USA > New York > Suffolk County > History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683 > Part 102
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12 day of April Anno Domini 1698, Aged 75 years."
THE ANCIENT TOWN.
In 1654 an order was made that each man who had not already done so should bring in to the recorder a de- jointly; they divided, they exchanged with and they sold scription of his lands-" how they ly East, west, north and South, between whom, and in what places." Thanks to this order we have a pretty accurate knowledge 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 the wheels of time, and endeavor to present a picture of the village in the early days and locate the homes of our honorable ancestors.
On the west side of the road that leads from 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 neighbor 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 his 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 descend- ed to his son John, who in 1699 sold it to "the inhabi- tants of the township of Southold " for 75 pounds in sil- ver. 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 afterward removed to East Hampton, was next west, and this was purchased by Richard Benjamin; his boundary then was "Benja- min's lane," a road that ran from the town street by the east end of Deacon Moses C. 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 wnich the Universalist church 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 Samuel King.
1658 to 1666. In the words of Hon. J. Wickham Case: " John Tuthill, 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
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
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THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD.
been executed." The lot of Samuel King is now in pos- session of the daughters of Mrs. Sophronia Jennings.
Next south came the lot of John Elton, 1658. This lot he obtained of William Purrier, who bought it of Matthew Edwards. It now belongs to the heirs of 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 50 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 is now owned by David A. Jennings and Mrs. M. A. Neck," receiving for his services the privilege of having his share next his own home lot.
Next came the homestead of William Purrier, 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 Huntting.
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 in old deeds as a " tanner," and the remains of his tan-vats have until recently been visible in the in Suffolk county. It was here that the courts were held hollow west of the barn.
The road running north from Main street to the rail- road station, and called in modern phraseology Railroad avenue, was in ancient times known as "Cooper's lane," and it is probable that Thomas Cooper, from whom it derived 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 de- scription 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 possession 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. During his short stay in this town, which was probably in the years 1658 and 1659, he resided on this lot. It is situated in the heart of the village, and at the present time is owned by D. F. Conk- ling and William C. Buckingham. Captain Underhill's career is fully narrated in Thompson's History of Long Island. His was an eventful life-fighting with Indians 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 Hezckiah Jennings.
Matthias Corwin, whose claim to be one of the original company has never been disputed, lived on the next lot. This was left by l:im 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 Peconic. This homestead of Matthias Corwin is directly opposite the Presbyterian church, and 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 towards the North Sea," now called "Horton's lane." The Catholic church stands on the east lot, and also the Pres- byterian 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 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 bearing the name of Jonathan Horton, and after a brief ownership by Henry Huntting and Dr. Sweet it has returned to its ancient line of proprietorship, and is now in the possession of D. Philan- der 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 bounded on the west by the road anciently known as "Tucker's lane," was the homestead of Lieutenant John Budd, and after- ward 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 ex- ceeded 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 eastern 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 Nehemiah 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 stream at Riverhead. He was an officer in the early church, and is mentioned as
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THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD.
"Deacon Tucker." His home lot is now owned by Bar- nabas H. Booth.
Joseph Horton, oldest son of the first Barnabas, re- cords 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 Captain. Benjamin Coles.
Next was the homestead of Barnabas Wines, who re- corded it in 1665. From him it descended to his second son, Samuel. His first son, Barnabas, went to Elizabeth- town, New Jersey, in 1665, but after some years returned 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 broth- ers 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's 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, in- cluding a part of Pequash or "Quasha " Neck. Richard sen. died in 1675 and his widow, Abigail, and son John then continued 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 exception 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: 1, Thomas; 2, John; 3, Stephen; 4, John; 5, Edward; 6, Lemuel; 7, Henry A. 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 Barna- bas. 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 dwel- ling place of his father, the minister. Here he lived till his death, in 1697. The history of the lot subsequent to this cannot be traced, but about 100 years ago it cam 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 occupied 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 fore- most 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 habi- tacon 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 govern- ment.
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 15th 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 far exceed our limits, but one branch deserves an especial mention. Henry 2nd had a son Samuel, who had a son Lieutenant Moses, who died September 25th 1814, aged 91, 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 REGULATIONS OF THE SETTLEMENT.
