J. EDWARDS HOUSE
The Edward's Homestead, east of the Miller Place- Middle Island Road, south of Whiskey Road; Photo from Mrs. Margaret (Davis) Gass
The Edwards house was located on the Miller Place Yaphank Road, just north of Whiskey Road and East of the Miller Place Road. It was between the twin ponds that are still on either side of the road.
The original settler in this homestead was Jonathan Edwards. We have no birth records but the family bible lists him as a French and Indian War veteran. New York State muster rolls for the French and Indian War have Edwards enlisting in 1758. The exact date of construction for the home is unknown. We get a clue from a copy of a will found in the Longwood Public Library dated 1761. Jonathan Edwards states that he gives to his wife Rebecca " all land at the pond ajoining to Steven Swezeys land to her and her assigners she is also to have all property until oldest son Jonathan comes to age of 21". The family home was in front of this pond so we can assume it to have been built before 1761.
According to family tradition, after the fall of Quebec, Edwards was given 300 acres of land in Middle Island in lieu of payment. He came to Middle Island bringing with him seedlings of white pine trees and planting them near his farm. There is currently a large cluster of white pines on the Miller Place Road where the family home once stood. It is also claimed that from this forest of white pines, "Uncle Billy" Dayton took seedlings and planted them around his home. This was the beginning of what is now called Prossers Pines or Cathedral Pines.
The land owned by the Edwards went north towards Miller Place, west to the Swezey property called Swezeytown, and south to the land owned by Lt. Robinson.
In a later will dated 1761, replacing the 1752 will, Edwards leaves "unto my wife Rebacah Edwards a decent comfortable living of my estate as long as she remains my widow" "I give and bequeth unto my beloved son Jonathan Edwards the homestead … and half my farming utensils". I order him to pay to his three sisters Ruth, Sarah and Rebacah Edwards the just sum of thirty pound lawful money of New York". " to my well beloved son William Edwards a certain tract of land joyning to Stephen Swezey in the middle of ye Island"
The son Jonathan Edwards was born in 1736 and died in 1823 at the age of 87. The family bible records him as having been a Revolutionary War veteran. According to the family bible he was married three times. When Edwards died in 1823 his farm was turned over to his son Jonathan Edwards who was born Feb. 13, 1788 (died Feb. 16, 1866) Edwards married Mary Overton who also was born in 1788. They were married Dec. 21 1813 and had two children Maria and Floyd Edwards. Floyd Edwards married Sarah (Sally) Ann Hawkins in 1851.
The last of the Edwards to live in the old home was Victor Edwards.
2015, location of the former Edward's home. The pond behind the road according to town records was called Flax Pond.
JONATHAN EDWARD'S WILL
JONATHAN EDWARD'S WILL
In the pre-Revolutionary War years, the English language was far from standardized, leading to diverse spellings of ordinary words. In transcribing the text of Jonathan Edwards' Last Will and Testament, every attempt was made to faithfully maintain the unique syntax and spellings of one of Brookhaven's earliest settlers. As one reads the text below, words that do not reasonably resemble their modern counterparts will have their equivalents in modern usage appear within brackets following the original spelling. The original copy from which the text is transcribed is currently (August 7, 1999) stored in the Longwood Public Library's Thomas Bayles Local History Collection.
Copy of Will of Jonathan Edwards (1761)
In the name of God amen, the 23 of Juen 1761 I Jonathan Edwards of Brookheavien [Brookhaven] In the county of Suffolk and province of New York yeoman being in health and of parfect [perfect] mind and memory thanks thanks Be given to God, tharefore calling to mind the mortality of Body and Knowing that it is appoynted [appointed] for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will and testament, that is to say principly and first of all I Give and Recommend my soul into the hands of God that Gave it and for my Body I Recommend to the Earth to be bured [sic] In a Christian Like Burial In a decent manner according to the discression [discretion] of my Executors no doubting but att ye General Resurrection I shall Receive ye same a Gain [again] by the mighty power of God and as touching such worly [wordly] Estate wharewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life. I give and devise and Dispose In the following manner and form.
Inprismus. It is my will and I do order that all my deabts [debts] and funerl [sic] charges be paid & satisfied.
Item: I give an bequeath unto my wife Rebacah Edwards a decent comfortabel living out of my estate during the time she remains my widow.
Item: I give & bequeath unto my belovid Son Jonathan Edwards the homestead or place whare my house & barn is whare i now live and half my farming uvitetials [utensils]; and whare as I have given to my son Jonathan ye home farm with ye buildings.
Item: I will and order him to pay to his sisters Ruth, Sarah & Rebecah Edwards the just sum of thirty pound lawfull monney of new york to be Raised and Lived [Levied] out of my Estate that I have given him.
Item: I constitute my Beloved wife Rebacah Edwards & my son Jonathan Edwards above mentioned I do make & ordain my whole and soul [sole] Executer of this last will and testament all and singgeler to to ye lands, messeges [messages] and tenments [tenements] to him his hairs [heirs] and assings [assigns] forever.
Item: I will and bequeath to my well beloved son William Edwards a cartain [certain] tract of land Joyning to Stephen Sweezey in the middle of ye Island leat [let] it be more or less which land I give William, his hairs & Exec.
Item: I will and order my son William shall have half my farming uritentials [utensils]. Item: I will and order my above mentioned sone william Edwards to pay to my daughters Ruth, Sarah & Rebackkah Edwards the sum of thirty pound lawfull monney of new york to be Raised and Livied out of my estate that I have given him.
Item: I will & bequeath to my beloved daughters Ruth, Sarah & Rebe all my household goods to be Equally divided among them and I do hearby disolve [dissolve] all other wills & bequeaths or former testaments any ways be me made or done Rettefying [Ratifying] this and no other and confarming [confirming] this and no other to be my last will and testament, In witness whareof I have seat my hand and seal ye day and year above written.
Signned Sealled Published from unused and declared by the aid Jonathan Edwards as his last will and testament In the preasents [presence] of us the subscribers.