History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals., Part 98

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell and Co.
Number of Pages: 703

USA > New York > Queens County > History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals. > Part 98

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JERICHO.

The Indian name of this village was Lusum. It has also gone by the name of Springfield or "the Farms." It is pleasantly situated near the center of the town, upon the Jericho turnpike, 27 miles from New York. It was a part of the purchase made by Robert Williams in 1650, and was settled by a number of substantial Quaker families, the descendants of whom remain here, including a branch of the Underhills, several families of Willetses, the Seamans and others. The village is supplied with abundance of pure water from springs which never fail, issuing from the foot of a neighboring hill. There are now in the village two stores, the principal one kept by S. J. Seamans, a descendant of one of the oldest families and first settlers here. It is a wholesale and retail store of drygoods, groceries, hardware, etc. There are here also blacksmith and wagon shops and a large cider-mill in which is manufactured only the pure, refined article, which is shipped to various points. The proprietors are Ketchum & Jagger. The school facilities are good, there being a large, substantial school building.

THE FRIENDS' SOCIETY.

Here is the Hicksite Friends' meeting-house. The origin of this society runs into the hidden past, before minutes were kept. In 1676 the quarterly meeting desired Friends of "the Farms" to observe their week-day meet- ings with diligence as formerly ordered. For over a century there was no public meeting-house, but Friends met at private houses. Mary, widow of Thomas and mother of Richard Willets ("a mother in Israel"), as early as 1678 had opened her house for meetings and the entertainment of traveling Friends. She died at Jericho in 1713, aged 85 years, a worthy minister of the Church of Christ. In 1683 it was agreed that Friends' papers be read at "the Farms" in the twelfth month every year, " that our children may come to understand the order of Friends in their marriage and other relations." In 1690 a First-day meeting was held at Jericho every five weeks, but the week-day meetings were kept alternately at

Westbury and Jericho, Friends of both meetings joining in one. In 1713 the monthly meeting kept at Jericho was directed in future to be at Westbury. In 1758 Wil- liam Reckitt had a meeting of several hundred on a First-day. In 1786 it was proposed to divide Westbury preparative meeting and settle one at Jericho, in the house of the two widows Seaman. In 1787 it was pro- posed to build a meeting-house, which was done. This is the building now standing and used as a Hicksite Friends' meeting-house. The value of the buildings, etc., is thought to be about $3,000. There are two branches of this society-one at Jerusalem and one at Bethpage. The celebrated Elias Hicks occasionally officiated here for many years.

The graveyard attached to the church has been in use since 1790. It is under the sole care of the Friends, but others than members of that society are permitted to use it. The first interments are supposed to have been those of John Willets and a son of Elias Hicks.

JERICHO REFORMED (DUTCH) CHURCH.

In 1870 Rev. J H. Smock, pastor of the Reformed church at Brookville, began preaching on Sabbath after- noons in the public school-house .at Jericho. The large audiences indicated that there would soon be a call here for a church. Shortly, however, the school.room was closed to religious services. A chapel was at once pro- posed, and, Lewis Ficken giving the ground, a subscrip- tion was started and the chapel begun. Aid was given by the Church Building Fund of the Reformed Church, and in April 1871 the chapel was dedicated. Rev. M. Swick, who succeeded Mr. Smock at Brookville, also preached in the Jericho chapel until 1875, when the pul- pit was supplied by theological students from the semi- nary at New Brunswick, N. J.

In 1876 a request was made to the North Classis of Long Island for an organization. A committee was ap- pointed, which, strange to say, organized a church here with only six members, and only one man among them.

Rev. H. De Vries, a recent graduate of New Bruns- wick Theological Seminary, was called in September 1876, and installed near the close of the same year. He left the year following; but sometime before his leaving both of the elders had removed-the one dismissed, the other not, as he really had never been a member at all. The North Classis of Long Island met, decided that this organization had not been legally made, and attached the members to the Oyster Bay church.

At the close of 1877 Rev. J. A Davis became pastor of the Brookville church, and he supplied the pulpit at Jericho each Sabbath. After two years increasing duties and lack of strength compelled him to relinquish the ser- vice at Jericho. In 1880 Rev. E. Schultze assumed charge on trial, but left at the end of three months, and for the three months ending that year Mr. Davis again supplied the pulpit.

