USA > New York > Suffolk County > History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683 > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110
CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
Cornell University Librery F 127S9 H67 ++ ... History of Suffolk county, New York,
3 1924 028 834 848 olin
Overs
N
1865 &
D
ED
A
Cornell University Library
The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library.
There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028834848
Mes. S. P. Wagstaff Compliments of Formy Momsen
HARBOR OF NORTHPORT.
WINDMILL
HUNTINGTON HARBOR
1
1683.
HISTORY OF
SUFFOLK COUNTY,
NEW YORK,
WITH
llustrations, lortraits, &
ketches
OF
PROMINENT FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS.
NEW YORK: W. W. MUNSELL & CO., 36 VESEY STREET.
1882. 7B
PRESS OF GEORGE MACNAMARA, 36 VESEY STREET, NEW YORK.
.VARSITY
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
OUTLINE HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
CHAPTER XI.
Beers, Daniel,. Southampton 15
36 20
CHAPTER I.
PAGE.
Discovery of New York-The Indians of the Five Nations.
7,8
Formation and Growth of the Long Island Historical Society.
46-48
Burr, Carll S., .Huntington 57
Carll, Gilbert, Huntington
88
New York under the Dutch-English Gov- ernors to 1675
8-10
CHAPTER III.
Carpenter, E. A
Case Family, . Shelter Island
Southold
10, 11
CHAPTER IV.
Revolutionary Events in New York-The State Government Established ..
11,12
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER III.
Cochran, Walter, . Babylon
Conklin, Jacob, Huntington
The War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain ...
12,13
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER IV.
Conklin, Joho,
.Sonthold
Internal Improvements - Constitutional Amendments-Schools-Statistics ......... 13-15
GENERAL HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND. CHAPTER I.
A Sketch of the Topography, Geology and Natural History of Long Island 16-18
CHAPTER II.
The Indians of Long Island-Territory, Characteristics, and Relations with the Whitea.
18-22
CHAPTER III.
Discovery and Settlement of Long Island -History of Colonial Times ...
22-26
TOWN AND VILLAGE HISTORIES,
following page 82 and arranged in alphabetical order, as follows:
BABYLON,
BROOKHAVEN,
EAST HAMPTON,
HUNTINGTON,
ISLIP,
RIVERHEAD,
SHELTER ISLAND,
34-36
SMITHTOWN,
SOUTHAMPTON, SOUTHOLD.
Gardiner, Samuel Buel, .. East Hampton
Gelston, Samuel, .Southampton
Gleason, Luther, .Babylon
Goldsmith, John, Goldsmith, R. T., Southold
21 Hallock, B. G.,.
.Sonthold
CHAPTER X.
The Construction of Wagon Roads and Railroads on Long Island.
48.44
Beecher, Lyman,.
East Hampton
Hartt, Joshua,. .1Tuntington
59
.
Civil History of the County-Statistics of Population 65-67
Daggett, Herman,. .Southampton
CHAPTER VI.
Religious, Temperance and Educational Efforts-A Group of ounty Societies .... CHAPTER VII.
The Record of Suffolk County's Volunteers
in the Civil War ..
70-79
CHAPTER VIII.
Physical Features-Climate- Industries- Means of Communication.
79-82
Dowden Brothers, . Babylon
Edwards, Lewis A., . Southold Fleet, H. L. .Southold
CHAPTER IV.
Customs, Characteristics and Institutions of the Early Long Islanders .. 27-30
CHAPTER V.
The participation of Long Island in the War with France.
30, 31
CHAPTER VI.
Fordham, Robert, .Sonthampton
Foster, N. W. .. Riverhead Foster, P. H., .. .. Babylon
French, Stephen B., .Southampton
Gardiner, A. S., .Huntington
CHAPTER VII.
The British Invasion-Battle of Brooklyn- Washington's Retreat ..
CHAPTER VIII.
