"A History of Long Island From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time" Peter Foss, LL. D. VOL II 1902 BEGIN WILLIAM B. LAKE. More than a century ago Washington said, “agriculture is the most useful as well as the most honorable occupation to which man devotes his energies,” and the truth of this statement has been exemplified through all ages. Mr. Lake is one who for many years was identified with farming interests on Long Island, and at the present time he is a leading business man of Gravesend, where he is engaged in general contracting. He was born November 24, 1852, at Lake Place, the old homestead of the Lake family at Gravesend, Kings county. The Lake family is of English lineage and the founder in America was John Lake who, it is supposed, was born in Oxford, England. He had a son, Daniel, who married and became the father of the following children: Nellie, who was born April 28, 1734, and died October 25, 1737; Daniel, born September 13, 1757; Elizabeth, born in 1758; Court, who was born October 14, 1760, and died October 2, 1846, while his wife, Ida Ryder, who was born October 2, 1763, died November 15, 1826; Nellie, who was born November 6, 1763, and died February 13, 1824; Mary, born April 17, 1766; Eva, born February 25, 1769; and Lena, born September 21, 1772. The children of Court and Ida Lake were: Daniel, who was born November 22, 1783; Jacobus, born May 4, 1786, and died September 9, 1865; Court, who was born March 28, 1788, and died June 4, 1874; Bernardus C., who was born October 12, 1790, and died March 10, 1830; Johannes (John), born May 20, 1793; Yonneche (Jane), who was born December 1, 1795, and died April 25, 1827; Nellie, who was born January 14, 1798, and died October 3, 1820; John, who was born May 7, 1800, and died February 6, 1834; and Elizabeth, who was born May 12, 1802, and died October 8, 1819. The father of this family was taken a prisoner by the British at the time of the Revolutionary war but was soon afterward paroled. Both he and his wife were natives of Gravesend, and there he was extensively engaged in farming. On the death of the mother her son, Bernardus C., wrote the following poem: You have left this dreary vale of tears, Where thou didst in sorrow live for years; Thou art gone to mansions of eternal rest, Where grief and sorrow will no more rend thy breast. O, dearest mother, thy loss to me is more Than whole mountains of Peruvian ore, Yet I will not weep or mourn for thee, For from all trouble thou art free. Methinks I hear thy spirit say My troubles are all o'er, my spirit free; In Heaven's bright courts above All is happiness, peace and love. Jacobus Lake, who was born May 4, 1786, married Ann Ryder, a daughter of John Ryder, who was born October 12, 1764. They had the following children: Ida, who was born April 27, 1815, and died January 4, 1835; John Ryder, born April 18, 1818, and died May 3, 1890; Ellen Elizabeth, born December 2, 1820, and died August 17, 1901; Jacobus, born April 13, 1824; Aletta Ann, born November II, 1828, and died August 8, 1864; Jane, born March 3, 1831 ; and Ida, born July 1, 1839, and died September 29, 1882. For his second wife Mr. Lake married Altiea Stillwell, who was born January 17, 1766, and lived to the age of ninety-six years and six months. One of their daughters, Leona Lott, lived to the advanced age of ninety-seven years. Jacobus Lake, the father of our subject and a son, of Jacobus and Ann (Ryder) Lake, was born on the old Lake homestead at Gravesend, April 13, 1824, was educated in the common schools there and in early life went to New York city where he accepted a clerkship in a wholesale and retail drug store on Cliff street. At the time of his grandfather's death the father returned to the old home stead, and during a greater part of his active business career was engaged in the operation of that farm. He never sought public office, but his fellow citizens recognizing his worth and ability honored him with election to the office of town clerk, in which capacity he served for eight years. He also served as clerk of the board of education. He was married in Gravesend, by the Rev. Abraham J. Labagh, on the 22d of November, I849, to Sarah: Ber tram Lewis, a daughter of William B. and Frances J. (Hart) Lewis, and the widow of Rufus Gardner. Mrs. Lake was born in Bloomingdale, now a part of New York city, January 13, 1827. Her father died March 23, 1879, her mother on the 8th of January, 1852. By her marriage Mrs. Lake became the mother of four children: Jacobus, who was born March 28, 1851, and died November 28, 1852; Will iam B., born November 24, 1852; Anna Aletta, who was born August Io, 1854, and died July 29, 1885; and Fannie Lewis, who was born November 24, 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobus Lake celebrated their golden wedding on Wednesday, November 22, 1899, at their home in Gravesend. Fifty years previously Mr. Lake had wedded Sarah Bertram Lewis, and they had taken up their abode in the old Lake home stead on Gravesend Beach road, in the house in which Mr. Lake was born. The old home is still standing and has been in possession of the family for over two hundred years. Among the presents received by the venerable couple on that pleasant occasion was a gold loving cup, presented to them by their daughter, who has resided with them all their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Lake are in excellent health, giving promise of living for many years to come. The former is now seventy-six years of age and his wife is three years his junior. William B. Lake, whose name introduces this review, and who is a son of this highly esteemed and worthy couple, pursued