Sylvester Woodbridge Willetts

1852 - Yes, date unknown

• Name	Sylvester Woodbridge Willetts
  Birth	Mar 1852	New York   [1]
  Christening	4 Sep 1852	Hempstead, Nassau, New York
  Gender	Male
  Death	Yes, date unknown
  Person ID	I45631	Scudder
  Last Modified	24 Feb 2012

  
  

  Father	George Willetts,   b. 19 Mar 1820, Hempstead, Queens, New York d. 19 Jan 1892 (Age 71 years)
  Mother	Phoebe Gildersleeve,   b. Abt 1824, New York d. Aft 1880, New York (Age > 57 years)
  Marriage	7 Oct 1846	Hempstead, Queens, New York
  Family ID	F16209	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Sarah F.,   b. Jul 1855, New York d. Bef 1910 (Age < 54 years)
  Marriage	Abt 1882	New York
  Children	1. Willetts,   b. Aft 1882, New York d. Bef 1900, New York (Age < 16 years)   2. Emma Willetts,   b. Feb 1890, New York d. Yes, date unknown   3. Frances Willetts,   b. Jul 1893, New York d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F16213	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	3 Mar 2024

  
  

• Notes

  Sylvester was named after the Rev. Sylvester Woodbridge Jr., minister of St. George's church who officiated at his parents' wedding. Sylvester became a stone mason and feed dealer in Hempstead. At one time he was a foreman in the Hempstead Fire Dept. He was also a director in the Hempstead & Jamaica Plank Road Co., as was his father. When his father died in 1892, Sylvester inherited the family farm in West Hempstead. The farm was bounded by Hempstead Turnpike to the North, Hempstead Avenue to the south, and Maple Avenue (Maplewood) and Westminster Road to the west and east, respectively. Some time in the early 20s, Sylvester sold the farm to a developer who laid out streets for a planned community called "Morton Manor." One of the streets would be called Morton Avenue. Another street, Willets Avenue., paid tribute to the original owner of the property. Shortly after the streets were platted the property went into foreclosure and the plots auctioned in 1925. Preferred Homes, Inc. then built homes at that location. In the 1930s, the Depression took a big toll on property values, as homes that were originally built to sell at close to $8,000 were being liquidated at half that amount.

  
  

• Sources

  [S1134] 1880 United States Census, FHL Film 1254918; National Archives Film T9-0918; Page 397A.