Long Island in British Hands-Raids from the Mainland- Smuggling -The Prison Ships-Nathaniel Woodhull 37-41
CHAPTER IX.
The War of 1812-Privateering-The For- tification of Long Island
41-43
Arthur, F. O., .Smithtown Bailey, Edwin,. ....... Brookhaven
Bayles, James M. Brookhaven
61 Hand, Nehemiah, . Brookhaven
84
4
CHAPTER XII.
Burnet, Matthias, East Hampton
33
CHAPTER II.
Carll, Jesse, . Huntington
Carman, George F. . Brookhaven
.East Hampton
War with France and the Commencement of the Revolution ..
Indlan Tribes of Suffolk County-The Ad-
vent of the White Man ...
49-52
Case, J. Wickham,. Southold
CHAPTER II.
Chatfield, Thomas, East Hampton
A Sketch of Pioneer Experience .... 52-56
The Colonial Period-Growth of Civil and Religious Institutions ....
56-62
Conklin, Jacob, . Babylon
Conklin, Douglass,
Huntington
Conklin, Richard B., .Southold
41
23 5
CHAPTER V.
Cook, Joel,. . Babylon
Cooper, James B. Babylon Corwin, Matthias, .Sonthold
33 4 15
Davenport, James, ... .Southold 22 37 12
Dayton Family, East Hampton
67-70 Dering Family, Shelter Island
Deverell, Thomas H. . Babylon
Dickerson, Philemon, .Sonthold Dingee, Arthur, .. Babylon Dingee, Selah,. Babylon Dodd, Edward,. Babylon
Douglas, Josiah,. . Southampton
Fleet, Thomas, .Huntington
Floyd, Benjamin,. . Brookhaven
Floyd, John G., Brookhaven Floyd, Richard, Brookhaven Floyd, Gen. William, . Brookhaven
Floyd, William,. . Brookhaven
Beginning of the Revolution-Prevalence of Toryism-Independent Spirit in Suf- folk
31-34
Gardiner, Abraham, . East Hampton Gardiner, David, . East Hampton 29 30 25 25 Gardiner Family . East Hampton Gardiner, Lion, . East Hampton 30 Gardiner, Nathaniel. . East Hampton 29
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
.Southold
15 11 4 49 55
100 Halsey, Hugh, .. .. Southampton
43
5 6 6 40 34 45 42 4 71 71 71 71 72 14 20 18 53 69
4
The Agricultural Capabilities and Develop- ment of Long Island.
44-46
Beers, Daniel, .... Southold Belmont, Perry, .. Bibylon Budd, John,. .Southold Buel. Samuel, East Hampton 15
84 56 34 10 7 53 36 33 50 7 36 17 76 4
Cartwright, B. C.,
Case, H. H. .Southold
Cleaves, George H. .Sonthold
Suffolk County in the Revolution-Wash- ington's Tour-The War of 1812 .. 62-65
Cook, Nehemiah B., .. Southold
HISTORY OF SUFFOLK COUNTY, CHAPTER I.
4
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Havens, Aaher C., Shelter Taland 9 Sleight, Brinley D., East Hampton 38
Havens, C. S.,. .Brookhaven 93 Sleight, Cornelius, East Hampton
Havens Family, : Shelter Ialand
9 Smith, Charles Jeffrey, Brookhaven
65 Goldsmith, R. T.,
.Southold 48
Havens, J. S.,. .Brookhaven 97 Smith, David, .. Babylon
Hawkins, Edward, . Riverhead 20 Smith, Edward Henry, .. Smithtown
37 Hand, N.,
Brookhaven
84
Hawkins, Simeon S., Riverhead 21 Smith, Egbert T., . Brookhaven 69, 94 Havemeyer, Henry.
Hazzard, Joseph Southold
Hedges Family, .. . Southampton
33 Smith, Col. Henry,
. Brookhaven
65 Havena, J. S.,
. Brookhaven
Riverhead
21
Hobart, Joshua, .. .Southold
21 Smith, Gen. John,.
Brookhaven 89
Brookhaven
Horton, Barnabas,. .Southold 3, 6 Smith, Joahua B, Smithtown
Howell, Stephen,. .Southampton 39 Smith, Lyman B.,.
