A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 109

Author: Ross, Peter. cn
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1188

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William Paine, or as he wrote his name, "Payne," settled in East Hampton after his marriage, about 1780, and became one of the teachers of the academy there. His wife, who was a woman of remarkable beauty, fine edu- cation and many excellent traits of character, assisted her husband in teaching. Payne con- tinued there for about ten years. Several of his children were born there, and this was really the only home he ever possessed. He removed to New York in 1790, where he taught school for some years. In 1793 he re- sided at No. 5 Dey street, and he also resided and taught school on Little Queen street. In 1799 he was invited by some influential men in Boston to open a school there, which be- came quite noted. He returned to New York about 1809 and taught school on Common near Grand street. He died March 7, 1812.

In the cemetery at East Hampton is the grave marked by a stone of Andrew Isaacs, the father of William Payne's wife, Sarah (Isaacs) Payne, on which is inscribed: "Be- hold an Israelite in Whom is No Guile."

William Payne by his wife Sarah (Isaacs) Payne had issue :

I. Lucy Taylor, born 1781, at East Hamp- ton, married, in 1816, Dr. John Cheever Os- borne, of New York; died in Brooklyn, 1865, left no issue.

2. William Osborne, born at East Hamp- ton, August 4, 1783, died March 24, 1804.

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HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

3. Sarah Isaacs, born at East Hampton, July II, 1785, died in New York. October 14, 1808.

4. Eloise Richards, born at East Hamp- ton, March 12, 1787, died at Leicester, Massa- chusetts, July, 1819.

5. Anna Beren Leagers, born at East Hampton, April 9, 1789, died at Newport, Rhode Island, October II, 1789.

6. John Howard, the poet, born in New York City, at 33 Pearl street, June 9, 1791, died at Tunis, Africa, April 9, 1852.

7. Eliza Maria, born in New York City, September 19, 1795, died there May 25, 1797. 8. Thatcher Taylor, born in New York City, August 14, 1796, married in New York; 1833, Mrs. Anna Elizabeth Bailey, died in Brooklyn, December 27, 1863.

9. Elizabeth Mary, born in Boston, Massa- chusetts, died there aged about two years.

The Scudder family, although not among the original settlers of Suffolk county, might alinost claim directly, can, in some of its branches at least, claim descent by intermar- riage with every one of the historic families of which Suffolk is so justly proud. Then, too, their own American pedigree commences at a date almost ranking with the first. The American pioneer, Thomas Scudder, left Grafton, England, in 1636, and settled at Salem, Massachusetts. He left three 'sons, Thomas, John and Henry, all of whom in 1652 crossed over to Long Island and became residents of Southold. After a while they all moved to Huntington township and acquired land there. Then John removed to Newtown, where he resided until his death, about 1670. He left an only son, John, who married a daughter of Captain Richard Betts. His two sons, John and Richard B., moved with their families to New Jersey, and their descendants are there to be found even to the present day.

Thomas and Henry Scudder may there- fore be regarded as the progenitors of the Scudders of Long Island. Thomas seems to have had quite a land thirst and apparently

invested all the money at his command in real estate. At his death his holdings were divid- ed, according to his directions, between liis two sons, all within the town of Huntington going to the eldest, Benjamin; and tracts at Cow Harbor, Crab Meadow and elsewhere; to the younger one, Timothy. There were five daughters in the family but they seem to have been lost sight of in the distribution of the real estate. Both of these fortunate brothers mar- ried and had families and soon the mere rec- ords of the marriages and baptisms and deaths begin to· tangle us up in a maze, and, even if printed, would have no interest even for the family themselves outside of a few of an anti- quarian turn of mind. But there are several names on the long and honorable record which deserve to be held in general remem- brance throughout Long Island, at any rate for their patriotic and public services.

Thomas Scudder, son of Benjamin, and third in descent from Thomas ( Ist) of Salem, died about 1760, leaving only one son, also named Thomas, who in turn died in 1809, leaving four sons, John, Nathaniel, Gilbert and Thomas. John joined the Continental army, was taken prisoner at the battle of Long Island and confined with many others in the old su- gar house in New York City, where the cold and hunger occasioned much sickness and many deathis among the prisoners.

