TOMS RIVER – The Captain Joshua Huddy Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) recently rededicated a plaque honoring their organizing regent, Virginia Watson Reeve. The ceremony highlighted her dedication to the organization, her passion for history, and her strong character.
The rededication service was held at the Ocean County Historical Society Garden, where the plaque was relocated from its original site near Toms River Town Hall. It is engraved with the inscription “Captain Joshua Huddy Chapter DAR Honors Virginia Watson Reeve as Organizing Regent March 8, 1930.”
Reeve’s two grandsons traveled substantial distances to attend the ceremony. David Younkers and his wife Karen made the trip from Richmond, Virginia. Robert “Mill” Younkers and his wife Lydia Ann came from Denver, Colorado, and were pleasantly surprised when their son and daughter-in-law also flew in from Denver for the occasion.
The impetus for the plaque’s relocation came from Mill and Karen’s last trip to Toms River. Mill said they would stop by to visit the plaque dedicated to his grandmother as part of their ritual during their visits. When he noticed the plaque was loose, he contacted township authorities, who told him it was not their responsibility – even though it was on township property.
Mill contacted the local DAR, who took charge, retrieved the plaque, cleaned it up, and planted it in the historical society garden, where it was rededicated to her memory.
Reeve, a descendant of Revolutionary War soldier Col. Theodore Sedgwick, was instrumental in establishing the Captain Joshua Huddy Chapter in 1930. She was also a founding Ocean County Historical Society member and a prolific writer on numerous topics.
During the ceremony led by the chapter’s current Regent, Virginia “Ginny” Haines, speakers emphasized Reeve’s role in preserving local history, particularly her efforts to ensure Captain Joshua Huddy, a local hero, received proper recognition.
“She wrote in 1950 that the Chapter name Captain Joshua Huddy was most fitting,” added DAR member Diane Varsa. “His downward defense of the blockhouse and saltworks of Toms River had never been properly credited.”
DAR member Carol Mahler, dressed in period-appropriate attire, presented the historical account of Joshua Huddy authored by Virginia Watson Reeve.
A Life Of Accomplishments
Virginia Reeve was married to Reuben H. Reeve and had three children, who all enjoyed vacationing in Ocean Gate during the summer months.
In a time when women were not all in the workforce, Reeve was a secretary to the founder of Lederle Laboratories, which was acquired by Wyeth, which Pfizer subsequently acquired. She didn’t let the fact that she was employed stop her from becoming active in things that mattered to her.
Reeve was one of the founding members of the DAR in her hometown in Summit, which was called the Beacon Fire Chapter. A one-time staff member of the Summit Herald, Reeve had scrapbooks filled with clippings of letters she wrote to various newspapers.
“She used to write letters to The New York Times, The Saturday Evening Post, and the Reader’s Digest,” Mill said of his maternal grandmother. “If she agreed with something, she would compliment them, commend them. And if she was opposed to anyone, well, you better watch out because you became scorched earth. She would let you know in a hurry.”
By 1926, the Reeves decided their love for the Jersey shore warranted a move to Toms River. Within four years, Reeve became the organizing regent of the Ocean County Chapter of the DAR.
“She was definitely not a wallflower,” Mill said of his grandmother. “She was a leader, probably the most patriotic person I ever knew. And she was very, very proud of her genealogy.”
Reeve ‘s activism and advocacy were evident throughout her life, whether through her prolific letter-writing or involvement in community organizations. Her commitment to causes she believed in and her welcoming demeanor were said to have left an indelible impression on all who knew her.
Reeve ‘s impact resonated not only through her own accomplishments but also through her children, who followed in her footsteps of service and leadership. Her son Fred served in the Coast Guard and later established a successful business. Her daughter, Dorothy “Dot” Reeve, blazed trails as a lieutenant commander in the Navy and became Ocean County’s first female attorney. She was also the first woman to head a local American Legion Post.
Her daughter, Evelyn, Mill and David’s mother married Millard James Younker, and the couple started the Toms River Venetian Blind Service in 1947 and expanded to own four stores.
“My grandfather died in 1949,” shared Mill. “I’m sure that was a tough time for her. She was still very active in everything and became even more active at that time.”
Mill was 22 when his grandmother died on December 7, 1965, and had fond memories of his visits with her. Mill marveled at the significance of the date of his grandmother’s death as she kept newspaper clippings daily during World War II.
“She kept them in a chest that her husband – my grandfather – made,” Mill added. “I have that chest.”
Part of Reeve’s legacy continues to live on in the Waretown Branch of the Ocean County Library system. She had left sufficient funds to build the library in that part of the county.
About The DAR
Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) must be able to trace their lineage to ancestors who actively supported the Revolutionary War effort. This includes individuals who served in the Continental Army or state militia, contributed to the funding of the armies through supply taxes, or held positions as public officials during the pivotal period of American history.
The Captain Joshua Huddy Chapter of the DAR currently has 95 members.