Smithtown
40 Huntting, J. R
Southampton
42
Huntington, Abel, . East Hampton 33 Smith, Oakley, .. Babylon 7 Ireland, John L.
Huntting, David H., East Hampton 40 Smith, Ralph, . Southold
Huntting Family, .. Southampton 39 Smith, Richard,. .Smithtown
Hnntting, J. R .Southampton
43 Smith, Richard W. Brookhaven
Huntting, Jonathan, .Southold 24 Smith, Seba, Brookhaven 70 Mather, J. R.,.
Huntting, Nathaniel, .. East Hampton
15 Smith, William,.
. Brookhaven 88 Miller, George, Riverhead
Huntting, Samuel, East Hampton
Hurlburt, Jobn, .. .Southampton
Hutchinson, B. T. .Brookhaven
75 Smith, William Sidney,. Brookhaven
66 Nicoll, Hon. S. B.,
Shelter Ialand
Ingraham. William,. . Babylon
7 Smythe, Richard,. Smithtown
2, 5, 8 Nicoll, S. B., M. D.,.
.Shelter Ialand
James, Thomas, .East Hampton
Jayne, Scudder,.
Brookhaven 91 Strong, Benajah,. .lalip 15 Phillipa, George S.,
.Smithtown 41
Jones, Eliphalet,.
. Huntington
52 Strong, Samuel, .. Islip 15 Post, W. R. Southampton 49
Jones, W. L., . Brookhaven
44 Strong, Selah Brookhaven
59 Strong, Judge Selah Brewster, Brook haven
.Southampton 39 Strong, Selab B., jr.,.
. Brookhaven 81 Reid, J. R.,
Babylon 16
Latting, Richard,
.Huntington 5 Strong, Thomaa S., Brookhaven 81 Remsen, Phenix,
. Babylon 31
Lawrence, W. C.,
Smithtown 42 Strong, Thomas, Brookhaven 75 Rice, James, .. . Brookhaven
98
Leverich, William, .Huntington
5,50 Sylvester Family,. .Shelter Ialand 11 Rogers, Stephen C., . Huntington 68
L'Hommedieu, Samuel, ... Southampton 40 Taylor, Joseph .Southampton 14 Rolph, J. R Huntington 71
Louden, John, . Babylon 19 Terry, Richard, .. .Southold
Ludlow, Isaac, .. Southampton
Marvin, Joseph, .Brookbaven
92 Thompson, Isaac, .. .Talip 15 Scudder, Henry G.,
79
Mather, John R., .Brookhaven
82 Thompson, Jonathan, .Islip
18 Scudder, Henry J., Huntington
Miller, Burnett. East Hampton 32 Throop, William, Southold
23 Sleight. B. D.,. East Hampton
Miller, Eleazer, . East Hampton 32 Titus, H. W.
Brookhaven 81 Smith, Egbert T Brookhaven
Miller, George, .. .Riverhead 19 Udall, Richard,
. Islip 15 Smith, E. H.
.Smithtown
Miller, Nathaniel . Brookhaven
60 Vail, J. H.,. .Islip
13 Smith, J. Lawrence,
. Smithtown 33
Mills, George P., . Brookhaven 60 Von der Luehe,. Huntington
Moore, Thomas, .Southold 5 Whitaker, Epher, .Southold
Mount Family. .Brookhaven 70 Wells, Willlam, .Southold 4 Smith, William Sidney, .Brookhaven
Moubray, Jarvis R .Islip 14 White, Sylvanua, .Southampton 15 Street, Charles R.
