A Portrait of

I L L I A M F L Y D W O ,

L ong I sla nder

M A "W E B Y W ILL I A M ". LL

A P . . . . S. L I

A ~ P0 rtrait of \ I L L I A M F L Y D W O ,

L ong Islander

B Y A M M A "W E W ILL I ". LL

1 956

Soci ety for th e Preservati on of Long Isl and Antiquities Privately Printe d by Th e Soci ety for th e Preservati on of L ong Isl and A ntiquities e a e L on Isl an New Yor S t uk t, g d, k through th e generosity of

H o ar . h er oo M r. w d C S w d M a 1 6 y, 95

Copi es each P REFA CE

TH E P ORTRAIT of General William Floyd was painted by Ralph Earle ( 1 75 1 Today the visitor can see it at the Floyd house at r om Mastic . Floyd had nothing of the da ing thinker in his mental c

. s m s s m position Set him beside Jeffer on and Ada , and they ee to dwarf l him . The sti ted language of some of his eulogists make Floyd ap pear stiff and chil ling; but his letters and receipts unlock the man w as with human needs . Floyd not devoid of intellectual interest . w as As a naive realist he eminently practical, and clearly took the s i world as he found it . Nothing has yet turned up which hows h m s i s intentionally shirking his respon ib litie . A P ortrait o W ill iam Fl o d L on Isl ander In writing f y , g , for the r s s Society for the P e ervation of Long Island Antiquitie , I have been s largely dependent on four per ons . Mrs . John Treadwell Nichols e m s s placed the receipts and lett rs of Willia Floyd at my di po al . The

m . m s letters were few, but the receipts were nu erous For any year s they had lain undisturbed in the attic at Ma tic . The descendants of

m w as M rs. s Willia Floyd knew about them, but it Nichol who spent a year on these manuscripts , deciphering and putting them together in A s Tol d b the Atti c L etters to Cornel ia Fl o d delightful account, y y Ni hol s M r s. c . Nichols also sent me photostats of the papers in the

. t s m s possession of Mr Andrew Fiske , and ype cripts of ite at the E s asthampton Free Library and elsewhere . U eful and invaluable was The Com pleted Sets of Signers of the Declaration of Independ r s E s ence , an a ticle by Jo eph . Field , M .D . , published in the Auto ra h Coll e ctors ournal 1 1 s g p [ for January 95 . Dr . Fields al o put me in touch with many owners of Signers. Special thanks are due Miss Dorothy Eaton of the Library of Congress for calling al sever items to my attention, and to Mr . Wayne Andrews of the - New York Historical Society for bringing me books and information . s m r I have u ed footnotes whenever quoting from certain anusc ipts . For the sake of clarity and simplicity I have not cited the many re ei t s ff r c p s in the footnotes . Becau e William Floyd o e s difficulties in s s 1 l compo ing a character ketch, , have kept his pecu iarities of spell m ing and punctuation in the quotations fro his letters . I received photostats and typescripts from the following insti tu : E f C tions asthampton Free Library, Su folk ounty Historical Society, r Pierpont Mo gan Library, Long Island Historical Society, New York r r r State Lib a y, New York Historical Society, New Yo k Public C Library, New Jersey Historical Society, onnecticut State Library, s t C Massachu etts Historical Society, Maine Historical Socie y, hicago s E r Hi torical Society, Henry . Huntington Library of San Ma ino , C C ss r s alifornia, Library of ongre , National A chive , Detroit Public r C m C r r Col Lib ary, Marietta ollege, Ohio , A herst ollege, Have fo d r s t lege Library, Harvard University Libra y, Yale Univer i y Library, s am r University of Penn ylvania, Munson, Willi s P octor Institute of ’

Y . . r s . Utica, N . , St Mary of the Lake Semina y of Illinoi , St John s m C m l C Se inary of a ari lo, alifornia, and the Joseph Schlitz Brewing

C m s s . o pany of Milwaukee , Wi con in

s r s s r m . I have al o eceived letter , type cripts , and photostats f o Dr

E s C . r C Joseph . Field of Joliet, Illinois , Robert No ton of leveland, E C t . . Ohio, Dr . J . M . Dearborn of New York i y, Mr Walter N ast

E . . M r . . burn of ast Orange , N J , Justin G Turner of Hollywood,

C r . . Y . . C s alifo nia, Mr Andrew Fiske of Shelter Island, N , Mr he ter r G . Osborne, curator at the Manor of St. Geo ge, Long Island, and “ ” C l l m s r m s Mrs . Rose Belk, librarian at olonia Wil ia bu g, Willia burg,

Virginia .

W I L L IAM "U ENTI N M A"W EL L

New York City 6 1 6 June , 95 PORTRA IT OF W IL L IAM FL OYD , L ONG ISL ANDER

RES ED IN A U IT OF OL E M N B ROW N l s his D S S S , Wi liam Floyd stand in

r s r . s portrait, cane in hand, beneath a la ge hade t ee Pos ibly the paint 1 is hi has s ing too conventional to catch s qualities . It no sugge tion ” of the young bachelor who carried 1 Sunf box Gold bird 8: Sprig s ars r m in his waistcoat . Surely the likene s be little ese blance to the r m s 1 60 for I n r s jocund brideg oo of Augu t, 7 ; clad a tailo ed uit with C 1 2 r Butt ens m m r s oat and B est , he ca e to a ry Mis Hannah s 1 r Jones . Wearing le s in 773, Floyd p esumably stood in brown “ ’ i rs r s on L a el l d linen drawers and s lk garte , prepa ing to lip a pp J ” “ ” il s r Coat Breeches . (The ta or u ed Supe fine Blue Cloth which e ss m m he s t off with gilt buttons. ) Po ibly Floyd oved radiantly a ong s 1 r C s m the delegate of 775 , when he ente ed the Continental ongre s “ ” “ a suit of Superfine Ingrain Cloth studded with Gold Star spangle s Button . The person in the portrait suggests an eighteenth century British l m a r r m m rs s gent e n, whose ea ly t aining had ade anne and courte y his m a r m second nature . With honor the insp ing of action, the gentle an m r m sul s was quick to defend his good na e f o in t. He hunned any s but r for m be suggestion of the individuali tic , st ove unifor ity of

, r s m m l havi or and the appea ance of ease . To tudy eant to be fa i iar with the classics but not to violate good taste by a display of great learning; for he was an am ateur who took delight in hi s ac c om pl ishm ents. w as , Frank and independent Floyd “. noted for decorous deport h r m 1t s r 1ntim ac s him ent which, though di cou aged y, never co t popular

r r r s m . favo . Floyd, however, fell sho t of the B iti h gentle anly ideal son r s The of a wealthy f eeholder, he should have had a ounder m r s si s . classical education . His conce n lay too uch with bu ne s The rem ains of his library show an interest in religious literature m ore common am ong the Am ericans than the English of this period . ’ The Serm ons of Isaac Watts found a place on Floyd s bookshelf be r r s of Am eri can side the Catechism . Floyd pu chased th ee volume the Preacher to offset this collecti on of serm ons he later bought ’ Gay s F abl es as well as the Natural H istory of Beasts and a book on treaties In his student days Floyd probably studied from The Young ’ M athem ati cian s Guide 1 1 . fl l eaf in , London, 73 On the y facing the “ e r : his sid cove is the following inscription Nathaniel Major, book, ’ . l 1 bought at Mr Frank in s in Philadelphia, August the i 9th, 737. ” r 1 2 r l P ice Shillings ste ling . A so on the same sheet another inscription Sum e L ibri s Gui e l m e Fl oyd Wil li am Fl oyds Book 1 75 0

Probably the young Floyd loved to write his nam e; for on the verso fl l eaf 1 8 of the y he wrote it twice, the one dated 74 and the other 2 1 0 s 75 . He also in cribed his name on page one of the text . s The The shelf at Mastic also held books on etiquette, uch as ’ Young G entl em an and L ady s M oni tor Floyd like other Americans of his station apparently prized the tradition of the gentle s Characteristi cs man . Few today have rea on to read by Anthony, Earl of Shaftesbury; but its influence on thought and manners in the eighteenth century was general . Floyd not only bought the book ’ but probably sought to mold himself accordin g to Shaft esbury s Th i i ns o the Si t . 1 8 e Const tut o x een precepts Published in Boston, 7 7, f 3 St tes s a found a place on his book helf . s He followed current events in the New York new papers, sub e Ne Gazett M ercur ws. scribing to the , the y , and the He very likely followed the trends of provin cial politics from copies of the Votes “ ” and a Set of Laws . After the Revolutionary War Floyd read the

Dail A dvertiser ournal ournal o Con ress. y , the j , and the ] f g Many

were the uses of newspapers . From Philadelphia Floyd wrote to William Dering :

In l ose ou a e om e of the Ne s a ers and al o e D o c d y h v S w p p , th th y not Contain anyt hi ng very Im portant yet th e y m ay assi st t o Shorten ’ a Wi nter s Evening When you have re ad them youl give M r. H n in on and D oc tr i enson the re a i of em re es in a u t gt D ck d ng th , qu t g th t e m a be re rne t o ou o l i s e m al l re ser e for the th y y tu d y , I c u d w h th p v d 4 sake of som e poli tical and othe r pi e ce s whi ch they contain . Americans like Floyd modified the British portrait of the gentle ’

r m s . man . Floyd s remaining letters are free f o classical embelli hments m He erred against gram ar and rhetoric , and frequently his writing became labored and obscure; but as a rule his style was direct and

without sententiousness and moralizing . Since the running of his es ’ w as t tate Floyd s , livelihood, he would scarcely disparage rade and rs com merce as much as his contemporary ove eas . Floyd could only m succeed through shrewdness and the astering of practical details . His values and attitudes very likely di ffered from those of his equals am ong the Engl ish; yet these differences did not keep F loyd and his m countrym en from prizing the British gentle an as a model . As the father of Nicoll ( 1 76 2 Mary ( 1 764 and Catherine B en am in Tal m ad e dau ht er W il l i m l o d M ar l o d M rs. o a y F y ( j g ) , g f F y , de tail from the p ortrai t by Ralph E arl in th e L it chfie ld H istori cal

Soci e t L i tc h el d onn . y , fi , C

( 1 767- 1 83 Wil liam Floyd probably saw to it that his children con

formed to the genteel tradition . C Like the other men of Suffolk ounty, New York, Floyd had r strong ties with New England . Both looked on the Cong egational r as s l m Chu ch the pure t model for setting up a moral civi govern ent . In 1 76 1 William Floyd gave his cousin Richard £ 1 0 toward repai ring the Caroline Church in Brookh aven ; h e also subscribed £ 2 5 toward 5 buying a parsonage and lands for the church . A citizen of Brook

ff i s. haven, Floyd took part in town a a r He was first elected town trustee in 1 769; he w as reelected to that office in 1 770 and In £ 1 0 d. r 1 75 8 William Floyd paid a tax of 2 5s. By cou t decision the s 1 8 Manor of St . George paid the taxe after 75 The Floyds con m sequently paid their share to the S iths , owners of the Manor . Not ’ 1 m s until 795 did Willia Floyd s name appear again on the town li t . At that tim e his real estate was assessed at and his personal estate at in 1 799 the assessed valuation of his house and land cam e to while his personal property was valued at ’ Floyd s tax for this year was r In the colonial militia young Floyd ose to a colonelcy, and after m s m s s the war he beca e a major general in the tate ilitia . His a h

m C r . proclai ed his rank . ertainly he ca ried a sword An undated £ 6 i s. receipt shows that Floyd was charged 4 to have one fashioned . 2 1 s Ra al e On June , 759 he bought a pair of pistol from Garret p j , an s s r importer of dry goods , whose tore tood opposite the Fly Ma ket m £ in New York . Another undated state ent gives 6 i 6s . for the price “ ” m of t wo guns which were probably uskets . Since the surrounding

t m m u . coun ry was alive with ga e , Floyd devoted much ti e to h nting m Floyd the colonist suggested the gentle an as hunter, when he “ r E o t wo o dered Dutch powder, nglish p wder, goose shot, and dozen ” flints m of [the] best Gun but in October and Nove ber,

1 8 m . 7 3, he ight have been a lord who prepared to defend his estate s r The Briti h were getting ready to leave New York, but there lu ked the possibility of marauders from across the Sound . Perhaps for this “ ” “ reason Floyd sent to Sm ithtown for Bagg Shott and a Cask of ” Powder .

( 2 ) To the left of the figure in the portrait one catches a glim pse of

s n . his hou e , outbuildi gs , and fields The date of the house is uncertain,

but it was probably built in 1 72 4 . The east part gives every indica ti on of having been built first; the middle section which included

the stairway and east side of the wide hall were added later . Possibly the . M r west end of the house was added after the Revolution .

Osborn Shaw, the present historian of the town of Brookhaven, has written The detail s of the window casings and the m oul dings are quite diff er e nt in the mi ddl e and west se cti ons of the house and show that these

two se i ons e re not il at the sam e im e . In the arre the es ct w bu t t g t, w t end of the ol d m iddl e se cti on has som e of the original shingl e s l eft on the top of what w as the we st gabl e end of the house before th e we st 8 se cti on w as adde d .

