History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals., Part 86

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell and Co.
Number of Pages: 703

USA > New York > Queens County > History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals. > Part 86

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"A town meeting held the ist of May 1677 there confirmed, by name, every freeholder which hath a free vote for giving and granting of common rights, and not otherwise; and that from henceforward no grant of town- ship or common rights shall be confirmed, or held legal grants, without every freeholder hath legal warning that such a meeting is to be appointed, or that there are lands to be given out; and, after legal warning given them by the officer appointed, it shall be held legal, to ali intents and purposes, all gifts or grants of common rights to either man or men, given by the majority of freeholders that doth appear at the time and place appointed. And it is further agreed that for every town right that any freeholder doth possess he shall have so many votes in the giving and granting land and common rights, and not otherwise to be understood, but to grant and divide, as they shall see cause."

The freeholders named were as follows, each being en- titled to one vote where not otherwise indicated: Henry Townsend, Joseph Dickinson, Edmund Wright, Anthony Wright, Joseph Ludlum (2), Samuel Weeks, Nicholas Simpkins, John Jones, Francis Weeks (11/2), William Frost, John Rogers, John Dickinson, William Buckler, Nicholas Wright, Job Wright, Elizabeth Townsend (2), John Townsend, Josiah Latting (2), Nathaniel Coles (11/2), Richard Harcott, Adam Wright, Latamore Samp- son, alias Simon Cooper (4), Daniel Coles, John Wright, John Townsend, Caleb Wright, Isaac Doutty, James Townsend, John Weeks, Samuel Andrews (2), Matthias Harvey Fyde (12), Samuel Furman (1/2), Alice Crabb, Henry Townsend jr., Gideon Wright, Richard Crabb, George Dennis, Thomas Townsend (2), Joseph Weeks, John Weeks, of Warwick, Thomas Weeks, Moses Furman (1/2), James Weeks.

Only freeholders were eligible to office. Wood, in his history of Long Island, says that there were 41 free- holders who shared in the second division of land in this town, in 1680.

The practice of apportioning to every man numerous small detached plots of land led to a system of exchanges and frequent sales, which make the records a very com- plete history of family relations for every owner; for the deed seldom fails to tell how the owner came by the land, and what degree of relationship existed between him and the purchaser, as well as the former owner. These plots of land sometimes contained no more than five acres, and very seldom, if ever, more than thirty acres.

Excepting the farm of Simon Cooper, containing 400

acres at Cove Neck Point (now called Cooper's Bluff), which he, with his right, purchased from Sampson, every farm formed from the Old .Purchase and many of the New were formed by this system of exchange and pur- chase. Land was generally exchanged for other com- modities; hence the number of acres and the price are seldom given. In a few instances, which we copy from the Townsend Memorial, the prices of different pieces of land and articles are given.

"Thomas Townsend and Richard Harcut, appraisers of the property of Samuel Mayo, consisting of a home lot and a share of meadow containing two acres and a quar- ter, valued the whole at twenty-five pounds. The home lot was the place lately owned by Hainilton, containing six acres, one of the best in the village. This was in 1671; and about the same time, at the division of John Towns- end's estate, a bed and furniture were valued at ten pounds, and two cows at the same. Not long afterward Thomas Townsend bought the Fort Neck estate from the Indians (Dr. Peter S. Townsend says, nearly four miles square) for fifteen pounds, and Joseph Eudlam paid one hundred pounds for a homestead containing seven- teen acres (Mrs. Miner's place), with the buildings and privileges belonging to it. Indeed this homestead, with the privileges attached, bore about the same relative value to the Fort Neck property that a fine house on Fifth avenue bears to a township in Oregon; and the home meadows, as they called those near the village, were held at a higher value than even the home lots."

DOMESTIC AFFAIRS.

