History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 107

Author: W.W. Munsell & Co., pub; Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather); Cooper, James B. (James Brown), 1825-; Pelletreau, William S. (William Smith), 1840-1918; Street, Charles R. (Charles Rufus), 1825-1894; Smith, John Lawrence, 1816-1889
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 677

USA > New York > Suffolk County > History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683 > Part 107

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THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD.

The first house was built by Lester Brooks, and stood not far from the lumber yard west of Main street. This house was afterward bought by John Ashby and moved, and it now stands two doors north of the corner of Main and Amity streets. The first store, built in 1828, by Walter Havens, stood at the foot of Main street, east side.

The name Greenport was adopted at a meeting held in 1834. A post-office was established in 1832, and John Clark was the first postmaster.

The first vessel built here was a sloop named " Van Buren," built by Calvin Horton in 1834. The first ship was the " Jane A. Bishop," built by Hiram Bishop and board the cars, and the man who was superlatively intox- named after his daughter. Steamboats began running here in 1836.

The whole fishery had its decline and fall almost as sudden as its rise. It ended for this place in 1860, and the last ship was the " Italy."

Since then a new business has sprung up in the shape of the menhaden fishery, and there are at the present time 21 steamers engaged in the enterprise. The num- ber of fish caught in 1881 was 211,000,000 ; fish oil made, 1,013,350 gallons ; tons of scrap, 22, 100. The estimated catch of fish within the collector's district by bay and other fisheries is 400,000,000, with a value of $975,000.

There are registered in the books of the surveyor of this port 228 sail vessels and 23 steamers. These are engaged entirely in coasting and fishing voyages. The surveyor of the port is William Z. King, with B. P. Adams as deputy and inspector.

The First National Bank occupies a building in a prominent locality. It was established in April 1864, with a capital of $50,000, which was soon increased to $75,000. Grosvenor S. Adams was president and G. C. Adams cashier.

The hotel of Captain John Clark was established in 1831, and the Peconic and Wyandank Hotels in 1845.

The Peconic Lodge of Free Masons was organized in 1854, and received its charter in 1855. The Sithra Chapter of Royal Arch Masons was organized in 1876.

There is also a lodge of Odd Fellows, organized in 1855 and numbering 75 members.

According to the last census, in 1880 this village had a population of 2,370. There were 651 families and 581 houses. Of the men 236 were engaged in fisheries, 81 were mariners, and 230 in mechanical trades and pro- fessions,

THE RAILROAD OPENED.

The year 1844 introduced a new era, and for the first time this place was brought into connection with the outside world by railroad.

The first train of cars on the Long Island Railroad was run to Jamaica on the 18th of April 1836, in 23 minutes. The locomotive was the "Ariel." In 1837 trains were run through to Hicksville, and in 1841 the track was extended to Suffolk Station.

On the 25th of July 1844 the first train passed over

the road from Brooklyn to Greenport, 95 miles, and the event was duly celebrated. The day after the road was finished a special train came through, bearing officers of the road and their friends. A large tent was spread north of the track about 30 rods west of the present de- pot. Four tables a hundred feet long were spread under the tent, and a dinner was served to the parties who came on the train and a few of the villagers. The pro- visions were brought from New York, and included 40 baskets of champagne and half a cask of brandy. As a natural consequence many of the excursionists were so stupidly drunk that it was necessary to put them on icated was afterward governor of the State. The whole affair was discreditable in the extreme.

GREENPORT CHURCHES. €

The Congregational church owes its origin to a few who when the ancient church at Southold became Pres- byterian resolved not to change, but to still keep up the church as founded by the first pastor. Accordingly they resolved to reorganize the " old church of Southold," and invited Rev. William Lyel, of the church of Aquebogue, attended with Deacon Youngs and they formed the new church, and administered the Lord's Supper. The first members were Calvin Moore, Thomas Youngs and wife Lydia, Joshua P. Youngs and wife Hannah, William Y. Brown and wife Lydia, and William H. Wiggins. The church edifice was built in 1848.

The following ministers have been in charge : Emer- son Swallow, 1848-50; P. H. Burghardt, 1851; H. T Cheever, 1852-55; Albert Fitch, 1856; Mr. Hewling, 1858; Henry J. Acker, 1860; H. C. Easton, 1862; S. Orcutt, 1864; O. C. Morse, 1875; Otis Holmes, 1879; Stephen Haff, 1880; and Rev. Lorenzo Dow Place, who commenced April Ist 1880 and yet remains.

We are glad to state that the church is well established and is worthy of its ancient origin.

