Talk:Old Bethpage, New York

Bethpage purchase
a tract of land bought by Thomas Powell sen. from four Indians (Mawmee, alias Serewanos, William Chepy, Sewrushung, and Wamussum) August 18th 1695

Bethpage is a farming settlement in the south part of the town [of Oyster Bay]. The original Bethpage tract was purchase from the Indians August 18th 1695, and settled upon by Thomas Powell, an active Friend from Huntington. He made another purchase in 1699, and sold a third of his interest the following year to Thomas Whitson, the second settler. This tract was large, embracing most of the central portion of the southern part of the town {TOBay again]. The tract was surveyed by Thomas Willis.

A Friends’ meeting every five weeks, on First- day, was commenced here as early as 1698. In 1742 a meeting house was commenced. In the year 1816 $1,250 was raised for a new meeting- house; a surplus of $175 was contributed toward building horse sheds at Westbury The meeting is described as irregularly attended in 1826 and the society as well as the building seems to be going into decay. The Stewart estate has an extensive brick yard here, with H.F. Barton as superintendent.