Each of the early settlers had made several homes; some of them as many as four. Their movables, com- prising their household furniture, farming utensils, and livestock, had become scattered and lost; all their new goods were transported from England at large expense. Hence it is obvious that an article once lost was replaced only at an enormous cost compared with its intrinsic value. Everywhere in this country these things were scarce, and, when it is considered that Oyster Bay and vicinity figured prominently as an asylum for those escaping from the sufferings of religious persecution, and leaving in their hurried emigration their stock and other movables, we can but look with great allowance upon their sometimes seeming parsimonious conduct. Cattle, we learn from many sources, soon became very plenty, as the country was then peculiarly well adapted to their increase. The high value of goods continued for many years. We copy from the Townsend Memorial an amusing illustration of this, which happened as late as the year 1720. It is part of the decision of arbitrators in a dispute between Robert Coles and his step-son, Robert Shadbolt, after deciding the ownership of the house and lands:

"Robert Shadbolt shall have the meanest of them two feather beds which was in the house where he now lives, which was his mother's, as also a bolster, and two pil- lows, and a checkered coverlet, and one of the straw beds, and a set of blue curtains, and all his mother's wearing clothes that are in the house now, and the high candlesticks, and one of the looking glasses, and all the window curtains in the house, and one iron pot that was his mother's, being at Joseph Woolsey's."

The prominent mention of curtains seems to indicate

475

OLD TIMES IN OYSTER BAY.

that they were considered necessaries. We can infer this liams. All the Willetses in the town are descendants of this family. Her son Richard left a memorandum, preserved by the clerk of the meeting, which gives his birth (October 25th 1660), marriage (January 25th 1686 to Abigail Bowne), the birth of his daughter Hannah (Novem- necessity came from lack of partition walls in their primitive dwellings. Wearing apparel does not seem to be scarce, as we have reason to think from the numerous weavers and fulling mills mentioned. It is easy to de- cide, from the older wills, that sons generally received |ber 11th 1686), and the death of his wife (April 16th 1689). the lands; the youngest the homestead, and the older ones other parts of the father's farm previously given GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS. them. The extra gifts granted to the youngest were in consideration of some provision which he makes for the maintenance of the parents during their lifetime, but the wife generally had the homestead, or a part of it, during her life or widowhood.

In a society where the manner of living was so simple it was easy to start in life and maintain a family; hence they generally married young. History shows that new coun- tries having special attractions generally have a preponder- ance of men; and here they seem quite ready to marry widows having families of children, especially where they could bring their full proportion of common stock, notwithstanding the proportion would to-day be con- sidered a rather small dower. During those early days land was of little value unless there was some one in the family to till it. Hired help could not be obtained. We are not surprised to find, during the first fifty years of the settlement, the names of only two widows, both Elizabeths, widows respectively of John Townsend and John Dickinson. These had each nine children, several of them married when their mothers became widows. Every other widow deemed it prudent and desirable to accept a second husband, to cultivate her land, and ren- der it available for the support of herself and children. Unless a wife originally owned the title to land she very rarely, if ever, joined in a deed with her husbund. It is clear what title or right the wife was considered to have to her husband's property; this was not the troublesome side of the question: what right the husband had in the wife's property seemed to be very much in doubt, as the following copy of the assignment of a deed shows:

"I, Alice Crabb, of Oyster Bay, do by these presents assign and make over all my right, title and interest in this above written deed unto my son Adam Wright and his heirs forever; only I do reserve to myself the use of the share of meadow mentioned in this deed, during my life, and after my decease it is to redown to my son Adam and his heirs forever, as witness my hand in Oyster Bay this 26th day of June 1675.

" It is to be understood that, although Richard Crabb be not mentioned in the above written deed, yet, not- withstanding, he being considered head or chief, do by these presents confirm that his said wife, Alice Crabb, hath done by this assignment; only the said Richard Crabb reserves the above said shear of meadow to his own disposal."

The above is a copy from the Townsend Memorial.

Mary Willets, widow of Richard Willets of Jericho, and sister of the wife of Robert Williams, was assessed £220 in the year 1683. This assessment was the highest on the list. She became possessed of a large tract of land through her father and her brother William, and Hope Washbourne, it being a part of that held by Wil-

