Planning For Smithtown's Sesquarcentennial Has Begun

Town Historian Bradley Harris has kicked off the planning for Smithtown’s March 3, 2015, 350th Anniversary. Earlier this month Supervisor Vecchio started the process by sending a letter to Mr. Harris asking him to begin planning for a commemorative celebration.  Supervisor Vecchio encouraged Mr. Harris to form a committee and start the planning, “it is my belief that the committee would need at least one year to calculate costs, consider types of events, group participation, etc.”

Harris is already working on putting a committee together and is focusing on appropriate activities to celebrate Smithtown’s Sesquarcentennial (350th anniversary). A former teacher, Smithtown Councilman, and current Town Historian, Mr. Harris is certain the celebration should include more than a parade. “Smithtown has a rich history and its 350th anniversary provides a great opportunity to educate residents and celebrate the wonderful town in which we live.” 

There is a consensus that whatever celebratory event(s) take place, activities should include all of the hamlets this photo was found on Long Island History throughout Smithtown.

There was a 300th tricentennial celebration 50 years ago in 1965 which was very popular with residents.

Mr. Harris provided the following piece of history about Smithtown’s founder Richard Smythe.

“Richard Smythe first came to America aboard the ship known as the John of London that sailed from England for St. Christopher’s in the Caribbean West Indies on October 2, 1635. Why he chose to emigrate to America at this time is not known, but he was travelling with 33 other passengers, all single young men and women. The passenger manifest lists six women, ages 18-21, and 27 men ranging in age from 18-28, one Richard Smith, age 22, among them.  It almost appears to have been a “singles cruise.”  Ships sailing for the West Indies followed a course that took them along the New England coast and it would have stopped at Boston along the way.  Richard Smythe could have ended his voyage in Boston or perhaps gone on to St. Christopher’s and then come back to Boston at a later date.  Where he was living and what he was doing at this time in his life is not known. The first definitive mention we have of Richard Smythe appears in the town records of Southampton, L.I., dated October 26, 1643. The entry concerns a ruling of the Southampton General Court and directs a Thomas Hyldreth to settle a dispute he was having with “Mr. Smith” by paying him “three pounds and twelve shillings and foure pence” worth of English wheate to settle “all matters of Controversie” that had arisen between them.  

His possession of the “Nesaquauke” lands was confirmed on March 3, 1665, when the Royal Governor of the Colony of New York, Sir Richard Nicolls, granted him a patent. This Nicolls Patent recognized his ownership of the lands on the eastern bank of the river and acknowledged his disputed claim to the lands on the western bank.  The Patent required that Richard Smythe settle ten families upon the land within three years, unless he was able to resolve the dispute he was having with Huntington over possession of the lands on the western bank, then he was required to settle twenty families upon the land within five years.  To encourage Richard  Smythe to settle families upon the land, the Royal Governor declared that Richard Smythe’s lands shall have the “like and equal priviledges” as any other town in the Colony, and that his lands would be exempt from paying taxes during the three (or five) years while he established families on the land. (An early tax abatement plan.) 

In effect, the Patent created Smythe’s Town or Smithtown. But it took Richard Smythe another 12 years of contentious legal battling with the Town of Huntington before he prevailed  in colonial courts and was granted the lands on the west bank of the Nissequogue River.  Then a second patent granted in 1677 by the Royal Governor of the Colony of New York, Edmond Andros, reaffirmed Richard Smythe’s ownership of the Nesaquake lands on both sides of the river, and acknowledged that the lands owned by Richard Smythe were to be called Smithtown and were to be treated as a “township.” Read more 

Patrick R. Vecchio is unique in that he is the longest serving town supervisor in New York State  and has already served as Smithtown’s Town Supervisor for 10 percent of its history. 

If you have an idea as to how you would like to see Smithtown celebrate its Sesquarcentennial send them to pat@smithtownmatters.com.

Comments

[Cheryl Smith Williams]

The Smithtown HS Class of 65 is celebrating their 50th Reunion in October 2015. As we were the 50th class to graduate Smithtown HS in 1965, I would hope that we might be able to participate in some small way. We are open to any suggestions and I would like to suggest that Lynne Nowick serve as our spokesperson as she is a member of our class and is serving on the planning committee. Perhaps the Town might sponsor a group photo to be taken around "Whisper".