New Village Sewing Circle Long Island Quilt Circa 1855

Received the following email on Sunday 11/04/01 and had to pass it on.  Anyone knowing any information that might help Melissa please feel free to contact he.

Thanking you all - Mac


    I am a Ph.D. student at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln and I'm researching a quilt in our collection that appears to have been made by residents of the Long Island area in the 1850s.  It was "Presented to the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Wildey by the New Village Sewing Circle, Smithtown Circuit, February 1855."  I have identified several of the signatures on the quilt as residents of Brookhaven, Coram, Middle Island, & Patchogue, but I have not yet found reference to the Rev. Wildey.  The other family names are Overton, L'Hammedieu, Terry, Hammond, Alexander, Gordon, Hallock, and Norton.  Can someone help me find a specific church or denomination to which these people may have belonged or any other reason for the quilt having been made at that time?  Can you tell me where else I may find information on these people or this area?
Melissa Woodson
Graduate Research Fellow
International Quilt Study Center
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Cell # 402-297-4738

Melissa made a list of the names on the quilt.. Hopefully someone will be able to help Melissa find the connections.

Aldridge, Harriet 
Alexander, Louisa
Alexander, H. W.
Alexander, Mary
Buckingham, Charry A
Bunce, Martha A. 
Chevry, Warren
Corman, Elizabeth
Corman, Sarah
Curtis, Elizabeth E. 
Davis, Oliver 
Elliott, William
Gillottson, Charlotte
Gillottson, Isaac
Gordon, Baldwin 
Gordon, David 
Gordon, Henry C. 
Gould, Charles A
Hallock, Almira F. 
Hallock, Daniel G.
Hallock, Daniel B. or R. - 
Hallock, Harriet N. -
Hallock, J. Foster
Hallock, Mary H
Hallock, Sophronia - 		 Hammond, Albert O.
Hammond, Deborah B.
Hammond, Edwin C.
Hammond, Eliza A.
Hammond, Francis Ward
Hammond, George Hollis
Hammond, James R.
Hammond, Jason
Hammond, Joseph R.
Hammond, Laura E.
Hammond, Mary F
Hammond, Rev. M. S.
Hammond, Samuel M.
Hammond, Wilbur Fisk
Hawkins, Antoinette
Hawkins, Electa A.
Hawkins, Elizabeth A.
Howell, Hirana
Howell, Sarah
Hulse, James R.
Ingraham, Mariann
Jewell, James
LaCost, Hannah
LaCost, Rev. M.
L’Hommedieu, Albert		 L’Hommedieu, Deborah A.
L’Hommedieu, Emeline
L’Hommedieu, John S.
L’Hommedieu, Mary E.
L’Hommedieu, Wm Wallace
Mills, Edwin
Newton, Charles
Newton, Edward
Nickoll, John R.
Nicoll, William W.
Norton, Emily A.
Norton, Harmon D.
Norton, M. V. B.
Norton, Richard W.
Overton, Alanson
Overton, Elisha E.
Overton, Eliza A.
Overton, Jehiel W.
Overton, Joshua M.
Overton, Lester D.
Overton, Mary J.
Overton, Oakley S.
Overton, Ruth R.
Overton, Sarapta
Overton, Susan		 Post, Sanford B.
Raynor, Mary Ellen
Rogers, Frederick J.
Roseman, Abraham W.
Sanders, Edward Jr.
Sanders, Elizabeth
Sturtevant, Eliza H.
Sturtevant, Sarah B.
Swezey, Clark
Swezey, Edgar
Swezey, Marim E.
Swezey, Mary A.
Swezey, Moses E.
Terry, Augustine D.
Terry, Catherine
Terry, Eliza C.
Terry, H. Emeline
Terry, Leuddon
Terry, Maria J.
Terry, Rhoda
Terry, Sarah B.
Terry, Sarah R.
Terry, Rev. T. Morris
VanBrunt, Franklin N.
Rev. Mr. & Mrs. Wildey

SOME INFORMATION ALREADY RECEIVED:
The church that Rev. Wildey served at was most likely the First Congregational Church of New Village (now Lake Grove).  The names on the quilt are all consistent with that congregation.  There is one other possibility, the Ronkonkoma Methodist Church, but I think the Congregational Church is probably the one.


