Early History of Quakers on Long Island 1609 to 1695

By Marietta Hicks 1943

 

 

 

 

 

Early history falls naturally into the periods used by I. N. Phelps Stokes in his priceless "Iconography of New York City" and seems best suited for a skeleton on which to hang our story. It is

I.  The Indian & Dutch era              The 50 years from the Indian wilds, the Dutch in New

     1609-1664                                          Amsterdam and what the ancestors of this Westbury group had to do with Peter Stuyvesant

 

II.     The English era                                        100 years

         1664-1763

 

III.    The Revolutionary era                       20 years        

         1763-1783

 

IV.     The Post Revolutionary era   30 years                                                            

          1783-1812         

 

From this background, we shall proceed to picture the life of Old Westbury and Jericho, as we know it from old records and family letters and documents, up to the turn of the century, 1900, when this pastoral life, lovely to look back upon, now, changed, to join, in some degree, not too willingly, the modern trend.

 

As recently as the l87O’s, the volume of records called "The Mouse Eaten Book" covering the first ten years of English people on Long Island, 1643-1653 was known to Onderdonk,* but is now lost, an irreparable loss.

Picking up the thread where the lost record ended and going on in the Town Records of North and South Hempstead (8 vol. covering 1654-l880) and filling in with colonial and State records', travel accounts, diaries, Dutch records, we are enabled to fill in the background of where we came from, except where records of several towns, like Flushing, in which our ancestors stopped in transit from Plymouth, were burned, or lost.

 

The forbears of the Friends in this region were among the earliest settlers of this end of Long Island.  They were English, with a very few Dutch strains, who, severing their home ties came to the untried

wilderness, with the purpose of hewing out for themselves a better life.  Repeatedly, we find the record of their efforts for religious liberty and representative government.

 

I believe that this site [Westbury] and the surrounding area has been in longer continuous use for religious purposes than any other on the Island, except Flushing Meeting House built in l696, following forty years of Friends meetings held in the house of John Bowne. Flushing Meeting is the oldest church building in continuous use in New York State.

 

The earliest extant Friends Minute, in America refers to settling a Meeting at Westbury in l671. Earlier Meetings were held in private homes, barns or woods of Edmund Titus [just east of Old Westbury Pond] and Henry Willis [west of Store Hill Road] at Westbury and the Willets at Jericho.  Westbury and Jericho, along with other mid-island places were dismissed in one quite recent book on Long Island.

 

While, in fact, it is one of the most unique – unique for one thing – in that the name of many of the first English purchasers from the Indians (in what is now Queens and Nassau counties) continue as members of Westbury and Jericho Friends Meetings three hundred years later.

 

Some of the original settlers were, and some of the children or grandchildren of nearly all original purchasers became Friends, formed a close circle, (made closer, perhaps, by persecution) and lived quite distinctly from most of the rest of Long Island, for over two hundred and fifty years.

 

Not until the automobile, and the influx of New York's “Four Hundred” at the turn of the century, (who lived their thirty year heyday, and are dying out under the "New Deal") was this “manner of life” changed.

 

This pastoral life, lived for nine or ten generations by an exclusive group, who avoided mingling too much with "world's people” who - for a considerable period  disowned those “who married out” [of the Society of Friends]  or “attended places of amusement of a hurtful tendency” should hold a unique place in Long Island history.

 

The land, now Jericho, was bought of the Indians (Pugnipan) by Robert Williams in 1648, and nine years later, the land, now Westbury was bought of the Indians by Capt. John Seaman in 1657.  Around this central 'position on Western Long Island was a ring of original purchases from the Indians by the first English settlers under the Dutch regime.

 

The theme of this paper is to show that the blood stream of a good proportion of these first English purchasers and their associates, still flows in the veins of Westbury-Jericho Friends and their names continue three hundred years later.

 

The names mentioned are ancestors of this group, of many of you here to-day, although you may not know it, nor did the writer until proved by research.

