Unless indicated below, this is a transcript of the original Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities/Town of Brookhaven survey form. Since most of the surveys were conducted in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, much of the information reflects that time period.

Corrections to obvious typographical and spelling errors have been made. Corrections to factual errors in the original surveys, and updates or comments on the information are either enclosed in [square brackets], or are clearly indicated as updated material from the context of the comments.

Sites with an Inventory Code suffix of “S” are supplemental sites not included in the original surveys.

BUILDING-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FORM

Rose-Lyons house

 If checked, this is a Supplemental Form, not in the original surveys.

Inventory Code:   Br29B 
Prepared Date:   1975-03-10 
Last Modified:   1970-01-01 
Original Submitter
Submitter Name:   Mrs. Paul W. Bigelow
Submitter Address:   7 Thornhedge Road

Bellport, NY 11713  
Organization:   Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society
Identification
1-Building/Site Name:   Rose-Lyons house 
2a-County:   Suffolk    2b-Town:   Brookhaven    2c-Village:   Hamlet of Brookhaven
3-Street Location:    
Ownership
 4a-Public    4b-Private
5a-Present Owner:   Mrs. Elizabeth Lyons 5b-Address:   Station Rd., Bellport
Use

6a-Original:   private home

6b-Present:   same

Accessibility
 7a-Visible From Road

 7b-Interior Accessible
7b-Interior Comment:   
Building Materials
 8a-Clapboard

 8b-Stone

 8c-Brick

 8d-Board & Batten

 8e-Cobblestone

 8f-Shingles

 8g-Stucco
8-Other:   
Structural System
 9a-Wood Frame Interlocking Joints    9b-Wood Frame Light Members:   9c-Masonry:
 9d-Metal
9d-Metal Comment:   
 9e-Other
 9e-Other Comment:   
Condition
   10a-Excellent   10b-Good   10c-Fair    10d-Deteriorated
Integrity
  11a-Original Site  11b-Moved If so, when?
11c-Alterations:   Small wing had been a store on Bay Road; added before 1900  «»
Photo & Map
12-Photo Photos and images
13-Map
Threats
[Threats were not evaluated in the original South Shore Estuary Survey.  They are an evaluation by J. Deitz]
  14a-None Known:   14b-Zoning   14c-Roads
  14d-Developers   14e-Deterioration
14f-Other:   
14-Comment:   
Related Outbuildings and Property
 15a-Barn  15b-Carriage House  15c-Garage
 15d-Privy  15e-Shed   15f-Greenhouse
 15g-Shop  15h-Gardens   15i-Landscape Features
15i-Landscape Features:   
15j-Other:   
15-Comment:   
Surroundings of the Building
 16a-Open Land  16b-Woodland  16c-Scattered Bldgs.
 16d-Densely Built-up  16e-Commercial  16f-Industrial
 16g-Residential 16h-Other:   
Interrelationship of Building and Surroundings
17-Interrelationships:    
Other Notable Features of Building and Site
18-Notable Features:    small wing was once a store  «»
Significance
19-Initial Const Date:   before 1818, by John rose, born 1768  
19-Architect:  
19-Builder: Same carpenter who had built Miller house, few years earlier.  
Historic and Architectural Importance
20-Importance:   Senator John Rose was son of Revolutionary War hero [copy illegible ...] who is buried in rear of this property. He married dau. of [copy illegible ...] they had 5 sons.  «»
Sources
21-Sources: On Chase 1858 map as [copy illegible] C. G. Hawkins. Picture in Bellport-Brookhaven book in 1968 by B. B. Historical Society. ** [Early Photographs of the Hamlet of Brookhaven collected by George Perley Morse 1945-1959." Repository: Post-Morrow Foundation, RG1 Series 10.] «»
Theme
22-Theme:    
Prepared By: 
   
Supplemental Material:
  ** [George Perley Morse indicates -- "Located on north side of Beaver Dam Road near South Country Road is all original and a fine example of well-to-do Long Island home. It has been in the Rose family nearly all the time. Built by John Rose (born 1768) son of Lieutenant (Revolutionary War) Thomas Rose. He married a daughter of David (Priest) Rose (no relative) and became Town Trustee, Town Supervisor and a New York State Senator. He had five sons and the fifth son inherited the home and died in 1914 at the age of 98 years. Mulford Rose, the fifth son had four children. His daughters Harriet and Cornalia lived in the home and did not marry. (see photos) The fourth child Elizabeth [[error]] married and her first or second cousins through marriages inherited the old home, Miss Clara Steckel and Mrs. Alma Sleter. "George Miller once told the writer that this home was built by the same carpenter that built the Nathaniel Miller home a few years earlier.

" It is said that the small part of the John Rose house was once a small store, located on Bay Road."]

[According to Bigelow, the home was built before 1818 for Senator John Rose. She indicates that the smaller wing on the right was once used as a store. She also indicates that the house was built by the same builder who built the Nathaniel Miller (see) house on Fire Place Neck Rd. It was known to be occupied by members of the Rose family in the late 19th/early 20th century.

The home on the 1858 map of Fire Place (see) is labeled "C. G. Hawkins" (see Charles Greenville Hawkins.) The home on the1873 map of Fire Place is labeled "J. L. Ireland" (see John Lawrence Ireland). The 1888 map of the Hamlet has it labeled J. B. Ireland (see John Busteed Ireland). The local tradition has the home being occupied by the Rose family from the early 19th until the early 20th century.

Was C. G. Hawkins living there in the 1850's? He was a seaman, not of great wealth. Could the home have been more modest in the 1850's when the Hawkins family resided there -- perhaps just the wing to the right? This wing appears to be of cape design, and in a 19th century picture of the house a single dormer appears on this section, suggestive of a second floor bedroom. On the other hand, John Rose by 1818 was a relatively wealthy and prominent citizen of the Town and Hamlet -- one would not have expected him to build just a modest cape cod.

I believe the 1858 map is likely mislabeled, and that C. G. Hawkins did not live there in 1858, but probably further east on Beaverdam Rd.

J. L. Ireland was a wealthy landowner who acquired much of the Rose family holdings in Brookhaven Hamlet. Apparently this includes ownership of the Rose house. He dies in 1879, and the property passes to his son, J. B. Ireland. Again, I think the tradition is likely correct -- the Rose family occupied the house until into the 20th century, but that the family was forced to sell the property to the Ireland's as their finances deteriorated. It was not uncommon for purchasers of property to guarantee occupancy of homes until the death of the family members.]