USA > New York > Suffolk County > Shelter Island > Historical papers on Shelter Island and its Presbyterian church, with genealogical tables > Part 4
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interest and property in behalf of our Lords and Masters-never- theless well understood that in this confiscation it is not in- well expressly, after mature deliberation excluded the rights and property of aforesaid Nathaniel Sylvester, either in regard to said Island or his other real and personal property-goods, effects, fur- niture, negros or whatever else within this government may belong to him as lawful property-while his submission to the allegeaince of our aforesaid Lords and Masters, Their High and Mighty Lords the State's General of the united Netherlands and his Serene High- ness the Lord Prince of Orange entitles him with all our other good subjects to an equal protection with him.
"In Fort William Hendrick on 28 of Aug., 1673.
"This day Nathaniel Sylvester, agreeable to the agreement con- cluded on yesterday, delivered his bond at the Secretary's office of Secretary Bayard, on which the following transfer was made to him and confirmed:
"The noble, valiant Military Tribunal in behalf of the High and Mighty Lords, the States General of the united Netherlands and His Serene Highness the Lord Prince of Orange-commanding the Squadron now at anchor in Hudson's River, in New Netherlands- greeting be it known: Whereas we in virtue of our commission by a preceeding Act for sufficient motive confiscated in behalf of our Master the lands, house, and goods, negros and effects of what nature these might be, which belonged to the heirs of the late Constant Sylvester and cos. Thomas Middleton, situated on Shelter Island, to the east of Long Island, and being property belonging to sub- jects of England and publick enemies of our State, so is it, that we have deemed it proper and resolved to confiscate said house, lands with all the goods, negros, and effects belonging to enemies of our State as aforesaid in behalf of our Lords and Masters and to sell these to their advantage-so as we then in conformity with this resolution agreed with Nathaniel Sylvester a partner of aforesaid Shelter Isl. to whom the aforesaid interest, right and title of the aforesaid heirs of Con. Sylvester and Thomas Middleton was sold by us for the sum of five hundred Pound Sterling, payable in con- formity to certain bond (obligation), declaring therefore to the aforesaid Nathaniel Sylvester, his heirs and posterity in considera- ting of the aforesaid sum to transfer and dedicate, so as we are doing by this all the interest, right and title which the aforesaid heirs of
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Constant Sylvester and Thomas Middleton might possess in afore- said Island and its dependences as aforesaid, to be taken pos- session of, used and retained in full and lawful property by aforesaid Nathaniel Sylvester, his heirs and posterity-and further to act with it so as they might think proper or should wish to act with any other parts of the patrimonial land or effects with a further confirmation of all advantages, immunities and privileges, which have been granted and consented to the Island by the former Governor- as namely, execution of all taxes, either Politick or Military-the Custom House duties and recognition excepted-except that it might please their High and Mighty Lords the States General to resolve on any new general tax Item-That they shall not be amena- ble before any inferior Courts of Justice, but shall be prosecuted before the Chief Magistrate, and farther, that they shall not be obliged to attend any training, nor maintain any soldiers, neither to supply any necessaries of war-except what they voluntarily shall contribute for the defence of the aforesaid Island and Governor in a time of danger against any foreign invasion or troubles with the savages, all which aforesaid liberties and immunities annexed to the possession of aforesaid Island are by this again confirmed to the aforesaid Sylvester and his posterity-besides the liberty of con- science and all other privileges and immunities as shall be granted to all other subjects under this Government.
"Done fort William Hendrick,
29 Aug., 1673."
Nathaniel Sylvester has now become sole owner of Shelter Island. Shortly after the Dutch were again forced to surrender the Colony of New York to the English, but before doing so the Dutch Governor sent a ship with fifty soldiers to Shelter Island to collect the amount of the bond that Nathaniel Sylvester had given.
