USA > New York > Suffolk County > Shelter Island > Historical papers on Shelter Island and its Presbyterian church, with genealogical tables > Part 6
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great revival which spread over the eastern end of Long Island during the decade of 1740, for it is well known that a great religious awakening makes a community sensible of its religious needs, which most generally finds its expression in the erection of a sanctuary or in the renovation of the same.
Regarding that original meeting house of Shelter Island, built over one hundred and fifty years ago, there are still those living in our midst who remember it with affection. Its shape was quad- rangle, with a quadrangle roof, by which is meant that its dimensions were the same on all four sides, and that its roof slanted upward and inward from all four sides, meeting in the center, the whole perhaps surmounted by a cupola. It has been described as "a. small square building with four roofs meeting at a point." Some of its furnishings, such as the pulpit, sounding board, stairs and a few of its pews were brought from the Rutgers street church in New York. The building, according to Rev. Mr. Lord, was mainly owned by the proprietors of the island, who held the sole and ex- clusive right of the pews. It stood on this very spot where we now worship until the beginning of this present structure, when it was moved to the eastward, where the parsonage now stands, being there used while the new house of worship was being erected, after which it was again moved to the westward, near the middle of the lot opposite the grist mill, where it served the purpose of a sheepfold until time and decay had completed its destruction. Rev. Mr. Lord, in his historical sermon of 1856, speaks of it thus: "The place where it stood and its whole aspect rises up before me in vivid recollection. It was a house every way worthy of Goldsmith's Deserted Village, always abating its dimensions. It was old and of narrow accom- modations. A quadrate building with a quadrate roof. It was at the time of its erection probably equal to the wants of the people, but at the time of which I am speaking the tooth of time had made such inroads upon it that it gave unmistakable evidence of decay. It had one semblance at least to the sanctuary of which the Psalmist speaks: 'In it the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young.' Among the first ministers to officiate in the building was the Rev. William Adams, who occupied the position of chaplain to Mr. Brinley Sylvester and his family, having his home in the Manor House. Mr. Adams, at the time of his coming to this island, was a young man of twenty- seven years of age, the son of the Rev. Eliphalet Adams, of Con-
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necticut, and a graduate of Yale in 1730. Upon graduation-I quote from the Annals of the American Pulpit-he became a tutor for two years, after which a preacher of more than sixty years. He was never married nor ordained, as he declared he would not be "encumbered either with a wife or a parish." He first preached in the North Parish of New London, now known as Montville, and later in North Groton, now called Ledyard, after the withdrawal of the Rev. Ebenezer Punderson. In 1735 he declined a unanimous call from the latter parish. In January, 1737, he began to preach in Guilford, and continued there until he came to this island, presuma- bly in the latter part of that year, and here he continued until Mr. Brinley Sylvester's death in 1752. The next year, in October of 1753, his father died. He was then invited to supply the vacant pulpit of New London, which he did until February, 1756. In 1758 he began to preach at Orient, and continued there until 1760. In that year Mr. Thomas Dering, having moved with his family upon the estate of his wife, Mrs. Mary Sylvester Dering, he resumed his residence in the manor house as private chaplain, and continued in this relation until the breaking out of the Revolution, when Mr. Dering had to take refuge with his family within the American lines. Altogether he is said to have labored here for more than thirty years. He was here when the great evangelist Whitefield visited the island in 1764. His latter years were spent in New London, chiefly in social enjoyment and domestic repose. He frequently rambled into the country on visits to the farmers belonging to the parish, and always made it a point on such occasions to communicate more or less religious instruction. He was short and stout, wore a white wig and a cocked hat, and usually walked about the streets dressed in a black study gown. He was a respectable preacher, but in nowise eminent. He has left one sermon in printed form, preached on the day of Thanksgiving for the success of the British arms in the reduction of Montreal and the Conquest of Canada in 1760. He died September 25th, 1798, in the 88th year of his age.
While occupying the position of chaplain to the Sylvesters, Rev. Mr. Adams likewise fulfilled the duties of preacher and pastor to the community. This is established by the following paper, which is in substance a call to Mr. Adams extended by the citizens of this place to become their pastor:
"We the Inhabitance of Shelter Island in Suffolk County, In the
Province of New York, by the providence of God being In-
.
