As the new year arrives and the holiday season comes to an end, many here will be writing down their resolutions for 2026 and reflecting on 2025. East End residents celebrated the new year in a similar fashion 200 years ago, as evidenced by this letter from Henry Thomas Dering (1796-1854) of Sag Harbor to his cousin Nicoll Havens Dering (1794-1867) of New York.
In 1826, Henry Thomas Dering was customs master in Sag Harbor, a role he assumed in 1822 after the death of his father, Henry Packer Dering (1762-1822). In addition to weighing cargo, collecting taxes assigned to goods, and hearing oaths of registry and allegiance, Henry Thomas was also the postmaster of Sag Harbor, as indicated by the “FREE” postmark by his name.
Dr. Nicoll Havens Dering was the son of a Revolutionary War general, Sylvester Dering (1758-1820). Born on Shelter Island, Nicoll relocated to New York City to study medicine after graduating from Yale in 1813. He received this letter while he was practicing medicine in New York. After the death of his first wife, Frances Huntington (1799-1841), Nicoll moved to Rome, N.Y. In 1847 he remarried, to Sarah Strong (1796-1889), granddaughter of a Culper Spy Ring member, Anna Smith Strong (1740-1812).
Despite the distance between the cousins, letters exchanged between Henry and Nicoll indicate that they had a close relationship. In this brief letter, Henry thanked Nicoll for dealing with his business matters in the city. He wished Nicoll a happy new year and emphasized that the occasion gives an opportunity for reflection and reformation.
As we welcome 2026, historical documents like this one encourage us to reflect on the past, helping us understand that although methods of communication may have changed, people’s desires to connect with each other and improve their lives have not.
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Megan Bardis is a librarian and archivist in the Long Island Collection.