The front door had large iron strap hinges . A Dutch door, it had two v fire hal es; the iron knocker was nailed to the bottom half. The old place is still intact . Here the kettles were hung from pot chains, hooks of adjustable length, and the swinging crane which allowed the cook to swing the pot away from the fire during the cooking process . A Dutch oven at the side of the fireplace has a warming area under it. Opening into the next room is a large iron cauldron, e where the servants used to boil the clothes . Ther are two hinged ff doors in front of the cauldron, o ering two sides from which the ul w servants co d work ith poles and keep the wet clothes moving . 1 0 The receipts of May and June , 79 , show that Floyd made

s . r C exten ive alterations in the house Moses, Roge s and ompany sent n out the iron door knocker, besides six knob locks, six k ob latches, d m i eight bolts, and twelve hinges, Floy also ordered lu ber, sh ngles, glass, lead, sash line, sash weights , sheets of iron, paint, oil, and white, “ r and red lead . From George Lindsay in New Yo k came One “

8 £ 1 0 5 . z hearth Stone ft 4 In for the price of iod . and £ Setts of Chimney pieces 35 / each for 3 zs. On July 1 0 Floyd received the following bill :

H a ens or ar in paid Capt. g f C ry g 3 L oad of Stone and other thin g [s] £5-0 and for hai r to m ake M orter 1 -0 6-0 paid for boards 7-1 0 pai d H agens and Bell -8 l ’ West of the house stood the we l and the blacksmith s shop .

In the rear barns for cows, calves, horses, and sheep as well as a granary, two corn cribs , a woodshed, houses for hens and geese, a smoke house, sheds for sheltering carts, and a carriage and harness s house roughly encircled a central green . There was doubtles a shop for the shoemaker, who came once a year and stayed until he had

fitted everyone with a pair of shoes . The hog pen was a short dis tance in the orchard; it had been made by digging out an area suffi ci ently deep to keep the swine from climbing out . The Negro servants lived in cabins scattered round but within a mile of the “ ” - m main house . At the brick kil lot all the bricks were ade . Ditches il m served as boundaries and enclosures for cattle . If W lia Floyd had his own boat, he doubtless kept it close to the landing . John Hosmer £ d “ 2 6 . 6 . charged Floyd i s for Your Boat Sails Moses, “

8 . i od Rogers and Company sold him oars for i 5s . but few r m r of the Floyd receipts efer to nautical atte s. An im portant landholder like Floyd needed many helpers as well

sm . as farm tools . Of special importance was the black ith He doubt i less fash oned the iron strap hinges for the front door . Perhaps he introduced the trammels and swinging crane to the fireplace . The m i blacks ith also reinforced the wooden plow with ron, fashioned m the blade of the hoe, and shod the horses . Fro bars of finished iron ’ m m s s Floyd s blacks ith made tools , imple ents , lock , and other kind of m s m r m m iron com oditie . Receipts for iron beca e mo e co on after

1 783 than before the Revolutionary War . m m r Orders for farming i ple ents were rare . Pe ry, Hayes and “ W hirbrooke of New York asked £3 for 1 Corn Mile Lyde “ £ 1 m m and Rogers charged 3 for mill Saw Ja es Maco b , the “ s set t wo inventor, gave Floyd permis ion to up patent horizontal use i l s 1 m wheels for the of Gristm l ( 794 ) They see ed to work well, for Floyd left a full description of his m ill In an undated statement James Bowne charged Sixpence for syths; according to “ £ hs 1 3 . sit . s another receipt, Floyd paid 7 for He bought Spani h

n s . m s brown, a reddish brow color, for hou e paint Willia Po t charged

. d t r r 1 r . 4s 7 . for fif y pounds Th ough Richa d Woodhull, J , ” Floyd bought of Spanish brown at 5d/ a pound for

‘

2 d s c ost i sf d. 48 . . Two bru hes 9 Very likely it was “ £ 1 0 5 1 d 2 8 to prevent iron rust that Floyd paid . , for pound [s ] of White Led at 9d a pound Woodhull charged £ 1 6 for 5/ thousand Shingles at a thousand 1 8 Perhaps Floyd bought little livestock before 7 3. For 1 55 . “ m 6 m 2 £ d 8 6 . John Hos er sold lbs s all Swine and for 75 . 67 lb [5 ] large D [itt]0 Floyd paid Thomas Pain £ 2 0 for

a mare A pair of oxen purchased from John Hawkins , Jr . came to £ 2 8 Alexander Smith paid Floyd $ 2 0 0 for a horse ( 1 796 ) Although Floyd bought a set of knives and forks for seven

shillings he seemed never to lack for crockery . The receipts as s show that Floyd purchased such objects a pair of candle ticks, “ ” 2 snuffers, two fans, led pencils, and a stick of sealing wax. A s s ff s r prize pos ession mu t have been the round snu box, a pre ent f om r Lafayette; on its lid was depicted a view of the Siege of Yo ktown . £ “ ” 1 6 1 8 2 0 1 3 . 6d. C On June , 7 4 , Floyd paid 4 for a pr Silver ans E a r s m sm s to li s Pellet eau, one of the out tanding A erican silver ith of “ ” r 2 the eighteenth centu y . An order for pad Locks in 1 76 2 and “ ” 2 Secret pad Locks the next year suggests that Floyd had reason r m r to p otect hi self against thieving natu es . s al s i c e m The Floyd used p , ginger, nut eg, orange peel, and s pepper for flavoring . The quantity of ugar used at Mastic was par rr r ti cul arl y Striking . It arrived in ba el and box o in the form of a m r r m loaf; it ca e brown, white , st ained, powde ed, or in lu p .

a s w as er s . m l n ff Mol s es anoth weetener The fa i y dra k chocolate, co ee, e and t a. Rum was a cheap drink for the help ; the Floyds and their r s m r and s f iend enjoyed alaga, Sherry, sh ub , e pecially Madeira wine . s ff Wheat was generally available for bread tu s on Long Island, but in six rr r 1 784 William Floyd ordered a total of ba els of flou . Since this e s r r r farm produced butt r and chee e, the eceipts f equently efer to m fi rkens r r Revol u ilk pans, , jugs , and ba rels ; but not until afte the m r rs for a s tion do the receipts mention the . O de pple , cider, and r r e raisins were not com mon . A note f om Selah St ong r ads :

Y ou h ad better soon exam ine t he barrel of Spi tzenburgh appl e s as they have be e n bought som e tim e I am affrai d the y m ay be som ething de — fe c ti ve I h ad t o pay m ore for t he A ppl e s than I contracte d for before they we re de li vere d the y had ri sen in pri ce and the m an I bought the m from re fuse d t o de liver them unl e ss I woul d give m ore for them than at first agre e d on th e Cyder i s not so swe et as I coul d wi sh but w as t he best I coul d ge t

Up to 1 783 Wil liam Floyd kept about six of his statements from u vario s tailors. John King and John L aboyt eaux in New York s l his m erved him before the war . Whi e Floyd and fa ily lived at C i s saw Middletown, onnect cut, Henry Rockwell and Asahel John on w a s that he s suitably dressed . In Philadelphia thi task went to John

C e. s s s M . alla and John Still Perhap Floyd could di tingui h a piece of m s m s s cala anco, a glo sy woolen Stuff, because the Fle i h weaver had s suppo edly woven checks on the surface of one Side . Durant, a “ ” tuff s a r a woolen S , was al o known as everl sting, and f equently p “ ” in r m m s r s s . pea s the eceipt as la ting Ta y, a fine wor ted, had a

s . a r na glazed fini h Baize, a coarse woolen m te ial with a long p, was s i used for lining , coverings and curtains , as well as for Sh rts and m m m petticoats . Buckra , a coarse gu ed linen, and Shalloon, a closely

M rs. s s m s. woven fabric, ade good lining Floyd doubtle s a ked for t s r m dimi y whenever she wi hed to redecorate a bed oo , although a oxen; they hauled the grain to the great-armed windmills at the eastern end of Long Island, and generally took home the grist to i make provisions for w nter months . a The ordin ry farm produced food, fuel, and clothing . The farmer shipped any surplus from the nearest landing to market; the ocean was the highway for Long Island to New England and New

. m York In this way the farmer gained a small inco e, and enjoyed a better lot than the man struggling in the back country or on the ’

. was frontier William Floyd s wealth, however, greater than the ’ average farmer s . His father had built up a large estate which under ’ m m s r Willia s manage ent continued to pro per . But his fortune neve m co pared with those who lived in a princely style on the Hudson .

The receipts gradually reveal the Floyd estate as a productive unit . 2 The first indication seems to. come with the statement of March 4 , 1 t 754 , when Nicoll Floyd paid Benjamin Hawkhurst fif y bushels of x eed wheat . William Wallace took forty bushels of fla s on board his “ M r dr vessel; the cargo was bound for . An ew Baron, the Desig [n]s of the sees only Excepted In 1 795 Selah Strong wrote to “ — William Floyd : I have not sold your flaxsee d nor have I recd . the l money from Mr . Peacock for your cattle tho cal ed for it a great

s. number of time By exchanging cheese , butter, lard, ham, and possibly leather Floyd was able to pay creditors like Selah Strong m and Ja es Woodhull . During the colonial period Will iam Ganad signed six receipts for k " ma ing shoes . After the war Floyd paid ebulon Jessup , Daniel m s Hammond, Josiah Raynor, Samuel Ho an, and Obadiah Hud on at m s m various ti es for Shoemaking . Jes up, Hudson, and Ho an wrote r m m our fai ly detailed state ents , including such ite s as tanning and

curing of leather . The price of Shoes for the children figured con ic u usl - £ S 3 . p o y. Thirty four pairs of shoes cost 4 5 Floyd paid £ “ d. 1 1 Josiah Raynor 5 i 7s . 6 for making 47 ( 79 A pair for Nicoll ll 1 2 3 . m came to shoes for Nathaniel S ith, ward of Wi iam ’ m 3 . 6 d. Floyd, cost 7 Resoling Nathaniel s Shoes ca e to

2 3 2 d. 1 80 0 m m s. m . By Daniel Ha ond charged 3 a pair, aking two

rs . pairs for Mary and Nancy and one pair for M . Floyd H is To Sam uel Carman fell the task of cleaning and dyeing . l s bills for tentering, ful ing, scouring, and pre sing cloth begin about “ ” 1 8 . C s s s 7 9 He dressed er ey blanket , black Skirt , and dyed various “ ” m s C materials London Brown and black . In the sa e tatement arman

would often include an item for sawing wood . In managing his estate William Floyd em ployed free skilled labor; m but like m any other New Yorkers he depended on slaves. So e of them he probably bought at the slave market at the foot of Wall l £ 8 “ Street. Floyd paid Wil iam Smith 3 which is in full for one half of anegroe boy named Phill ip formerly belonging to Jonathan ’

D eceas d £ 1 5 . 8d. Smith, A Negro girl cost 33 4 In 1 795 Floyd apparently owned eleven Negroes; the single names ll of Gin, Hagan, Jack, Harry, Rachel, and Abby on a shoe bi suggest “ ” Six those of servants . Perhaps the pairs of Shammy Gloves for 1 i 6s . were meant for slaves ( 7 possibly the large orders from Hayman Levy and Jonathan Lawrence in New York were also for “ ” “ ”

. 6 1 2 s them The 3 pr Trowers, Drab Jackets , and a dozen felt hat were probably work clothes According to an undated “ 85 . briches receipt, Walter Frazer charged for making apr of for ” : . 1 8 Negro Occasionally a servant caused trouble . A receipt of 7 6 £ 1 6 records the theft of from Jonathan Havens . E ll ither Wi iam Floyd and his family were unusually healthy, or al they let nature take its course in case of sickness . Medic care is a not prominent item among the Floyd papers . The following “ ” Recipe for a Cold ofl ers the only description of a homemade remedy: 1 lb of All ec om pain cut in Sli ses 1 l b of brown Shuger Candy 1 l b of honey 1 "uart of white wine vine gar pound the Sho ger Candy put it in a new Stone pot put A Cover of Ry doe bake it in a oven for 2 hours that i s bet for bread take A tabl e Spoon full night Morning

’ Receipts from the apothecary date from the time of Nicoll ’

C 1 . 6d. a oti Floyd s last illness . John arpenter charged 4s for pp ” “ ”

Stuff d G c 6s. Rhabard 6s. caries , inclu ing Sperma o ti , , and “ ”

2 5 . 6 d. 2 2 1 6 . Gentian On March , 75 Floyd paid Dr George “ M uirson for Nine pounds fiveteen Shills 8: 8d In full for M edecins Adm inistered to his father 8: family before his Decease Also ten ” Shillings for M e decins Administered to his Sister Mary Since . 1 80 Receipts for the early nineteenth century are few and brief. In 3

85 . . . Dr . Daniel Robert charged William Floyd for medicines Dr “ £ 8: Richard Treat asked 5 i 6s . for Sundry Medicines attendance ” from the z i st O ctobr to the 2 0 th of Novrz but he neglected to set down the year. a Perhaps because sl ves were an expensive investment, Floyd “ o r floid watched ver thei welfare . An undated statement reads : Mr the sickness your negron the fellow w as sick six weeks my bill “ ” - r m s is 1 8 D . Tho a Tarbell visited your Negrom an “ ” m M e di can £ s 1 2 65 . 6d. eleven ti es, giving him Sundry for “ A Germ an physician charged Sixteen Shills for Doctoring a M ol att o £ Ph e ae E m 1 S. Girl named p Medicine for lijah ca e to 4 ,