This is a METHODIST EPISCOPAL [M. E.] church ... the term "circuit" tells you that right off.  I believe New Village was still on the Smithtown Circuit in 1855.
You certainly have some up with some "typical" surnames of that area at that time.
Information from: "History of Methodism at Lake Ronkonkoma" by Charles Hawkins [1895]

The Ronkonkoma Methodist church was part of the Smithtown circuit until 1878 [p.50]; -Rev. Joseph Wildy [sic] was appointed Preacher for the circuit at the Annual Conference held at the Allan St. Church, NY City, 18 May 1853, and was in charge until the Annual Conference in 1855 [p.53];
- "Bro Wildy reported 30 conversions at Comac, 6 at Smithtown Landing" [p.53];
- "under the ministry of Rev Joseph Wildy there had been a large addition to the membership" [p.54].

Also, in "New York Methodist Marriages 1785-1893" [William Scott Fisher; Picton Press; 1994]; vol. 2- more info on the marriage reported in my previous email- Joseph Wildey married Doretha Dixon, 15 Jan 1837 (note discrepancy in date betw. the 2 sources), Greene Street Methodist Church, NYC (later the Asbury Methodist Church). (info from email of Ned Smith)


In the area of the New Village Sewing Circle, the church as which Rev. Wildey served was the Methodist Church of Lake Ronkonkoma.  The Smithtown Circuit covered the Methodist Churches in Smithtown Landing, Smithtown Branch, Hauppauge, Commack and Lake Ronkonkoma.  A recent history of the Lake Ronkonkoma Methodist Church, "Highlights of Our Heritage", by Robert VanHorn lists Joseph Wilday [sic] serving from 1854-5.

At the time, it was the custom to make a quilt when popular ministers were moving away.  Although I can find no record of the making or presentation of the quilt you have, it was probably made by women in the area of what is now Lake Grove and Centereach.   All the family names mentioned had members living in the area.
Mallory Leoniak
Researcher


The following information all submitted by Mallory Leoniak - Brookhaven Town Historian's Office:
The following names from the quilt list were members of the Methodist Church of Lake Ronkonkoma:

Name     Date of Membership*

Hallock, Daniel R(oe)   1832
Hallock, Harriet N(ewell)  1859
Hallock, J(ohn) Foster   1859
Hallock, Mary H.   1834
Hallock, Sophronia   1859
Hammond, Albert O.   1853
Hammond, Deborah B.  1859
Hammond, Edwin C.   1843
Hammond, Eliza A.    1841
Hammond, George H(ollis)  1861
Hammond, James R.   1858
Hammond, Laura E.   1861
Hammond, Mary F.   1836
Hammond, Wilbur Fisk  1859
Hawkins, Electa A.   1859
L’Hommedieu, Emeline  1862
L’Hommedieu, Mary E.  1853
L’Hommedieu, William H(ollis) 1905
Mills, Edwin    1864
Newton, Edward   1853
Overton, Oakley S.   1853
Raynor, Mary Ellen   1853
Terry, Augustine D.   1853
Terry, Eliza C.    1841

* Indicates earliest recorded date recorded.  Taken from The United Methodist Church of Lake Ronkonkoma, Birth, Baptism, Marriage and Death Records, 1796-1996, compiled by Robert C. VanHorn.

Joshua M. Overton and Ruth (Terry) Overton

Joshua Marinus Overton, son of Joshua and Ruth (VanVelsor) Overton, was born, February 12, 1827, and died January 10, 1872.

He married Ruth Terry, daughter of Scudder and Catherine (Howell) Terry, on December 15, 1847.

Children:  John Brewster, Emaline and Carrie Irene.

From The Overton Genealogy: The Overton Family of Long Island…, by Alvin R.L. Smith, 1965.

Sarah B. Sturtevant

Daughter of Zachary and Charity (Yarrington) Hawkins.

Born in Port Jefferson  June 2, 1809
Married Solomon Sturtevant (son of Levi and Mary (Chamberlin) Sturtevant) on April 21, 1830.  He was born Jan 30, 1810 in Pembroke, MA, and died at sea November 21, 1846.
Children:
 Emily Antionette
 George
 Francis
 Charles Franklin
Eliza Halzey, born December 1842, died April 12, 1928, married Charles
A. Macy
 Mary Chamberlin


In a book on the name L'Hommedieu - name on Quilt list
looks like this would be the right one. From book on L'Hommedieu,
William Wallace L'Hommedieu , son of  Albert Isaac 6, James5, James4, John3, John2, Benj.1. and Mary Hallock. born 1831 died 1915 married D. Emeline Todd, who was born 1882 - died 1905
The are both buried in the Lake Groves M. E. Churchyard, Lake Romkonkoma, and the birth and death dates given are from the inscriptions on their tombstones.
they had one son Delos, who married his second cousin, Susie L'Hommedieu, daughter of John S. and Susan ( Petty ) L'Hommedieu. Delos died on a trip in the West. There was no issue by this marriage.
Info sent by: VanCAA@aol.com