It has been before stated, in a general way, that the early settlers were not free from embarrassments and trouble by their Dutch neighbors. "April 2nd 1655 William Leverich and other English settlers at Oyster Bay are warned off the Dutch territories," thus showing that the Dutch were not satisfied with the so-called treaty. It is doubtful whether the English were, either. The planters, in order to strengthen their hands against these intruders, on the 28th of May following, through Mr. Leverich, desired to be annexed to New Haven col- ony. This petition was granted, and in time they, with New Haven, became a part of the colony of Connecticut. Their affairs were managed, to some extent, by Connecti- cut, for that colony ordered on July 22nd 1662 that John Rigebell be chosen constable of Oyster Bay. It is evi- dent that the people did not like this foreordaining whom they should elect to office, as we learn that on January 4th 1664 Oyster Bay, Hempstead, Newtown, Jamaica and Flushing combined to govern their own af- fairs, irrespective of Connecticut. The court of that colony on the 12th of May following appointed two com- missioners for each of these five towns, thus showing un- willingness to lose its newly acquired jurisdiction over this territory. John Rigebell (also written Rickbell and Richbill) and Robert Ferman (or Furman) were the ap- pointees. Rigebell seems to have been a favorite with the Connecticut government. The matter was ended by the town becoming a part of New York, hy a decision given November 30th of the same year. The early rec- ords and papers were kept in exceptionally good and handsome writing. The style was quite different from that of the penman of to-day, yet with a little practice one is able to read quite rapidly. Sometimes men made their " marks " on documents when it is quite certain from other written papers that they could write. Some of these men occupied positions such as that of surveyor, which would require them to be ready writers.

FIRST PROFESSIONAL MEN.

Little is known about provision for education. The only mention of a schoolmaster is in 1677, when "Thomas Webb, schoolmaster," was appointed town clerk, with a salary of forty shillings. No clergyman, except Mr. Leverich, is mentioned.

".Feb. 19th 1693 .- This day the town met together, in order to a late act of assembly for settling two ministers in the county, but nothing done about it; but made re- turn that it was against their judgment, therefore could act nothing about it." This seems to indicate the feel- ings of the people at that time. Too strong inclination toward the Friends' belief is the probable reason.

476

HISTORY OF QUEENS COUNTY.

The frequent sales and exchanges in land, and ments as blacksmith very well for a time, and was in high favor. Frequent allotments of land were made to him here and there. A dark cloud suddenly appeared in his the laying out for new townsmen home lots together with meadow and pasture, caused the surveyor to take his position in the front rank of the officers of horizon: The town meeting in 1677 ordered the con- the town. John Townsend, "at the mill," was elected to stable, Thomas Townsend, to give Thomson notice to give up the land allotted to him by the town, the town authorities claiming a breach of covenant and threatening to bring him before the next session of court at Jamaica if be refused. Thomson did not give up the land, but employed two attorneys to contest the matter. The town ordered the constable to take possession, but soon saw fit to make a compromise with the attorneys, agree- ing that Thomson should have liberty to sell his house and lands to any one that the town approved, " but not this office in 1686, and served until his death, 1705, when his nephew, Henry Townsend, succeeded him. Thomas Weeks, who was elected in 1686 to serve with Townsend, was succeeded in nine or ten years by Rhode Island John Townsend. These surveyors, dying in 1709, were after a short interval succeeded by George Townsend of Oyster Bay, and James Townsend of Jericho, each of whom continued to be elected for twenty years. The main inducement to hold this office was to know all the land in the town so thoroughly as to enable one to pur- chase and exchange to advantage. The fee was at first six pence per acre, and in 1686 was reduced to three pence.

SUBSTITUTES FOR MONEY.

It is not to be supposed that money was received as payment for such work, or for anything else. Money Allen seems to have given entire satisfaction as long as was rarely used to extinguish a debt. The Townsend he exercised his trade, which was not however many Memorial says:

" If movables were scarce, money was more so, and there are constant allusions to payment in produce, at stipulated prices. We will copy a specimen of these transactions. In 1692 Henry Townsend sold several parcels of land at the Planting Fields to John Dowsbury, for sixty pounds of silver money, current in the colony, to be paid by annual installments of five pounds; but 'it is to be understood that these several payments before expressed are to be paid, the one half in money, the other half in goods, at money price.' The following is the receipt for the first payment: 'Received, this last day of October 1693. Then received of John Dows- bury, in this within-mentioned bill, one cow, one calf, and two-years old heifer, at the sum of five pounds, be- ing in full of the first year's payment, according to the within-written obligation. I say received by me.'

". HENRY TOWNSEND.'"

The mode of paying debts of all kinds seemed to be in the possession of George Townsend, great-great-great- very much like that of paying the minister of the gospel at a donation gathering-part money, and part produce. The people, having little money and little to sell, were obliged to make exchanges among themselves as best they could.

