7a-Visible From Road

7b-Interior Accessible

7b-Interior Comment:

8a-Clapboard

8b-Stone

8c-Brick

8d-Board & Batten

8e-Cobblestone

8f-Shingles

8g-Stucco

8-Other: shingles "over siding"

9a-Wood Frame Interlocking Joints

9b-Wood Frame Light Members

9c-Masonry

9d-Metal

9d-Metal Comment:

9e-Other

9e-Other Comment:

10a-Excellent

10b-Good

10c-Fair

10d-Deteriorated

11a-Original Site

11b-Moved

If so, when?:

11c-Alterations: steeple added (bell tower) 1961 [or 1960, see below]. "gingerbread" removed 1908.

12-Photo:

13-Map:
View Larger Map

14a-None Known

14b-Zoning

14c-Roads

14d-Developers

14e-Deterioration

14f-Other:

14-Comment:

15a-Barn

15b-Carriage House

15c-Garage

15d-Privy

15e-Shed

15f-Greenhouse

15g-Shop

15h-Gardens

15i-Landscape Features

15i-Landscape Features:

15j-Other:

15-Comment:

16a-Open Land

16b-Woodland

16c-Scattered Bldgs

16d-Densely Built-up

16e-Commercial

16f-Industrial

16g-Residential

16h-Other:

17-Interrelationships:

18-Notable Features:

19-Initial Const Date: 1872/75, on land given by Mr. And Mrs. John L. Ireland.

19-Architect:

19-Builder:

20-Importance: St. James' Mission had its beginnings some time prior to 1872, when the Rev. Charles Douglas held services in the home of Charles Swezey (Historic Site ID Br27A.1-S), which stood on the northeast corner of Beaver Dam and Fire Place Neck Roads. A lady who boarded with Mr. Swezey wrote to Bishop Littlejohn asking him to establish an Episcopal Church in Brookhaven, It wasn't until the third appeal that the Bishop commanded Mr. Cook to build a church.

On July 22, 1872, John L. Ireland and Mary Floyd, his wife, deeded to the Trustees of the Diocese a plot of land on the northeast corner of his farm. The deed provided that the ground was to be used for an Episcopal Church and Rectory. The foundation was laid and in 1874 the chapel was built in Brookhaven at a cost of $1800. St. James was chosen as the patron saint. The first regular priest was the Rev. Ingraham N. W. Irvine.

Throughout the years, St. James' has had an interesting and varried ministry. In 1918, the local Red Cross used the church as a sewing room and storehouse. The organ and baptismal font as well as many of the windows were gifts from residents of Brookhaven Hamlet, Mr. Malcolm Frazer, a local artist, painted the window over the altar which made it look much like "stained glass." Throughout the years, St. James' has been served by many clergy. At the 1998 Annual Meeting, Norman Nelson told the members that his grandfather and grand uncle kept St. James' alive during World War I by being the only members attending service. One would read the prayers, etc., and the other would respond. "If no one attended church, the church did not exist.

Excerpted from a 2007 pamphlet prepared by the Church.

21-Sources: "Bellport-Brookhaven" published 1968 by Bellport Brookhaven Historical Society.
2007 Pamphlet prepared by St. James Church.
South Side Signal (Babylon), 24 Aug 1872.

22-Theme:

South Side Signal (Babylon), 30 Jan 1875, p. 3:
"Brookhaven has an elegant new Episcopal church. A new union school house two story and other improvements will soon be added. Old Fire Place is warming up."

Long Island Advance, 4 February 2010, From the Archives of the Long Island Advance, 50 Years Ago: [Feb 1960]
"The Rev. Richard W. Gray, vicar of St. James Episcopal Church in Brookhaven hamlet, has announced plans to build a bell tower on the front of the church this summer. Ever since the old belfry was removed a number of years ago, due to lack of funds when the new roof was put on the church, members have hoped to see the day that the bell would once again be able to ring out on Sunday mornings, as it had for so many years. The bell, which stands over 30 inches high, was cast especially for the church in 1879, a gift of the late John P. Ireland."