Rich Singleton forwarded this to me and wanted me to share it with the group He found it posted in The Journal News _Click here: Kent Historical Society saying no to Sybil movie money_ (http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070301/NEWS04/703010363/1020) Kent Historical Society saying no to Sybil movie money By _MICHAEL RISINIT_ (mailto:MRISINIT@LOHUD.COM) THE JOURNAL NEWS On the Web Go to _www.ludingtonsride.com_ (http://www.ludingtonsride.com/) to learn more about Charles Welty and his movie, "Ludington's Ride." A button on the upper-left side of the screen leads to a video of portions of Sybil Ludington's route. Casting call for Sybil Charles Welty, the California writer who is trying to turn his script about Revolutionary War heroine Sybil Ludington into a movie, said he was still looking for someone to play the 16-year-old girl. Welty said interested girls should have an agent and some experience in television, know how to take direction and be able to ride a horse. Anyone interested may reach him at _charles@ludingtonsride.com_ (mailto:charles@ludingtonsride.com) . (Original publication: March 1, 2007) KENT Charles Welty, a California writer, has his 139-page script fictionalizing local heroine Sybil Ludington's midnight ride. Add to that financing agreements and contracts with actors and production staff, and Welty's dream of bringing Putnam County's version of Paul Revere to the big screen is awash in paperwork. But there's one document he still wants -one he probably won't get. That's a thank-you note from the executive board of the Kent Historical Society, the keepers of Ludington lore. A resolution from the board commending "Ludington's Ride," Welty contends, would assure investors that the society would not threaten the movie's box-office success with post-release criticism. It would also be an appreciative gesture for the $1.3 million that Welty, the production company and other associated entities are offering the group. The money would pay for rebuilding the Ludington family's Revolutionary War-era mill, which would be used in the movie, and an accompanying museum. But like Sybil's stalwart effort to round up her father's troops, the board is dauntless in its decision not to endorse the film and, therefore, is rejecting the promised money. "We have our bylaws and rules for the organization. As a society, we can't get involved with commercial endorsements," President Thomas Breslin said. Welty learned of 16-year-old Sybil's heroism in 2001 during a visit to the Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Washington. He finished a rough script two years later. In September, he drove the route the 16-year-old galloped over one rainy night in April 1777. "It's fiction," acknowledged Welty, who expects to start production in the summer. "If we don't agree with the fiction, fine. But it will get people looking at the characters, researching them." What's fact is two years after Revere's ride, the girl went on a similar journey to alert her father's militia. Col. Henry Ludington's men were needed to repel the British from Danbury. Riding from the family's homestead in Kent, near where a Hess gas station now sits on Route 52, she covered what some say is a 40-mile loop through the countryside. The potential silver-screen version includes some liberties for Hollywood's sake, such as Sybil's shootout with some bandits and an on-screen love interest. Welty declined to discuss actors but said he expects to have some recognizable names in the film. Richard Othmer, society vice president, talked with Welty for four years about the movie. Othmer approached the screenwriter about funding the Kent projects. Now, he said, he will seek grants and corporate donations. "I have no problem with him spreading the word of Sybil Ludington," Othmer said. "We're just not in it for money or profit. We're just in it to preserve history. I'm sure he's disappointed." Welty seems more confused than disappointed. Last month, he sent each society board member a 10-page letter, detailing how the money could be transferred to the organization and what he wanted. "I was finding I was getting nothing but pretty ridiculous responses. My proposal is straightforward," Welty said. The society, though, is concerned that an endorsement would jeopardize its status as a 501(c)(3) charity. Federal tax law prohibits such nonprofit organizations from donating to political campaigns or backing candidates. Board members worry that speaking in favor of a movie is similar. Dianne Besunder, a spokeswoman for the Internal Revenue Service, said the agency was prohibited from discussing any taxpayer or organization. She pointed to IRS Publication 598, "Tax on Unrelated Business Income of Exempt Organizations," which says that selling endorsements is unrelated to a nonprofit's work and could result in taxable income. Sal Tripi, a Kent resident and a certified public accountant, said if the movie was a documentary, it would probably fall under the society's educational mission, making an endorsement acceptable in the eyes of the IRS. "But this sounds like a gray area," said Tripi, adding that he wasn't familiar with the society's specific situation. "It's always silly to go out on a limb in a gray area." Sybil's story has been wrongly overshadowed by Revere's ride, supporters say. The 16-year-old rode alone on back roads and completed her mission. Revere was arrested, was occasionally accompanied by two other men and stuck to well-traveled routes. She may not be the subject of a well-known poem, but she has been part of a PBS animated children's series. Several children's books chronicle her deed. Society board member Betty Behr said PBS also produced a documentary about her in the 1980s. Welty said he still might supply $100,000 to rebuild the mill and remains interested in shooting some scenes in Putnam County. He's also considering studios in Brooklyn or North Carolina. The effort will be led by Fidelis Entertainment, an independent production company headed by Mark Byers, who has directed and produced several independent films, as well as Asian cinema. Welty suggested residents join the society and vote in a new board more amenable to his offer. "We meet the fourth Thursday of every month at the old Town Hall," said Breslin, the president. "Everyone's welcomed." No sale|historical group rejects $1.3M to endorse film Reach Michael Risinit at _mrisinit@lohud.com_ (mailto:mrisinit@lohud.com) or 845-228-2274. <BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.

