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A not politically correct story concerning Rhea Irvin in Spuyten Duyvil, and a fight between his and a neighbors dog took place in 1925, which means the 1930 property was not his primary home, or at least not originally.
The story is sad, but shows us how animals about pets have changed in the 100 years since this occurred.
As yet the “nuclear physicist” was (more research to be done), but Mr. Henry H. Wells, lived at
lived at 777 Kappock until 1978.
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HENRY W. WELLS, TAUGHT LITERATURE AT COLUMBIA
Dr. Henry W. Wells, retired professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University and curator of the Brander Matthews Museum there, died Wednesday in Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx. He was 83 years old and lived at 777 Kappock Street in the Riverdale section of the Bronx.
Dr. Wells, who retired in 1965; was the author of more than 25 books on literature, poetry and the drama. He was member of the graduate department at Columbia for 40 years. In addition to his writings on British and American poetry, he discussed Asian literature.
His articles dealt with Sanskrit dramas and with the traditional and classical dramas of China, India and Japan. In series of studies, he suggested- analogies between Chinese poets and poets of Britain and America. He contributed to journals in India, Taiwan and Japan.
He was secretary of the American Society for Theater Research and of the United States Institute for Theater Technology and director of the Committee for Refugee Education.”
And this is kind of fun: an article about a court fight about a property owned by the Irvin’s that they rented to a famous Hollywood Actor George Alexander Coulouris (1 October 1903 – 25 April 1989). He was an English film and stage actor. He was perhaps best known for his collaborations with Orson Welles, most notably Citizen Kane.
“Court Refuses to Evict Nine-Year Tenant To Provide House for Owner’s Daughter
Mrs. Rea Irvin, wife of the illustrator, of Newtown, Conn., learned yesterday in Bronx Municipal Court of the vagaries of the housing situation when she tried unsuccessfully to evict a tenant from her home in Spuyten Duyvil, which she wanted to give to her recently married daughter.
It was a complicated case. The trial revealed that the original tenant, a Hollywood actor, had sublet the four-room studio home to an author, who in turn sublet it for the summer to a nuclear physicist.
Mrs. Irvin originally leased a large house at 775 Kappock Street and the adjacent studio home at 777 to George Coulouris, who has maintained tenancy of the larger home although he has lived for the last several years in Hollywood. Nine years ago the actor sublet the studio home to Dr. Henry W. Wells, author and Professor of Classical and Medieval Literature at Columbia University.
Dr. Wells said he paid his rent to Mr. Coulouris, who in turn paid Mrs. Irvin. This summer, Dr. Wells said, he went to Maine to write a book. He sublet the home to Dr. Philip Fleming, scientist from Tennesse. Then, according to Abraham Wilson, Dr. Wells’ attorney, Dr. Fleming was paying Dr. Wells, who was sending money to Hollywood, whence Mr. Coulouris was forwarding the rent to Connecticut.
Mrs. Irvin told Justice Christopher McGrath that her son-in-law, John T. McConnell, had recently been discharged from the Navy and she wanted her daughter and son-in-law to have the smaller home because they had no home of their own.
Justice McGrath ruled that Dr. and Mrs. Wells were not to be evicted because they had occupied the premises for nine years with the obvious knowledge of the landlord.”
This is what I have found so far. Here is a a blurb from the NY times re a real estate transfer from the Estate of Isaac Johnson to Rea Irvin on September 6, 1930, “southeast of Palisade Avenue”
Commemorating Juneteenth 2025 by recognizing the contributions of local history to the overall narrative.
And finally, the signage has been installed in Spuyten Duyvil Shorefront Park, at the south entrance.
I don’t think so Tom. But after extensive pruning of this tree last year (for the first time in memory, of at all), the tree is healthy and brimming with baby apples!
For more information on Native Americans in our local history, check out William Parry’s paper at the link below. Free subscription required to view:
Peter, when I helped Parks rewrite the plaque by providing them with research, it was with the help of Tom Bird.
The “dedication “of these panels are in the right-hand corner, of James Douglas and his wife Naomi, and their birth and death datesNot as prominent, but just as lovely are a triptych Lancet of Stained-Glass windows depicting St. Martha and Dorcas, crafted by C.E. Kempe & Co., a prominent London firm renowned for its medieval inspired style. In the New Testament, both St. Martha and Dorcas (Tabitha) are known for their acts of kindness and service to others. The “dedication “of these panels are in the right-hand corner, of James Douglas and his wife Naomi, and their birth and death dates. I assume that this window was donated by the children of James and Naomi, as the family lived in the Spuyten Duyvil house until 1944.
James Douglas died at this home on June 25, 1918, at the age of eighty- one. His funeral
was held at the Church of the Mediator, on June 26, and was attended by prominent representatives of the American Institute of Mining Engineers and of the Canadian Mining Institute.The Douglas Family archives are located at Arizona University library in the Papers of Lewis W. Douglas, 1859-1974.
The most prized possession in the church, are two authentic Tiffany windows installed in “Mary’s Chapel,” off to the side of the main altar. Dr. James Douglas donated the works as a tribute to his daughter Lily, who died at the young age of 28. Louis Comfort Tiffany personally oversaw the installation.
James Douglas was a vestry and warden of the Church of the Mediator. The Douglas family assigned the church the West 231st Street frontage. Mr. Douglas gave $5,000.00 toward a new church building, and additional $5,000.00 and land north of the present rectory.