The old house of the Scudders at Hunt- ington Harbor, offering good quarters for the British officers, was occupied by them, except the kitchen, where the family were forced to crowd together, and the officer's horses occu- pied the barn and used the hay and grain stored there, while the stock of Thomas Scud- der was turned adrift in the fields and streets.

The sufferings of John as a prisoner, com- ing to the ears of his father, caused the latter to send his son Gilbert (then a lad of sixteen years) to New York to aid in his brother's re- lief, which he accomplished by walking past the prison house several times a day and when the chance offered passing food from his pock-

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et to him, or to some one for him, through the iron bars of a window bordering on a side street. This assistance continued until he was liberated on parole; but the severity of treat- ment the prisoners suffered and the injustice and rapine offered his father's family in Hunt- ington so embittered John's feelings against the rule of Great Britain as to justify him, in his own opinion, in breaking his parole and enlisting in General Greene's command in the Southern army, where before a year had passed he died of yellow fever. Another Revolutionary hero belonging to the family was Henry Scudder, who was of the fourth in descent from the Salem pioneer. On the outbreak of the war he gave heart and hand to the cause of the Revolution, promoted its de- velopment, held a commission in the army, and during the seven years' war sacrificed all per- sonal and family considerations for the com- mon cause of independence. He was captured at or shortly after the battle of Long Island, but escaped confinement, passed over the sound to Connecticut, and was attached to the force of General Tallmadge. During the seven years' struggle he largely contributed by his local knowledge and great personal daring to many successful expeditions against the British forces on Long Island between Matinecock Point and Wading River, and came to be held by them as a scourge whom they at once feared and watched for. His possessions at Crab Meadow were laid waste by cutting his wood, burning his fences and outbuildings and driving off all the stock (ex- cepting one cow which was secreted by an old slave), and his wife was subjected to a system of most distressing espionage in order to dis- cover the presence of her husband on his stealthy visits to her. To the courage of his wife and her sympathy with the cause of jus- tice Henry Scudder undoubtedly owed much in his cheerful self-denial and endurance of the hardships occasioned by the long struggle for freedom. After the declaration of inde- pendence he was chosen as one of the dele-

gates from Suffolk county to aid in the adop- tion of the Federal constitution. He repre- sented the county in the Assembly several terms and held other positions of honor and trust. Henry Scudder died in 1822, leaving three sons, Youngs Prime Scudder, Henry Scudder and Joel Scudder. He also had two daughters, the oldest Phebe, who married Azel Lewis, and Amelia, married to Platt Lewis.

Several of the Scudder family have been members of Congress. Tredwell Scudder represented Suffolk county in the State As- sembly for several terms and was elected a member of the fifteenth Congress. For over twenty years he was prominent in public life. Henry Joel Scudder was chosen to Congress in 1872 and declined a renomination. He was born at Northport in 1825, graduated at Trin- ity College, Hartford, in 1846, and two years later was admitted to the New York bar. He acquired a leading position in his profession, and in 1881 the degree of LL. D. was con- ferred upon him by Roanoke College. His career was distinguished by the interest he took in educational matters and in schemes for improving the condition of the poor and for his native town of Northport he was always thinking and planning some scheme of im- provement. His death in 1886 was deeply re- gretted by a wide circle of devoted friends. His son, Townsend Scudder, afterwards repre- sented Suffolk and Nassau, etc., in Congress and proved a thoroughly practical and most eminently useful member.

The Huntting family is another which has representatives all over the island, and, not- ably, in Suffolk. Their progenitor, so far as their American story goes, was John Huntt- ing, who in 1638 settled at Dedham, Massa- chusetts, from England. His grandson, the Rev. Nathaniel Huntting, was minister of East Hampton for about half a century. He had a family of six son's, and his grandson, Jonathan Huntting, became minister of South- old. In 1739 Samuel Huntting founded the Southampton branch of the family. Colonel.

