Nathaniel Sylvester (1610-1680)
Sugar Planter, Barrel Manufacturer & Proprietor of Shelter Island, Suffolk Co., N.Y.
He was born in England to a mercantile family and grew up in exile in Amsterdam before emigrating to America via Barbados during the English Civil War. In 1651, with his brother, Constant, and partners Thomas Middleton and Thomas Rouse, they purchased all 8,000-acres of Shelter Island in New York from the non-resident proprietor, William Goodyear, for 1,600 pounds of Muscavado sugar before obtaining deeds of confirmation the following year from the Manhanset Indians. In 1666, Nathaniel received an official grant from King Charles II. Nathaniel was the only partner who lived on Shelter Island and he eventually bought out the others to become the sole proprietor of the island. He manufactured barrels from the island's white oaks that were used to ship West Indian tobacco, sugar, molasses and rum back to England. At the time, his was the largest operation of its kind in the north. He married Grizzell, daughter of Thomas Brinley, Auditor of King Charles I and King Charles II and they had 12-children.