Compiled by Richard Thomas
From: Osborn Shaw, letter to Thomas F. Lyons, dated 05 Sep 1956.

Zacariah Hawkins, Jr. was the first postmaster at the Middletown (later “Brookhaven,” still later “Middle Island”) post office.
Mordecai Homan, Jr. was the second postmaster there (1803 until 1810).

Post offices at Fireplace (located in Brookhaven hamlet or in South Haven, depending on who was postmaster)
(Robert Ellison purchased the parsonage land, on both sides of Fire Place creek, and buildings in 1805. The main building was a large hipped-roof house with a large chimney in the center of the roof, with two fireplaces upstairs, and small windows with heavy blinds and iron rod locks. It was located near where the Brook House now stands. It faced south and was close to the road.

Robert Ellison’s widow, “Aunt Betsy,” opened a store in it in 1815. Nathaniel Miller Jr. was born in this building in Sep 1815, and his sister Mary was born there on 25 Aug 1817. Hallock T. “Hack” Bishop purchased the building and in 1872 tore it down and built a new store and home on the site.)

12 Nov 1853 Fireplace PO at South Haven, name changed to “South Haven”,
12 Nov 1853 Silas Homan, postmaster
before Dec 1871 E. S. Duryea (South Haven) [No “E. S. Duryea” has been found; perhaps Edwin G. Duryea; not confirmed.]
after Dec 1871 Sylvester Homan (South Haven)
bef Nov 1904 Amelia Edwards Osborne (South Haven)
15 Mar 1911 South Haven post office closed

On same date, 12 November 1853, that the name of the Fireplace post office at South Haven was changed to “South Haven”, post office named “Fireplace” created in Brookhaven hamlet, Charles Swezey, postmaster
12 Nov 1853 Charles Swezey (NE corner of Fire Place Neck Rd and Beaver Dam Rd)
27 Apr 1861 Edward S. Raynor
21 Mar 1868 Charles Swezey

24 Feb 1871 Name of “Fireplace” changed to “Brook Haven”

25 May 1877 Charles Valentine
01 Mar 1887 Jacob “Jake” L. Valentine (at Valentine’s store, which he ran in partnership with Forrest Reeve, which stood near the site of the “Brook House.”
02 May 1892 Brook Haven PO authorized to issue money orders
1924 “Brook Haven” spelling modified to one word to become “Brookhaven”
10 Mar 1933 Jake Valentine & Forrest Reeve resign Brookhaven post office positions
Annual salary of Brookhaven postmaster, $1089
13 Sep 1933 Thelma M. (Mrs. Edward) Waldron, she had a store (George Edward Waldron is an Assistant Postmaster in 1946)
03 May 1945 Thomas Francis Lyons opens old Valentine store as a general store
01 Apr 1946 PO moved from Thelma Waldron’s house to Lyons’ store (formerly, Valentine & Reeve’s store)
Aug 1947 Thomas Lyons becomes postmaster

Appendix: Suffolk County Post Offices
Courtesy of David Roberts & [email protected] List
[email protected]
“New York Postal History: The Post Offices and
First Postmasters from 1775 to 1980”
by John L. Kay & Chester M. Smith, Jr.
American Philatelic Society: 1982.

The Middle Island post office was known as Brookhaven from 01 Jan 1796 until 24 Mar 1821 when it became “Middle Island.” When it was first established in 1795, it was listed as “Middletown” until the end of that year. Appollos Wetmore was the first postmaster.

MIDDLETOWN was established in 1795.
In 1796 Middletown was changed to BROOKHAVEN [1/1/1796].
It kept that name until 1821, when the post office became MIDDLE ISLAND [3/24/1821]

The area between the Connecticut River and Osborn Creek (a stream east of Bellport) was known as Fireplace.

A post office was established at Fireplace on 07 Sep 1802. This post office was at Robert Ellison’s store.

In 1832, Nathaniel Miller was the postmaster at Fireplace. Benjamin Hutchinson was the postmaster at Middle Island. James M. Fanning was the postmaster at Moriches. Smith Rider was the postmaster at Patchogue. There was no Bellport post office.

