A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 157

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

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by the Dutch officers in 1673; he declined, but accepted the position under English rule in 1685. He was a large land owner and a prominent man during his whole life. He died in 1691, leaving children Thomas, Mar- tha, Benjamin, Nathaniel, Hannah, Jonathan, Mary and Sarah. His son Benjamin married Anne, daughter of James Hampton, of South- ampton, who came to that place from Salem. The descendants of this family are very numer- outs. Among them none is more worthy of respectful mention than Charles B. Moore, of New York, whose genealogical indexes must ever be an authority of the greatest weight upon the subject.

Colonel John Youngs, next to his venera- ble parent the minister, was justly considered the foremost man in the town, and there are few names in the early history of the county more prominent than his. He was born in 1623, early became master of a vessel, and was in active service against the Dutch. In 1654 he was appointed by the commissioners to cruise in the sound as a part of a naval force, and was actively engaged in this service ,two years. In' 1660 and 1661 he was a dele- gate to New Haven, and after the union with Connecticut he was a delegate to Hartford. He assisted in collecting a military force to assist in the conquest of New Amsterdam, and was one of the representatives in the first Assembly at Hempstead under the Duke of York. Through him was obtained a new deed from the Indians, confirming their previous sales. He was one of the patentees in 1676, was made Sheriff of Yorkshire, and was a member of the Colonial Council from 1683 to 1697. At the age of seventy he was in command of the militia regiment of 533 men. We have only time and space to briefly mention the offices he filled and the acts he performed, but the life and public services of this famous man must ever be a bright page in Long Island history. His eventful life closed in 1698. His tomb may still be seen in the ancient burial place, and the stone that covers his remains bears the following :

"Here lieth interred the body of Colonel JOHN YOVNGS Esquire, late one of His Maiestie's Covncel of the Province of New York, who Departed this life the 12day of April Anno Domini 1698, Aged 75 years."

In 1654 an order was made that each man who had not already done so should bring in to the recorder a description of his lands-

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"how they ly East, west, north and South, be- tween whom, and in what places." Thanks to this order we have a pretty accurate knowl- edge as to where each of our ancestors had his abode. Parson Youngs and his little band landed at the head of Town Creek, and here they established their future home. That the minister's lot should have been the best and most advantageously situated was a thing to be expected. We will in imagination turn back thic wheels of time, and endeavor to pre- sent a picture of the village in the early days and locate the homes of cur honorable ances- tors.

On the west side of the road that leads fron the main street to Town Creek was the home lot of Minister Youngs. This lot extended westward as far as the western side of the deep hollow west of the Methodist Church. The pastor's dwelling was on the eastern part of the lot and near where the house of Henry G. Howell now stands. Here he lived, and labored, and died.

Next west came the home lot of his neigli- bor, Robert Akerly (now the "Cochran place"), but in 1653 he had moved to another place, and his home lot is described as "Twelve acres more or lesse, the highway goeing into the old field lying north, the land of Thomas Cooper lying at the rear of his home lot south." This was near the present residence of William Horton.

Next came the home lot of John Booth. His lands were recorded in 1685, and at that time lis homestead was six acres, bounded west by John Herbert and east by Benjamin Youngs. These premises are now the resi- dence of the family of the late Israel Peck.

Next came John Herbert's homestead. This descended to his son John, who in 1699 sold it to "the inhabitants of the township of South- old" for 75 pounds in silver. From that time it has been used as a parsonage lot, and the Presbyterian Church stands upon it.

Next west was the home lot of Richard Benjamin, and its western boundary was the present easterly line of Richard Carpenter's lot.

The lot of Ananias Conkling, who after- ward removed to East Hampton, was next west, and this was purchased by Richard Ben- jamin; his boundary then was "Benjamin's lane," a road that ran from the town street by the east end of Deacon Moses Cleveland's barn to Jockey Creek Point, but was long since closed.

Upon the corner lot now the homestead of Moses C. Cleveland, and upon which the Uni- versalist Church now stands, was the home of George Miller in 1656. It was sold by him to John Tuthill in 1658, and passed into the hands of Joseph Sutton in 1660, which was probably the time when John Tuthill went to Oyster Ponds. In 1668 it belonged to John Swazey, who sold the west part of it to Sam- tel King.

