A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 134

Author: Ross, Peter. cn
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1188

USA > New York > A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 134

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

St. Boniface, Foster Meadow .- This mis- sion was founded in 1854 and was attended by the Rev. B. Keller, and later on by Rev. Joseph Huber, of Strattonport. The churchı, which was placed. under the patronage of St. Boniface, was not dedicated until 1858. Father Hauber, who became Pastor in 1870, has done all that circumstances will permit. He has a school attended by about 150 pupils, under the care of the six Sisters of St. Dominic. The

congregation now numbers 800, and the church property is estimated to be worth about $25,- 000, with little or 110 debt upon it.

St. Dominic's, Oyster Bay .- In 1871 Oys- ter Bay was attended from Glen Cove by the Rev. James McEnroe, who built and paid for the little church that was used for many years. In 1883 Oyster Bay became an out-mission of Huntington and was attended by Rev. Jere- miah J. Crowley. During his pastorate he col- lected some $9,000 for a new church, and the mission was in a prosperous condition, when, in 1895, Bishop McDonnell sent Rev. John L. Belford to become its first resident Pastor. Father Belford built and paid for a handsome rectory, and then set to work on a new church, 102 feet long by 53 feet wide, with a seating capacity of 450. Father Belford gave a new impetus to religion at Oyster Bay, and its proximity to the sea has made it quite a sum- mer resort. On the death of Father Malone, Father Belford was promoted to the pastoral charge of the church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Brooklyn, and he was succeeded at Oyster Bay by Rev. Walter J. Power.

St. Laurence, Sayville .- In 1895 the Cath- olics of Sayville came together to discuss the prospects of having a church in their village. The Rev. Thomas S. Duhigg was assigned by Bishop McDonnell to look after them, and form a new parish in Sayville. An old Meth- odist church, no longer used by that denomina- tion, was rented, and on June 2, 1895, Mass was said for the first time in Sayville. Father Duhigg made an earnest appeal to his people. Ground was purchased at the corner of Hand- some avenue and Main street, and work was commenced at once. On Sunday, Oct. 1, 1896, Father Duhigg had the happiness of seeing his new church dedicated to St. Laurence, by Bishop McDonnell. High Mass was celebrat- ed by the Rev. E. J. McGoldrick, Rector of St. Cecilia's Church, and the sermon was preached by the Rev. P. F. O'Hare, Rector of St. An- thony's Church, Greenpoint. The church is pure Gothic in style, with gallery and organ

865

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON LONG ISLAND.

loft. It will seat 500 persons. Father Duhigg has been honored by the Bishop with the title of Rural Dean for Suffolk county.

Ronkonkoma, which has long been an out- mission of Sayville, was organized into a sepa- rate parish in 1901, and placed under the charge of the Rev. M. P. Heffernan. The mission was opened in 1884.

St. Mary's, Islip .- Until 1870 the Catholics of Islip were attended from Greenport. After that and up to 1876 they were attended from Huntington, by the Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley. In 1882 St. Mary's Church was built, and the mission continued to be attended from else- where. Rev. J. E. Bobier, of Bayshore, at- tended it during the '8os. It is now under the pastoral charge of the Rev. E. A. Duffy, wlio resides in Islip.

Southold and Cutchogue .- In 1854 the Rev. Joseph Brunnemann, O. S. F., organized old St. Patrick's parish when there were very few Catholic families in the neighborhood. Father Brunnemann's work was appreciated, for it was not long before Mr. Jacob Apley purchased the old Southold Academy, which had become financially involved, and presented it to the Catholics. It was soon remodeled and converted into a Catholic church, and Father Brunnemann erected a rectory adjoining it. In 1870 Rev. John R. McKenna succeeded Father Brunnemann, and remained until 1876, when he went to Flushing. He was succeeded by Rev. Richard S. Foley. In the meantime Southampton, Cutchogue, Mattituck and other places looked to Southold for spiritual attend- ance. Southold was growing in importance as a summer resort. Rev. James H. Lynch be- came Pastor of St. Patrick's after Father Fo- ley, and in September, 1901, having built the church of the Sacred Heart at Cutchogue, he took up his residence in that village and was succeeded at Southold by Rev. Peter F. Math- ews, formerly of Fort Hamilton.

