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Charles R. Johnson, a Korean war veteran who died in combat in 1953, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on Friday, Jan. 3.
Following years of local and regional efforts, PFC Charles R. Johnson of Millbrook was posthumously recognized for valor, receiving the Medal of Honor at a White House ceremony on Friday, Jan. 3. The medal was one of seven presented by President Joseph Biden.
Of the seven medals awarded, five were posthumously awarded to Korean War casualties and the remaining two honored Vietnam veterans, one of whom had perished in battle.
The third of six children, Johnson was born Aug. 11, 1932, in Millbrook to Robert and Pearl Johnson. He excelled in athletics and was a gifted musician. He attended Millbrook High School for three years before transferring to Arlington High School in Poughkeepsie, where he was co-captain of the football team and won election as class vice-president.
Johnson attended Howard University briefly before being drafted in 1952 into the U.S. Army, assigned to Company B, 3rd Infantry. He was killed in June, 1953 demonstrating extraordinary bravery, although mortally wounded himself, to save the lives of ten of his fellow infantrymen..
More than 70 years later, and efforts in recent years to upgrade Johnson’s Silver Star to the Medal of Honor, Johnson’s valor was officially recognized at The White House, where the medal was accepted by Johnson’s sister, Juanita.
Commentary provided after the ceremony by U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan described the process that resulted in the awarding of the Medal of Honor to Johnson.
In May of 2024, Congressman Ryan continued ongoing regional efforts to upgrade the Silver Star that had been awarded in 2011 to the Medal of Honor by calling on President Biden to approve the change.
Ryan’s action capped 20 years of efforts by Johnson’s family, friends, Arlington High School administrators and schoolmates, along with the men whose lives he saved to honor his bravery and sacrifice.
Among the wide-reaching efforts was an exhaustive study of Johnson and his story conducted by Arlington Middle School students who presented their research at Memorial Day ceremonies in Poughkeepsie in 2001.
In 2010, Arlington High School dedicated Johnson Hall and the Wall of Remembrance, honoring former students who perished while serving in the military. During that dedication ceremony, a statue was presented depicting Johnson’s bravery in battle, citing seven traits of character that helped to define Johnson: loyalty, selflessness, courage, compassion, responsibility, patriotism, and integrity.
Johnson is buried in Millbrook at Nine Partners Cemetery on Church Street.Eileen M. Mulligan
SALISBURY — Eileen M. Mulligan, 77, of Salisbury, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, due to complications from Parkinson’s disease.
She was born in Bridgeport to Edward and Margaret Mulligan. Eileen graduated from St. Ann’s School and Notre Dame High School. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Health Services Administration from Quinnipiac College and dedicated 45 years to serving the elderly as the Administrator at Noble Horizons in Salisbury. Known for her kindness, generosity, and impeccable taste, Eileen was an avid traveler and reader. She had a great appreciation for fine jewelry and was a fan of Tom Selleck. Eileen resided at the Mozaic Jewish Home in Bridgeport and previously lived in Salisbury and Naples, Florida.
She is survived by her siblings; Margaret M. Mulligan of Mora, New Mexico, Joseph L. Mulligan of Salisbury, Christine M. Mulligan Firella of Bridgeport, and Edward M. Mulligan of Bridgeport. She is also survived by Catherine M. Trichka and Scott Trichka of Bridgeport, numerous nieces and nephews, and her beloved dog, Teddy.
Eileen was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Margaret Mulligan.
A Funeral Mass for Eileen will be held on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at Saint Mary’s Church, located at 76 Sharon Road, Lakeville, Connecticut. The burial will follow immediately afterward at Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Salisbury, Connecticut. For travel directions or to sign Eileen’s online guest register, please visit www.LeskoFuneralHome.com.
The family expresses their deep gratitude for the staff of the Katie Grace House at Mozaic Jewish Home for the love and care they showed Eileen over the past 4 years. In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Eileen can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research https://www.michaeljfox.org/ or the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service https://www.salisburyambulance.org/gifts.
Edward R. George
NORFOLK — Edward R. George, 86, of Norfolk, and Key West, Florida, passed peacefully away, Dec. 20, 2024, at Wolcott Hall with his wife Mary by his side. He was the beloved husband of Mary (Welch) George. Ed was born on Sept. 17, 1938, in Torrington during the Hurricane of ‘38.
He was the youngest of six born to Richard and Sophie (Swyden) George. He proudly served 17 years as a Torrington Firefighter, retiring after being injured in a house fire.
Ed owned and operated Merit Quality Pools, a business he started with his son as a service company and built it into a construction, retail store and full-service company for over 45 years.
He was very proud of his Lebanese heritage. Ed was an avid gardener and fisherman. Ed and Mary spent a good part of each year in Key West where they had a wonderful group of friends. There were picnics at the beach every Sunday and holidays. Ed was always ready for a good time or a road trip.