New York Annual Register:
April 1840,
Bellport, Suffolk County, Postmaster James G. Howell
Fireplace, Suffolk County, Postmaster Silas Homan
Middle Island, Suffolk County, Postmaster Benjamin Hutchinson
Moriches, James M. Fanning
Patchogue, James Ketchum

The New York Mercantile Union Business Directory of 1850-51
Bellport, Postmaster William Raynor
Fireplace, Postmaster Nathaniel Miller

In the 14 Dec 1853 edition of The Corrector (Sag Harbor) newspaper, it was announced that “The name of the Fire-place post office, Brookhaven, has been changed to South Haven. Silas Homan Postmaster.”

On January 1, 1858, there was a post office with the name of Fireplace and Charles Swezey was the postmaster. Silas Homan was still the postmaster at South Haven. Walter Howell was the postmaster at Bellport. B. T. Hutchinson was the postmaster at Middle Island. Mahlon Chichester was the postmaster at “Centre Moriches.” J. H. Miller was the postmaster at East Moriches. (Disturnell’s New York State Register for 1858.) In 1860 Fire Place contained 1 church and about 35 houses and South Haven contained 1 church and 20 houses.

The post office in Brookhaven became “Brook Haven” on 24 Feb 1871 according to some, but the change was announced as taking place on 01 Apr 1871 according to The South Side Signal (Babylon). In 1924, the spelling was modified to one word and became “Brookhaven.”

The first post offices in Suffolk County were established in 1794 and were along a route that roughly parallels NY 25 [Jericho Turnpike/Middle Country Road], NY 24 [Riverhead-Hampton Bays Road], NY 27A [Montauk Highway] & up to Sag Harbor.

The post road entered Suffolk County from Queens County along the Jericho Turnpike route:
#1. Huntington [9/25/1794]. This is NOT the present Huntington. In 1799, the name was changed to Winnacomac & after about two months was changed again, this time to Dix Hills. This would place the post office on the Jericho Turnpike/Middle Country Road route. As Dix Hills, this post office lasted until it was closed in 1871.

#2. Smithtown [9/25/1794]. In 1849 the name was changed to Smithtown Branch, but in 1953 was changed back to Smithtown & is still in operation.

#3.Coram [9/25/1794]. Still operating as Coram.

#4. Suffolk [9/25/1794]. I’ve seen the term “Suffolk Court House” used, but the official post office name was “Suffolk”. In 1855, Suffolk was changed to Riverhead.

#5. Southampton [9/25/1794]. Like Coram, it’s still operating under its original name nearly 204 years later.

#6. Bridgehampton [9/25/1794] ditto Coram & Southampton.

#7. Sag Harbor [9/25/1794]. This would eventually become the eastern terminus of the Long Island post road. Like Coram, S’hampton & B’hampton, Sag Harbor has been in operation under its original name nearly 204 years.

You can look at a modern map and go in a line from Dix Hills to Riverhead to S & B’ Hampton & up to Sag Harbor .. pretty direct line.

#8. In 1795, the 8th post office was opened in Suffolk County & it was also along this same route.

East of Coram, west of Suffolk, MIDDLETOWN was established in 1795. Whether this conflicted with the town in Orange County, I don’t know, but in 1796 Middletown was changed to BROOKHAVEN [1/1/1796]. It kept that name until 1821, when the post office became MIDDLE ISLAND [3/24/1821].

BY TOWNS:
HUNTINGTON Huntington/Winnacomac/Dix Hills
SMITHTOWN Smithtown/Smithown Branch
BROOKHAVEN Coram
Middletown/Brookhaven/Middle Island
RIVERHEAD Suffolk/Riverhead
SOUTHAMPTON Southampton
Bridgehampton
Sag Harbor

Suffolk Post Offices # 2.

The first post office established off the central route [NY 25 .. Jericho Turnpike/Middle Country Road] was HUNTINGTON. This post office was established in Huntington village, north of the main post road, on 3 June 1799. The change of names must have been in the works pending the post office being established in Huntington village. The original Huntington post office on the central post road was changed to Winnacomac on 24 May 1799; a week later a new . off the mail route .. Huntington is established. How the mail got to Huntington isn’t clear … maybe the post rider coming in from Queens County on the NY25/Jericho Turnpike route detoured up to Huntington village & then back to the central post road.

