Manuscript legal document concerning guardianship of a principal of Gardiner’s Island (Isle of Wight, Suffolk County, NY), referencing and signed by John Lyon Gardiner and approved by Judge John Hulbert. Seal intact and under paper. John Lyon Gardiner was born on November 8, 1770 and was under five years of age when his father, David Gardiner, died and he and his brother were placed under the care of guardians. Gardiner’s Island is a small island in the Town of East Hampton, New York, in Eastern Suffolk County. It is located in Gardiner’s Bay between the two peninsulas at the east end of Long Island. It is 6 miles long, 3 miles wide and has 27 miles of coastline. The island has been owned by the Gardiner family and their descendants since 1639 when Lion Gardiner purchased it from the Montaukett chief Wyandanch. It is one of the largest privately owned islands in the United States.