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Benjamin Huntting, who was born in South- ampton in 1754 and died there in 1807, was one of the most enterprising merchants of his day. He was one of the first to equip whaling vessels for long voyages and carried on a large trade with the West Indies. The family have been merchants, lawyers and fighters and are represented in nearly all the wars in which this country has engaged. When the Civil War broke out E. F. Huntting of Southold volunteered for the front and with a commis- sion as lieutenant went forth to do what he could to defend the flag. His career was a short but brilliant one; he was shot at the head of his company and soon after the news was brought to Southold the Rev. Dr. 'Epher Whitaker preached a notable sermon on the lessons of the young hero's death which, as it deserves to be printed in some form likely to preserve it, and as its deeply religious tone and moral musings and splendid spirituality form an elevating change from most of what appears in this chapter, we print it entire. It will be seen that it is more than a sermon ; it is a sketch both biographical and genealogical. with a lesson of deep import drawn from the whole :

"Here am I; send me." Isa. vi, 8.

Readiness for duty, however dangerous burdensome and responsible, is the expression of this text ; and it would not be easy to find another more fit to indicate the character of that young soldier, whose death we mourn and whose virtues we commemorate to-day.

The Bible is not a book of life and peace only. It is also, very largely, a volume of war and death. The songs of Miriam and of De- borah are pæans of victory. Many of the psalms of David are martial odes. His lamen- tation over Saul and Jonathan is the eulogy. and elegy of battle-slain heroes. And the Bible abounds, throughout all its parts, in language and illustration drawn from the sci- ence and art of war. This is the case in the earlier as well as in the later ages of its his- tory. The fine figure which soldiers present in its latest books is specially remarkable. Here some of them and there others, again and again save the life of the chiefest of the

apostles, and afford him the means of spread- ing the gospel among the nations. Others often hate and hurt him. Soldiers commonly treat him fairly and kindly.

But I have chosen no incident of a soldier's life, nor any circumstance of a soldier's death, to indicate the character of that heroic soldier, in whose honor we perform this service. Yet, . "Here am I; send me," are words full of mar- tial decision, alacrity, courage and manliness.

These qualities and others of Lieutenant Huntting will appear in the briefest sketch of his life and death.

EDWARD FOSTER HUNTTING was born May 22, 1843, in the home of his parents and pa- ternal grandparents, in Southold, and died in the service of his country, while commanding his company, on the battle-field of Olustee, Florida, February 20, 1864, in the twenty-first year of his age.

He sprang from a long line of worthy an- cestors of the same family name. The earliest of the name in this country was John Hunt- ting, who came from England two hundred and twenty-five years ago last September, and settled at Dedham, Massachusetts, where he died April 12, 1682. His son, John, who mar- ried Elizabeth Payne, was a resident of the same place, where his son Nathaniel was born November 15, 1675. This Nathaniel Hunt- ting, a graduate of Harvard College in 1693, began his life-long ministry at Easthampton, in September, 1696, before he was twenty-one years of age, and by his vigorous ministry there for more than half a century, he pre-, pared the way for the Rev. Samuel Buell, D. D., and the Rev. Lyman Beecher, D. D., who were his next successors. Two of his sons and one of his grandsons, having graduated at college and then studied theology, became ministers of the gospel. The grandson was the Rev. Jonathan Huntting, who graduated at Yale College in 1804, and was ordained and installed here on the 20th of August, 1807, the Rev. Drs. Woolworth and Beecher performing the chief parts of the services. He fulfilled the duties of the pastoral office here twenty- one years and one week; and his pastorate, under God, was the salvation of this church. After he ceased to be the pastor. he retained his home in this place, and with him, till his death, December 30, 1850, lived his son Ed- ward, this bereaved father, whose first-born child and only son is the subject of our thoughts to-day.

The brief service of an hour will not permit

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me to make any specific mention of the wide- ly spreading branches of Lieutenant Hunt- ting's maternal ancestry, whether through the Cases, the Halseys, or others more remote from him. They are extensive and known to be worthy of the regard due to his forefathers on the paternal side.