 

THE ENCIRCLING ENGLISH SETTLERS IN THE DUTCH PERIOD

 

FIRST DEED l643.   Exactly three hundred years ago this year [1943]  the Rev. Robert Fordham and his son-in-law, John Carman, acting for their associates in Stamford, Connecticut, purchased of the Sagamore of Masepeague “ye halfe Moity of ye Greate plains lying towards ye South Side of Long Island to be *measured by a Streight line and from our present town to be Northward and from ye North End of ye Line to Run with a due East and West to ye Utmost Limitts of itt and from both Ends to run downwd a Straight Square Line to ye South Side”         * (How much research would it take to find this spot?)

 

Being bounded by later purchases, it proves to be the south part of Hempstead township, including the townspot, we believe.  These men came mostly from Hemel-Hemetede in England.

 

The intriguing details of this deed, almost lost in the mists of antiquity, are another story to be told this tercentennial year.  A copy is shown here.  The copy was made nearly a hundred year later by Micah Smith "as weel as I could by Reason of Itt being Very much Shattered"

* *' * * **

 

1642.    The year before, in 1642, the first Puritan minister in New Amsterdam, the Rev. Francis Doughty, a colorful figure about whose turbu­lent dissenting career there is much record from Massachusetts to Maryland, obtained from the Dutch a grant of 13,300 acres of land at Kespat or Newtown,  which covered nearly the whole of those towns and part of Flushing area.  The Indians burned this little settlement the following year.  Five years later, the Dutch rescinded the grant to Doughty and divided it among his followers.  He was the dissenting minister within the Dutch Fort at New Amsterdam, then minister at vlissingen [Flushing] some years, then in Maryland his wife, Bridget, being the sister of Maryland's Governor Stone.

 

1645.   The first Patent of the town of Flushing (vlissingen) was granted by the Dutch Gov.  Kieft in 1645 to John Hicks and two others and divers associates, " to settle a number of families.”  This document was burned when a slave met fire to the house of the Town Clerk with all Flushing records up to 1789.  In 1685, Gov. Dongan confirms this land to the second generation, including ancestors of Westbury and Jericho Friends, Elias Doughty, John Downs, Thomas, Hicks, John Hinchman, Samuel Haight, John Washborn, Thomas Williams, the Weakes, and the Wrights.

 

Now - following the circle - the next tract to the east would be the grant by Towne Meeting in 1663 to Thomas Hicks and two others of "the little neck * which is called Mad Nans Neck" and the rest of their "Divident" in some other place.  Perhaps the “some other place” is Cow Neck for Judge Thomas Hicks has 36 shares, by far the largest on Cow Neck, while next with 20 shares were Robert Jackson, Capt. John Seaman, Mr.  Washborne, Mr. Sticklin, Henry Pearsall, Adam Mott, Richard Valentine, George Woolsey, John Carman, and Henry Willis, six shares, representing the proportion of cattle they had on the Neck, which was fenced off along the present line of the North Turnpike.

 

1668.  At "Muscheda cove" (meaning "the reedy place”) now Glen Cove, in 1668, Joseph Carpenter, Robert Coles and three others are granted 1700 acres at what they called "The Place" and is still so called. (Robert Coles of the Hayden Planetarium lived at The Place in 1949.)  Joseph Carpenter was born in Wiltshire and his father settled Warwick, Rhode Island, with Roger Williams.  Robert Coles came with the Winthrop Fleet.  Roger Williams, having evaded Capt. John Underhill, who had been sent to execute the order for his deportation, had by 1638 by amicable arrangement with the Indians land for persons "distressed for conscience" and that year, Williams had executed a deed to twelve men, including Robert Coles, William Arnold, William Carpenter, as a Corporation.

 

By 1640, Robert Coles and two others had reported a form of government for Providence Colony [Rhode Island], which was adopted and in force until their first charter was granted.

