A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 161

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 161

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 (link on the Part 1 page).

after they have eaten the meat there (in those which are good) they break out of the shell, about halfe an inch of a blacke part of it, of which they make their suckau hock, or black money which is to them pretious." It is very rare we find a whole valve of the round clam (venus mercenaria), but fragments exist in great quantity, showing breakage of the shell in order to obtain the "blue eye" so highly de- sired for beads. The debris which marks the settlement is composed of shells, ashes, char- coal, burnt stones which were probably the hearths of the wigwams, pottery sherds, both ornamented and plain, arrow points, hammer stones, celts, stone axes and other objects that carry the age of the village back to a past, pre- vious to the dawn of settlement by the English, and the layers of which prove that the occupa- tion of the site by the Indians was not continut- ous but was revisited time and time again. Again in the top layer has been found a few gun flints, glass beads and brass buttons, indi- cating occupation within historic times. On the surface it was the writer's fortune to find a brass arrow-point identical with that figured by Dr. Abbott on page 421 of his Primitive In- dustry, which also belongs to the writer. There is something peculiar about these two points in the fact that when placed one on the other it is indicated seemingly that they were both cut by a die, for the perforations and outlines are exact in both specimens. There is no question but what careful examination on the site of this village would bring to light many objects of aboriginal use and workmanship. It is only a few years ago that my friend, Dr. C. S. Stil- well, who owns the hill and land adjoining, was digging to reset a post on the lowest part of this village site, when he drew out at the depth of about three feet, a perfect grooved stone axe. It was quite large and very nicely finished, and its accidental discovery indicates to some extent what may lie buried underneath the soil in this vicinity.

The neighboring meadows and the marshy pools of water where the rushes grew and where the cat-tail flourished in abundance, were frequent places of resort in order to gather flags for making mats, baskets and cov- erings for their wigwams. The adjoining hills, then all wooded, were roamed over in search of game, and the occasional arrow-point picked up on the surface or overturned by the plow is a reminder of the arrows' flight either in time of war or peaceful pursuits. The notch- ed or grooved sinker is also a token of the foot-

1043

SOUTHAMPTON.

steps of the Indian fisherman and indicates where his nets sometime were left to dry on the upland bordering the shore. Thus on every hand hereabouts may be met some token of the dweller in the village of Wegwagonock. Across the bay could be seen the island of Ahaquatuwamuck, "the sheltered fishing- place," now known as Shelter Island, of which its southern end directly opposite Wegwago- nock, still retains its aboriginal appellation of Meshomack, a term denoting "where there is going by boat," indicating the ferry between that point and Three Mile Harbor or to Weg- wagonock. Further northward, also within sight where now we see the residence of Dr. S. B. Nicoll, was the wigwam of the Sachem Ambusco in the seventeenth century, which gives the name "Sachem's Neck" to the lo- cality. The trail or path from Wegwagonock led to Ashawagh at Three Mile Harbor, to Weckatuck at the north side, with branches in various directions wherever the footsteps of the Indian might lead him.

The name Wegwagonock or Wigwago- nuck, as designating the locality, was retained in the early records of East Hampton and prob- ably in the speech of our first settlers until the year 1731, when it disappears from the written page and from the memory of our oldest in- habitant until it was brought again to light by the publishing of the records. Among other notices we find one dated April 30th, 1718, when "It was agreed *

* that all the land lying to the westward of Joseph Strettons' meadow at Wigwagonock shall lie **

* as common land forever *

* * all the land lying between the bound line and the north side to the utmost limits of East Hamp- ton bounds." This record identifies the locality beyond a shadow of doubt, for the "bound line," "north side," "utmost limits of the bounds of East Hampton," could not have ap- plied to any other locality than that north of the site of where I place the village of Weg- wagonock. By the inroads of the sea and other causes, much of the meadow hereabouts has disappeared and it is impossible to locate any of the tracts of meadow first allotted to the inhabitants of East Hampton ; although in 1728 Ananias Conkling, Jr., entereth his land joining his land at Wigwagonock-near the bound line, which was probably what is now the residence of Mrs. William R. Sleight and of the others in the rear, extending back to the bay, including the site of Wegwagonock and meadow to the eastward, and terminating in

Conkling's Point, so named after its first owner.