Hi Elaine, I sure wish I could help you with that. That is one slippery bunch. Joseph, who I am thinking might be Comforts brother (event though he was not on the will) appeared in some census records with the Comfort you want to research. Joseph is buried in Pawling Cemetery and that is the town that Comfort was on the Census for . Joseph's grave is in good condition finding Comfort's might be a big clue. If you can find out where he resided, you may check cemeteries there. He is not in Pawing Cemetery to my knowledge. I am thinking he lived in Fishkill at some point. There are old cemeteries there. cgiordano@pawling.org That is the e-mail address for the Pawling town Clerk she helped me look up records by e-mail her name is Cathy Giordano and she also told me to look for records at 845-485-3445. which is Adriance Library in Poughkeepsie. Poughkeepsie is run down and I have check the will there but I hear the had a new town historian and his name escapes me, he was the old town historian from no less then Pawling. If you could reach him, it might be worth a chat. Also I am not sure what help you'll get at the family history center. I have never been, it was closed every time I went. The research section was not open the last time I checked. But for your sake I hope it is open now. I also went to the Brewster archives but I found nothing on Comfort there. So the most I got on him are those Census records. I have to go out now but if you have no access to look them up let me know and I'll check it when I come in for you. My best advise is if someone does not have an answer for you ask them who might, that is how I found out about the Brewster archives, I would have never known they existed. (I also check records at the Carmel Surrogate's court and nothing there. Good luck sorry not to be such a good help Mary ----- Original Message ----- From: <Dek623@aol.com> To: <luddington@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007 5:51 PM Subject: [LUDDINGTON] Check out Kent Historical Society saying no to Sybilmovie money > Rich Singleton forwarded this to me and wanted me to share it with the > group > > He found it posted in The Journal News > > _Click here: Kent Historical Society saying no to Sybil movie money_ > (http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070301/NEWS04/703010363/1020) > > > Kent Historical Society saying no to Sybil movie money > > By _MICHAEL RISINIT_ (mailto:MRISINIT@LOHUD.COM) > THE JOURNAL NEWS > On the Web > Go to _www.ludingtonsride.com_ (http://www.ludingtonsride.com/) to learn > more about Charles Welty and his movie, "Ludington's Ride." A button on > the > upper-left side of the screen leads to a video of portions of Sybil > Ludington's > route. > Casting call for Sybil > Charles Welty, the California writer who is trying to turn his script > about > Revolutionary War heroine Sybil Ludington into a movie, said he was still > looking for someone to play the 16-year-old girl. Welty said interested > girls > should have an agent and some experience in television, know how to take > direction and be able to ride a horse. Anyone interested may reach him at > _charles@ludingtonsride.com_ (mailto:charles@ludingtonsride.com) . > (Original > publication: March 1, 2007) > KENT > Charles Welty, a California writer, has his 139-page script fictionalizing > local heroine Sybil Ludington's midnight ride. > Add to that financing agreements and contracts with actors and production > staff, and Welty's dream of bringing Putnam County's version of Paul > Revere to > the big screen is awash in paperwork. > But there's one document he still wants -one he probably won't get. > That's a thank-you note from the executive board of the Kent Historical > Society, the keepers of Ludington lore. A resolution from the board > commending > "Ludington's Ride," Welty contends, would assure investors that the > society > would not threaten the movie's box-office success with post-release > criticism. > It would also be an appreciative gesture for the $1.3 million that Welty, > the > production company and other associated entities are offering the group. > The money would pay for rebuilding the Ludington family's Revolutionary > War-era mill, which would be used in the movie, and an accompanying > museum. But > like Sybil's stalwart effort to round up her father's troops, the board is > dauntless in its decision not to endorse the film and, therefore, is > rejecting > the promised money. > "We have our bylaws and rules for the organization. As a society, we can't > get involved with commercial endorsements," President Thomas Breslin said. > Welty learned of 16-year-old Sybil's heroism in 2001 during a visit to the > Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Washington. He finished a > rough > script two years later. In September, he drove the route the 16-year-old > galloped over one rainy night in April 1777. > "It's fiction," acknowledged Welty, who expects to start production in the > summer. "If we don't agree with the fiction, fine. But it will get people > looking at the characters, researching them." > What's fact is two years after Revere's ride, the girl went on a similar > journey to alert her father's militia. Col. Henry Ludington's men were > needed to > repel the British from Danbury. Riding from the family's homestead in > Kent, > near where a Hess gas station now sits on Route 52, she covered what some > say > is a 40-mile loop through the countryside. > The potential silver-screen version includes some liberties for > Hollywood's > sake, such as Sybil's shootout with some bandits and an on-screen love > interest. Welty declined to discuss actors but said he expects to have > some > recognizable names in the film. > Richard Othmer, society vice president, talked with Welty for four years > about the movie. Othmer approached the screenwriter about funding the Kent > projects. Now, he said, he will seek grants and corporate donations. > "I have no problem with him spreading the word of Sybil Ludington," Othmer > said. "We're just not in it for money or profit. We're just in it to > preserve > history. I'm sure he's disappointed." > Welty seems more confused than disappointed. Last month, he sent each > society > board member a 10-page letter, detailing how the money could be > transferred > to the organization and what he wanted. > "I was finding I was getting nothing but pretty ridiculous responses. My > proposal is straightforward," Welty said. > The society, though, is concerned that an endorsement would jeopardize its > status as a 501(c)(3) charity. Federal tax law prohibits such nonprofit > organizations from donating to political campaigns or backing candidates. > Board > members worry that speaking in favor of a movie is similar. > Dianne Besunder, a spokeswoman for the Internal Revenue Service, said the > agency was prohibited from discussing any taxpayer or organization. She > pointed > to IRS Publication 598, "Tax on Unrelated Business Income of Exempt > Organizations," which says that selling endorsements is unrelated to a > nonprofit's > work and could result in taxable income. > Sal Tripi, a Kent resident and a certified public accountant, said if the > movie was a documentary, it would probably fall under the society's > educational > mission, making an endorsement acceptable in the eyes of the IRS. > "But this sounds like a gray area," said Tripi, adding that he wasn't > familiar with the society's specific situation. "It's always silly to go > out on a > limb in a gray area." > Sybil's story has been wrongly overshadowed by Revere's ride, supporters > say. > The 16-year-old rode alone on back roads and completed her mission. Revere > was arrested, was occasionally accompanied by two other men and stuck to > well-traveled routes. > She may not be the subject of a well-known poem, but she has been part of > a > PBS animated children's series. Several children's books chronicle her > deed. > Society board member Betty Behr said PBS also produced a documentary about > her > in the 1980s. > Welty said he still might supply $100,000 to rebuild the mill and remains > interested in shooting some scenes in Putnam County. He's also considering > studios in Brooklyn or North Carolina. The effort will be led by Fidelis > Entertainment, an independent production company headed by Mark Byers, who > has > directed and produced several independent films, as well as Asian cinema. > Welty suggested residents join the society and vote in a new board more > amenable to his offer. > "We meet the fourth Thursday of every month at the old Town Hall," said > Breslin, the president. "Everyone's welcomed." > No sale|historical group rejects $1.3M to endorse film > Reach Michael Risinit at _mrisinit@lohud.com_ (mailto:mrisinit@lohud.com) > or > 845-228-2274. > > <BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free > email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at > http://www.aol.com. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > LUDDINGTON-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >