John Townsend, of Oyster Bay

John Townsend

• Born about 1608 in England
• Died 5 Oct 1668 in Oyster Bay, Long Island, Colony of New York
• Son of Unknown Townsend and [mother unknown]
• Brother of Robert Townsend & Henry Townsend
• Husband of Elizabeth — married by 1639 in New England

John Townsend is thought to be the John “Townesend” who was an original patentee of Flushing, New York, named in grant ordered by Gov. Kieft of New Netherlands on 10 October 1645.[1]

There is a marker for him in Fort Hill Cemetery in the village of Oyster Bay. Members of his family would go on to be distinguished leaders in the Oyster Bay community, throughout New York State, the mid-Atlantic colonies and wherever they settled in the rest of the United States. The talented and famous furniture makers of Newport, Rhode Island Job, Christopher, John and Edmund descend from him.

Origins

Henry Townsend, Esquire of Brackon Ash did not have a son John. Ref: Townshend, Charles Hervey. The Townshend family of Lynn, in old and New England : genealogical and biographical. New Haven, Conn.: unknown, 1884. page 46 < AncestryImage >

John Townsend, Robert Townsend & Henry Townsend (of Oyster Bay, not of Lynn) are thought to be brothers from England, origin point uncertain. Y DNA testing suggests different origins for the Townsends who came to Oyster Bay and the Townsends who came to Lynn.

Notability

In 1645, Flushing, then a town called Vlissengen, was granted a charter by the Dutch West India Company and became a part of New Netherlands. It was settled largely by English families, similar to English settlements at Gravesend, Hempstead, and Jamaica, Long Island.

A respected Flushing colonist, Henry Townsend, held a Quaker meeting in his home and was fined and banished. Flushing citizens protested, and in 1657 they wrote a demand for religious freedom that is today known as the Flushing Remonstrance. Today, the Flushing Remonstrance is regarded as the precursor to the U.S. Constitution’s provision on freedom of religion on the Bill of Rights.

John Townsend signed the Remonstrance. Henry Townsend of Oyster Bay was his brother.

Family

John Townsend and his two brothers Henry and Richard were Quaker sympathizers. Frost's book on page 494 cites Thompson in "History of Long Island, Vol. 2, p. 344 where it says they were "temporarily in Boston and Providence." Frost continues, that it is certain "that as early as 1642, John had located in New Amsterdam," since one of their sons, Thomas, was baptized that year.

John married Elizabeth by 1639. She is referred to as Elizabeth Montgomery in some sources, but a primary source has not been found. What is known about Elizabeth is that she made a deed dated May 10, 1671 naming their children. (see below.)

Children of John Townsend and his wife Elizabeth:

1. John Townsend b. abt. 1640, place unknown, the parent's eldest child. He did not marry Susannah Harcourt or Phebe, that error has been corrected in print by the Townsend Society (2010). His wife was Hannah. After his father's death, his home at Oyster Bay was sold and he was one of the first who purchased land at Jericho, Long Island. He was still living in 1715. Children: Solomon, James, Thomas, Nathaniel, and more than likely there were 3 daughters. James m. Audrey daughter of Job Almy of Rhode Island. He held the position of Town Surveyor of Oyster Bay although he was from Jericho from 1711 through 1736 and on until his death. Children: Mary, Deborah, Jacob, Nathaniel. Jacob b. Jericho, Long Island in 1692, m. Phebe, daughter of Benjamin and Martha (Titus) Seaman. He made his will on June 13, 1739 and it was proved September 9, 1751. They had four sons Samuel, Jacob, Benjamin, James and daughter Almy. His will left a negro woman and boy to Phebe and a negro girl to daughter Almy. Phebe died of small-pox April 14, 1774, aged 75 years.
2. Thomas baptized 1642, died before 1645.
3. Thomas (again) Townsend abt 1645 in Hempstead, Long Island, New Netherland. m. 1st. Sarah Coles; m. 2d, Mary Unthank, widow of Job Almy.
4. Elizabeth, b. 1648, md. 1) Gideon Wright, Sr., (Peter l) 8 children 2) Joseph Ludlam (Willam 1), 2 sons. See Harry Macy, Jr. “Three Elizabeth Ludlams of Oyster Bay,” NYGBR 2000.
5. James, b abt 1650, Hempstead, Long Island, New Netherland. m. 1st, Elizabeth Wright; m. 2d, Jean Reddough ; m. 3d, Delivered Pratt.
6. Rose, b. abt 1652 Hempstead, Long Island, New Netherland. m. 1st, John Wickes; m. 2d, Samuel Haydon.
7. Anne. Named in father’s distribution of estate, no further record.
8. Sarah. Named in father’s distribution of estate, no further record.
9. George, b. abt 1656. m. Mary Hawxhurst.
10. Daniel, b. about 1663 in Oyster Bay, Long Island. m. Susannah Forman.

Having no will prepared, his wife Elizabeth in consultation with John Townsend's surviving brothers Henry and Richard, and John and her eldest sons John and Thomas Townsend, subdivided his property among surviving heirs on 10 May 1671.

Biography

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Townsend_(Oyster_Bay)

John Townsend was born about 1608 in England, however the names of his parents and the maiden name of his wife Elizabeth are not yet known.[3][4] The Townsend brothers were not related to Thomas Townsend of Lynn, MA and his family; this man had a son named John born about 1644 and who died in Massachusetts.[5] Nor are they related to the other Townsend families found throughout the colonies prior to the Revolutionary War. Old genealogies often perpetuate this myth but better access to records and YDNA testing have resolved this issue.[6]

John was one of the original settlers of Flushing, having been granted a patent by Gov. Keift in 1645.[7] He and his brothers Henry Townsend and Richard Townsend settled there. Henry Townsend's support for the Quakers created political difficulties with the Dutch governor, Peter Stuyvesant. By 1647/1648 Henry and Richard had moved to Warwick, Rhode Island. John was received as an inhabitant in July 1649. The brothers were very active there serving as jurymen, constables, committeemen and commissioners to the Provincial Assembly.[8] In 1655 all three were listed as freemen.

In 1656 John sold his house and lots in Warwick to his brothers and obtained a patent in Rusdorp (now Jamaica). In 1656 and 1657 Henry sold his property in Warwick and joined John in Jamaica. Richard remained in Warwick until 1666. John and Henry Townsend signed the Flushing Remonstrance which was dated 27 December 1657.[9] Stuyvesant rejected the petition. Henry had continued run-ins with the Dutch, spending time in prison.

In 1661 Henry received the "Mill Grant" in Oyster Bay and John bought a house in December of the same year. They were now out of the jurisdiction of the Dutch. Here John spent the remainder of his life.[8]

It is believed that he was buried at Fort Hill, a Townsend Cemetery in Oyster Bay, New York. A somewhat inaccurate marker placed long after he died reads: "This stone marks the grave of John Townsend who came from England about 1630, and settled in Oyster Bay in 1661. He died in 1668, and was buried here on his own land." John died intestate, so on the "10th day of the fifth month 1671" his widow Elizabeth, in consultation with John Townsend's surviving brothers Henry and Richard and her eldest sons John and Thomas Townsend, partitioned his property to include their younger children.[2] Elizabeth died in 1684 and is also buried at the Townsend Cemetery[10]

Notes

Disagreement exists surrounding the facts of John Townsend's birth year, his parentage, and his arrival to America.

The work Directory of the Ancestral Heads of New England Families from 1923 states the following: 1) That John Townsend was the son of Thomas Townsend (1594-1677) and Mary Newgate (1595-1692); 2) He was born at Raynham Hall, Norfolk, England in 1608; and 3) His family emigrated to the colonies in 1637 when his father Thomas was granted 60 acres (240,000 m2) of land with Lord Brook and others in the Town of Lynn.[3]. DISPUTED: see Origins below.

While some disagreement exists surrounding origins, general agreement exists around other aspects of John Townsend's biography. John was one of the original settlers of Flushing, having been granted a patent by Gov. Keift in 1645. [4] He and his brother Henry Townsend settled there. Henry Townsend supported the Quakers which created political difficulties with the Dutch governor, Peter Stuyvesant, leading the Townsend brothers moved to Warwick, Rhode Island, where they became members of the Provincial Assembly.[5]

In 1656 Townsend and his brothers again attempted to settle in Long Island, this time obtaining the patent of Rustdorp (now Jamaica). Here too the Townsends came into conflict. John Townsend was a signer of the Flushing Remonstrance on 27 December 1657.[6] Stuyvesant rejected the petition. In the following year, 1658, Townsend moved with his brothers to Oyster Bay, which was out of the jurisdiction of the Dutch. Here he spent the remainder of his life, and died at Oyster Bay, in 1668.[5] He was buried in Fort Hill in what was to become the Townsend Cemetery in Oyster Bay, New York. A stone with marker marks this site, with the words: "This stone marks the grave of John Townsend who came from England about 1630, and settled in Oyster Bay in 1661. He died in 1668. And was buried here on his own land." Having no will prepared, his wife Elizabeth in consultation with John Townsend's surviving brothers Henry and Richard, and John and her eldest sons John and Thomas Townsend, subdivided his property among surviving heirs on 10 May 1671.[2] John Townsend's wife Elizabeth died in 1684 and is also buried at the Townsend Cemetery[7]

Given a patent, along with others, for the town of Flushing, New York.

John Townsend settled in Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY sometime between the middle of January and the 16th of September, 1661. He bought his house on South Street in February, 1661.

John had brothers Richard and Henry Townsend, both living in Oyster Bay or thereabouts. His widow Elizabeth consulted with them in determining how to deal with his intestate estate. Richard died before she signed a declaration on the matter, and so when Henry witnessed her document, he wrote "I do own my brother RIchard did Consent to the substance of what is above mentioned..." Richard's widow, also named Elizabeth dealt with a similar matter, also in 1671.

John Townsend was one TOWNSEND of the three brothers of that family who settled on the westerly end of Long Island some few years before 1643 the year Governor Kieft gave a patent for the town of Flushing to John Townsend and others. It must have been some years previous to that date for it is also learned through the petition of his widow to Governor Andros that he had before then taken up land in New York and peaceably enjoyed the same divers years.

While he dwelt on the island of Manhattan the Indians caused his family great alarm and they stood in mortal dread of what the savages might do. Hence he left the place whereon he had comfortably settled despite all the improvements he had made to his property and commenced the settlement of Flushing where his brother Henry joined him.

He belonged to the Society of Friends and consequently was at variance with the Dutch settlers. This was unfortunate for him when coming in contact with the officials of the administration not alone on account of his religious tenets but also because of his politics. Governor Peter Stuyvesant pointed to him as one of the principal persons of Flushing who resist the Dutch mode of choosing Sheriff pretending against the adopted course in the Fatherland and who refused to contribute their share to the maintenance of Christian pious reformed ministers. On account of these things John Townsend was summoned to appear at Fort Amsterdam on January 23, 1648, to explain before the Director General of the Province.

As a consequence of these troubles he removed to Warwick, Rhode Island, with his two brothers where they became members of the Provincial Assembly but in 1656 he returned to attempt once more settling at Flushing then called Rusdorp. He settled at Oyster Bay between the middle of January and September 16, 1661, the latter being the date of the mill grant and it is entered on the records that he bought his house in South street in February 1661 although the deed bears the date of October 5. (Ben M. Angel notes: 10th month would indicate December, prior to the Chesterfield Act.)

This deed being of interest to descendants and those living in the vicinity: it is here given Oyster Bay this 5th day of the 10th month 1661. Be it known unto all by these presents that I, Jonas Halstead of Oyster Bay on Long Island in America, do hereby acknowledge that I have sold and delivered all my right title and interest of all the housing and land that is here named as follows Richard Holbrook's house or houses built by him or me and house lot and two shares of meadow at Matinecock and one right of meadow at the south and twenty shares of the Great Plains that is on the east side of the footpath near the wood edge and also all the rights appurtenances and privileges that do fall to or any way belong to the aforesaid house lot within the Town bounds. I say I have sold and delivered it all in quiet possession for full satisfaction already received unto John Townsend of the said Town and place and do also hereby engage to make good the sale of the aforesaid house and lands against any person or persons that may any wise lay claim thereto and I do hereby further acknowledge that I have fully sold all the said houses and lands from me my heirs and assigns unto him his heirs and assigns forever to enjoy without molestation by me or any from me as witness my hand this day and year first above written. JONAS HALSTEAD

John Townsend died in 1668 and was probably the first person buried in the graveyard of Fort Hill. Having died intestate his widow Elizabeth divided the property among their children: John, Thomas, James, Rose, Anne, Sarah, George, and Daniel. She then attempted to reclaim the eight acres her husband had owned in Manhattan in the following petition to Governor Edmund Andros but it was not granted for thirty years had passed since they had dwelt there and had never had other title than settler's possession.