St. Patrick's, Huntington .- This parish was founded as an out-mission in 1849, and was attended by Rev. J. McGinnes, and later

on by Rev. John McCarthy. The first Mass was said in a private house about a mile and a quarter from the village. Nearby was the little country burying-ground. The first baptism of which there is any record was performed by Father McCarthy in December, 1854. This clergyman attended Huntington until 1857, when he was succeeded by Rev. Father O'Neil, who continued his ministrations until October, 1860. On Nov. II, 1860, Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley succeeded him. Father Crowley lived at Bay Shore, from which place he attended a number of mission stations. On April 4, 1864, he moved to Huntington and became its first resident Pastor. Prior to this time Father Crowley said Mass in Huntington once in three of four weeks. Like the country pastors of those days he would say Mass in one place early in the morning and then drive fifteen or twenty miles, fasting, to say Mass at another mission. In the meantime the church was used during the week as a school, which was attend- ed by about 60 children. These children were in time tanght to sing hymns for benediction, and they also learned to sing an easy Mass.

In February, 1867, the church was entirely destroyed by fire. Father Crowley rented a hall in the village and at once set to work to build a new church. He secured a lot in a most central position in the village and the- corner-stone of the new St. Patrick's Church was laid by Bishop Loughlin on Thanksgiving Day, 1867. The new church was to be of brick, with stone foundation, 114 feet by 45 feet. Bishop Loughlin had misgiving's about the. ability of Father Crowley to complete the work he had undertaken, as the people were very poor, but the good Pastor had friends who came to his rescue and on June 21, 1871, Bish- op Loughlin dedicated the beautiful new church. It was Father Crowley's ambition to secure good ground for school purposes or for an academy, but he was unable to do so.

After a successful pastorate of forty-one. years, Father Crowley was promoted to the pastorate of St. Ambrose's Church, Brooklyn,.

866

HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

in November, 1895, as the successor of the late Rev. Daniel J. Sheehy. While at Huntington he attended Oyster Bay, Islip, Cold Spring, Penataquit, Patchogue and Smithtown. His successor at Huntington was the Rev. John C. York, the present Pastor, who also attends West Neck. Father York has not been idle since he assumed charge of St. Patrick's. In 1896 he purchased a large plot of ground for a new cemetery and had it blessed on Memorial Day of that year.

St. Anne's, Brentwood .- Up to eight or nine years ago a Catholic was almost unknown around Brentwood. In 1895 the Rev. Edward F. Hannigan, one of the assistants at St. Jo- seph's, Brooklyn, said the first Mass in that village. Since that time Catholics have settled in the village, and now they are quite numer- ous. In the summer of 1895, Mr. Charles B. Van Nostrand, whose father was a convert to the faith, called a meeting of Catholic residents to consider the best means of securing a priest to minister to them. The Sisters of St. Joseph had already purchased Hotel Austral and its annex, Hotel Brentwood, and several cottages which had been built on speculation when Brentwood was considered a promising sum- mer resort.

The advent of the Sisters gave an impetus to religion. Mr. Van Nostrand and his friends had gathered the children of the neighborhood together on Sundays that they might be in- structed in their catechism ; but a church had become a necessity, and as the Bishop was ab- sent in Europe, Mr. Van Nostrand and his friends applied to Mgr. McNamara, the Ad- ministrator of the Diocese, in the Bishop's ab- sence. He sympathized with these good peo- ple and sent them a priest from his own house- hold, until the Bishop's return. A small store adjoining the postoffice was rented and Mass was said in it on Sundays. Bishop McDonnell, on his return from Europe, approved of the formation of the desired parish, and in Octo- ber, 1895, appointed Rev. Henry F. Murray to take charge of it. Father Murray collected a

sufficient amount among his friends in the city to build a church, and the present St. Anne's was erected. Father Murray was succeeded by the Rev. John M. Kiely, who improved the church, introducing steam heat, and by erect- ing a handsome set of Stations of the Cross. Father Kiely also attends Central Islip. Brent- wood has of late become the seat of the An- nual Retreat of the Reverend Clergy of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

