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Islip, New York (U.S.)

Suffolk County

image by Eugene Ipavec, 17 May 2009

Description of the flag
Variant of the flag

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Description of the flag

Selah R. Clock, Esq.
Clerk of the Town of Islip October 12, 1883

Dear Sir:

The Seal that I have designed and now present to the Town of Islip has a significance that can be appreciated by all who are conversant with the history of the town.

The Branch on the upper portion represents Smithtown given by Wyandanche, Sachem of Montauk, to Lion Gardiner in 1659; sold to Richard Smythe in 1663, patented to him in 1665.

The creeping vines with rootlets at the upper or north end represent on the right Brookhaven, patented in 1666-1686; on the left Huntington, patented 1666-1686.

The tendency of the rootlets is to creep towards the Branch of Smithtown, while the growth southward of the vines is to entwine and embrace the cluster or bunch of Grapes which represents the several patents and necks of land in the territory called Islip.

The Eye is the mark of vigilance and refers to a remark by Colonel Tredwell Scudder, who was supervisor 1795 to 1796 and 1804 to 1815, that it was an "Eye Slip" on the part of Brookhaven and Huntington in not including in their patents the territory now called Islip.

The date 1683 refers to the first purchase to William Nicoll granted November 29, 1683.

The Latin motto "Fide sed cui vide" is from armorial bearings of the Nicoll family. It signifies "Trust but look out in whom" or more fully translated: "Have confidence but be careful in whom you confide!" This motto should ever guide in the choice of town officers.

With Sincere regards,
A.G. Thompson

Ned Smith, 28 April 2008

The Town of Islip is located in southern Suffolk County, New York (USA) on the south shore of Long Island. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 322,612.

On November 29, 1683, William Nicoll became the first patentee of Islip when he purchased land from Sachem (Chief) Winnequaheagh of Connetquot. He named his 50,000-acre plantation Islip Grange, in honor of the town from which he emigrated: Islip, England. The original settlement encompassed Bayport, Bohemia, Brentwood, Central Islip, East Islip, Great River, Hauppauge, Holbrook, Holtsville, Islip Terrace, Oakdale, Sayville, West Sayville, and part of Ronkonkoma. Part of Nicoll's original domain is now the site of Heckscher State Park. Other early land patentees were Andrew Gibb (Islip), John Mowbray (Bay Shore), Stephanis Van Cortlandt (Sagtikos Manor) and Richard and Thomas Willets (West Islip).

In 1710, the precinct (or district) of Islip was established and in 1720, the first elections were held for the posts of supervisor, constable, collector and two assessors. The Town Clerk's records of the annual meetings typically began, "At the Annual Meeting of the freeholders of the precinct of Islip..."ť. The entry for the first Tuesday of April 1790, marked the first in which Islip was referred to as a "Town."ť - from town's website: http://www.townofislip-ny.gov/index.php/history.

Valentin Poposki, 15 May 2009

Variant of the flag

image located by Ned Smith, 28 April 2008

A couple photos of the flag of the Town of Islip, Suffolk County, NY, are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcduff/2331455170. The flag is blue with a red on white version of the town seal, and uppercase sans serif lettering reading TOWN OF ISLIP above the seal, and SUFFOLK CO., NEW YORK below. In the photos the lettering is a deep reddish orange- I saw the flag at the Town Hall about a year ago, and as I recall the lettering was more of a golden color. However, several separate photos at http://www.isliptown.org/electedofficials.cfm also show bits of the lettering, and they are similar in shade to the above-linked photos, so perhaps my memory is misleading me. (These also seem though to differ from the above a little in the coloring of the seal- being more of a reddish-orange on off-white.)

A blue on gray version of the seal is presented, along with its history (including an awful pun) at http://www.isliptown.org/history.cfm - Smithtown, Huntington, and Brookhaven are neighboring towns.
Ned Smith, 28 April 2008