Isaac Underhill Willets
Encyclopedia
Isaac Underhill Willets was a Long Island
er and prominent farm owner best known today for the road named after him, I.U. Willets Road.
) was built in 1850 through the middle of his lands. He complained that there were too many roads on Long Island to begin with. The road is known today as I.U. Willets Road. In Willets' time, the road was known as Westbury Road. When the Northern State Parkway
opened in 1931, portions of I.U. Willets Road were closed to the public (the parkway cuts across the road). At its current Western end, just past the Parkway, lies Hollow Lane. This was also once part of I.U. Willets Road.map Portions of I.U. Willets Road were first paved in 1906. Today, the road that bears Willets' name runs through parts of North Hills
, Manhasset Hills
, Herricks
, Searingtown
, Albertson
and Old Westbury
. The Links (a gated housing development) and the Buckley Country Day School
now occupy the land on what was Willets' property.
. He married Mary Cromwell on December 29, 1843. By 1849, Willets had one of the largest farms in the area. His farm was located in the area where North Hills and Herricks meet. This area was once known as Plattsdale.
Isaac and Mary had five children: Marietta Willets (1844–circa 1910), Sarah C Willets (1844–1891), Isaac Willets (1855–?), Edwin C Willets (1858–?), Emma Willets (1852–1912).
In 1912 (after his death), Willets' 216 acre (0.87412176 km²) farm was bought by a corporation intending to build a large cemetery. These plans fell through after a political battle and a state law was passed banning the creation of any new cemeteries in Nassau County.
The Willets family was prominent in Quaker affairs on Long Island. David Willets, an ancestor of Isaac U. Willets, came to America from Wales in 1650. In 1845, members of the Willets family purchased a homestead on Cow Neck (near present day Port Washington
). This house had previously been owned by another prominent Long Island family, the Sands Family.
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
er and prominent farm owner best known today for the road named after him, I.U. Willets Road.
I.U. Willets Road
The road (in Western Nassau CountyNassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
) was built in 1850 through the middle of his lands. He complained that there were too many roads on Long Island to begin with. The road is known today as I.U. Willets Road. In Willets' time, the road was known as Westbury Road. When the Northern State Parkway
Northern State Parkway
The Northern State Parkway is a long limited-access state parkway on Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. The western terminus is at the Queens-Nassau County line, where the parkway continues westward into New York City as the Grand Central Parkway...
opened in 1931, portions of I.U. Willets Road were closed to the public (the parkway cuts across the road). At its current Western end, just past the Parkway, lies Hollow Lane. This was also once part of I.U. Willets Road.map Portions of I.U. Willets Road were first paved in 1906. Today, the road that bears Willets' name runs through parts of North Hills
North Hills, New York
North Hills is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population was 5,075 at the 2010 census.The Village of North Hills is located in the Town of North Hempstead.-Geography:North Hills is located at ....
, Manhasset Hills
Manhasset Hills, New York
Manhasset Hills is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 3,592 at the 2010 census. Manhasset Hills is an unincorporated area of the Town of North Hempstead...
, Herricks
Herricks, New York
Herricks is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 4,295 at the 2010 census.Herricks is a community in the southern part of Town of North Hempstead.-Geography:...
, Searingtown
Searingtown, New York
Searingtown is a census-designated place in Nassau County, New York, United States. It is considered part of the Greater Roslyn area, which is anchored by the Village of Roslyn...
, Albertson
Albertson, New York
Albertson is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 5,182 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
and Old Westbury
Old Westbury, New York
Old Westbury is a village in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 4,671....
. The Links (a gated housing development) and the Buckley Country Day School
Buckley Country Day School
Buckley Country Day School is an independent, coeducational day school providing elementary education to 330 students in grades toddler through eight in Roslyn, New York. Buckley was founded in 1923 and opened the doors of its first building in Great Neck to a class of twenty-three children...
now occupy the land on what was Willets' property.
Personal life
Willets was born to David Willets and Deborah Whitson in Westbury, New YorkWestbury, New York
Westbury incorporated in 1932 as a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population was 15,146 at the 2010 census.The Village of Westbury is in the Town of North Hempstead....
. He married Mary Cromwell on December 29, 1843. By 1849, Willets had one of the largest farms in the area. His farm was located in the area where North Hills and Herricks meet. This area was once known as Plattsdale.
Isaac and Mary had five children: Marietta Willets (1844–circa 1910), Sarah C Willets (1844–1891), Isaac Willets (1855–?), Edwin C Willets (1858–?), Emma Willets (1852–1912).
In 1912 (after his death), Willets' 216 acre (0.87412176 km²) farm was bought by a corporation intending to build a large cemetery. These plans fell through after a political battle and a state law was passed banning the creation of any new cemeteries in Nassau County.
The Willets family was prominent in Quaker affairs on Long Island. David Willets, an ancestor of Isaac U. Willets, came to America from Wales in 1650. In 1845, members of the Willets family purchased a homestead on Cow Neck (near present day Port Washington
Port Washington, New York
Port Washington is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the community population was 15,846....
). This house had previously been owned by another prominent Long Island family, the Sands Family.