St. Mary's Star of the Sea, Far Rocka- way .- In 1848 Far Rockaway was visited by clergymen from the city and from older and stronger missions on the island. In time, St. Mary's became an independent parish and was very numerously attended, especially during the summer months. Rev. Henry J. Zimmer was Pastor here for a time and he erected a fine Gothic church, the interior of which is handsomely decorated. The Stations of the Cross are all painted in oil, and a beautiful altar piece, representing "Hope," was present- ed to the church by the late John Kelly, former head of the Tammany Society in New York. In 1896 the Rev. M. G. Flannery became Pas- tor. Father Flannery is a gentleman of artistic taste, and his church shows it. The marble altar, the gift of the parishioners, the onyx altar railing and brass pulpit are the gifts of Messrs. William and James Caffrey in memory of their parents. Father Flannery has a flour- ishing school, under the care of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

St. Philip Neri, Northport .- This mission was founded about 1868, by the Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley, of Huntington. Father Crowley was a hard-working priest and the fruit of his labor can be seen in many parts of Long Island. Mass was first said here in an old hall at the foot of Main street. In 1875 Father Crowley purchased a site on which stood a Presbyterian church, for some $4,000. The building was transformed into a Catholic church and was used until about 1878. At this time Father Crowley was attending Bay Shore and Islip, besides Huntington and Northport, and cir-

867

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON LONG ISLAND.

cumstances were such that he was unable to continue his ministrations at Northport. The church here was purchased by Mr. Robert Murray, who moved it to his own property and turned it into a carriage house. In 1893 the Rev. P. J. Tuhigg reorganized the parish, se- cured the old church, still a carriage house, and Mass was said in it for some time. The mis- sion was attended by the Lazarist Fathers, of Brooklyn, from Christmas, 1893, until May, 1894, when the Rev. Maurice Fitzgerald was appointed to Northport, and from this time the parish took on new life. The land on which the first church had stood was in the market for fifteen years, when it was repurchased by the Catholics and the present church was built upon it. The corner-stone was laid Sept. 9, 1894, by Bishop McDonnell, and the dedica- tion took place November 3, 1895. It is a wooden building, Gothic in style, and is 50 feet by 100 feet in dimensions. The present Pastor is the Rev. Francis A. McCarthy, S. T. D.

OTHER CHURCHES ON THE ISLAND.

The progress of Catholicity on Long Isl- and has been truly marvelous.

Besides the churches already mentioned there is the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows at Corona, of which the Rev. James J. Corri- gan, D. D., is Pastor. It was founded in 1870, and now has a congregation of nearly 1,000 souls.

St. Elizabeth's, at Woodhaven, was founded in 1873. The present Pastor is the Rev. Joseph Ernst. Attached to this church is a school of nearly 250 children taught by the Sisters of St. Dominic.

St. Joseph's Church, Schutzen Park (As- toria), under the care of the Rev. C. Eisele, is a flourishing German parish, with about 7,000 souls.

St. Agnes', Greenport, dates back to 1855, when it began as a little out-mission. It is now under the care of the Rev. Patrick J. Farrelly, Rural Dean, who attends Orient and Shelter Island.

St. John's Church, at Riverhead, is under

the pastoral care of the venerable Father Pat- rick Creighton, so long known in Brooklyn as the Pastor of the Church of Our Lady of Vic- tories. This parish was founded in 1870. At- tached to it as an out-mission is the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Quogue.

Centre Moriches and Babylon were both founded in 1875: the latter is under the pas- toral charge of the Rev. Joseph Kilpatrick. Attached to St. John's Church, Father Kilpat- rick has a school taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph.

Kings Park (1884) is under the pastoral care of Rev. William Donaldson, S. T. D., as- sisted by Rev. Nicholas Keating. They also attend Port Jefferson.

