Wife of Selah Strong 1737-1815
Anna's husband was imprisoned during the Revolution for "surreptitious correspondence with the enemy," confined to the Jersey, a British prison ship, in 1778. During her husband's imprisonment, it is believed Anna would bring him food and through her family connections was able to negotiate Judge Strong's release. It is believed that after his release, Judge Strong went to Connecticut.
Anna stayed alone on the family farm during the Revolution, where she quietly assisted with General Washington's Culper Spy Ring. It is Long Island folklore that Anna's assignment was to signal the arrival of Caleb Brewster, who would row periodically across the Devil's Belt to retrieve the spy ring's messages. Anna accomplished this signaling by means of a homespun device that fooled all wisdom with its simplicity.
Anna would take her laundry out to the tip of Strong's Neck and hang her black petticoat along with handkerchiefs scattered throughout her wash. This was a signal to chief spy Abraham Woodhull. By counting the white handkerchiefs, Woodhull knew that Caleb Brewster, a blacksmith and boatman, was in town. The number of handkerchiefs would indicate which of the six coves Caleb's boat was hidden in. Abraham then contacted Caleb in order to pass along the secret messages he received from another spy ring member, Robert Townsend.
Townsend's messages were brought to Woodhull by a Setauket tavern owner and horseman, Austin Roe, who rode at least weekly to New York City for supplies. After adding his own observations, Woodhull passed the messages to Brewster.
At night after retrieving the intelligence report, Brewster would row past British guard boats and cross the Devil's Belt to Connecticut. There, Brewster kept crews and boats for the cross-sound relay. From Fairfield, a courier on a fast horse would take the report to Major Benjamin Tallmadge, who would then hand it to the first of a series of riders stationed fifteen miles apart on the route to wherever General Washington's headquarters happened to be.
Anna and her husband were reunited after the war. She is buried on Strong's Neck in the family cemetery.
Anna Smith Strong Chapter, NSDAR
Setauket, Long Island, New York
http://www.annasmithstrongchapter-nsdar.org/
Anna's husband was imprisoned during the Revolution for "surreptitious correspondence with the enemy," confined to the Jersey, a British prison ship, in 1778. During her husband's imprisonment, it is believed Anna would bring him food and through her family connections was able to negotiate Judge Strong's release. It is believed that after his release, Judge Strong went to Connecticut.
Anna stayed alone on the family farm during the Revolution, where she quietly assisted with General Washington's Culper Spy Ring. It is Long Island folklore that Anna's assignment was to signal the arrival of Caleb Brewster, who would row periodically across the Devil's Belt to retrieve the spy ring's messages. Anna accomplished this signaling by means of a homespun device that fooled all wisdom with its simplicity.
Anna would take her laundry out to the tip of Strong's Neck and hang her black petticoat along with handkerchiefs scattered throughout her wash. This was a signal to chief spy Abraham Woodhull. By counting the white handkerchiefs, Woodhull knew that Caleb Brewster, a blacksmith and boatman, was in town. The number of handkerchiefs would indicate which of the six coves Caleb's boat was hidden in. Abraham then contacted Caleb in order to pass along the secret messages he received from another spy ring member, Robert Townsend.
Townsend's messages were brought to Woodhull by a Setauket tavern owner and horseman, Austin Roe, who rode at least weekly to New York City for supplies. After adding his own observations, Woodhull passed the messages to Brewster.
At night after retrieving the intelligence report, Brewster would row past British guard boats and cross the Devil's Belt to Connecticut. There, Brewster kept crews and boats for the cross-sound relay. From Fairfield, a courier on a fast horse would take the report to Major Benjamin Tallmadge, who would then hand it to the first of a series of riders stationed fifteen miles apart on the route to wherever General Washington's headquarters happened to be.
Anna and her husband were reunited after the war. She is buried on Strong's Neck in the family cemetery.