1 6 . ni W hile those for Dick totaled s Floyd paid D r . Da el “ £ ul 1 1 — at r m Roberts 4 85 . to inoc ate blacks but the p ice ca e £ 1 1 1 2 5 . to 65 . each or a total of for the two Miss Floyds

The proper care of slaves called for adequate housing and feeding . u s t These were do btles cheap enough at Mastic, but in the ci y Floyd £ r s r paid 1 4 1 4 5 . to boa d his servant Six week In B ooklyn “ “ ” for 1 d 6 . Supper 8: loging his Nagro added up to 5 . In his portrait Will iam Floyd stands as the leader of a large ’ f r hi e s 8 1 m . r m s fa ily . Th ee onths be o e fath r death on March , 75 5 , Wil liam had come of age taking over fam ily responsibilities and the i s r . di ection of the estate He paid the b ll , and wrote out the state all e s s s m ents for hi s cre ditors to sign . To app arance he crupulou ly r C r s r guarded the interests of his b other ha le and siste s Ruth, Tabitha,

C r Ca m . ha ity, Mary, therine and Anna, until they ca e of age Nicoll “ Floyd left each of daughters a negro Girl a Bed— and reasonable Furniture for the sam e; each daughter could claim £6 50 either on - rr her twenty fi rst birt hday or as soon as She was ma ied . A S The sisters of Wil liam Floyd did not lack for suitors . each m rr s s s one a ied, her hu band took over the duty of igning the receipt m for E Nathaniel Woodhull for Ruth, Daniel S ith Tabitha, zra ’ L H om m e di eu C r t E m m . ar m for ha i y, d und S ith, Jr for M y, Tho as

m s C m . Tho a for atherine, and Hugh S ith for Anna Two of his — brothers-in law probably exercised a profound influence over am him Willi Floyd . Nathaniel Woodhull undoubtedly put in touch w as sa E r with the m ore liberal elements in the colony . It id of z a ’ ’ L H om m e di eu that he consistently furthered Floyd s politic al inter ’ r i m m e di eu r h s . L H o ests in prefe ence to own , moreove , was devoted m for to the Floyd fa ily, he apparently did all he could to advance e c nonu its o c interests . m m his but Willia Floyd left no State ent of total wealth , he kept m i m a record of any of h s financial transactions. Most i portant of these was the debt of owed the heirs of Nicoll Floyd by ll C i E Jonathan Trumbu , governor of onnect cut, John Alden, liphalet

C s r m . s m Dyer, and aptain Jo eph T u bull The Floyd ade the loan on 2 1 1 6 e s m May 4 , 759, but not until 7 5 did the d btor pay so ething on ’ r m l s s ss s ff re the interest . The next year Jonathan T u bul bu ine u e d sa m r 1 0 a rever l fro which it never recove ed . In 77 th e Floyds r threatened to take legal acti on . The T umbulls pledged certain ’ "E L H om m e di eu repayments, but all in vain zra told Jonathan Trum “ ” ’ bull that the Floyds were very uneasy; they blamed L H om m e dieu C for having urged them to believe in the fair words from onnecticut . m 1 0 m u s s £ 0 5 d. By Nove ber, 77 , the Tru b ll ent 359 . 5 to Mastic . r E Con The Floyds , howeve , had had to hire Jedediah lderkin of m m m nec ti cut for their lawyer . His co issions see ed just; but the m ore E s there was for lderkin the less there was for the Floyd . Then, too , s m r whoever brought the money to Ma tic ust be p ovided for. The messenger claim ed £ 1 0 out of the £359 after crossing the Sound in 0 r k m s c ol l e c 1 77 . Ve y li ely Willia Floyd sought out ea ier ways of

t . s his s 6 . in A ril 1 0 ion Pas age for him and hor e came to i s p , 77 , - s £ 2 1 I while expenses for three and one half day added up to S. He presumably learned that he saved nothing by hiring a horse in New £ 1 6 1 1 5 . u England . In 774 Floyd spent going to Lebanon abo t the “ 1 money; later in the year he paid an additional 65 . to bring over 1 0 0

r r m C u r Wheneve the interest f o onnectic t eached Mastic , William — s. C s s Floyd divided it in nine part To harle Floyd went two ninth , ’ r a hi ow n because he received hi s mother s sha e as well s s . Catherine s e and Anna , the younge t children of Nicoll Floyd, r ceived their m Share of the bonds and obligations on coming of age . The fa ily

ff r s r . s s had su e ed losses , but the e were not g ave Recall that each i ter £ ’ 6 0 a r . v m r 1 1 1 6 had received 5 on their f the s death On No e be , 7 7, £ 1 0 d. Catherine withdrew 930 95 . not counting what was due her r r h er r on the bonds . Two yea s late Anna acknowledged ight to her £ 1 0 s d full legacy of 3 9 4 . 7 .

Neighbors often called on the Floyds for help . Thomas Conklin s sum ec s paid back an un pecified , b au e they had helped him meet his s a l m r s r re debts . Occa ion lly Wi lia Floyd called on the cou t to fo ce “ ” H is m r on rd 1 1 : payment. Me o andum the 3 of July 77 read

- - i i o 1 . H il t he costs of t he Suits aga nst D av d C ok are £ 3 6 o But M r . house Says as t h e prospe ct of Gettin g any-thi ng from Cook i s so sm all I will thr ow off al l for m y troubl e ; provi de d h e coul d be pai d onl y t he m one i he h ad ai out of o e i n ose i s hi I y wh ch p d p ck t th Su t w ch , il li am l o ai in e alf of m ro e r om as T om as it W F yd , p d b h y b th Th h , am o n in t o -1 - u t g £6 3 4 .

Floyd presum ably showed understanding of his neighbors; he

seemed to give them every chance to pay before calling on the law . m C r Jere y urrin borrowed an amount he coul d not epay . Floyd ’ L H om m e di eu see r asked to that the debt was settled in cou t . In ’ 1 6 C L H om m e di eu 7 4 urrin appealed to Floyd, who notified erem C rri e l l s m e hi s Cir m - an es are er L ow at J y u n t cu St c v y , but t he sam e i m e m a ine s a th e ol e of e er i n he has o l t I g , th t wh v y th g w u d am o n t o the m one or ne ar it and E resses awilli n ness to e si u t y , xp g R gn all m ore or L e ss hi s a aren H one s m a e s m e a e Com assi on on , pp t ty k h v p a ol m if h e ou hi m . I h ve t d hi will t of the whol e of hi s Eff e cts m ake in Cash t o th e am ount of £4o-0 and pay to you I woul d have hi s Bond r 1 0 D el ive e d up. William Floyd found himself deeply involved in the case of “ ” C r f r m s s ha les Je fe y S ith, mini ter of a dis enting church in Brook haven . On separating from her husband Mrs . Ruth Brewster entrusted her bonds , notes, and money to Floyd and Nathaniel Wood s s hull in 1 76 3. On her reque t three year later they gave her pos f r m on r m C f s . sessions to harles Je e ey S ith, her by a p evious arriage ’ In 1 768 Sm ith becam e Floyd s debtor by £4 80 for the purchase of a ’ t tract of land . He also spent his mother s money on o her tracts in r m m New Yo k and Virginia, but death re oved S ith before he could discharge his debts . m Smith had had time to write a will, and na e executors in both s K colonies . In Virginia Juliu ing Burbridge and Bartholomew Dand ’ K C t s m s ridge of New ent oun y old S ith lands, but refused to give ’ s r s s any of Smith money to the New Yo k executor ; the e holdings , r reasoned the Virginians, we e subject only to creditors in the Old ’ . " . m Dominion uite the contrary, answered the New Yorkers S ith s Virginia estate was subject to the paym ent of his debts in any of “ ” the thirteen colonies . The Actings and Pretences of Burbridge “ ” r E u C and Dand idge did violence to q ity and Good onscience, charged the New York executors , for they had laid hands on an ’ amount m ore than sufficient to pay Smith s debts . £ 2 0 1 5 . d. 1 1 The Smith estate paid Floyd 7 7 9 in June, 77 , and £ d 1 2 r 2 1 65 . . . 7 7 in January, 77 Floyd and other New York credito s r l u resorted to law . In Virginia they hi ed Wi liam B rnett Brown and r s Peter Lyons , who had been one of the lawyers to a gue again t “ ’

nr r C . l 1 1 6 Patrick He y in the Pa son s ause On Ju y , 77 , Floyd sent Lyons a copy of the Sm ith bond “proved before the Mayor of Phila ” a s s delphia . But ever since the coloni l had laid iege to the British in Boston, courts in the Old Dominion had been closed, wrote Lyons . “ r r He despai ed of British justice , until We have a f ee Trade estab l ishe d and the Debtors have an opportunity of raising Money by l ” 1 1 C . [the] Sale of their rops , which are now spoi ing on their Hands By 1 779 Floyd seem ed willing to settle for what little he could get from Virginia . There is little evidence among the receipts to Show that Floyd

1 6 s s borrowed extensively . His bond to Jo eph Brew ter was settled on £ “ 1 2 60 C . October 3, 79 , when Floyd paid him at the oart house

( 3)

s m revol u The portrait pre ents . Willia Floyd the conservative

ti onar . s rt m 1 6 1 y The Bo ton Tea Pa y (Dece ber , 773) might have him s m shocked , but the deci ion of Parlia ent to meet force with m en force doubtless filled Floyd with foreboding . The of Suffolk C m et m r s m ounty together in al ost eve y town, and voted aid and y or s s s s s s pathy f Ma sachu etts . They prote ted again t the Briti h deci ion to close the port of Boston; they urged a strict committee of corre on en e sp d c . Com mittees of correspondence helped unite the colonies ; from them came the suggestion that colonial representatives come together and agree on measures for the redress of grievances and m aintenance l m s. 1 ff C of right In August, 774 Su olk ounty sent Wil ia Floyd to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia . Caution marked the deliberations of this gathering, but hereafter it served to spear It head the revolutionary movement . could do little more than m adopt a declaration of rights and grievances , call for an econo ic m boycott, and propose a second congress . Local com ittees mean of s while encouraged men their own kind, di armed the loyalists, and forced signatures from unwilling signers to support the boycott ff or Association . But committees and congresses had no e ect on r Great Britain . Yankee farmers and B itish redcoats clashed in Massa chusetts C 1 at Lexington and oncord (April 9, The Second Continental Congress at Philadelphia had been in session a little over m a onth, when the delegates heard about the bloodshed at Bunker Hill (June The com m ittee of Safety at Brookhaven w as apparently late about ” Com ein C ss r : O osis g into ongre ional Measu es, explaining pp sion ran 5 0 high heretofore in som e parts of this Town that an Attempt of this kind would perhaps have Answered no valuable purpose but we verily believe the past opposition arose for want of ” 1 2 m m . Set em ber 1 better infor ation in a great easure On 5 , 775 Wil liam Floyd was nominated colonel of the Western Regim ent of ff t m m Su olk Coun y at a eeting in S ithtown . On paper he com m anded ’ m 1 0 0 ofli c ers thirteen co panies , a total of 3 and men . Floyd s men more than likely used muskets . Floyd reported

“ Th e Re gim ent i s about tw o thirds furni she d wi th Bayonets and the others are getin g the m as fast as the y Can Ge t the m m ade ; They are rnis e i al f o n of o er and two o n of Bal l r m an fu h d w th h p u d p wd p u d p , and a Magazine in the Re gim ent t o furni sh them with about as m uch m ore en it al l be an e e are re t In s ri o s in wh Sh w t d , th y p t y du t u in fix g t e ir A o t rem e n s and I o e in a or im e e il l be ol era l h cc u t , h p Sh t t th y w t b y 1 3 we ll pre pare d .

