Herman Richard Gordon

Notes:

Drowned in Brown's River - Herman Gordon Tried to Save Woman Who Fell From His Moored Cabin Cruiser - Herman Gordon, 41, of Fairview Avenue, Bayport, a well know garage operator in Sayville, was accidently drowned in Brown's River, in the early hours of Tuesday morning when he attempted to save a woman companion who had tumbled from the deck of his 30-foot cabin cruiser moored at the new county dock on the Bayport side of the waterway.

The tragedy came to light shortly after two o'clock in the morning when a woman's screams awakened occupants of homes of the Sayville side of the creek. The screams continued for five or ten minutes and then died down as a woman's figure disappeared in an easterly direction along the Seaman Avenue loop which borders the river at a point opposite Heyboer's shipyard.

She was Mrs. Pauline H. Jacobs, 28, of 18 Terrell Street, Patchogue, a registered nurse at Southside Hospital, who attracted the attention of a passing motorist and was rushed to the Sayville Courthouse where she told an incoherent story to Constable John Hoost. The latter hurried to the scene after notifying Chief Richard N. Tucker, Lieut. Ben Gaiser and Patrolman Michael Turoczi of the Islip Town Police Department.

Chief Tucker and Patrolman Turoczi arrived at the point where Gordon's boat was moored but could find no trace of him. In the open cabin of the "Rosemary", a cruiser painted white and blue trim, they found a pair of woman's white sandals, and draped over the over the bulkhead about five feet from the stern of the boat was watersoaked shirt, evidently discarded by Mrs. Jacobs as she emerged from the creek. Seventy-five feet off the bow of the moored craft a life-preserver was floating. The police also found evidence that Mrs. Jacobs and Gordon had been drinking, which may have accounted for Gordon's failure to save himself.

While Mrs. Jacobs was receiving emergency treatment for shock at the courthouse by Dr. Warren H. Eller, a message was sent to the Town Hall for delivery of grappling irons which arrived at the scene of the tragedy shortly thereafter. By dawn, however, Gordon's body had not been recovered.

Chief Tucker then drove to West Sayville to enlist the services of three baymen, Jacob Locker, John M. Locker, and Jacob Beebe, who went to Sayville in a clamboat and grappled for the body with clam tongs. Mr. Gordon's body was found by them in about 12 feet of water directly off the stern of his boat at 6:50 o'clock. He was pronounced dead by Dr. Eller and the body removed to Raynor's Funeral Chapel under orders of Coroner Marshall W. Brown.

As police reconstruct the story, Gordon and his companion were aboard the moored vessel shortly after two o'clock when in some manner yet unexplained Mrs. Jacobs fell overboard. It is believed that Gordon, a poor swimmer, first tossed the life preserver overboard, and that failing, jumped overboard to help the woman or fell over attempting to lift her aboard the boat.

Mrs. Jacobs, it is believed, succeeded in climbing to safety by means of the ropes between the stern of Gordon's boat and the bulkhead and became hysterical when Gordon failed to re-appear. Her screams were heard from some distance, awakening some people as far away as the west side of Foster Avenue. A wrist watch on her arm had been stopped by action of the water at 2:10 o'clock while Gordon's watch had stopped at 2:15 o'clock.

Gordon, who had owned and operated the Modern Auto Service on South Main Street and Foster Avenue for a number of years was an aviation and boating enthusiast. A little more than a year ago, he was seriously burned about the face and arms in a gasoline explosion aboard a boat while renovating behind his garage. It is believed that he met Mrs. Jacobs while a patient at Southside Hospital.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Sophie Koplinka Gordon; two children, Richard and Rosemary; his father, Robert Gordon, of Bay Shore, a brother, Walter of East Moriches, and a sister, Mrs. Walter Bruggeman of Bay Shore. Funeral services were held at two o'clock yesterday afternoon at Raynor's Chapel with the Rev. Joseph H. Bond, rector of St. Ann's Episcopal Church, officiating. Interment was in the family plot in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Patchogue.

After his death, his wife, Sophie, took over his garage business and ran it. She remarried three years later to Charles Norman and took up residence at 25 Bohack Court, Sayville.