In his will, dated 1679, Mr. Sylvester tells how these soldiers landed on Shelter Island, surrounded his house and compelled him to pay this amount of five hundred pounds sterling. The Sylvesters have now lived twenty-two eventful years on this island and become the sole proprietors. During these years the Lord has prospered them materially, numerically and spiritually. The sugar trade has proved to be very lucrative, and the two earnest souls of Nathaniel and Grissel Sylvester have been blessed with eleven children, six sons and five daughters, named Giles, Nathaniel, Constant, Peter,
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Benjamin, Joshua, Grissel, Patience, Eliza, Ann and Mercy. Two of the daughters, Grissel and Patience, are said to have been very handsome women. Both of them had very romantic court- ships, Grissel at first being engaged to a wealthy young English- man named Latimer Sampson, chief proprietor of what is now known on Long Island as Loyd's Neck. Mr. Sampson, being seized with consumption, died before their marriage, leaving all his possessions by will to his intended, Miss Grissel Sylvester. This was in 1674. Two years later she married James Loyd, of Boston, and became the progenitor of a distinguished line of descendants.
Patience Sylvester became the wife of Benjamin L'Hommedieu, an exiled Huguenot. Their meeting and courtship is so sweetly told by Mrs. Martha J. Lamb, in her article entitled, "The Manor of Shelter Island," that I shall make use of her language in telling it, namely: "The marriage of Patience Sylvester, the sister of Mrs. Lloyd, was also an exceptionally romantic affair. Among the exiled Huguenots of the period was Benjamin L'Hommedieu, who settled in Southold. There being no church on Shelter Island, the Syl- vester family were accustomed to attend Sabbath worship in Southold. One pleasant Sunday morning soon after his arrival, L'Hommedieu was attracted by an extremely novel object moving over the sparkling waters of the bay. As it came nearer he ob- served two remarkably handsome young women in a barge with a canopy over it, and six negro slaves rowing it. The vision haunted him. He went to church that morning, and despite Puritanical customs, permitted his eyes to remain open during prayers. The story is so like every other love story that it is hardly necessary to say that his French heart was hopelessly lost before the preacher had reached 'Amen' in his benediction. The sequel was a beautiful wedding, and Miss Patience Sylvester was henceforward Mrs. L'Hommedieu." She and her husband were likewise blessed with a remarkable progeny. The third daughter, Eliza, married Jona- than Brown, of this island. Of the sons three died without issue, leaving their inheritance of the island to Giles, the eldest son, so that in time Giles became the owner of four-fifths of the island, the other fifth being inherited by the second son, Nathaniel, who at this time lived in Newport, R. I. And now we come to the obituary note of Capt. Nathaniel Sylvester, the first white settler on the island, and whose relation to the memory and place is of such lasting interest to us. This truly good and noble soul passed away
ANCIENT BURIAL PLOT
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in 1680. What we have been able to learn of him justifies the high eulogy that is chiselled into the stone erected to his memory by the Horsford's in the old cemetery upon their estate, and which reads as follows: "To Nathaniel Sylvester, First Resident proprietor of the Manor of Shelter Island, under Grant of Charles II, A. D. 1666. An Englishman intrepid. Loyal to Duty, Faithful to friendship, The soul of integrity and Honor, Hospitable to Worth and Cul- ture, Sheltering ever the persecuted for conscience sake."
We turn now to another family, which likewise became promi- nent in the history of this island. I refer to the Nicoll's family. The date of this family's appearance in America is 1664, and the occa- sion and person through whom the family came to the New World was Matthias Nicoll, brother of Col. Richard Nicoll, commander of the expedition sent out by the Duke of York to take possession of New Amsterdam, Long Island and other territory. Upon the capture of New York and the assumption of the Governorship of the Colony by Col. Richard Nicoll, Matthias Nicoll was appointed by his brother, the Governor, secretary of the colony and member of the Governor's council. He was also appointed a judge of the Court of Sessions, and in 1672 became the first Mayor of New York. He was then a very prominent and influential citizen in the early history of this country. He died in the latter part of 1687. One son at least survived him, named William, who it is presumed by the his- torian Thompson, was born in England, and came over when a boy with his father in 1664, as in 1683 he was appointed the first Clerk of Queens County, which position he held until 1688. He was highly educated, choosing the profession of law, in which he became very prominent, being one of the ablest lawyers of the New York bar. Col. Richard Nicoll was succeeded in the Governorship by Col. Lovelace in 1667. Col. Lovelace's term was brought to a sudden end by the appearance of the Dutch and their retaking of New York in 1673. While under the Dutch rule Anthony Color was Governor. Then came the restoration again to English rule, bringing with it the appointment of Edmund Andros as Governor. He continued until 1683, when Col. Thomas Dougan was commissioned by the Duke of York to act as Governor. During the term of Gov. Dougan Charles II died in 1685. His brother, the Duke of York, succeeded him, taking the title of James II. He immediately re- voked the powers which had been given to former governors to call assemblies in which the people were to have a voice in the govern-