Absenteeism in the colonial mil itia was notorious . Probably ’ Floyd s regim ent never attained its full quota of men . One of the “ captains reported : Gen Woodhul l 8: Coll Floyd told the Ofl' i cers that they Need not be Exact about the Number 8: from that the m m m ” 1 4 Ofli c ers have Done nothing about Co pleating their Co pli ent. The Brookhaven Com m ittee of Safety found it hard to pay the m m expenses occasioned by alarms and raids . Ja es Fitch of Cora “ m m s de anded co pensation, because he had his mare much abu ed and kil led by being Rode on the late Alarm to Eastham pton After d r " learning of the theft of his bridle and sad le du ing an alarm, ophar 1 r r 5 Hawkins wanted to bring suit fo ecovery . Tories like Richard m Floyd, cousin of Willia , opposed the committee of safety . from t he be ginni ng [they have ] taken e ve ry m e th od t o se duce t he ignorant and counte ract the m e asure s re com m ende d for re dress

of ri e an e s. T e n all Con re sse s and Com m i e e s i s in g v c h y d g tt , w h g T e a e e l are e ill f rni s th e Bri i they we re in h 1. h y h v d c d th y w u h [ t sh] - - i 1 6 m en of war and cutters with provi s ons. Suffolk County elected Floyd to the Continental Congress on i 2 2 1 1 0 Apr l , 775 . He probably arrived in Philadelphia on May , and C r very likely attended ong ess the next day, when the credentials of r s the New Yo k delegation were read . Floyd igned a delegation 1 8 2 ournal letter of May , but not until June 4 does the ] speak of him his V as present. Floyd took advantage of isit to buy a new suit. In £ “ ” C r 1 85 . C . May John M . alla cha ged for Making a Sute of lothes a him 1 8 1 2 5 . In June Floyd p id 5 . for three waistcoats and for two “ “ ” r pairs of Breeches . Calla also cha ged i 4s . for a Jean Coat . On £ 2 1 6 5 . 1 1 d. June 7, 775 , Floyd settled with this tailor for 9 ’ m 2 Floyd s stay in Philadelphia was brief. By Septe ber 1 he was 1 6 s back in Congress . The delegation letter of October howed him s s m t ab ent on public busine s, but by Nove ber 3 Floyd had re urned,

C ss r 1 1 1 6 . ournal s attending ongre as late as Februa y , 77 The j have no further record of his presence until May 3. From that date to ’ u AS m m July 4 Floyd s record is clear eno gh . a e ber of the New r s Yo k delegation Floyd served in a liai on capacity, keeping the C r r Provincial ongress of New Yo k informed about econciliation, s m e m s loyalists, Indian affair , paper on y, local ilitary defen e aid to C m m the ontinental Army, and the many proble s involved in ilitary

provisioning .

s 2 The re t of the colonies voted for independence on July , and form ally adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4 . The

New York delegates had to wait a few days before giving their assent . The first of his delegation to sign the Declaration of Independence was William Floyd . Nearly all the citizens of Suffolk County approved the Declara r r m o tion of Independence . In B ookhaven, howeve , a vehe ent p ponent w as heard to

D am t he Congress and w as am ind that al l pre sent shoul d agre e with him t o, re si st and oppose the Congre ss an d al l M ili tary O fficers ’ ol i n om m i ssi ons n e h r h d g C u d r t e Cong e ss. H e parti cul arly D am d Col W m Fl oyd saying h e cam e hom e from Congre ss on purpose to m ake Di sturbance and t he D e vil woul d have hi m for he woul d go to H e l l for what h e h ad done 21

(4 ) General George Washington and the Continental Army claimed r r l al victory, when B itish fo ces sai ed from Boston for H ifax 1 m (March 7, The British, however, ca e back and defeated s 2 the Americans at the battle of Long Island (Augu t 7, The r plight of his state looked da k and obscure to Floyd in Phil adelphia . r i A host of unce tainties besieged h m . Was it true that New York and Brooklyn had been put to the torch? What had become of General Nathaniel Woodhul l? What had happened to his own fam il y? Where were his friends and neighbors? W as the Provincial Congress l s ss ? m h r ? sti l in e ion If not, on who could e d aw for money Floyd asked

i s New York t o be Evacuate d as well as L ong Isl and with out in or i ll our arm li e th e Rom ans of ol d onsi er the In fight g, w y k C d valuabl e pri ze for which they are Conte nding and with their fortitude 22 Attack th e Ene m y where Ever they can find th em . Nathaniel Woodhull met his tragic end shortly after the battle of

M rs. h a d s a . m m Long I l nd According to a fa ily story, Floyd ti e to bury the fam ily silver before she fled across the Sound with her three r a r sh children . Ret e ting through New Jersey with the B iti in pur

s C rm m . r uit, the ontinental A y see ed to melt away The Ame ican cause looked hopeless; but Washington took up a position behind the r s r s m 2 6 1 6 Delawa e , and t uck the Briti h at Trenton (Dece ber , 77 ) ar r r and Princeton (Janu y 3, The pat iots took hea t, as the r s British retreated to New B un wick .

C . 1 The Floyds settled at Middletown, onnecticut On October 7 William Floyd reported : I am now going t o try t o ge t off Som e of m y Eff e cts from the Isl and if it i s possibl e an d shal l be absent from Congre ss [in Phil a del phi a] afew D ays I beg you woul d Excuse m e as it i s the first tim e I have absente d m y Se lf ; But it happens at a tim e when no Im portant 23 m atter w as like t o Com e before m e . On October 2 8 Governor Jonathan Trumbul l ordered an armed ’ party to cross the Sound and bring back Floyd s possessions . In stead the raiders captured two sloops in Brookhaven harbor loading with wood for the British .

Long Island was a valuable prize of war . The inhabitants of its - thr ee counties reportedly paid two thirds of the colonial taxes . The surrounding waters yielded shel l fi sh of all kinds and quantities of '

fish ; field and forest furnished wild fowl of all sorts . In exchange for r s o B iti h merchandise the country people bartered h gs, calves , hams, s lamb , poultry, and smoked beef; they probably welcomed hard money from the foe for planks, boards, and shingles . men ff Smuggling flourished along the Sound . Many in Su olk “ ” County engaged in the ill icit or London trade ; but they were also willing to spy on the British and act as guides for American raiding r pa ties . Thomas Hazard wrote

shall ai to no a the M o em en s of the Enem wi be or I w t k w wh t v t y ll , whe ther another Cam paign wil l be in thi s Country be fore I se t out on a s e l a in o a e nl e ss e re m a o asi o for th e Bri i s ] p cu t g V y g , u th y be cc n [ t h i o 24 t o go for Vi rg nia bef re w e c an kn ow. In another letter Hazard said

A Privateer of 8 Guns 8: 2 2 M en w as drove ashore at Guilford ’ secur d the l oo ill be t off a il e s a e of M i l e o n w as S p w go , C pt G S g dd t w a e n em omi n from the [e s ] In i es 8: w as on oar 8: ot t k by th c g W t d b d , g ere h as e e n a n m er off arri al s l a el at N ew hom e safe . Th b u b v t y [ ] f L ondon from the W[e st] Indi ei in parti cul ar T: Mum fords new H o u Sl oop whi ch be whol ly owns with a Cargo of 1 0 0 gds R m &c . If Capt : Gui on shoul d be in Phi l a : pl e ase t o ask hi m whe ther any ar of hi s Bri il l be t o i s ose off if 5 0 a ar a she ill p t g, w d p , wh t p t, wh t w 25 os 8: a her Car o and e si re hi m t o ri e m e . C t, wh t g , d w t Occasionally William Floyd reported the activities of American ’ “ t L H om m edi eu : C privateers . To he wrote ap Fanning has in the W easl e M ideara " 1 80 , taken a Snow Bound from to uebeck with r Arri eve d pipes of Wine on Board, the p ize is Safe in Boston, and W easl e — E the at this place, all well and xpects to Sail in afew Days ” 26 ’ C . C ul L H om m e di eu m on another ruise ongrat ating in Septe ber, 1 82 : u 7 , Floyd said I wish you Joy with the prizes yo r Vessel has C m l 1 2 1 0 0 taken, by o putation, your part wi l be worth about or 5 ’ Floyd s own efforts to rescue his personal effects were hopeless .

his . Public business, however, rarely strayed far from attention Arms and munitions were hard enough to find for the Contin ental Army; but as a mem ber of the committee on clothing Floyd m ust have been impressed with the insuperable diffi culties of trying to clothe the sol O n 2 1 r C s dier . March 9, 777, the New Yo k onvention pas ed a resolu r tion recalling William Floyd and othe delegates from Phil adelphia . In the new state governm ent Governor George Clinton appointed ’ r m m e di e r Floyd and Ez a L H o u senators f om the Southern District . s C r s Floyd erved in the ouncil of Safety, and generally p e ided over i the Senate when the governor left the cha r . The legislature occa si onall y asked him to adm inister certain appropriations and give an r r accounting of thei expenditure to the gove nor . Together with ’ L H om m e di eu m s r m and Tho a De ing, Floyd advised Governor Tru bul l to perm it refugees to return to Long Island onl y on perm ission r s r a s m f om the tate of New Yo k . Floyd was l o a ong the delegates from New York who went to New Haven in January and February,

1 8 r t l m er . 77 , to regulate the p ice of labor and se t e other att s Gover nor Clinton chose him as one of two com missioners to obtain cloth ing and money on loan . When the state government of New York did not demand his

s . presence, William Floyd tayed with his family in Middletown He m escaped the wretchedness of refugees of hu bler station . Many of

m n . s these found the selves without food, clothi g, or money Occa ion all y they risked the chance of capture by returning to their old hom es to se e what could be leased or sold for a pittance . Had they r not lost thei boats, many of the refugees could have carried hay and r s u cordwood back to Connecticut . There we e also tho e who so ght i o permi ss n t o return to Long Island regardless of the consequences . s 2 6 1 m l : On Augu t , 777, Tho as Dering and John Hu bert wrote

M any very poor Fam il i e s are Constantl y A pplyin g for P ermitts to Ret urn t o L ong Isl and with What L ittel Effe cts they have and if M enti on i s m ayd of goi ng t o Dutche s County it appe ars li ke D e ath m The i r m s an e of M an am i li e s i s Tr l i stre ss t o the . C cu t c y F u y D in [ ere ] T e a e n ot the M e ans of l in and are in no w a g, h h y h v Supp y g y O n L on Isl an e a e a m al l Pl a e and i h In s to A ttain it . g d th y h v S c w t du t ry they m ay supply their Fam ili e s with Ne ce ssari e s of L ife an d w e cant se e that they woul d in the l e ast adm ini ster Com fort t o the Ene m e anno be of an ser i e t o our ran Cam if e y, th y c t y v c G d p th y 28 re m ai n . .

m r m The few re aining receipts f o the Middletown period b"elong to l n . 1 777. They Show that Floyd frequent y paid i flated prices ebulon

2 2 Storking charged £ 1 2 or $40 for Eleven Bundles of hay. Henry ’ s l m £ 5 . d. m Rockwell tai oring bill, however, ca e to 3 9 9 for aterial and “

£ 1 2 5 . labor . Thomas Johnson asked 3 for the Grass on my meadow ” s £ s. 6 d. . Lot for the year pa t . Bill Smith received 35 9 for beef The fee of schoolmaster Samuel Goodrich was twenty-eight shillings a C r quarter . By the time hristmas holidays a rived young Nicoll Floyd

£ 2 6 . had spent two quarters at school; so his father paid i s . to Mr “ ” of Goodrich . A great number Schollars flocked to the school s house, wrote Mrs . Floyd . When the weather turned unplea antly Ki tt m i hot, she kept Polly and y at ho e to do the r reading and writ ing . Like other Long Islanders the Floyds must have longed for the

m r . his 1 ti e when they could eturn home In letter of February 9, 779, ’ “ H om m edi eu : L wrote I would ask your Advice, whether if we do s s not hear of more favorable Accounts the en uing season, of a Pro ect r p of Peace, than at p esent, it will not be best, by March, or when ” 29 t u Com 8: . I re rn home, to hire ground for Planting mowing r 1 s Regardless of Ame ican defeats, the year 777 was disa trous for ‘ m r Great Britain . The Redcoats who oved out of New Yo k to cap ture Philadelphia learned too late that they should have been pushing northward along the Hudson to m eet another British arm y m arching m r down fro Montreal . These troops under Gene al John Burgoyne 1 — met defeat at Saratoga (September 9 October 7, France now entered the war as an ally of the United States . Washington ff wintered at Valley Forge, where in spite of bitter su erings the C m ontinental Ar y trained and reorganized under Baron von Steuben . A S 1 8 s the British marched out of Philadelphia in May, 77 , Wa hing ar m C ton struck their flank Mon outh ourt House, but failed to stop m Yor e C n them fro reaching New kM Th onti ental Army pitched h 1 8 O camp at W ite Plains . After 77 perations in the north became

largely unimportant . In the Spring of 1 778 the British withdrew their troops to the r east of Jamaica . Whale boat privateers f om Connecticut soon in fest e d s s s the Sound, and Long I land Tories found them elves the port

nk . i of Ya ee marauders The British struck back in September . The r m army needed cattle, they said, as they arched into eastern Long ’ m m s Island . Benja in Floyd, one of Willia s cousin , found them ex s r r pensive guests; for while he entertained the Briti h gene als , thei 1 soldiers plundered his estate . In 779 the British started the rebuild i s l ing of fortificat ons in eastern Long I land, a costly and futi e opera ’ “ E L H om m e di eu a : m tion . zra wrote Willi m Floyd at Southa pton and Sag are stationed about 1 0 0 0 Tr0 0 ps who very m uch distress ’ the Inhabitants 8: tis expected before spring they wil l take away from ” 30 ff the Inhabitants all their Provisions . Mrs . Floyd told of the su er in : g of friends, writing there house [is] filled with Soldiers there Bread taken from them there Cattle killed ten a day to support [the soldiers] many have come off and left their fam il ies at ’ 3 1 the mercy of the Enemy my father s hous is full Thomas “ ’