So at the end of the 18th century, there were 9 post offices in Suffolk County:
HUNTINGTON: Dix Hills & Huntington
SMITHTOWN: Smithtown
BROOKHAVEN: Coram & Brookhaven
RIVERHEAD: Suffolk
SOUTHAMPTON: Southampton, Bridgehampton & Sag Harbor

Suffolk Post Offices # 3

Following Huntington, the next post office to be establish off the central post road was what we know today as PORT JEFFERSON.

In 1801 SATUCKET was established [5/25/1801]; in 1810 the name was changed from Satucket to DROWN MEADOW, which it kept for about 25 years. In 1836, Drown Meadow was re-named PORT JEFFERSON [5/28/1836]. Port Jefferson remained a post office until 6/26/1971 when it
was reduced to a branch station of the Port Jefferson Station post office.

That brings us up to 10 post offices in 1801 …
the original 7 + present Middle Island, Huntington, & Port Jefferson

Suffolk Post Offices #4

In 1802, two new main routes were added to Suffolk County.

One coming east from Queens County along the South Shore, following NY27A Merrick Road/Montauk Highway and the other going east from Suffolk [Riverhead] along the North Fork, following NY 25 Main Road.

South Shore: entering Suffolk from Queens County.

#1. HUNTINGTON SOUTH [Sept. 7, 1802]. Huntington South was re-named BABYLON in 1830, and except for a brief period, November 1867 to January 1868 when it was re-named SEASIDE, it has used the name Babylon since 1830.When the Town of Huntington was divided in 1872, the name of this post office was used for the new Town of Babylon, Suffolk’s youngest Town.

#2. ISLIP [9/7/1802]. Islip was closed 1/17/1803, but was re-established 7/1/1808 under the named Islip and has been in operation as Islip ever since.

#3. PATCHOGUE. Also established 9/7/1802, Patchogue has been in operation under that name ever since.

#4. FIREPLACE [9/7/1802]. Fireplace kept this odd name from 1802 until 1871, when it adopted a form of the Town name and became BROOK HAVEN.
[2/24/1871]. In 1924, it modified the spelling to one word & became BROOKHAVEN. This is NOT the same place as the Brookhaven now known as Middle Island.

#5. MORICHES [9/7/1802] … ditto Patchogue .. same name

#5. WESTHAMPTON [9/7/1802]. This post office remained in operation about 25 years and was closed April 8, 1828.

This South Shore route along NY 27A merged with the old Central Route at Southampton. Logically, due to the formation of the North Fork route at this same time, it would seem that the mail to S’hampton, B’hampton & Sag Harbor would have been carried on this South Shore route.

NORTH FORK ROUTE: from Suffolk/Riverhead

#1. MATTITUCK [9/7/1802]. Still in operation.

#2. SOUTHOLD [9/7/1802]. Still in operation.

It would appear that these two were added to the Central Route after it hit Suffolk/Riverhead & the mail could go out the North Fork & end at Southold .This sortta follows the NY 25 number adopted a century+ later.

#3. An additional post office was added to the North Fork route in 1814 CUTCHOGUE [8/13/1814] .. east of Mattituck & west of Southold.

Suffolk Post Offices # 5
SETAUKET was established in 1807. Like Huntington & Port Jefferson, it wasn’t on a direct route from New York City to the East End.

SETAUKET started off as STONY BROOK [7/1/1807]. In 1810, it took the name SATUCKET, which was given up at the time by the new Drown Meadow [present day Port Jefferson] post office. In 1821, Satucket changed its spelling to SETAUKET, its current name. Post Office reorganization closed Setauket 8/23/1968, and merged it with East Setauket. The present post office name for the area is East Setauket. It’s interesting that Setauket lost its colonial name of BROOKHAVEN [it was the original colonial era seat of Brookhaven Town] to present-day Middle Island in 1796. You wonder why it didn’t re-adopt it in 1821 when Middle Island adopted Middle Island. Today, Brookhaven is across the Island, on the South Shore [old Fireplace], some miles from its home-base.

