Shelter Island Historical Society – August 4, 2018 – Havens Barn

What a superb venue is Havens Barn on the property of the Shelter Island Historical Society for an event. .

Havens Barn, Shelter Island

Here’s the email blast the Shelter Island Historical Society sent out in advance of the Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018 event:

and here’s the poster:

As I prepared for my presentation—hand-held video below—I ran into the fact that the John Milhollands, as in Inez’s and Vida’s parents, whom I more readily associate with New York, Greenwich Village, and Ticonderoga, had a Shelter Island incarnation, too.

John Milholland’s seven lots, purchased from “Tribune Associates” in the mid-1890s (It was Milholland who brought the pneumatic tube to the United States. He owned a small upstate paper and  wrote for the New York Tribune.)  The property is near Rocky Point on the western side of the island.  The Suffolk County Historical Society had the 1909 map, which librarian Wendy Annibell kindly located for me.

Courtesy of the Suffolk County Historical Society, Wendy Annibell, librarian.

It’s worthwhile to note that Milholland pere was a member of the Men’s League leadership, listed clearly in both the 1910 and 1912 membership booklets. He attracted press coverage in this capacity on one occasion, for a Twilight Club event he emceed at the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park.   What got press attention was an argument that erupted in this all-male gathering over the work of Mary Wollenstonecraft!

Here are records of the Milholland purchase on Shelter Island:

Inez, of course, was the Gloria Steinem of the suffrage movement until her early death at age 30 of pernicious anemia while at work for the suffrage cause. Soon after her death, Milholland gave a $5,000 contribution to the National Women’s Party.

On Shelter Island, Inez appears at a summer party in this photograph from a summer party. It’s from the collection of the Shelter Island Historical Society.

Inez is said to be the 14-year-old nearest the fence in the center back and no, the white-haired man is not Mark Twain, as indicated in a hand-written legend  (per an email from Mark Twain House whose curator examined the photo.)

Special thanks to Gayfryd Steinberg, Michael Shnayerson, Carolyn Topp, and Carol Kogan for coming, and to Yvonne Purcell and Ebeth Lones for inviting me and organizing. Here are some photos and the video below.

And the presentation (to view, rotate view!) Video graciously provided by the husband person.