CHINCOTEAGUE -- It is easy to forget, or simply overlook, the rich, historic tapestry from which the island of Chincoteague is woven, and that is exactly what Paul and Louisa Brzozowski are attempting to prevent.

Now the proud owners of The Captain Timothy Hill House, so named for Captain Hill --who is said to have shipwrecked in the early 19th century on Assateague Island --the Brzozowskis are in the process of moving and restoring this structure to its former semblance with help from Timothy Robinson of Heartland Restorations and local resident Bill Payne.

"We are the ultimate recyclers," joked Louisa Brzozowski. The Timothy Hill House, built sometime after 1821 and thought to be the oldest house on the island, once stood on Deep Hole Road but was moved in 1980 to 4463 Main St. after being saved from demolition by Richard Vesely --who noted its historic value --and sold to the Brzozowskis in December 2009.

Because Captain Hill's cabin originally sat on Deep Hole Road facing east to Assateague Bay, it was no surprise to the Brzozowskis when they removed the rotting clapboard siding of the cabin and found approximately 20 sailing ships carved into the logs beneath.

The modest residence of Capt. Hill and his wife, Rebecca, was once home to many Hills and has seen the birth and upbringing of countless children.

Perhaps the most notable of these is Hill's 13-year-old granddaughter, Jennie, who was shot and killed by her suitor on June 17, 1885. Tom Freeman, 20, worked on the Hill farm and was madly in love with Jennie, as the story goes.

When his affections were not returned, and his advances criticized by Jennie's parents, Freeman became distraught and shot both Jennie and her mother, Zipporah, outside of their large frame house near the original homestead.

They ran almost 100 yards to the Hill cabin, then occupied by one of Jennie's brothers, while Freeman turned the gun on himself and ended his own life.

While her mother lived, Jennie passed away in the night. Zipporah dedicated a stained-glass window in the Christ United Methodist Church to the memory of her daughter, Jennie.

The Brzozowskis plan to move the cabin a bit farther north to their property on Main Street, and will occasionally open the cabin for residents and visitors to catch a glimpse of a unique example of life on Chincoteague in the early 1800s.

They are requesting any old maps, wills, artifacts or stories associated with this historic relic in order to create an exact replica.

The Brzozowskis hope to eventually have the Captain Timothy Hill House listed on the National Historic Register. They want to move the structure by spring.

To request or contribute information, contact the Brzozowskis at 914-589-7733, or pjandlouisa@optonline.net.

"We're very proud to be doing this," said Paul Brzozowski.

"I feel like we have a responsibility to the people of Chincoteague, to ourselves and to this cabin."