Early in 1881 Rev. James B. Wilson became pastor in charge, under the care of the Domestic Mission Board of the Reformed Church, in the hope that the enterprise would soon be strong enough to be separated from the church at Brookville.

The Sabbath-school connected with this enterprise was begun in 1870, with T. B. Imlay as superintendent.

543

Daniel Andwhite

DANIEL UNDERHILL.

Captain John Underhill, a narrative of whose life as a pioneer has already been given at some length in the his- tory of this town, was the ancestor of several of the most worthy men and women that the town of Oyster Bay has produced. Among these it is very proper to make special mention of Daniel Underhill of Jericho, who is one of the most stalwart representatives of this old family and one of the most influential citizens of his native town. His descent from the illustrious ancestor is thus traced: Captain John Underhill married Mary Mosely. Their son, John Underhill 2nd, married Mary Prior. Abra- ham, their son, married Sarah daughter of Thomas Townsend. One of their sons became the head of a family, and his son Adonijah Underhill married Pheba Willets, a daughter of Daniel Willets. Adonijah settled at Jericho and purchased of the Townsend family the farm which has since been the birthplace of five genera- tions of the family. Here his son Daniel was born. Daniel married John Jackson's daughter Mary, and here on the 28th of July 1797 their son Samuel Jackson Un- derhill was born. His wife was Samuel Willets's daugh- ter Mary, and they were the parents of Daniei Underhill, the subject of this sketch.

Mr. Underhill was reared on the farm where he was

born, and after improving all the advantages afforded by the district school he attended for a few months a private school at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He was married on the 26th of October 1847-just 30 days before he was 21 years old-to Caroline a daughter of James Post, of Old Westbury, and sister of Captain Charles Post, of Glen Cove. Their only living child is Samuel J. Underhill, who is also the head of a family, his children represent- ing the tenth generation of the Underhill family from the progenitor first mentioned.

Mr. Underhill has made farming his leading occupa- tion, although largely interested in other business. While not regarded as a politician in the modern sense of the term, still there are few men, if any, in the town who wield a wider influence. He has been identified with the Republican party since its formation. He is a trustee of the Roslyn Savings Bank and was for eleven years a director of the Glen Cove Mutual Insurance Company, of which his father was one of the original incorporators.

In religious interests Mr. Underhill is identified with the Society of Friends, and he is at the present time a member of the board of managers of Swarthmore Col- lege, near Philadelphia. He was happy in his domestic relations, and his married life for over thirty-four years was a signally pleasant one; but in January 1882 his wife died, in the full respect of all who knew her.

544

HISTORY OF QUEENS COUNTY.

MANNETTO HILL,

a small settlement north of Bethpage, received its name from an Indian tradition concerning a spring of water here. The spring, found during a severe drought, was considered a "godsend," and the hill was named after their god Mannet. There is a small Methodist Episcopal church here, built in 1857.

FARMINGDALE.

Farmingdale (formerly called Hardscrabble) is situated both on the main line of the Long Island Railroad and on the Stewart Central extension, about thirty-two miles from New York. The place is a part of the Bethpage tract. It contains a hotel, several stores, a bakery, a union free school, three churches and Bernard Levino's picture frame and moulding manufactory. This busi- ness has been established a year, and is the first factory started in the place. His business is large, as he has little competition. Mr. Levino has here 100 building lots, which he offers gratis to those who will build there- on. The street is 60 feet wide and set with shade trees.

The Free Methodist church here is of recent origin. The Methodist Episcopal church built a small edifice here in 1843, and it is at present an active, energetic society. A more complete account of this church would have been given had not a gentleman failed to furnish a promised history of it.

ST. THOMAS'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The corner stone of this neat and churchly edifice was laid July 19th 1877 by the Rev. J. A. Paddock, D. D., then rector of St. Peter's Church, Brooklyn, now bishop of Washington Territory. Services had been previously held in a small hall for more than a year, and a congre- gation of about thirty families collected. The church edifice was completed in May 1878, and opened May IIth by Bishop Littlejohn. The structure is 60 feet long by 26 feet wide, with basement 8 feet high under the whole building, fitted up for social meetings, Sunday- school, etc. The church is ceiled with narrow white pine on the rafters, and has a recess chancel. The windows on the sides are of plain stained glass; the chancel window is filled with appropriate emblems. The church has a beautiful spire, with belfry, in which has been placed a bell of suitable size. The cost of the building was $2,500. This church is pronounced by experts a perfect " gem," considering its cost and size.