THE BLACKSMITH AND THE MILLER.

It is certain that the pioneers raised wool and flax Linen and woolen clothes were quite plenty. Shoe- makers and weavers were in abundance. No black- smith was found fit to mend their utensils and wares. They no doubt required an accomplished artisan, one who could make their old articles as good as new, and thus greatly extend their term of usefulness. John Thomson, whom the town receives as blacksmith and grants a home lot, is the first one mentioned. The lot if Thomson died in the town was to belong to his heirs, but if he left was to return to the town, it paying for his im- provements. Thomson appeared to fill their require- lis the north bounds; on the south a highway of six poles

to come and live in it himself." The house was sold to Joseph Ludlam, and Thomson, not enjoying the popular attitude toward him, left the town. Abraham Alling, or Allen, was soon after accepted as smith. His lot was granted to him on the same conditions that lots had been granted to others without special trade or profession- that is, to be built upon in a year and a day, or forfeited.

years. He took up land on Mill Neck, and continued to add to it until he owned the tract on the east side of the neck, now divided into four farms, one of which is still owned in the family and situated at the point formerly called Cedar Point. The records show that for many years the settlement of a blacksmith in the village was considered a public concern.

The first grist-mill in the town was built by Henry Townsend. We copy from the Townsend Memorial the following:

"In 1661 the grant of the mill stream was made to Henry Townsend. Dr. Peter Townsend says that before he built the mill the people were obliged to carry their grain across to Norwalk to be ground, and that he was invited here to build the mill by the Wrights and John Dickinson. This is tradition, but is no doubt true. The original grant and the property conveyed by it are now great-grandson of Henry: 'Oyster Bay, September 16th 1661. Be it known unto all men by these presents that we, the inhabitants of the town of Oyster Bay, on Long Island, in America, whose names are underwritten-we do by these presents firmly covenant and engage unto Henry Townsend, now in the said town, upon condition the said Henry Townsend build such a mill as at Nor- walk, on the main, or an English mill on our stream called by us the Mill River, at the west end of our town, then we do give and confirm such lands to him, his heirs and assigns forever, without molestation or condition, as, namely, all the mill lot, bounded with Henry Disbrow's lot on the east side, the salt meadow on the north end, Anthony Wright's meadow lot on the west, and the high- way on the south; and the said Anthony Wright's lot is given also to the said Henry Townsend, that adjoin to the aforesaid mill lot on the east, and Latting's salt meadow on the north end, and a highway on the west side, two poles broad, between the said stream and mill lot, and the highway on the south; and we give him also the salt meadow and upland on the west side the mill stream, to a little stream of water on the west side of it, and the sea

477

MILLING AND COMMERCE IN OYSTER BAY.

broad adjoining unto the swamp. And we do hereby give unto Henry Townsend the said mill stream to build a mill or mills on it, as he shall see cause, and so to re- main firm to hini, his heirs and assigns, so long as he or tley do keep a mill on it, as aforesaid. But if the mill cease to be [run?] for half a year after it is built, and no preparation is made to repair the mill again, that then the town may lawfully enter on the river again as their own, and improve it as the town shall see necessary. But if the said Henry Townsend's heirs or assigns do make preparation to repair the mill, so that it be finished for service after a year's decay, that the said stream shall continue his or theirs on condition a mill be kept up, or else the stream to return to the town, as aforesaid; and therefore we give him by this full power to trench and dam, and to take what timber he hath need of for his use, and to have commoning for his cattle, and on our charges we engage to trench and make a dam for the mill, as he shall give direction, when he calls to have it done. And we allow him the the tenth part for grinding; but if, in process of time, the toll do so increase that less may be sufficient to uphold the mill, so that the miller be not discouraged, he shall have less, as under- standing men in the case, chosen by him and us, shall judge. His toll dish to be made true, and to be struck in taking the toll, and we engage no other ----- -than what is before mentioned shall be made join to the fore- mentioned lands we have given to said Henry Townsend, and we are content that the mill do- app-

in a week- -to grind our corn, and that when the said Henry Townsend do fence in the above said land, that such as have upland or meadow joining to the above said shall join in fencing with him their half, according to English custom; and is to have it all rates and taxes free forever, and to enter in present possession on the stream and lands. And so to the true and due and faithful performance of all and every of the above men- tioned engagements and promises we bind us, our heirs and assigns, to perform unto the said Henry Townsend, his heirs and assigns; as witness our hand, the day and year above written; upon condition he build a mill as aforesaid, serviceable to the town of Oyster Bay, in the condition the town now is in, as the mill at Norwalk is serviceable to their town.