On the corner where the main street turns to the south the first lot was Samuel King's, who owned it from 1658 to 1666. In the words of Hon. J. Wickham Case: "John Tut- hill, Richard Brown and Samuel King formed a remarkable trio. They lived side by side for a score of years in perfect harmony. They made purchases jointly ; they divided, they ex- changed with and they sold to one another ; entrusted their property to each other. King only four years before Tuthill's death gave him a writing of assurance for exchanges of land made forty years before and for which no legal papers had ever been executed." The lot of Samuel King is now in possession of the daughters of Mrs. Sophironia Jennings.

Next south came the lot of John Elton, 1658. This lot he obtained of William Pur- rier, who bought it of Matthew Edwards. It now belongs to the heirs of Mrs. Sophronia Jennings.

The lot where Gilder S. Conkling now lives was the original home lot of Thomas Mapes. He added to these the home lot of Jeffrey Esty, who lived next north, and also that of John Elton. This gave him a front of about fifty rods from the south line of the present home lot of Gilder S. Conkling. Thomas Mapes was born about 1628, and could not have been one of the original settlers. He was a land surveyor and divided "Calves Neck," receiving for his services the privilege of hav- ing his share next his own home lot.

Next came the homestead of William Pur- rier, who was repeatedly a delegate to New Haven and filled many places of honor and trust, but left no sons to perpetuate his name. His lot is a part of the farm of Hiram Terry, and is opposite the house of Edward Huntt- ing.

Lastly, at the south end of Main street, at the head of Jockey Creek, was the home lot .of Philemon Dickerson, now owned by Hiram Terry, and Dickerson's house stood a few rods east of Hiram Terry's barn. He is mentioned

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in old deeds as a "tanner," and the remains of his tan-vats have until recently been visible in the hollow west of the barn.

The road running north from Main street to the railroad station, and called in modern phraseology Railroad avenue, was in ancient times known as "Cooper's lane," and it is prob- able that Thomas Cooper, from whom it de- rived its name, had his home lot on its east side. To the west of this highway was the home lot of William Wells, so prominent in all town affairs. This lot extended as far as the westerly side of G. F. Hommel's lot, and the original site of William Wells's house is now occupied by H. W. Prince. From the description of Thomas Cooper's lot as given in the town records it would seem as if Mr. Wells must at one time have resided on the lot east of the road, now owned by D. B. Wells, but probably this was only for a short time.

The next neighbor of William Wells on the west was John Conkling, who owned the lot now bounded on the west by the east line of D. F. Conkling. This lot was in his posses- sion but a short time, when he gave it to his son and removed to Hashamomack.

Next was the lot of a man whose name was famous in New England as well as upon Long Island, Captain John Underhill. Dur- ing his short stay in this town, which was probably in the years 1658 and 1659, he re- sided on this lot. It is situated in the heart of the village, and at the present time is owned by D. F. Conkling and William C. Bucking- ham. Captain Underhill's career is fully nar- rated in Thompson's History of Long Island. His was an eventful life-fighting with In- dians at one time and at another with church authorities, he was in all respects a "moving man." Southold was probably too dull for him, and in 1659 he sold his lot to Thomas Moore and sought and found new fields of action.

Thomas Brush owned the next lot, but sold it in 1658 and removed to Huntington, where his descendants are still to be found. His lot is now owned by Hezekiah Jennings.

Matthias Corwin, whose claim to be one of the original company has never been dis- puted, lived on the next lot. This was left by him to his son John, who was the owner for many years after his father's death, and then removed to what was called the "Indian Field" farm, in what is now the village of Pe-

conic. This homestead of Matthias Corwin is directly opposite the Presbyterian Church, and is now owned by David A. Jennings and Mrs. M. A. Rose.

Barnabas Horton's home lot, the only one which has come down to modern times through an unbroken line of descendants, was next to Matthias Corwin's. His homestead consisted of two home lots, separated by what is called in the old record "the highway leading toward the North Sea," now called "Horton's lane." The Catholic Church stands on the east lot, and also the Presbyterian Chapel, and the residence of the late Ira Tuthill. Upon the west lot stood until within the last few years the original house of Barnabas Horton, which was at the time of its destruction, in 1873, the oldest house in Suffolk county. It was here that the courts were held in ancient times, and it was for this purpose that the original house was enlarged in 1684. After the death of the first settler it passed in succession to five generations of his descendants, all bear- ing the name of Jonathan Horton, and after a brief ownership by Henry Huntting and Dr. Sweet it has returned to its ancient line of pro- prietorship, and is now in the possession of D. Philander Horton, of the seventh generation from Barnabas the first. Careful drawings of this ancient mansion were made before its destruction, and will perpetuate in time to come the memory of one of the most noted landmarks on Long Island.

