Early Descriptions of Freeport
"ANOTHER NAME CHANGE -- Changing the names of villages and neighborhoods seems to be all the rage just now in our neighboring county. Among the rest, the place heretofore called Raynortown, Hempstead, has changed its name to Freeport--for what purpose, or to what advantage, does not appear."
Source: The Long Islander (Huntington). 2 September 1853: 2.
"SETTLED BY THE RAYNORS
Freeport, in early days, was called "Washburn's Neck." It was settled by the Raynor family; so that from 1830 to 1850 it was called Raynortown. At the time of the late war the post office of the place was located in Carman Smith's store at Merrick, that being the post road. In 1858 the Methodist church was buit, and in 1862 the name of the place was changed to Freeport and a post office established. The schoolhouse was the building now occupied by Jesse Conklin, the plumber. The Presbyterian church was the building now occupoed by Mrs. Arenda Smith. In 1875 the population of Freeport was about 500. Now a conservative estimate places it at over 2,500 a growth of nearly 600 per cent in twenty years--South Side Observer."
Source: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 31 March 1896: 5
