Author of Never Ruled by Man Captivates Audience at Library Presentation

Phyllis Barone Ameduri is an author with deep, longtime roots in the community, both here in Monmouth County, NJ and in Staten Island, NY. On May 18, 2019, she gave a fascinating presentation at the Holmdel Public Library about her new book, Never Ruled by Man. It tells the story of Mary Ann Bascombe, a real-life dynamic woman who lived in 19th-century Stapleton, a bustling Staten Island community that boasted a busy waterfront, world-renowned breweries, a melting pot of residents, and a vibrant downtown business center in the days before Staten Island became part of Greater New York.

The author was born and raised not far from the neighborhood where her great, great grandmother Mary Ann Bascombe lived and, a century later, she spent many days walking those same streets. Never Ruled by Man is the culmination of years of meticulous research and deep appreciation for family roots, a woman who defied all odds, and the fascinating history of the area from which so many others can trace their lineage.

For years, Ameduri knew nothing about her ancestor or about the history of the Stapleton community. She ultimately discovered that Bascombe was a unique local legend who rose from being an orphaned housemaid to becoming a savvy businesswoman, lay lawyer, activist, property owner, and local politician. She was also known for her humorous, outspoken, and eccentric personality and was fiercely independent – never ruled by man at a time when most women certainly were.

At the May 18 library presentation, Ameduri explained how her curiosity had been piqued by a random conversation with her mother about a relative on her father’s side of the family. That curiosity led her on a nine-year journey through college libraries, museum archives, historical societies, county clerk’s offices, the New York Public Library, and other sources, absorbing information and studying old newspaper clippings, maps, and photos. Clearly knowledgeable about the subject matter, she was an engaging speaker and showed the audience many of those images, carefully pointing out all of the details and delving deeper into their history and significance, both then and now – including the fact that the title of her book actually comes from a news headline about Bascombe after her death. The audience listened with attentive interest, some of them speaking up to add tidbits of their own family history in Staten Island, and most of them lining up at the end of the presentation to chat more with the author and purchase copies of her book, which she happily signed.

Never Ruled by Man is available in hardcover, paperback, Nook, and Kindle formats at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. To learn more and for updates on future book events and other news, like and follow Never Ruled by Man on Facebook.