At the angle of the town street, and bound- ed on the west by the road anciently known as "Tucker's lane," was the homestead of Lieutenant John Budd, and afterward of his son John. The Budds were in that day the wealthy family of the town, and upon this lot they erected a mansion, yet standing, which must have exceeded in magnificence any of the other houses of the early settlement. In 1679 John, Jr., sold the west part, with the house upon it, to John Hallock, and it is now owned by Jonathan W. Huntting. The east- ern part was sold to Jeremiah Vail, and is now in the possession of Samuel S. Vail.

The next lot was the homestead of John Tucker, and was bounded north by the road that bore his name. The lot seems at first to have belonged to Roger Cheston, of whom we know but little, and afterward to Nehe- miah Smith, of whom we know still less. John Tucker in 1659 removed to "Ockabock," and was the first man who set up a saw-mill on the

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stream at Riverhead. He was an officer in the early church, and is mentioned as "Deacon Tucker." His home lot is now owned by Bar- nabas H. Booth.

Joseph Horton, oldest son of the first Bar- nabas, records his home lot as "lying between the land of John Tucker east and Barnabas Wines west." In 1665 he sold it to his father and removed to Rye in Westchester county, where his descendants are still remaining. The lot continued in the Horton family for some generations, and is now owned by Cap- tain Benjamin Coles.

Next was the homestead of Barnabas Wines, who recorded it in 1665. From him it descended to his second son, Samuel. His first son, Barnabas, went to Elizabethtown, New Jersey, in 1665, but after some years re- turned and settled at Mattituck, on a farm still owned by his posterity. The original home lot is now owned by heirs of Moses Cleveland and of Joseph Horton.

Thomas Scudder lived next, and recorded his home lot with his other land in 1654. In 1656 he sold it to John Bayles and removed to Huntington, with his brothers Henry and John. It is now owned by Charles A. Case.

Richard Terry lived next. It is probable that he was one of Minister Youngs' company. His brother Thomas was either one of the first settlers in Southampton, or was at least a witness to their agreement. Richard Terry, Jr., was styled "recorder." About 1673 he removed to Cutchogue, where he owned a large tract of land, including a part of Pequash or "Quasha" Neck. Richard, Sr., died in 1675, and his widow Abigail and son John then con- tinued on the old homestead. It now belongs to Moses Cleveland, Charles S. Williams and George B. Simons. Between Richard Terry and his brother Thomas lived Thomas Reeves, the ancestor of the families of that name throughout the town, unless we make an ex- ception in the case of Hon. Henry A. Reeves, so widely known as a politician and .editor. His line of descent from Thomas Reeves who settled in Southampton in 1670 is as follows: I, Thomas; 2, John; 3, Stephen ; 4, John ; 5, Edward; 6, Lemuel; 7, Henry. This home lot is now owned by Edward Huntting, who inherited it from his father, Rev. Jonathan Huntting, in 1850.

Last came the home lot of Thomas Terry, which is mentioned as "next the bridge," and doubtless there was a swamp or morass there

in early days; even now a small bridge is deemed necessary for the highway to cross the "run." He died in 1672, and the lot went to his son Daniel. It was in after time the dwelling place of "Good Jonathan Horton," a great-grandson of Barnabas. It is now owned by Patrick May.

Colonel John Youngs, the right arm of the settlement, had his homestead on the east side of the road running from Main street to Town Creek and opposite the dwelling place of his father, the minister. Here he lived till his death, in 1697 The hist ty of the lot sub- sequent to this can not be traced, but about 100 years ago it came into the possession of Richard Peters, a merchant, and the house now occupied by Richard L. Peters, or a part of it, is believed to be the identical mansion occu- pied by Colonel Youngs during his long life. Upon this lot also stands the dwelling house of Hon. J. Wickham Case, whose efforts to preserve the relics of our early history have placed the town under a debt of gratitude which can never be repaid.