By 1648, Robert Coles, John Wickes, John, Henry and Richard Townsend, Christopher Onthanke, Richard Harcourt and six others had signed the "Warwick Declaration of Rights."  Robert Coles sells land in Rhode Island that had already been "in the hand and use of Christopher Haukeshurst."  (Derick Albertson married Dinah Coles, Robert Cole’s granddaughter.)

 

1667.    Capt. John Underhill finally settles at Killingworth, Oyster Bay, where he died five years later.

NOTE: As the compiler cannot know all the ancestors and where they first arrived, names are added in the connection I find them.)

 

l653.        The FIRST PURCHASE of Oyster Bay was in 1653, from Assiapum or Mohenes to Peter Wright and two others and associating with them as joint purchasers, Mr. Washbourne, Robert Williams, John Washbourne and four others.  This Deed running to Cantiage must have included such part of Jericho as was not included in Robert Williams purchase of Pugnipan in 1648, which also runs to Cantiague.

 

1657.   Lloyd Neck, some 3000 acres, was owned by John Richbell, “gentleman” and Anne Richbell, "madam" in 1657.

 

 

1695.           Thomas Powell, in 1695, bought a great tract, 13,000 acres or 8 square miles, of the Indians at Bethpage, built a Meeting House and settled many of his children and grandchildren on this tract.  (This is Jesse Merritt's country.)

 

All along the South [shore] were many Necks of Land;  Washbournes Neck, Stricklands Neck, Hicks Neck, Unqua Neck, Unkeway Neck, Fort Neck, too numerous to go into, but where our ancestors had many “rights” or  “dividends" or “al1otments” or for grazing on salt hay.

 

1656.   Coming around the circle to Rustdorp or Jamaica, which was bought of the Indians in 1656 by Robert Jackson and the three Tow send brothers and others of Hempstead, the site of the plantation to be "neare unto ye bever pond."

 

 

1648.  This brings us back to the Deeds underlying Jericho and Westbury. Pugnipans Deed to Robert Williams in 1648, which is most attractively written.  We have a photostat here, but the original was, unfortunately, it seems to us, given to the Colonial Dames in New York.  It would seem its place is here, had the owner known of any organization to care for it.  This land is bounded north by the ridge of hills at Jericho and runs from Cantiague east to the end of the plains.

 

1657.                   Capt. John Seaman's Indian Deed from the Masepeague, Merri­cok and Roakaway Indians in 1657 covered the area from Matta Garrets Bay to Hempstead Harbor and so to a Pointe of Trees (Cantiague) adjoining Robert Williams' land and "so to the South Sea, including some 12,000 acres from Sea to Sea, and adjoined the Hempstead Deed. In 1785, it was all included in the Dongan Patent and Westbury is near the center in the distance from Sea to Sea.

 

In addition to these “first purchasers” of large tracts, there were many outstanding individuals; in the Dutch town of Breuckelen were the Doughtys, whose cattle business was at the Ferry - when Ferrys  were row boats and sailboats.  The Alsops, whose home was in the population center of' Greater New York in the now Calvary Cemetery.

 

Col. Robert Blackwell, who owned beautiful Blackwells Island (not so beautiful now).  The Hallets at Hallets Cove, off Hell Gate, owned most of what is now Astoria.  George Woolsey, (said to be of the family of Henry VIII's Cardinal Woolsey) had a large area at Casina or Lawrence Point.  Now we are near Flushing again.

 

The three Townsend Brothers who, after many vicissitudes, settled in Oyster Bay.  Edmond Titus and later, Henry Willis, were the first and outstanding friends to settle here and change the locality called Woodedge to Westbury after their home in Wiltshire, England.