Indian place names are invariably descrip- tive of the place to which they are applied, and were therefore topographical, and not mere marks to distinguish one place from the other like all our names. Wegwagonock belongs to the same class and denotes "land or place at the end of the hill," which fully describes the location at the foot of what has been known for many years as "Sleight's Hill." John Eliot, the eminent Indian Missionary, would probably have written it in the Massachusetts dialect as Wequae-adn-ohke, from Wequae, "at the end of," "as far as," limit, etc., adn, "a hill," use in compound words only,-ock, "land or place." The name being descriptive is found in varying forms in other parts of New England. It was also the name of an In- dian village in Sharon, Conn., as written by the Moravian missionaries, Wequadn'ach. Once I asked a Chippeway Indian what Wegwago- nock meant, giving the sounds as represented here : he was unable, however, to translate it, but just as soon as I told him that it was the same as Waiekwadnach in his own language, he recognized its identity and translated it as given above without my assistance. The same name is found in Columbia and Dutchess Counties New York, applied to a tribe of In- dians who were called the Wayanghtanocks or Wawyachtonocks, from the facts that they dwelt "at the end of a hill or mountain."

Sag Harbor is now the business city of the township, and its most populous centre, hav- ing a population of 4,000. It had its origin, seemingly, about 1707, but little is known of its early modern history. A good deal of its traditions centre in a tavern, erected in 1745, on a site now covered by the railroad station. It was a noted resort for a long time and in it, it is said, Fenimore Cooper, whose knowledge of the entire Long Island Sound coast was most intimate, wrote his novel, "Precaution." The need of the location of a landing place for vessels at Sag Harbor seems to have arisen about the time whalefishing began to be an in- dustry. In 1742 an effort was made to build a wharf, but it was unsuccessful, and it was not until 1770 that such a necessary feature for a seaport was constructed. Another was built

1044

HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

in 1794. During the Revolution and in the War of 1812 Sag Harbor acquired consider- able prominence on account of its tactical situ- ation, but its story in these two emergencies has already been told. Its commercial history really begins with the close of the Revolution. By 1806 quite a crowd of shipbuilders had yards in which they turned out vessels suitable for whaling, and it has been estimated by Mr. Pelletreau that in 1845 no fewer than 70 ves- sels engaged in that industry, but it gradually declined, and about 1862 ceased to be a factor. It was thought that the ruin of this industry meant the end of Sag Harbor's prominence. But it had been slowly acquiring prominence as a manufacturing centre, and in that respect its success has been most marked, especially since the introduction of the railroad in 1870. Nowadays some of its manufacturing estab- lishments have a national fame, and it is a pro- gressive, wide-awake community. It has had a Presbyterian congregation since 1766, when the first meeting house was erected, and the services of the Methodist Church commenced in 1807, two years before that body built a place of worship in the village. Christ Protest- ant Episcopal Church dates from 1845. In 1784 its first school was erected, and by 1815 it boasted an "academy" in addition.

An interesting sketch of "Sag Harbor in the older times" was written in 1896 by Judge Henry P. Hedges, the veteran leader of the bar of Suffolk county, which will be read with interest as a contribution to local story by one whose name is honored throughout Suffolk county and whose knowledge of its legends, its history, its people is justly regarded as "second to none."

The social and economic life of Sag Har- bor in its early days differed little from that of the adjoining Hamptons. Settled later, it was settled chiefly from them, and was appropriate- ly their child. The Fordhams, Halseys, Pier- sons, Fosters, Coopers, Howells, Sayres, Rog- ers and others came from Southampton, the Conklings, Edwards, Hedges, Osborns, Mul- fords and others from East Hampton. At