The Baptist church antedates all others except the Congregational; for, although its present organization was effected in 1831, yet most of its constituency had been members of a Baptist church whose origin dates back some twenty years earlier and whose members resided principally at East Marion and Orient.

A few Baptists came to Long Island and organized a church about 1810. They worshiped in private dwel- lings at East Marion, then called Rocky Point, and sometimes in the school-house in district No. 4. After this they built a meeting-house on the road from Green- port to Orient, east of the residence of the late Jeremiah King. This was afterward moved into the village and used as a school-house, and at the present time it is a part of the house used by the colored Methodist society in the western part of Greenport. This was probably the first Baptist meeting-house on the east end of Long Island. At that time there was no church east of South- old. It is astonishing now to relate that this society was looked upon as a sect not to be tolerated. When the first minister came and converts were to be baptized

THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD.

a clergyman and an elder, with a lawyer to take down the village. The same building is now attached to a house standing near, and used as a kitchen. A second school-house was built on the same site in 1845. The and this was done in 1868. the sermon, came from Southold to see if some heresy could be found. After the sermon the lawyer's advice was, " Better let them alone." At the time of the first increasing attendance rendered its enlargement necessary, baptism addled eggs were strewn along the beach, and a dead dog and sheep were placed in the water. In Sep- tember 1831 a number met at the house of Daniel Har- ris, on Stirling street, and passed the following resolu- tions :

I. Resolved, That we will bury all our former difficul- ties in oblivion; and that any person or persons who shall ever speak of them again, to the grief of any brother or sister, shall be deemed transgressors, and be dealt with accordingly.

2. Resolved, That we do hereby adopt the articles of faith and covenant prepared and recommended by Elder James, as suited to the constitution of a Baptist church in this place.

3. Resolved, That we, David James, Benjamin Clark, Silas Webb, Jonathan Truman, Francis Clark, Elias T. King, Noah G. Beebe and James Tuthill, do hereby en- ter into solemn covenant to walk together in church fel- lowship according to the gospel of Christ.

4. Resolved, That we do hold our first regular church meeting in the place of public worship in Stirling, on the 24th inst., at 2 o'clock P. M., at which time an opportu- nity shall be given to any persons who may feel disposed to unite in church fellowship with us.

September 24th 1831, agreeable to the appointment, the church met at the meeting-house in Stirling, for the purpose of receiving members; and, after opening the meeting with prayer, chose Elder James moderator and Silas Webb clerk. The following named persons were then received into fellowship:

George Tuthill, Terry F. Rackett, Melinda Webb, Hannah Clark, Sophia Truman, Anna Tuthill, Lydia Hart, Jemima Young, Jenetta Weldon, Nancy Rackett, Polly Beebe, Deziah Rackett, Polly Tuthill, Charlotte Beebe, Mehetabel Ryon, Mary James.

Early in 1831 a meeting-house was built at the head of Main street and east of the school-house in district No. 4. In 1844 the church was moved to its present site, and the church at East Marion was constituted.

The present pastor is Rev. E. S. Wheeler. The total membership is 217. The church edifice was enlarged in 1855, and is the largest in the village.

The Presbyterian church was dedicated December 3d 1835, and the first pastor was Rev. Daniel Beers, of whom a sketch appears elsewhere.

The Methodist Episcopal church was built in 1834, and partially destroyed by fire in 1847. It was enlarged in 1858, and had a commodious lecture room adjoining it.

The Roman Catholic church in the southwest part of the village was built in 1856.

The Episcopal service was first held in a cottage in the rear of the Wyandank Hotel. The church was organized Ooctober 19th 1863, and an edifice built in 1865 on a lot donated by A. M. C. Smith.

SCHOOLS.

The first school building was erected in 1832, and stood on the east side of First street, near the center of

In 1880 the citizens of this village did honor to them- selves by erecting the finest and most convenient union school building in Suffolk county. The erection of such a building, with the increased facilities for obtaining a thorough education in all branches required for the, or- dinary business of life, cannot fail to be productive of the most beneficial results. This school has been for some years under the care of Edward R. Shaw, a native of Bellport, L. I., who as an instructor stands foremost among the teachers of this county. Under his able management every departement has made marked im- provement, which is likely to be still more apparent in the future. The present attendance is 400, under the care of the principal and five assistants.

NEWSPAPERS.

The Republican Watchman was first established at Sag Harbor, September 16th 1826, under the editorship of Samuel Phillip, and was removed to Greenport in 1844. In 1852 the mangement was transferred to S. Wells Phillip, a son of the former editor. The paper was sold to its present owner, Hon. Henry A. Reeves, December 4th 1858. Since that time it has been the recognized organ of the Democratic party in this county, and, what- ever may be the opinion of friends or foes as regards Mr. Reeves's political views, he is entitled to the credit of never leaving his fellow citizens in the slightest doubt as to what they are. In recognition of his services he was elected a member of Congress in 1869.

