A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 154

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

USA > New York > A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 154

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Mount Sinai, a village which according to the records formerly boasted a larger popula- tion than now, lies on the coast some three miles eastward from Port Jefferson. It was called by the Indians Non-o-wan-tuck, but the more commonplace New England settlers dubbed it "Old Man's." It seems to have come into use as soon as the choice plots in Setauket were appropriated, for its rich mead- ows appeared desirable settling places, while its forests stretched away in the distance in seem- ingly inexhaustible extent. But the soil did not prove as fruitful as it locked, and Old Man's grew very slowly. Early in the nine- teenth century sloopbuilding was begun, and for many years cordwood was shipped in great quantities, and the business in clams reached large proportions. In 1720 a preaching sta- tion in connection with the Setauket Presby- terian Church was established, and it grew into a separate congregation in 1760. It has, how- ever, long since disappeared. A Congrega- tional Church, founded in 1789, upon, it is supposed, the "remnants" of the Presbyterian fold, has fared better, and still continues to shed the light of the Gospel with an active membership of 120. The total population of Mount Sinai is about 225.

Still eastward along the Sound is Miller's Place, a settlement with a population of some 200, which takes its name from its original settler, Andrew Miller, who removed there

from East Hampton in 1671. Its antiquity is all that calls for remark, as it is a widely scat- tered farming community. Rocky Point and Woodville are small settlements between Mil- ler's Place and Wading River-the latter town lying on the boundary line between Brook- haven and Riverhead, but belonging mainly to the latter. From St. James' to Wading River, Brookhaven possesses a magnificent stretch of shore line, which will some day be utilized for resort purposes and will bring to the township a degree of prosperity it has not yet dreamed of. The opportunity lies waiting and only needs energy, enterprise and capital to develop rich and lasting results.

Among the other villages in the township are : Bellport, population 795; Mandeville, 380: Old Field, 200; Mastic, 50; Blue Point, 355 ; Brookfield, 380; Dyer's Neck, 150; Lake Grove, 330; Ector, 355 ; and Brookhaven, 325. The latter used to bear the name of Fire Place up to about 1876. It is entirely a place of mod- ern growth, its first church society dating from 1848. South Haven, a neighboring village, is much older, although its population is only about 100. It was large enough in 1745 to have a Presbyterian meeting house and several mills. At that time it was known as Yamp- hank Neck. The name was changed to South Haven in 1757 as the result of a vote of its people, so we see that the fashion of substitut- ing more fanciful names for the often homely but always expressive primitive ones is not quite as modern a fad as is commonly sup- posed.

CHAPTER LXIX.

RIVERHEAD.

HE story of Riverhead Township, the county town of Suffolk, begins with 1792, when it was formed out of Southold. It is 15 miles in length, with an average width of 5 miles, and con- tains something like 36,500 acres. Its north shore runs along the Sound, while its south shore is on Peconic Bay, and the Peconic River separates it from Southampton and Brookhaven. Farming is exclusively car- ried on, but in no part is the land noted for its fertility and even to the present day large sections of the township can hardly be said to be under cultivation. Yet within recent years a vast improvement has been effected and bit by bit acres which have been given over for a century or more to wildbruslı and weeds have been recovered and are yield- ing abundant return in the shape of grain or garden truck. Many thriving communities have sprung up and Riverhead from being, as the Rev. Dr. Dwight described it in 1804, "a miserable hamlet" is now one of the most pros- perous and beautiful and progressive towns on Long Island, with a population estimated at about 2,500.

The territory in the township, or most of it, was purchased from the red men in 1649, another part was purchased from Col. William Smith and divided among settlers in 1742. The population increased very slowly, the set- tlements were small and widely scattered and the people were poor. The territory added nothing to the wealth of Southold. It had no harbors, no commerce, no excess of crops

and was very little heard of even in the town meetings. The county was not particularly adapted for traveling. The distances were great and from Aquebogue westward the terri- tory to the Brookhaven line was in Southold, but not of it. Therefore there was little excitement when it became known that on March 13, 1792, the Legislature had cut off the territory and erected it into a separate township, apparently by the unanimous desire of the people. The bill which so enacted read as follows :

Whereas, many of the freeholders and in- habitants of Southold, in Suffolk county, have represented to the Legislature that their town is so long that it is very inconvenient for them to attend at town meetings, and also to transact the other necessary business of the said town, and have prayed that the same may be divided into two towns; therefore,

I. Be it enacted by the people of the State of New York, represented in Senate and As- sembly, that all that part of the said town of ginning at the sound and running thence Southold lying to the westward of a line be- southerly to the bay separating the towns of Southampton and Southold, and which is the eastern boundary.or side of a farm now in the tenure or occupation of William Albertson and is the reputed line of division between the parishes of Ocquebouge and Mattetuck, shall, from and after the first Monday in April next, be erected into a distinct and separate town, by the name of River Head ; and the first town meeting of the inhabitants of the said town shall be held at the dwelling house of John Griffin, at River Head; and the said town shall enjoy all the rights, privileges and im- munities which are granted to the other towns

RIVERHEAD.

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within this State by an act of the Legislature passed the 7th of March, 1788, entitled "An Act for Dividing the Counties of this State into Towns."

II. And be it further enacted, that the poor of the town of Southold, on the first Monday of April next, shall afterwards be divided by the town of Southold and the town of River Head, in such proportions as the supervisors of the county, at their next annual meeting, shall direct, and the contingent

frame building had there been erected, which served as courthouse and jail, and on March 27, 1729, a Court of General Sessions met there for the first time. The first court of Oyer and Terminer under the State Govern- ment in Suffolk County convened at River- head Sept. 4, 1787. The town meeting seems to have revised its laws in 1794, but the pro- ceedings at these gatherings included little of

RIVERHEAD.

charges and expenses of the town of South- old that have already arisen, or shall arise be- fore the first Monday in April next, shall be assessed, levied and paid in the same manner as if this act had not been passed.

The first town meeting was held as directed in the act, on April 3, 1792. The laws of Southold were those by which the new com- munity was governed. Riverhead being the county town gave the new township a certain dignity to start with. In 1725 a two-story

interest to us. One exception to this might be made in the care taken of the poor. When the township was formed it had only 6 paupers and these were let out for one year to the bidder who offered to maintain them for the least money, and this method of disposing of such dependents continued to prevail until 1832, when a farm was purchased at Lower Aqueboque and the poor were gathered to- gether and removed there, and that establislı- ment was maintained until the county system

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HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

came into law and the paupers of Riverhead were transferred, in 1871, to Yaphauk, and the old poor farm was sold.

When the war of 1812 commenced the town meeting passed resolutions heartily en- dorsing the action of the Government in be- ginning hostilities, but that was about as much as they were directly concerned so far as that episode went. But when the Civil War broke out the people of Riverhead got a chance to show their patriotism. Every call of the Gov- ernment was loyally met, large bounties were awarded to volunteers, and altogether the con- flict seems to have cost the town over $81,000.

But in spite of its dignity as a township and its position as the county town, River- head advanced very slowly. In 1800 its popu- lation was 1,498; in 1820, 1,857; in 1825, I,- 816: in 1835, 2,138; in 1840, 2,373, and twen- ty years later it had only reached 2,734; two decades still further it had advanced to 3.939, and the census in 1890 showed that it prac- tically stood at these figures, the census re- turns showing only 4,010. As a county-a county engaged in farming, its history under these circumstances can be understood as pass- ing along without much in the way of interest for the annalist unless he chose to fill up his pages with statistics or tax returns, census reports and lists of local officials, all of which, however, fails to arouse any interest even in the mind of the reader of local lore.

But in the stories of the various villages and settlements deserving of a much more dignified title, we find much deserving of study. Even the story of the village of River- head, modern as most of it is, is full of in- teresting detail, all of which tend to present it before us as a typical American country

town, and one which at the present day is full of ambition and life and is making full use of its natural beauty of situation and its ready adoption of all that in these modern times is regarded as necessary to municipal success to make it become one of the most attractive and popular of Long Island cities. It is a beau-

tiful place, it combines city and country in its broad and well paved streets, its stately trees lining the sidewalks everywhere, its business establishments and banks, its many really hand- some villas, its steadily increasing popularity among summer visitors and its loyal, ener- getic and enterprising body of regular resi- dents, who have an abiding faith in its future and are ready and willing at all times to be- stir themselves in every movement likely to aid in its development. At the same time it is a "homely" place, using the word in its original meaning, homelike. It has in its population no man or class who might be described as rich in the modern multi-millionaire meaning of the term; it has no very poor and all are, more or less, neighbors. A poor man is re- spected cqually with the wealthy one so long as both respect themselves and act the part of good citizens.

Like so many other centers of population on Long Island Riverhead began with a saw mill erected on the banks of the Peconic in 1659 by two pioneers - Jolin Tooker and Joshua Horton. The erection of the court house does not seem to have aided its growth very much, for in 1812 it contained only four buildings besides the court house and jail, and of these one was a tavern kept by John Grif- fing and another a grist mill owned by Josiah Albertson. By 1825 a new court house had been erected and a separate building con- structed for a jail, and there were five stores, and in 1828 a woolen factory was added to the industries, deriving power from the Pe- conic. In 1835 an effort was made to deepen the channel of the river; but, although a be- ginning was effected, the work had to be aban- doned owing to a lack of funds and it was not until 1882 that the work was completed by Congressional appropriation. In 1854 a new court house was completed at a cost of $17,800, but it was not until 1881 that a new jail was provided, with all the modern im- provements to which a jail could then aspire. The excellent power furnished by the Peconic

1001

RIVERHEAD.

River began about the middle of the last cen- tury to attract many manufacturing enter- prises to Riverhead-molding and planing mills, a soap factory, fertilizer works (both fish and wood being the staple of manufac- ture), organ building and quite a number of other industries increased its wealth and im- portance. Such establishments rarely add much to the aesthetic beauty of a place and Riverhead in its march of improvement might have lost some of its attractiveness but for the organization, in 1881, of the "Village Im- provement Society," which not only accom- plished much and lasting good by its own di- rect work, but exerted a healthy influence on the entire community.

In 1868 the citizens showed their public spirit and their sagacity, by purchasing 20 acres of ground in their village and present- ing the property to the Suffolk County Agri- cultural Society as its permanent headquar- ters. The story of that organization has been told in 1881 by Mr. Nat W. Foster, long its secretary, an office now held by his son, and it is here given in his own words :

The first record we find of an agricultural society in this county is a printed copy of the "Constitution of the Suffolk County Agricul- tural Society adopted Oct. 6, 1818"; article 2 of which states the society's object to "be the advancement of agriculture in all its various branches, by collecting and circulating the knowledge of improvements, and by bestowing premiums for the most successful exertions." Article 9 provides for "two meetings each year, at the court-house in Riverhead, in May and in October ;" article 10 for "an annual fair and cattle show, time and place to be ap- pointed by the managers." The officers were : President, Thomas S. Strong; Ist vice-presi- dent, Sylvester Dering; 2nd vice-president, Joshua Smith; 3d vice-president, Nathaniel Potter; 4th vice-president, John P. Osborne ; corresponding secretaries, Charles H. Havens and Henry P. Dering; recording secretary, Ebenezer W. Case; treasurer, David Warner. Twelve managers were also elected. We find no mention of any meetings or fairs.

In Volume I of the Transactions of the

New York State Agricultural Society for 1841 is found the statement that the Suffolk Coun- ty Agricultural Society was organized in that year. In the "Transactions" for 1842 are sev- eral statements by persons receiving premiums for crops from this county society, of which William W. Mills was then president. In the volume for 1843 is a report by William C. Stout, president, stating that the third annual fair was held Nov. 15, and $186.50 paid in premiums. Richard B. Post was secretary, David C. Brush treasurer, and there was a manager from each town. "The society is not in so flourishing a condition as I would like to see it, owing almost entirely to the immense length of our county, thereby rendering it difficult to fix upon the proper place at which to hold an annual fair and give general satis- faction. Measures are in progress, however, to correct this evil by organizing two so- cieties."

In the volume of 1846 J. Lawrence Smith, president, writes under date of March 20, 1847, that "the county society was dissolved in 1843, and a new society formed from a smaller and more thickly settled portion of the county." This society was known as the "Western Branch of the Suffolk County Agri- cultural Society." Its records show that fairs were held each year from 1843 to 1852 (ex- cepting 1844), respectively at Comac, Smith- town, Comac, Islip, Huntington, Greenport, Babylon, Smithtown and Huntington. The officers during this period were as follows, 30 far as recorded:

Presidents-W. C. Stout, 1843, 1845; J. Lawrence Smith, 1846, 1847; Joshua B. Smith, 1848; Harvey W. Vail, 1849, 1850; Edward Henry Smith, 1851; Dr. John R. Rhinelander, 1852; Edwin A. Johnson, 1853.

Vice-Presidents-W. H. Ludlow, 1845; Lester H. Davis, 1846; Samuel N. Brad- hurst, 1847: William Nicoll, 1851; Samuel L. Thompson, 1852, 1853.

Secretaries - Henry G. Scudder, 1845; Nathaniel Smith, 1846, 1847, 1851 ; Dr. Abra- ham G. Thompson, 1848-50; Edward K. Briar, 1852: J. H. Carl1, 1853.

Treasurers-R. B. Post, 1843; Nathaniel Smith, 1845; Richard Smith, 1846, 1847; Jar- vis R. Mowbray. 1848; Elbert Carl1, 1849, 1850; William Lawrence, 1851; David C. Brush, 1852; William H. Ludlow, 1853.

At the fair at Comac Oct. 16, 1843, pre- miums were awarded amounting to $IIO. At

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HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

Smithtown in 1845 the premiums amounted to $95. An address was delivered by Dr. John R. Rhinelander. In 1846 the premiums were $79. An address was given by Samuel A. Smith.

At a meeting (date not given) hield be- tween the fairs of 1846 and 1847 it was re- solved "that this society be hereafter known and called by the name of the "The Suffolk County Agricultural Society." At the fair of 1847 mention is made of "corn planted three feet apart, four stalks in each hill, showing that good corn may be produced on much less ground than is usually required ;" and "fine flat turnips grown since oats were taken off." The address was by William H. Ludlow, and the premiums aggregated $94. At Hunting- ton October Ioth, 1848, a new constitution (prepared by the secretary, Dr. A. C. Thomp- son, as instructed at a previous meeting) was presented and adopted. An address by Dr. Thompson "reviewed the past and present operations of the society, the benefits result- ing from the formation of agricultural so- cieties, and urged the importance of system, of industry, and economy in managing agri- cultural matters."

The first fair held in the eastern part of the county was at Greenport, Oct. 2, 1849. The address was by John G. Floyd.

At a meeting of the managers, April 6, 1850, it was resolved, "on condition that the residents of Babylon and vicinity pay or se- cure to be paid to the treasurer of the society, on or before May 1, 1850, the sum of $100, and that the necessary cattle pens be erected, a suitable building or tent be provided, and that arrangements be made for the convey- ance of passengers to and from the railroad free of all charge, that the fair will be held in that village Sept. 24, 1850." Also resolved, "in case the residents of Babylon and its vi- cinity do not agree to the above resolution, the exhibition will be held in Islip in case the said conditions be complied with." In addi- tion to the premiums offered the year before, premiums were offered for crops grown on the "Plain lands." The fair was held at Baby- lon. "F. M. A. Wicks, of Thompson's sta- tion, exhibited cheese, pumpkins, citron, mel- ons, fine potatoes and Isabella grapes raised on the 'Plain lands,' adjoining the Long Isl- and railroad at Thompson's station. Ira L'Hommedieu exhibited tomatoes, blood beets and egg plants raised on land of Dr. E. F.

Peck at Lake Road station. These produc- tions showed conclusively the error of the idea that the lands contiguous to the Long Island railroad are worthless." "The society is indebted to Mr. Francis M. A. Wicks and to Dr. E. F. Peck for proving beyond objec- tion that these desolate lands can be made productive under a proper course of cultiva- tion. The perseverance shown by these two gentlemen is deserving the highest commen- dation, and it is hoped that success may at- tend their efforts." The annual address was delivered by John Fowler, Jr.

At the winter meeting, Dec. 4, 1850, a premium was awarded to Samuel S. Thomp- son, of Setauket, "for 841/2 bushels, 4 quarts and I pint of Australian or 'Verplank' wheat, raised on two surveyed acres, the weight be- ing 631/2 lbs. per bushel; the standard of 60 lbs. per bushel being allowed, the yield of the crop was 89 bushels 2 pecks on the two acres. * * * Deducting the expenses, the net profit was $341.75.

"William Burling, of Babylon, raised 65 bushels of onions on one-eighth of an acre, being at the rate of 520 bushels per acre." The net profit was $24.65.

At Smithtown Sept. 25, 1851, the ad- dress was delivered by Dr. Franklin Tuthill, of New York City. Mr. Brush, the treasurer, dying before the next fair, John D. Hewlett was appointed treasurer in his stead. At the fair at Huntington, Oct. 21, 1852, the address was by Henry J. Scudder, of New York City. It is reported that another fair was held in 1852, at Islip, but the record shows no further meeting till February 1, 1865, when the so- ciety was reorganized at Thompson's station, with the title "Suffolk County Agricultural Society." The officers elected for the first year were as follows: President, William Nicoll, Huntington ; vice-president, Robert W. Pearsall, Islip; secretary, J. H. Doxsee, Islip; treasurer, William J. Weeks, Brookhaven; directors, H. G. Scudder, Huntington; Caleb Smith, Smithtown; Robert O. Colt, Islip; Thomas S. Mount, Brookhaven; D. H. Os- borne, Riverhead; David G. Floyd, Southold.

The officers from this time have been:

Presidents-William Nicoll, 1866, 1867, 1872-74 ; Dr. B. D. Carpenter, 1868-71 ; Henry Nicoll, elected in 1872, not serving, William Nicoll was appointed; Henry E. Huntting, 1875, 1879, 1880; Hon. John S. Marcy, 1876- 78; Alvah M. Salmon, 1881, 1882.

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RIVERHEAD.

Vice-Presidents - Dr. B. D. Carpenter, 1866, 1867; Samuel B. Gardiner, 1868; Henry G. Scudder, 1869-71; Lewis A. Edwards, 1872; Henry E. Hunting, 1873, 1874; R. T. Goldsmith, 1875; Stephen C. Rogers, 1876- 78; Alvah M. Salmon, 1879, 1880; George W. Cooper, 1881, 1882.

Secretaries-J. H. Doxsee, 1866, 1867; Thomas S. Mount, 1868-71, 1875; Henry D. Green, 1872-74; Nathaniel W. Foster, 1876, 1877, 1879-82; J. L. Millard, 1878.

Treasurer - W. J. Weeks, 1876, 1877; Joshua L. Wells, 1868-71; David F. Vail, 1872-74; Samuel Griffin, 1875-82.

The first fair after the reorganization was held at Riverhead, Sept. 27 and 28, 1865. "The board of managers are fully satisfied with the results of the fair, both in the interest manifested by the people of the county and the pecuniary result arising therefrom." The re- ceipts were $1,600, and the disbursements $800. From this time the fair has been held each year at Riverhead, excepting 1867, when it was at Greenport. The addresses have been delivered as follows: In 1865 by Hon. Henry Nicoll, of Mastic; 1866, Hon. William H. Gleason, Sag Harbor ; 1867, Hon. Samuel A. Smith, of Smithtown; 1868, Hon. Henry P. Hedges, of Bridgehampton; 1869, William Nicoll, of Islip; 1870, Robert W. Pearsall, of Brentwood; 1871, Hon. Henry J. Scudder, of Northrop; 1872, Hon. Horace Greeley, of New York; 1873, General Stewart L. Wood- ford, of Brooklyn; 1875, Hon. Townsend D. Cock, of Queens county ; 1876, Hon. L. Brad- ford Prince, of Flushing : 1877, Hon. John R. Reid, of Babylon ; 1878, Hon. Nathan D. Pet- ty, of Riverhead; 1879, Hon. James W. Co- vert, of Flushing; 1880, P. T. Barnum, of Bridgeport; 1881, Hon. R. B. Roosevelt and E. G. Blackford, of the New York Fish Com- mission, and Barnet Phillips, secretary of the American Fish Cultural Association.

In 1866 the question of permanent loca- tion came up, was discussed and laid over ; also "the propriety of uniting with Queens county to form a Long Island agricultural so- ciety," October 29, 1867, the managers accept- ed from the citizens of Riverhead a deed donating to the Suffolk County Agricultural Society "land lying near and westerly of the Riverhead Cemetery, for fair grounds, with this condition-if the society shall fail for two consecutive years to hold a fair thereon, the grounds shall revert to the donors." The

grounds are pleasantly located, conveniently near to the village and to the depot of the Long Island Railroad, and of very ready ac- cess from all directions.

The matter of fitting up the grounds was referred to the President, Vice-President and Treasurer, and it was "resolved that the sum of $200 be appropriated to pay the Treasurer for his extra services in behalf of the so- ciety." The first fair on the new grounds was held September 30th and October Ist and 2d, 1868. Again $200 was paid to the Treasurer for services.

B. D. Carpenter, Stephen C. Rogers, Joshua L. Wells, John S. Marcy, William Nicoll and Robert W. Pearsall were the build- ing committee that supervised the erection of the Exhibition Hall. The architect was George H. Skidmore, of Riverhead. The con- tract for building was awarded to Fielder, Skidmore & Co. The building was completed in time for the next annual fair, October 6, 7 and 8, 1869. In the evening of the 6th a public meeting was held in the court house, and papers were read by Robert W. Pearsall, of Brentwood, and Hon. Henry P. Hedges, of Bridgehampton, the latter upon "Fertilizers and their Application." "Mr. William Nicoll in a few appropriate remarks called attention to the Exhibition Hall, and, with a view of liquidating the debt incurred by its erection, he moved that a committee be appointed for soliciting life members of the society upon the payment of ten dollars each. The motion hav- ing been passed and the committee appointed, Mr. Nicoll manifested his earnestness in the movement by the payment of seventy dollars, making his wife and children life members. Others immediately followed the example till $400 had been contributed." The annual meeting in the evening of the 7th was ad- dressed by Mr. Nicoll.

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A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 154

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