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Very early in American history, Staten Island was known as Stratton or Stratton's Island.
The author, Gene Stratton-Porter, describes her ancestry in the book,
At the Foot of the
Rainbow, as follows:
The author's father was descended from a long line of ancestors of
British blood. he was named for, and traced his origin to, that
first Mark Stratton who lived in New York, married the famous
beauty, Anne Hutchinson, and settled on Stratton Island, afterward
corrupted to Staten, according to family tradition. From that point
back for generations across the sea he followed his line to the
family of Strattons of which the Earl of Northbrooke is the present
head. To his British traditions and the customs of his family, Mark
Stratton clung with rigid tenacity, never swerving from his course
a particle under the influence of environment or association. All
his ideas were clear-cut; no man could influence him against his
better judgment. He believed in God, in courtesy, in honour, and
cleanliness, in beauty, and in education. He used to say that he
would rather see a child of his the author of a book of which he
could be proud, than on the throne of England, which was the
strongest way he knew to express himself.
Other sources mention "patents" and "land grants" referencing Stratton Island. However,
we have not found a thorough history that discusses the evolution of the name from Stratton
to Staten Island. We would welcome any insightes and input on this issue.
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