Part Eight of Excerpts from Individual Narrative of Rev. William Leverich by Thomas V. Leverich, West Windsor, New Jersey; 5 October 2012. Onward to Huntington, Long Island, New York In 1658, Rev. William Leverich moved eastward from Oyster Bay to Huntington on Long Island. Robertson (Profiles of the Proprietors of Oyster Bay) observed: “The fact remains that Leverich did not tarry long at Oyster Bay but after several years moved on to become the first settled minister of the adjoining town of Huntington in 1658. There were probably several contributory factors. First, as a result of the Treaty of Hartford in 1650 the boundary line of English-Dutch jurisdiction ran from the southwest corner of the Town of Oyster Bay south to the Atlantic Ocean. The Dutch were establishing their own ethnic community nearby at Wolver Hollow and the Oyster Bay inhabitants were subject to jurisdictional pressure from both sides. As town minister at £15 per year he could expect no Dutch contributions and probably little English enthusiasm …” On 17 May 1658, William and others of Huntington petitioned the Court at New Haven asking that Huntington be accepted under the government of New Haven. On 29 November 1658, William was a witness to a land transaction involving his son Eleazer: “Know all men by these presents, that I Elyezer Leverich of Huntington do hereby sell … unto Nicholas Simpkings, of Oyster Bay, my house land and Meadow at Oyster Bay …” Rev. William Leverich operated the first grist mill at Huntington, built by Henry Whitney. William sold the mill to William Ludlam on 20 December 1659, at which time William was also litigating against Henry Whitney for breach of contract. William Ludlam sold the mill to Mark Meggs 13 June 1667: “… I William Ludlam of the towne of Huntington … do selle …all my Right in and unto my mill att Huntington Bought of Mr. will Leverich of huntington aforesaid … by any purchas grant or bill of sale from Mr. Willliam Leverich or the towne as Doth and maye appeare by the said Leveriches Bill of sale, dated the Twentie Daie of December anoe –1659 …” The Huntington Town Court Records reference the following: “January the 19: 59. Wm Levereg plaintiff against Henry Whitney, defendant, in action **** for breach of contract …” regarding Whitney’s building of a mill for Rev. William Leverich. W. W. Munsells 1882 History of Suffolk County summarizes the Whitney litigation: Henry Whitney above mentioned, though a man of ability and influence, had a violent temper and a very provoking tongue. Between Mr. Leverich and Mr. Whitney a feud arose which considerably disturbed the peace of the community and especially the church. These parties carried their grievances into the courts, and a number of spicy lawsuits were commenced in January 1659. Whitney began by suing Mr. Leverich in town court for debt, and a few days after followed it up with a suit for slander. Mr. Leverich then brought four suits against Mr. Whitney for slander, breach of contract, defamation and debt. An examination of the voluminous testimony on record shows that Mr. Leverich had complained somewhat bitterly of the people’s having failed to pay him according to contract, and he had threatened to preach no more in Huntington. As to the slander the court required both parties to make a public acknowledgement that they had done wrong, or submit to a fine of 5 pounds. On 18 April 1660, the Huntington Town Court records include three depositions in the Whitney litigation made by Rev. William Leverich, his wife Eleanor, and his son Caleb. This is apparently the only specific mention in American records of the given name of Williams wife. The Eleanor compares favorably with the Ellin Johnson of the Great Bowden marriage record, and it would be reasonable to assume that they are the same person. No record of death or burial has been found for Eleanor, but presumably it would have been after this date either at Huntington or at Newtown. ........TO BE CONTINUED........
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 13:01:53 +0000
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