Jacob Ockers. By Thomas McMahon, Class of 1970.
A little boy arrived in Boston Harbor around 1850 at six years of age. His father, Henrik, and his family came from Bruinisse, Holland. Hendrick and wife, Lena, sons Peter, Arie (Harvey), Ira, Jacob, and sister Jakomina. The family settled in Sayville. Hendrik and Lena had 13 children, many died in early childhood.
By 1866 the family had grown and purchased land on 99 Atlantic Avenue, Tuckerville, then Greenville, now West Sayville.
Herdrick’s son, Jacob, would become one of Sayville’s wealthiest, most successful entrepreneurs. He even achieved a royal title -he became known as the “Oyster King”. He was known all the world over.
Have you ever heard of him?
Jacob Ockers (Okkers,Okkerse)
Jacob was a part of a large Dutch family that can be traced back 12 generations. His ancestors lived in the Zeeland area of the Netherlands before the year 1390. His 12th great grandfather Joanne die Soutscipper was born in 1390 Zierikzee, SchouwenDuiveland, Zeeland, Netherlands living to the age of 94.
At an early age, Jacob began his education. Yes, there were several public schools back then, not the schools we think of, there was no “Ole-88”, there was no high school. There was a white two-storied schoolhouse. One of the first schoolhouses was located where the current firehouse stands on Main Street in Sayville.
Jacob’s Dad was a hardworking man. And had learned his shell fishing skills in the Netherlands. He began working in the oyster business in Sayville. Jacob joined with him and at an early age and had his first sloop. Jacob worked with his father seeding and harvesting oysters on the Great South Bay. By October 1865 Jacob leases his first 16 acres by Great River-Greenspoint southeast area of the bay for $16 per year. His hard work led him to captain a ship sailing between New York and Virginia in 1876, an occupation that made him some of his money. Jacob invested that money in oyster beds on the Great South Bay. 1898 saw Jacob using his boat to transfer Oyster seeds from Greenport to his beds in Sayville.
In 1899, Jacob was elected V.P. of the Oyster Planters Association in Sayville. That same year Jacob and the Westerbeke Brothers purchased 300 acres off East Haven on the Long Island Sound (expanding their oyster bed business).
These early investments grew and later yielded the beginnings of his fortune. He eventually founded, with the Westerbeke Brothers, -in 1902-the modern Blue Point Oyster Company. At the same time, the railroad arrived in the area allowing Jacob, with the help of his shipping fleet, to deliver his oysters to the world’s richest markets. First New York City and then in Europe by 1900, expanding to markets around the world. This massive growth allowed Jacob and his business partners to invest in oyster beds in areas including-Cape Cod Bay, the Long Island Sound, the Peconic Bay, and the Great South Bay.
He could move around seeding oysters throughout his beds to produce the greatest yields. He also had a distribution system that insured his products’ delivery to all these markets.
With hard work, some luck, and ability to plan, and natural business acumen, Jacob worked his way to the top of the Oyster producing world — a six-year-old boy arriving from Holland in 1846 — he became the “Oyster King” by 1900.
After 50 years in the oyster business, Jacob merged his holdings in the Bluepoint Company, the Ockers Oyster Company, the Greenport Company, and merged them with a company called Seashipt Oyster Company. At the time of his death, he was the largest individual oyster grower and shipper in the United States. Jacob was the first man to export oysters to Europe, shipping 30,000 barrels annually.
During the time he was the head of the Bluepoint Oyster Company they capitalized it at over $1 million in 1905. He was also connected with the Ockers Oyster Company which had holdings in Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod Bay, the Long Island Sound, and Peconic Bay.
Jacob was also a Director of the Oystermen’s Bank in Sayville, a Director of the Live Ship Company, a Trustee of Union Savings Bank in Patchogue, and a Postmaster in Oakdale, New York.
Jacob also had a very successful daughter and wife, named was Louise and Louisa. Jacob knew the power of an excellent education. He encouraged his daughter to continue her education. She also attended Sayville public schools. She then attended Vassar College. Louise went on from there to get a degree at Barnard College in New York City. She was a very accomplished woman. She returned to Sayville and took part in many community organizations.
At the time of the women’s suffrage movement in the early twentieth century, Louisa and her daughter both played a big part in the republican party in Suffolk county. They also took part in the Sayville Historical Society, the Sayville Garden Club, the Red Cross, the Board of Directors of Oystermen Bank, the Board of Education in Oakdale, and many other local organizations. Both mother and daughter made an enormous mark upon their community. They continued their husband’s and father’s business ventures for many years after his death.
There is no doubt his mansion on Montauk Highway in Oakdale was not the most luxurious. But truth be told, the fruits of his labor built his mansion and not by a simple lottery of birth.
Jacob Ockers’ probably more than any other single man contributed more to the growth, stability, and success of our community. He did it by learning his craft from his family and neighbors, working the local bay, and transforming an industry into a world-class shellfish behemoth.
Now you know Jacob Ockers – a true American immigrant success story.
Wow!!!!
