The death of Lewis
E. Ritch of Middle Island at the age of 96 brought to a close the
life of the oldest resident of Middle Island.
He was born October
11,1869, in the family homestead on the farm in Middle Island, which
was purchased in 1811 by his grandfather, Lewis E. Ritch, from
Charles Gerard.
When a young man, he married Katie F. Homan and they
had three children.
Mr. Ritch lived on an operated the family farm
all his life and was a custodian and trustee of the Union Cemetery
for over 40years. He was so familiar with the grave stones there that
he could repeat the inscriptions on most of them from memory .
He
was one of the last of the men who were engaged in the cordwood
business during the latter part of the past century, when thousands
of cords of wood were cut every winter through the middle of the island and hauled by
teams of horses to the north side where the wood was piled along
side the old "landing" roads that led down to the Sound shore. Here at
various points along the sound the wood sloops came to the shore
from Miller Place to Wading River at high tide and the wood was
hauled across the beach and loaded on them. They sailed for New York
and also up the Hudson River to the brickyards at Haverstraw, where
the wood was used in curing bricks. Many a tale he could tell of
those colorful days when the cordwood business was such an important
industry in this area, and of loading and sailing on the wood
sloops, many of which were loaded at night, according to the tide.
Mr. Ritch had a keen mind and a wonderful memory and was familiar
with property bounds for miles around, old road and conditions
that existed man-years ago. His help was sought by lawyers and title
searchers, surveyors and those in search of information as well as
those looking up their genealogy. He was a great walker and
celebrated his eightieth birthday by walking from the steamboat dock
at Port Jefferson, a distance of 10 miles.
Up until his death he cut
and piled a large pile of stove wood in the yard at his home every
winter, which is burned in the family cook stove, as well as cutting
and selling many cords of fireplace wood.
Lewis Ritch will be missed by all those who knew him and valued his
friendship. Never too busy to stop and give information or help to
those looking for it, his place in the community will never be
filled. He was one of the few remaining men of a past generation
whose simple, kindly ways made him stand out prominently in these
days of rush and tension. His passing brings to a close another
chapter of our country life in
the years gone by.
He is survived by two sons, Raymond of middle
island and Alan of Durham; two granddaughters and six great
grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Saturday at the Middle
Island Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Edwin G Townsend, pastor,
officiating. Interment followed in Union Cemetery, Middle Island in
the family plot. Arrangements were made by the Pettit Funeral Home.