It requires some acquaintance with men to appreciate the full worth of such an ances- try. But its advantages are none the less real. Apart from the virtue of blood, which is sub- stantial and operative, it gives the child of such parentage a material vantage ground in the very first years of his life. It goes before him and prepares the way for his reception of kindness, instruction, attention and manifold advantages on every hand. It gives him the confidence of others, and makes many friends for him even before his own merits have won them or deserved them. He is "beloved for the fathers' sakes." This may aid him long after his ancestors are in their graves. For many important purposes, the worth of his forefa- thers avails him as if it were his own. The nature of human life and the structure of hu- man society make it as useful as it is unavoid- able that parents and children should share their advantages and disadvantages with each other. Every child feels this connection of the parents and their offspring, even before he can fully understand its nature or appreciate its great value ; and he is a most unwise and ungrateful son, who recklessly throws away all the substantial advantages of honorable par- entage, and chooses to fight the battle of life alone. and cut his way through the world friendless and unsupported. We honor those who make a good name for themselves without this advantage: but we blame the man who scorns the privileges of his own birthright.

Even the childhood of Lieutenant Hunt- ting was marked by no folly of this kind. He was early mindful of the advantages which his parentage gave him, and commendably obedi- ent to parental authority. The family is the foundation of human society. He felt un- ceasingly its benign and mighty influence. The wishes of his parents were often con- trary to his boyish tendencies, his constitution- al inclinations, and the customs of many among his youthful associates, and in many a case of this kind it was exceedingly interesting to mark the cheerfulness of his conformity to their will. For instance, the entertainments of doubtful character, which they wished him to forego, he often treated for their sakes as

unattractive and worthless. Thus he cheerful- ly rejected what would have pleased his social disposition, in order to show his regard for their wishes. He was thus trained to faithful- ness in duty.

The same deference to their authority and regard for their comfort, which marked the course of his boyhood and chiefly formed his character, also restrained him, I know not how long, from giving himself to his country in arms.

For many months before he volunteered, the strong impulses of his ardent patriotism impelled him to this step, but a life-long desire to promote the comfort of his parents and sisters, held him back for a season.

He was not aware that his talents and training had fitted him for this service. His highest triumphs in school were in the exact sciences; and I never saw him appear in a better light at any time than in the splendor of an examination in certain branches of the higher mathematics, which are closely con- nected with that precision of movement and aim, and quick measurement of time and dis- tance for which a soldier should be fitted.

His progress and excellence in his academ- ical studies were not more marked than his activity, agility, strength and readiness in all athletic sports on the playground. But his vigorous mental powers and superior physical endowments found not their chief object in sports and pastime. As manhood drew on apace, the choicest athletic games became less attractive than substantial, productive toil ; and whether he ploughed the fields of his father or performed some neighborly and generous act for one in need of aid, the labors of his hands were cheerful industry, not repulsive drudgery. Within these weeks of our mourning, since he met his early death as a thorough soldier might wish to die, new anecdotes of his skill, efficiency and generosity as a worker have been related to me in his praise.

Thus in the life of the family, in the studies and sports of good schools, both at home and abroad, in the labors of the farm, and in the social activities, duties and charities of the neighborhood, he had shown himself worthy of high regard.

Full five years since he passed the most critical portion of his youth; and the fears which some of his friends then experienced for a short time, lest he should falter in virtue, were happily and speedily done away.

The approach of manhood both matured

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and improved his character. The benign influ- ences of the family and of the church of God, in whose worship he was habitually active, were, through the working of the divine Spirit. not without effect upon his higher powers. He became more thoughtful, considerate, manly and gentle, and so acquired no little decision of character. We saw it often, but will point you to no more than one instance.

We shall not soon forget that evening, the 18th of August, 1862, when his tall and shape- ly form was seen advancing here to place his name, with his own right hand, upon the list of volunteers for his country's army ; and we knew him to be one who would never shrink from his engagement, neglect his duty, nor turn his back to his country's foe. His un- selfish patriotism was not the kind to wear the badge of meanness and infamy, and his heroic soul was not shaped and fashioned to receive the brand of cowardice and shame. The multi- tude who then thronged this house of God hailed his generous act with loud applause. But it was not so much the acclamations of the enthusiastic spectators as the noble im- pulses of his own spirit and the firm decision of his own mind, that filled his radiant eyes with light, and spread a smile over his ex- pressive countenance. Memory is faithful to disclose even now the graceful dignity which he displayed among his worthv companions who then, with him, pledged their young man- hood's prime and their precious lives to the defence of our country against the lawless violence and war of traitors. Dumb be our lips and dead be our hearts if we fail to honor them, whether they live or die, for such gen- erous and heroic devotion.