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Shelter Island and Its Presbyterian Church
capable of a Constant attendance upon ye Publick worship of God in any of the neighboring Towns, and being sensable that it is our Incumbent duty to do to the utmost of our power to promote and advance ye Kingdom and Interests of our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as the salvation of our own souls do there- fore out of a sense of duty and for the Incouragement of a min- ister to preach the Gospel amongst us do promise and Ingage every person for himselve to pay or cause to be paid the several sums of New York money affixed to our respective names here under written to Mr. William Adams to preach the Gospel on Shelter Island as in such case is customary and that for the space of one year, in witness whereof we have set our hand this first Day of April Anno Dom., 1746:
For one Year. 42 s. d.
Per Annum
42 s. d.
Joel Bowditch. 2
Henry Havens
4
Abraham Parker, Jr. 8
Joseph Havens.
IO
Abraham Parker, . I
William Havens Hogneck, I
Elisha Pain I
IO
John Havens .. I
Samuel Case
12
William Havens. I
Thomas Conkling 10
Noah Tuttell. 2
This paper, drawn up evidently by the same hand that drew up the subscription paper of 1732, is in the handwriting of Mr. Brinley Sylvester, so that both papers can be said to have had Mr. Sylvester as their author. This call to the Rev. William Adams for his pas- toral services bears the date of the first day of April, Anno Dom. 1746." The following April the Presbytery of Long Island met by commission in this place, as the following extract of the Presbytery's minutes will show:
"Shelter Island, April 21, 1747. Met according to the order and appointment of Presbytery in the preceding session. Messrs. Nathaniel Mather, Silvanus White and Samuel Buell, to communi- cate to each other the Sentiments and Dispositions of their par- ticular Churches relative to Presbyterian Government as exhibited in the Plan of our Covenanted Union. . . . .. Upon representation then made it appeared hopefull that most of the Churches on the east end of Long Island would comply with and submit to Presby- terian Government."
On June II, 1766, the Presbytery of Long Island held a most important meeting on this island. It was for the express purpose of ordaining a young man to the ministry of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This is such an important event in the life of this
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Shelter Island and Its Presbyterian Church
people that I embody entirely so much of Presbytery's minutes as apply to it, and which is as follows
"Met according to adjournment at Shelter Island, June 11th, 1766. Present, Messrs. Prime, Buell, Lewis, Barker, Brown, Tall- madge, Goldsmith, Paine and Rosse. Absent, Messrs. Mills, Reeve and Occam. Correspondents were the Rev. Messrs. Charles Jeffry, Smith and Abner Brush. Elder, James Reeve. Mr. Tallmadge moderator and Mr. Rosse chosen clerk.
"P. P. S. Q. S. Ordered that the minutes of the last Sederunt be read. Mr. Elam Potter exhibited to the Presbytery Three sev- eral sermons, composed from Texts of Scripture before given. And the Presbytery proceeded to further examination. Adjourned to to-morrow morning 8 o'clock.
"P. P. S. Q. S. Ordered the minutes of the last Sederunt be read. Referred the examination of Mr. Potter, and proceeded so far as to obtain satisfaction. Appointed his ordination at one o'clock, P. M. Attended in the following order-Mr. Lewis intro- duced the solemnity by prayer, Mr. Buell preached from James v: 20, Mr. Brown took the engagements of the Candidate and his pro- fession of Faith as exhibited in our public standards of Orthodoxy; Mr. Smith prayed at the laying on of Hands, Mr. Tallmadge gave the right hand of Fellowship, and Mr. Prime the charge. Mr. Pot- ter pointed out the Psalm and pronounced the blessing."
And thus on this island was one ordained to the gospel ministry. It must have been a memorable occasion, one that is worthy of a permanent place in the history of this island and church.
So far as I know this has been the only instance of ordination on our island. May it, however, not stand alone very long, but be followed by many others of the sons of this church, several of whom are now preaching the blessed gospel of the Son of God. In many respects the Rev. Elam Potter proved himself a workman skilled in his high office." The year after his ordination he went on an ex- tended missionary tour southward, and on his return he became pastor of the Congregational Church in Enfield, Conn., from 1769 to April, 1776. In November, 1792, he was settled over the Pres- byterian Church at Southold, where he remained until his death, in 1794. His remains were buried in the church-yard of that place, and over his grave was raised a brownstone slab bearing the follow- ing epitaph:
"Beneath this dust lie the remains of the Rev. Elam Potter,
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a faithful good minister of Jesus Christ. He died Jany 5th, age 52, in the year 1794:
Forbear to weep my loving friends,
Death is the voice, Jehovah sends
To call us to our home.