Your Honor's petitioner's husband many years last past was seized of a certain parcel of land containing eight acres by estimation lying and being at the Fresh Water Collect, New York, then called New Amsterdam, where your Honor's petitioner's husband did build and make large improvements and peaceably enjoyed the same divers years in the time of great calamity being daily alarmed by the Indians and other difficulties attending upon your Honor's petitioner's husband and afterwards got no better reward than such discouragements as caused your Honor's petitioner's husband to leave his good improvements.

However your Honor's petitioner is well contented at present hoping her husband and others by their adventures and running through many fiery trials of affliction has been in some measure instrumental to bring a chaos into goodly fields buildings and gardens and instead of your Honor's petitioner's husband reaping the fruits of their labors but on the contrary was forced to hew a small fortune out of the thick wood with his own hands for himself wife and children.

John Townsend married Elizabeth Montgomery and their children were those stated above in the settlement of the estate.

II George Townsend son of John and Elizabeth Montgomery Townsend was born after his father's removal from Manhattan to Oyster Bay Long Island which was in the year 1661 and he died in the winter of 1697. He inherited the original homestead in South street and with his brother James owned a tract of land at Norwich to which locality they gave the name. George Townsend married at Oyster Bay Long Island November 17 1684. Mary Hawxhurst daughter of one of the early settlers who also owned much land there. Children

• i Sarah married Thomas Weeks
• 2 George born October 18 1687 died May n 1762 was a surveyor of Jericho Long Island also recorder married March 18 1711 Rosannah daughter of Nathaniel Coles Jr and Rose Wright Issue i Rosannah born March 14 1712 married Hezekiah Cock ii William born February < [http://books.google.com/books?id=iNIUAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22john%20townsend...] >Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Building of a Nation By Cuyler Reynolds

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John Townsend was born at Norwich, Norfolk County, England, and died at Oyster Bay, L.I., in 1668-9. He came with his father Thomas Townsend [NO] and his two brothers Henry and Richard, from Norwich, some years prior to 1645, to Lynn, Mass., where they were brought up. He moved to the neighborhood of New Amsterdam on Long Island, but finding the persecutions he suffered under the Puritans repeated under the Dutch Government he moved to Flushing, L.I., which was largely settled by English colonials, He there received a patent from the town of Flushing, from Governor Kieft, The Townsends were members of the Society of Friends, and were soon at variance with the Dutch authorities in New York, who demanded military service, which was against their religion. John and his brother Henry were arrested and fined for countenancing Quakers, so the three brothers left Flushing and removed to Warwick, R.I. In 1656 the three brothers returned to Jamaica, L.I., then known as Rusdorp. Here in 1657 they were accused of calling together "conventicles", and John and Henry were again arrested and held in bail in the sum of œ12, and Richard in œ100. The two brothers with their wives were found guilty of countenancing Quakers, and in consequence they moved in 1661 to Oyster bay, L.I.

John Townsend married Elizabeth (Coles) Montgomery, daughter of Robert and Mary (Hawkhurst) Coles, and widow of a Mr. Montgomery. Her will was dated May 10/1671, by which she gave each daughter œ30, and divided her husband's estate between her children,

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History and Genealogy of the Cock, Cocks, Cox Family: Descended from James and Sarah Cock, of Killingworth Upon Matinecock, in the Township of Oyster Bay, Long Island, N.Y. By George William Cocks, John Cox. Compiled by George William Cocks Published by privately printed, 1914

JOHN (2) TOWNSEND, (prob.) son of Robert and nephew of Thomas of Lynn,[NO] to have been a member of the Boston Artillery Company 1641, must have been at least twenty-one years of age, and to have had his second son baptized at Manhattan In 1642, counting the usual two years' interval between births of children and the probability of an Intervening or preceding daughter, would suggest a marriage date prior to his emigration from England, perhaps 1630, and his birth about 1610. He died at Oyster Bay about 1668, ?aged about 60 years.

His wife, Elizabeth, as given In Savage's Gen. Diet, was dau. of Robert Coles of R. I. Thompson's Hist. L. I. repeats the error, qualifying by saying "Robert Coles was of a respectable Irish family, and an associate of the younger Winthrop In the settlement of Ipswich, Mass." Robert Coles had no dau. Elizabeth, nor is it believed that there were any of the Coles family seated In Ireland until after Robert's migration to America. In the Townsend Memorial it is stated, "his wife was Elizabeth Montgomery." Dr. Peter Townsend's mss. History states that "the widow of John Townsend In 1683 was regularly visited at her mansion in Oyster Bay by her countyman and supposed relative, the then Irish Governor of the Province of New York, Thomas Dongan."

John Townsend dying Intestate, his widow with advice of her husband'» brothers and consent of her older sons, divided the estate ; for account of which very Interesting matter see "Memorial of the Townsend Brothers," p. 87, et seq.

She d. Oyster Bay. Nov. 29, 1684, and was laid beside her husband on ground since known as "Fort Hill."

Issue, In order as given in the settlement :

• I John. b. ; married, 1st, Susannah Harcurt ; m. 2d, Phebe . [NO - Hannah (unknown)]
• II Thomas, bapt. 1642; m. 1st. Sarah Coles; m. 2d, Mary Unthank, widow of Job Almy.
• III Elizabeth, b. : m. 1st. Gideon Wright; m. 2d, Gershom Lockwood.
• IV James, b. ; m. 1st, Elizabeth Wright; m. 2d, Jean Reddough ; m. 3d, Delivered Pratt.
• V Rose. b. ; m. 1st, John Wickes; m. 2d, Samuel Haydon.
• VI Ann, b. .
• VII Sarah, b. .
• VIII George, b. ; m. Mary Hawxhurst.
• IX Daniel, b. ; m. Susannah Forman.

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From "A Memorial to John, Richard and Henry Townsend and their Descendants", pg. 84:

John Townsend Settled in Oyster Bay, between the middle of January and the 16th of September, 1661. As he was living in Jamaica at the first date, and his name being upon the Mill grant, he must have been admitted as a Townsman in Oyster Bay before the last. There is an entry upon the Records, that he bought his house in South street in February, 1661, but the deed, in the possession of J. C. Townsend, is dated October.