To the east of Colonel Youngs lived John Haynes in 1656, and on the south of these two lots and next the creek was the home lot of Isaac Arnold, one of the foremost men of the second generation, and Judge of the county from 1693 to 1706.

To the east of John Haynes lived John Corey and Peter Paine, while next the creek was the home lot of Thomas Moore. This is described in the record of 1658 as "six acres more or lesse, the widdowe Payne's habitacon Southwest, the Creeke on the north east side." This is the present residence of William T. Fithian. The house which stood on this lot was famous as being the place where the Dutch Commissioners sent from New York in 1673 had their formal meeting, and made their endeavors to bring the town under the Dutch government.

At the east end of Main street, near the residence of Mrs. Beulah Goldsmith, was the home lot of Henry Case. The first mention of him occurs December 15, 1658, when the town granted him a home lot of four acres "next to the east side of the lot late granted to Richard Skydmore." It was provided that he should remain and improve the same for three years. In 1658 he married Martha, only daughter of Matthias Corwin. He died in 1664, leaving two sons, Henry and Theophilus. To give a record of all his descendants would

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far exceed our limits, but one branch deserves an especial mention. Henry 2d had a son Samuel, who had a son Lieutenant Moses, who died September 25, 1814, aged ninety- one, leaving sons Gilbert, Matthias and Luther. The last was the father of Hon. J. Wickham Case, whose knowledge of the local history of the town is not exceeded by that of any living man, and for whose assistance the writer is under the deepest obligations.

The original Indian deed of sale given to minister Youngs and his associates has been lost, but in 1665 a confirmatory deed was drawn up and signed by the Indian chiefs cov- ering all the purchases up to that time. It ran as follows :

To all people to whom this present writing shall come, greeting. Know yee that, whereas the inhabitants of Southold, their predecessors, or some of them, have, in the right and behalf of the said Inhabitants and Township, pur- chased, procured and paid for, of the Sachems and Indians our Ancestors, all that tract of land situate, lying and being at the East ward end of Long Island, and bounded with the river called in the English toung the Wead- ing Kreek, in the Indian toung Pauquacon- suck, on the West to and with Plum island on the east, together with the island called Plum island, with the Sound called the North sea on the North, and with a River or arme of the sea wch runneth up betweene Southampton Land and the afore said tract of land unto a certain Kreek which fresh water runneth into on ye South, called in English the Red Kreek, in Indian Toyonge, together with the said Kreek and meadows belonging there to; and running on a streight lyne from the head of the afore named fresh water to the head of ye Small brook that runneth into the Kreek called Panquaconsuck ; as also all necks of lands, meadows, Islands or broken pieces of meadows, rivers, Kreeks, with timber, wood lands, fishing, fowling, hunting, and all other commodities what so ever unto the said Tract of land and island belonging or in any wise appertaining, as Curchaug and Mattatuck, and all other tracts of land by what name soever named or by what name so ever called; and whereas the now Inhabitants of the afore named town of Southold have given unto us whose names are under written, being the true

successors of the lawful and true Indian own- ers and proprietors of all the aforesaid tract of land and islands, fourty yards of Truck- ing cloth, or the worth of the same, the re- ceipt where of and every part of the same we doe hereby acknowledge and thereof ac- quit and discharge the Inhabitants, their heirs, successors or assigns, and every of them by these presents.

Now these presents witnesseth that wee whose names are under written, for the con- sideration aforementioned, hath given, grant- ed, remised and confirmed, and doth by these presents grant, remise and confirm unto Cap- tain John Youngs, Barnabas Horton and Thomas Mapes, for and in behalf of the In- habitants and township of Southold, and for the use of the aforesaid Inhabitants, accord- ing to their and every of their several divi- dends, to have and to hold to them and their heirs forever, by virtue of the afore recited bargain, bargains, gifts and grants of what nature or kind soever made with our prede- cessors, we under written doe confirm all the afore named tract or tracts of land, contained with the afore mentioned bounds, as also Plum island, with waranty against us, our heirs or any of us or them, or any other person or per- sons' claime, or from, by or under us, them, or any of us or them, or any other person or per- sons, as our, theirs or any of our or their right, title or interest ; as witness our hands and seals this seventh of December, 1665, in the Seventeenth yeare of ye reigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God of England, Scotland, France and Ireland King, defender of the faith &c.