The plan of the founder of Southold was to establish a settlement where church and state should be identical, and in all cases of controversy the former should have the pre-eminence. It was the settled policy of the colony that none but church members should have any share in the government. The following extracts from the town records will show far more clearly than any words of our own the spirit and intentions of minister Youngs and his company. The statement that it was their belief that the "saints should rule the earth " is doubtless true, and it is also true that they had the best of reasons for desiring it, for they had had the bitter experience of persecution in a land which was at that time most em- phatically governed by sinners.
The oldest entry in the Southold records is a copy of an order made at the general court at New Haven. Its illegible condition has caused many parts of it to be omitted in the printed records, but we are fortunately able to reproduce it here:
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THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD.
"At a Generall Courte held att New Haven Jurisdiction the 27th of October 1643, It was agreed and concluded as a fundamentall order, not to be disputed or questioned hereafter, thatt none shall be admitted to be ffree Bur- gesses in any of the Plantacons within this Jurisdiction for the future but such planters as are members of some one or other of the approved Churches in New England, nor shall any but ffree Burgesses have any vote in any Election (the six present freemen att Milford enjoying the Liberty with the cautions agreed). Nor shall any power or trust in the ordering of any Civill Affaires bee at any time put into the hands of any other than such Church members, though as free planters all have right to their inheritance and to commerce according to such Grants, orders and laws as shall be made concern- ing the same.
By virtue whereof the freemen of Southold * doe hereby publish the orders and laws here written, and all penalties annexed to be and remaine in tull force against all transgressors untill otherwise ordered.
"It was then ordered and agreed that noe Inhabitant in Southold shall lett or sell, wholly or in part, any of his accomodacons therein, or within the utmost bounds thereof, to any person or persons not being a legal townsman, without the approval of the ffreemen in a publicq meetinge of [words gone]. As also that the Towne shall have the tender of the sale of house or lands and a full month's space provided to return an answer."
It was in full accordance with the principles here an- nounced, and to establish the same, that the following oath of fidelity was required of all settlers:
" I A. B., being by the providence of God an inhabi- tant with New Haven Jurisdiction, doe acknowledge my- self to be subject to the Judgement thereof, and doe swear by the greate and dreadful name of the ever living God to bee true and faithful unto the same, and doe submit both my person and my whole estate thereunto, accord- ing to all wholesome laws and orders that for present are or shall hereafter be made or established by lawfull an- thority. And that I will neither plott or practise any evill against the same, nor shall consent to any that shall soe doe, but will timely discover the same to law- full authority there established. And that I will as I am in duty bound maintaine the honour of the same and of the lawfull magistrates thereof, promoting the publiq good of the same whilst I continue an Inhabitant there. And whensoever I shal be duly called, as a free Burgess, according to the fundamental order and agreement for Government in this Jurisdiction, to give my vote or suf- frage touching any matter wch consearneth this Com- monwealth I will give it as in my concience I shall Judge my conduce to the best good of the same, without respect of persons, soe help me God."
A charge was also delivered to all freemen to the effect that they should not plot or consent to any evil against the jurisdiction, and should expose the same if brought to their knowledge; that they should by all means promote the welfare of the colony, give due honor to magistrates, and be obedient to the laws; and when called upon to vote should give their suffrage as they should judge might conduce to the best good.
One of the first acts on record is to prohibit the destruction of timber on the common lands, and this was confirmed by another passed in 1659. It is curious to see our ancestors at that early day anticipating the action of modern " boards of health " by the following order:
"It was in like manner then ordered that who soever
shall have any small or great creatures die or be killed, wch are carrion, either at home or abroad, shall burie the same within one day after notice to him, her or them given thereof. Otherwise shall forfeit for every small creature 5s. and every bigger beast or horses, cowes, swyne &c. 10s. a peece."
On November 8th 1659 it was "ordered by the free- men " as follows: "It shall bee lawfull for any of our inhabitants findeing any Indean or Indeans with any gunn or gunns, boe or boes and arrowes, dogg or doggs, * upon any part of our tract of land adioyning to Hos- hamamack, *
* thence eastward to Plum gut, to take and sease upon ye same and to bring all and every of the matters so taken and seized as afore said forwith to the authority; as also to warne the offender likewise to appeare before them, that the matter may be iu- dicially heard and determined. And all persons legally convicted of any willfull transgressions within the said bounds shall forfeite and loose such their goodes soe taken; one half of the value thereof to goe to him that made the seisure, the other to the Towne's use, accord- inge to antient agreement in that behalf made and pub- lished amongst the heathen."
