John Thorne and Nicholas Pearsall were among the inhabitants of Flushing who were offered the status of freement of Connecticut " if they would have it" May 13, 1664. This was at the time that the English government was preparing to absorb the colony of New Netherlands, of which Long Island was a part. Connecticut was, of course, an English Colony, while Long Island was part of the Dutch New Netherlands. On Aug. 12, 1667 Nicholas Pearsall, Joseph Thorne, John Thorne of Flushing presented themselves to the Governor and gave their names "to be ready to serve His Majesty under his honorable command
on all occasions". The island of Long Island, however, did not become English at that time.