(pg. 85) John Townsend must have been quite advanced in years when he settled in Oyster Bay ; having led a most active and laborious life since his emigration, he had made three different homes in the wilderness, if not four, before he found a final resting-place.

(pg. 86-88) His wife was Elizabeth Montgomery[6]. He died in 1668, and was buried on his own place, probably the first person laid in the graveyard on Fort Hill. As he died intestate, his widow, according to a custom prevailing here, divided his estate, with the advice and consent of her older sons, and her husband's brothers.

We give this document below. The solicitude which she shows for the comfort and welfare of "the lads," as she calls her two younger sons, is very touching. (For more authentic spelling see, for example Oyster Bay Town Records.)

Links

• http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:John_Townsend_%283%29

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• John Townsend Born 1608 Raynham Hall, Norfolk, England Died 1668 Oyster Bay, Long Island, Province of New York
• Nationality English
• Known for Early settler of American colonies
• Home town Oyster Bay, Long Island
• Religion Quaker[1]
• Spouse Elizabeth Montgomery[2]

Children

• John Townsend
• Captain Thomas Townsend
• James Townsend
• Rose Townsend
• Ann Townsend
• Sarah Townsend
• George Townsend
• Daniel Townsend[3]

John Townsend (ca. 1608-1668) was an early settler of the American Colonies who emigrated from England about 1630. Townsend was a signatory to the Flushing Remonstrance, a precursor to the United States Constitution's provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights. Because of religious persecution under the Dutch authorities of New Amsterdam, many members of this family who were Quakers settled in Oyster Bay. There is no evidence in either Rhode Island or New York sources that John was a Quaker himself. John Townsend arrived in Oyster Bay in 1661 and it was there where he died and was buried in the Townsend Cemetery on his own land. Members of his family would go on to be distinguished leaders in the Oyster Bay community and on Long Island for centuries to follow.

Disagreement exists surrounding the facts of John Townsend's birth year, his parentage, and his arrival to America. The work Ancestral Heads of New England Families from 1923 states the following: 1) That John Townsend was the son of Thomas Townsend (1594-1677) and Mary Newgate (1595-1692); 2) He was born at Raynham Hall, Norfolk, England in 1608; and 3) His family emigrated to the colonies in 1637 when his father Thomas was granted 60 acres of land with Lord Brook and others in the Town of Lynn.[4] These facts are disputed by findings of the "Townsend Surname DNA Project," conducted by the Townsend Society of America, a well-respected member organization composed of members with Townsend lineage.[5] These findings suggest that John Townsend was not the son of Thomas Townsend and Mary Newgate and that these families have "completely different DNA" according to Townsend Society sources. Naturally this raises questions surrounding date of birth of John Townsend, and to the date that he and his two brothers Richard and Henry emigrated to the colonies. The work A memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend, and their descendants published in 1865 is cited for more information on the topic.[6]

While some disagreement exists surrounding origins, general agreement exists around other aspects of John Townsend's biography. John was one of the original settlers of Flushing, having been granted a patent by Gov. Keift in 1645. [7] He and his brother Henry Townsend settled there. Henry Townsend supported the Quakers which created political difficulties with the Dutch governor, Peter Stuyvesant, leading the Townsend brothers moved to Warwick, Rhode Island, where they became members of the Provincial Assembly.[8]

In 1656 Townsend and his brothers again attempted to settle in Long Island, this time obtaining the patent of Rustdorp (now Jamaica). Here too the Townsends came into conflict. John Townsend was a signer of the Flushing Remonstrance on 27 December 1657.[9] Stuyvesant rejected the petition. In the following year, 1658, Townsend moved with his brothers to Oyster Bay, which was out of the jurisdiction of the Dutch. Here he spent the remainder of his life, and died at Oyster Bay, in 1668.[8] He was buried in Fort Hill in what was to become the Townsend Cemetery in Oyster Bay, New York. A stone with marker marks this site, with the words: "This stone marks the grave of John Townsend who came from England about 1630, and settled in Oyster Bay in 1661. He died in 1668. And was buried here on his own land." Having no will prepared, his wife Elizabeth in consultation with John Townsend's surviving brothers Henry and Richard, and John and her eldest sons John and Thomas Townsend, subdivided his property among surviving heirs on 10 May 1671.[3] John Townsend's wife Elizabeth died in 1684 and is also buried at the Townsend Cemetery[10] John Townsend (Norwich) 3

Townsend Family in Oyster Bay John Townsend would have many famous descendants who would serve as influential figures in Oyster Bay and on Long Island. Numbers used below indicate generation following John Townsend (1608-1668). Thus the number one would be first generation indicating children, the number two would be grandchildren in the line of descent.

John Townsend (1645-1709) Family Line:

• 1. John Townsend (1645-1709) was the son of John Townsend and Elizabeth Montgomery. He married Susanna Harcourt and had at least one son, James Townsend. John Townsend died in 1709 and was buried in the Townsend Cemetery.[10]
• 2. James Townsend (1671-1729) was the son John Townsend and Susanna Harcourt. He married Audrey Almy in 1691 and had at least three children: Jacob (1692-1742), Mary (1695-1752), and Nathaniel (1698-1754).
• 3. Jacob Townsend (1692-1742) was the son of James Townsend and Audrey Almy. He married Phebe Seaman and had at least one son, Samuel Townsend (1717-1790).
• 4. Samuel Townsend (1717-1790) was the son of Jacob Townsend and Phebe Seaman. Samuel was a propserous merchant who dealt in a variety of goods. He owned four ships that sailed Europe, South America, and the West Indies, bringing back items including lumber, molasses, pottery, wine, fabric, dye, and rum. He is most noted perhaps for purchasing the property now known a Raynham Hall in 1738. Samuel was a merchant and a member of the Provincial Congress. He favored the Loyalists during the American Revolution. Following the colonists' defeat in 1776 at the Battle of Long Island, the British army occupied Oyster Bay until the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783. For a six-month period from 1778 to 1779 the Townsend home served as British headquarters for the Queen's Rangers led by Lt. Col. John Graves Simcoe. After the Revolution he was a member of the New York State Senate.[11] Samuel Townsend is buried at the Townsend Cemetery on Fort Hill in Oyster Bay.[10]
• 5. Captain Solomon Townsend (1746-1811) was the son of Samuel Townsend and Sarah Stoddard.
• 5. Samuel Townsend (1749-1773) was the son of Samuel Townsend and Sarah Stoddard.
• 5. William Townsend (1752-1805) was the son of Samuel Townsend and Sarah Stoddard.
• 5. Robert Townsend, a.k.a. Culper, Jr. (1753-1838) was the son of Samuel Townsend and Sarah Stoddard. He and his brother William operated a merchant shipping firm in New York City and was recruited into the American spy network sometime in 1778. Using his status as merchant as his cover, he moved about the docks of Manhattan without arousing suspicion. He would transmit messages through the Culper Spy Ring to George Washington about British troop movements, and alerting the possibility of attack. Their greatest accomplishment was warning of a British attack on the French fleet landing at Newport, Rhode Island. Washington was able to bluff the enemy into believing he would attack New York City, forcing the British to withdraw their attack force and allowing the French to disembark. Robert died in 1838 and is buried with many other of his ancestors at the Townsend Cemetery at Fort Hill in Oyster Bay.[12]
• [10] 5. Audrey Townsend (1755-1829) was the daughter of Samuel Townsend and Sarah Stoddard.
• 5. David Townsend (1759-1785) was the son of Samuel Townsend and Sarah Stoddard.
• 5. Sarah (Sally) Townsend (1760-1842) was the daughter of Samuel Townsend and Sarah Stoddard. Sally is reputed to have overheard conversations between Lt. Col. John Graves Simcoe and Major John Andre and then passing the information on the patriot Culper Spy Ring via her brother Robert ("Culper Junior"). She is also reputed to have received the first Valentine in America from Lt. Col. John Graves Simcoe. Sarah Townsend died in 1842 and is buried in the Townsend Cemetery[10]
• 5. Phebe Townsend (1763-1841) was the daughter of Samuel Townsend and Sarah Stoddard. She married Ebeneezer Seely when she was in her forties and he in his twenties. Robert and Sally Townsend subsequently lived in Raynham Hall with Phebe and Ebeneezer until their deaths. Following Phebe's death, Seely married again and had several children by his second wife.
• John Townsend (Norwich) 4
• 6. Solomon Townsend II (1805-1880) was the son of Solomon Townsend and grandson of Samuel Townsend. He married Helene DeKay Townsend in 1849. He later purchased Raynham Hall from his uncle, Dr. Ebeneezer Seely. He remodeled and enlarged the old colonial dwelling in the fashionable Gothic Revival style. The addition of a large rear wing doubled the size of the house. He renamed it Raynham Hall after an ancestral home in Norfolk, England. Initially, Raynham Hall served as a summer residence for Solomon and his family. By 1861, the family made Raynham Hall their permanent residence. Solomon like his father and grandfather, was a prosperous merchant and importer. he served in the state Legislature and at two State Constitutional Conventions, in addition to being President of the Oyster Bay Board of Eduaiton. By 1860 he was one of the wealthiest and most respected men in
• Oyster Bay. Solomon Townsend died in 1880 and is buried in the Townsend Cemetery.[10] [12]
• 7. Solomon Samuel Townsend (1850-1910) was the son of Solomon Townsend II and Helene DeKay Townsend
• 7. Charles DeKay Townsend (1851-1922) was the son of Solomon Townsend II and Helene DeKay Townsend
• 7. Robert Townsend (1853-1915) was the son of Solomon Townsend II and Helene DeKay Townsend
• 7. Maurice Edward Townsend (1855-1927) was the son of Solomon Townsend II and Helene DeKay Townsend
• 7. Edward Nicol Townsend (1857-1917) was the son of Solomon Townsend II and Helene DeKay Townsend
• 7. Maria Fonda Townsend (1860-1908) was the daughter of Solomon Townsend II and Helene DeKay Townsend

George Townsend (1661-1697) Family Line

• 1. George Townsend (1661-1697) was the son of John Townsend and Elizabeth Montgomery.[13] On 17 Nov 1684, he married Mary Hawxhurst (1664-?).[14] George inherited his father's homestead on South Street in Oyster Bay, and they also owned property in Norwich. They had three sons: George (1687-1762), who married Rosannah Coles;[14] Richard (1690-1750), who married Susannah Weeks;[15] and Samuel Townsend (1692-1747), who married Sarah Cooper.[16]
• 2. In the next generation: 1) Rosannah (Coles) and George Townsend (1687) had two children: Rosannah (1712) and William (1715);[17] 2) Susannah (Weeks) and Richard Townsend (1690) had two children: George (1713), and John;[18] and, 3) Sarah (Cooper) and Samuel Townsend had six children: Samuel (1717), Daniel, Phebe, Sarah, Joseph (1728), and Mercy (1730).[19]
• 3) One line in following generations that of Samuel Townsend (b 1717) whose descendant Joseph Townsend married Hannah Youngs. Joseph died in 1812 and is buried at the Townsend Cemetery on Fort Hill in Oyster Bay.[10] Among Hannah and Joseph's children was Mary Ann Townsend (1803-1883), who married Daniel Underhill (1798-1886). The Underhills had at least one daughter, Rebecca Townsend, who married John Merritt Sammis (1820-1908). A plaque in Christ Church, Oyster Bay recognizes several children of Mary (Townsend) and Daniel Underhill, including Judith Townsend Underhill (1828-1912), Mary Amelia Underhill (1835-1903), Hannah Youngs Underhill (1843-1906), and one grandson, Samuel Underhill Fleet (1851-1926).

Captain Thomas Townsend (unknown-1712) Family Line

• 1. Captain Thomas Townsend (unknown-1712) was the son of John Townsend and Elizabeth Montgomery. He married Sarah Coles and had five children: Temperance, Sylvanus, Freelove, Sarah and John.
• 2. Temperance Townsend
• 2. Sylvanus Townsend
• 2. Freelove Townsend, born 29 Dec 1674, married Major Thomas Jones.
• 2. Sarah Townsend
• 2. John Townsend
• John Townsend (Norwich) 5

------------------------------------

John Townsend of Oyster Bay, NY died in 1668 but was probably not born until about 1610; your genealogy links him to the wrong family. John's wife was Elizabeth but her maiden name is unknown. The origins of both of them are unknown. The Townsend Society of America would very much like to confirm who his father was but so far no candidate has been found.