: . s rm E ul d n Hazard reported Mr Fe ter info s, the nemy have p dow 8: in his house to the Ground are building a Fort on the spot, their ” 32 r r sol enc e 8: b utality increases . To ies them selves denounced i r the r defende s as worthless, vagabond, thieving banditti. Accord r m r flat ing to Hazard, the B itish were also fitting out a nu be of m botto ed boats . They struck a series of blows at Connecticut from u 1 2 J ly 5 to July , when Tryon, the royal governor of New York, F irfi el a d . led attacks on New Haven, and Norwalk Major Benjamin Tallm adge later hit back by successfully attacking the fort at Lloyd’ s

Neck . m Viewed by a loyalist, Willia Floyd was a man of indifferent ” ’

r . abilities, and violently opposed to Great B itain Floyd s overseer at

w as i . As Mastic William Ph llips told by a loyalist, Phillips sold the produce from this valuable farm in New York; he rem itted the hard “ ” money he received to Floyd together with all such intelligence as he could learn . Ordered before General de Lancey at Huntington, Phillips took the oath of allegiance to the King; he swore neither to leave the island nor to send inform ation nor cash to the rebels ; he also promised to give an annual accounting of the farm to the crown . But no sooner had Phil lips settled this matter than he went over to “ 1 r off ff Connecticut . In 779 he retu ned to Long Island to bring e ects

o £60 0 Col . . of C l . Floyd and his own (and get then due F from ’ “ Dan l 3 3 The British captured Phillips and his plundering party, but he was soon exchanged as a prisoner of war . 1 1 80 r On April 9, 7 , William Floyd submitted a memo ial to the m General Asse bly of Connecticut. His account of what happened m at Mastic contrasted sharply with the loyalist version . The me orial read in part

Som e tim e A fter the Enem y Got posse ssi on of New York and L on Isl an two ersons and as I am ol ori e s who fle d t o the g d , p ; ( t d T ) Ene m from hi s a e o ain e a e rm i of o ernor Tr on t o Ta e y t St t , bt d p t G v y k osse ssi on of M Es a e i e Did And urne off t he e ar p y t t wh ch th y , t d St w d that I had on i t who was oblige d t o l e ave the Isl and and com e to thi s State for Safety f Th e above pe rsons took on m y Estate a Considerabl e "uantity o i Stock of Differe nt kinds the Gre ate st part of m y H ousehol d furn re and all m farm in ensil s i om e Be s and Be [ ]in tu , y g ut , w th S d , d d g fi4 with other Cl oathi ng Floyd asked permission to send for such stock and effects as might

m . be found . The General Asse bly gave its consent Later the royal governor of New York com m anded the inhabit ants in certain districts of Long Island to cut down the wood on the estates of William Floyd and William Smith, and send it by water to set New York . The governor the rate of pay, wrote a loyalist, and named the day when the wood should arrive at Sm ith Landing . Fail ure l m to obey wou d result in harsh treatment, read his procla ation, u but apparently no man t rned out, not a stick was cut, and no one w as punished .

At least the British and Tories were known foes. Refugees in C onnecticut and patriots on Long Island, however, thought they had “ ” s " good rea on to cry, God save us from our friends In Middletown Thom as Hazard wrote : I have between 8 or 90 0 0 Dollars in the ’ ’ Em cal l d two issions [of paper money] in, and I don t chuse to pay taxes for it, in this grasping State . Later he added I believe we must content ourselves with another Twelve Months con ” 3 5 fin m en o e e e m 1 8 1 t C nn ct kit s. e among the The Su mer of 7 , noted “ m Floyd, was a very General ti e of health, and avery fine Season good Crops of Every kind and the people of this State Get [t]ing ” money much faster than Ever they Did in their lives . Floyd ex ’ plain ed more ful ly to L H om m e di eu who was in Philadelphia

I have be en tw o D ays at hartford atte nding the Tryal of M r ’ ell s s oo s i w as l n ere on L on Isl an the a se en W G d wh ch p u d d g d, C u w t a ains him as A l m os al l o ers a e one a ains t he l on Isl an g t , t th h v d g t g d e o l e and it a e ars t o m e t o be -am e re o ker of s i e for ose p p , pp M c y Ju t c th o r s t o Tr a se s Be e en the In a i an s of hi s a e and th e C u t y C u tw h b t t t St t , e o l e of L on Isl an who e m a l n e r for the Co r s are p p g d th y y p u d , u t Governe d by no L aw or Rul e But the Govern ors Com mi ssi on and Ins r i ons i e n t o ose Boatrnen and so l on as e a e hi s t uct g v th , g th y h v Com m i ssi on and Instructi ons for plundering and Rob [b]i ng the In a i an s of the a e of New or So l on il l eir Co r s ustifi e h b t t St t Y k , g w th u t J e m i oin it th n D g . The Re asons whi ch are given for so Extraordinary a Measure as t h e Governor of this State Exte nding his Authority or Juri sdiction o e r the n a i an s of our a e i s a e Canno re en e ir v I h b t t St t , , th t th y t p v t th own e o l e from Bre a in the L a s a ains Illi sc it ra e so l on as p p k g w g t T d , g ere i s an oo s on L on Isl an T erefore e m s l n er the th y G d g d , h th y u t p u d one s and or In a i an s of L on Isl an in or er t o e e eir h t, W thy h b t t g d , d k p th

own e o l e ones . But i s Re ason a e ars to M e t o be fal l a i o s p p h t th pp [ ] c u , and i s onl In en e as a re e or E se for Enri i n em se l e s y t d d p t xt, xcu , ch g th v u ou are er ensi l e a th e n ra I out of o r State . y v y S b th t Ge e l de a of these eo l e i s h a a e er h e Can Get i s wa out of the a e of p p , , t t wh t v t y , in th y, St t New York i s Cl e ar Gain. T e a e a en from the Co n of S ffol onl ose in h y h v t k u ty u k y, wh habitants are known t o be m ore universall y good W hi gs than ahn ost an ar of A m eri a t o the am o n of ar s of one n re o y p t c , u t upw d hu d d th u san o n s ar m one s or in as m en om ens an d Chi l rens d p u d h d y w th, C h, , w d Cl o [e ]s l a e f r i re and M er an i se i s i s Im o eri s in th , p t , u n tu , ch d ; Th p v h g th e a e of New or and Enri in th e a e of onne i to St t Y k , ch g St t C ct cut a am o n M os n s l Besi e s] th e Co n of e s e s er th t u t, ( t u ju t y) d [ , u ty W tch t and t h e O er ar s of t he a e as I a e e en Inform e a e Suf th p t St t h v b d, h v

fere d by the m t o a m uch Gre ater am ount. Th e Insul ts and abuse whi ch the Inhabitants of L ong Isl and have Re from em and i e are D a l Re ei in i s in ol era l e cd th wh ch th y y y c v g, t b ; for Every m an of property there when h e l ays D own t o Sl eep i s under A pprehensi ons of being A l arm e d by abody of arm e d m en Roun d hi s o se efore m ornin for t he A o e r ose of Ro in hi m an d h u b g v w d pu p bb g , if h e Ref se s t o n ol hi s oors and l e t em in he i s re to Re cve u u b t D th , Su a oll e of B al l s ro hi s o se i m an om en and V y th ugh h u , by wh ch y w Chi l dren have Very narrowly Escape d [with] their li ves; Som e of our be st fri e nds wh o have be en Servi ng u s th e whol e w ar they have whipt m os e ere l om e e a e m a e t o Ransom ei r o se s from t S v y, S th y h v d th h u fi re i ar M one A nd I a e l a el e ar of e eral Ins an es , w th h d y h v t y h d S v t c where they have after Rob [bl i ng the house s hung the pe opl e up by th e Ne n il l e a e e en ne arl ea t o E or from em ck , u t th y h v b y D d , xt t th and on t he ol e ei r i a i o where they h ad hid thei r m oney . up wh th S tu t n i s A lm ost as Di stre sse d as th e Inhabitants on our fronti ers who are t o t he In i ans E e ei r al in and a i s not m Expose d d xc pt th Sc p g, th t uch i worse than t h e Tre atm ent which they are B ayl y Re ce ving . It w as hope d that upon t h e Re pre sentati on which Governor Clin m a e t o o ernor Tr m ll of hi s m a er a h e o l a e t on d G v u bu t tt , th t w u d h v l l e in all ose om m i ssi ons But so far from a he ustifi es Ca d th C , th t, J em and i ll Con i n e s t o ran m ore and I do Im a ine a th e th , St t u G t , g th t E e a i on i s a en eneral ashin on i s O eratin a ains xp ct t , th t wh G W gt pp g g t h e s New York those boats m ay fall on t he Inhabitants towar d t e w t l an and l n er e m a e ann o now Com e at e nd of L ong I s d p u d th th t th y C t , in o by thi s m e ans what m ay be l e ft by th e Enem y wil l be brought t 36 Conne i and the In a i an s of the Isl an Re e t o o er . ct cut, h b t t d duc d p v ty

About a hundred whale boats had com missions from Governor : his E Trumbull, said Floyd, writing xcellency Receives Ten E C m s hard Dollars for ach om i sion; this is a pretty perquisite, and o erat e as ul s m may pp a Stim us to wish the Busines ight be Continued . Trumbull w as Virtually extending his government over Suffolk m r County . He hi self had declared all B itish goods on Long Island s forfeit to Connecticut. Floyd ob erved if [Trum bull] has r m E E autho ity to do this, it ust xtend to any thing lse that he Shall think proper 37 explained that the debt to Floyd could not be paid without greatly ” Injuring the Sale of the Whole estate ; but the assem bly ordered that “ fi4 he be repaid the principal and int erest 1 80 r In 7 the British car ied the war into the Southern states, with t r m E s drawing their roops f o the astern end of Long I land . Gradually s 1 8 1 the refugee in Connecticut Started homeward . In 7 William Floyd advised that they land their goods at F airfi el d instead of Mid dl et ow n ; he also counseled them to guard their wagons from plum derers. Perhaps the worst ordeal for the refugees w as having to face t s s sm m the disas rou re ults of the war . Men of all eans found their m r is properties laid waste . So e began ove again in poverty and d c oura em ent s s m g ; others went el ewhere . Per ons of for er wealth were rr obliged to bo ow on their land . Properties which had belonged to m r s certain fa ilies for over a hundred yea s pa sed to new owners .

The state of New York added to the burdens of Long Island . The legislature planned to tax those areas which had not taken an active part against the British; the portion of Long Island was set at ’ 0 1 8 ur L H om m e di eu m On March 3 , 7 4 , Floyd ged to co e quickly for l the vote on the tax bil , writing

m T or ar m em ers Th e e m bers appe ar un e asy t o get hom e . he N thw d b particul arly but I do not think t he L e gi sl ature wil l bre ak up unti l l a for ni from a r a ne if t h e Tax Bill S o l oe out unf a t ght S tu d y xt, h u d g vourabl e t o i s i s ri in o r A sen e ou m i ossi l in r th D t ct y u b c , y ght p b y cu Sensure from th e e o l e i m i be a oi e e e n if i t s o l p p , wh ch ght v d d v h u d 4 5 goe i n t he Sam e w ay and you be here at t he tim e i t Shoul d pass.

’ Illness prevented L H om m e di eu from attending the legislature . On 6 1 8 s r May , 7 4 the legi lature agreed to tax the Southe n District “ Floyd explained : Som e Gentlemen whose Sentim ents on r r r that Subject we had hea d, and which we e in our favour befo e the ” 4 “ us s us w as . Bill was before , was Directly again t when it Debated

( 5 )

1 t u In January, 779 the New York legisla re sent William Floyd ss w as r m back to Congre . It a ra e mo ent of self revelation when he “ confided : You know that I am apt to be pretty sanguine respecting 4 7 r 1 82 our public affai s But this was said in 7 , when the alarms and excursions of the conflict were rapidly dying . John Jay noted “ ’ Colonel Floyd s conduct while here gained him m uch respect; he m r moved on steady, unifor principles , and appea ed always to judge m s t for hi elf, which, in my opinion, is one very essential qualifica ion s s his in a delegate, and ab olutely nece sary to prevent being a mere ” 4 8 s tool . Hone t, independent and well thought of, Floyd was nearly always subordinated to those of his colleagues with greater influence C in New York, wrote the hevalier de la Luzerne, minister of 4 9 France . Earnest delegates in Philadelphia doubtless sustained themselves r by hard wo k and economies . But in a letter to Floyd, John Morrin “ ” Scott of New York inveighed against the ostentatious Parade of ’ s s Congress and the u ele s number of offices . Floyd s lett ers told about C m the chaotic state of national finances, factions in ongress, ilitary ff m a airs, and the development of govern ental departments under the

Articles of Confederation . In committee he helped pass on memori s als, petition , and complaints . Petitioners apparently asked him to use s his influence in their behalf . To one who wi hed a p lace in the navy, Floyd wrote .

