NASSAU COUNTY 



Nassau County lies near the west end of Long Island just 

 east of the counties belonging to Greater New York. It has an 

 area of 175,360 acres. From north to south it extends approxi- 

 mately 19 miles and from east to west 15 miles. 



The population is shown in the following table: 



Population by Towns 



(Census of 1915) 



Hempstead 63,271 



North Hempstead* 23, 687 



Oyster Bay 29, 867 



Total 116,825 



* Mineola, in the town of North Hempstead, is the county seat. 

 Note: The city of Glen Cove was incorporated in 1918. 



HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS 



This county, which was originally included in Queens County, 

 was erected in 1899 by the setting off of the three townships 

 which form the present subdivisions of Nassau County — North 

 Hempstead, Hempstead, and Oyster Bay. Its name was taken 

 from that of the Dutch royal house at Nassau. 



Nassau County was first settled by immigrants from Con- 

 necticut in 1643 in the present town of Hempstead. The land 

 being under Dutch jurisdiction, the patent was obtained from 

 Governor Kieft. The tract now known as the town of Oyster 

 Bay was claimed by both the Dutch and the English, which gave 

 rise to considerable trouble for the early settlers. 



During the Revolution farmers were greatly annoyed by the 

 impressment of livestock, hay, grain, wagons, and teams for the 

 use of Howe's army, which was quartered on Long Island. 



This county has been the home of several noted persons. 

 Among these was Elias Hicks, the founder of the religious 

 belief known as " Hicksite Quakers." Roslyn, in North Hemp- 

 stead, was at one time the home of the poet Bryant. Oyster 

 Bay is widely known as the home of the late ex-President Theo- 

 dore Roosevelt. 



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