Dr. William Barrow Pugh | Obituary

15 September 1950 | Delaware County Daily times

Marion Stackpole Barbour |1904-1950

26 December 1950

Miss Hattie's House

"I do not believe East Enders ever get really moved from L.I."

Hendersonville, N.C.

Oct. 11, ‘50

Dear Cousin Jesse,

It is sweet and dear of you, in the midst of your busy life to take time to keep me a bit in touch with your interesting life and family. You cannot know how much it means to me, in my very quiet life, and of course my children are interested also. You wrote something of your plans for the summer and I thought to write you in Aug. when you were pretty sure to be on L.I. but the week skipped by. I sit in an easy chair in the bay window and watch the birds and squirrels and bunnies, and just now the brilliant foliage. (I wish you could see our sugar maple, it lights up the whole hill) and I write long letters to my friends in my mind, and then doze off. Very rarely anything gets on paper. Perhaps my eighty ninth birthday last month has some connection.

A handsome young Irishman named Gratton came to Southold when I was a girl, married one of our nicest Irish girls, and raised twelve children who all made good citizens so far as I remember. Mary happened to eat supper at their house one evening while she and Mother lived alone so long—and it was an interesting experience. I did not know them personally.

Our neighbor considered the barn a menace to his property, so we reluctantly had it torn down. I feel wicked to own a vacant house, but the farm is well rented, and we are still hoping to remodel into a two apartment house, furnish one for our summers and rent the other. The disastrous year soon after my husband’s death went hard with us, but we are still hoping. Frank and Caroline are both only children, each with an aging Mother to watch over, and they have their hands full I guess. Mrs. Taylor is younger than I, but with more ailments, so can not go to a home of her own, to her great disappointment. I am thoughtful to be comfortable and contented. Though not much account. Sleeping to much is better than waking too much. “The hours o’er which we have least cause to weep, Are those we spend in childhood and in sleep.”

How pleasant all around that you could all be together more or less in the summer! I do not believe East Enders ever get really moved from L.I.

It is encouraging to have your school crowded. This world certainly needs preachers.

Usually I listen to a long, weather report every morning—and am interested to learn what variety of weather Chicago is getting. The radio is a very good companion, so easily turned on and off.

Sat. night

This scrawl awaited the arrival of the map you mentioned, and for which I am really grateful. It is afar cry from the big black Atlas of L.I. that was published when I was a child. How proud I was then to find a black dot labeled “E. Hunting” on the Southold page! Southampton is opposite, and I looked today for H. Halsey and was surprised to find how many other Halseys there were. No wonder you found a “remote cousin” to go riding with. (O.O. split infinitive) Time I said good night. And thanks again. I am grateful for the days when you used to come to that mission school in Tennessee. Good night. Love to cousin Helen as well as your kind self.

Helen [Hunting Bly]

Seasons Greetings

Helen and Jesse Halsey Christmas Card | 1950

Reid Dickson to Jesse Halsey | 1950

1 Dec 1950

Rantoul Dedication

c1950

The Jesse Halsey Manuscript Collection. Special Collections, Princeton Theological Seminary Library.

Lake Shore Club

Dr. David Horace Hallock eulogy

Jesse Halsey | 1950

David Horace Hallock, of sturdy Long Island ancestry, he loved his native heath, and whether the ocean in storm, or the woods in the autumn of springtime, he knew the roads and paths hereabouts and reveled in nature in all her moods.

He was a student of history and the events of the past had rivals in his interest only in the doings of the present. Not only did he observe the passing scene, but he helped create it. Not only in the first World War where he won the Purple Heart (though he never spoke of it), but in the organization of the local Legion he gave his time and strength beyond measure; a Patriot in word and action; in deed and in truth.

A good citizen contributing time, intelligence, and money to good causes in this community; the Boy Scout’s organization owes its origin and growth to him.

A scholar in his tastes with higher degrees from Hamilton and Hopkins he pursued his historical research and became a Fellow of the American Historical Society. But it was naturally, in his chose profession, where his scholarly diligence bore its largest harvest. Preparing himself, in the best schools of our time, for the practice of medicine, he, like his grandfather before him, went into general practice and became the beloved physician of many homes in the village. Such he continued, for many of us to the end, but increasingly he turned to surgery and with long and diligent application to that art became the chief of the surgical staff in the expanding Southampton hospital.

But it was as an understanding friend that we, his patients, came to rely on him, taking his professional skill unconsciously, as part of that ministry of friendship that he rendered to so many of us.