Henry Townsend 1558-1625 is from the Norfolk, England family with totally different YDNA. This is the Thomas Townsend of Lynn line and that is who the Thomas in the will was. Brother Robert seems to have died with no further trace and sister Elizabeth is likewise not traced.

There is no connection to the Oyster Bay Townsends.

Source: http://www.wikitree.com/g2g/14708/you-have-verification-john-townse...

GEDCOM Note

W.A. Townsend, publisher: A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend, and Their Descendants; New York: W.A. Townsend, 1865, pp. 84-92.

CHAPTER II.

JOHN TOWNSEND

Settled in Oyster Bay, between the middle of January and the 16th of September, 1661. As he was living in Jamaica at the first date, and his name being upon the Mill grant, he must have been admitted as a Townsman in Oyster Bay before the last. There is an entry upon the Records, that he bought his house in South street in February, 1661, but the deed, in the possession of J.C. Townsend, is dated October. It is as follows:

Oyster Bay, this 5th day of the 10th month, 1661. Be it known unto all by these presents, that I, Jonas Halstead, of Oyster Bay, on Long Island, in America, do hereby acknowledge that I have sold and delivered all my right, title, and interest of all the housing and land that is here named, as follows:—Richard Holbrook's house or houses, built by him or me, and house lot, and two shares of meadow on the north side of the Town, and a share of meadow at Matinecock, and one right of meadow at the south, and twenty shares of the Great Plains, that is on the east side of the footpath, near the wood edge, and also all the rights, appurtenances, and privileges that do fall to, or any way belong to the aforesaid house lot, within the Town bounds. I say, I have sold and delivered it all in quiet possession, for full satisfaction already received, unto John Townsend, of the said Town and place, and do also hereby engage to make good the sale of the aforesaid house and lands, against any person or persons that may any wise lay claim thereto; and I do hereby farther acknowledge that I have fully sold all the said houses and lands from me, my heirs and assigns, unto him, his heirs and assigns forever, to enjoy without molestation by me, or any from me, as witness my hand, this day and year first above written.

JONAS HALSTEAD

John Townsend must have been quite advanced in years when he settled in Oyster Bay ; having led a most active and laborious life since his emigration, he had made three different homes in the wilderness, if not four, before he found a final resting-place. His widow, in the petition to Governor Andros, above mentioned, says:

"Your Honors petitioner's husband, many years last past, was seized of a certain parcel of land, containing eight acres by estimation, lying and being at the Fresh Water (Collect), New York, then called New Amsterdam, where your Honor's petitioner's husband did build, and make large improvements, and peaceably enjoyed the same divers years ill the time of great calamity, being daily alarmed by the Indians, and other difficulties attending upon your Honor's petitioner's husband, and afterwards got no better reward than such discouragements as caused your Honors petitioner's husband to leave his good improvements. However, your Honor's petitioner is well contented at present, hoping her husband and others, by their adventures, and running through many fiery trials of affliction, has been in some measure instrumental to bring a chaos into goodly fields, buildings, and gardens; and instead of your Honor's petitioners husband reaping the fruits of their labors, but on the contrary, was forced to hew a small fortune out of the thick wood, with his own hands, for himself, wife, and children."

Her object in this petition was to reclaim the eight acres taken up by her husband; but as it had been thirty years since he left it, never having had any title but possession; it is not surprising that her petition was not granted. Perhaps she might have fared better if it had been written in the clear, condensed style of her son Thomas, instead of the clumsy, involved, tedious, and inelegant document elaborated by George Cooke. As we have seen, after leaving this home, he, with others, settled Flushing in 1645, and Jamaica in 1656. At his age, and after such toils and privations as he had undergone, it is not surprising that he should have retired from all public concerns, and have left the burden of organizing and managing the new settlement to younger men, especially as he had two sons of an age to take his place. The office of Overseer is the only one he is known to have held here. In 1663, he bought from Thomas Armitage the homestead next south of his own, and his name frequently appears on the Records as a purchaser of property. His wife was Elizabeth Montgomery. He died in 1668, and was buried on his own place, probably the first person laid in the graveyard on Fort Hill.

As he died intestate, his widow, according to a custom prevailing here, divided his estate, with the advice and consent of her older sons, and her husband's brothers. We give this document below. The solicitude which she shows for the comfort and welfare of "the lads," as she calls her two younger sons, is very touching.

