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- [S49] 3 Jun 1938. p. 1.
Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey E. Swezey 50 Years Married, in Same Home.
Fifty years ago, on June 5, a young couple came to Brookhaven on their wedding night to make their home in the house in which they now live and have lived throughout the half century.
The bride was Miss Minnie Hulse, daughter of Capt. George Hulse of Yaphank, a sea captain, and the groom was Chauncey E. Swezey, who was born in Brookhaven in 1862 in what is probably the oldest house now standing in this village [Brookhaven/South Haven Historic Sites ID Br32A]. They were united in Marriage by the Rev. Mr. Sims in the bride's home, next to the present Grange hall.
Mr. Swezey's father, William Egbert Swezey, presented the couple with a house which he had bought from Hampton Corwin [Historic Sites ID Br32A.1-S] and which stood well back from Beaver Dam road. The only entrance to the property was a 12-foot right-of-way along the east side of the Burnett property. Some years later, Chauncey Swezey acquired the homestead which faced on Beaver Dam road south of his own land. He opened up a new road from Beaver Dam road, running north to his property, and called it Locust avenue. Since that time, nine houses have been built on that road. The homestead was moved back and turned to face Locust avenue and is now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Swezey's only son, Everett and his family.
Chauncey Swezey was a member of the United States Coast Guard for 26 years, stationed first at Blue Point, but most of the time at Smith, which has recently been closed. His most vivid recollections of his years of service concern the blizzard of '38 when the crew was snowed in for two days on the Great South beach. He also saw something which he " soul not like to see again" and that was the wreck of the schooner Cromwell off Bellport, when he took part in rescue work that succeeded in saving only two of all the men aboard because of the stormy, winter weather. He retired in 1922.
Besides their own son, Mr. and Mrs. Swezey have brought up Frances and George Tucker, a sister and brother of Brooklyn, who lost their parents at an early age. Frances is now Mrs. Amos Borger and has her own home. George is still at home. Mrs. Swezey keeps house for her family, baking bread and cake, and can always be relied upon to furnish homemade dishes for church suppers, etc.
Though an Episcopalian by birth, Mrs. Swezey joined the Presbyterian church with her husband and they have been regular attendants of the South Haven church where Mr. has served as an elder for the past 16 years. They are also regular listeners to a radio gospel singer who was to sing their favorite hymn, "Brighten the Corner Where You Are," this morning.
No festivities have been planned for the wedding anniversary but Mrs. Swezey has counted 68 relatives who live in adjacent communities, many of whom will undoubtedly call at the Swezey Home Sunday.
The [William Egbert] Swezey Homestead, which is believed to be over 150 years old, has played an interesting part in the history of this village. There is a story of Revolutionary times which concerns the occupant of that house. A British officer is said to have stopped there and demanded a dinner. Upon leaving he noticed that his host's horse was better than his mount and asked to exchange. When the farmer demurred, so the tale runs, he was badly beaten and his horse taken anyway.
In later years, after the death of the William Egbert Swezeys, the house was occupied for several years by the Russell family who later bought the Sylvester Corwin house on South Country road, which also dates back many years. Later George Reeve and his family lived in the Swezey house before he built his own home on Locust avenue.
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