Through these dark shades from pain redrest
Is the right path to endless rest
Where joys immortal bloom."
Mr. Potter was the son of Daniel Potter, and was born in East Haven, Conn., Jan. Ist, 1741-42. He graduated from Yale College in 1765. In a printed sermon of his, bearing date of Enfield, Sept. 12, 1777, there appears this closing note, in the form of an address: "To the whole land. My Countrymen and Brethren, I beseech you for the Lord's sake, put away the Negro Slavery; abhor all jesting with God's holy Word; submit to the glorious Immanuel, and let us honor Him, that we may be happy in His favour." May all who read these gracious words heed them so far as they apply to present conditions.
In the biographical sketch of the Rev. William Adams mention was made of Mr. Thomas Dering moving with his family to Shelter Island for the purpose of settling upon the estate which his wife had inherited from her father, Mr. Brinley Sylvester. In the coming of this Mr. Dering to this place there came a gentleman who proved himself indeed a worthy successor of the Sylvesters.
Through the kindness of Mrs. Mary S. D. Lawrence, a great- grand-daughter of Mr. Thomas Dering, I am able to give the follow- ing biographical sketch of his life:
"Mr. Thomas Dering was the son of Henry and Elizabeth Dering. He was born at Boston, Mass., May 16th, 1720, also the birthplace of his father, who was a merchant in that city. Thomas Dering was educated for a merchant, and upon the death of his father, which occurred in 1750, he, with his only brother, Henry, became the suc- cessor of his father until he removed to this island. On March 9th, 1756, he married Mary Sylvester at Newport, R. I., whither Mr. Brinley Sylvester had moved temporarily, for the education of his daughters. They were married by the Rev. Ezra Styles, afterwards President of Yale College. In the year 1760, and after the birth of three children, Mr. Dering moved with his family to this place, occu- pying the Sylvester mansion and grounds, which his wife had in- herited upon the death of her father. He now began the life of a
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farmer, becoming successfully engaged in the pursuit of the various branches of agriculture. He was a man who loved the society of refined and religious people, one who counted it a privilege to enter- tain them. In return he enjoyed in an eminent degree the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends; especially was he favored with the friendship and correspondence of distinguished clergymen, as appears from letters still in the possession of his descendants. Among these were the following: Rev. George Whitefield, under whose preaching in Boston it is supposed he was first awakened to a saving knowledge of the truth; Rev. Charles Jeffry, of Brook- haven; Rev. Ebenezer Prime, of Huntington, whose first wife was a Sylvester; Rev. Dr. Samuel Buel, of East Hampton; Rev. James Brown and Rev. Dr. Aaron Woolworth, of Bridgehampton; Rev. Mr. Barker, of Aquebogue, with whom he placed his son Sylvester at the age of ten years for the study of Latin, and the Rev. Enoch Huntington, of Middletown, Conn., near whom Mr. Dering lived during the period of the Revolution while Shelter Island was in the possession of the British. Indeed, the large mansion he occu- pied seems ever to have been the welcome home and favorite resort of clergymen of various denominations, not only during his resi- dence, but also during that of his father-in-law before him, and of his son Sylvester Dering after him. Having passed from the active duties of a merchant to the retirement of a farmer, he had ample time in which to cultivate the fellowship of his numerous friends, among whom, being a man of piety, he prized the most that of clergymen. Besides this he maintained a numerous correspondence with men in various parts, most of them being residents of Boston, which about this time was the cradle of Liberty. These kept him well informed concerning the events of the day, and through this touch with the movements towards liberty his mind became strongly biased towards Whig principles and the independence of the colonies. Among these correspondents was a lady named Miss Hepzibah Small, whose letters were most graphically written. At the breaking out of the difficulties between the colonies and the mother country, Mr. Dering took a decided stand for Liberty. In May, 1776, he was chosen a delegate to the New York Provincial Convention, which assembled at White Plains in July of that year, and which unani- mously adopted the Declaration of Independence as passed by the Provincial Congress at Philadelphia, July 4th, 1776, whereupon the convention assumed the title of the Representatives of the State of
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Shelter Island and Its Presbyterian Church