"These presents declare unto whom it may any wise concern, that I, Elizabeth Townsend, widow of the late deceased John Townsend, in Oyster Bay, in the north riding, on Long Island, because my said husband deceased without any will, I herein, with the advice of my husband's two brothers, Henry and Richard Townsend, and with the advice and consent of my two eldest sons, John and Thomas Townsend, all of Oyster Bay, above said, have together parted my said husband's estate amongst his six younger children, for their portions, instead of a will, by which will, each of the children, namely, James, Rose, Anne, Sarah, George, and Daniel may know what shall be, and what to claim for their portion of their father's estate, and this to stand firm and unalterable by me, or any through, or by me, but to remain for a settlement of peace between me and my children, which is as followeth. Imp. 1st. Unto my son James, I give for his portion out of the estate, in present possession, in lands, beside cattle and horses he have in hand already, first, three acres of land and three-quarters, lying on the south side of that was old Armitage's lot, in Oyster Bay, lying or adjoining to the highway on the eastward and western sides, with commoning and common privileges to it, of wood, land, timber, as other such lots have ; and he is to have the land upon part of his common right, that his father did improve, oil the east side of Matinecock Creek, joining on the south of his uncle Henry's land, and two shares of meadow lying on the west side of the Creek, or Beaver Swamp, and one share of meadow on the east of the said Creek; and he is to have the land his father fenced and improved on the west side of the Mill River Swamp, with the share of the swamp joining to the east side of it; and he is to have six acres of Plains, and a quarter of a share of meadow at the south, and so much of the south side of the swamp at the rear of my house as proves to be mine, of which swamp Josias Latting hath a part. To my daughters I do engage to give to each of them thirty pounds apiece, for their portion, and to my eldest daughter Elizabeth, although not above mentioned, yet she is to have, with what she hath already received, thirty pounds, all at such pay as passes between man and man, after the rate of Indian corn at three shillings a bushel, and wheat at five. 2d. To the said Elizabeth, or her husband, Gideon Wright, towards her portion, I give, with what her father had before given her already, first, two cows, ten pounds; a young horse, five pounds ; a bed and furniture, ten pounds; two sheep, one pound; one kettle, one pound; in all twenty-seven pounds; and Gideon, her husband, is to have three pounds more; and that will be thirty pounds in all. 3d. To my daughter Rose I give half a share of meadow at the south, with two cows and two calves she hath already received, and commoning in Oyster Bay, with twenty-six acres of land, and three pounds in Richard Townsend's hands, and a yearling mare colt, it all being called by us at thirty pounds. 4th. To my two youngest daughters, Anne and Sarah, their portions are to be thirty pounds apiece, out of the stock or in lands, as they may desire, if their mother decease before their portions are paid; but if they be disposed of in marriage while I remain a widow, I have liberty to pay to each of them their portion in cattle or land, as I see they have most need and I able to do it, or part one, part of the other. 5th. It is my will, and I do fully agree that my two youngest sons, George and Daniel, shall have these two homesteads I now possess, with the privileges belonging to them, after my decease, but they are to be mine and for my use, to possess and enjoy for my use and comfort, during my life, and at my decease to be theirs as above said, with privileges as follows : to each party is nominated his particular interest. 6thly. To my son George I give for his portion as above said, being the eldest, the house and house lot that I now possess, and orchard which then shall be on it, and two shares of meadow that lie in the Town of Oyster Bay, which was bought with the lot, and six acres of Plains, with commoning and common privileges, in the First Purchase of the Town. 7th. To my youngest son, Daniel, above mentioned, after my decease above said, is to have the other lot, or that part of land lying between his brother James's lot and his brother George's lot. It was bought of old Armitage. I say, he is to have it, with the privileges belonging to it; namely, two shares of meadow lying on the north side of the town, which was bought with the lot of the said Thomas Armitage, and six acres of Plains, and twelve acres of land and common privileges. And I do by this will and appoint, that if I decease before these my two youngest sons be of age, that two of their eldest brother's take them and bring them up, and to have the use of the boys' land and what other goods and chattels fall to them. The goods and chattels are to be priced when they receive it, and delivered back to the said boys the same price or value again, when they go from their brothers, whether they be of age or not; for I do appoint my brother, Henry Townsend, their uncle, to have the oversight of them if he outlive me, and to remove one or both to the rest of their brothers or sisters, with the lands and estates to make use of toward the bringing up of the said lads; but when they go away to have their whole principal returned to or with them, but not to remove them without their complaint to him on good grounds, for the said removal, of hard usage. And I do by this will and appoint that, at my decease, unalterable by me, or any through or by me, all my estate undisposed of, as goods, household stuff, and cattle, are all to be equally divided amongst all my living children; and I further order and appoint that, if any one or more of my said sons or daughters die under age, undisposed of in marriage, the deceased's lands and estates are all to be divided equally amongst all my living sons and daughters; but it is still to be understood that whoever have the bringing up of the two young lads, and the use of their estate towards their maintenance, their lands and houses is with fences to be delivered up in good repair as when they received it, and the property of lands and houses, and orchard, is not to be altered to or from either of the said lads, although the property of other goods or chattels may be altered upon just and honest terms. And further, it is agreed that my eldest son, John, is to have such land at Hog Island, at my decease, or at south, if I leave any undisposed of, to my youngest daughters, Anne and Sarah, above said. But a lot on Hog Island, of the third division, number ten, my husband gave my son Thomas. Unto all the promises and engagements above mentioned, I do hereby engage to perform, under my hand and seal, the twenty-third year of the reign of Charles the Second, King of England, and the tenth day of the fifth month, 1671. Before signing was entered in the fifth and eighth lines, that I now as witness my hand and seal,

ELIZABETH TOWNSEND.

In the presence of us, MOSES FUKMAN,
BENJAMIN HUBBARD.

I do own my brother Richard did consent to the substance of which is above mentioned, and with my advice also, as witness my hand.

HENRY TOWNSEND.

And we consent to the above said.

JOHN TOWNSEND, JAMES TOWNSEND,

"THOMAS TOWNSEND, GIDEON WRIGHT

Richard Townsend must have died after this settlement was agreed upon, but before its execution.

The thirty pounds allotted to each of the daughters seems, to our ideas, a very small fortune, while the Fort Neck estate, given by Thomas Townsend to his daughter Freelove, we regard as a munificent portion; but we must remember that thirty pounds would have bought two such estates. John's daughters, however, received nearer one hundred pounds than thirty, for Bose sold her land for thirty pounds, the cattle and money allotted to her were worth at least twenty, and her dividend, at her mother's death, must have been very considerable; for the widow Townsend appears very often on the Records, buying land and receiving allotments, and was evidently a woman of great energy and ability. So that, no doubt, her daughters were among the greatest fortunes of their day, as it was not expected that any girls should share equally with their brothers.

Rose married John Wicks, or Weeks, of Warwick, Rhode Island, the brother of Richard Townsend's second wife. After his death she married Samuel Hayden. Nothing is known of her family. Of Anne and Sarah, nothing whatever is known.