I im m e di atel y m ade the applicati on t o the Board of A dm iral ty

and as soon as I h ad o ai ne ei r answ er I ro e to ou Im m e i a l . bt d th , w t y d te y i t w as Im possibl e for them to provi de for you as there w as a - gre at num ber of m ari ne offi cers now out of Servi ce and waiting for som e ope ning t o pre sent itsel f But the B oard cannot provi de for half of the m 5 0

s C Factions arose inevitably in Congre s . onservative delegates like Silas Deane of Connecticut insisted on the merchant’ s freedom to see that exports paid for the necessary war supplies; but as the war de vel o e d m p and living costs mounted, any Americans thought the ’ m s merchants were fattening on their country s isfortunes . Radical like Arthur Lee of Virginia accused Deane and others with asking C r ongress to pay for supplies sent by the F ench government as gifts . C ounterattacking, Deane rushed into print; his critics thereupon pur chased the services of Thomas Paine . The ensuing war of pam phl ets “ ” d caused a great talk, noted Floy ; who feared the formation of “ ” 5 1 violent parties . Floyd apparently sided with the radicals against m Deane, but in other matters he see ed to have supported the con ser i vat ve element. He did not share the radical opposition to the 5 2 French alliance; to all appearances he did not accept their dislike of Washington . m Floyd and the radicals hardly saw eye to eye about Ver ont . s r Since New York laid claim to thi ter itory, his delegation protested against its recognition as a state . Floyd noted : the consequences

' of . [the Vermonters] holding their independence woul d be a t m means of producing fif y new States, therefore must by no eans be ” 5 3 . E ul a allowed than Allen, one of pop ar leaders of Vermont, p ” peare d a Consummate .Villain and quite willing to play the United

States against Great Britain for his own advantage . Backed by the E was as i nde en radicals , New ngland ready to accept Vermont an p dent state to offset the influence of New York; but, asked William m C Floyd, what state could co pare with onnecticut for frustrating the peace and contentment of New York?

They [C onne cti cut] have always foun d m e ans t o pre vent Congre ss from e i in on the B sine ss of erm on a h e m i assi s 8: D c d g u V t, th t t y ght t tren en the V erm onti e rs n ill e [the V erm ontie rs] a e now S gth , u t th y h v Got So form i dabl e that I Suppose t he Sm al l M aj ority in Congre ss who o l not i s e m t o be an In e en an a e are A frai t o w u d w h th d p d t St t , d e erm ine a ains e m s w e are t o be overRun [si c ] our D t g t th , thu by Nei o rs and Con re ss an and Se e i t one i o E er ghb u g St d by D , w th ut v r afe for Int erfereing or Ende avouring t o pre vent i t . i s the e any S ty the a e of New or or an ar of it n er S a o ern St t Y k y p t , u d uch G v 5 4 m ent . . The men who had to conduct a long war probably stood in sharp r t s cont ast to the gaye y and di sipation of Philadelphia, where they m il had long ago worn out their welco e . The city amazed W liam — “ ’ Floyd with its high prices Beef in the market Current at 3 Doll s

r r 1 0 0 . 1 0 0 . p . lb ; pork fou ; wood lb pr Cord; flour lb pr Hundred ’ “ w t as , and other things in proportion It seemed though the Devil was with all his Em issaries let loose in this State to ruin our 5 5 its . money New York, moreover, tended to neglect delegation 1 82 As late as March, 7 , the delegates complained to Governor “ Clinton : When it is considered how m uch inferior the allowance e made by our State is to that of all other stat s , We think our Legislature ought to m ake every Exertion for a decent Sup ’ of c hearful l port their delegates ; who , tho they y submit to the Loss s m m m and Inconvenience ari ing fro . Absence fro ho e and Neg C s m m lect of their domestic oncerns , cannot po sibly aintain the selves 5 6 in public Service at their own Expence ’ Inflation cut into Floyd s salary each m onth he was in public r 1 0 0 0 service . Floyd had ar ived in Philadelphia with $ , but by March 1 6 8 4 , 779, 4 of these dollars had been called out of circulation . With 2 r set 1 1 1 a balance of $ 35 and the exchange ate at for , Floyd could

£ 1 2 1 65 . as n l C count bei g in his pocket . A though the ontinental s r 2 0 0 0 2 m w as nl trea u y paid him $ on March , this oney o y worth £ 1 d. 2 0 0 £ 0 66 35 . 4 $ 0 on May 1 3 brought Floyd 50 ; 3550 0 on Decem 6 £ 1 66 1 5 . d. 1 0 1 80 ber was worth 3 4 By March , 7 the exchange rate ’ £ 0 0 0 r him 8. read 50 to 1 . Floyd s $6 b ought 4 One year later the C r exchange rate had spir aled to 1 30 to 1 . The ontinental T easury paid Floyd which in his pocketbook flattened to £4 6 It has been said that Floyd believed in an equal and productive s m as s r sy te of taxation the best way to an we public needs . He opposed r m s the epeated issuance of paper oney, and propo ed reducing the m r r s r m a ounts in ci culation to e to e public credit . To aintain a vigorous s n s m m sa bu i e s co munity, he see ed to y, creditor and debtor ought to m m r m curb their utual suspicion . In atte s of com on defense he ad vocat e d m C r s i s giving ore power to ong e s, wh ch hould be strong r m m enough to secu e fro each State its proportion of aid . Floyd beca e indignant when he thought that Rhode Island’s vote had prevented C r s r s s t ong e s f om securing a five per cent cu tom du y . He wrote to ’ L H om m e di eu :

But i s i t not intol erabl e that L ittl e Rho d [e ] Isl and/ sh oul d kee p h er ill f l n e ss or O s ina ese a e s from Re ei in t he by w u , b t cy, th St t , c v g ‘ Im posts when the whol e Count ry are Cl am ourin g for thei r Intere st on their Certi ficate s [It i s] I thi nk a Convin cing proof of a ” efe o o m 5 8 D ct in ur G vern ent .

Floyd frequently had to remind his state to send him money, but e i r . 1 he managed to live in comfo t In April 779, John Still , ta lor, ill £8 8 d £ l e r sent him a b for 4 5 . 9 . For 3 Stil made Floyd a pai of a m r breeches. The t ilor did not bother to state the a ounts pu chased . “ ”

d s. r 2 2 5 . n s. 6 . Linnen came to faci gs 37 , thread 5 , silk hai £ d. m . l 2 6 s. d s. s 1 . , buckra 3 9 , and stays 5 A uit for Nicol Floyd cost “ 1 e w as m m r a A: ds Still ore explicit about the ate i ls for Nicoll . 3 y of l l ” £ 2 d. al fine Green Durant 0 D o ors cost 2 4 75 . 6 ; two and one h f “ 0 £ i 2 yards of linen at 6 5 . added up to 7 wh le 2 4 Coat and 4 Vest ” s £ Butt on totaled 2 2 1 0 5 . s M r r Floyd lived at the hou e of s. Ma y House which stood on the

s M rs. E r s corner of Fifth and Market Street . liza T i t, daughter of r eh ol V ir ini M s. w House , presided over a hous d hich included such g s r m s s ans as Joseph Jones, Jame Hen y, John Walker, and Ja e Madi on, his and John Mathews of South Carolina . Walker brought wife and m r M r . 1 s. daughter fro Vi ginia About April, 779, Floyd and her r r th ee children joined the g oup . The Floyds probably enjoyed the m a social ood of Phil delphia . The Marquis de Chastellux apparentl y ’ “ ” m s him as w wrote Floyd s na e phonetically, etting down Flo y, one with whom the Marquis had had an enjoyable conversation at a nn r di er given by the F ench minister .

M rs. 1 8 1 r C Floyd died in 7 , but to Ma y and atherine the years r m r we e full of a ato y num bers . Major Benjami n Tallm adge w as woo n m i r — ar i g Polly, while Ja es Madison, a th ty one ye old bachelor, fell K ’ . s w as s s si n had in love with itty Shynes Madi on s be etting , it hi s C s blocked participation in ongre sional debates, and kept him from i enjoying the company of beaut ful women . Yet James did not have K to force himself to play the agreeable rattle, and itty was not ’

0 0 . m ff obliged to st p to conquer Tho as Je erson, Madison s guest in

1 8 his n . C Philadelphia in 7 3, did best to bri g the two together ertainly in the history of star-crossed lovers Jefferson stands unique as a hi ofi c e was - pander, for he brought to t s all that high minded . He ul d n wo d admit no impe iments , explai ing to Madison in cypher

I wi she d i t to be so as i t woul d give m e a neighbor whose worth I ra e i and as I no i t il l ren e r ou a i er an ou t h gh, k w w d y h pp th y can ossi l l of m a p b y be in a sin g e state . I ten de it the subj e ct of conversa i on m ore e or a i o i her and w as a l e to on in e m se f t , xh t t n, w th b c v c y l th at she posse sse d every sentim ent in your favor whi ch you coul d wi sh. Madison replied

i e Before you l eft I had sufli c i entl y ascertaine d her sentim ents. S nc M os re lim in ar arr e your de parture th e affair has be en pursue d . t p y ang m en s al o e i i e ill be os one n il the end of the e r t , th ugh d fin t v , w p tp d u t y a 5 9 in Congre ss.

K the itty had just turned sixteen, when Floyds left for New York 2 1 8 - on April 9, 7 3. Madison made the sixty mile ride with the family

- ~ t 0 Kitt . to New Brunswick, where he said good bye y They never

. C m C met again atherine gave up her statesman for Willia larkson, a “ young medical st udent who in Philadelphia had hung round her at

r 1 8 . the harpsichord . She married Cla kson on his graduation in 7 5 He practiced medicine in Philadelphia for nine years; then foll owing s s a serious illnes he entered the Pre byterian ministry. The sting of A s rejection apparently never left Madison . an old man he did his best to obliterate all possible references to Kitty in his pa$ t correspondence . The Christmas of 1 782 found m any Americans full of great ex e a i on p ct t s. A frigate had already arrived in Philadelphia with a copy “ of the British Commission to Treat of peace with our Ministers ” “ r : fli c ers m in f ance . Floyd noted the french o who ca e in the Frigate

Say, that the negotiation was going on, and that it was in general, E C xpected, that peace would take place in the ourse of the winter But there must be a reconciliation of many interests before a r m t eaty was concluded, thought Floyd, who hoped to guard hi self 6 0 with a reasonable hopefulness . 1 8 m In the Spring of 7 3 Willia Floyd returned to Mastic . The r Tories had carried off what the British soldie s failed to strip . Floyd ns found desolate fields , uprooted trees, and the charred remai of fences . The British had made his house unin habitable by using it as “ ” a barracks . Floyd spoke of having to live in a Confined State dur m ing the sum er . The health of hi s family presumably prevented him

from going far from home . In November he said

In the course of the past Sum m er and thi s fall we have al l had afever E e ol l who has Es a e as et t he e o l e e re Call xc pt (p y) c p d y , p p h i t a Se asoning t o the Country; w e are now A ll Re covere d and in i ll h a a Re r Goo d he al th. N co s h d i t tu n on him Several tim e s when 61 he Expose s him self t o alitt l e har dship . Such were the discomforts that Floyd was unable to answer impor tant letters; such were the demands of daily living that he had no time to consult the proper persons about “the prosecution of Governor ” Trumbul [l] for the m oney which is Due on his Old Obligation . “ Floyd noted : Their Approbation of Such a Measure is Necessary

lest if we Should proceed to it without, and fail in the Suit, they ” “2 s might Refuse to pay their proportionable part of the Expen e .

As the years passed, Floyd watched the decline of the interest rate on

. in 1 8 r the old debt Governor Trumbull died 7 5 ; but in Feb uary, 1 8 £ 7 9, the Floyds pressed for the remaining 55 . l C 1 8 a The British sti l occupied New York ity in 7 3, but Floyd p t r pa ently made pu chases there through intermediaries . In December vanck B n m By and oy t sent the si plest tools for house construction . - s Using a broad axe , the builder rough surfaced the neces ary beams, i i wh le he carefully smoothed the r surfaces with an adze , a razor r sharp blade set at ight angles to a short handle . With auger, gimblet, l chisel and mallet the bui der fashioned the j oints . Floyd also ordered l m m H i s nai s , but the receipts do not ention a ham er . neighbors pos sibl d S ch y gave him help , and supplie u tools as handsaws , hatchets,

brace , and plane . 1 2 o a £ On December Fl yd p id Peter Grant 5 i 3s . to give David

Michelson of New York . Floyd in exchange received three cham ber s pots , three wash basin , two pitchers , twelve bowls, one waiter, six ff s r co ee cups and saucers, and twelve cu ta d cups . Floyd paid one “ ” £ - E . I llison 9 i 7s i d . for Sundrys Bot at new york . Fifty six pounds £ m 2 1 1 d. ll of sugar ca e to 5 . 4 Mi s and Philetus Phillips of Smithtown

kept the Floyds well supplied with drygoods which, according to “ ”

. i Phel etus one statement, were brought out by Sloop M lls and “ s 1 C Phillips al o furnished tea, Set of Burnt hina, and powder and

shot . Floyd paid Stephen Rapalj e £50 for a Bay m are ( 1 783 Perhaps “ ” 0 £2 0 the 5 bushels Wheat costing was used for winter planting . E n llison brought ni e sythes to Mastic . His statem ent of Decem ber

2 6 m £ 2 1 5 . d. r r £ 1 0 ca e to 3 3 9 ; but Floyd eceived c edit of 4 5 . for “ ” E s 1 u giving lli on Share madow and Fating Two Cows . Abo t 1 790 Brewster and Satterly sent eight pounds of cl overse ed for eight “ shillings; another time the sam e firm sent 1 3 Bushels of Rye £ 2 5 . d for 3 9 . w as When the British evacuated New York, their place taken by