The building was erected under the supervision of the Rev. Thomas Cook, head of the Associate Mission for Suffolk county, acting for and under the missionary com- mittee of the diocese. He is not only the founder of the mission, but by his indefatigable zeal in raising the necessary funds has brought the work to a successful

termination. The ground upon which the church stands was donated to the trustees of the diocese of Long Island by A. Noon, and the cost of the building was defrayed by subscriptions obtained by the mission- ary in charge. Rev. J. J. A. Morgan officiates at present.

CENTER ISLAND.

Center Island, sometimes called Hog Island, was in the original deed reserved by the Indians; but was soon purchased by Cornelius Van Raynen, Govert Locker- mans (Kissam) and Jacobus Bucker, who transferred it to the town of Oyster Bay in 1665. This, and Pine Island, both properly peninsulas, were among the town's most valuable property. Part of it was planted occa- sionally, to prevent the use of it as common pasture, and there are several engagements with different persons to live there and take care of the crops. But its principal value was in its grazing and meadow lands. For grazing purposes the island was divided into twenty-two equal shares. Each of these shares entitled the owner to pas- turage for six cows; or he might put in the place of each cow either two swine or four sheep, or two yearling cat- tle and one horse in the place of two cows. Goats were free for each owner to keep as many as he pleased.

THE LUDLAM FAMILY.

Joseph Ludlam, the first of the name who settled on Center Island, purchased the house of John Pratt, which is now standing and constitutes a part of the residence of Henry Ludlam. Joseph at his death, in 1698, left two sons, Joseph 2nd and Charles. The eldest, accord- ing to British law, inherited the landed property; but, not thinking it just to his brother, Charles, he divided with him. Joseph retained the south part of the island, which is at present owned by the Smith family, and gave to his brother the north part, which iś mostly

owned by his descendants. The family is of English origin. The first Joseph was buried beside a large rock near the old homestead. Most of the other deceased members of the family are buried in the Ludlam bury- ing ground on Center Island. Joseph Ludlam 2nd died in 1730. His descendants are represented by James Ludlam, S. Y. Ludlam, and Elbert Ludlam of Oyster Bay.

Charles Ludlam Ist was born on Center Island, in 1691, and died in 1769. His wife was Elizabeth Feakes. Their issue were born as follows: In 1717, Charles 2nd, progenitor of the families of Robert Ludlam and Wil- liam Ludlam; in 1720 Sylvanus, who died in Nova Scotia; in 1722 Henry Ludlam, in 1725 Daniel, in 1728 Cleamants, in 1730 Elizabeth, in 1733 Susannalı.

Henry Ludlam, who was born in 1722, married Naomi Feakes, and at his death, in 1791, left six children, viz .:

·DOCK

CLAY BANK

H.T. SMITH'S BRICK YARD, CENTER ISLAND, QUEENS CO. L.I.

547

CENTER ISLAND AND SYOSSET.

Henry Fullam

Henry, who left no issue; Susannah, who married Na- thaniel Smith of Islip; Sarah, who married Jonathan Cables; Phœbe, not married; Esther, who married Wil- liam Birdsall; and Charles 3d, who was born in 1770 and married Sarah Feakes.

Charles Ludlam 3d had one child, Henry Ludlam, who was born at the old homestead on Center Island, Febru- ary 4th 1796. The portrait which appears in connection with this biographical sketch represents him as he now appears, in the 86th year of his age. The signature un- derneath is a fac simile of his name as he now writes it. He was married January 18th 1822 to Ruth F. Coles, a daughter of Rev. Benjamin Coles of Philadelphia, and a grand-daughter of the Rev. Benjamin Coles who was for many years the pastor of Oyster Bay Baptist church, of which she is now a member. The twain still reside on the old ancestral farm. They are surrounded by their family of children, all now grown to man- hood and womanhood. Their house is a home of hospitality.

Mr. Ludlam has always devoted himself mainly to the care of his farm and is an admirer of good livestock, especially horses. He is kind, charitable in a quiet way, and always very positive in his views and conclusions. In politics he was an " Old Line Whig," and afterward a Republican until later in life, when he came to indorse the Democratic party.

SMITH'S BRICK YARD.

