, Grissom was a member of the Bethelites, a church singing group and was a member of the National Honor Society.
Grissom's parents, Solomon and Emily West were born in Virginia. She had a sister, Louise, and two brothers, Richard and Bertie. In the 1940s, the family lived on Mill Road and in the 1950s, the family lived at 63 Buffalo Avenue. Grissom's uncle, Solomon M. Brown, died in the Korean War in 1951. Brown had attended Cleveland Avenue School as a child but attended high school in VA. Another relative, Felix Garland, also died in the Korean War. His name appears on the library's war memorials.
Grissom died of cancer at the age of 56 on January 13, 1994, at the Irvine Head Injury Home in Oak Park, MI. She was survived by her three sons, David Jr., Daniel, and Paul. Soon after her death, the Detroit branch of the NAACP established a scholarship fund in Grissom's name.
See Also:
Cleveland Avenue School
Sources:
Ancestry.com
Abraham, Molly. "Harmonie Park Playhouse Benefit. Detroit Free Press. November 13, 1989, 3. Accessed September 1, 2020. Newspapers.com.
"Ex-teacher Tried to 'Make a Difference.'" The Detroit News. January 17, 1994, 48.
Freeport GI Reported Missing in Action." Newsday. March 26, 1951, 4.
"Freeport High Band to Play Macy Thanksgiving Parade." The Leader. November 11, 1954, 3. Accessed September 1, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1954-11-11/ed-1/seq-3/.
Daniel Grissom (Zoom, December 29, 2021).
"1 Dead, 2 Hurt, 1 Missing in Korea." Newsday. April 16, 1951, 1.
Pauline West to Play Feature Dramatic Role at Teachers College. The Leader. April 23, 1959, 7. Accessed September 1, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1959-04-23/ed-1/seq-7/.
Pearse, Joysetta. "African-Americans in Freeport." The Leader. October 27, 2005, 29. Accessed September 1, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/2005-10-27/ed-1/seq-29/.
"Personalities." The Leader. August 16, 1956, 8. Accessed September 1, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1956-08-16/ed-1/seq-8/.
"She'll Twirl Baton At Freeport High School." Daily News. June 2, 1954, 60. Accessed September 1, 2020. Newspapers.com.
"13 Pupils Are Listed On High Honor Roll." Nassau Daily Review Star. December 17, 1946, 15. Accessed September 1, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031113/1946-12-17/ed-1/seq-15/.
Tyson, Remer. "NAACP's New Leader Pledges to Fight Racism." Detroit Free Press. December 9, 1986, 3. Accessed September 1, 2020. Newspapers.com.
Voyageur, 1955 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, September 2, 2020.
See:
Albert Grover has been active in Freeport marine interests for most of his life. Raised in Freeport, Grover has been a fisherman, boat builder, boat salesman, and marina owner.
Growing up in a waterfront community shaped Grover's love of the ocean. As a ten year old, Grover would collect small boats that had broken free from their moorings, and he would repair and sell them. He also has fond memories of fishing in an old wooden Verity skiff at the age of 12. "My love affair with boats began at the age of 12. I used to work weekends fishing on the old wooden Verity skiffs. We come into an inlet at night when it was all white water--there weren't jetties then--and these boats would go right through the breakers just like little ducks," reminisced Grover.
Grover's connection to local boat building extends back when, as a high school student, he played in the band at the ceremony when the Freeport Point Shipyard was awarded the Army and Navy "E" award that was given to war plants for excellence during wartime. All through school, Grover worked as a mate on commercial and charter fishing boats docked at Freeport. He also ran the tender at the South Shore Yacht Club. When Grover turned 18, he obtained his captain's license and began working for the Viking fishing fleet. After he graduated from high school, he enlisted in the military in 1946; Grover served as a paratrooper in occupied Japan. When he returned to Long Island two years later, he briefly joined his sister Dotty in a specialty act in Bruce Parker's touring water ski show.
When time came to find a real job, Grover chose to take his chances on Freeport's waterfront, rather than pursue a career in his family's successful music business. He worked several years as a commercial fisherman. In 1950, with the help of his brother-in-law and a GI loan, he purchased property at 195 Woodcleft Avenue that had once been owned by Henry M. Slocum, who was a maritime inventor and the owner of Slocum's Boatyard. The two story location had a 135 foot frontage and the building included a huge showroom, storage lockers, mooring docks, and workshops. By 1952, Grover was one of the youngest and most successful small boat dealers on Long Island, selling almost 200 boats per year. To eliminate customers' wait times, Grover often traveled to out of state boat builders and transported boats back to Freeport using his own car and trailer.
