In 1885, the mill was purchased by Edward Kane, a wealthy German brewer and wholesale liquor distiller from Brooklyn. According to John Lapham, author of "Stony Brook Secrets", Kane fell in love with the area and decided to purchase the mill, smithy, wheelwright shop and the “hilly farm to the west". Devoted to the art and science of manufacture, Kane decided to not only manufacture grains, but grapes. Kane created the first commercial winery on Long Island, dubbed the “Lakeside Wine Company”. He did this by cutting down a number of cedar trees (to his neighbors great vexation) to sell and to build a bridge from the mill to an island in the middle of the pond. It was on this island where he planted the very first vineyard on Long Island (circa 1885). To learn more about the Lakeside Wine Company, and the Edward Kane’s love affair and suspicious will, keep an eye open for the WMHO’s walking tours.
Kane employed the milling expertise of a Roma or Romany man named Alois Kopriva. Kopriva studied milling in Poland. He regularly played Romani tunes on his violin to the turn of the waterwheel.
Roma are a group of Indo-Aryan people, originating from the subcontinent of India. Because of discrimination against their physical traits (darker skin and hair), Roma peoples were forced to move around often for their own survival.
As a result, their culture and heritage is extremely vast and encompasses many other different cultures and traits. Especially evident in Roma culture is a love of music, storytelling and family – Alois Kopriva brought this culture to the Grist Mill and members of the community.
Kopriva sold wheat germ to local physicians who stated that “wheat germ was better than surgery”. Wheat germ is a large concentrated amount of nutrients coming from wheat kernels.
In the late 1880s the mill was damaged and required rebuilding when the dam broke for a second time.
When Kane died, the mill was inherited by his daughter Mamie. Mamie married Howard Agne, who would sell the mill to Alida Emmet, a member of the wealthy Astor family, a suffragette, and one of the woman responsible for bringing the “Twilight Sleep” child birthing method to the United States.
To learn more about the Lakeside Wine Company, Edward Kane’s love affair and suspicious will, or Alida Emmet, keep an eye open for the WMHO’s walking tours.
