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Local historian highlights Madam Brett family’s role in early Beacon settlement
Summary
Anne Thomas, vice chair of Beacon’s Declaration Committee, recounted early Beacon history focused on Madame Katerina Brett’s landownership and descendants’ Revolutionary War roles, inviting listeners to visit the Madame Brett House.
Anne Thomas, vice chair of the Declaration Committee, delivered a local-history segment during the program tracing Beacon’s origins to Madame Katerina Brett, who brought settlers from New York City and became a major landowner in what is now Dutchess County.
Thomas described family members active during the Revolutionary era, including Hannah Brett Schenck and her husband Major Henry Schenck, who served as quartermaster for the Fishkill Supply Depot. She named family members—George and Theodorus—who served in local militia units and invited attendees to visit the Madam Brett House as a local historic site.
Thomas framed the remarks as local context for the Declaration reading and situates Beacon’s Revolutionary-era contributions within broader county history. The remarks were delivered as part of the ceremony and did not propose policy or action items.