first the dwellings were small one-story sin- gle houses and so continued until after the Revolution. Within a few years thereafter the rewards of commerce, trade and the in- dustrial arts so increased as to warrant the construction of larger dwellings. About 1790, two-story double houses were first built. Merchants kept store below, and with their families resided above. As late as the fire of 1845 Thomas P. Ripley, merchant, so lived. The dwelling of Albert G. Hedges, then burned, was so used by his father. In that fire these and other like houses vanished. The dwelling of Miss Mary Rose Rogers and the old Latham house next north, late the resi- dence of George B. Brown, remain as speci- mens of the post-Revolutionary order of architecture. After 1825 few double houses were built. After 1830 generally they were two-story, end to the street, after the pattern of that at the junction of Main and Madison streets, built by Captain David Hand, son of Captain David and grandson of Captain David. The dwelling in the rear of the residence of R. J. Power is a pattern of ante-Revolution- ary order. The dwelling next north of that, formerly of George B. Brown, deceased, once owned by Captain Selah Youngs, dates just after the Revolution. The house of John De- Castro is the style of single houses in vogue from 1790 to 1825, or thereabouts. The de- velopment and improvement of sailing craft excelled that in the architecture of dwellings. The small sloop of fifteen to fifty tons of 1640 had more than doubled in size in 1740, and after 1712 when the first schooner was built in the United States, those vessels grew in favor. When this first schooner was launched, a spectator said, "See how she scoons or skims," and the owner replied, "A schooner let her be." This is said to be the origin of the word schooner. The Custom House records of Sag Harbor show these figures :

In 1794, 472 tons registered; 473 tons enrolled and licensed vessels.

In 1800, 805 tons registered; 1449 tons enrolled and licensed vessels.

In 1805, 1916 tons registered; 2228 tons enrolled and licensed vessels.

In 1810, 1185 tons registered; 3223 tons enrolled and licensed vessels.

In 1815, *808 tons registered; 2719 tons enrolled and licensed vessels.

In 1820, 2263 tons registered; 3416 tons enrolled and licensed vessels.

* A decline caused by the War.

1045

SOUTHAMPTON.

From the early days of Sag Harbor, agri- culture received some attention, and horti- culture still more. While the mercantile and mechanic arts were the chief reliance of its citizens, the culture of the soil was not neg- lected. Barns were built and used in con- nection with houses, and in many cases horses were kept for agricultural purposes. Wood was the only fuel used, and that had to be cut and hauled to the dwelling. North Haven bridge was not constructed. For a supply of milk most families were obliged to keep their own cows. The food of the community was chiefly salt beef, pork and fish; oftener rye than wheat bread. For breakfast a Johnny- cake with fried pork, sometimes fresh, while the supply held out, and then salt while that lasted ; sometimes neither could be had. For supper, bread, samp, hominy or pudding with milk. Dinner then as now was the larger meal. A farmer's dinner was a chunk of salt pork, an Indian pudding with a lot of potatocs boiled together in an iron pot, and hence the common expression of having "a boiled pot for dinner." Eels, clams and fish were plenty. Game abounded, and these relieved the monot- ony of salted food. In my early days trench- ers or wooden plates were sometimes used, be- fore they were superseded by pewter, and they in time by tin and crockery. Hence the say- ing of a large eater, "He is a good trencher- man." The old brick oven, indispensable and inimitable in excellence, of the olden time, like "the old oaken bucket that hung in the well," exists but in story and in song.

After my day began, little fresh meat was sold in the market. Many families bought beef and pork of the farmers and salted them for the year's supply of meat. In truth, it was a cold, narrow frugal life.

Hard necessity compelled the use of the cheapest food and clothing. Indeed, the cloth- ing was mostly of home manufacture, spun in the house and often there woven. Hosiery was wholly a domestic product. The leather used for harness, for saddles, for boots and shoes was all tanned here and made up here. To a considerable extent boots and shoes were exported for sale elsewhere. Yet in all this round of untiring industry, exacting from young and old the daily task, social life was brightened by frequent intercourse. In the afternoon the women, taking on their should- ers the small, light spinning wheel visited their

neighbors, and the simultaneous hum of the wheel and of converse went gaily on.

Captain Vail remembers when a boy taking his mother's wheel to Robert Fordham's Inn, where the ladies gathered of an afternoon, until in the large ball-room forty spinning-wheels were counted. In reading this paper to a friend, inadvertently I omitted the word spin- ning before wheel, when he interrupted me, suggesting the adjective, and saying at first he thought I meant the bicycle wheel ! How widely the past and present differ, and what could be more suggestive ?

