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DEDICATED

ΤΟ

THE PEOPLE

OF

THE PLACE AND CHURCH

WHOSE HISTORY IS HEREIN SET FORTH

WITH

THE ESTEEM AND AFFECTION

OF

THE AUTHOR.

SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTERS.

CHAPTER I.

A precious duty. The occasion of it. The benefit derived from it. Shelter Island and its Presbyterian Church. Re-dedication. Its suggestion. How past and present are linked together. Quotation from Rev. Dr. McKenzie. A pleasant study. Attractive personalities. A desire. Our earliest historical reference. Year of 1637. A memorable year. "Paumanach.' The land of tribute. The Indians of Shelter Island. The mission of Waiandance. Shel

Mr.

ter Island's great Sachem. A celebrated Indian Quartette. An important grant of land to the Earl of Stirling. His commissioner. A wise selection. Farrett's Island." First disposal of Shelter Island. The purchaser. His relation to the New Haven colony. Seeks to have the Island bought by that colony. Is unsucessful. Continues as owner for ten years. 1651. The purchase of Shelter Island. A strange payment. How the English revolution under Cromwell led to the settlement of Shelter Island. The Puritan Exodus. The early struggle between the English and the Dutch for supremacy in the New World, and its outcome. Sketches of the company of four Englishmen who purchased the Island from Mr. Goodyear. Our original settler and his bride. Their eventful journey. A disputed title. Its settlement. An interesting paper. An apparent discrepancy. How explained. Withdrawal of the Indians from Shelter Island. Strange dogs. Death of Manhansett's Grand Sachem. The burial of Shelter Island's great Chief. (Whooping Boys Hollow.) Cockenoe, a noted Manhansett Indian.

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CHAPTER II.

Nathaniel Sylvester's visit to England. Its pleasant purpose. Date of his marriage. Return to America. Who were in the party. The first landing place. Resuming the journey. The Golden Parrot." Coming of slaves to Shelter Island. Founding of the first white settlement. Its growth. Anxious parents. A surprising thing. Shelter Island the refuge of the oppressed. Whittier, the poet's, tribute. George Fox's visit. An interesting retraction. "Cotjewaminick." "Manhansick__Ahaquazuwamuck." Its meaning. The origin of Shelter Island's name. Tracing the various owners of Shelter Island. The English expedition of 1664. Conquest of the New Netherlands. Gov. Nicoll's grant to Nathaniel Sylvester of manorial rights. The consideration. Another change in Colonial Government. The exaction of the Dutch. Some State papers. Nathaniel Sylvester now sole owner. His large family. A romantic courtship. Death of Mr. Sylvester. Another important advent. The coming

of the Nicoll family to Shelter Island. Troublous times. A respectable inheritance. William Nicoll the first, or Speaker Nicoll. A noble career. Sketch of his life. Some delightful coincidences. Governor Cornbury's detestable act. Persecution of two Presbyterian Clergymen. Their acquital. Notable and praiseworthy services.

CHAPTER III,

George Havens' purchase. Its position. His ancestors. His family. An abstract. A pleasant surprise. The growth of the community. Twenty men of great importance. What they did. What moved them. Shelter Island's first Town Meeting. The original Town officers. Biographical sketches of our Town Fathers. A recapitulation. First effort toward erecting a "Meeting House." An ancient subscription paper. When was the first church erected on Shelter Island? What historians say. The probable year. The style of architecture.

Its suggestion. Who preached in it. A sketch of his life. His relation to Brinley Sylvester. His relation to the community. An important paper. Its high sense of responsibility. Its author. First meeting of Presbytery on Shel

ter Island. A second meeting. Its noble purpose. Ordination of the Rev.
Elam Potter. His subsequent life. An early abolitionist. The coming of
Thomas Brinley. Who he was. His useful life. Two important letters.
Another tie between Newtown and Shelter Island. An ancient lineage. Mr.
Dering's slaves. Overtaken in the act.
Comus's forceful reasoning.
Cato, thou art discharged."

A trial.

CHAPTER IV.

First census list of Shelter Island. What it reveals. A minute from the Town ⚫ records. Not such a spiritual wilderness as has been intimated. The beginning of the American revolution. Shelter Island's glorious record. A precious and immortal document. Our representatives. Gardnier's bay. The enemy's squadron. In the enemy's hands. No mercy shown. Great hardships. A sample. A blessed release. "Culloden's Point." Close of the war. Our first Trustees. First inventory. Jonathan N. Havens. His eminent life. An interesting letter. William Bowditch. A man of influence. Last of the Indians. A remarkable conversion. Manumitting slaves. Various movements towards obtaining a preacher. Some of those who served. An ancient manuscript. Two noted theologians. Dr. Timothy Dwight's visit. "Bushe's Ferry." Coming of Rev. Daniel Hall. His eminent services. Organization of this Church. Its articles of faith and covenant. The original members. Mr. Hall's death. A movement towards a new church building. Another cloud. The war of 1812. Shelter Island again the butt of the enemy. A torpedo and its indirect effect. A bit of vandalism. A boomerang. A neat trap. Yankee ingenuity. The retaliation. Again invincible. Church fully organized according to Presbyterian polity. Our first elders. Dr. Woolworth's tribute to Rev. Daniel Hall. A pleasant pursuit.