Capable but never self-assertive, always at the call of those in need he went his quiet way respected and beloved and now that his busy, useful life is finished here, two verses of Scripture come home to us, “He giveth his beloved sleep, He has earned his rest.” And this also, “His servants shall serve Him,” and Somewhere out beyond our present ken his life goes on—

“What is excellent,

As God lives, is permanent;

Hearts are dust; heart’s loves remain;

Heart’s love will meet thee again.” (Emerson)

*****

(More personal) David’s grandfather introduced me to this terrestrial ball, and he, David (or Horace as we used to call him), was there when our only child to be born in Southampton, arrived. His oldest boy was born under the same roof that first sheltered me and he died in the house built by my great-uncle, for whom I was named. Our paths crossed often, always with a hail and farewell that now becomes more imperative but not permanent. Three years ago, he pulled me out of the doldrums, climbing our steep back-stair at the sacrifice of his own strength. It was that and a thousand other “gestures of help” that finally, accumulating across the years, took him. Like so many others, I am his debtor—and am grateful.

Within a week of his passing a reserve officer wired into the Pentagon—“Available, dependable, expendable; Wire when and where.” Dave Hallock was like that—available, dependable, expendable, always everywhere.

JH

Raymond Swartzback | Student of Jesse's

RAYMOND H. SWARTZBACK,  REV.

January 07, 2003

Raymond H., Rev., D.D. Pastor Emeritus First Presbyterian Church, Jamaica, New York. 

Raymond H. Swartzback, 79, an urban pastor who was a champion for social justice and was active in the struggle for civil rights died December 14, 2002, after a brief illness. He was a man who loved Jesus, ''the man'', and genuinely loved people, preaching, and listening to other people's stories. Ray set about to make friends of his neighbors. In this he was aided and abetted by a rare and genuine ability to practice Christian love. 

''When God says, 'love thy neighbor,' he means for us to love him no matter who or what he is. The whole Christian message becomes irrelevant unless we put into action these beliefs, we say with our lips.''

Ray was one of the first leaders of Urban Ministry. In 1975 he accepted a call to the First Presbyterian Church, Jamaica, Queens, the oldest continuously worshiping Presbyterian congregation in the country. Prior to 1975 the membership of this church was 1500, but ''white flight'' had reduced the membership to 89 people. There was talk of Relocation, Abandonment, Sell-Out; however, that small band of members said, ''We will not be moved,'' and they opened their doors to the new immigrants who were moving into Jamaica, Queens. Today First Church Jamaica has a membership of over 800 from 33 birth nations. At the 333'rd Anniversary and Sanctuary Rededication in 1996 Ray counseled the congregation, ''Do not adopt a Sanctuary mentality. Do not allow this beautiful Sanctuary to become a place to play church, a soul gymnasium to practice spiritual exercises, but let it be a fueling station for involvement in the world out there.'' 

Mr. Swartzback was born in Baltimore, MD, to John and Florence Swartzback. He graduated from City College, Baltimore, Maryville College, Maryville, TN, and McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL. Upon graduation from seminary in 1950 he was drawn to the churches of the inner-city. His first parish was a two-point mission field in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1956 he went to Calvary Presbyterian Church, Detroit, MI, a struggling congregation in a changing neighborhood. Here he trained eleven seminary graduate interns for work in urban ministry. Later he copastored Glenville Presbyterian Church in Cleveland, OH before going to Jamaica. 

During the Viet-Nam War years, he accepted a call to Westminster Presbyterian Church on the College of Wooster campus, where he extended his ministry to counseling students during those turbulent years. During WW II Ray served in Europe from 1942 to 1945 as a platoon leader of the 30th Division, 117 Infantry, where he received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. Ray received honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from Alma College, Alma, MI, and The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH. He taught New Testament Literature at the University of Cincinnati, and for eleven years was a lecturer at the Presbyterian Institute on Industrial Relations at McCormick Seminary in Chicago. He has been identified with many ministerial, labor, and civic organizations. 

He is survived by his devoted wife Jane Hays Swartzback of 55 years, and three daughters Linda Pratt (Jeff) of Millersburg, OH; Carol Kirk (John) of New Marshfield; and Susan Quinones of Athens, and nine grandchildren. A scholarship fund in his name has been established at McCormick Theological Seminary, 555 S. Woodlawn, Chicago IL. The Celebration of his life will be held on January 11 at 4:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Athens, Ohio. The Session and congregation of First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica thanks this fearless leader for his outstanding service to the church of Jesus Christ.