In the long evenings by the winter's fire- side many a yarn relieved the monotony of the hour. The friendly, bright, social life of Sag Harbor was formerly far-famed. In the olden time newspapers were rare. Knowledge and news were orally conveyed. Conversa- tional practice perfected the art. The charm of modern conversation does not exceed that of former days. Necessity compelled indus- trious toil. Exercise developed a hardy race. Rowing trained the muscle of the men; the spinning-wheel brought out the activities and grace of the women. Young ladies at the large wheel spun woolen rolls in yarn. It re- quired skill and dexterity to draw out the thread and roll it on the spindle. But tlie symmetry, the grace of motion, the harmony of proportion, the lithesome activity of the feminine form, and the undefinable charm of woman never shone more winningly than when operating that wheel. The settlement at Sag Harbor was compact and facilitated and in- vited the enjoyment of social life. The em- barkation and return of voyagers on the great deep were events of interest to the little com- munity, and as the port increased in population and enlarged enterprise, these events were of frequent occurrence. Strangers visited the taverns, mechanics and artisans came to render aid as the seasons requiring their labors re- turned. With the cargoes of lumber, fish and other imports, strangers made a temporary or permanent stay in the place. Farmers from the Hamptons came often.

Thus the pulsations of the outer world, its politics, its business, its modes of thought, its inventions, its discoveries, its manners, its news were conveyed by its visitors, and Sag Harbor throbbed and glowed with the Nation's life. This old telephone wrought slowly but surely and incessantly, and the message kept

1046

HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

the standard of progression in the village abreast of the advancement of the age.

Bridgehampton, which now has a popula- tion of 850 and is a farming, fishing and rail- road centre, dates from about 1712. It is part of the district once known as Mecox and seems to have eclipsed the old village of that name, which was settled in 1660, and had a church for the use of its people about the close of that

BRIDGEHAMPTON.

century. The first church in Bridgehampton was erected in 1737-a Presbyterian congre- gation which is still active and vigorous, and it was able to support another church in 1820, when the Methodist body began its local his- tory. Mention is also made of yet another church, the result of a schism in the Presby- terian ranks in 1748, but it only lasted a few years. Its people called themselves the "New Lights," and were followers of the Rev. Mr. Davenport of Southold, to whose strange career reference has been made in an earlier chapter of this work. Bridgehampton is a pleasant retired village, "quiet and comfort- able," a recent visitor described it, and is ap-

parently just beginning to acquire some prom- inence among summer visitors who care more for rest than frivolities.

North Sea, the oldest settlement in the township next to Southampton, dates from 1647, and is said to have been the spot where the settlers first landed. It used to be a place . with some commercial pretensions, but Sag Harbor long since stripped it of what little trade it had, and its present population of 75 is made up mainly of farmers. Speonk, or, as it is now called, Remsenburg, is a village which of late years has come into prominence on ac- count of the successful effort to change its name. The regular settlers call it Speonk, as it has been called since it first became settled, about 1750, and the summer folks call it Rem- senburg, and, as the postal authorities have ac- cepted the change, it seems likely to prevail. It has a population of some 200, but in the summer season it has about four times as many, and its Presbyterian Church is one of the handsomest structures of its kind to be seen in any Long Island village. Quogue, however, seems to be even more of a favorite with the dwellers from the city who love to spend their holidays at a watering place pure and simple. Quogue was first settled in 1748, but it now presents few evidences of its age, being mainly made up of modern villas. The old Indian tract, generally spoken of as Shin- necock, is more famous for its golfing grounds than for anything else. It claims a resident population of 125, and the Indian reservation at Shinnecock Neck 200. Canoe Place has a population of 150, but in the summer months there are generally several hundred visitors roaming along its neighboring roads, hunting for relics of the fast disappearing red man, or for botanical curiosities, or simply enjoying the sunshine, pure air and natural beauty of one of the most primitive spots to be met with on the island.

The rest of the settlements in the township present little to occupy our attention. With the possible exception of Sag Harbor, they are

1047

SOUTHAMPTON.

all of them laying plans for attracting to their confines a large share of that summer trade which has done so much within the past quar- ter of a century to build up the outlying dis- tricts of Long Island, and which seems certain . to increase in volume and importance and to

steadily open new centres as time glides on. In it will be found Long Island's greatest source of wealth, and every agency-good ho- tels, splendid roads, rapid transit, liberal and honest dealing-should be used to accelerate its development and quicken its progress.

CHAPTER LXXIII.

EAST HAMPTON.

OHN LION GARDINER, the seventh proprietor of Gardiner's Island, was the antiquary of the family. He compiled a vocabulary of the lan- guage of the Mohawk Indians, which, brief as it is, really preserves all that is known now of that ancient tongue. He was a careful stu- dent of local history, and his "Observations on the Town of East Hampton," written in 1798, is a valuable little monograph which should really be the basis of all the histories of the township. In accordance with that view it is here reproduced in full :

The Town of East Hampton is bounded South-Easterly by the Atlantic Ocean, on which side the shore is a sand beach free from rocks. The sea gains on the shore, and it has been said by aged people that, in some places, the sea now washes the shore where Indian Corn has been planted by their Fathers. The sand near the shore is blown into hills on which nothing grows but a grass called "Beach Grass," and a shrub bearing the Beach plum. By this grass & the Bushes, the sand is, in some measure, prevented being blown over the adjacent pasture & mowing fields.

Easterly, the town terminates at Mon- tauk's Point around which the Tide runs very rapidly. Gardiners Island, or the Isle of Wight, lies on the North Eeast side of Gard- iner's Bay, and contains about 3,000 acres of good land. Its greatest length is from N. W. to S. E. and is about 71/2 miles. There

is, besides, an Island called Rom (or Rum) Island, which belongs to it, and lies on the South part. The shape of the Island is ir- regular. From its first settlement in 1639, it was a plantation by itself. As the Legis- lature in 1788 thought proper to annex it to the town of East Hampton, it will, in these Notes, be considered as a part of that Town- ship. This Island is distant from the town IO miles; and from Long Island shore about 3. It is assessed for about one sixth of the value of the Township. The shore on the North side of East Hampton is rocky and indented with bays, coves, and creeks, which lead into Ponds abounding with shell and scale fish, and are harbours for small vessels.

Westerly, the town is bounded by South Hampton.

The line between these two towns was in contention from the first settlement till 1695, when it was, finally, fixed where it now is, by persons mutually chosen by the two Towns. It begins at the sea shore on the south side, and crosses the eastern branch of the Island, to the North side & leaves but a small part of the houses, at Sag Harbor on the East Hamp- ton side. This line is about - miles in length, & was fenced about the year 1664 in order to keep the Southampton horses &c. from cross- ing over the bounds. This line is now much farther to the Eastward than where it was fixed by the General Assembly of Connecticut about 1660 to whose decision it was then re- ferred.

The settlement of Sag Harbor is mostly

1049

EAST HAMPTON.

in Southampton Township, and is a thriving place. It is exceedingly well calculated for the Whale and Cod Fishery.

By the Records, it appears that East Hampton was at first called Maidstone. This name does not appear after the year 1664, when they came under the Duke of York, and soon after received a Patent from Col. Rich- ard Nicolls. By this Patent the Town is called East Hampton, though the records of the Town prior to the year 1664, mention that as the name of the place. It was probably called East, on account of its situation to the East of Southampton.

Some of the First Settlers appear, by the Records, to have come from Stansted in the county of Kent in England. Probably some of them might have come from Maidstone in the same County. It is very evident from the Records, that some of the original 35 settlers and purchasers of the Town removed from Lynn in Massachusetts ; and tradition in- forms us that they came from several of the towns on the Sea coast to the Eastward of Boston. These were, probably, natives of England, as New England had not been settled so long as to produce Native Inımi- grants when E. Hampton was first settled. Those who were received by the Original Settler as "accepted Inhabitants," might have been born in America. None were re- ceived into the Town as Inhabitants but by a vote, and some were forbid settling on account of their principle and laziness.

There were, at first 35 purchasers. The names of 13 of these are now entirely extinct in the Town. The Christian & Surnames of many of the original settlers are now found to the 4th 5th & 6th degree, counting the first as one. Lands that were at first allotted, have descended in the family, and are, after a space of 150 years, occupied by one of the same fam- ily and name.

When the town was first settled only a home-lot at the South end of the Town, con- taining from II to 13 acres, was laid out.

This was done on both sides of the Pond, called the "Town Pond." This was probably on account of the convenience of getting water for themselves and cattle before they dug wells. It is probable a brook might have discharged itself into the Pond, which, since the land is cleared, has disappeared.

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.

A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 161

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