Dating back to the American Revolution, the historic cemetery at the Manor of St. George is looking better thanks to the hard work of a local scout.
Zach Koch Townsend has tackled the task of cleaning off decades of dirt and grime from the headstones marking the graves of Col. William Tangier Smith’s family, some of the area’s earliest settlers. The 13-year-old Tenderfoot from Mastic has devoted himself to the community service project as he strives to reach the rank of Eagle Scout.
Zack had reached out to Florida’s “Good Cemeterian,” a former Long Islander who’s an expert on restoring old headstones, to learn the best method of cleaning the ancient markers. On a bright Saturday morning, the scout made slow but steady progress using a soft brush and a solution of vinegar and water to make the dark stones nice and bright.
The most recently dated headstone on Zack’s to-do list belongs to Eugenia A. T. Smith, the last heir of the Colonel, who passed away in 1954. Her ancestor embarked on a meteoric career in the Royal City of Tangier, the capital of Morocco, in 1676 at age 22 and was soon appointed its governor by King Charles II of England. After an effort to control the city was abandoned by the crown, the young Smith was deeded thousands of acres in the New World by King William and Queen Mary at what would become Brookhaven Town.
Working just a few steps from where British troops occupied what they called Fort St. George during the Revolution, Zack immerses himself in the local history. “It’s one thing to read about our past, but here we have the opportunity to physically be part of it,” said Zach’s mom, Kimberly Zach, an assistant scoutmaster with Troop 2720, a unit for special needs scouts in Ronkonkoma. To avail himself of additional opportunities to serve, Zack is also a member of Patchogue Troop 47 and Troop 23 in Center Moriches, his mom notes.
From time to time, Zack looks up from his work to take in the ambiance of the 127-acre estate. From its location on the Mastic Peninsula, he can see Bellport Bay, where British ships were anchored during his country’s fight for freedom. He checks out the two cannons pointing seaward, relics from the War of 1812. And just beyond is the grand Manor House, now a museum with rooms pretty much the way Eugenia Smith left them all those years ago.
This was the eighth grader's third visit to the grave site. He’ll be back in the spring as part of a group of scouts planning to put in some maintenance work on the famed Tallmadge Trail, the path of the Patriot who crossed Long Island from Connecticut to recapture the Manor from the British and return it to its rightful owners.