Person:Nathaniel Mather (4)

Rev. Nathaniel Mather
m. Abt 1675
  1. Dr. Samuel Mather1677 - 1746
  2. Hannah Mather1682 - Abt 1683
  3. Rev. Azariah Mather1685 - 1737
  4. Ebenezer Mather1687 -
  5. Joseph Mather1688/89 - 1717
  6. Elizabeth Mather1691 - 1696
  7. Rev. Nathaniel Mather1695 - 1748
  8. Benjamin Mather1696 -
  9. John Mather1699 -
Facts and Events
Name Rev. Nathaniel Mather
Gender Male
Birth[1] 30 May 1695 Dorchester, Suffolk Co., MA
Death? 20 May 1748 Aquebogue, Suffolk Co., NY

"Rev. Nathaniel graduated at Yale College 1715, was settled over the first church in Lower Aquebogue in Suffolk County, Long Island, NY and remained there until his death." Horace Mather

(From "Long Island Genealogy") The Rev. Nathaniel Mather Although the Rev. Nathaniel Mather, first minister of the first church in Riverhead Town, was not listed in the church memorandum, he clearly was one of Riverhead's early pioneers. We do not know exactly when Nathaniel Mather arrived in this area, but he married Mrs. Ruth Terry of Aquebogue (Jamesport) in 1724. This fact and the ordination of "Mr. Nath Mather" on May 22, 1728 are documented in the Salmon Records. Through his efforts the Aquebogue parish was established between 1720 and 1730 and in 1731, the first meeting house in what is now the Town of Riverhead was erected, although he is not listed as one of "thos that Workt upon the meting hous tember" or "those that carted." The Rev. Nathaniel Mather was the first pastor in the first church parish in our town, and the church at Jamesport (now united with the former Sound Avenue Congregational church) is presently called First Parish for this reason......

The Rev. Nathaniel Mather was one of three graduates in the class of 1715 at Yale College. Little is known of his early life, but "Nathaniel Mather of Windsor" and twelve others are listed as teachers at the Hopkins grammar school in Hadley, Massachusetts, between 1702 and 1724, according to Historic Hadley. The author, Alice Morehouse Walker, describes these as "embryo ministers," college graduates or students in the midst of their college course.

Ruth Mather died May 9, 1745 at the age of 53. Her grave is in the Jamesport cemetery, probably next to the unmarked grave of her husband. Two sons survived him, Increase who married a Brown and Ebenezer who married Margaret Downs, on April 16, 1752. Ebenezer "Marther" with a family of eight was living in the "Aduabogue District of Southold" when the Suffolk County census of 1778 was enumerated.

New York City Wills, 1744-58 "In the name of God, And Man," I, NATHANIEL MATHER, of Southold, in Suffolk County, Minister of the Gospel, being weak in body. My house and lot where I live, and all movable property except as hereafter mentioned, are to be sold by my executors, and the money to be put to use till my second son, Ebenezer, is of age, and then to be paid to my two sons, Increase and Ebenezer. Whereas my eldest son, Increase, hath received a piece of land at the price of œ55, purchased by me, therefore my son Ebenezer is to have œ50 when of age, and the rest equally divided, and all my plate, silver spoons, also my small books. All my provisions, pork, beef, wheat, etc., are to be wholly at the disposal of my nurse, Mary Wiggins. I make Isaac Howell and John Conkling, son of Henry Conkling, executors.

http://www.matherclan.com/trees/getperson.php?personID=I209&tree=Mather

Increase Mather and his brother, Ebenezer settled at Minisink, Orange County, New York from their birthplace at Aquebogue, Suffolk County, New York (Long Island) where their father, Reverend Nathaniel Mather, ministered his entire life.

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mikemather&id=I6592

Reverend Nathaniel Mather graduated at Yale College in 1715, was settled over the first church in Lower Aquebogue, in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York, and remained there until his death. The present foundation of the Congregational Church (1890) at Lower Aquebogue is the same as the church edifice stood upon when Reverend Nathaniel Mather was pastor 150 years since, it is started. Reverend Mather's will is included on page 105 of the Horace Mather's "Lineage of Rev. Richard Mather." Mrs. Ruth Terry Mather, his wife of 19 years, had died 5 years before him and he left his property to his two sons, Increase and Ebenezer Mather. They later settled in Orange County, New York. It is as follows:

"In the name of God Amen. I, Nathaniel Mather, of Southold in the County of Suffolk, in the Province of New York, minister of the Gospel being weak in Body but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be to God therefore and calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die, do make constitute appoint and ordain this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following - first and principally: "I give and Bequeathe my soul into the hands of God who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in decent christian burial at the discretion of my executors hereafter named and touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life. I give demise and dispose of in the following manner. In the first place I do order that my house and lot on which my house stands where I now live with all my moveable estate except what shall be after mentioned to be sold by my executors to the highest bidders and the money be put to the use until my second son Ebenezer Mather come to the age of one and twenty years and then the principal with the use to be paid or delivered to my two sons in the following manner, that whereas my eldest son Increase Mather hath received a piece of land at the price of fifty-five pounds purchased by me, therefore I do order that my executor do pay to my second son Ebenezer Mather the sum of fifty pounds when he shall become of the age of one and twenty years. And then the rest of my money that remains with the use to be equally divided between my two sons Increase and Ebenezer Mather and I do further order that all my plate silver spoons and cups be equally divided between my two sons & also my small books. I also order that provisions, Pork & Beef, Wheat & Corn, Butter & Cheese be wholly disposed to my nurse Mary Wiggan. lastly I do contribute make and ordain Issac Howell & John Conklin the son of Henry Conklin to be my executors of this my last will and testament."

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 26th of November 1747. Joshua Young, David Brown, Junior, Phillip Peck, George Clinton, Captain NATHANIEL MATHER, L.S. General and Governor and Chief of the Province of New York and territories therein depending in America, Vice Admiral of the same and Vice Admiral of the Red Squadron of his Majesties Fleet.

Reverend Mather's elder brother, Reverend Azariah Mather, graduated at Yale in the class of 1705. Their father, Reverend Samuel Mather of Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut was an original Trustee of Yale College in 1701. Reverend Nathaniel Mather united with five other ministers, in April, 1747, in establishing the Presbytery of Suffolk, which sympathized heartily with "New Light" measures.

References
  1. Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, United States. Records of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1638-1925.

    Nathanael son of Mr. Samuel Mather was born May 30th 1695 (Bk I Page Twenty-Seven)