. Huntington
62
Mulford Family, . East Hampton 30 Whiting. Joseph,,. Southampton 14 Strong, Selah B., Brookhaven
Murray, Lindley, .Islip 14 Williamson, John M., .. Brookhaven 74 Titus, Henry W Brookhaven 80
Nicoll Family, .. Islip 3 Wilson, A. D., Brookhaven 74 Vail, J. H. ... Islip
.Shelter Island 12 Wilson, Hugh N.,. .Southampton 15 Woodend, W. D. Huntington
Nicoll, Hon. Samuel B. . Shelter Taland 13 Winthrop Family, .Southold 19 Wood, John, .. .. Islip
Nicoll, S. B., M. D., .Shelter Taland Norton, Humphrey, Southold Oakes, George,. Huntington 60 Wood, Silaa, .Huntington
Osborn, Edward, .. Brookhaven 62 Wood, W. W.
Huntington 67
Oaborn Family,
. East Hampton 37 Wondend, W. D.,
Huntington
89
Overton. F. H.,.
.Southold 46 Woodhull, Abraham, Brookhaven
74 74
ILLUSTRATIONS.
100
Bailey, E. & Son, Planing-Mill, Brookhaven Carll, Jesse, Residence. .Huntington
Conklin, R. B., Residence
.Southold
.Southold
39
88
48
35
PORTRAITS.
Reid, J. R., . Babylon 17
Remsen, Phoenix .. Babylon 30 Bayles, James M., Brookhaven
Rice, James, ..
Brookhaven 98 Belmont, Perry .. Babylon 21
Rice Famlly
. Brookhaven 08 Burr, Carll S., Huntington 57
Rogers, Stephen C., .Huntington 68 Carll, Gilbert, Huntington 88
Rolph, Jarvla R .. .Huntington 71 Carli, Jesse, .Huntington 85
Rose, A. T.
Southampton 40 Carman, George F .. Brookhaven 57
Rose Family .Southampton 84 Carpenter, E. A .. .East Hampton 35
Rose, John, Brookhaven 70 Cartwright, B. C., . Shelter Island 10
Sage, Ebenezer, .Southampton 40 Case, H. H.,
. Southold 52
Sammla, D. S. S., Babylon 23 Cleavea, George H.,
Southold 50
24 Conklin, Douglass, . Huntington 76 Sammls, D. S. S., Hotel, .Babylon
34 100 71 22
Schleier, C. S. . Babylon Scudder Family,. .. Huntington 6, 77 De Lamater, C. H., Huntington 91 Scudder, H. J., Residence,. Huntington 83 34
Scudder, Henry G., .Huntington 79 Scudder, Henry J., Huntington 83 Floyd, Willlam, Brookhaven 72 Edwards, Lewla A., .Southold 45 Smith, J. Lawrence, Residence, Smithtown Smythe, Richard-Arms .. Smithtown Scudder, Tredwell, .. Jalip 15 Foater, Nathanlel W .Riverhead 20 Sutton, E. B., Residence, .... .... Babylon
5
85
5
5
5 |Frenoh, S. B., .. Southampton 52 Map of East Hampton, ...... East Hampton
98
SÅ
Dowden Brothers, Store, .. .Babylon Esterbrook, R. jr., Residence, Southampton Fleet, Henry L , Residence ..... .Southold Frontisplece, General History
43 1 8
Havens, A. C., Residence, .... Shelter Ialand Jayne, Scudder, Residence, .... Brookhaven Mulford, John (Letter), ...... East Hampton Paraons, M. B., Hotel,. .Southold Rackett, S. P., Residence, .. Southold Rice Family Monument, Brookhaven
88 13
34
Rolph, J. R., Residence, ..... . Huntington
16
14 Wiswell, G. F., .Southold 24 Wood, W. W., Huntington
13 Wood, John, .Islip 16 Worth, T. B., .Southold 54
90 Young, Thomas, .. Huntington
Payne, John Howard, East Hampton 33 Wodhull, General Nathanlel, Brookhaven
Pelletreau Family,. Southampton 47 Woodhull, Richard, Brookhaven
11, 74
Phillips, George S., .Smithtown 41 Woolsey, Benjamin, .Southold 22
Plerson, Abraham, .Southampton 14 Worth, Theron B.,. .Southold 54
Placide, Henry, : Babylon 20 Young, Thomas,. .Huntington 72
Post, W. R., .Southampton 48 Youngs, Rev. John. .Southold 3, 21
Prime, Ebenezer, . Huntington 53 Younga; Colonel John. .Southold
5, 7
Prime, Ezra C . Huntington 60 29
Provost, William Y Babylon Rackett, S. P., .Southold Ray, Joseph H. Huntington
Davis, C. E., Residence ...... Brookhaven Davis, C. H., Residence ......... Huntington De Lamater, C. H., Residence, Huntington De Lamater, C. H., Beacon Farm, Hunting- ton ..