Anna Smith Strong Chapter, NSDAR
Setauket, Long Island, New York
http://www.annasmithstrongchapter-nsdar.org/
Wife of Selah Strong 1737-1815
Anna's husband was imprisoned during the Revolution for "surreptitious correspondence with the enemy," confined to the Jersey, a British prison ship, in 1778. During her husband's imprisonment, it is believed Anna would bring him food and through her family connections was able to negotiate Judge Strong's release. It is believed that after his release, Judge Strong went to Connecticut.
Anna stayed alone on the family farm during the Revolution, where she quietly assisted with General Washington's Culper Spy Ring. It is Long Island folklore that Anna's assignment was to signal the arrival of Caleb Brewster, who would row periodically across the Devil's Belt to retrieve the spy ring's messages. Anna accomplished this signaling by means of a homespun device that fooled all wisdom with its simplicity.
Anna would take her laundry out to the tip of Strong's Neck and hang her black petticoat along with handkerchiefs scattered throughout her wash. This was a signal to chief spy Abraham Woodhull. By counting the white handkerchiefs, Woodhull knew that Caleb Brewster, a blacksmith and boatman, was in town. The number of handkerchiefs would indicate which of the six coves Caleb's boat was hidden in. Abraham then contacted Caleb in order to pass along the secret messages he received from another spy ring member, Robert Townsend.
Townsend's messages were brought to Woodhull by a Setauket tavern owner and horseman, Austin Roe, who rode at least weekly to New York City for supplies. After adding his own observations, Woodhull passed the messages to Brewster.
At night after retrieving the intelligence report, Brewster would row past British guard boats and cross the Devil's Belt to Connecticut. There, Brewster kept crews and boats for the cross-sound relay. From Fairfield, a courier on a fast horse would take the report to Major Benjamin Tallmadge, who would then hand it to the first of a series of riders stationed fifteen miles apart on the route to wherever General Washington's headquarters happened to be.
Anna and her husband were reunited after the war. She is buried on Strong's Neck in the family cemetery.
Anna Smith Strong Chapter, NSDAR
Setauket, Long Island, New York
http://www.annasmithstrongchapter-nsdar.org/
Anna's husband was imprisoned during the Revolution for "surreptitious correspondence with the enemy," confined to the Jersey, a British prison ship, in 1778. During her husband's imprisonment, it is believed Anna would bring him food and through her family connections was able to negotiate Judge Strong's release. It is believed that after his release, Judge Strong went to Connecticut.
Anna stayed alone on the family farm during the Revolution, where she quietly assisted with General Washington's Culper Spy Ring. It is Long Island folklore that Anna's assignment was to signal the arrival of Caleb Brewster, who would row periodically across the Devil's Belt to retrieve the spy ring's messages. Anna accomplished this signaling by means of a homespun device that fooled all wisdom with its simplicity.
Anna would take her laundry out to the tip of Strong's Neck and hang her black petticoat along with handkerchiefs scattered throughout her wash. This was a signal to chief spy Abraham Woodhull. By counting the white handkerchiefs, Woodhull knew that Caleb Brewster, a blacksmith and boatman, was in town. The number of handkerchiefs would indicate which of the six coves Caleb's boat was hidden in. Abraham then contacted Caleb in order to pass along the secret messages he received from another spy ring member, Robert Townsend.
Townsend's messages were brought to Woodhull by a Setauket tavern owner and horseman, Austin Roe, who rode at least weekly to New York City for supplies. After adding his own observations, Woodhull passed the messages to Brewster.
At night after retrieving the intelligence report, Brewster would row past British guard boats and cross the Devil's Belt to Connecticut. There, Brewster kept crews and boats for the cross-sound relay. From Fairfield, a courier on a fast horse would take the report to Major Benjamin Tallmadge, who would then hand it to the first of a series of riders stationed fifteen miles apart on the route to wherever General Washington's headquarters happened to be.
Anna and her husband were reunited after the war. She is buried on Strong's Neck in the family cemetery.
Anna Smith Strong Chapter, NSDAR
Setauket, Long Island, New York
http://www.annasmithstrongchapter-nsdar.org/
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