Footnotes to Long Island History
Helen T. Smith, Last
of An Old Family
February 10, 1955
by
Thomas R. Bayles
Miss Helen
Tangier Smith, a direct descendant in the fifth generation of Colonel
William Tangier Smith who came to America from Northamptonshire,
England, in 1686, died February 2 at her residence, 370 Washington
avenue, Brooklyn. Her death brings to a close a colorful and famous
family chain in Brookhaven town.
The year
after his arrival, Col. Smith purchased what is now Strong’s Neck in
Setauket and established his homestead there. He was appointed chief
justice of the Supreme Court in 1692, and was actively interested in the
affairs of Brookhaven town in those early years. He worshipped at the
old “Town Church in Setauket. His wife was accorded the peculiar
privilege of being the only woman allowed to sit at the table in the
church with the honored justices and those who paid 40 shillings or more
yearly towards the minister’s salary.
In 1691
Col. Smith purchased from the Indians an immense tract of land extending
from the Connecticut, or Carman’s river eastward to the Mastic river,
and extending south from the middle of the Island to the ocean. These
lands were confirmed to him in 1693 by a patent from Governor Fletcher
as the “Manor of St. George.”
One of his
grandsons, Judge William Smith, was settled on the homestead estate
which had been established on the bay at Mastic, and occupied by the
branch of the family of which Miss Eugenia Tangier Smith, who died a
year or so ago, was the last survivor.
We find the seventh
son of Judge William, also named William, establishing his homestead at
Longwood. Yaphank, about 1790, with his wife, who was Hannah P. Smith
of Smithtown. He must have been filled with the pioneer spirit to leave
the ancestral home at Mastic to live in such a remote place as Longwood
was in those early days.
A son of
this William Smith, William Sidney Smith, was born at Longwood July 8,
1796. Left an orphan at the age of seven, he acquired an education and
later entered business, in New York city. In 1823 he married Miss
Eleanor Jones of Cold Spring, and a year later they moved to the family
estate at Longwood. Here, remote from the conveniences of railroad and
village, they reared 10 children to maturity, and for half a century
lived in happiness and contentment.
William
Sidney Smith gave his attention to farming and the management of his
estate of several thousand acres, as well as to other enterprises. He
was elected supervisor of Brookhaven town in 1829, was county treasurer
from 1834 to 1848, and held various other public offices. He was
actively interested in the early management of the Long Island Railroad
and the flour mills and woolen factory at Yaphank. during more than 50
years he was an earnest supporter of religious activities and a constant
attendant at the services of the Presbyterian churches at Middle Island
and South Haven. He died in 1879, leaving a widow, eight son and two
daughters.
Robert
Russel Smith, first son of William Sidney, was born December 20, 1829
and, after his schooling, took up the management of Longwood and other
business interests. Associated in the affairs of the community, he was
an officer in the Middletown Presbyterian church at Middle Island. On
June 2, 1875 he married Cornelia Thorne, daughter of Henry and Cornelia
Thorne. They had three children, William H. Tangier, who died in
infancy, Helen Tangier and William Sidney. They were educated and
brought up at Longwood, and William Sidney, having chosen a medical
career, served as a captain in the Medical Corps during World War I. He
was also connected with the Brooklyn City hospital for many years until
his death in March, 1944.
His sister,
Miss Helen, was the last of this historic family to occupy the old manor
house at Longwood, where she spent her summers and which she maintained
the traditional manner. A visit to this famous old home filled with
rich furnishings of years gone by, was like turning back the hands of
time to the days of long ago.
Miss Smith
was a member of the National Society of Colonial Dames, the Colonial
Lords of the Manor and the Society for the Preservation of Long Island
Antiquities.
Interment
will be in the family plot at Longwood at a later date.