Council Rock (Oyster Bay, New York) facts for kids
Council Rock is a special place in Oyster Bay, New York. It's located on Lake Avenue, not far from West Main Street. This rock was once a very important meeting spot for the Matinecock people. They even had a sacred council fire there. In 1672, George Fox, who started the Religious Society of Friends (also known as Quakers), gave an important speech at this rock during his visit to America.
Who Was George Fox?
George Fox was an Englishman who started the Religious Society of Friends. People often call them Quakers. He had new ideas about the Christian faith. These ideas were different from what most people believed at the time.
Fox traveled a lot to share his beliefs. He preached in Great Britain for many years. Sometimes, the authorities didn't like his ideas. This led to him being treated unfairly. His travels grew to include North America and other countries. He even spent a year in prison for his beliefs.
Fox's Journey to Oyster Bay
George Fox came to North America in 1671. He first landed in Barbados on October 3, 1671. From there, he traveled north through Maryland. He returned to England in June 1673. During this trip, in 1672, he visited Oyster Bay.
Fox wrote about his visit to Oyster Bay and Long Island in his journal. This journal was published after he passed away. Here is a small part of what he wrote:
We crossed the Sound and arrived safely at Oyster Bay. This was on the seventh day of the sixth month in 1672. It was very early in the morning. They say it's about 200 miles from Rhode Island. We had a very large meeting at Oyster Bay... From Oyster Bay, we traveled about 30 miles to Flushing. There, we had another very large meeting. Many hundreds of people came, some traveling about 30 miles. It was a wonderful meeting. The people were very happy.
Council Rock Meetings
George Fox met with important families from Oyster Bay at Council Rock. These families included the Wrights, Underhills, and Feekes. They gathered for Quaker meetings.
In 1939, the New York State Education Department put up a historic marker at Council Rock. This marker helps people remember the site's history. East of Council Rock, there is a cemetery. Many family members who were there when George Fox visited are buried there. This includes members of the Townsend family.
Some of the people who were likely at the meeting included:
- Captain John Underhill (1597-1672) and his wife Elizabeth Feake
- Henry Townsend (1626-1695)