Grover's reputation for good customer service extended internationally. In 1965, he sold Finnish millionaire Uno Pikarla a Chris-Craft cruiser that slept six people. Prior to that, he sold Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis two specially designed cruisers from Chris-Craft.
Though selling boats was 99 percent of his business, Grover did manufacture small fishing boats. In the 1970s, while boating down Milburn Creek, Grover found a 1927 Verity skiff that had been partially sunken. He purchased the boat and salvaged it. Verity boats were legendary for their seaworthiness especially in rough weather. Grover recalled a news report of two local fishermen who survived a major storm in a Verity. He also remembered Verity boats overloaded with fish navigating along Freeport's waterways with ease. Knowing he found a gem, Grover made a mold of the craft and began producing it in fiberglass. Grover showcased the boat at the Greater Long Island Boat Show in 1976. The public had little interest in this boat until the U.S. Park Service for the Gateway National Park ordered a boat in 1977. Later, the design became popular with South Shore fishermen. According to Grover, the Verity Skiff was a simplified design that was rugged enough "get the guy out and back again."
Grover had been a presence at the boat show since the 1950s. In 1961, he displayed "The Freeporter", a style of pleasure boat designed and constructed by the Freeport Point Shipyard. In 1965, he transported a 38 foot Chris-Craft Challenger 10 miles from Freeport to Westbury on a travel lift. The trip took six hours. Grover displayed another 1920s inspired Verity skiff in 1981 when the gas crisis and economic downturn put a damper of high performance boats that ran on gasoline. Grover's Verity was outfitted with a more economical diesel engine.
In 1965, a fire at the boat yard destroyed or badly damaged 14 boats and cost $70,000. Four pleasure boats were destroyed in another blaze in 1970.
Grover bought 500 South Main Street in 1969 and built Al Grover's High and Dry Marina, one of the largest enclosed marinas on Long Island. In 1978, Al's son Dante took over the marina. Grover also donated the Freeport Fire Department's first rescue boat and a patrol boat to the Freeport Police Department.
Foreshadowing his historic transatlantic boat crossing decades later, Al Grover and his friend and fellow marine dealer, George Burmester, circumnavigated Long Island in 14 hours and 20 minutes in a 17-foot lapstrake outboard and 36-horsepower engine in 1957. The purpose of their adventure was to "see if a new model boat could take it and we wanted to prove that the outboard motor can do extended cruising in rough water," said Grover. This was the beginning of the Around the Long Island Marathon.
In 1985, Grover accompanied first by his son, Al, Jr, and later by son Dante, sailed 3,000 miles from Nova Scotia to Portugal in a 26-foot "Groverbuilt" skiff named the Spirit of Freeport with Evinrude engines. This trans-Atlantic journey established a world's record. To honor this feat, the Village of Freeport declared September 22, 1985 as "Grover Day" and hosted a parade in honor of the Grover family.
The Grover family has always been eager to promote Freeport's waterfront. Over the years, Grover has served on many waterfront committees. Rosemarie "Artie" Grover, Al's wife since 1953, conceived of the name "Nautical Mile" for Woodcleft Avenue in 1965.
Ask about why there are no more boatyards in Freeport, Grover responded, "The boating demands now are for high-speed cruisers; the old [boat] builders couldn't build those. If they couldn't find a specialized niche, they couldn't compete."
Click here for material related to Al Grover.
See Also:
Sources:
"Al Grover Active in New Boat Show." The Leader. September 5, 1963, 9. Accessed September 5, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1963-09-05/ed-1/seq-9/
"Al Grover to Show New 'Freeporter.'" The Leader. February 2, 1961, 1 Accessed September 7, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1961-01-26/ed-1/seq-11/.
"The Al Grover Story." The Leader. September 19, 1985, 7. Accessed September 7, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1985-09-19/ed-1/seq-7/.
"Classic Reproductions." The Leader. September 22, 1977, 15. Accessed September 7, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1977-09-22/ed-1/seq-15/.