The South Shore route added a new post office in 1816.

EAST HAMPTON was established 10/28/1816 and is still in operation under that name. I’m not sure, but it seems logical that the mail route went east from B’hampton to East Hampton, then looped back up to Sag Harbor.
As the port, Sag Harbor would be the logical place to send & receive mail.

That’s it, up to the end of the 1810’s.

HUNTINGTON: Huntington, Dix Hills, Huntington South
SMITHTOWN: Smithtown
ISLIP: Islip
BROOKHAVEN: Satucket, Drown Meadow, Brookhaven, Coram, Fireplace,

Moriches, Patchogue
SOUTHAMPTON: Southampton, Westhampton, Bridgehampton, Sag Harbor
EAST HAMPTON: East Hampton
RIVERHEAD: Suffolk
SOUTHOLD: Mattituck, Cutchogue, Southold

Only the Town of Shelter Island lacked a post office by 1820.

Aquebogue: 1/14/1828 to 7/16/1842; closed; re-opened 3/15/1886 to present Cold Spring Harbor: 1/7/1825 to present;
Coldspring Harbor 1895-1905 Farms: 10/4/1824-3/13/1832 when the name was changed to Greenport
Good Ground: 7/28/1829-2/16/1922 when the name was changed to Hampton Bays
Miller’s Place: 4/7/1825-3/23/1894 when the name was changed to Miller Place
Oyster Ponds: 3/20/1821-3/8/1838 when the name was changed to Orient
Quogue:4/8/1828 to present
Speonk: 4/8/1828-1/19/1861; closed; 2/17/1862-7/27/1895; closed again;
7/9/1897 to present Stoney Brook: 3/21/1826-3/10/1884 when the spelling was changed to Stony Brook to present except 1895-1905 when it was Stonybrook
Wading River: 2/26/1825 to present
West Hills 5/27/1826 – 1/9/1840; 4/11/1840-12/10/1859; closed;
mail to Woodbury, Town of Oyster Bay, Queens County

HUNTINGTON: Huntington, Dix Hills, Huntington South
SMITHTOWN: Smithtown
ISLIP: Islip
BROOKHAVEN: Satucket, Drown Meadow, Brookhaven, Coram, Fireplace, Moriches, Patchogue

SOUTHAMPTON: Southampton, Westhampton, Bridgehampton, Sag Harbor
EAST HAMPTON: East Hampton
RIVERHEAD: Suffolk
SOUTHOLD: Mattituck, Cutchogue, Southold

Only the Town of Shelter Island lacked a post office by 1820.

List for 1829

HUNTINGTON: Cold Spring Harbor, Crab Meadow, Dix Hills, Huntington, Huntington South, West Hills
SMITHTOWN: Smithtown
ISLIP: Islip
BROOKHAVEN: Coram, Drown Meadow, Fireplace, Middle Island, Miller’s Place; Moriches, Patchogue, Setauket, Stoney Brook

SOUTHAMPTON: Bridgehampton, Good Ground, Quogue, Sag Harbor, Southampton, Speonk
EAST HAMPTON: East Hampton
RIVERHEAD: Aquebogue, Suffolk, Wading River
SOUTHOLD: Cutchogue, Farms, Mattituck, Oyster Ponds, Southold

Still no post office in the Town of Shelter Island by the end of the 1820’s.

Notes:
Satucket became Setauket in 1821.
Brookhaven became Middle Island in 1821.
Westhampton was closed in 1828.

1830’s…

Amagansett: 11/11/1835 to present
Babylon: 5/6/1830 … name change from Hunington South
Baiting Hollow: 1/12/1838 to 5/31/1912
Bellport: 3/8/1834 to present
Cow Harbor: 3/10/1831; name changed to Centreport 10/30/1835; to Centerport 10/25/1893
Commack: 7/19/1839 to present
Greenport: 3/13/1832 … name change from Farms
Flanders: 5/8/1834 to 11/30/1929
New Village: 12/22/1831 to 4/25/1832; re-opened 3/5/1833 to 1/31/1886
Orient: 3/8/1838 … name change from Oyster Ponds
Port Jefferson 5/28/1836 to 6/26/1971 … name change from Drown Meadow
Sayville: 3/22/1837 to present
Success: 1/24/1838 to 3/29/1880 [mail taken over 1880 by Upper Aquebogue]
Upper Aquebogue: 1/24/1831-3/15/1886