The Suffolk Times was established in 1856, by John J. Riddell. In 1862 it was purchased by Cordello D. Elmer, but resold to Mr. Riddell in 1865. It became the property of Buel Davis the following year, and in 1870 was sold to William R. Duvall (the present editor of the Riverhead News), who transferred it to Lucius C. Youngs, and since 1875 it has been under the manage- ment of Llewellyn F. Terry, as an advocate of Republican principles.

CUTCHOGUE.

The western boundary of "the old town," or the first purchase made in 1640, was at a place known as the "Fresh Meadows," where Thomas Golden now lives. In 1649 Captain John Youngs informed the general court at New Haven that "they at Southold " had purchased the tract of land extending from this place to the western bounds of the town of Riverhead. These lands lay vacant and common (except some par- cels of land on the necks south of the main road) until 1661, when it was voted that they should be surveyed and laid out to every man in proportion to his right in commonage. The part that was called the "Cutchogue

THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD.

division " extended from the town's old bounds at Fresh Meadows to the " Canoe Place," or south end of Matti- tuck Creek. In this division the lots were laid out run- ning from the main road to the sound, and a single lot, or, as it is called in the record, a "first lot," contained 112 acres. They were probably drawn by lot, and in the record of each man's lands they are mentioned in the following manner: "John Goldsmith sells to Jonathan Reeves a certain first lot of upland in Corchaug division, bounded south by the highway and so runneth to the North Sea Cliff." In 1684 Sarah Youngs sells to Barna- bas Wines " a certaine tract of land at Mattituck, being a first lot in Curchaug Divident, containing one hundred and twelve acres, bounded west by Mattituck Creek, east by lot of Peter Dickerson, south by the highway, and north by the North beach." This tract of land is at the present time, after a lapse of two hundred years, owned by Barnabas Wines, a descendant of the first Bar- nabas.

Of the land south of the highway we have no very exact account of the laying out, but it was in smaller lots, and meadows, which in those days were very valuable, were divided separately. The first two necks in Cutch- ogue were known in ancient times by the names of Pe- quash Neck and Poole's Neck, though they have long since lost these Indian names. They were both given by the town to William Wells in 1661, and are now owned by his descendants of the seventh generation, though not of the same family name. "Poole's Neck " is now the estate of Henry L. Fleet, while Pequash Neck is owned by. Eugene H. Goldsmith. The history of these valu- able tracts of land has been most carefully traced by Hon. J. Wickham Case.

Probably one of the first settlers was Benjamin Hor- ton, who had a house here :in 1664. By various sales and exchanges he secured a large estate. His will is of such an extraordinary nature that we give it entire.

"In ye name of God Amen. febr ye 19 1685-6, ac- cording to the computation of ye Church of England, I, Benjamin Horton, in ye County of Suffolk in ye Province of N. Yorke on Long Island, being in perfect memory, doe make & ordain this my last will & testament.

" Item .- I give to Caleb Horton & Joshua Horton & to Jonathan Horton & Mersy Youngs 80 bushels of wheate & Indian, 20 swine, 20 sheep, to be devided to them four alike.

" Item .- I give my house & land & meadows except my Meadow of Common over the River to the Sacrament table yearly for evermore.

" Item .- I give to my friend Thomas Tusten one lot of the common meadows over the River, and a coate cloth that is at Stephen Bayles, and the corne that is more than the 80 bushels I give to Thomas Tusten.

" Item .- I give ten oxen for a bell for the meeting- house to call ye people together to worship the Lord God.

" Item .- I give the rest to the poore.

" Item .- I give to my man Joseph one sow, one gun, one sheep & his time, to be out next may day.

" Item .- I give to my sisters my wives cloathes to be divided to them two.

" Item .- I give all the rest of my goods to my brother Joseph Horton.

" I make my brother Joshua Horton sole executor of this my last will & testament, revoking all other wills & testaments, to see all my debts paid.

" BENJAMIN HORTON."

The house and land mentioned in this singular will. are on the eastern part of Cutchogue Neck. Whether the property was ever applied to pious uses as its owner intended is unknown. The estate afterward belonged to Parker Wickham, and was confiscated after the Revolu- tion and sold to Jared Landon; it is now owned by Wil- liam H. Case.

Another of the early settlers was Caleb Horton, son of Barnabas. In 1669 his father gave him a "third lot " at Cutchogue, bounded by Samuel King east and Benja- min Horton west, a tract of 300 acres. This tract, then covered with woods, he cleared, and became a wealthy farmer. The place of his homestead is now occupied by the heirs of William Wickham, who died in 1859.

