Ecclesiastical History of Staten Island in the Seventeenth 
Century ! 
CHARLES W. LENG 
The statements that follow are based upon the researches of 
members of the historical section of the Staten Island Institute of 
Arts and Sciences but I alone am responsible for any errors that 
may occur. As to its early churches and congregations, they are 
particularly based upon recent labors of Mr. Royden W. Vosburgh 
in copying the records of the churches, of Mr. E. C. Delavan, Jr., 
in copying the county records of incorporations, deeds, etc., and of 
Messrs. Vosburgh and W. T. Davis and myself in copying the rec- 
ords of the older gravestones. My own part has however been 
principally that of a compiler. 
The statements to be made will be found to differ in some re- 
spects from those given in the published histories of Staten Island. 
Bishop Burch, in writing the History of St. Andrew’s Church in 
1908, said: “ Careful study of these original records renders neces- 
sary a change in some of the cherished traditions of the parish but 
we are sure every member and well-wisher of this venerable in- 
stitution desires a truthful record rather than tradition or legend, 
however pleasing’ (Grafton Magazine 1:1). I trust that such 
differences as I am obliged to point out may be received in the 
same spirit. : 
The early ecclesiastical history of Staten Island may be divided 
into three periods, the first extending from 1609 to 1650, in which 
no documents indicating even a probability of the existence of 
churches are known; the second extending from 1650 to 1663, in 
which ecclesiastical history is possible but unproven; and the 
third from 1663 onward, in which, though sometimes surrounded 
by doubts, we have real historical evidence of congregations fol- 
lowed by churches. The general history of Staten Island from 
1609, the date of Hudson’s voyage, to 1650, the date of Capt. 
‘ 1 Read May 10, 1923, at a joint meeting of the Section of Historical Re- 
search and the Staten Island Historical Society. 
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