List for 1839
HUNTINGTON: Babylon, Centreport, Cold Spring Harbor, Commack, Crab Meadow,
Dix Hills, Huntington, West Hills
SMITHTOWN: Smithtown
ISLIP: Islip, Sayville
BROOKHAVEN: Bellport, Coram, Fireplace, Middle Island, Miller’s Place, Moriches, New Village, Patchogue, Port Jefferson, Setauket, Stoney Brook
SOUTHAMPTON: Bridgehampton, Flanders, Good Ground, Quogue, Sag Harbor, Southampton, Speonk
EAST HAMPTON: Amagansett, East Hampton
RIVERHEAD: Aquebogue, Baiting Hollow, Success, Suffolk, Upper Aquebogue, Wading River
SOUTHOLD: Cutchogue, Greenport, Mattituck, Orient, Southold

Still no post office in the Town of Shelter Island by the end of the 1830’s.

Anyone have any idea on what “Success” might be today? Its mail was shifted to Upper Aquebogue, which became Aquebogue in 1886. It would seem that modern-day Aquebogue alias Upper Aquebogue is not the same as the Aquebogue that had its own post office 1828-1842. At one point all 3 had post-offices:
Aquebogue, Upper Aquebogue & Success. From the book it looks like only one, Aquebogue formerly Upper Aquebogue [1831-1886], has a post office today.

Also note the spelling of Commack from 1839. For much of the 19th century,
the spelling “Comac” was used, but it would seem not by the post office.

1850s

LAKELAND est. 1/24/1851. The name was changed to
RONKONKOMA 4/25/1870. My DeLorme atlas shows a current community called
“Lakeland” in that immediate area, right on the Main Line of the LIRR & a
Lakeland Ave. running from the area near the LIRR south through Bohemia to
Sayville.

List of 1859:

ISLIP: Fire Island, Islip, Lakeland, Penataquit, Sayville,
Suffolk/Suffolk Station;
Thompson’s Station

New & changed postoffices in Suffolk County during the 1860’s …

Atlanticville: 6/8/1868; name changed to East Quogue 3/25/1891; to present
under that name
Bay Shore … name change from Penataquit 4/30/1868; to present [1895-1905:
Bayshore]
Calverton: 5/4/1868 to present
East Setauket: 3/25/1863 to 8/23/1968; merge w/ Setauket under name “East
Setauket”
Holbrook: 2/10/1862 to present
Holtsville: 6/7/1860 to present
Oakdale Station: 10/14/1868; name changed 8/1/1946 to Oakdale; to present
Ronkonkoma … name change from New Village 1/31/1866; named changed again
to Lake Grove 4/25/1870; to present under Lake Grove [1895-1905: Lakegrove]
SMITHVILLE SOUTH opened in March 1867. Elbert H. Walters was first
postmaster. It operated as Smithville South until March 1920, when
the
named was changed to NORTH BELLMORE. North Bellmore operated until
1949,
when it was reduced from an independent postoffice to a
station/branch of
the Bellmore postoffice. There never was a Great Meadows postoffice
in
Queens or Nassau counties.
Water Mill: 7/25/1866-10/30/1866 closed; re-opened 7/6/1867 to present
West Hampton 1/19/1861; name changed to Westhampton 8/1/1932 to present

List of 1869:

HUNTINGTON: Amityville, Babylon, Centreport, Cold Spring Harbor, Commack,
Deer Park; Dix Hills, Fresh Pond, Huntington, Northport
SMITHTOWN: Hauppauge, Saint James, Smithtown, Smithtown Branch
ISLIP: Bay Shore, Fire Island, Holbrook, Islip, Lakeland, Oakdale Station,
Sayville, Suffolk/Suffolk Station, Thompson’s Station
BROOKHAVEN: Bellport, Blue Point, Centre Moriches, Coram, East Moriches,
East Setauket,
Fireplace, Holtsville, Manorville, Middle Island, Miller’s Place, Mount
Sinai, Patchogue, Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma, Selden, Setauket, Stoney
Brook, South Haven, Yaphank
SOUTHAMPTON: Atlanticville, Bridgehampton, Flanders, Good Ground, Quogue,
Sag Harbor, Southampton, Speonk, Water Mill, West Hampton
EAST HAMPTON: Amagansett, East Hampton, Springs
RIVERHEAD: Baiting Hollow, Calverton, Jamesport, Riverhead, Success, Upper
Aquebogue,
Wading River
SOUTHOLD: Cutchogue, East Marion, Greenport, Mattituck, Orient, Peconic,
Southold
SHELTER ISLAND: Shelter Island

New & changed postoffices in Suffolk County during the 1870’s …

Bay Port: 3/9/1870-5/4/1870; name changed from & then back to Blue Point
Bay Port: 2/8/1871 to present; spelling changed to Bayport 6/15/1894
Brentwood … name change from Thompson’s Station 1/17/1870; to present
Breslau: 12/22/1870; name changed to Lindenhurst 6/24/1891; to present
Brook Haven … name change from Fire Place 2/24/1871; spelling changed to
Brookhaven 10/1/1924; to present
Central Islip … name change from Suffolk or Suffolk Station 1/7/1874; to
present
East Patchogue: 10/31/1878 to 4/30/1958
Eastport: 9/16/1872 to present
Elwood: 6/7/1870 to 10/31/1902
Green Lawn: 5/9/1872 to present; spelling changed to Greenlawn 12/21/1914
Lake Grove .. name change from Ronkonkoma [ex-New Village] 4/25/1870; to
present [1895-1905: Lakegrove]
Manhansett House: 7/14/1879; spelling changed to Manhanset House 9/6/1889;
named changed to Manhanset Manor 2/16/1904; closed 7/31/1912
Melville: 7/7/1876 to 3/16/1906
Promised Land: 5/14/1879 to 1/2/1907
Roanoke: 12/9/1870 to 7/23/1872
Rocky Point: 3/6/1872 to present; [1895-1905: Rockypoint]
Ronkonkoma … name change from Lakeland 4/25/1870 to present
Sagg: 4/23/1878; named changed to Sagaponack 2/21/1890 to present
Saint Johnland: 5/4/1876; name changed to Kings Park 11/22/1890 to present
West Deer Park: 8/23/1875; name changed to Wyandance 12/10/1888; spelling
changed to Wyandanch 2/11/1903 to present

Note:
Huntington was divided in 1872. The southern 1/3 became the Town of
Babylon. Thus Babylon shows on this list as a Town of its own & no longer
the southern part of Huntington Town.

List for 1879:

HUNTINGTON: Centreport, Cold Spring Harbor, Commack, Elwood, Fresh Pond,
Green Lawn, Huntington, Melville, Northport
BABYLON; Amityville, Babylon, Breslau, Deer Park, West Deer Park
SMITHTOWN: Hauppauge, Saint James, Saint Johnland, Smithtown, Smithtown Branch
ISLIP: Bay Port, Bay Shore, Brentwood, Central Islip, Fire Island,
Holbrook, Islip, Oakdale Station, Ronkonkoma, Sayville
BROOKHAVEN: Bellport, Blue Point, Brook Haven, Centre Moriches, East
Moriches, East Patchogue, East Setauket, Eastport, Holtsville, Lake Grove,
Manorville, Middle Island, Miller’s Place, Mount Sinai,
Patchogue, Port Jefferson, Rocky Point, Selden, Setauket, Stoney Brook,
South Haven, Yaphank
SOUTHAMPTON: Atlanticville, Bridgehampton, Flanders, Good Ground, Quogue,
Sag Harbor, Sagg, Southampton, Speonk, Water Mill, West Hampton
EAST HAMPTON: Amagansett. East Hampton, Promised Land, Springs
RIVERHEAD: Baiting Hollow, Calverton, Jamesport, Riverhead, Success, Upper
Aquebogue, Wading River
SOUTHOLD: Cutchogue, East Marion, Greenport, Mattituck, Orient, Southold
SHELTER ISLAND: Manhansett House, Shelter Island