E. KING HOUSE

REVEREND EZRA KING

by

Thomas R. Bayles

Patchogue Advance

January 5, 1961

Photo from the Donald Bayles collection.

The Rev. Ezra King, pastor of the Middle Island and South Haven Presbyterian churches from 1810 to 1844, was born in East Marion July 24, 1784. His father was Jeremiah King, a soldier in the Revolution, and he was a direct descendant of William King of England, who settled in Salem, Mass., in 1635. Ezra King received his early education in his native village, taught school a few years, and then decided to study for the ministry.

He studied at Clinton Academy in East Hampton, and in 1808 commenced the study of theology under the Rev. Aaron Woolworth, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Bridgehampton. He completed his course under the Rev. Lyman Beecher, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at East Hampton, and in 1809 was licensed to preach by the Long Island Presbytery.

In May 1810 he was called to supply the parishes of Middletown (Middle Island) and South Haven, and in the spring of 1811 he was given a call to become the pastor of these two churches. On October 14, 1811 he married Lydia Youngs of East Marion, a descendant of the Rev. John Youngs, first minister of the Southold Church in 1640. They moved into the house, which had been built by the Rev. Herman Daggett, the minister before him. It stood across the road from the Middle Island Church. He later bought the house and farm adjoining it of about 100 acres that extended up Church Lane to Half Mile Pond or Pine Lake as it is now called. This farm also included a tract on the east side of the road adjoining the church, and on a part of which is now located the Presbyterian Church manse, that was purchased in 1959. In addition to the work as pastor he conducted his farm, and also taught pupils at his home, before the first school in Middle Island was built about 1816, that stood just east of the church. He was also appointed by the town as one of the school inspectors for several years. His wife died September 24, 1814, leaving him with two small children, Thomas and Lydia.

On September 10, 1816 he married Eliza Helme of Miller Place and six children were born to them: Her grandmother was Hannah Smith, daughter of Major William Henry Smith, a son of Col. William Tangier Smith, who settled in Setauket in 1686, and later purchased the Manor of St. George from the Indians.

Eliza Helme, while a girl of 13 years of age, attended a school for gir!s conducted by Mrs. Lyman Beecher in her home at East Hampton in 1806, and while there made a beautiful picture of a Biblical scene embroidered in colored silk floss, as taught by Mrs., Beecher. This picture has hung for a great many years on the wall in the homestead of Mrs. Richard M. Bayles of Middle Island, mother of Thomas and Albert Bayles, and who was a granddaughter of the Rev. Ezra King and his wife, Eliza.

It was an active life that "Priest King" (as he was affectionately called by the members of his parishes) led, and he covered his immense territory mostly on horse-back. In addition to Middle Island and Yaphank this included South Haven, which extended from Moriches to Patchogue. It was during his pastorate that the South Haven

Church was built in 1828, which has just been moved to a new location in Brookhaven, Also, the present Middle Island Church was built in 1837, while he was here, to replace the first one built in1766, The church record for April 30, 1837 contains the following record with regard to leaving the old meeting house: "May much seed that has here been sown yet spring up and be abundantly realized in a glorious harvest that shall wave in immortal beauty over the dust. and remains of this demolished temple." Thirty-six members were received into the church during that year.

The Autumn of 1833 was a time of sorrow for pastor King, as his aged mother died October 15, and his wife, Eliza, December 21, leaving him with -six children under 15 years of age, and one of them a baby of 11 months.

By 1839 his health began to fail from overwork in caring for his large family, his farm and two churches, so he asked the Presbytery to dissolve the pastoral relations between him and the two churches, which was done, and the union that had existed between the churches was ended. At this time the combined membership of the two churches was 184.

The Rev. Mr. King continued as stated supply in the Middle Island Church until 1844, when he retired and moved with his family to Miller Place, where he built a home which stands just south of the home of Milton Davis. Here he lived until his death February 7, 1867, in the eighty-third year of his life and was laid to rest in the cemetery across the road from the church he had served so long in Middle Island.