his studies in the district schools of Gravesend and supplemented his prelim inary course in Erasmus Academy of Flatbush. He was early trained to the labors of the home farm and continued to aid in the operation of the land until 1885, giving his entire attention to agricultural pursuits up to that time. He has since been engaged in general contracting and is meeting with good Success in his business, receiving a liberal patronage. His home life has been very pleasant. He was happily married November 12, 1879, to Phebe Maria Cropsey, the wedding being celebrated in the New Utrecht Reformed church, by the Rev. A. P. Stock well. The lady was born in New Utrecht, October 15, 1857, a daughter of the late Andrew J. and Sarah Elizabeth (Du Bois) Cropsey. The Cropsey family is of German origin and was founded in America by two brothers of the name who sought homes in the new world in order to avoid service in the German army. They were Joost and Casparse Cropsey, and they were accompanied by their brother Johannes and their mother, Geertje Cropsey. They emigrated to Gronigen Island, in 1652, but were not Hollanders. They settled on Long Island, and in 1661 became land owners and were identified with the town of Bushwick. Andrew J. Cropsey, the father of Mrs. Lake, was born in New Utrecht, Jan uary 28, 1828, and was a son of Jaques and Maria (Emmons) Cropsey. He married Sarah E. DuBois, November 5, 1856, and they had two children, Mrs. Lake and Andrew Bergen, who was born October 26, 1868. Mr. Cropsey was a prominent farmer, owning a valuable tract of land near Fort Hamilton. He died in 1891, but is still survived by his widow, who lives in New Utrecht. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Lake are: James, who was born October 30, 1881; Elizabeth Hamilton, born March 11, 1883; Sarah Bertram, born September 3, 1884; John Ryder, who was born April 18, 1886; Phebe Cropsey, born August 2, 1889; and Agnes Livingston, born March 16, 1898. The eldest son died September 27, I900, and the following 'stanzas were written in memory of him by Mrs. Sarah B. Lake : Gone from our midst, the child of our love, In a moment, with no tender word of farewell. Sadly we bow 'neath the chastening rod; 'Tis hard to look up and say, It is well. Gone from our midst, the child of our love, But gone to the beautiful home on high, For he trusted in Christ, and the promise is sure. Our loved one is safe, no more to die. We would bow in submission, Father, 'tis well; His feet have been spared the rough path we have trod; And now with the white-robed in glory he stands, In the presence of Jesus, his Savior and God. Mr. Lake is an active worker in the ranks of the Republican party and holds the office of president of the Thirty-first Ward Republican Club, yet has never sought or desired the honors or emoluments of public office for himself. He is a firm believer of the principles of the party, and with a just appreciation of the duties of citizenship he gives an earnest support to the organization which he believes is best calculated to promote the welfare of the nation. He has served in the volunteer fire department of Gravesend and was trustee of that body for seven years. He actively co-operates in every movement intended to prove of general benefit and is a very public-spirited citizen. He and his family are members of the Reformed church and in its work take an active part. Mr. Lake is marshal of the Reformed church Sunday-school, has served as deacon and clerk of the consistory of the church, has been secretary of the Sunday-school for twenty years and wrote the call to the present pastor in 1887. His life has ever been characterized by fidelity to duty in all relations. He is a social, genial gentleman, charitable and benevolent, has a large circle of warm friends, and his friendship is best prized by those who know him best. END "History of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Gravesend, Kings County, New York" William H Stillwell 1892 BEGIN Deacons of church ... Wilham B. Lake, from March 9, 1885, to March 14, 1887. Baptisms ... 1882, Mar 4 - James - William B. and Phebe A. (Cropsey) Lake, parents 1883, Aug 30 - Eliz Hamilton - William B. and Phebe A. (Cropsey) Lake, parents 1884, Dec 5 - Sarah Bertram - William B. and Phebe H. (Cropsey) Lake, parents 1886, Sep 3 - John Ryder - William B. and Phebe H. (Cropsey) Lake, parents 1889, Nov 29 - Phebe Cropsey - William B. and Phebe (Cropsey) Lake, parents Marriages ... 1878, Nov 12 - William B. Lake, Phebe M. Cropsey END from http://bklyn-genealogy-info.stevemorse.org/Birth/Gravesend/index.html BEGIN These are births from the original ledger books of Gravesend. Please Note: Where a section is empty there was NO info recorded. Where a SURNAME is written between ( ) it denotes the name was NOT recorded, but transcribed to allowed easier researching. Info is transcribed as ledgers are recorded. If you see the names the same but spelling differs, it is as recorded. On Race: Most of the time whites are NOT recorded. When they are W = White C = colored NOTE: Sometimes it is also written 'black' or 'negro'. I have chosen to keep it simple and list all these as C. They include the areas of: Gravesend Gravesend Beach Gravesend Neck Gravesend Village Coney Island Unionville Sheeps Head Bay Greenfield South Greenfield Bensonhurst South Bensonhurst Woodlawn Cert# Child Name Sex Race B'date B'place Father Age Nativity Occ. Mother Age Nativity # of Child Notes #315 (LAKE) f w 3 Sep 1884 Gravesend LAKE, William B. Long Island 32 farmer CROPSEY, Phebe M. Long Island 24 3 #492 (LAKE) m w 18 Apr 1886 Gravesend , William B. Gravesend 35 farmer CROPSEY, Phebe M. New Utrecht 29 4 END