Rev. Thomas James, Jr. (1620-1698) was a Puritan minister in East Hampton, Long Island, during the late 17th century. In 1648, the first inhabitants of East Hampton arrived, having mostly migrated from Maidstone, a town in Kent, England. Prior to reaching eastern Long Island, they made a stopover in Lynn, Massachusetts, and then moved on to Connecticut. Their journey to America was primarily driven by religious persecution and oppressive governmental regulations. These settlers sought not just religious freedom, but also civil liberties.
Early Years
Rev. Thomas James Jr. was the son of a minister with the same name who had emigrated from Lincolnshire, England with his family. The senior James (1595 - 1683) had first settled in Boston in 1632 before moving to the Charlestown church for years and then later to New Haven, Connecticut. However, Rev. James Sr. was not well-liked by his congregation in New Haven and eventually returned to England, while his son remained in America. Approximately 7 to 10 percent of the settlers went back to England after 1640, which included roughly one-third of the clergymen.
He was born in 1620 in Newbury, Massachusetts, and received his education at Harvard College, where he graduated in 1643. After completing his studies, he served as a schoolteacher in Ipswich and Rowley before moving to East Hampton in 1650 to become the minister of the town's Congregational Church (Later 1st. Presbyterian).
The East Hampton Town Trustees felt comfortable with Governor Winthrop of Connecticut and had gone to see him about finding a minister. Rev. Thomas James Jr. was eventually hired for the position in August 1651, having also been invited to be a chaplain on Gardiner's Island by Lion Gardiner.
Rev. James Jr. was highly regarded by Judge Henry P. Hedges, who described him as "learned, resolutely just, sincere, fearless, active, and had a powerful personality." He was also considered a "feisty Puritan" and was well-versed in public affairs, in addition to his role as a guide in politics, laws, morals, and religion.
In those times, attending church on Sunday mornings was mandatory, and those who did not attend were fined one shilling. Additionally, a fine of 10 shillings was imposed on anyone caught working on the Sabbath, and those who refused to pray were sent to the stockade.
Rev. James Jr. was also expected to give two-hour sermons on Sunday mornings. Sunday was considered a day of rest, so there was little else for people to do. These strict rules and expectations reflect the Puritan emphasis on strict religious and moral codes, which were enforced by both social pressure and legal consequences.
Home life
It is probable that Rev. Thomas James got married for the first time in Connecticut to an unknown person. On September 2, 1669, he married Katherine Blux from Southampton for his second marriage. Although there is information that he had ten children, it is unclear which wife was the mother of all of them, and the birth dates of the children are also unknown. Some of his children married into nearby families. Peregrine Stansborough of Sagaponack married Rev. Thomas James's daughter, Sarah, on December 15, 1664, suggesting that Sarah was likely from his first marriage.
When Rev. James was hired, his salary was 45 English pounds per year ( £6,600.00), which was twice what Lion Gardiner had offered him to be the minister on Gardiner's Island. The following year, his salary went up to 50 pounds. His salary was paid from the taxes collected from the citizens, and he was exempt from paying taxes himself.
As part of his compensation, Rev. James was given a home and 12 acres of land, some of which was used for fuel and the rest for farming. He was also given the privilege of being the first person to grind grain at the mill on Monday, which was the second day of the week.
Rev. James's house was located next to the Gardiner house on what is now James Lane. The Meeting House, where Rev. James preached, was also located on the same property, which is now the South End Cemetery. The cemetery was originally the South End Burying Ground, and it was connected to the church or Meeting House. The whole area was fenced in for protection. Rev. James also interacted with the local Native American population, the Montauks. He learned the Indian language and taught them the English language. The Indians sometimes even worshiped with him. The friendly relationship between the colonists and the Native Americans is in part what led the Sachem Wyandanch to consider an alliance with the town.