C Ar . m 1 8 s the ontinental my On Dece ber 4 , 7 3, Wa hington said fare his fi s P a well to of cer at raunces T vern . There is neither receipt nor a letter to Show that Willi m Floyd was in the city at that time . A “ ”

il r i s m 2 0 . B l for ho ses keeping, however, dated Dece ber Floyd £ “ ” 65 . 8d 1 ba paid 9 . for 4 Days y 8: Oats at per Day . To be sure he traveled frequently between Mastic and New York, but there are only three other statem ents from stabl eke epers am ong the re

c ei ts. m £ 0 1 8 p The bill fro David Titus for 7 i 7s . on June 3 , 7 5 shows “ ” a his own it w as r th t Floyd kept Coach . Apparently not elabo ate ’ “ m s n r but fitted a man of Floyd s Station . Ite like Mendi g tho ough braces Seti ng wings a pair of New Shafts a New Tail Board painting Leather on wings ” and “ a set of Wareing r u Leathe s ggest that Titus was busy with renovations . He charged “ ” 2 Yds l oa for of C th but made no m ention of its color . Such other “ item s as 4 Yds of Narrow Lace Yard of Broad “ ” 2 2 r and 5 B ass Nails give indications of elegance . ’ Early in 1 784 Floyd s purchases were determined by practical s s s m s s s nece sities . The ervant u t have their overalls, coat , ve ts , jackets, “ ”

1 2 1 2 5 . l m m and Split Shirts with red Capes. For Wi lia Starr ade “ ” flanl e 8 s 8: 2 . Floyd a . V t Pr . draws Not until May did Brebner 1 and Brown, woolen and linen drapers at 4 Williams Street, furnish “ ’ £ d. him 1 u C . 85 . with y ds S . fine Bl e loth a 39 for 3 3 On May ’ “ 1 0 m kn C 8: m £ 1 William Starr s labor for ac . oat Breeches ca e to “ ” l i s so m l . Fl oi d 6 . ; but any were the extras that Gen paid a bi l of “ ” £ d £ r m him r C 2 1 2 5 . . d. 8 For 2 1 2 5 . 3 Walter F azer ade a Su tout oat “ ” t in s m as a 1 C se t g down uch ite s Sh lloon, Velvet olla, trimming But s tons, and pocket and leeve linings Th e receipts for drygoods and dressm aking tell m uch about the

s . s m r women of the Floyd hou ehold Rachel Pinto, the ea stress , cha ged “ £ flounc e n a C m s 4 85 . for altering a White turni g ri on gown and ” C 1 8 F ebru oat, and making two striped satin gowns and coats ( 7 r 1 8 m ary and Ma ch, 7 4 , must have been exciting onths for Polly and

K . . r itty Rachel Pinto made a pink satin gown and coat John Tu ner,

r . ll s J , of 79 Wi iam Street, sent two dozen of the fine t cotton stock

’ Floyd and L H om m edi eu were among the Federalists who sup C of 1 8 ported the onstitution 7 7. Suffolk County was strongly Anti federal, but it elected Floyd to the House of Representatives . The First Congress of the United States convened at New York City on

1 8 . l m 1 March 4 , 7 9 Wi lia Floyd took his seat on Monday, April 3. ’ 1 1 8 L H om m e di eu : On June 5 , 7 9, he wrote to at Southold

a e e en ere now ar of t wo m on s and Con re ss e r I h v b h upw d th , g w e orm e ne ar a m on efore I am e and t he rs siness t o i f d th b c , fi t bu wh ch eir a en i on w as rne was the assi of L a s for the L a i n and th tt t tu d, p ng w y g Col l e i n t he Im os and ou il l be r ri se en I e l l ou a ct g p t, y w Su p d wh t y th t we have not yet passe d a Singl e L aw Re l atin g to that m att er nor but one m al l L aw a Re l a e s t o an i n el se ne arl re e m on s i s S th t t y th g , y th th El a se in e a B sin ess w as e n and if w as e from a p d S c th t u b gu , I Judg wh t h as passe d I shoul d Suppose that it woul d be ne ar two m onth s m ore be fore those L aws wil l be in O pperati on so as to Bring any M oney into the Tre asury . A l o ou a e e en B sine ss of i s ki o on er l o in [ th y h v S u th nd g v y S w P li Bo i e s Ye t I el i e e ou il l n ot be a l e t o on ei e h ow fi ve ub c d , b v y w b c c v m onths coul d be Spent in passing the L aws for L aying an d Col l e cting 64 t he Im post of the se State s.

Floyd continued to sit in the state senate . In the same letter to ’ L H om m edi eu he wrote

You have D oubtl e ss before now Se en the Governors procl am ation o li n t he e i l a re t o e e at l an th th o l ne f r Cal g L g s tu m t A b y e 6 f Ju y xt . as it wil l be m uch the Easi e st w ay for you t o go by water I hope I 65 shall have an Oppertuni ty of Se e ing you here on your w ay up. Floyd was chosen one of the presidential electors in the elections

1 2 1 80 0 1 80 1 82 0 . ff of 79 , , 4 , and He supposedly voted for Je erson, of m 1 2 whom he w as a great ad irer . In 79 the state of New York paid him £ 1 0 for making the 3 1 2 mile round trip to Poughkeepsie plus £ 1 6 6 1 for the day he spent there . In 795 Floyd received the nomination r C for lieutenant gove nor . His letter of acceptance struck the incin i natus theme . Well done , thou good and faithful servant, m ght the “ public say"For had not Floyd given Al m ost twenty Years Atten tion to public Business?” He neither entertained “Am bitious Views” fli ce ul m w nor coveted public o . Tr y the time had co e to lay do n his burdens: but in a Republican government every man must set the r 5 count y welfare above personal interest, and answer the call of duty . For this reason Floyd accepted the nomination; but it did him 6 7 s s no good, because he lo t the election to Stephen Van Ren selaer . During the undeclared w ar between the United States and the French Republic William Floyd believed that his people might avoid

36 in . disaster, if they were wise and prudent their politics But noth in n g, he said, could justify the corrupt French Directory for seizi g American vessels and demanding what amounted to a bribe of the n Revol u American commissioners . The lofty pri ciples of the early “ ” i 1 8 t on were very laudable , but by 79 the French seemed to have “ ” “ set them aside for universal dominion and making all the nati ons ” 6 8 of the earth tributary to them . A political pamphlet which Thomas Jefferson sent in 1 80 0 gave “ Floyd much pleasure . Publications like this would tend to enlighten many honest well meaning persons who are Misled by those who m ” have been e ployed throughout the United States to Deceive . ff s l The Republicans, wrote Floyd to Je er on, shou d hold a mirror up to politics; then the majority woul d learn that truth was different from what they had been taught to believe . In spite of the alien and sedition law the people “would be Surprised to think how they had ” been Imposed on . Perhaps Floyd feared that his letter would be opened and read; for while he did not mention the Federalist Party fi “ E i by name, he clearly identi ed its members with The nem es to the ”— Liberties of this Country tireless workers who carried many elec il t tions wh e the Republicans slept . To con inue the Federalists in : offi ce woul d clearly end in confusion . Floyd wrote

w e Shal l Soon find that we have very li ttl e L iberty l eft and as to property there wil l n ot be m uch of that but what will be wante d in t he publi c Tre asury t o Sati sfy that m onstrous l oad of D ebt which our Rul e [r]s are bringin g upon our Count ry ( and whi ch i s al l totall y nne e ssar nl e ss from e eri en e w e s o l fin d as om e a e u c y) , u xp c h u d S h v A sser e a a Na i onal D e i s a Na i onal Bl e ssin if a o l d t d th t t bt t g, th t Sh u ” er l e 69 be the Case we Shal l be wond fully B sse d in de e d . William Floyd served as a delegate to the state constitutional con e i n 1 80 1 in C v nt o of . Recently rescued from destruction a anadian

a erm ill s d . 0 . re p p , a receipt shows that the tate pai him $97 5 He ’

0 . ll c eive d $ 2 . 5 a day for fifteen days attendance The state a owed Floyd t wenty days at the same rate to travel to and from his home in

Suffolk County . It was assumed that a delegate could cover twenty u miles each day . The receipt also carried the signature of Aaron B rr, 70 president of the convention . ’ Floyd s activities went beyond politics . He presided at the meet ing when the trustees took steps to incorporate the Clinton Academ y E m 1 1 8 at astha pton . Its charter, dated November 7, 7 4 , it was the first institution of the kind incorporated by the Regents of the Uni

. 2 1 8 versity of New York Opening its doors on January , 7 5 , the ” ff n school planned to o er a higher grade of learni g . The curricul um

37 m m included reading, writing, athe atics, bookkeeping, geography, n navigation, surveyi g, and Latin and Greek . r Acco ding to a statement signed by Timothy Pickering, the Phila delphia Society For Promoting Agriculture elected William Floyd “ an honorary m em ber 1 78 Floyd ordered a machine for gather ”

C for s s . 1 0 ing lover Seed Pre ident Wa hington In June , 79 , he noti “ fi e d the president of its arrival at the Store of Mr David Gelston in r m a f ont Street, Subject to any orders you y please to give concerning ” w as it . If the machine not to leave for Virginia at once, Floyd ’ “ asked Washington s perm ission to let a Jayner have it for this ” 71 m r m A s Day and to o row as a patern to ake one by . a leader in ’ ’ i e r L H om m e d u . L H om agricultural eform, was greater than Floyd ’ m edicu s work on the conservation and uses of barnyard m anure was particularly outstanding; he also published m uch on the use of m en n haden fi sh for fertilizi g . m - ff C il com A ajor general in the Su olk ounty m itia, Floyd took “ m hi r m m m and of s b igade fro the ti e it was first for ed . He found them without arms and strangers to discipline ; but like a good com “ ” m ander Floyd infused his m en wi th Am bition and Em m ul ati on . m s I It u t have been with pride that he wrote : . got them well Equip [p ]ed with arm s and Accouterments and their Discipline and r r E r Appea ance on Pa ade qual, if not Superior to any B igade in the ” 2 1 u m hi r 6 s . State . But on January , 79 , Floyd s b itted esignation His ff s C n own a airs , he aid, called him away from Suffolk ounty whe he 72 should have been with the militia . William Floyd took part in the expansion of business enterprise after the Revolutionary War. Possibly it was in New York t hat m E " Floyd met Tho as ddy, the wealthy uaker and philanthropist s s a and prison reformer . The fir t record of their busines dealings p ’ in L om m edi e 2 8 1 H u 6 . pears a letter to dated March , 79

d a e Re o r L e er Ni oll In l osin the n o e from M r . I h v c y u tt by c , c g t Thom as Eddy Respe cti ng th e Re qui siti ons m ade by the We stern L ock Navigati on Com pany t he 2 0 th of August l ast and Another t o be pai d the first of april . Thi s i s t h e fi rst knowl e dge or Intim ati on that I have Ever h ad of the Re i si i ons ere fore i t w as no fa l of m i e a i t w as not ai qu t , th u t n th t p d

sooner .

In l ose i s en o n s for o e i si i ons l e ase to c d tw ty p u d b th R qu t , which p

E . I se n th e m one l e s ou o l not Re ei e of pay t o M r . ddy d y t y Sh u d c v

Sm i th. 73 I Shoul d be gl ad if you Coul d Re turn thi s way hom e .

E i 1 1 6 ddy signed a receipt dated Apr l , 79 , stating that Floyd paid

38

£2 2 1 6 . 5 for one share of stock . The interest for four months came to seven per cent.

n m E . Floyd shared humanitarian i terests with Tho as ddy In June, 1 6 m 79 , Floyd was one of a co mission which visited the Brother '

Town Indians in Northern New York . When the Indians assembled, m E he read the a letter from ddy.