"' Nicholas Simkins, Robert Furman, Benjamin Hub- bard, Richard Latting, Anthony Wright, Francis Weeks, Henry Disbrow, Richard Harcut, John Richbill, Nicho- las Wright, Matthew Bridgman (town clerk), John Finch, John Dickinson, Jonas Halstead, John Bates, John Townsend sen., John Townsend jr., Thomas Armitage.'"

There was some dissatisfaction at one time with the miller. It is said that Richard Harcut served for a time as miller, and he was probably there at the time men- tioned. The action of the town meeting in reference to it throws light on the simplicity of habits and ideas among the early settlers. We furnish a copy:

" 30th of 7th month 1672. At a town meeting, ordered by reason of aspersions cast upon the miller, the town have taken it into serious consideration, and have ordered, with theconsent and agreement of Henry Townsend, owner of the mill, that if any person or persons do not like their usage at the mill they are to give notice of it to the miller, and attend himself, or his wife if he have one, and see their corn ground if they will; but if they will not attend the grinding, and do cast blemishes notwithstand- ing on the miller, they are at liberty to grind in another place, and the miller at his liberty whether he will grind again for any such person or persons until him or them do tender such reasonable satisfaction as may be adjudged just by the town."

This last action of the town would seem to savor strongly of the miller's influence. Henry Townsend built a saw-mill in 1673, and the town granted him and his heirs forever, in consideration of his building, the right to cut and use timber from any part of the town he should choose. He also had the right granted to sell such timber, either in the town or out of it.

In 1678 a grant was made to Isaac Horner of the mill privileges at Shoo Brook, for a fulling-mill. Horner did not build the mill, and in 1684 the grant was given to John Dowsbury, who built and improved the place, but afterward was sold out by the sheriff. The property finally, by sale and inheritance, came into the Hewlett family, of which Samuel J. Hewlett is the present rep- resentative. A saw-mill was built in 1694 at Mill Neck, by the two Birdsalls and two of the Townsends.

COMMERCE.

A grant of land was made in 1668 to build a wharf into the sea at the place now called Ship Point. The grant was forfeited, and the foot of South street was called the dock. The first merchant mentioned is John Richbill. He sold his property to Lattamore Sampson, and disappeared. It may be he was unpopular here, as he was an official of Connecticut, appointed after the town had sought independence from that colony. The next merchant was George Dennis, who after a few years of trade was obliged to make an assignment in favor of

his creditors. William Bradford, the first printer and publisher in New York, was a merchant here for a time. He is styled in his deeds for several years before 1703 merchant of Oyster Bay;" then, and after that, "printer of New York." He, like modern merchants, appeared to live here some time after he commenced business in New York. Inscriptions in some of the old books of records show that the books were bought of him.

Very few wills or records make mention of boats, ship- building or navigation, though their papers are so minute in particulars that it would seem as if they would. Ship Point had received its name in the early part of the eighteenth century, perhaps before. In 1699 a third part of the goods imported into the colony of New York were run into the Long Island ports of Setauket, Oyster Bay, Musquito Cove and South- old. John Townsend, of Oyster Bay, was appointed by the governor surveyor of the customs, with a salary of £30 per year and one-third of the seizures; but, being abused by the inhabitants, he soon resigned his office " through fear of being knocked on the head " by some of the smugglers. By the middle of the century follow- ing, shipping business had become better regulated, and was carried on extensively. Samuel Townsend built several ships of different kinds, and carried on an ex- tensive trade with England and the West Indies, until the close of the Revolution, when he moved to New York. William and Benjamin Hawxhurst owned a store at Cold Spring, and probably one at Oyster Bay, doing a large business, and importing their goods from England. They also owned fulling and grist-mills at Cold Spring.

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History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals., Part 86

Author: Publication date: 1882 Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell and Co. Number of Pages: 703

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell and Co.
Number of Pages: 703