The sun., 1910-05-24
CRAVE OF OUR FIRST MAYOR
MAYOR 6AYNOR HEARS IT ~
IN A STATE or NEGLECT.


Gets q letter saying That the Resting
PiAee q Thouas WIlletts Il MARKED
POoFly N = nhsde lslAnd Cemetery
The Matter % ns Locked into.
Mayor Gaynor In giving out yesterday
this letter which he reoelved from Arthur
\. Warner Of Elizabeth. n. j.. said that
he would give immediate consideration TO
the suggestion made:
DEAR san: ! wish 70 call the attention Of
your Honor 10 a historical fact which n but
little known In New York city. yet which
may b. Of great interest The first Mayor Of
New York. Thomas wiletis. was buried In a
small cemetery Ia Rhode Island. the spot
being marked by a crude headstOuo upon
which y carved bis name, the date OF his
death aud the fact that he was nrst Mayor
Of New York city and was twice chosen
TO the place. A the time the Mayor was
appointed by the English Governor.
This cemetery. which h a short distance
from my native town. was formerly a part
of the land granted 10 Mayor wllletts By
the State Of Massachusetts, Would not
some action whereby this neglected grave
might bs properly marked bs nttinEP
Thinking perhaps that that matter might
be Of interest 10 you BEG leave 10 present
the facts
shOuld you desirs any further informa-
ton shall be pleased 10 give q 70 you either
through a letter or by appointment AZ your
once
ELIZABETH, y. j., May 1s.-MayOr Gay.
nor of New York has written 20 Arthur h.
Warner OF this city thanking him for
calling his attention 20 the fact that the
grave Of the first Mayor Of New York,
Thomas Wllietts. has for years remained
neglected In a little oemsteFy In Rhode
Island and assuring him that he viii
Ths grave Of Thomas wiIletts. 10 In Little
Neck Cemetery outside Of Providenoe at
the head q Bullook's formerly known a.
WannAmoisett Grove. Il IL q few yards
north and In full sight Of tho Warren and
Bristol branch of the New Haven ailrOAd.
Capt. Thomas Willetts, the first Mayor
Of New York, married q daughter Of John
Brown Of England. Ar. Brown filed
many important trusts both in England
and in the Colonies During the trouble |
some times of the seventeenth century In !
England he was private secretary 10 Sir !
arrived In America he was elected or APP |
pointed 20 iill important places. being a |
Governors assistant almost up tO the 1
time Of bis death. on April 10. l602. The |
grave Of Mr. Brown Is in the centre Of this 1
ancient burying place and Il marked by a I
small stone about ten inches high.
lake his father-in-law, Capt. Thomas /
Willetts was put in important places
a. soon a. he arrived in the colonies.
After serving the colonies for a long time
and the City Of New York a. Mayor for
two years be returned 20 his home. then 4
In RehObeth. Mass. where he died 100 4
years before the signing Of the Declara-
ton Of Independence.
The stone 1.-THE head of the grave of 1
Capt. Willetes isiielI inches high, iafnches i
wide and about 3 inches thick. With the 1
inscription chiselled without ornAman- !
tatiOn. The inscription reads:
l0It- Here lyeth ys body Of " wor. |
Thomas Willetts, Eaq., who died August |
ye 9Th IN ye etth year Of his age ammo.
The foot stone IL IS inches high and /
u inches thick and has this inscription:
Here h the body % Capt. Willetts, |
who was the frst Mayor % New York |
and twice did s'ietain ye place
The grave Of Capt. Willetts's wife. I
who died in 1899. is near by.