New York. In this body Mr. Dering served forty days, or until the British, by the battle of Long Island, obtained possession thereof, when he asked for leave of absence to look after his family and remove them to a place of security. He decided to remove to Middletown, Conn., whither he went in September, 1776, and the convention adjourned before he was able to return. Mr. Dering was also elected a member of the convention to form a constitution for the State of New York in 1777, which convention met at Fishkill. It is believed, however, that, owing to the state of his health he did not attend. He remained in Middletown, Conn., until the restoration of peace, in 1783, when he returned to his estate on this island. He had four children, three sons, Henry S., who died in infancy, Sylvester and Henry Packer, and one daugh- ter, named Elizabeth. On his return to Shelter Island he found that great depredations had been committed upon his wood- lands while the island was in the possession of the British. It is estimated that 3,300 cords of wood had been cut and taken away by the order of Lord Percy and Gen. Clinton for the use of the troops and ships stationed at Rhode Island under their command. For this damage no remuneration was ever made. With the active aid of his sons he again resumed the pursuits of agri- culture, but was not destined long to enjoy the blessings by which he was surrounded, as a protracted illness caused by paralysis termi- nated his mortal existence Sept. 26th, 1785, in the 65th year of his age. His remains lie buried in the private cemetery in the rear of the church."
Among the clergymen whose acquaintance he enjoyed was the mighty evangelist Whitefield. This renowned preacher of right- eousness is said to have made Mr. Dering's home his headquarters while visiting the eastern towns of Long Island, in 1764. During his stay upon the island he preached twice to its inhabitants, once in the meeting house and once in the grove near the manor house. He so enjoyed Mr. Dering's hospitality and his visit while here that he wrote him two letters so full of high regard and affection that I herewith give them to you as they appear in Prime's history. The first was written at Greenport, then known as Stirling:
"My Dear Sir: Stirling, Feb. 3, 1764, At night.
"What a winding world we live in! I have been a good way round, and now am come within sight of your house again. Yes-
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Shelter Island and Its Presbyterian Church
terday the boat and all was just gone. To-day, I trust, some have felt themselves undone-one, upon the road, we overtook, sweetly, sorely wounded. Grace! Grace! I am now come to wait for sail- ing. Will you send a poor, but willing pilgrim, the promised sea- provisions. God feed you and yours with bread that cometh down from heaven. A thousand thanks for all favours. Add to my obli- gation by continuing to pray for, my dear friend,
"Yours in the never-failing Jesus, "G. W."
The next was written after his arrival in Boston, and is as follows : Boston, May 2, 1764.
"And is Shelter Island become a Patmos? It seems so by my dear friend's letter. Blessed be God! Blessed be God! What can- not a God in Christ do for His people. All things well. Though he leads them seemingly in a round about, yet it is a right way. Though they pass through the fire, yet it does not consume-though through deep, yea, very deep waters, yet it does not overwhelm, so as to destroy them. And all these are only earnests of good things to come. How many assurances, that we shall, at last, be carried through the Jordan of death, and safely landed in the Canaan of everlasting rest. Surely he cannot be far from them now. Such frequent shocks that your earthly tabernacle and mine meet with, must necessarily loosen the silver cords that hold them up. What then? We have a house not made with hands-eternal-in the heavens.
"Though we cannot join in singing, we can in repeating
'By Thee, we shall Break thro' them all And sing the song of Moses.'
"Methinks I hear you say Amen! Hallelujah-and why? Be- cause His mercy endureth forever. I could enlarge, but must away to my throne. It is but seldom I can climb so high. But an infinitely condescending Jesus vouchsafes to smile upon my feeble labours, here and elsewhere. Who knows but I may ere long come your way. Perhaps the cloud may point towards Patmos. Mr. Wright will be glad. He is better and sends most cordial respects. My poor prayers constantly wait upon your whole self, Mr. Adams and your rising offspring.
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Shelter Island and Its Presbyterian Church
"In sure and certain hope, if we never meet in this world, of a glorious resurrection to eternal life, in that which is to come, I sub- scribe myself, very dear sir
"Your truly affec. sympathizing friend, and willing servant, in our common never failing Lord,
"G. WHITEFIELD."
