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From: "Russell K. Brown" <>
Subject: [NYSUF] Long Island as Nassau Island - final note (maybe)
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 15:43:35 -0500


A month ago there was a discussion on this list concerning the origin
and date of the name Nassau Island for Long Island. Two knowledgeable
members of this list spoke up to say that Nassau was the original name
of the island. I suggested (but was not sure) that the name Nassau had
been applied during the reign of King William II and Queen Mary II of
England. Mary was the Protestant daughter of the King James II, a
Catholic, who had been deposed, and William was her Dutch husband,
among whose previous titles was Prince of Nassau. They took the English
throne in 1689; Mary died in 1693 and William reigned alone until his
death in 1701.

Yesterday, while re-reading the early chapters of Barrow and Wallace's
Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898, I found this passage on
page 107:

"In 1693 [royal governor Colonel Benjamin Fletcher] informed New
Yorkers that Long Island would henceforth be called the Island of
Nassau so that the memory of William III 'may live forever amongst
you.'"

Merry Christmas to all.

Russell

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