[Signed by Ambuscow, Hammatux and 4I others.]

Sealed and delivered in ye presence of us BENJAMIN YOUNGS, BENONI FLINT.

In 1662 the commonwealth of New Haven became merged in that of Connecticut and Southold appears to have accepted that change with reluctance, but the connection was a brief one, for in 1664 Governor Nicoll asserted the authority of his patron, the Duke of York, and it was not long thereafter that Governor Winthrop, of Connecticut, acquiesced in that claim and virtually told the English towns on Long Island to make peace with the agent of

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their new master. Southold, like the others, accepted the new condition of things, and Nicolls was profuse in his promises as to their rights to regulate their own local affairs, elect their own magistrates and the like. When Colve's Dutch regime was in possession the claim of Connecticut to the eastern towns was again renewed, and again asserted by the com- munities interested. The Dutch sent an agent to visit these towns and arrange matters, but his reception at Southold was such that he deemed it useless to proceed any further and returned to New Amsterdam to report the failure of his mission. What the upshot would have been it is not difficult to predict, but the trouble was ended with the resumption of British authority. Even then Southold and the rest of the English settlements desired to be under Connecticut, but Governor Andros would not listen to any such claim or petition and insisted that each town should take out a patent as holding from the Duke of York.

Southold had never held any such docu- ment and demurred. The people said they had held their lands for thirty years and had bought them from the Indians with the ap- proval of the agent of Lord Stirling, the then patentee under the Crown, and had never heard that a patent was necessary. Besides, Governor Nicolls had promised to maintain them in the full and free occupation of their lands. But Andros would not listen to any such pleas, and so on October 31, 1676, the representatives of Southold accepted the docu- ment from the Governor which virtually made their hopes for association with Connecticut, come to an end forever. The document for the first time clearly defined the boundaries of the township: "Ye western bounds whereof extend to a certain River or creek called ye wading creek, in ye Indian tongue Pauquacun- suck, and bounded to ye eastward by Plum Island, together with ye said Island; on ye North with ye sound or North sea, and on ye South with an arm of ye sea or River which runneth up between Southampton land & ye

aforesaid tract of land unto a certain creek which fresh water runneth into, called in Eng- lish ye red creek, by ye Indians Toyoungs, to- gether with ye said creek and meadows be- longing thereunto (not contradicting ye Agreement made between their town and ye town of Southampton after their tryal at the Court of Assizes) ; soe running on a strit line from ye head of ye aforenamed fresh water to ye head of ye small brook that runneth into ye creek called Pauquacunsuck ; includ- ing all ye necks of land and Islands within ye aforedescribed bounds and limits." The pat- entees named in the document were Isaac Arnold, John Youngs, Joshua Horton, Samuel Glover, Benjamin Youngs and Jacob Coxey. They in turn gave a deed of confirmation to the freeholders. Mr. Pelletreau says that this deed proved that the lands in the township did not of right belong to any one simply be- cause they held a residence in the town. The first comers had bought the land and had used as much as they wanted, but they never had any idea that those who afterward settled among them should enter into possession of any of the common land except by pur- chase or by grant of the town meeting for some specified purpose or public benefit.

It has been estimated that in 1650 the pop- ulation of Southold township was about 180; in 1698 it had increased to 880; when the war of the Revolution broke out it was in the neighborhood of 2,000. In that conflict South- old was wholly on the side of the patriots, and its citizens were well represented in the forces which the county sent into active serv- ice. During the British occupation it felt all the rigors of that hated period, the rigors of which were not removed even after Governor Tryon had forced the acceptance of the oath of allegiance.

Joy reigned throughout the township when it was known that the war was over and the victory won. After the rejoicings had passed the township resumed its peaceful progress. The trouble of 1812 seemed to concern it but

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little, and it probably dreamed little of wars or rumors of wars until the conflict between the States was precipitated in 1861. During that struggle Southold manfully stood by the Government, and many of its bravest sons gave up their lives on Southern battlefields in defense of the stars and stripes. It met all the claims of the Washington authorities without a murmur, bonds were issued freely to meet the various expenses incurred, and it was not until 1871 that the principal of these was wholly extinguished and the financial cost of the war troubled the tax assessors no more.

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A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 157

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