The original Indian deed for the town is lost, and we know nothing of its terms unless the last clause in the above order is one of them, which is very probable. It seems to have been the policy of the town to keep the Indians in the western portions of the territory, which was then a wilderness, and thus to avoid any danger that might arise from disputes which were liable to occur if they and the inhabitants were in constant inter- course. In 1664 it was voted that the Indians might plant in Hog Neck, provided they made a sufficient fence to protect the crop.
When we remember that most members of the new colony were men of religious feeling, whose lives were governed by the strictest ideas of order and decorum, we need not wonder at the following:
" It was then also ordered (to the end good order and seemly demeanor amongst us may bee attended in all our proceedings, and all unsavorie language and harsh provoking speeches may be avoyded, and all willfull and negligent offenders herein punished) that noe man amongst us in any such meeting shall presume to pros- ecute any matter sett afoote orderly without leave first asked and obtained of the present officers, nor propound any new matter but after the same manner, nor untill the first is wholly layd aside; and all to bee managed in moderate and comely termes and expressions, not tend- ing to obstruct or hinder the present business; nor yet to set afoote any unseasonable discourse, or make or cause to be made any turbulent noyse tending to bee subver- sive of order; every offender to pay for the first offense 6d., the second 12d., to the Marshall."
It is evident from this that our town fathers were anxious to have each man behave after the manner of " Good old Grimes,"
" Who made no noise town meeting days, As many people do."
The houses of the early village all had thatched roofs, and fire once kindled in them would be inextinguishable unless instant appliances were at hand, hence "itt was further ordered that everie inhabitant within three months after publication hereof bee provided of a suf-
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THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD.
ficient ladder to reach the topp of his house, under the penalty of five s."
The town street also must be kept free from all things likely to do damage, and so we find it ordered "that everie inhabitant haveinge annoyed the town street by digginge any water pitts, makeinge any dangerous holes, laying any blocks, loggs or trees in the same, to the prejudice or damage of man or beast, shall forfeit and pay for everie week the same is' neglected Is. per weeke."
"Borrowing " boats without leave was discountenanced, and whoever "shall take or cause to bee taken any Canew, bote, skyff or other such, of English or Indeans, without lycense from the towne thereof, shall pay for everie default 5s."
The word "Canew " in the above quotation leads us to make a little digression, which we trust will be par- doned. In former days, before the " schoolmaster was abroad " and dictionaries were so plenty, it was common among the inhabitants of the south branch of the island, in speaking of Southold and its peculiarities, to remark, " The people there say du, tew and canew;" and their pronunciation of these common words was a shibboleth that distinguished a Southold man at once from a dwel- ler in the Hamptons. This form is very noticeable in the old records, where the writer evidently spelled the word as he had been accustomed to pronounce it. The explanation is obvious: the first settlers of these towns came from different districts in England, and brought the local pronunciation with them, and it was handed down from father to son. Another quaint form of ex- pression is peculiar to this town. any thing, " It does [for seems] to me." A friend of the writer was once in conversation with a stranger in New York, who in the course of the conversation made the remark, " It does to me it is warmer than yesterday." " Were you ever in Southold, Long Island?" was asked. " I was born and brought up there" was the prompt and expected reply.
Wolves were very numerous and troublesome in the early times, and we find it "ordered by the constable and overseers that, for the incoridgment of those that shall make pitts or penns to catch wolves, they shall have fifteen shillings pay by the Towne more than the colony's allowance."
even at this day of enlightenment) who were "busy bodies about other men's matters," it was ordered " that everie such person as inhabiteth amongst us as shall bee found to bee a comon tale carriere, tatler or busie bodie in idle matter, forger or coyner of reports, untruths or leyes, or frequently provokeinge rude, unsavorie words, tenderinge to disturbe the peace, shall forfeit and pay for every default Ios."
THE TOWN PURCHASES.
Although the original records of the town from its be- ginning, in 1640, to 1651 are lost forever, yet from inci- dental notices among the entries of a later date we can form a tolerably correct idea of the main events con- nected with the first purchases. These were made under the auspices and by the directions of the general court at New Haven, and it is almost certain that the deeds were taken in the name of Governor Eaton or other prominent men of the colony, as was the case with the deed for the town of East Hampton.
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