 

1640.   And further afield were many others, among them Richard Post, one of the original “undertakers” (purchasers) of Southampton, whose allotment was where the railroad station and business block now is. To show what manner of man Richard Post was, we quote:  "there being divers apprehensions what means best be taken for preservation of ye towne, it was concluded by major voat  yt seven men, including Richard Post, Mr. Fordham and Job Sayre, should have managing of affairs of the towne concerning the safety thereof, and yt all men did lay themselves down in respect of persons and estates to bee disposed of by s[ai]d seven men in a way of righteousness, to attend any means to effect s[ai]d ends.”  Richard is one of twelve men to regulate  “towne papers to set down which of the lawes in the law book from Hartford shall bee.”

 

1676.  Gov. Andros confirms by Patent to fifteen men, including Post, Fordham and Sayre.

 

At Southold, Peter Hallock was the first of thirteen to step ashore among the Indians at what is still called Hallocks Neck.  They were all members of the Presbyterian Church at Hingham, England and Rev. John Young was their pastor. His father was the Rev. Christopher Young, Vicar of Reydon and Southwold, progenitor of the Young family here.  Peter Hallock’s wife was "the widdow Howell.”  Thomas Moore, the shipbuilder was here also and his daughter married Capt. John Seaman.

 

Peter Hallock's grandson, John Hallock, became a Quaker, causing his father much sorrow and his will has the provision that if any of his sons "shall apostatize from the Protestant doctrine and faith" his portion shall pass to the next, who shall steadfastly profess" and “own said doctrine.”  John had 15 children.  Four of his daughters married four Willets brothers and so there came to be many Quakers among his descendants.

 

1609.   The Pearsalls settled in Virginia a decade before the Mayflower, as tobacco traders, having a monopoly in the business from the King James I, obligating themselves to pay the King 3000 pounds the first year and 7000 pounds annually. By 1620, this monopoly was revoked and Thomas Pearsall continued a free trader, but his son, Henry Pearsall appears on Long Island at Pearsall, Hell Gate and Hempstead and has many cattle on the plains.  With this family, it was TRADE not religious freedom, that motivated them.

 

Thus, this group came of plain MEN1 farsighted LEADERS of a plain people, none titled, none very lowly, men of stability and chosen always “by majer voat at Toune Meting”;  men who came in search of liberty and who gradually in the southwestward trek from Plymouth, [Mass.] harried by Puritanism and moved by compassion, perhaps, or a sense of justice, were ripe for the “way of life”  brought by the Quakers from England. None grasped for empire for himself, nor for great office, or personal aggrandizement, but for the common good of his associates.

 

Time prevents going into where these first settlers came from, except to say that, they all arrived (as far as has been discovered) during the first fifty years.  They were Pilgrims or Puritans, or were persecuted by them, if Quakers, so there is no lack of a wide variety in heritage of the various strains of religious fervor and aspiration which brought them to these shores.

 

Of these men with the urge to hew out a new and better home in the wilds of the American continent, we find Westbury's and Jericho's ancestors having a hand, either as principals or associates, in every Indian Deed of which the compiler knows covering Queens County and now Nassau County.

 

Taking the names from the index of the first volumes of Hempstead and Oyster Bay Town Records, who are ancestors of this group, those [names] underscored will be found on the latest membership Directory of Westbury and Jericho Monthly Meetings. (1941).  Some of the names not underscored are Friends elsewhere.

 

Arnold, Bowne, Buckler, Carle, Carman, Carpenter, Cocks, Coles, Cooper, Cornwel1, Doughty, Emory, Feake, Fordham, Frost, Fry, Haight1 Harcourt, Hawxhurst, Hinchman, Hopkins, Hubbs, Jackcon, Ketcham, Kirby, Loines, Moore,  Mott, Pearsall, Pettit, Priar1 Richbell, Robbins, Rushmore, Powell, Seaman, Searing1 Strickland, Titus, Townsend, Underhilll, Valentine, Urquehart, Washborn, Weeks, Wicks, Whitson, Willits, Williams, Willis, Winthrop, Wood, Woolsey and Wright.

 

 

MARIETTA HICKS

JANUARY 16, 1943