Of all this, connected with that prince of preachers, Shelter Island may be justly proud. Here, again, Newtown, my former beloved charge, grasps hands with Shelter Island, as Newtown was likewise honored with the presence and preaching of this celebrated evangelist. There, like here, he preached in a neighboring grove, to an immense audience, that was deeply moved by his message. Among those who were then converted was a young man by the name of Peter Fish, who afterwards became pastor of that very church. Something akin to this was the conversion of Samuel L'Hommedieu, Esq., of Sag Harbor, when he was a young man, in connection with Whitefield's preaching on this island. He often spoke of this with delight, and also of his having assisted in making a raft that conveyed the evangelist with his horse and carriage from Southold to Shelter Island.
Before leaving Mr. Thomas Dering it is worthy of note that his family claims to be one of the oldest, if not the oldest, Saxon family extant, whose history can be traced in a direct line back to Ethel- ward, King of Diera. Originally the Derings were powerful leaders or petty kings of Diera, in Saxony, whence one of them, a warrior, came to England, and settled first in Lydd, in Romney, Marsh, Kent. One of the more remote ancestors, Dering Miles, appears as a wit- ness to a deed by which King Ethelwuff conveyed certain lands to a church at Rochester, A. D. 880. The American branch of the Dering family came to this country through the person of Henry Dering, Esq., of Croscome, by Bumister, near Dorchester, in Dor- setshire, England, who was born in August, 1639, and came to Boston, New England, about 1660.
Among other possessions Mr. Dering owned a number of slaves, one of whom, by the name of Cato, was once caught in his wine cellar imbibing. Mr. Dering had him immediately brought before him for punishment, and, in order to make his punishment as effective as possible, both on the guilty one and the rest of the slaves, had them all summoned, with all the whites whom he had in
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Shelter Island and Its Presbyterian Church
his employ, in the large servants' kitchen. Among the other slaves was one named Comus, who was remarkable for his keenness of in- tellect as well as for his immense stature, he being six feet and six inches tall. While the sin and punishment of Cato was being dis- cussed, this giant of a slave rose up and asked permission to plead for Cato, and having received permission from his master, proceeded as follows: "Massa, you have pigs and you have corn, 'spose them pigs get in and eat some of that corn. The pigs are yours, and is not the corn yours just the same, if the pigs have eaten it? Now Cato is yours and the cider he drank was yours before, and is it not still yours after he has drank it? I do not see why Cato should be pun- ished." Mr. Dering rose and said: "Comus, thou reasoneth well. Cato, thou art discharged."
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CHAPTER IV.
Through the kindness of Mrs. William Rysam Sleight, of Sag Harbor, I am able to give an exact copy of the original census list of Shelter Island, taken in 1771. It is an interesting and valuable addition to our work, showing the growth of the community since the organization of the Town in 1730. During these years the com- munity has doubled in population. Its complexion has remained about the same. A few of the names registered in 1730 have disap- peared and are not recorded in the list of 1771. These are Syl- vester, Hudson, Tuthill, Vail, Hopkins and Gilman. In their place appear Dering, Sawyer, Case, King, Duval and Horton. The name of Havens is still vastly in the majority, as at the organization of the Town. Some names on the list of 1771 are identical with those of 1730. These are William Nicoll, Daniel Brown, Thomas Conk- ling, Joel Bowditch, Abraham Parker, Jonathan Havens, George Havens and Joseph Havens.
Only two of them, however, represent the same person, namely, Daniel Brown and Thomas Conkling. Forty years have now passed since the Town was fully organized, and with their passing have transported nearly all of the founders into eternity.
The census list of 1776 is also here given, being copied out of one of the volumes of Colonial Documents. It shows a slight change in the personnel of this community from the list of 1771.
To return once more to ecclesiastical matters. The first refer- ence to religious matters in the records of the Town occurs in the minutes of 1771, under the following resolution: "It is voted that Messrs. William Nicoll and Nicoll Havens, inspect the accounts of those that have the care of the moneys left by Brinley Sylvester, Esq., towards the support of the Gospel on this island, and to make report next Town meeting."
As we have already seen, the Rev. Mr. Adams came to this island about 1737. He continued to reside here, with a short in- terregnum of two years, until the early part of the American Revo- lution, when he left with Mr. Dering, whose private chaplain he was, Mr. Dering feeling constrained for sake of safety to take refuge with his family within the American lines, and moved to Connecti- cut. The people on this island must then have enjoyed in some
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