References

• [1] As recounted in History of New York during the revolutionary war: and of the leading events (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=3X8FAAAAQAAJ& dq=New York During the Revolutionary War& pg=PR54#v=onepage& q=& f=false) by Thomas Jones, 1879, a direct descendant of Townsend's.
• [2] http:/ / www. pennock. ws/ surnames/ fam/ fam13355. html
• [3] Oyster Bay town records, Volume I (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=afETAAAAYAAJ& printsec=frontcover& dq=oyster+ bay+ town+ records& ei=Wf9tS8qoDaLeygSd5p2iDg& cd=1#v=onepage& q=& f=false) by John Cox, George William Cocks, 1916, p. 63.
• [4] Ancestral Heads of New England Families, Frank R. Holmes, (Originally published: New York, 1923, Reprinted: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1001 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, Md. 21202-1964, 1974, 1980, 1984, 1989, 1999, Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 64-19755, ISBN 0-8063-0182-1), Page 241
• [5] Townsend Surname DNA Project (http:/ / www. townsendsociety. org/ DNAProject/ TownsendDNAProject. htm) Townsendsociety.org, Townsend Surname DNA project
• [6] A memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend, and their descendants (1865) (http:/ / www. archive. org/ details/memorialofjohnhe00newy) Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend, and their Descendants
• [7] American Ancestry, by Thomas Patrick Hughes, Frank Munsell (1887)
• [8] Reynolds, Cuyler (1914). Genealogical and family history of southern New York and the Hudson River Valley (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=iNIUAAAAYAAJ& dq="john townsend" spencer& lr=& as_brr=1& pg=PA1108& ci=538,185,424,1076& source=bookclip">Genealogical). 3. New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing. pp. 1108. . Retrieved 11 June 2009.
• [9] The Flushing Remonstrance is considered a precursor to the United States Constitution's provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights.
• [10] Historic Cemeteries of Oyster Bay (http:/ / www. oysterbaytown. com/ vertical/ Sites/ {7D6BDBFB-65E8-4A80-B369-DE0267DC78CB}/uploads/ {4BFD60D3-EA6E-44B9-8D5E-A9EA39208165}. PDF), by John Hammond, February 2007
• [11] Silver, Roy (13 September 1958). "Museum Restored; Historic Mansion at Oyster Bay Gets Authentic 18th Century Facade" (http:/ / select. nytimes. com/ gst/ abstract. html?res=F70E17F73C551B7B93C1A81782D85F4D8585F9& scp=14& sq=solomon townsend& st=cse). New York Times. . Retrieved 23 December 2008.
• [12] "History" (http:/ / www. raynhamhallmuseum. org/ history. asp). Raynham Hall Museum website. Friends of Raynham Hall Inc.. 2009-05-05. .
• [13] “A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend, and their Descendants," (1865: W. A. Townsend, Publisher, New York, NY), p 156
• [14] “A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend," p 156
• [15] “A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend," p 169
• [16] “A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend," p 175
• [17] “A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend," p 156-168
• [18] “A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend," p 169-175
• [19] “A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend," pp 175-178
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25142988/john-townsend
• Townsend--Townshend, 1066-1909: the history, genealogy and alliances of the English and American house of Townsend. by Tagliapietra, Margaret (Townsend) [from old catalog] comp; Townsend, James C. [from old catalog]; *Townsend, Martin Ingham, 1810-1903. [from old catalog]; Townshend, Charles Hervey, 1833- [from old catalog]; Smith, Isaac Townsend, 1813-1906. Press of the Broadway Publ., New York, 1909 Pages 68-71
• Reynolds, Cuyler, editor, Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley, Vol. 3, New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company (1914), 1115, Google Books (Digital Library).
• W. A. Townsend, A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend, and Their Descendants (New York, 1865) Page 84-92 http://archive.org/stream/memorialofjohnhe00newy#page/84/mode/2up
• Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations
• https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=25142988
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Townsend-39
• https://www.townsendsociety.org/
• https://www.townsendsociety.org/cpage.php?pt=33 The Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard TOWNSEND, and their descendants, New York, 1865, W. A. Townsend, publisher, commonly known as the TM is a key publication for this family group. The Society is continually updating this work and drawing descendant lines down to the mid-19th century.
• The haplogroup is R-U152 [the old R1b1a2a1a1b3]. Information on this haplogroup can be found on Wikipedia. Some of the men tested claim or have proof of decendency from one or another of the three brothers, while others cannot document decendency from a specific brother. The ancestor name in bold indicates a documented ancestry back to the three brothers. In addition, the presence of mutations, that probably are shared as opposed to separately occurring, link some persons together.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Townsend_(Oyster_Bay) cites

1. http:// townsendsociety.org
2. Oyster Bay town records, Volume I by John Cox, George William Cocks, 1916, p. 63. < GoogleBooks >
3. The Townsend Society of America, townsendsociety.org.
4. Family Tree DNA, Townsend Project, YDNA database for Thomas Townsend of Lynn and the Oyster Bay Townsend brothers.
5. Marcia Wiswall Lindberg, “Thomas Townsend of Lynn and his descendants for five generations,” The Essex Genealogist, 1993:13:152-155.
6. TOWNSEND (2022). "Townsend DNA Project". Family Tree DNA. < link >
7. American Ancestry, by Thomas Patrick Hughes, Frank Munsell (1887)
8. Reynolds, Cuyler (1914). Genealogical and family history of southern New York and the Hudson River Valley. Vol. 3. New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing. p. 1108. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
9. The Flushing Remonstrance is considered a precursor to the United States Constitution's provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights.
10. Historic Cemeteries of Oyster Bay Archived 2012-03-01 at the Wayback Machine, by John Hammond, February 2007
11. Townsend, James C. (1865). A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend, and their descendants. New York: W. A. Townsend. pp. 87–91.
12. Townsend, James C; Charlotte Aurelia Winder Townsend; and Harry Macy. A memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend and their descendants. (s.n.], 1976). < FamilySearch >

• “Chart of early generations of the posterity of John Townsend l and wife Elizabeth (Montgomery) Townsend, a synthesis of authoritative sources. < FamilySearch > from Appendix ll, “History of the Townsend Brothers Revisited: What's Fact? What's Fiction," in "From Conscience to Liberty: Diverse Long Island Families in a Crucible that Gave Rise to Religious Freedom," Part B, xxv-xliv.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_Bay_(town),_New_York Following European colonization, the area became part of the colony of New Netherland. In 1639, the Dutch West India Company made its first purchase of land on Long Island from the local Native Americans. The English also had colonies on Long Island at this time. The Dutch did not dispute English claims to what is now Suffolk County, but when settlers from New England arrived in (present-day) Oyster Bay in 1640, they were soon arrested as part of a boundary dispute. In 1643, Englishmen purchased land in the present-day town of Hempstead from the Indians that included land purchased by the Dutch in 1639. Nevertheless, in 1644, the Dutch director granted a patent for Hempstead to the English. … In 1653, English settlers made their first purchase of land in Oyster Bay from the local Matinecock tribe, though there were already some rogue English settlements there. … The monarchy was restored in England in 1660, and in 1664 King Charles gave Long Island (and much else) to his brother James, leading to the Dutch relinquishing control of all of New Amsterdam. In 1667 the settlement at Oyster Bay received its charter from the new English colony of New York, becoming the Township of Oyster Bay. By 1687, the last piece of land was sold by the Indians, and few remained by 1709.[5]
• Torrey’s “New England Marriages Prior to 1700”, page 749. Towle-Townsend. (document attached)