CHAPTER V.

The

A

Ecclesiastical matters. Renewed effort to build a new church. A successful subscription paper. The subscribers. Appointment of a building committee. The great September gale." "It is indeed an ill wind that blows nobody good." The work accomplished. First great revival on Shelter Island. Its origin. Its scope. A remarkable manifestation in the public school. fruits of that outpouring of grace. Rev. Stephen Tracy's coming. His great work. A happy community. Cost of building. What was considered a great achievement. Description of building. First pew list. Dedication. A hymn composed especially for the occasion. First women's missionary society. pleasant correspondence. Rev. Daniel Hall and his relation to this church. Various supplies. "Do you keep that good little minister yet?" General Sylvester Dering, our first elder. His noble life. A high tribute. His sad death. One of the General's orders. A remarkable trio. A community in sorrow. One of the elders ordained to the ministry. The coming of the Rev. Ezra Youngs. His services. Certain records straightened out. Mr. Young's romantic courtship. His wit. A peculiar marriage fee. Mr. Benjamin Conklin's large bequest. Inventory of the society's property. Two epitaphs.

CHAPTER VI.

Mr. Youngs' successor. Rev. Jonathan Huntting. His labors. A man of marked ability. How he met her who became his wife. Striking the iron while it is hot. Rather a costly exchange. The second great revival. The second member of the Church who entered the ministry. Rev. Daniel M. Lord. His second coming to this Island. His services. A memorable winter. First decisive step towards temperance and total abstinence. Mr. Lord's ordination. His going to Boston. Rev. Randolph Campbell's advent. His able ministry. A fourth revival. Lovingly remembered. His call to a noted church. A long pastorate. Mr. Campbell's successor. Rev. William Ingmire. Laboring at a disadvantage. The commercial embarrassment of 1836-'7. Its effect upon the funds of this church. Rev. Anson Sheldon's coming. His period of service. A notable daughter of this church. Grace conquering nature. Her beautiful poem. "My Native Isle." Her speedy death. Samuel S. Gardiner, Esq. The occasion of a wonderful speech. Rev. Mr. Lord's third coming. His

The first formal call to brilliant ministry. A The most remarkable

"Those

purpose in it. A smiling Providence. The very man. the pastorate. Mr. Lord accepts. The beginning of a happy occasion. A lofty motive. God's seal upon it. revival as yet. Another one. Still another more powerful than the others. Mr. Lord's sacred enthronement in the hearts of his people. A privilege. His tragic death. Its awful gloom upon the community. Widefelt sorrow. dear children-have they been hurt!" "The Lord have mercy, I am going.' A solemn and memorable day in August, 1861. Rev. Dr. Whitaker's high tribute. Mr. Lord's charming personality. Unusual powers. His remarkable services in Boston. Rev. Mr. Jones's conversion. A bright gem in his crown. The church enlarged. Belfry added. Mr. Lord's family.

CHAPTER VII.

Other ambassadors of the Most High. Mr. Lord's successor. Rev. Charles H. Holloway. His coming to Shelter Island. Installed as pastor. Length of service. A man of marked literary ability. Building the present parsonage. Various homes of the clergy who resided on Shelter Island. The first parsonage owned by the Society. Mr. Holloway's successor. Coming of the Rev. Thomas Harries. Unanimously called as pastor. Dully installed. Various clergy assisting at installation. Mr. Harries' long term of service. An able and efficient servant. Ministry blessed with revival power. Number of persons who united with the Church during ministry. Memory greatly cherished. Forced to resign through ill health. Resolutions of the Church concerning his services. Moved to Brooklyn. Date of death. Place of birth. His early life. Called to the ministry. Various fields of labor. A preacher of righteousness for fifty years. Succeeded by the Rev. Dr. A. P. Bissell. Date of coming. Relation to the Society. His ministry favored with a blessed quickening. A scholarly man. The receiver of various degrees from American and European institutions. Place of birth. Course of study. Varied labors. His present honorable position. Dr. Bissell followed by the Rev. Benjamin F. Parliman. Term of service on Shelter Island. Blessed with a remarkable revival. Largest in gathering in the history of the Church. A memorable occasion. Two consecrated young souls. Their holy zeal. An untimely death, but not in vain. Another speedy death. Bro. Parliman's ministry. Conspicuous also for the erection of our cozy chapel. His place of birth and present charge. His successor, the author. Unanimously called as pastor. Installation services and those who took part. His place of birth. Parentage. Early life. Called from a mercantile life into the gospel ministry. Course of preparation. Graduation and ordination. First service in the ministry. Second service as pastor of the Newtown Presbyterian Church. His great privilege. Called to Shelter Island. His saintly mother. A tribute of love and an ardent wish. Representatives of the Church in the gospel ministry. Those who are living.

Charles E. Havens and Rev. Nelson B. Chester.

useful careers.

Rev. Sketches of their earnest and Short biographies of each of Other noted worthy members of the Church and congregation. Conclusion. Poem, "Hallowed Echoes."

Our noble roll of Ruling Elders. those who have passed to their eternal reward.

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