The Church of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, at Southampton, was dedicated on July 3, 1893. The Rev. Lawrence J. Guerin was its first Pastor, and he has been succeeded by the Rev. Wm. S. Kirby, the present Pastor:

OTHER CATHOLIC INSTITUTIONS.

The space allotted to this paper will not permit a detailed account of the Religious Or- ders or Communities in the Diocese, nor of the colleges, academies, hospitals, orphanages or asylums and homes directed by them. They can be referred to only in the following stim- mary :

St. Vincent's Home for Boys is under the supervision of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, with Rev. William L. Blake as chaplain. The Benedictine Fathers have foundations at Farm- ingdale and Amityville; the Fathers of Mercy, the Redemptorist Fathers, the Fathers of the Pious Missions, the Lazarist Fathers and the Capuchin Fathers all have foundations in Brooklyn; the Franciscan Minor Conventuals are at Elmhurst, while the Christian Brothers and the Franciscan Brothers have colleges and academies, and conduct the boys' departments of the parochial schools of the city.

The Sisters of Charity have charge of St. Joseph's Orphan Asylum, St. Mary's Female Hospital, St. Mary's Maternity, St. Mary's General Hospital, St. Paul's Industrial School

868

HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

and a number of parochial schools in Brook- łyn.

The Sisters of Christian Charity from Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, have charge of the school of St. Benedict's Church.

The Sisters of St. Dominic have their mother house at Montrose and Graham ave- nues, Brooklyn, and their novitiate at Amity- ville. They conduct St. Catharine's Hospital and two asylums in Brooklyn; St. Catharine's Infirmary at Amityville; St. Joseph's German Orphan Asylum, Long Island City; St. Eliza- beth's Orphan Asylum, Jamaica, and St. Dom- inic's Home, Hyde Park. Besides these they have charge of the German parochial schools of the Diocese.

The Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis con- duct St. Peter's Hospital, Brooklyn.

The Sisters of the Good Shepherd have charge of the House of the Good Shepherd, for fallen women and wayward girls.

The Sisters of the Holy Family of Naza- reth provide for the wants of sick, destitute and orphaned Poles in Brooklyn and at Elmhurst.

The Sisters of St. Joseph have their mother house and an academy at Flushing, St. John's Home for Boys, Home for Females Seeking Employment and some ten or twelve acad- emies in Brooklyn; a seminary for boys at Bayside; academies at Brentwood, Far Rock- away; St. John's Hospital, Long Island City, and various other charitable works.

The Little Sisters of the Poor have two homes for aged men and women in Brooklyn.

The Sisters of Mercy have their mother house in Brooklyn, where they also conduct St. Francis Orphanage, and take charge of three parochial schools and of similar schools at Blythebourne and Syosset.

The School Sisters of Notre Dame have charge of the German school of St. Alphonsus' Church, Greenpoint.

The Salesian Missionary Sisters look after the wants of Italian children.

The Soeurs dit Sacre Coeur de Marie Vierge, from France, have a convent and boarding academy for girls at Sag Harbor.

The Ladies of the Sacred Heart of Mary have charge of St. Joseph's Institute for Deaf Mutes on Buffalo avenue, Brooklyn.

The Visitation Nuns have a convent and flourishing academy on Clinton avenue,. Brooklyn.

Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood, a contemplative community, have a monastery on Putnam avenue, Brooklyn.

In fine, the Diocese of Brooklyn comprises :

RECAPITULATION.

Bishop.

Secular Priests. 273

Priests of Religious Orders 47

Total. 320

Churches with resident priests.

133

Missions with Churches

Total 145.

Stations. II

Chapels 14

Seminary for Secular Clergy I Students 3-4

Colleges for boys. 3.

Students 570

Academies and Select Schools for

young ladies 15

Pupils 1,017

Boys in Academies 317

Parishes with Parochial Schools 65

Pupils 32,221

Orphan Asylums

Orphans 3,695

Infant Asylum.

Infants cared for.

454

Industrial School for girls.

Pupils. . 1.43

House of Good Shepherd.

