THE NEWTOWN REGISTER
NEWTOWN, L.I., THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1877

WALKS THROUGH OLD CEMETERIES
THE OLD HALLETT BURYING GROUND, ASTORIA.

The most venerable headstone of the Hallett
Cemetery dates 1724, cut in the oldrude fashion
on hard stone which seems in all the old cemeteries
to defy time and to preserve their edges as
sharp as the day they were split off the parent rocks.
This old stone bears S. H. 1724, and marks the last
Dwelling of Samuel Hallett, who was proprietor
of the soil, both of the yard and the adjoining
Methodist Church. The ground is covered with
similar rude tablets, as follows:

John Hallett, 1788 ; L.H., 1759; S.H.,
aged 78 ; B. H., 1747 ; L. H., l760 ; E. H.,
1776 ; I. H, 1781 ; S. H., 1763 ; L. H.,
1798; S. H , 1760; S. H., 1752 ; I. H.,
1760: M. H., 1747; E. H., 1791; A. H.
1802; J. White, 1826 ; D. D. B. R., 1777 ;
May Trafford, 1803 ; N. S; 1777; I. R.,
1809 ; J. J., 1810; Samuel Hallett, 1817;
Mary Hallett, 1842 ; I. H., 1806; J. H.,
1802; James Hallett, 1852 ; Samuel Hallett,
1852 ; Rebecca Hallett, 1802 ; Stephen
Hallett, 1822; Mary Hallett, 1804; James
James Hallett, 1838 ; Stephen Hallett,
1841; Lydia Hallett, 1845 ; Rebecca Hallett.
1853; Nat. Hicks, 1858. ; Eliza Hallett,
1860; Charity Hallett, 1861.; David Green-
oak, I856 ; Tiny Stratton, 1822; William
Stratton, 1836 ; Mary Anne Hallett. 1829;
Samuel Hallett, 1832; James Hallett, 1852;
Abraham Ludlam, 18l0; John Ludlam,
1820; George Frankford, 1823.

An equal number of stones without name
or date mark the now forgotten members,
of the same family.

This numerous, wealthy and active race,
who gave name to Hallett’s Cove afterwards
changed for sound’s sake into Astoria, is
now represented in the neighborhood by the
single name of Charles W. Hallett, President
of the Common Council, which position
tradition will hand down as accorded
to him from personal merit alone, and not
from political favor, present report making
him a unit in that respect. However, the
original founder of the family was William
Hallett of 1652, to whom a “brief” of 162:
acres was granted in Astoria, on which he
built a house to be burned by the Indians
in a couple of years afterwards in testimony
of their respect to the advice of old Stuy-
vesant who just at that time required their
friendship. The old Governor who never
was at rest save in a quarrel, then dismissed
Hallett from the office of Sheriff, in Flushing,
for giving a dinner to a Rhode Island
divine, and added fine and imprisonment;
but Mr. Hallett had ample time for revenge
and died under the British in his 90th year,
A. D. 1705. He was a prudent man, for in
1664 he had purchased the whole of Hell
Gate Neck, Riker’s and Berrien’s Islands
from the Indians for the sum of 58 fathom
of wampum, 7 coats. 1 blanket, 4 kettles.
What may be the quotation price of wampum
in Wall street the tourist is unable to
say, but we must suppose the consideration
paid to the Indians, Erramose ,Shawescont,
and Mattano for the entire of Astoria and
adjacent Islands to have been the selling
price of real estate in those days. The last
official act of Gov. Stuyvesant and simultaneous
with the stopping up the windows on
the New York side of his palace was a parting
shot at Mr. Hallett in the form of a
grant to the Rikers of the Island, which
grant was afterwards affirmed by the British.

Berrien’s Island was also taken from
him, but sufficient remained to divide between
his two sons Willam and Samuel and
make them substantial men.