It was no sudden freak of Lieutenant Hunt- ting that led him to lay down his life for his country. He pondered the matter long and well before he gave himself to live or die for the nation. Though his life had not reached a score of years, he had carefully studied the history, the extent and the worth of the coun- try and its national government. He had marked the insurrection of traitors and had seen how they had levied and begun war against their lawful rulers. He scorned their sophistry, despised their selfishness, detested their oppression and defied their warlike power. He counted not his life dear unto himself, to maintain his country's rights and promote the general welfare.

As soon, therefore, as approaching man- hood would justify it, and the national voice

asked, "Who will go for us?" his firm answer was ready, "Here am I; send me." When he thus offered himself, he was not unaware that he gave perhaps his life for his country. He was not unmindful of this fact in subsequent days. Indeed, he desired to incur the danger and to fight the battles for which he had vol- unteered to serve his country in arms.

This was one reason why he desired pro- motion and transfer from his place in the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Regiment to his lieutenancy in the Forty-seventh Regiment of New York Volunteers. In the former regi- ment he had faithfully performed the duties of a non-commissioned officer for more than a year in Maryland, Virginia and South Caro- lina, on both sides of the Potomac, the James and the Nansemond rivers, as well as on the coast islands of South Carolina ; and though often in pursuit of the enemy, yet never able to see more than his back or a line of his pickets. This did not satisfy our young sol- dier. His patriotic aspirations sought a more vigorous and decisive service of his country and hence it was a real gratification to him, even at the expense of a separation from dear companions of long and well tried friendship, to be transferred to a lieutenancy in the Forty-seventh Regiment, whose fortune it had been to see more decisive service. Ac- cordingly. in November last, he received his commission in this regiment.

It presented a fit occasion to display the integrity and nobleness of his character. His commission was presented to him with the promise, on his part, that he would forthwith report himself to the commander of the regi- ment in which he had been commissioned. But no sooner had he received his commission, than he was advised by senior officers around him to do what is not uncommon in such cases, name- ly, pocket the commission, and make a short visit home before reporting himself in the new place according to his promise. But neither his strong desire to see his parents and kindred and home friends once more, nor the example of many a one among his brother officers, nor all other considerations combined with these powerful motives could induce him to falsify his word, or swerve one line from the path of integrity and honor. He would not burden his conscience with a broken promise, even to lighten and gladden his heart with all the de- lights of home, though he might see that be- loved home and its unspeakably dear inmates never more. This is virtue beyond the reach

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of mere heroism. It is virtute which comes from Christian principle only.

It was virtue too in one whose heart craved the society of gentle souls with inextinguish- able longing. This yearning of his heart might be shown in many ways. Let one inci- dent suffice. In one of his cheerful, familiar letters, intended to be read only in the home of his childhood, he writes, "I do not particularly dislike this kind of life, but still it does not fill up the vacancy. The associations do not ex- actly suit ; and you may laugh, but I am more 'homesick' for good female society than I ever was for any thing else. I want something re- fining among all this coarse, strong community of men who do and dare. I think sometimes, what would I not give for an hour's talk with mother and sister. I never have been home- sick-never will be, so long as I have health in other respects ; but I do hunger for something refining, and softer than these surroundings of war, if I am 'a man of blood.' I never told you of the risk I ran to have an hour's con- versation with an old lady and her daughter while in Virginia. They lived outside the lines ; but I took my gun and went out, deter- mined to risk a fight or capture for the sake of an hour's chat with the ladies. The old lady's name was Warner, and I found herself and her niece both at home, but very much sur- prised to see me, as they lived up among the mountains or 'up country,' as they said. I told them just what I had come for, and hoped they would not be offended. They invited me into the parlor, and I spent a very pleasant two hours. The old lady's son was in the rebel army; but she was no partisan, and said she hoped some Southern lady would talk to her son like a mother, for she was sure he would need it. She was a member of the Episcopal church, a very good, motherly old lady, and when I left she gave me some very good ad- vice."

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A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 109

Author: Ross, Peter. cn Publication date: 1902 Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1188

Author: Ross, Peter. cn
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1188