Inmates 427

Total of young people under Catholic care 38,417

Hospitals 6

Patients treated during the year,

over . 18,020

Homes for Aged Poor. 2

Inmates during the year 480.

Catholic population about. · 500,000 .

CAPT. CHARLES HEWLETT'S HOME, NEAR WOODBURY, OYSTER BAY. ( Now owned by Charles Van Size.

CHAPTER LIX.

NASSAU COUNTY.

DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY.

ASSAU county owes its creation to the movement which brought about the Greater New York. Roughly speak- ing it comprises all the sections of the old county of Queens not included in the big metropolis. The act constituting the county was signed by Governor Black, April 28, 1898. Its officials, County Judge and Sur- rogate, District Attorney, Sheriff, Treasurer, Clerk and Superintendent of Poor were elected November 8 following, and the county com- menced business on January 1, 1899.

The county is made up of the towns of Oyster Bay, North Hempstead and the greater part of Hempstead. Mineola, the county seat, is in North Hempstead township, and

has a population of some 900. There are the following villages: Oyster Bay, with a popu- lation of 2,000 ; Hempstead, 5,000; Freeport, 2,500; Glen Cove, 4,000; Rockville Center, 2,000; Hicksville, 1.500; Farmingdale, 1,100; Manhasset, 800; Sea Cliff, 1,300; Roslyn, 1,300; Port Washington, 1,250; Lynbrook, 1,000; and Garden City, 800. The latter with its magnificent cathedral and schools, and splendid array of homes, churches, etc., prom- ises in time to develop into one of the most important towns on Long Island for resi- dential and educational purposes. The coun- ty has a total area of 320 square miles and is 16 miles in width from the borough of Queens to the county line of Suffolk and 22 miles in

870

HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

length from Long Island Sound to the At- lantic. On the Sound it has several fine har- bors-Little: „Neck, Hempstead, Oyster Bay and Cold Spring. On the Atlantic front its water line is more adapted for summer resorts than for commerce. Hempstead Bay and its islands present hundreds of spots which can be and will be utilized in that way and quite

a number are in existence today. It was esti- mated that when the new county started out it had over 200 miles of splendid new macad- amized roads, over which continued improve- ments have since been in progress and at a cost of very nearly $3,000,000. The assessed valuation and tax lists in 1899 (the latest fig- ures available) was as follows:

TOWNS.

Assessed Value Real Estate.

Assessed Value Personal Property,

Town Taxes.

County Taxes.

State Taxes.

State Tax for Schools

North Hempstead .

$ 4,465,785

$429,100

$ 42,596.90

$ 9,637.89 13,970.98

$10,700.76

$ 4,500.56

Hempstead

6,845,562

394,660

97,950.44

15,511.76

13,316.03

Oyster Bay.

8,499,015

756,920

45,170.93

17,687.23

19,637.05

8,510.67

Totals.

$19,810,362

$1,580,680

$185.718.27

$41,296.10

$45,849,57

$26,327.26

Population, census of 1900, 55.448.

It cannot be expected that a county which dates back only two or three years can present much in the way of historical data, and really all that could be said of Nassau would be simply a resume of a constant movement look- ing to improvement. Already it has become what might be called the society section of the island and it seems steadily attracting to it men and families of vast wealth whose es- tates almost put them on a level, for the extent of their holdings with the old patroons, while many of the mansions recently erected are palaces in all but name.

But while the county hias practically no his- tory, its townships are among the richest in that respect on Long Island, and to them we will now turn.

With Nassau County we may fairly be said to have entered upon the 1 .. Ost picturesque coast line of Long Island, and here some refer - ence to that entire coast line may be in order. so full of interest and beauty on the south, so wild and romantic on the north side of the island. The Lighthouse Board of the Uni- ted States has established the following lights at the most dangerous points :

Montauk Point, on the extreme east of Long Island.

Shinnecock Bay, on Ponquogue Point, Shinnecock Bay.

Fire Island, on the east side of Fire Island Inlet.

Little Gull Island, south side of easterly en- trance to Long Island Sound.

