Photo courtesy of
the Yaphank Historical Society
Dating from
circa 1873. Alterations.
Joe Greener was
my grandfather, and I practically grew up in that house.
It was built supposedly as a "Sears & Roebuck
House" that came in freight cars on the Railroad. It
was built for the Collier Brothers of NYC, an affluent
pair of eccentric brothers, who became infamous, when
they were found dead in their Manhattan Brownstone town
house, one a victim of his own booby-trap, the other, an
invalid and bedridden, died when his brother failed to
care for him, after his own demise.
The house was
their summer retreat, and was eventually inherited by one
brothers' illegitimate daughter, who sold it to the
Milian family, whose son was Walter Milian. He sold it to
My Father, Don C. Watson, who sold it to my grandfather,
Joe Greener, for the price he paid for it...$4500.
It is basically
original, with the exception that the small front porch
was open, the corner being held up by a single post. The
cellar was only a large circular brick walled pit (as
were may at that time), which later accomadated a large
coal furnace. My Grandfather dug out the cellar and
walled it up after he bought it.
Written by
Don M. Watson
Oct. 2000