Report of Committee on Historical Tablet 9 



proof of these statements extant." (City History Club Leaflet 

 No. X: 24, 1908.) 



It is impossible to tell from the records available when the first 

 church was erected. The first record of preaching is by Rev. 

 Samuel Drisius, every two months, in 1663-4 (21), probably at 

 Old Town ; and the first conveyance of a lot for church purposes 

 that we have been able to find was for a lot at what is now Green 

 Ridge, to the French congregation or church, in 1698 (22). We 

 believe, however, that a church or churches had been built before 

 this time, for the French Church on Staten Island contributed £3, 

 in 1693, for freeing slaves in Salee (23). Miller, in his descrip- 

 tion of New York in 1695, stated that there was a meeting house 

 in the county of Richmond and that the minister was Doctor Bon- 

 repos (24). Clute (Annals 255) states that a church at Stony 

 Brook was erected about 1665, and Morris has given 1658 (25) 

 as the date of the building of the first church at Stony Brook and 

 the founding of the village. We can find, however, no docu- 

 mentary proof of the building of a church at Stony Brook in 

 1665 or at any time previous thereto. 



In a deed dated February 29, 1699, reference is made to "the 

 house that belongs to the Dutch congregation " (26). This house 

 is referred to in several deeds, sometimes as " the Voorleezer's 

 house" (27). It is not certain, however, that the house was 

 used as a church. The earliest record relating to a church build- 

 ing that we have found, except the reference to the meeting house 

 above mentioned, is in a grant dated June 29, 1713, which recites 

 "All that Stone Church called St. Andrews and the Tenement 

 and Lott of whereon it is built" (28). 



We conclude that the accuracy of the date and event inscribed 

 cannot be maintained and that they should not be on the tablet. 



The fifth date and event inscribed on the tablet is : 



1660. Fresh Kills settled by French Huguenots. 



The committee of 1906 approved " 1660. Fresh Kill settled 

 by Huguenots." 



