THE TALE OF THE SWEZEY GEESE

Tales of Middle Island

By Thomas R. Bayles

Patchogue Advance

June 21, 1949

The old homestead of one of the first Swezey families who settled in Middle Island occupied a site on the west side of the body of water known variously as Half Mile pond, Davis pond and Pine lake.

The following incident has been handed down about the family of Daniel Swezey who lived here(Middle Island) during the Revolutionary War.

"During the winter of 1777, the British soldiers who were quartered on Long Island were frequently roaming over the Island in foraging parties looking for anything they could use. The Swezey family had a fine flock of geese and wanted to keep them from falling into the hands of the British foragers. The winter was hard and a deep snow lay on the ground. There were many drifts and the top of the banks formed a hard crust. The active boys dug out the soft snow, leaving the crust to form a roof over a good sized room, into which they drove their flock of geese. Then they sealed up the opening and with a rake handle punched holes through the snow crust roof to let air into the birds. The British soldiers came around and looked through the barn and other buildings but were unable to find the honking geese."