Never Ruled by Man: Local Author Unveils the Story of One Woman’s Unique Legacy

It is said that behind every strong man is an even stronger woman. And strong women evidently run in the family, if the inaugural book, Never Ruled by Man, that was recently published by local author Phyllis Barone Ameduri is any proof. A New Jersey resident for more than 20 years, Ameduri was born and raised on Staten Island, New York, not far from the corner where her great, great grandmother Mary Ann Bascombe, about whom the book was written, lived a century before. She explained that for years, she knew nothing about her ancestor or about the history of Stapleton, New York, where Bascombe was a unique local legend. At some point, Ameduri’s mother had told her that her father had a wealthy grandmother who lost her money in the Great Depression of the 1930s. Intrigued and curious, and not even knowing the woman’s name, she began to investigate and found out that Bascombe was from an even earlier generation and had actually passed away in 1905.

“When I found out her husband’s name, I tried searching online for info and found nothing,” Ameduri noted. “Then, the first time I searched her name on Google, out popped a crazy New York Times article about her daughter eloping. It said she was one of the biggest property owners on Staten Island. Off I went on a journey through the college libraries, museum archives, historical society, county clerk’s office, New York Public Library, etc., to find out more. I sat day after day and read the historic newspapers and viewed old photos and maps. The world of 19th century Stapleton soon became alive in my mind.”

Through Ameduri’s intensive research, she eventually learned that Stapleton, New York was in its heyday in the late 19th century, before becoming part of the City of Greater New York. It boasted a busy waterfront, world-renowned breweries, and a vibrant downtown business center, along with churches, jails, dance halls, and saloons. There, anything could – and did – happen as honest, hardworking, and sometimes rough-edged citizens shared the streets with young thugs, hardened criminals, and corrupt politicians.

Mary Ann Bascombe was a woman who played a part in the drama of the community’s golden age. Born in 1840, she began and ended her life on the same street corner in the working class section of Stapleton known as Rocky Hollow. Orphaned at the age of 12, she was forced into work as a housemaid. Starting from those humble beginnings, she went on to become a savvy businesswoman, lay lawyer, neighborhood activist, local politician, and a humorous, outspoken, and somewhat eccentric local personality. Defying all the odds faced by women of the times, she did so independently, living a rich and fascinating life before passing away and tumbling through the cracks of history.

It took nine years of on and off research, writing, and the inevitable interruptions of work and raising her family in Monmouth County for Ameduri to fill in the blanks and finish the fruits of her dedicated labor. She is already hard at work on another title and reports that her first book, which some may categorize as creative non-fiction or biographical fiction, has broadened her appreciation of family roots and the rich history of her hometown. And now she welcomes readers who may share that same sense of legacy – perhaps with roots of their own in New York and New Jersey who may be delighted and surprised to discover six degrees of separation from strong women in their own family trees – to learn the story of Mary Ann Bascombe, the real-life anomaly who was Never Ruled by Man.

Published by WingSpan Publishing, the book is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions. Be sure to like and follow Never Ruled by Man on Facebook for updates and info regarding book signings and other news.