38 95 35
84 Smilh, Joahua B., Smithtown 38 40
24 Smith, Lyman B., Smithtown
61
75, 76 Prime, Ezra C. .Huntington GU
Kissam, Daniel W .Huntington
76 Provost, William Y.
. Babylon
2
Latham Family,
16 Smith, Colonel William, . Brookhaven 65 Moubray, J. R. .. Islip
Brookhaven 83 19 14 24 13 15
38 Huntting, D. H.,
. East Hampton
21 45 40
Homan, Mordecai, . Brookhaven 60 Smith, Josiah,
24 Smith, Elizabeth,. .Smithtown
9 Havens, C. S.
. Brookhaven 93
Hedges, Henry P. Southampton
44 Smith, J. Lawrence, Smithtown
21,32 Hawking, Edward,
Hawkin& S S.
. Riverhead
. Brookhaven
24 Lawrence, W. C., .. Smithtown
9 Louden, John, Babylon
70 Marvin, Joseph,
Brookhaven
40 Smith, William Henry, Brookhaven 66 Muhlenberg, W. A., Smithtown
Ireland, Jobn L. .. Brookhaven 91 Storrs, John, .. Southold 23 Osborn, Edward, . Brookhaven 63 46
13 Street, Charles R., Huntington 62 Overton, F. H.,. .Southold
Sammis, D. S. S., . Babylon
.44 Thompson, Benjamin F., Brookhaven 62 Schleier, Charles S., . Babylon
25
. Huntington
90 42 19
69 Hedges, H. P. .Southampton
. Babylon
Gardiner, A. S.
Huntington
39 Gardiner. S. B. East Hampton
5 Hallock, . G.,
.. £o uthold 55
Shaw, Peter H., .Southampton 15 Foster, P. H. . Babylon 18 Map of Long Island, General History .......
Skinner, Abraham, .. Babylon
12
86 38
Conklin, R. B., Stables,
PREFACE.
* To one whose own neighborhood has been the theater of events that have entered into the nation's annals, the history of those events is the most interesting of all his- tory. To the intrinsic fascination of stirring incidents is added the charm of their having occurred on familiar ground. The bay is more than harbor or fishing ground to one who knows how it has affected the course of events for centuries-determining the location first of the Indian camp and then of the white man's village; welcoming the Puritan immigrant to a home of freedom, and anon floating the hostile man-of-war or plowed by the whaleboats of the Revolutionary marauders. The road that has been traveled unthinkingly for years is in- vested with a new interest if found to have followed an Indian trail. The people will look with heightened and more intelligent interest upon ancient buildings in their midst-already venerated by them, they hardly know why-when they read the authentic record of events with which these monuments of the past are associated. The annals of a region so noted as that of which the follow- ing pages treat give it a new and powerful element of interest for its inhabitants, and strengthen that miniature but admirable patriotism which consists in the love of one's own locality.
It has heretofore been possible for the scholar, with leisure and a comprehensive library, to trace out the written history of his county by patient research among voluminous documents and many volumes, sometimes old and scarce; but these sources of information and the time to study them are not. at the command of most of those who are intelligently interested in local history, and there are many unpublished facts to be rescued from the failing memories of the oldest residents, who would soon have carried their information with them to the grave; and others to be obtained from the citizens best informed in regard to the various interests and institu- tions of the county which should be treated of in giving its history.