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ment of the colonies, and determined that the governors should rule solely by his direction and instructions. All the colonies of New England now came under the King's power, including New York. And over all these Sir Edmund Andros was appointed ruler or Governor, with authority to appoint deputy or lieutenant gov- ernors in each colony. Under this power Sir Edmund Andros ap- pointed Francis Nicholson Governor of New York. This order of things continued until April, 1689, when news having reached America that James II had been driven from the throne by the English, and that William and Mary had been proclaimed rulers of England, the people of Massachusetts arose against Andros, seized him, and after a period of confinement sent him to England. This happened at Boston. At New York the people likewise arose, led by one Jacob Leisler, who seized the fort and had himself proclaimed Governor under the pretence of holding the government for William and Mary until their properly authorized representative appeared and took command. This Leisler was an adventurer, seeking more his own personal ends than those of his superiors. William Nicoll therefore opposed him, and because of this opposition, he with others who had the courage and honesty to take such a stand, were put in prison. They remained in confinement until the arrival of Gov. Sloughter, in March, 1691, when they were released. Leisler was brought to trial, and William Nicoll, whom he had imprisoned, was appointed one of the King's councillors to conduct the prosecu- tion. The result of the trial was a verdict of high treason, for which Leisler suffered death. Mr. Nicoll was subsequently appointed by Gov. Sloughter a member of the Governor's Council. Four years later, in 1695, he was sent to England by the Colonial Assembly on an important mission, for which service the Assembly allowed him $1,000. In 1698 he again suffered imprisonment for a short time at the hands of the Earl of Bellamont, who had been appointed Gov- ernor and who was of the same character as Leisler. In 1701 he was elected a member of the Colonial Assembly from this county, but not being a resident of the county he was not allowed to take his seat. He then moved into the county, taking up his residence at Islip, where he owned an immense tract of land of 9,000 acres. He was again elected to the Assembly in 1702, and continued a mem- ber of that body until his death in 1723. For the most of the time he was Speaker of the House, until failing health forced him to resign this high office in 1718. Altogether he served in the Assem-
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bly twenty-one years, and as Speaker for sixteen years. He was a mighty man; fearless, patriotic and able, enjoying in unbounded measure the confidence and esteem of the people.
In early life he married the daughter of Jeremias and Maria Van Rensselaer, of New York. He left a number of children, one of whom became as distinguished as himself. In 1695 William Nicoll bought of Giles Sylvester one-fourth of his estate, equal to one- fifth of the whole of Shelter Island. Upon the death of Giles Syl- vester in 1704, who died without issue, Mr. Nicoll inherited from Mr. Sylvester another fourth of his estate, which made him owner of two-fifths of Shelter Island. It was thus that the Nicoll's be- came proprietors of Sachem's Neck, which has remained in the family until this day. Mr. William Nicoll was buried at Islip, and over his grave was placed a monumental tablet with this inscription: "Sacred to the memory of William Nicolls. Hospitality, charity and good will toward his fellow man, were the marked characters of his life; and a perfectly resigned submission to the will of his Creator distinguished the sincere Christian at the hour of death, which took place Nov. 20, 1723. Ae 64."
Now, my friends, I have pursued the history of this island thus far, and the career of this William Nicoll with peculiar delight. And that because of the coincidences and connections that exist between my former charge at Newtown and my present charge here on Shelter Island. Both communities had their birth in the same year, namely, 1652, and both were settled by Englishmen of Puritan principles. Both experienced the vicissitudes of the period thus far covered of a little more than fifty years. But that which above all binds the two together is the following, which is particularly pleasing to me. The same year in which William Nicoll took his seat in the Assembly and became Speaker of the House, namely, 1702, Lord Cornbury was appointed Governor of the Colony of New York. This appointment he received as a reward from His Majesty King William for espousing his cause in the overthrow of King James II. Now this Lord Cornbury was a man most obnoxious to the people, according to several historians. "His sense of justice," says Thompson, "was as weak as his bigotry was uncontrollable. Nor was there a Governor of New York so universally detested or so deserving of abhorrence." When he became Governor, being an Episcopalian, he endeavored to force Episcopacy upon the people, confiscating their church property, annulling their ordinances and
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otherwise by bigotry, despotism, injustice and insatiable avarice op- pressed and aroused the people. Among the congregations that suffered most was the Presbyterian Church at Newtown, my former beloved charge.