"Freeport's Fame is International." The Leader. March 25, 1965, 1. Accessed September 5, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1965-03-25/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Grover's Boat Goes to Feds." The Leader. September 2, 1976, 11. Accessed September 7, 2019.http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1976-09-02/ed-1/seq-11/.
"King Al Grover Escorts 'Queen of the Show.'" The Leader. April 8, 1965, 12. Accessed September 5, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1965-04-08/ed-1/seq-12/.
Paquetter, Carole. "Adapting to Change, Boatyard Owners Hang On." Newsday. October 21, 2001, RE9.
Rabin, Jules. "Al Grover Gives Veteran Boat Salesmen a Lesson in Public Relations." Nassau Daily Review-Star. August 22, 1952, 16. Accessed September 4, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031113/1952-08-22/ed-1/seq-16/.
"Sail Around Long Island by Outboard." Daily News. September 8, 1957, 27. Accessed August 14, 2019. newspapers.com.
"$70,000 Fire Hits Al Grover Boat Yard." Long Island Graphic. December 9, 1965, 1. Accessed June 5, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071112/1965-12-02/ed-1/seq-8/.
"Village Fetes Grover Family." The Leader. September 26, 1985, 1. Accessed August 14, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1985-09-26/ed-1/seq-1/.
http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1971-02-18/ed-1/seq-16/
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, April 20, 2021.
Grove Theatre was erected in 1926 on Merrick Road near South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue). It offered two daily shows of vaudeville and movies. Backstage, there was a large dressing room with a star on the door as well as eight other dressing rooms. The theatre could accommodate a 21-piece orchestra. WGBB radio studios were located around the corner and would broadcast shows and interviews with performers. The building was later sold to the Word of Life Ministries.
Click here for images related to Grove Theatre.
Source:
Krieg, Cynthia J. and Regina G. Feeney. Freeport. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2012.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, August 5, 2016.
Grove Barber & Beauty Shoppe was located at 34 South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue).
Source:
Voyageur, 1929 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, March 4, 2017.
Grove Court Apartments is located at 129 Guy Lombardo Avenue (originally South Grove Street). The building was constructed in the late 1920s by John Cruickshank.
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Source:
"It Happened Years Ago." The Leader. August 4, 1983, 8. Accessed February 21, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1983-08-04/ed-1/seq-8/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, February 21, 2018.
Grove Dress Manufacturing Company (also known as Grove Dress Manufacturing Corporation) was originally located on Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue) just south of Merrick Road. Later, the business moved to 75 Bennington Avenue.
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Sources:
Grove Dress Manufacturing Corporation [advertisement]. The Leader. November 12, 1955, 18. Accessed January 18, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1953-11-12/ed-1/seq-18/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, January 18, 2020.
Grove Gardens is the original name of an apartment building located at 44 North Grove Street. The building was constructed around 1963 and had apartments ranging in size from 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 rooms with rents starting $135 per month. Some of the units included a terrace. Advertised as a luxury building, conveniences included closed circuit TV system for security; a luxurious "futuramic lobby;" party/game rooms; laundry rooms on every floor; walk-in closets; modern Hollywood kitchens with deluxe built-in ovens and countertop ranges (some units with dishwashers); Frigidaire refrigerators; and free onsite parking.
Source:
Grove Gardens [advertisement], Newsday. February 9, 1963, 77. Accessed February 10, 2023. Newspapers.com.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney. February 10, 2023.
Grove Street was named for Bedell's Grove which was originally located at the intersection of Grove Street and Randall Avenue.
South Grove Street was originally called Riverside Drive.
Source:
Fourteen Years Ago." Nassau County Review. August 26, 1910, 1. Accessed May 28, 2016. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1910-08-26/ed-1/seq-1/
Research by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 24, 2016.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney, May 29, 2016.
Grove Street Pharmacy was located at 49 Grove Street. The business was established in 1924 with $10,000 in capital. The directors included George V. Sloat, Janet Swanson, and Peter S. Beck. Cliff Harlow and Lou Salvi were connected with the business in 1928.
Sources:
"New L. I. Businesses." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 27, 1924, 24. Accessed April 3, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57560848/?terms=%22grove%2Bstreet%2BPharmacy%22.
