RANDALL FAMILY HELD THIRD ANNUAL RE-UNION at RIDGE,
MIDDLE ISLAND
Middle Island Mail
August 28, 1935
Photo of the Randall family reunion. Photo from the
collection of Randall Hollingsworth.
Under the blue sky, and the golden sunshine, the Randall
family met on Saturday on the lawn of the Ernest Randall
home at Ridge, Middle Island, a place which has been
occupied by members of that family for over 150 years.
Seventy-Five descendants of Stephen Randall met together
for their third annual reunion, had lunch together and
renewed pleasant associations. The gathering was purely a
social one, as the business meeting of the Stephen
Randall association will be held at a later date.
Asa Randall of Woodhaven, president of the
association, presided during the day's program. The Rev.
William Stewart of the Middle Island Presbyterian Church
and chaplain of the association conducted the devotional
exercises. (The Middle Island Presbyterian Church was the
one attended by the Randall family for many years back.)
Dr. William Miller of Freeport made a short address
and brought greetings from Mr. and Mrs. George Randall of
Brooklyn, who were traveling in South America and
expected to be flying over the Andes mountains on the day
of the re-union. Dr. Miller and Mr. and Mrs. Randall were
together at Lake George a week ago.
The first Randall to come to this country from England
came in 1640. The first to settle in the part of this
country was Stephen Randall who made his home at Ridge in
1739. Stephen Randall signed the association in May 175
and again in June of the same year. During the
Revolution, he organized a company of minutemen for home
defense.
The Stephen Randall association was formed two years
ago and has the following officers: President, Asa
Randall; secretary, Mrs. Randall, R. Davis of Coram, who
was instrumental in bringing about the reunions;
treasurer, Mrs. James Robinson of Shoreham; historian,
Mrs. S. Dimon Smith of freeport. The purpose is to
perpetuate the memory of Stephen Randall and to care and
to maintain his grave and those of the members of his
family.
Members were present from Freeport, Woodhaven,
Greeport, Port Jefferson, New York and many other places.
Commodore A. B. Randall of the United States lines (who
was born in Brookhaven) was unable to be present as he is
on the high seas. Among those who were present was Mrs.
John G. Erhardt (daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel R.
Davis) who has since returned to Germany.
Note- The Randall Association
continues to hold these family meetings, and also sends
out a family newsletter. The 1999 meeting was held in Mt.
Sinai.