John J Randall – Freeport History Timeline

John J Randall is born

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c 1845

Portrait and Biographical Record of Queens County (Long Island) New York Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County 1896

Classed among the prominent and highly honored citizens of Freeport, L. I., stands the name of John J. Randall, whose record for honesty and uprightness stands second to none. He was born in Suffolk County in 1845, a son of Jehial W. Randall and Marietta (Morehouse) Randall. The father was also a native of Suffolk County, and spent his entire life there. A public spirited and thorough-going citizen, he gave his hearty support to all worthy enterprises. He held a number of local positions, discharged the duties most efficiently, and was highly respected by all who knew him. His wife, who was, born in Fairfield, Conn., is still living, although she has reached the venerable age of four score and two years.

John J. Randall had the advantages of the district schools during his youth and subsequently attended school for a time at Port Jefferson, L. I. He grew up on the farm of his father and when sixteen years old went to sea, making several trips. Not liking the “life on the ocean wave” he returned home and began learning the carpenter’s trade, and after completing it engaged in business with his brother in Brooklyn. They followed building for ten years and then, on account of failing health, John J. sold his interest in the business and purchased a farm in Suffolk County. After tilling the soil for about four years he returned to Brooklyn and embarked in building and selling, meeting with unusual success. Later he took in as partner W. G. Miller and the firm, which became Randall & Miller, is still doing business in Brooklyn.

In 1885 Mr. Randall came to Freeport, and came and went daily from Brooklyn for eight years. For the past two years he has been quite busy with affairs in Freeport. He has bought and built some of the handsomest buildings in this section and is a popular and influential business man. He is president of and a large owner in the Freeport Land Company, and he and his partner have about five hundred acres here and much other land besides. Mr. Randall is now completing a very fine residence for himself in Randall Park and this, when completed, will contain all the modern improvements up to date.

Mr. Randall selected his life companion in the person of Miss Sarah J. Davis of Port Jefferson, L. I. She died about ten years after their marriage, leaving one son, Ernest S., who is a graduate of Columbia College and now a successful architect. In 1880 Mr. Randall was again married, his second wife being Miss Mary F. Overton, daughter of Hampton Overton of Suffolk County. They have two children, Lena F. and J.J., Jr. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Mr. Randall was very instrumental in the founding of the church at Freeport. It now has three hundred members and a Sabbath-school of five hundred. In politics Mr. Randall is a stanch supporter of Republican principles and has abiding faith in his party.

Our subject was one of the founders of the Freeport Bank, of which he has been president since its organization. He was instrumental in the building up of the school, of which the citizens of Freeport are so justly proud, and takes a deep interest in every movement of importance. Randall & Miller are now building a canal three-quarters of a mile in length from the mainland to the bay, and this will be of much benefit to the city. Mr. Randall is a very progressive citizen and no one has done more for Freeport, perhaps, in the short time he has been here, than he.

Mary E Randall (Miller) is born

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The Randall & Miller Company is established

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c February 1882

The Bell Oaks House is moved

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c 1885

– 400 feet to the corner of Randall Avenue and North Main Street, Freeport

The house is moved to make room for John J Randall’s second Freeport residence on Randall Avenue and Grove Street and William’s G Miller’s first, which was an identical house built on the opposite side of Grove Street.

Randall & Miller period begins

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c 1885

John J Randall and William G Miller, popular and successful builders based in Greenpoint Brooklyn, move the Bell Oaks House which is located on land recently acquired by Randall, towards North Main Street to the east. They build for themselves matching summer residences upon that same site. By this time Randall has already begun laying roads and constructing other houses in this general area which is newly designated as Randall Park. Prior to this North and South Main Street, South Ocean Avenue (Carman’s Lane), Merrick Road (Fulton Street), Bayview Avenue (Coe’s Neck Road) are primarily the only other areas with houses and these are mostly homesteads which include farms. Freeport’s commercial properties are along South Main Street as well as Freeport Creek and protruding to the west of Main along Merrick Road. Construction of the Randall Park section kicks off a succession of development, much in part by Randall & Miller.This image is a view facing north towards the Randall Park area around the time this period begins. Randall Avenue runs west from the foreground, Ocean Avenue runs from south to north in the background. If Randall and Millers’s matching homes, north of Randall Avenue, are already built at the time of this photograph then they are just out of the frame to the right.

~~Long Island Memories Digitization Project~~

The houses pictured on Randall and Ocean Avenues are likely among some of the earliest built by Randall in Freeport and still stand today. They are shown respectively as photographed Mar 16, 2011

John J Randall purchases a house for a summer residence

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c Spring 1885

– Some accounts say c Summer 1884

– The D Wesley Pine residence on the north east corner of Fulton Street and Ocean Avenue where the post office presently stands

John J Randall purchases 100 acres of farmland

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c Summer 1885

– A E and John R Bedell’s farm including the Bell Oaks House and portions of John Mead’s, Robert Porterfield’s, and Samuel Smith’s farms

– Presently north Freeport, west of Main Street

Randall & Miller open Bartholdi Hall in Greenpoint, Brooklyn

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c 1886

John J Randall and William G Miller build matching houses

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c 1887

Randall’s 2nd Freeport residence at northeast corner of Randall Avenue and Grove Street

Miller’s 1st Freeport residence at northwest corner of Randall and Ocean Avenues

From bottom to top along Randall Avenue above Main Street: the Bell Oaks house, Randall’s house, Miller’s house

William G Miller purchases 18 acre farm from Captain Thomas Raynor

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