(Long Island Surnames; 1920, 1940 US Federal Census; Patchogue Advance , Thursday, June 30, 1949, Page: 1; Suffolk County News (Sayville), Friday, July 01, 1949, Page: 1)

Herman married Sophie V. Koplinka 10 Nov 1928, Patchogue, Suffolk, New York, United States. Sophie (daughter of Stephen Koplinka and Pauline Schwinski) was born 16 Mar 1907, East Moriches, Suffolk, New York, United States. [Group Sheet]

1. Richard Walter Gordon
2. Rosemary Ann Gordon

Notes:

Born in Maidstone Park

Robert married Lydia Joanna Swezey 28 Nov 1894, Patchogue, Suffolk, New York, United States. Lydia (daughter of Moses E. Swezey and Laura Ann Robinson) was born 24 Dec 1874, Middle Island, Suffolk, New York, United States; died 18 Apr 1948, Bay Shore, Suffolk, New York, United States; was buried , Cedar Grove Cemetery, Patchogue, Suffolk, New York, United States. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

given name spelled Lida on gravestone

Born in Coram?

Notes:

Born 20 or 28 Sep 1826?

Erastus married Mary Ann Dunbar 21 Sep 1851, Patchogue, Suffolk, New York, United States. Mary (daughter of Captain Garrett Smith Dunbar and Catherine Ann Bedell) was born 15 Aug 1832, . Queens, New York, United States; died 20 Nov 1896, Patchogue, Suffolk, New York, United States; was buried 24 Nov 1896, Cedar Grove Cemetery, Patchogue, Suffolk, New York, United States. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Born in Queens according to 1865 New York State Census

1 Jun 1925 resided with daughter, Alice Lucinda Gordon, husband, William Beecher Ketcham, and family

Notes:

Died at Sayville or Coram?

Moses married Laura Ann Robinson 18 Jun 1859, , Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk, New York, United States. Laura was born 17 Apr 1833, East Patchogue, Suffolk, New York, United States; died 19 Nov 1919, Sayville, Suffolk, New York, United States; was buried 22 Nov 1919, Cedar Grove Cemetery, Patchogue, Suffolk, New York, United States. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Died at home of daughter, Harriet Eloise Swezey

Obituary - Laura A. Swezey, widow of the late Moses Swezey, formerly of East Patchogue, died on Wednesday evening at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Frank Gordon on Foster Avenue, Sayville. Mrs. Swezey, who was 86 years old on the 17th of last April, came to Sayville about three years ago and has been visiting her daughters here and in Patchogue. She took a severe cold, developed acute bronchitis and became unconscious on Sunday night. Because of her advanced age, she could not rally, and passed peacefully away about 9:30 o'clock Wednesday night.

She is survived by one son, Fred R. Swezey of Babylon, and two daughters, Mrs. Frank Gordon of Sayville and Mrs. Robert Gordon of Patchogue.

The funeral services are to take place on Saturday at 2 p.m. from the Patchogue Congregational Church of which she had been a member during almost all of her long and useful life.
(Suffolk County News (Sayville), Friday, November 21, 1919, Page: 4)

Notes:

Born Jan 1786?

Died at 65 years 6 months & 3 days

Jeremiah married Parmelia Peterson Abt 1820, , Suffolk, New York, United States. Parmelia (daughter of David Peterson and Nancy Hawkins) was born Cal 20 Sep 1799, Manor Saint George, Suffolk, New York, United States; died 3 Dec 1866, , Suffolk, New York, United States; was buried , Waverly Street Cemetery, Patchogue, Suffolk, New York, United States. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Born 20 Sep 1799/1800 or 21 Oct 1800?

1 Jun 1860 US Census resided with son, Erastus Gordon, and family

Inscription:
Aged 66 years 1 month 13 days

Garrett married Catherine Ann Bedell 31 Dec 1826, Hempstead, Queens, New York, United States. Catherine was born 27 Jun 1809, Hempstead, Queens, New York, United States; died 4 Oct 1889, , Suffolk, New York, United States; was buried , Cedar Grove Cemetery, Patchogue, Suffolk, New York, United States. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

at Christ's First Presbyterian Church

Daniel married Joanna Davis. Joanna was born Cal 1799; died 3 Mar 1853; was buried , Union Cemetery, Middle Island, Suffolk, New York, United States. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Inscription:
Wife of Daniel Swezey. Age 61 y