BENJAMIN WOOLSEY, son of Captain George and Hannah Woolsey, of Jamaica, Long Island, was born in that town, November 19, 1687. His grandfather, George Woolsey, emigrated from Holland in 1623, and married in New York in 1647.
His parents were Presbyterians; and immediately after graduation he began the study of theology and appears to have continued it at home, though the Jamaica dissenters were then without a pastor.
By the summer of 1710 he had married Abigail Taylor, the only child of John and Mary (Whitehead) Taylor, of Oyster Bay, Long Island. Her father was long since dead, and her mother was now the widow of the Rev. William Urquhart, the Episcopal missionary to Jamaica from 17O4 to 1709. - -
In 1711 we hear of Mr. Woolsey as preaching for a single Sunday to the Presbyterians of Hopewell, New Jersey (where his elder brother resided), occupying for the purpose the Episcopal church and so causing a great scandal.
In 1714 he was invited to become a colleague-pastor of the church in Huntington, Long Island, but declined the invitation. In January, 1714–15, he describes himself as “of Dosoris,” an estate nearly two miles north of the village of Glen Cove, where his wife's father had owned much land, and where he himself eventually settled on a farm containing upwards of a thousand acres. The name Dosoris has been variously interpreted, as an Indian name, or as a Latin designation given by Mr. Woolsey (dos oris or dos uxoris), it is said to have been used, however, before his time.
He was ordained and installed in Southold, Long Island, about the middle of July, 1720, succeeding the Rev. Joshua Hobart (Harv. Coll. 1650), who died February 28, 1716–17. In 1736 he resigned his pastorate, that he might return to Dosoris and cultivate the estate left to his wife by her father. Here he lived for the rest of his days, preaching as opportunity offered, and during much of the time regularly in his own house.
He died at Dosoris, of a disease of the kidneys, August 15, 1756,” in his 69th year. *
His tombstone commemorates him as one
“who, in the United Character of the Gentleman, the Christian, the Divine, shone with distinguished Lustre and adorn'd every Station of public and private Life with Dignity and Usefulness. Early devoted to the Work of the Gospel Ministry, endowed with the Gifts of Nature and Grace, he Employ'd His Superior talents in the Service of his Divine Master with Fidelity and Zeal.”
A notice in the New York Mercury, soon after his death, has this just tribute of praise —
“Oysterbay, on Long-Island, August 20, 1756. Last Lord's Day Morning, departed this Life in the 69th year of his Age, and on Tuesday was decently interred, the Revd. Mr. Benjamin Woolsey, of this Place. He was a Gentleman whose intellectual Powers were much above the common Level. These improved by a liberal Education, and early sanctified by divine Grace, eminently furnished him for the Service of God and his Generation, in the sacred Office of the Gospel Ministry; to which he accordingly devoted himself, and was ordained a Pastor of the first church in Southold. In this Relation he continued for a Course of Years, a burning Light, discharging the important Trust with an exemplary Fidelity and Zeal, until by the Advice of his Brethren in the Ministry, and in Consequence of a generous Purpose he had some Time formed, he was, to the inexpressible Grief of his Church and Congregation, released from his pastoral Relation to them, and soon after removed to his own Estate in the Town of Oysterbay. Here he immediately applied himself to the noble Purpose aforesaid, and in Pursuance thereof, has continued ever since till within a few Weeks of his Death, in a gratuitous Bestowment of his ministerial Labours upon the People of this and a neighboring Town. His universal Acquaintance with sacred Literature, and Skill in systematical and polemic Divinity, rendered his publick Performances peculiarly edifying and instructive. His Sentiments were just, noble and proper; his reasoning clear and conclusive, and his Pulpit Eloquence manly, nervous and strong. The Zealand Pathos that animated his Discourses, added peculiar Grace and Dignity to his Address; and while it engaged the Attention of his Hearers, discovered the sincere Piety and fervent Devotion that warmed and governed his own Heart. His steady Attachment to the religious Principles he professed, was under the Government of true Christian Charity, and even attempered with the most amiable Candour and Condescension towards those of a contrary Mind. He loved good Men of every Profession, and own’d and admired sincere Piety under whatever Form or Denomination it appeared. In the Character of civil and domestic Life, he was no less worthy of Imitation. Justice, Charity, and Condescension, Hospitality and a publick Spirit, were Virtues to which he paid the most sacred Regard. In the Discharge of the various Duties which constitute the tender and affectionate Husband, the indulgent kind Parent, the mild and gentle Master, the obliging Neighbour, the sincere, faithful and unshaken Friend, he had no superior, and few equals. A Nephritick Disorder, which had attended him for some of the last Years of his Life, somewhat interrupted his publick Services; the Paroxysms of which affected him with the most acute and agonizing Pain, which he endured with Christian Patience and Fortitude. The excruciating Disease had sensibly weakened his Constitution for some Months past, and returning upon him with redoubled Violence, soon threw him into a Lethargy, and in a few Days put an End to his useful and valuable Life.” . . . .
His widow died at the house of her son-in-law, the Rev. Dr. Noah Welles (Y. C. 1741), in Stamford, Connecticut, March 29, 1771, in her 77th year.
Two sons and four daughters survived him, another daughter having died young. The younger son graduated at this College in 1744, and was the grandfather of the Rev. Theodore Dwight Woolsey, President from 1846 to 1871.
AUTHORITIES.
Documents relating to Colonial Hist. of N.Y., v, 335, 337.
Dunlap, Hist, of N.Y., ii, clxxxii.
Macdonald, Hist. of Presb. Church, Jamaica, 116, 130.
N.Y. Genealogical and Biographical Record, iv, 144; v, 14.
N.Y. Mercury, September 20, 1756.
Orderdonk, Antiquities of the Parish Church, Jamaica, 23, 29.
R.D. Smyth, College Courant, August 15, 1868, 99.
Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, iii, 81.
Thompson, Hist. of L.I., i, 397; ii, 438.
Whitaker, Hist. of Southold, passim.
* His tombstone gives the inaccurate date, August 13, 1759.
