NASSAU

Anonymous said...
I found a red brick that says nassau 80 feet underwater by the mohawk ww11 wreck off point pleasant nj shore. I am interested in why it was there and how old it may be. I was hoping you have some answers it was a neat treasure from my dive and wanted to just know more about it. kennystruck_trailer@yahoo.com

Hi Kenny,
 (NASSAU was originally the Post Brick Co)--
(from "http://www.bklyn-genealogy-info.com/LI/LI.Notable.Requests.html"): "Through the efforts of Francis M. Gaynor, Glenhead now has a beautiful twenty-two acre memorial park, donated to the town in 1946 by the Post Brick Company of which Mr. Gaynor is president. Mr. Gaynor has continued his work in this enterprise as chairman of the memorial park and building committee. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 27, 1894, Francis Gaynor is the son of Hugh and Jane (Pritchard) Gaynor, both natives of Philadelphia. Hugh Gaynor, who died in 1909, was a brick manufacturer by trade; Jane Gaynor died in 1904. Francis M. Gaynor was educated in the public and high schools of Philadelphia. After attending Temple University for one year, he apprenticed with his uncle, James Gaynor, in the brick manufacturing business in Philadelphia and remained there until 1917. With the advent of World War I, Mr. Gaynor entered the armed services and for twenty-two months was assigned to the Air Corps at Hazelhurst (now Roosevelt Field.) In March, 1919 he received an honorable discharge. Upon his return to civilian life Mr. Gaynor became associated with Jotham Post, a brick manufacturer of Glen Head. Here his work was so successful and his progress so marked that he received a partnership in the Post Brick Company in 1924. Four years later, when Mr. Post died Francis M. Gaynor took over the complete managership of the company and continued in this capacity until 1942 . In 1936, the present plant was purchased at Farmingdale, the business was re-named the Nassau Brick Company, and Mr. Gaynor enlarged his managerial staff. Townsend B. Pettit, Sr., is vice president and Townsend B. Pettit, Jr., is secretary and treasurer. The only company of its kind in this area, the Nassau Brick Company employs fifty-five people and has a yearly manufacturing capacity of twenty-five million bricks."
(The Nassau Brick Company is now out of business.)
There is more information about NASSAU on the website. Just use the Search boxes.



32 comments:

  1. Hi Don & Kenny. I live in Bayville, NY, which is on Long Island (about a 30-minute drive from where Nassau bricks were made). Those bricks are all over my town. Still very common to see them. rocketsandinsulators@yahoo.com

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    1. I'm also from Bayville, and the Gaynors are family on my mother's side - Francis would have been my grandfather's brother. My grandfather worked for his brother.

      Not sure how old you are, but Grandpa's son Howie, my late uncle, was Bayville's UPS driver for ages.

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    2. I am taking a chimney made of nassau bricks down and wonder if there is a market for the bricks. What do you think?

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    3. I would love to have some of the bricks it could be from my family home where they lived on the property and work for the brick company. My family has history there.

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  2. Hi,
    I own a masory supply yard in Glen Cove,NY just a couple miles from the original Post brick plant. I sold Nassau brick until they closed back in the 80's. I actually purchased their boom truck when they closed down. I have a wood brick mold from the original Nassau brick plant on display in my office along with several Post & Nassau brick. I have some that were special made for the Bicentenial with 1776 & 1976 printed on them. A grand son ofm Gaynor gave me pictures or the post plant when the brick were delivered by horse & buggy and later when the old C cab Macks delivered the bricks in dump trucks.

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  3. Hi. I believe I found a Nassau brick mold in my mothers garage. Is there any value to this?

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  4. to me there is! I would love to buy it from you. could you email me ...would love to have it CRudegeair@gmail.com.
    thank you so much!
    Claudia

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  5. I just found a nassau brick in Cold Spring Harbor. Really excited - I found a piece of history. Christine

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  6. March 9, 2013
    i just found a nassau brick poquott,long island.it broke in half.gonna buy
    a gluegun and put it back together.

    Ashley Bunici

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  7. I have a couple hudred I.al trying to get rid of call or txt 16074350869

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  8. I am the great great Grandson of Jotha Post and the Grandson of Townsend B. Pettit Jr. I am sitting in his former home in Jamesport, NY looking at one of the bicentenial brick by the fireplace with my family. I cannot express how proud it makes me to have read the story and your comments. I live in Sea Cliff and am.amazed at the impact the company had. Thank you for this blog. Sincerely, Brian Mannix mannixlab@gmail.com

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  9. I am also the great great Grandson of Jotha Post. I guess that makes me Brian's brother (smile). It is amazing how many homes on Long Island were built with Nassau Brick. The company dominated the brick business in the area for many years. My great grandfather Townsend B. Pettit Sr. (Vice President of Nassau Brick) was still going to work every day until a few months before his death at the age of 86. His son Townsend B. Pettit Jr. (secretary and treasurer), along with Mr. Gaynor, finally sold the business in 1980. Thanks for this blog. Good memories.

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  10. I wound a Nassau Brick on the bank of the East River in Manhattan. Gonna sell it on ebay!

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  11. I found a Nassau brick on the bank of the East River! Gonna sell it on ebay with a fwe other old bricks I found yesterday.
    Who Knew These Things Are Worth Money!!!

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  12. Found a Nassau brick on the beach on Fire Island this morning, complete with mortar.

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  13. We have over 3000 Nassau red bricks in our yard.. It was a patio at one time which we just disassembled to make a new patio. Any interest in them? or where I can sell them?
    nmerk@yahoo.com

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    1. Your post that you have 3000 Nassau bricks in your yard is 6 years old, but thought I would check in case you still had them? Doing a project on my 1929 house and wondering if I can find matching Nassau brick. Thanks, Jon

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  14. I just found a red Nassau brick with mortar on it on the shore of Cherry Grove Fire Island.

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  15. Do all Nassau Bricks have their underside stamped Nassau?

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    1. No some were unfrogged or solids for use as pavers or to finish off ends of steps etc. But most were stamped.

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    2. No some were unfrogged or solids for use as pavers or to finish off ends of steps etc. But most were stamped.

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  16. I was walking the beach at the welwyn preserve and saw a brick along the shore. I flipped it over revealing Nassau . I knew it must have had a special history. I took it home and cleaned it up. I paced it on my counter against my brick backsplash

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  17. I live in a house in glen head and one of the former owners was gaynor wonder if any relation to brick man. have several hundred nassau bricks in my yard. anyone interested?

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    1. I am interested in the Nassau bricks. You can email me at ghaggertyolf@gmail.com.

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  18. my wife and I walk at sunken meadow and as you walk in to boardwalk there is a brick path
    Two of the bricks have POST on them. Perhaps the others were turned over. The POST is pretty worn out

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  19. To the anonymous poster in Glen Head with several hundred Nassau bricks in their yard, do you still have them, I am interested.

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    1. I have plenty for sale if you are interested

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  20. I have @ 2,000 used Nassau brick
    In a patio..no cement..
    Contact me at bac1065@yahoo.com

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  21. I have 700 Nassau bricks for sale if anyone is interested..

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  22. I have 176 clean Nassau bricks for sale.

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  23. My Grandfather and Grandma lived at the brick house in the early 1960's and also work for the brick company.

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