He seized that church and took possession of it. At Jamaica he did a despicable thing in taking the parsonage of the Presbyterian minister, Mr. Hubbard, which Mr. Hubbard tendered him during an epidemic in the City of New York, Mr. Hubbard thereby putting himself to considerable trouble and inconvenience for the Governor's accommodation. In return for his kindness he, Cornbury, when leaving the place, delivered it into the hands of Episcopal parties, at the same time directing the sheriff to confiscate the parsonage land and church building. He then appointed Mr. Urquhart as rector of Jamaica, Newtown and Flushing, and at about the same time issued an order prohibiting other ministers from preaching within the bounds of his province without special license from him- self, an entirely illegal and unwarrantable usurpation of the rights of the people, since the Duke of York had publicly decreed the right to every town of selecting its own minister. In these and many other ways this tyrannical Governor made the years of his rule a time of great trial. And here I quote from a previous historical dis- course delivered at Newtown as follows: "Before this oppression Rev. Robert Breck had to flee. Others who followed him in preach- ing here (that is in Newtown) were put in prison. In 1707 Rev. John Hampton and the Rev. Francis Makemie, who were on their way to New England from the South, stopped at New York. Upon invitation of the people of Newtown these two Presbyterian clergy- men visited the place to preach to them. What happened to them can best be stated from the records known as the "Narrative of Im- prisonment," dated Jan. 23d, 1707. "The Rev. John Hampton, an itinerant minister, preached on Sunday, Jan. 20th, in the Presbyterian Church, Newtown, without having first procured a license from Gov. Cornbury, and also gave notice that Rev. Francis Makemie would officiate there on Wednesday. But Gov. Cornbury, antici- pating them, had them both arrested as soon as they reached New- town, by Thomas Carsdale, High Sheriff of Queens County, and Stephen Luff, Under Sheriff. They were kept as prisoners on parole at the houses of two of the neighbors that night. The next day they were led off in a sort of triumph to Jamaica, seven or eight miles out of the direct road, and there kept all day and night. On
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the 23d, at noon, they got to the Fort in New York. After vexa- tion and delays they were tried for dissenting doctrines to the great disturbance of the Church by law established. The jury, however, acquitted them, but the Governor took his spite against them in imposing a long bill of costs upon them, £83 7s 6d, over four hun- dred dollars, which they had to pay before they were released. Liv- ingston, writing shortly after this injustice, wrote: "If any want in- formation concerning suffering of other dissenters, both in persons, estates and religious liberties, I recommend them to the body of inhabitants of Jamaica and Newtown."
And here let me say that it gives me unspeakable pleasure to be able to state to you that in the progress of preparing this his- torical review I have discovered who was by his able plea so largely instrumental in gaining the verdict of acquittal for Revs. Hampton and Makemie. That person was William Nicoll, to whom Giles Sylvester bequeathed such a large portion of Shelter Island. For this notable service I here publicly salute his descendants and invoke God's special blessing to rest upon them; and in blessing them may God likewise bless you all.
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CHAPTER III.
The second section of our historical paper on Shelter Island and the Presbyterian Church closed with a courteous acknowledg- ment of the signal service which William Nicoll rendered, in es- pousing the cause of Revs. Makemie and Hampton against Lord Cornbury's persecution, and brought our review down to the year 1704, the year in which the said William Nicoll came by inheritance into possession of Sachem's Neck.