This brick yard is located on the extreme south end of Center Island, on a part of the old Smith farm; with the accompanying clay beds and necessary room it oc- cupies over fifteen acres of ground, and has 400 feet of docks fronting Oyster Bay harbor. The yard was started in the year 1854 by Jacob and Daniel V, Smith, who were associated with their father, Daniel Smith. The buildings were erected that year, and the manufacture of brick was commenced the following year. The machinery is propelled by the same steam engine which has been used from the establishment of the yard. The primitive pits were the old style sod pits. In 1878 Jacob Smith and his son Charles put in the new circular pits and in- troduced new machinery, improving the quality of the brick and increasing the producing capacity, until now the yard turns out annually five millions of brick, which are well known in the trade as Center Island brick and are of extra quality. The yard has furnished brick for Steinway's piano factory at Astoria, Bogart & Grant's factory at Flushing and other important buildings.

Forty men and boys and four horses are employed. The manufacture of brick is superintended and managed by G. W. Conway, a native of Haverstraw, who has had more than thirty years' experience in the business. About 500,000 brick are burned in a kiln. To properly burn these according to the improved process requires 80 cords of wood and 600 bushels of culm or coal dust.

In the year 1880 Daniel V. Smith died, and his interest in the business passed by will to his son Henry T. Smith, who purchased the remaining interest of Jacob Smith and is now carrying on the business as sole proprietor.

SYOSSET.

Syosset is a village of 250 inhabitants. It has a sta- tion on the Long Island Railroad, sixty or seventy resi- dences, a post-office, a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, a tavern, two groceries, a school-house and a free church edifice, standing on a one-acre lot, donated by S. W. Cheshire. This church was built in 1860, under the direction of five inhabitants of the place, who became trustees. It cost about $1,300.

The free church building is open to all denominations of Christians, and various clergymen have officiated from time to time.

A Sunday-school of 50 or 60 scholars is maintained, with a corps of efficient teachers of both sexes. John Cook is the superintendent.

Rev. R. G. Hutton, rector of Christ Church, Oyster Bay, obtained a parish organization, according to statute, under the title of St. George's Church of Syosset.

This Episcopal congregation has not yet attained suf- ficient strength to support a minister, and depends upon lay reading, with services by clergymen on special occa- sions.

548

OLIVER D. BURTIS.

The derivation of the name Burtis comes down to us through the misty vale of tradition. It is said that two brothers who came from Italy purchased lands on Man- hattan Island and engaged in the cultivation of tobacco; but, finding the soil poor, one of them removed across the East River and purchased lands at the place called Wallabout, where he resumed his former business. As a confirmation of this traditional statement we find in the Kings county register's office (page 34, Vol. I of deeds) that on the 22nd of June 1643 Goveror Kieft granted lands at Wallabout to one Peter Cesar, Italian, for a tobacco plantation. May Ist 1647 Peter Cesar received an additional grant of land adjoining his first. This property was afterward sold by the vendue master to John Damon, by authority of the children of Peter Cesar. In connection with this sale we find the name "Albertus " or " Alburtus " added to Peter Cesar's name, and in Vol. II, pages 65 and 70, of the same records, two of his sons' names are written in each respective place " John Alburtus " and "William Alburtus." These two sons were then residents of Newtown. Riker's "Annals of Newtown" mentions the name among those of early settlers of the town. In the records of the town

of Hempstead for the year 1685 we find that Arthur Alburtus was owner of 249 acres of land. The name " Alburtus " is in some records written " Al Burtus." To simplify this name to Burtis required less change than in many contemporary cases; an instance, for example, be- ing the division of the name "Thorneycraft " into the two names "Thorne " and "Craft." We find that James Burtis was born in Hempstead, September Ist 1708. He had a son Elias Burtis, born in Hempstead, June 22nd 1746. The latter had a son by the name of Elias D. Burtis, born also in Hempstead, January 12th 1781; he was a farmer; his wife was Elizabeth Dorlon. To them were born a number of children, among whom was Oliver D. Burtis.

He was born November 5th 1809, and was reared on the old farm at Hempstead. At the age of to years we find him with his father on a farm in Oneida county, which Long Island people then considered in "the far west," Buffalo being on the frontier. His education was limited to what he himself denominates the " commonest kind of common schools." After his father's death, which occurred April 26th 1826, he returned to Long Island, and at the age of 1612 years became a clerk in a grocery house in Brooklyn, where he was thus employed until 1830, when he obtained the position of book-

549

HICKSVILLE-OLIVER D. BURTIS.

keeper in a clothing house. His wages were less than $roo a year, but he saved $50 from this and started bus- iness in 1831 for himself as a clothier in Brooklyn, on Fulton street, nearly opposite Hicks. His " pile " in money was exceedingly small, but he had a capital in good credit; he says his credit was then as good for any- thing he wanted to buy as it has ever been since.

