The Grand Reconnaissance Took Place on Valentine’s Hill at St. Joseph’s Seminary

By Mary Hoar 

More than one hundred area historians converged on St. Joseph’s Seminary and College on Valentine Hill to welcome Dr. Iris de Rode to Yonkers, with dozens more attending the program on Zoom. 

Bishop James Massa warmly welcomed the gathering March 16^th to the Seminary, sharing significant information on the history of Valentine Hill; Professor of Church History Father Michael Bruno spoke on a few fascinating highlights of the 125-year history of Dunwoodie, as St. Joseph’s Seminary commonly is called after the area of Yonkers where it is located.   

Dr. de Rode, who earned her PhD researching the French-American alliance during the American Revolution using unpublished primary resources, addressed all on the results of her studies. She based her presentation on the papers and diaries of François Jean de Beauvoir, Marquis de Chastellux, General Rochambeaux’s chief liaison to George Washington. After convincing his descendants to allow her to visit his private archives in the family castle in France, Dr. de Rode discovered many documents the family was unaware existed.  Chastellux was fluent in English and French; neither Washington nor Rochambeaux spoke the other’s language, so Major General Chastellux was an essential link between the two. As a result, he formed a close, lifelong friendship with the man who became our first president, no doubt strengthened because of his strong ideological support for the American cause for freedom.  

Dr. de Rode’s presentation was followed by comments on Revolutionary War history by Nick Dembowski and Dr. Erik Weiselberg; Constance Kehoe, President of RW250 was emcee. 

St. Joseph’s Seminary & College graciously hosted the program through the courtesy and assistance of Bishop James Marra, Rector; Father William Cleary, Vice Rector; Danielle Pizzola, Events Coordinator; and Seminary staff members. Revolutionary Westchester 250, the Yonkers Historical Society, Friends of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters and the Kingsbridge Historical Society joined to cosponsor this outstanding event.