We now have cause to mention another family who about that time came upon this island, the members and descendants of which became very prominent in the life of this place, and of great service to our church. I refer to the Havens family. About 1698 Na- thaniel Sylvester the 2d sold 1,000 acres to Geo. Havens. After dis- posing of this land the said Nathaniel Sylvester, having married Miss Margaret Hobert, daughter of Isaiah Hobert, of East Hampton, moved with his family to Newport, R. I., where he engaged in business as a merchant. The 1,000 acres which Mr. Havens bought of Mr. Sylvester covered all the central portion of the island, in- cluding the ground now belonging to our church. Though most of this purchase has passed into other hands, eighty-five acres still remain in the Havens family, being owned at present by Henry P. Havens, who is of the seventh generation in continuous possession, a direct descendant of the first George Havens. This George Havens was the son of William Havens, a Welshman, who came to America about the year 1635 and settled on Conanticut Island, near Newport, R. I. Upon making the foregoing purchase, Mr. George Havens moved to this island with his family, which consisted of him- self, a wife and seven chidren, three sons and four daughters. Be- sides these children there was another son named George, who did not move with the family to Shelter Island, but continued to live in Rhode Island, as the following abstract of a deed indicates, namely : "For good and sufficient reasons I have and bear to my loving son, George Havens, of Kingstowne in ye Narrowgansett Country, have given to my said son George Havens - for ever,
if my said son George shall goe and live on said land hereinafter granted, that is too say two hundred and fifty acres of my farm on Shelter Island.
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Dated Oct., in ye 13 year of his Majy's reigne, Anno Domini, GEORGE HAVENS."
1701.
It is presumed that this son did not improve this offer, as his will is dated from Fisher's Island, Oct. 31, 1726. Mr. George Havens, Sr., continued to reside here until his death, in 1706.
While visiting the ancient burying ground of New London, Conn., this past summer, in search of certain epitaphs, I accidentally came upon the grave and tombstone of Mr. George Havens, the first Havens of Shelter Island. I had searched and inquired for it in all directions, but without success. One can therefore imagine the surprise and pleasure that was mine when the above discovery was made. The grave can be easily found by those interested, as it is marked by a small brown stone headstone, with the following in- scription upon it: "George Havens, who deceased Feb. 25, 1706, ae 53 y'rs."
His wife survived him and married again a Mr. Thomas Terry, of Southold. She lived to the great age of 93, passing away in 1747, and was buried in the south church yard, where a suitable stone with clear inscription stands to her memory.
And thus the community continued to grow, both from natural increase and accretion, until in 1730, there were twenty men, most of them heads of families, residing on this island. Their names were as follows: William Nicoll, John Havens, Samuel Hudson, George Havens, Elisha Payne, Joel Bowditch, Abraham Parker, Ed- ward Havens, Samuel Vail, Thomas Conkling, Edward Gilman, Brinley Sylvester, Jonathan Havens, Joseph Havens, Noah Tuthill, Sylvester L'Hommedieu, Henry Havens, Samuel Hopkins, John Bowditch, Daniel Brown.
These men organized Shelter Island into a municipality of its own, and are therefore the Founders of the Town of Shelter Island. Up to this date, 1730, our Island met with Southold in its Annual Town Meetings. J. Wickham Case, compiler of the Southold Town Records, says that in its earliest stages Shelter Island associated itself with Southold, so far as to recognize their books as the proper place for the record of deeds and valuable papers, and to meet (but not to vote) with them at their Annual Town Meeting. Shelter Island, however, as we have already seen, was placed on the same footing "as any other town, unfranchised place or manor within this govern- ment," as early as May, 1666, by Governor Nicoll. In 1683, when the Province and its dependencies was divided off into Shires and
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Counties in response to an act bearing the date of 2d Nov., 1683, Shelter Island was again officially set off as a Township of Suffolk County. Still it was not fully organized into a town by the selec- tion of town officers; perhaps because there were so few male in- habitants of full age living at that time on our Island. But in 1730 it was commanded by an act of the General Assembly of the Province of New York, dated 12th of July, 1729, to choose its first public offi- cials. This act was entitled as follows: "To ascertain the allowance to the Representatives for the county of Suffolk and for other pur- poses therein mentioned." In the fourth clause of which we read: "And be it further enacted by the same authority that from and after the Publication of this act, it shall and may be lawful for the In- habitants of Shelter Island, in the County of Suffolk, and they are hereby impowered and required, annually on the first Tuesday in the month of April, to elect and chuse among them two Asessors and a Collector, to assess and collect such Taxes as shall be now or here- after laid or imposed on them, and a Constable and Supervisor for keeping the Peace and auditing their Public Accounts at the Time the County of Suffolk shall do, by virtue of this Act."
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