He continued his business as a clothier in Brooklyn until 1857, investing his surplus capital in real estate in that city. Having, in the 26 years, amassed a snug fortune, he began to experience a longing for the voca- tion of his youth-" to enjoy the pleasures of an agricul- tural life." Accordingly he relinquished all business in the city and purchased a farm of 125 acres at Syosset, where he now resides.

Mr. Burtis is the only one left of his father's family, ex- cept a sister in Brooklyn. His wife, formerly Rachel Smith, whom he married in 1833, died in 1848. Of their children five sons and a daughter are living, viz .: Augustine W., commission woolens, in New York; B. Franklin, chief clerk yards and docks department, Brooklyn navy yard; Theodore E., a farmer at Queens; George Alvan, of the firm of Smyth & Burtis, real estate and insurance, in New York; Charles H., an attorney in Brooklyn, N. Y., and Olivia R., wife of Willianı Wisner Taylor, an attorney of Grand Rapids, Mich.

The portrait printed in connection with this sketch represents Mr. Burtis as he now appears, in his 73d year. His family are old-time Episcopalians. He was chiefly instrumental in the erection of the Free Church at Syosset in 1861. While Rev. Mr. Hutton, rector of the church at Oyster Bay, was holding services at Syosset he requested Mr. Burtis to officiate one evening as lay reader, which service he performed with acceptance, and he has since culled and collated a considerable number of sermons. He is interested in schools and education generally. A characteristic of his family is honest in- dustry without aspirations for distinction; he takes no part in politics, not even voting.

In temperance work Mr. Burtis has always taken an active part: he has lived to see some fruits from his labors, and has the credit for such work in the com- munity where he resides. He says to his sons, "Your father has never in his life taken a glass of intoxicating drink at a public bar."

Although Mr. Burtis has retired from business life he did not retire from his life of usefulness. His friends do not like to be regarded as selfish, but they do wish him many more years to live, in which to do his good work for the community.

HICKSVILLE.

This village takes its name from Elias Hicks, who was well known as the founder of the Hicksite branch of the Society of Friends. In 1836 he and others bought a large tract of land and laid it out in streets and building lots. In 1842 the Long Island Railroad was extended to the village. In that year Elias Hicks and others put up

some fifteen buildings, and the railroad company built an engine house and extensive sheds for the storage of wood. These sheds some time afterward were burned, with other buildings, leaving nothing standing but the hotel.

In 1849 Frederick Heyne, a native of Germany, bought over a thousand acres of land here and began a settle- ment. He was quickly followed by others, and their thrift and energy once more commenced to build up the village. Some of these first settlers were Jacob Sevin, Christopher Yeagle, E. H. de Languillette, and John F. Heitz. Land was broken up, houses were erected, trees planted, etc. John F. Heitz took particular interest in the laying out of wide and regular streets and the plant- ing of trees and laying of walks along both sides. In 1852 a public school-house was built on land donated by Mr. Heitz; the school still flourishes. From the health- fulness of the village and the picturesque scenery about it it soon began to attract a large number of settlers, of different nationalities but principally Germans. The village is laid out on what may be called a rolling prairie, surrounded by hills on the north and east. Extensive woods lie to the south. Hicksville is now a thriving village. There are eight firms engaged in gold and silver beating, giving employment to 60 or 70 persons. There are numerous stores, some of them large.

Julius Augustin does a very extensive business in dry- goods, groceries, coal, wood and fertilizers. Other busi- ness men are E. H. de Languillette, William Fraytag, wholesale dealer in liquors, etc., Henry Kahn, William Becker, brewer, and Edgar Davis, soda water manufac- turer. There is also a sash and door manufactory.

There is here a farmers' and mechanics' club, with its own hall and grounds. The agricultural association of the town of Oyster Bay holds its meetings in this village in its own hall.

A Lutheran church and a Methodist union church stand on land donated by John F. Heitz, a Baptist church on land donated by Joseph Wallace, and a Roman Catholic church on land donated by Mr. Parker.

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History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals., Part 98

Author: Publication date: 1882 Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell and Co. Number of Pages: 703

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell and Co.
Number of Pages: 703