In 1885, the Town of Brookhaven's town officers resolved to have the town records copied and published. These transcribed records provide a wealth of names and lists of names, which combine with the details of town business to present a portrait of the town during this period of time. "In doing this work, the records have been followed in their order as they appear, and the copy has been carefully and diligently compared with the originals, exhibiting the capital letters, the spelling, the abbreviations, the punctuation and the OMISSION to punctuate, in fact omitting nothing which seemed to be an authentic part of the records." A wide variety of issues are discussed in these records: boundaries, cattle running at large, commissioners of highways, commissioners of schools, land leases, fishing, oystering, support of the poor, railways, roads, slaves, town meetings, trustees, and much more. "A few notes have been introduced here and there, which might be useful for reference or explanation."