Plum Island, Plum Island, Gardiner's Bay, northeast extremity of Long Island.

Long Beach Bar, entrance to Orient Har- bor and Peconic Bay, Long Island.

Cedar Island, entrance to Sag Harbor.

Greenport Harbor, outer end of Break- water, Greenport Harbor.

Horton Point, Horton Point, north of Southold village.

Stratford Shoal, in Long Island Sound, nearly opposite Port Jefferson.

Port Jefferson Breakwater, east side of en- trance to Port Jefferson Harbor.

Port Jefferson W. Beacon, west side of en- trance to Port Jefferson Harbor.

Old Field Point, north of Setauket.

Eaton's Neck, east side of entrance to Huntington Bay.

Lloyd Harbor, southeast end of Lloyd Neck.

Cold Spring Harbor, easterly point of shoal, entrance to Cold Spring Harbor.

Great Captain Island, near Greenwich Point.

Execution Rocks, off Sands Point.

Sands Point, northwest extremity of Man- hasset Neck.

871

NASSAU COUNTY.

Whitestone Point, P. L., Whitestone Point. Flushing Bay, P. L., dike in Flushing Bay.

Riker's Island, P. L., north end of Riker's Island.

North Brother Island, south end of North Brother Island.

South Brother Island Ledge, west entrance to South Channel, East River.

Lawrence Point Ledge, west entrance to South Channel, East River.

Blackwell's Island, on northerly point of Blackwell's Island.

Coney Island, on Norton Point, western end of Coney Island.

Ft. Lafayette Fog Bell, east side of Nar- rows.

In years gone by, in fact from about 1670 to 1850, whalefishing was the great trade on the Long Island coast-except during the crises of 1776 and 1812, when commerce was interrupted, but even then the whaleboats played a most important part in other ways. At a town meeting in Huntington, on April 12, 1671, the following was enacted :

"It was ordered and agreed by and with the consent of the whole town, that no foreigner or any person or persons of any other town on this island shall have any liberty to kill whales or any other small fish within the limits of our bounds at the south side of the island, neither shall any inhabitant give leave, directly or indirectly, unto any such foreigner or other town's inhabitants, whereby the companies of whalemen or fishermen may be damnified [in- jured], except any such foreigner or other town's inhabitant comes into the said com- pany, or any of them, as a half-share man."

In a note on this resolution, Mr. C. R. Street, the editor of Huntington's records, says: "It indicates that the people at that early day understood their rights over the waters as well as the lands under the Colonial grant. At this period the Government claimed and received one-fifteenth of the oil out of whales cast up on the shore, and "the right of drift whales" was a privilege bought and sold.

But the industry seems to have had a be-

ginning much earlier at Southampton. Mr. William S. Pelletreau, the able and painstaking historian of that good old town, says :

One of the most important sources of reve- nue to the town in early days was the drift whales that floated upon the shore. In 1644 it was ordered that "if by God's Providence there shall be hence forth within the bounds of this plantacon any whales cast up" the town should be divided into four wards (eleven per- sons in each ward-this number probably em- braced all the grown men at that time), and when a whale was cast up two men of each ward were to be employed to cut it up, and they were to have a double share; the re- mainder was to be equally divided among the townsmen. Soon after this began the business of killing whales, and whaleboats manned by hardy and fearless crews did not hesitate to attack the monster of the wave in his native element. In 1658 John Ogden fitted out a small vessel and began catching whales along the coast. In the agreement between him and the town it was stipulated that the whaling company should have the privilege of landing and trying their oil at any part of the coast, and the right to cut firewood for that purpose, and all dead whales bearing the marks of their harpoons, were to belong to them. This was the beginning of the enterprise that in after years Long Island whaleman carried to the farthest extent of the known world : and there is not a shore on the habitable earth that has not felt the tread of their adventurous feet, and not an island in the mighty ocean but has welcomed the coming of their spreading sails.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 134

Author: Ross, Peter. cn Publication date: 1902 Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1188

Author: Ross, Peter. cn
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1188