Reeve Howell
Middle Island
Reeve Howell was an
American Revolution patriot as well as a father to many children. He
lived during the difficult, yet exciting time of the American Revolution.
Reeve Howell was
born in Middle
Island in 1738. He was the son of John and Hannah Reeve Howell. John
Howell, Reeves’ father, moved from Mattituck to Middle Island and built
a house in Middle Island. This later became property of Reeves. The
house was located on the north side of Middle Country Road 500 feet east
of the Presbyterian Church.
Howell homestead, photo from the collection of Donald Bayles.
In 1769, Reeve
married Bathsheba Clark. Together they had seven children. Their
children included Isaac, James, Daniel, Deborah, Mary, Bathsheba, and
William. They lived on an estate from south of
Granny Road, north
past Middle Island line up to Route 25. He also owned property on the
north side of Route 25. Reeve appeared on the 1775
Brookhaven
Town
tax list. He paid 8 shillings and 9 pence in taxes. This property was
most likely sold to Joshua Swezey before 1802.
Reeve was an American
Revolution patriot. Fighting between
England and her
colonies began in Lexington, April 1775. Colonists were asked to sign
the association to show support for the Continental Congress. Reeves
became a patriot when he signed the association in May 1775 and again on
June 8, 1775
at Brookhaven, Fourth Company Limits.
In August 1776 the
Patriots were defeated at the battle of
Long Island. With
Long Island now under British control many patriots fled to Connecticut,
becoming refugees. Howell chose to stay on Long Island. To stay here
without the British army taking his farm and livestock he had to sign
the Oath of Loyalty to King George III in 1778. Reeves signed this at
the age of 40 and listed his occupation as a farmer.
On the first day of
May 1781, being Election Day for the town of
Brookhaven Reeve
Howell was chosen as a fence viewer. He served as a fence viewer for
many years, serving 8 times between 1781 and 1792.
Reeve Howell died
September 3,
1802. He was sick for a number of years before he died. Reeve was
buried in the Middle Island Presbyterian Church Cemetery, also known as
the Union Cemetery. In his will, which was written in 1797, he left his
farm to his sons. He also left 6 sheep and one cow to each of his
children and one cow to his wife, to be kept by his son Daniel.
Written by,
Kim Campo
June 2003