He was held in the highest esteem and affection by the two churches of his parish, and suitable resolutions were inscribed in the Session records of both churches. Through the efforts of William Sidney Smith of Longwood, a monument was erected in 1868 to his memory by the members of his two churches, which carries the following inscription: "Grateful friends have erected this monument in memory of their beloved pastor, who for 34 years devoted the vigor of his life to the united parishes of Middletown and South Haven. By his ardent piety, eloquent preaching and fervent prayers, his warm affection, true friendship and courteous dignity, he has left an enduring example to both church and the world."

The Rev. Mr. King was pastor at Middle Island for 34 years, the longest time of any minister in the history of the church. As we look back over the 150 years since he came to Middle Island, we find, many changes have taken place, but the Middle Island Presbyterian Church still serves the community, and is active and growing at the present time under the leadership of the Rev. Edwin G. Townsend, who came to the church as pastor in 1958.

MR. JOSEPH KING

Middle Island

From: The Portrait and Biographical Record

JOSEPH N. KING, so well known for so many years in the social and business life of that part of Long Island included under the general name of Brookhaven, was born at Middle Island June 8, 1823. His father, Ezra King, who was born July 24,1784, was the son of Jeremiah King, who was born in 1739, and the grandson of Ephraim. The latter was the son of Samuel and the grandson of John King, who came from Plymouth, England, to America about 1650, and settled at Orient, which now bears the name of East Marion.

The grandfather of our subject was a man of the sea, and left a record behind him that a sailor might well be proud to bear. The father of our subject first married Lydia Youngs, who became the mother of two children, Thomas J. and Lydia, who is the widow of N. T. Swezey, and resides in New York City, in her eighty-second year. For his second wife he married Eliza Helm, who was a little younger than himself, having been born in August, 1793. They had six children: Caleb, who was born January 6, 1818, and lives at Stony Brook; Ezra; Joseph N.; Elisha E., who was born December 30, 1826; Hannah Y., who was born March 22, 1836, and is now the wife of Joseph Rowland; and Maria E., born January 22, 1833, now the widow of Benjamin Bailey, and a resident of Brooklyn.

The father of our subject moved to Middle Island from Brookhaven about the year 1810. He was a Presbyterian, and studied for the ministry under the direction of old Dr. Beecher at East Hampton. He took charge of the church on this island, kept a private school in his house, and had a parish at what was then called Fire Place, but is now known as South Haven. He preached at these churches on alternate Sundays, and was on this field of labor until 1836, when be came to Miller's Place after which he preached occasionally. ill health caused his retirement from the ministry, and he died February 7, 1867. His remains are interred in Middle Island, where his parish erected a monument to his memory. He was twice married, his first wife dying September 17, 1814, and his second wife December 21, 1833.

The subject of this sketch was thirteen when he was brought to Miller's Place. November 17, 1846, he married Miss Therina Hudson, daughter of Horace and Eliza (Davis) Hudson. Her father, who was a farmer, and a man of character, died at the age of eighty-one; her mother is still alive and is in her ninetieth year. They had two children, of whom the wife of our subject was the older, and was born February 15, 1828. Her sis-ter, Elizabeth R., born August 8, 1836, is the wife of H. Tyler, of Brooklyn. To our subject and his wife one child, Byron S., was born September 3, 1847, and died June 23, 1848,

The early education of Mr. King was good, and it has been supplemented and increased by extensive and varied study beyond the limits of the district school. He attended Miller's Academy, was for two terms at the Southampton Academy one term at Newburg, and then a student in Williams College, at Williamstown, Mass., for two years, completed his school attendance there, locating in New York City. In 1846 he was taken on the force of the post office in that city, a position that he held for two years. He left the postal service to take a place in the office of the Pacific

Express Company, which he retained for twenty-one years. When that long period of service had expired he returned to Miller's Place, and entered upon a farmer's life, which he finds very congenial. His postal training was utilized for the good of the community by his appointment as Postmaster, which he held for nine years, under the administrations of Hayes, Garfield and Arthur. He is a Republican, and a member the Congregational Church. He has been a member of the Eighth Regiment, National Guards and has done duty on occasion.