I en ol m a w as om e in e alf of th e Su erindent ant s . th t d the th t I c b h p toen ui er in o eir ir m s an e s enerall and ei r re sen q t th C cu t c G y, th p t Ne ce ssiti es i n particul ar and th at I woul d Ende avour so far as m i ght A e ar Reasona l e and ro e r t o el ie e em ol em of W a pp b p p R v th , I t d th h t w e h ad on l e t o en e m from New ork and al so a w e C c ud d S d th Y , th t h ad it in on e m l a ion t o B il em a o se for eir Con eni e n C t p t u d th h u th ‘ v ce 74 of li ors i a ool o n o se and o r o se . pub c W h p, Sch , T w h u , C u th u

r 1 2 C 1 2 0 The Indians, however, had need of 4 pai of Oxen, ows , C 6 6 C Bushels of orn, 3 Barrels of pork, ploughs, hains , 3 Setts of — ” “ C 1 0 0 . s Harrow teeth, 3 Setts of art Iron and Sheep Fully Sati fied that the money could not be laid out to greater advantage, Floyd and the rest of the commission made four drafts on Thom as Eddy m for $875 . At Whitestown six persons fro the Society of Friends “ received Floyd . They had been appointed to goe among the Indi ” m e ns. Floyd noted they appear to to be Steady Judicious E men, and none but Such could have Reason to xpect to Succeed in ” 75 So Arduous an undertaking . 2 0 1 80 1 On February , , William Floyd wrote that under the pro ” t ecti ng hand of a kind providence his family was enjoying the “ ” ’ nl m w as f Blessing of good health . O y Nicoll s s all daughter su fer ” “ ing from fever and ague . Sister Woodhull is at present in a State ” of pretty good health for her, said William Floyd, but the rest of " ‘ w aSiii Al ban his neighbors were well . Nicoll y attending the legisla ture and would not return home until April . Betsy was in New York “ attending the Dancing, and another School . Not until Spring did she expect to return home . Floyd hoped to be well enough in May to go to Northern New York . He would travel by way of New York City but not in his own carriage; he planned to sail up to Al 76 bany and then take the stage . l . C At this point we leave Wi liam Floyd, Long Islander olonial l m r gent e an, revolutionary, and public figure of the ea ly republic, he stands cane in hand beneath a large shade tree surveying the acres of

Mastic . He left Long Island for Western, New York, where he had s m m m s 1 80 1 82 1 been spending his u ers for any years pa t . From 3 to he lived in this newly opened area; but that is the Story of William m Floyd of Western , and is not within the fra e of the portrait . FO O TNO TES

Th e l o fam il ori inal l am e from Bre nockshire al es l an in i n F yd y g y c , W , d g

M assa h se s a o 1 6 0 efore m o i n on to e a e L on Isl an . c u tt b ut 5 b v g S t uk t, g d Ni oll l o 1 0 ran son of Ri h ar th e fi rs se l er m arri e c F yd ( 7 5 g d c d t tt , d a i h illi am l o w as orn here on T b t a Smith and settl e d at M astic . W F yd b

e em er 1 1 . D c b 7, 734 In th e ossessi f D r e h os E . i el s. p on o . J p F d h e es i f e In t oss s on o D r . os h E . i el s In 1 81 l o ro e t o E ra p J p F d . 7 F yd w t z ’ “ L H om m e di eu : I wil l be Obl ige d if you woul d bri ng for m e one of th ose Books pri nte d [in ] Phil adel phi a that Contains al l th e Constitu ” f A n re i s e ions of th e e eral a e s. l o l e ers in ossessi on o t S v St t F yd tt p d w F k , ’

h f e i e as i s e P a rs l o t E a L H om m e di eu A u . 1 6 erea r e . o r ( t c t d F k p ) , W F yd z , g ,

1 8 1 M i l e o n onn . 7 , dd t w , C E as H am on ree L i rar Eas H am on New Yor o m en Boo 1 t pt F b y, t pt , k, D cu t k ,

1 ill iam l o t o il li am erin e em er 2 1 82 Phil a . Pa . p . 9, W F yd W D g, D c b 5 , 7 , , “ ” Receipts for m oneys paid toward th e Church at Brookhaven i s apparentl y th e onl y statem ent i n th e Fl oyd papers signe d by Richard Fl oyd th e Tory.

Broo h a en To n Re or s Boo . k v w c d , k C ffol o n H i s o i al i e To n t ax i r o l s . Su k C u ty t c S c ty, w t “ ” s orn ha Th e l o H om e at M asti A ddresses D el ivered on the O b S w, F yd c, c casi on o a Vi si t to the General W il l i am Fl o d H ouse at M asti c L on O f y , g Isl and By M em bers and F ri ends of th e Soci ety for th e P reservati on of L ong Isl and A nti ui ti es A s 1 a e m i n er not en . M rs. ohn q ugu t 5 , 949 (p g u b g v ) J “ Treadwell Nich ol s h as writt en : Th ere i s a Story th at t he l arge t ract of l and l ying from Sm ithtown on th e n orthwest t o Forge River on th e south e as w as w on from t he m i h s at a am e of ar s fort una el his i s t S t g c d‘, but t y t disproved by a deed of 1 71 8 which states th at for good and m oney in ’ han a e it e am e th e ro er of Ri h ar l o his h ei rs and assi ns d p y d b c p p ty c d F yd, g ” “ ” fo e er M rs. . T i h ol l d M as i i r . . N s O i H o se b d . v J c , t c u , i i a i f P e ns l ni a a e l l s l o e o n a r o e i on v l . 2 H or t o . t c S c y y v , Sp gu C ct , , p 3, N Y . l o to n . F eb . 20 1 80 1 M as i . . W F yd [ , , t c, ’

is e P a ers . l o t o E . L H om m e di eu A ril 1 0 1 6 M asti . F k p , W F yd , p , 7 4 , c f r i e i T . N hol s H ereaf er i e Fl oyd papers in poss ss on o M s. J . c ( t c t d as

l o P e er L ons t o . l o l 2 1 1 6 H ano er V a . F yd t y W F yd, Ju y , 77 , v , New Yor P l i L i rar ra m en of th e P ro ee in s of th e ol d Com k ub c b y, F g t c d g m ir e e of afet of th e To n of Broo h a en M SS. 8 a e s h ereaf er i e t S y w k v , ( p g ( t c t d as ra m en F g t) . Yal e ni e i i U rs L rar n a e m ss. v ty b y, u d t d

. G . M a h er The Re u ees o 1 6 rom L on Isl and to onnecti cut F t , f g f 77 f g C ,

1 0 0 . p . 7

New Yor P li L i rar ra m en . k ub c b y, F g t

O n derdonk r . H enr Revol uti onar Incidents o Su ol k and Kin s , J , y, y f ff g i es Count . 2 0 . , p M aine H is ori al o i et l o t n 6 i . o . S. M a 1 Ph l a. P a t c S c y, W F yd [ ] y 9, 77 , , . l o M ss. P . L ons to l l 1 6 er o 2 1 H ano V a. F yd , y W. F yd, Ju y , 77 , v , M ai H is ori al i 1 6 il ne o et . l o t o n . M a Ph a. P a. t c S c y, W F yd [ y 9, 77 , ,

E . B rnet L ette rs m M r t t t r s ro em be s o h e Con i nen al Con e s V ol . 1 C . u t, f f g , ,

. 1 no . E ar R l e e to oh n a n e 2 1 6 Phil a . P a . p 5 7, 74 5 , dw d ut dg J J y, Ju 9, 77 , , m i h o n L i rar Pro ee in s of th e omm i e e of afet of Broo S t t w b y, c d g C tt S y k h a en M a 1 1 M SS 6 . v , y 3, 77 ( ) i s onsin is i a i l t A s 1 0 1 6 Phil a H or l o et . o o n . W c t c S c y, W F yd [ ugu t , 77 ,

el hi a Pa . d p , New Yor New Yor a e L i rar i ners ol l e i on . l o t o the k St t b y, S g C ct , W F yd k

i N. Y . Pro in al on ress . 1 1 6 H arl em v c C g , Oct 5 , 77 , ,

s in G . T rner ol l e ti on Th e a e of New Yor t o ill iam l o Ju t u C c , St t k W F yd, i t e D r . re e No em er 2 1 82 , c p d v b , 7 . ’ i e P a ers l o t E s . o . L H om m e di eu . 1 82 M i l e o n F k p , W F yd , Oct 3, 7 , dd t w , onn C . Irvin Bran am es M adison th N ti o list 1 8 -1 - e a na 0 8 . 2 8 g t, J , 7 7 7, p 3 4 . a i a m E s H am on ree L r r o en B oo 1 . 1 l o t o t pt F b y, D cu t k , p 9, W. F yd in D e 2 er c . 1 82 Phil a . P a W. D g, 5 , 7 , , . ’ i s e P a ers . l o t E . L H om m i Nov 1 1 a i o ed eu 0 8 M s . F k p , W F yd , . , 7 3, t c

Ibid.

Ben am in Tall m a e M em oi rs o ol onel B en am in Tallm ad e j dg , f C j g , 1 p . 57. ’ i s e P a ers . l o to E . L H om m e di eu ne 1 1 8 F k p , W F yd , Ju 5 , 7 9.

Ibid .

ei e i i r Rec pt at th e Yal U nivers ty L b ary. i s ori al o i e of P enns l ani a ra oll e i n - l H o 1 . o to t c S c ty y v , G tz C ct 5 , W F yd

ona h an N. H a ens F eb . 1 2 1 M asti . J t v , , 795 , c

e roi P li L i rar . l o t o harl es . oo er l 8 1 8 D t t ub c b y, W F yd C D C p , Ju y , 79 ,

s e Y . We t rn N.

L i rar of on ress efferson P a ers . l o t o T eff erson M ar h 1 b y C g , J p , W F yd . J , c 5 ,

1 80 0 . From an unidentifi ed newspaper clipping about 1 954 am ong the Fl oyd I a ers. - iSto i c al o i e of P en l ani a l o t o eor e ashi n on FI r ns . S c ty y v , W F yd G g W gt ,

ne 1 1 0 N . Y . Ju 7, 79 ,

H is ori al o i et of P enns l ani a E in oll e ion . l o t o ohn t c S c y y v , tt g C ct , W F yd J

a an . 2 1 6 M asti . J y, J , 79 , c ’

is e P a ers . l o to E . L H om m e di eu M ar h 2 8 1 6 M as i . F k p , W F yd , c , 79 , t c

hi a o H is ori al o i e . l o to Th om as E ne 1 1 6 C c g t c S c ty, W F yd ddy, Ju 9, 79 ,

a en N. . St t , Y

Ibid.

H is ori al o i e of P enns l ania ra e oll e i on V ol . 2 . t c S c ty y v , Sp gu C ct , , p 3,

l o to n F eb . 20 1 80 1 M ast i . W . F yd [ . , , c BOOKS CONSU L TED

A ri l k the m e can Rev uti n . New Yor in o o New Yor 1 2 . A o il r C . bb tt, W bu , k, 9 9 - s Nati onalist 1 80 1 8 . New Y r Bran Ir in am es M adi on: Th e o 1 8. t, v g, J , 7 7 7 k, 94 o tine t l o ress New Yor 1 1 B rne E m n o The C n n a n . . u tt, d u d C dy, C g k, 94

L etters o M em bers o the Continental Con ress E . . B rne ed. 8 ol s. f f g , C u tt, V - ashin t on 1 2 1 8. W g , 9 3 h Am r t Eas Ro er A Busi ness Enter ri se in t e e i can Revol u i onar Era. New t, b t p y

Yor 1 8. k, 93 a ri el Ral h H enr The Evol uti on o L on Isl and: A Stor o L and and G b , p y, f g y f

Sea. New H a en 1 2 1 . v , 9 l sses Pren iss A H istor o A ri cul ture in th St t o N Y rk H e ri U e a e ew o . d ck, y t , y f g f

A l an 1 . b y, 933 New York wi th Es eci al Re t t i ins R h L . Ex ansi on in erence o he gg , ut , p p f

Ei hteenth Centur . ol m s hi o 1 1 . g y C u bu , O , 93 ones Th om as H i stor o New York D urin the Revol uti onar W ar And o J , , y f g y , f L i n Events in th ther Col oni es at That P eri d E ar l o the ead g e O o . dw d F yd

l New Yor 1 8 . de L an e e d. 2 o s. c y, V k, 79 M a h er re eri re or The Re u e es o 1 6 rom L on Isl and to Con t , F d c G g y, f g f 77 f g

necti cut . Al an 1 1 . b y, 9 3 h a e nder o L ibert New Yor 1 M ona han ran o n D e . . g , F k, ] ] y, f f y k, 935 A t — - Ne i ns A l l an Th e Am eri can States D urin and er the Revol uti on 1 1 8 . v , , g f 775 7 9

New Yor 1 2 . k, 9 4

Onderdonk H enr Revol uti onar Incidents o Su ol k and Kin s ounti es. , y, y f ff g C

New Yor 1 8 . k, 49 ’

er on a el in e L on Isl and s Stor . ar en i t 1 2 . Ov t , J cqu , g y G d C y, 9 9 l t an erson ohn Bi o ra h o th e Si ners to the D e c ara i on o Inde endence . S d , J , g p y f g f p

Phil a el hi a 1 82 . d p , 3 i rs l onel Ben am in ll m Ne Tall m a e Ben am in M em o o o Ta ad e . w Yor dg , j , f C j g k, 1 90 4 .

L n Isl and. ol s. e r N w Yo 1 1 6 . Thom son B . H istor o o p , F y f g 4 V k, 9 Y rk i n the ri ti cal P eri od 1 -1 New o 8 8 . New Y r il er E . a l di n o W d , Sp u g, C , 7 5 7 9 k, 2 1 93 . ’ f Auto ra h ll t i el s ose h E . om l e e e s o o ec ors ournal F d , J p , C p t d S t g p C ] , - NO . 2 . 1 1 . V ol . III , , pp 5 9

Ni h ol s M rs. ohn Trea ell Ol d M as i H o se Addresses D el ivered on the c , J dw , t c u , ccasi on o a Visi t to the General W il l iam Fl o d H ouse at M asti c L on O f y , g b M em bers and Fri ends o the Soci et or the P reservati on o Isl and, y f y f f

N . Y . 1 0 . L on Isl and Anti ui ti es. e a e g q S t uk t, 95 “ ha s orn Th e l o H om e at M as i ibid. S w, O b , F yd t c,