History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

194 History of Swansea
for its self-preservation. Among her bravest, most loyal soldiers, was
Colonel Marimus Willet, who survived until 1830, when he died at the age
of ninety. He was great-grandson of the pioneer of Swansea, and, like him,
had been a mayor of New York.
— Pilgrim Republic
The grave of Thomas Willett, first Mayor of New York, who was
buried in Little Neck Cemetery, Riverside, more than 200 years ago, was
marked in a fitting manner there Oct. 18, 1913, when a large, handsome
granite boulder, the gift of the City Club of New York, was unveiled by
Mrs. Lewis B. White of Arnold street, Riverside, who was instrumental in
having the Willet grave brought to the attention of President Strong of the
City Club. Plans for the erection of the memorial, which includes a huge
block of granite, with inscription and surrounded by granite posts and
rails, had been progressing for a year, and the day's event brought the
matter to a very fitting close.
When Mrs. White pulled the string attached to the official flag of the
present Mayor of New York, which was loaned for the occasion and which
covered the boulder, the latter was disclosed to a very large and representative
assemblage, which included officials of the city of New York and a
delegation of 100 members of the City Club, Mayor Joseph H. Gainer and
other officials of Providence, members of the Town Council of the town of
East Providence, delegates from the Boston, Plymouth and Flhode Island
Historical Associations and hundreds of the townspeople.
The stone itself, is a large, rough field boulder, bearing this simple
inscription on its west face:
THOMAS WILLETT
1610—1674
FIRST MAYOR
of
NEW YORK
Served 1665 and 1667
Erected by the
CITY CLUB OF NEW YORK
WILLETT
The exercises attending the dedication were witnessed by an assemblage
of some five hundred persons, and were marked by their dignity and
simplicity.
New York's First Mayor
A Movement for a Monument to Capt. Willett
Points in His Career
The first Mayor of New York is buried in an ancient ground at the
head of BuUock's Cove, in the town of East PVovidence, where a rough