This service of reseach and compilation, which very few could have undertaken for themselves, the publishers of this work have caused to be performed; enlisting in the effort gentlemen whose standing in the community, whose familiarity with local events, and whose personal interest in having their several localities fitly represented, afford the best guaranty for the trustworthiness of their work. The names of these gentlemen appear in connec- tion with the sections of the history contributed by them (except that the name of Richard M. Bayles was inad- | merit such record.
vertently omitted from page 49). They have therein acknowledged the aid derived from the authorities most serviceable to them. In addition to such acknowledg- ments the author of the history of Huntington furnishes the following:
" In the preparation of the statements concerning Huntington's first settlers I have freely consulted the works of Savage on New England Genealogies, Hotten's lists of emigrants from England, Charles B. Moore's Southold Indexes and numerous other publications. I am also indebted to Henry Lloyd and Horace Rusco for- special aid in exploring this branch of the subject, and. in some instances to the descendants of the settlers named in the list. No attempt is made at tracing down the relationship between these early settlers and those- now living in Huntington of the same name, as space. would not permit. In most instances however the genealogy and relationship can be traced. Acknowledg- ments are due to Hon. George H. Fletcher for aid in procuring documents from the office of the secretary of state at Albany."
So much time is necessarily consumed in preparing and printing a work of the magnitude of this that the parts first done may not in all cases embody the latest facts, as, for example, in giving a list of the pastors of a church or the incumbents of office. The list of county officers and representatives on pages 66 and 67 was printed before the present county treasurer, J. Henry Perkins, and the present member of Assembly, George M. Fletcher, entered upon their duties; and the list of school commissioners on page 69 for the same reason lacks the names of the present incumbents-George H: Cleaves in the first district and Douglass Conklin in the second; and some matter was received too late for publication in its proper place, for example the follow- ing names of citizens of the town of Babylon who have held county offices: James B. Cooper, county clerk; Stephen J. Wilson, sheriff; John R. Reid, county judge; Elbert Carll, county treasurer. Such an omission might unavoidably occur at whatever time the volume was issued.
While some unimportant errors may perhaps be found amid the multitude of details entering into the compo- sition of a work of this character, the publishers con- fidently present this result of many months' labor as a true and orderly narrative of all the events in the his- tory of the county which were of sufficient interest to
OUTLINE HISTORY
OF THE
. STATE OF NEW YORK.
CHAPTER I.
DISCOVERY OF NEW YORK-THE INDIANS OF THE FIVE NATIONS.
N 1524 John de Verazzano, a Florentine navi- gator in the service of Francis the First of France, made a voyage to the North American coast, and, as is believed from the account which he gave, entered the harbor of New York. No colonies were planted, and no results followed; and the voyage was almost forgotten.
Though discoveries were made by the French north from this point, and colonies planted by the English farther to the south, it is not known that New York was again visited by Europeans till 1609, when the Dutch East India Company sent IIendrick IIudson, an English- man by birth, on a voyage of discovery in a vessel called the "Half Moon." He reached the coast of Maine, sailed thence to Cape Cod, then southwesterly to the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, then, coasting northward, he entered Delaware Bay on the 28th of August. From thence he proceeded northward, and on the 3d of September, 1609, anchored in New York Bay. On the 12th he entered the river that bears his name, and proceeded slowly up to a point just above the present site of the city of Hud- and they passed above Albany. September 23d he set sail down the river, and immediately returned to Europe.
son; thence he sent a boat's crew to explore farther up, colonies, flattered and caressed by both, yet too sagacious
In 1607 Samuel Champlain, a French navigator, sailed up the St. Lawrence, explored its tributaries, and on the 4th of July in that year discovered the lake which bears his name.
