Transcribed by Loretta Nixon June 26, 2009

Oakley History
Old Oakley Bible Record


The following is a record, from the old Scotch Bible made by Edward F. Oakley, son of John Milton Oakley. Edward F. Oakley was 5th owner of the old Scotch Bible. This record was typewritten, (from a copy by Edward F. Oakley), by Henrietta Oakley Downing, granddaughter of John Milton Oakley in the year 1906, and it is from that copy that the following copy was taken:

  Nathaniel Oakley his Book
  God give him grace
  There into looks that he may Run
  That Blessed Race
  Heaven to be his Dwelling place”
  1778
“Nathaniel Oakley Sener [Senior] Born the 28th of September in the year of our Lord Christ 1717 (Died 1800)

The Date of Birth of my sons and Daughters
  Miles was bornd March the 18 1741
  Mary    August the 22 1744
  Samuel    October the 25 1746
  Phebe    January the 9 1749
  Lettishshe    August the 12 1751
  Benjamin    December the 24 1753
  Milley    June the 19 1756
  Eliphalet    May the 31 1759 (Died April 20th 1841)

(children of Eliphalet Oakley, son of Nathaniel Oakley)
   Epenetus Oakley was bornd March the 2 1781
   Selah Oakley was bornd January 22nd 1784
   Eliphalet Oakley was bornd the 24 1786 (Died 1867)
   *** Important! See note at bottom about son Ezra b. 10 Apr 1788
   Miles Oakley was bornd May the 23 1790 (Died 1809)
   Mary Oakley was bornd April 30th 1793 (Died 1809)
   Nathaniel Oakley was bornd January 9th 1796 (Died 1868)
   Hannah Oakley was bornd October the 1 1798 (Died 1809)


The Record of Edward F. Oakley:
This book was the property of Nathaniel Oakley the father of Eliphalet Oakley, the father of Nathaniel Oakley, the father of John M. Oakley, the father of Edward F. Oakley, the present owner in the year 1869.

While it was the property of Eliphalet Oakley, he with a number of others, seceded from the Presbyterian Church (on Long Island) of which they were members and organized another church eventually at Babylon.

During the infancy of this new church, and while it had no church edifice, services were held at his home, and this book performed its part upon a pulpit improvised of a common tea table, and something like a soap box, covered with a clean white sheet.

Out of this beginning came the present Presbyterian church of Babylon.

The head of our family was Thomas Oakley, of the Township of Hempstead, L.I. and one of its first settlers, he being the grandfather of Nathaniel Oakley, the first owner of this book.

Our branch of the Long Island family,
  1st Thomas Oakley whose name appears in early records of the Town of Hempstead.
  2nd Nathaniel Oakley his son.
  3rd Nathaniel Oakley his son and first owner of the Old Bible.
  4th Eliphalet Oakley his son and second owner of the Old Bible.
  5th Nathaniel Oakley his son and 3rd owner of the Old Bible.
  6th John M. Oakley his son and 4th owner of the Old Bible.
  7th Edward F. Oakley his son and 5th owner of the Old Bible.

First Nathaniel Oakley born In the town of Hempstead, Queens Co., Long Island in the year 1717, settled in Huntington, Suffolk Co., Died in the year 1800 aged 83. [This is actually the 2nd Nathaniel Oakley, but the first to own the Old Bible]

Eliphalet Oakley, son of the first Nathaniel [of old Bible] was born May 31st, 1759, died Apr 20th 1841 (aged 82).

Second Nathaniel Oakley, son of Eliphalet, was born Jan 9th 1796 and died Jan 8th 1868 (aged 72). He was married Aug. 6, 1815

Sarah Leek, wife of 4. N.O. 2nd, Born Sep. 23rd, 1792. Died July 2, 1872. (aged 80)

John M. Oakley, son of Nathaniel 2d, Born June 10th, 1816, Died Nov. 20th 1905, Aged 89 years.

(Note: Edward F. Oakley 5th owner of the old Bible gave it to his son Irving Oakley, of Red. Banks N.J. who became 5th owner of the old Bible).

*** Note about Ezra Oakley b. 10 Apr 1788, son of Eliphalet born 31 May 1759
The problem for many years was to prove who his mother, Elizabeth, was. The only Eliphalet we found in that vicinity was married to Mehitable Brewster.

Now, much of the rest of this note is speculative and in the process of proving.

In a book at the Salt Lake 0FHL [975.725/H1-J7t]-- "Overseers of the Poor 1752-1861" for Huntington, New York. It contained a document where Nathaniel and Eliphalet Oakley bonded for the support of an unnamed child, "said to be begotten by Eliphalet Oakly of said Town of Huntington and Born of the Body of Elizabeth Abbett Widow of Joseph Abbett Deceas'd" This bond was dated 13 May 1788 and Ezra was born 10 Apr 1788, so the dates would fit.

Eliphalet was one of the executors of the will of Joseph Abbett., so evidently he was a good friend of the family. When he and Elizabeth Abbett produced an illegitimate son, that was a BIG scandal, and the family tried to hide it. Some of the descendants even made up the story that Ezra's parents died in the black plague, which was later proved to be false. Eliphalet did manage to keep his marriage together with Mahetable Brewster, and Elizabeth Abbett moved on. No one seems to have found what happened to Elizabeth Abbett and the four children of Joseph Abbett named in his will. Some researchers say that Elizabeth later married William Pollock, 18 Nov 1804 in Huntington, but we have not seen the documentation on that.

The Bible records, above were of Eliphalet's father, and he only included Eliphalet's children with his wife, Mehitable. Some descendants again speculated that Ezra was raised by his Uncle Henry, because he named a son, Henry, but he didn't really have an Uncle Henry. The only Henry we have found was a cousin, son of James, but he would not have been old enough .

The problems with these speculations and assumptions are that the Elizabeth Abbett we think is the real mother of Ezra would have been 50 years old, and Eliphalet, who was married to Mehitable Brewster would have only been 29, which may be possible, but not probable. You are invited to help in finding the history that may prove or disprove this note. Thank you for any help.