In addition to his wife, Mary, he is survived by his son; Michael R. George (Mary), his daughter, Lynn Colangelo (Peter) and his stepdaughter, Shannon Santoro (Gaetano) of Harwinton; one brother, Fredrick George (Joan) of Torrington; three grandchildren, Michael E. George (Maria) of Torrington, Lauren Santoro and Nicolas Santoro of Harwinton; three great grandsons, Gabriel, Nikolas, and Zachary George of Torrington as well as many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by three brothers, Ernest, Louis and Marshall and one sister, Jeanette King.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at noon at Cook Funeral Home, 82 Litchfield St, Torrington, CT. Burial will be private. Relatives and friends may call from 10 a.m. until noon at Cook Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Norfolk Lions Ambulance PO Box 399, Norfolk CT 06058.
Condolences may be sent to the George family by visiting www.cookfuneralhomect.com
Leap year 2024 was another good year to buy and sell real estate in the North East corner of Dutchess County despite political turmoil and high interest rates; however, recorded results for the year in these four rural towns are distinctly different from one another. The markets of these four small towns — North East, Amenia, Washington and Pine Plains — all saw median prices for single family homes rise compared to last year with the biggest increase of 39% to $487,500 in the Town of North East and the smallest increase of 1.8% to $353,750 in Pine Plains. Both North East and Washington closed the year above the Dutchess County median price of $430,000. A closer look at real estate transfers over the last twelve months, including commercial and land as well as residential housing, reveals the unique dynamics of each town.
Pine Plains
With 46 recorded transfers of property, rural Pine Plains is the least active and least expensive market in our readership area with only 46 public and private transactions, fewer than four a month, totaling $18.4 million. Residential sales accounted for 78% of the activity with only two houses selling for over one million dollars. The largest land sale was 174 acres at Pulvers Corners to Carson Power for a solar farm for $1.8 million. The project received approval from the Pine Plains Planning Board at the end of 2023 and beat back a legal challenge over the summer. The most talked about commercial sale was the former Lia’s Mountain House at 7685 Route 82 for $625,000 which is being transformed into an events venue and catering operation. The property was the most expensive of the four commercial properties sold in the town during the year.
North East and Village of Millerton
North East and the Village of Millerton recorded 62 transactions totaling $34.8 million, almost double that of Pine Plains. Similarly, it had more than double the number of properties selling for over a million dollars. The most expensive was $4.05 million for 1081 Route 83, an architect designed estate with “heart stopping views” on 126.99 acres. The highest sale of a home in the Village of Millerton set a record to date of $670,000 on 38 Simmons St. There were two commercial properties sold in the town during the year. Bank of Millbrook bought the former Elizabeth’s Jewelry store on Route 44 for $890,000 and MadRose gallery purchased 5 Main St. for $469,000. Land sales were limited to six building lots ranging in price from $62,500 to 18 acres on Mountain Farm Road for $365,000.
Amenia
The Town of Amenia has two separate real estate markets, public and private — Silo Ridge and everyplace else in town. Sales at gated community Silo Ridge of both lots and condos/villas accounted for $52.5 million or 67% of Amenia’s total dollar volume recorded transfers this year. Without Silo Ridge sales Amenia’s transaction volume in 2024 would be only $26.4 million — less than 75% of North East’s sales. One Key Multiple Listing Service reports that the Amenia median home price in 2024 without Silo Ridge was $351,000 – less than the $487,000 in North East, and $353,800 in Pine Plains. Outside Silo Ridge’s stone walls Amenia has many affordable neighborhoods as well as elegant estates like 22 Smithfield Road which sold for $3.7 million or 173 Kennel Road with 107 acres which sold for $3.9 million — the only two transfers in Amenia outside of Silo Ridge this year for over a million dollars. Resales at Silo Ridge are now beginning to happen with over 50% returns on the owners’ original investment. There were four transfers of commercial properties including the most expensive — Seravan Restaurant, now Panacea — which sold for $800,000. Sales of vacant land accounted for 15 of the 69 transfers including a total of $16.1 million for seven lots sold at Silo Ridge and eight town properties sold ranging in price from $45,000 for 3.7 acres to 32 acres for $500,000 on Cascade Mountain Road.
Washington
The Town of Washington and Village of Millbrook, collectively known as Millbrook — the Hamptons of Dutchess County — is by far the most active real estate market of the four with total sales of $106 million in 2024. Of the 72 transfers, 15 were over a million dollars, including three estates over $5 million and the median price for the year was $609,000, a 26% increase over 2023. Migdale Castle, built by John D. Rockefeller’s only daughter and renovated by the art-dealing, horse-racing Wildensteins for a rumored $20 million was sold at auction by Sotheby’s for $10.8 million. But Migdale was not the most expensive property. That honor went to an estate at 123 Fraleigh Hill Road with 145 acres, an 8,264 square foot house with six bathrooms, six fireplaces, an equestrian facility, swimming pool and sporting clay range for $12.45 million. Meanwhile three even pricier properties remain on the market at $18 million, $28 million and the Hitchcock estate with 2,078 acres for $65 million. Despite the sales of stunning houses on large parcels of land, approximately 30% of sales — especially on the village’s smaller lots — closed at less than $500,000 in 2024.
*This analysis is based on real estate transfers recorded between Dec. 1, 2023, and Nov. 30, 2024, sourced from Dutchess County Real Property Tax Service Agency. Only transfers with consideration are included. Median residential sales results are from One Key MLS. Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Advisor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in Connecticut and New York.
