Episode 104 with Jacqueline Dinan, author of The Unsettling Legacy of Wayland Jefferson and In Search of Barnabas Horton

Today, we sit down with Jacqueline Dinan, author ofThe Unsettling Legacy of Wayland Jefferson andIn Search of Barnabas Horton. Our conversation delves into her journey into genealogy—how she first became fascinated by it and what ultimately led her to focus on Barnabas Horton and his legacy in Southold. We also explore her latest book on Wayland Jefferson, Southold’s first official town historian. From his childhood on the North Fork to the varied and sometimes difficult paths he traveled, Jefferson was a man of deep intellect, a love for literature, and an eye for history’s more complex and often taboo subjects. We discuss who he was, both as a historian and as a person, and what made him such an intriguing figure. Finally, Jacqueline shares her own first experiences on the North Fork and her thoughts on its future. It’s a conversation about history, identity, and the ever-evolving story of a community.