Five Nations, and by the French the Iroquois, and by themselves called Hodenosaunee-people of the long house. The long house formed by this confederacy ex- tended east and west through the State, having at its eastern portal the Mohawks, and at its western the Sen- ecas; while between them dwelt the Oneidas, Ononda- gas, and Cayugas; and after 1714 a sixth nation, the Tuscaroras, southeast from Oneida Lake. Of these Indians Parkman says that at the commencement of the seventeenth century "in the region now forming the State of New York, a power was rising to a ferocious vitality, which, but for the presence of Europeans, would probably have subjected, absorbed or exterminated every other Indian community east of the Mississippi and north of the Ohio."
"The Iroquois was the Indian of Indians. A thorough savage, yet a finished and developed savage, he is, per- haps, an example of the highest elevation which man can reach without emerging from his primitive condition of the hunter. A geographical position commanding on the one hand the portal of the great lakes, and on the other the sources of the streams flowing both to the Atlantic and the Mississippi, gave the ambitious and ag- gressive confederates advantages which they perfectly understood, and by which they profited to the utmost. Patient and politic as they were ferocious, they were not only the conquerors of their own race, but the powerful allies and the dreaded foes of the French and English to give themselves without reserve to either. Their or- ganization and their history evince their intrinsic superi- ority. Even their traditionary lore, amid its wild pueril- ities, shows at times the stamp of an energy and force in striking contrast with the flimsy creations of Algonquin fancy. That the Iroquois, left under their own institu- tions, would ever have developed a civilization of their own, I do not believe."
At the time of the discovery of New York by the whites the southern and eastern portions were inhabited by the Mahican or Mohegan Indians; while that portion These institutions were not only characteristic and curious, but almost unique. Without sharing the almost west from the Hudson River was occupied by five con- federate tribes, afterwards named by the English the fanatical admiration for them of Morgan, or echoing
8
OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
the praises which Parkman lavisnes on them, it may be truly said that their wonderful and cohesive confederation furnished a model worthy to be copied by many civilized nations, while, so long as they were uncontaminated by the vices of civilization, they possessed, with all their savagery, many noble traits of character, which would adorn any people in their public, social, or domestic relations.
They made themselves the dreaded masters of all their neighbors east of the Mississippi, and carried their · victorious arms far to the north, the south, and the east. Their dominance is thus eloquently pictured in Street's " Frontenac ":
" The fierce Adirondacs had fled from their wrath, The Hurons been swept from their merciless path; Around, the Ottawas, like leaves, had heen strewn, And the lake of the Eries struck silent and lone. The Lenape, lords once of valley and hill,. Made women, bent low at their conquerors' will.
By the far Mississippi the Illini shrank
When the trail of the TORTOISE was seen on the bank; On the hills of New England the Pequod turned pale When the howl of the WOLF swelled at night on the gale; And the Cherokee shook in his green, smiling bowers When the foot of the BEAR stamped his carpet of flowers."
It will hereafter be seen that the Iroquois acted an im- portant part in the early history of the State.
Space will not permit a description of their league, or confederation, a sketch of their tribal relations, and their religious, social and domestic customs, or a history of their warlike achievements.
Only an allusion may here be made to the many dim and shadowy records of a pre-existing people of whom not even a faint tradition remains. These records con- sist of stone, terra cotta, or bone weapons, implements or ornaments, that are occasionally discovered, and of the remains of defensive works found here and there through the State. Many similar works have been leveled by the plough, and those that remain are slowly crumbling and passing to oblivion. Some of them, though they would not be regarded as models of military engineering at the present day, give evidence of an adaptation to the circumstances that probably existed when they were built, and of skill in construction, which are not discreditable to their builders.
CHAPTER II.
NEW YORK UNDER THE DUTCH-ENGLISH GOVERNORS TO 1765.
expeditions, giving exclusive privileges of trade for four years. The Hudson River had been ascended by Hen- drick Christiansen, and a fort and trading house erected near the present site of Albany, which was named Fort Orange.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.