Polk's Freeport: Directory of Householders, Occupants of Office Buildings and Other Business Places, Including a Complete Street and Avenue Guide. R. L. Polk & Co., Inc.,1930-1931.
Voyageur, 1928 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, April 3, 2017.
Grumman Child Care Centre was a daycare center for women who where employed by the Grumman Aircraft Engineers at Bethpage. The center, opened in 1943, cared for children between the age of two and five years old and cost 50 cents per day. Grumman workers could have their children cared for Mondays through Fridays, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
It was reported that 5,000 women were employed by Grumman between 1942-1943. The aircraft manufacture began the child care center as a way to offset employee absenteeism due to child care issues.
The Grumman Child Care Centre was located at 304 South Ocean Avenue, a 17-room home. The house was built by Benjamin D. Homan around 1900 and was leased to Grumman by Fred K. Ware. The center could accommodate 60 children and was financed by the Navy Department.
Source:
"Grumman Child Care Centre, Just A Youngsters' Palace." The Leader. March 4, 1943, 3. Accessed September 18, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1943-03-04/ed-1/seq-3/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, September 18, 2017.
Guarantee Shoe Repair Shop was located at 44 South Main Street in the 1920s. The personnel of this store also shined shoes, cleaned and renovated hats, and sold cigars and Cigarettes.
Source:
Voyageur, 1927 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, December 23, 2016.
Guide was a newspaper in Freeport that published on Fridays around 1929. Herbert F. Hoffman was the newspaper's editor. No copies of this newspaper are known to exist.
In 1929, the Guide, along with Nassau Daily Review, created the 400 Club to help raise money to pay off the mortgage of the widow of Harry Albin, a Freeport Police officer who was killed in the line of duty.
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Sources:
"The Committee for Albin Fund." The Nassau Daily Review. August 13, 1929, 1. Accessed August 6, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071428/1929-08-13/ed-1/seq-1/.
John D. Gunning was the eighth president (mayor) or Freeport (1910 to 1912). He was captain of Vigilant Hose Company No. 2 from 1905 to 1906.
Gunning was proceeded by Daniel Morrison and succeeded by James Hanse.
Click here for images related to John D. Gunning.
See Also:
Source:
Bermudez, Miguel and Donald Giordano. An Illustrated History of the Freeport Fire Department, 1893-2008. Freeport, NY, Freeport Fire Department, 2008.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 29, 2016.
Guy Lombardo Avenue was named for the famous bandleader of the "Royal Canadians." The street was originally called South Grove Street. Guy Lombardo and his wife lived at 710 South Grove Street (approximately 756 Guy Lombardo Ave today). His house was demolished in the 1990s.
Click here for pictures of Guy Lombardo's house.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 24, 2016.
Guy Lombardo's East Point House was located at the foot of South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue). It was established in the 1920s as Liota's East Point House by John Liota. The Northeast Civic Association held its annual dinner at the restaurant beginning in 1922.
In 1948, the restaurant was purchased by Guy Lombardo and renamed Guy Lombardo's East Point House. Beginning in 1941, the restaurant was located on land that was owned by the Town of Hempstead.
The ground floor of Guy Lombardo's East Point House had a brick exterior. The upper floor included the dining room, storage and a large outdoor deck which overlooked the Great South Bay.
Lombardo's brother-in-law, William Frey, operated the restaurant until his death in the 1960s. After Frey's passing, the restaurant was leased to the Savarin restaurant chain which operated the East Point House only in the summer. The restaurant did not open for the 1970 season. A week before the restaurant was set to be demolished, the building was destroyed by fire in August 1970. Due to the lack of fire hydrants, the fire department was forced to pump water from the canal during low tide. The fire was considered suspicious.
In 1978, the property became part of the Guy Lombardo Marina.
Click her for images related to Guy Lombardo's East Point House.
See Also:
Sources:
"Civics to Fete Retiring Head." Nassau Daily Review-Star. November 30, 1949, n.a. Accessed June 13, 2019. fultonhistory.com.
Director, Roger. "Lombardo Restaurant Burns." Newsday. August 19, 1970. 1.
Metz, Clinton E. "It Happened... Years Ago!" The Leader. September 13, 1979, 5. Accessed June 13, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1979-09-13/ed-1/seq-5/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, July 15, 2019.