Joshua Huddy, that Revolutionary soldier who was hung by the British in Highlands, has always been a favorite historic figure for youngsters and adults alike even before the Highlands Historical Society staged a rendering of Jo-Anne Olszewski’s story of details of his hanging . The hanging took place in the area which is now Huddy Park at Bay and Waterwitch avenues in the borough.
Ann McNeil, who lived on Navesink Avenue adjacent to what is now the Highlands Borough Hall, was a teacher for many years and often taught her young students not only local history but designed her stories into poems so they would enjoy them more.
Much later in life, when she was a resident of Care One Nursing Home until her death at 105 years of age, Ann also entertained herself and her visitors with more poems she hand wrote, some of which have been compiled into a book written by John King.
Rather than writing about Huddy himself, Ann opted to identify a tree she believed was used for his hanging and wrote the following poem about the Basswood Tree.
THE BASSWOOD TREE by Ann McNeill
Oh, they hung Joshua Huddy
On that old basswood tree
Yes they did, for all to see
On that old tree.
They did it to get even,
They said the he was spying
They knew that they were lying,
But they hung him on that tree.
That old tree.
Later workmen cut it down,
Not a trace can now be found
On the ground where it grew
That old Tree.
But Captain Huddy I remember
And one day in November
I will place some flowers on the spot where it grew
That basswood tree
That old tree.
