The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-11-23
New York's tFirs Mayor.


Providence, Nov. 22-While Greater New
York has been elect:ng its first mayor. a
movement has been started TO mark the
spot in this state where les the body of
the first mayor Of the present city of New
York. 1t is not unlikely that Captain
Thomas WIlett has been forgotten by his
successors Of the nineteenth century AMI
their constituents. but ant.quarfans here
abouts have not forgotten him, and al this
late day It is probable that something viii
be done to make prominent the spot where
ne is buried
1t is, perhaps. not generally known that
the first mayor Of the metropolis was bu-
ried in Rhode Island The grave was lost
for several years, but when new genera
ton of historical students came along it
was searched out. Today It as as it has
been for generations. How long it will be
allowed TO remain IN it's present condition
is question. The attention of New York
City viii be called TO the matter. and il
no STEPS are taken by the municipality to
mark the spot, societies n New England
may take the matter in hand.
The first mayor OF New York is buried
in an ancient ground at the head OF Bull
locks Cove, in the town of East Provf-
dence, where a rough stone IS erected to
his memory. containing the rudely carved
and brief inscription:
1914
Here lyes We Body
of We worll Thomas
Wihett Esq who died
AvgvSt ye 4th an ye 6ith
Year of his age ammo
The inscription on the footstone reads:
Who Was the
First Mayor
OF New York;
& Twice Did
Systain ye Place.
According 10 Mrs. George st. Sheffield s
recent history of Attleboro, and that part
of Bristol County, Mass, Capt. Thomas
Willett stood at the head of the Attleboro
proprietors. His history does not belong
exclusively to Attleboro, as he took an ac-
tive part an the original Rehoboth North
Purchase. Not much is known of him pre-
vious to his emigration to America He
was merchant in his native country, and
in his travels became acquainted with Pill
grims in Leyden, and then in Holland, re-
siding with them prior to their exile to
America. In Leyden he learned Dutch,
which came useful in after years. He
was one of the last of the Leyden com
pany.
He came to America about 1890 when he
was twenty-one years of age. One au-
thority says he came in 1923. Others say
he was twenty-four years old when he ar
rived in Plymouth, where ne first resided.
He became very useful in the colony, and
on July l, 1888. he was admitted free
man of the colony and granted six acres OF
land He was prominent in surveys and
in the purchase of land from the Indians.
He was friend of the red man, and in
deeds now preserved the Indians called
him, "our loving friend, Captain Thomas
Willett." He was made superintendent OF
the Plymouth Colony trading post at Ken
nebeck. and while there the Indians plar-
ned to slay all the whites. W.llett was
reading a Bible when the Indians sur
rounded his cabin, and when they entered
to take his scalp they thought their plan
had been discovered in the book. So they
did not carry it out
In 167 Willett became successor to Miles
Standish, the Pilgrim warrior. He was
made assistant to the governor in 1851, and
held that office until 1865. He was select
ed at this time by the Plymouth Court,
agreably to his Majesty's Commissioners. to
attend them at New York, (Which had just
been surrendered by the Dutch, for the
purpose of assisting them in organizing
the new government. 1t is mentioned by
Davis in a note to his edition of "Morton's
Memorial" that "Col. Nichols, one of the
Commissioners, in a letter to Governor
Prince. written from New York, in the
spring following TIE reduction of the
Dutch settlements requests that Captain
mis- official engagements in Plymouth col
ony as 10 be at liberty to artist in mod
cling and reducing the affairs in the set
tlement into good English" Col. Nichols
remarked that ''Willetts was more ac-
quainted with the customs and manners of
the Dutch than any man in this country,
and that this conversation was very ac-
ceptable to tlhem.''
Capt. Willett executed his duties there
TO the entire satisfaction of ali concerned.
His services rendered him so popular with
the people that, after the organiza-io Of
the government, he was chosen the frs;
English mayor Of New Yorw: and he was
reelected. Mr.. Baylies, in his History
of Plymouth Colony" says: But even
this first of city distinctions conferred by
that proud metropolis did not impart more
real honor TO mis- character than the ad-
dress and good feeling manifested by him
in effecting the practical settlement Of the
humble town of Swansea"
The Dutch had so mukch confidence IN
Capt. Willett that he was selected as um-
pire 10 determine the controverted bound
airy between New York and New Haven
colonies. He was a commissioner of Dele
gates OF the United States Colonies several
years.
After the settlement OF Rehoboth Capt.
Willett removed TO Wannamoisett, now
Swansea. He owned a quarter of town
ship, and there associated with him was
Mr.. Myles, the first Baptist minister in
New England. He married Mary Brown.
daughter OF John Brown l., on July s, 1886.
They had several children. One son was
killed In King Philips war. and one Of
his descendants, Col. Willett, a distin-
guished officer in the Revolutionary war.
was also mayor of New York. After a
residence Of a few years in New York,
Capt. Wiliett returned 10 Swansea. and
there died. August 4,ls74. aged sixty-three
years. Mrs. WiIlett died in 1863, and IS
buried beside her husband