The Brush family was a very influential family in Huntington, Long Island. They were one of the founding families in Suffolk and held many positions of authority. They also ran many businesses within their community. The Brush family consisted of Jesse, his wife, Marietta, and their twelve children. Two of these children were Phebe and Ada Brush - they were the spinsters of the family and resided together. On May 31, 1910, the Brush sisters were taken from their home in the middle of the night after their relatives made claims of insanity. According to reports, the sisters were not given the proper medical evaluations as required by law. They were sent to the Kings Park Asylum, where they spent the next decade of their lives. It was alleged that the sisters were paranoid with homicidal tendencies. They were considered incurable and dangerous. In 1915, the Brush sisters managed to escape from the asylum after mailing a letter to the new renters of their home stating that they had "rented the home from outlaws and thieves" (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 15, 1915). After learning of the sister's escape, their home in Huntington was put under watch in case they should return. The sisters never returned to their home. According to the doctor in charge of their care, Phebe and Ada had long planned this escape, they had even asked paroled patients to aid in their escape. The sisters received their release from the asylum in 1920 thanks to Miss Florence Ferguson, a former nurse at the asylum who firmly believed that the sisters were sane and placed in the asylum under false pretenses: there was evidence that the lunacy papers were faulty and they had been admitted under a ten-day commitment and ended up residing here for ten years. There was only one term to their release: they were not allowed to return to Huntington. After their release, the sisters instituted a variety of lawsuits against family members and the doctors and facility the held them for so long. None of their lawsuits amounted to anything, sadly. They were never given any monetary consideration for their time in the asylum. The sisters ended up passing away a few years later and were laid to rest with the rest of their family in the Huntington Cemetery. It should be noted that the Brush sister's story resonated across the country. There were articles written in support of releasing the sisters in various newspapers. It was also listed in foreign language papers as everyone was interested in the outcome of their ordeal. Their release was a joyous moment for mental health advocates all over.