In 1678 John Goldsmith of Southampton (who was a son of Thomas Goldsmith, and ancestor of the numerous families of that name in Southold) made an exchange with widow Margaret Cooper of the latter town. He sold her three acres of land now owned by Edwin Post of Southold, and lying near that village, and received in return " half a third lot " at Cutchogue-168 acres. In 1684 he bought of Robert Norris another tract of 168 acres, adjoining the former on the west. This tract is in the heart of the village of Cutchogue, and includes the farm of Morgan Morgans, lands of Dr. Henry P. and. Nathan Goldsmith, the Catholic church lot and lots adjoining (the original tract ran north to the sound). The three acres in Southampton are now worth $600. What the 168 acres in Cutchogue are worth the owners can judge much better than the writer. The neck upon which the village of New Suffolk is situated was origi- nally called "Robins Island Neck," and was very early owned by Master John Booth (as he was called by way of pre-eminence), together with all the land on the main road at Cutchogue between the estates of Henry L. Fleet and William H. H. Case. It remained in the hands of his descendants for some generations.

Fort Neck was so called in ancient times on account of an Indian fortification which existed here at the time of the settlement, the remains of which are still to be seen on the east bank of the creek. This neck is often mentioned as the Old Field, and was doubtless cultivated by its aboriginal owners. It was originally divided into small lots, but these were bought by Caleb Horton, until as early as 1680 he owned almost the whole neck. It remained in his family as late as 1800, and is now owned by John Downs, who resides upon it.

The population of Cutchogue in 1880 was 825.

CUTCHOGUE CHURCHES.

Presbyterian .- The church bell to obtain which Ben- jamin Horton made such liberal provision in his will could hardly have done him much good had it been procured in his life time, so long as he lived in Cutch- ogue and the church was in Southold. But the time soon

THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD.

came when the village was to have one of its own. The and treasurer. January roth 1844, owing to Mr. Case's fee- first meeting-house was built here in 1732, the building ble health, Joseph H. Goldsmith was appointed secretary being raised on the 26th of May. The first pastor was Rev Mr. Wooley, and the second Rev. Abram Reeves. The following is a list of the later pastors : and treasurer. In 1846 Hutchinson H. Case was elected president and treasurer, and he has held the office to the present time. Joseph H. Goldsmith was attorney and secretary of the company from 1844 to 1877, the time of his death. January 31st 1877 Franklin H. Overton, the present incumbent, was elected secretary to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Goldsmith, and Nathan D. Petty was elected attorney.

Ebenzer Gould, 1740-47; vacancy ten years; Thomas Payne, 1750-66; no regular ministration till the pasto- rate of Zachariah Greene, 1787-96; temporary supplies, 1796-1810; Lathrop Thompson, 1810-26; Ezra Youngs; 1827-41; stated supplies, 1841-48; Amos Lawrence, 1848- 58; James Sinclair, 1851-61; Clark Lockwood, 1862-66; Eusebius Hale, 1866-76; Samuel Whaley, 1876.

During the interval between 1797 and 18ro a violent contention arose in this church concerning the manage- ment of funds belonging to the society, which had been increased by private contributions. In this contest the church was divided; both parties became involved in a lawsuit, and it seemed extremely probable that the money which had been devoted to the service of the Lord would be diverted to the service of the devil in payment of lawyers' fees and court expenses. Happily the difference was adjusted and the church once more united. In 1848 the congregation voted to adopt the Presbyterian form of government.

The last sermon was preached in the old church Feb- ruary 22nd 1852, and it was demolished after having stood 120 years. The present building was dedicated December 8th of the same year.

It was in this church that Rev. Nathanial S. Prime, well known as one of the historians of Long Island, began his labors as a preacher in 1805, as a supply; and

40 years later he stood in the same pulpit in the same without taxing the notes, which has never been done. capacity.

A Congregational church was built in 1862, and a Methodist Episcopal church in 1830. This proving too small a new one was built in 1857. There is also a Roman Catholic church organization, under the care of the pastor of the Southold church. But of these churches we have not been able to procure the information which we would gladly have published.

SUFFOLK COUNTY INSURANCE COMPANY.

The Suffolk County Mutual Insurance Company was incorporated April 30th 1836, for a term of 20 years. The charter provided that no policy should be issued until application should be made for insurance to the amount of $50,000 at least. The incorporators were Seth H. Tuthill, Joseph H. Goldsmith, John Brown, Francis R. Youngs, George Champlin, Augustus Griffin, Marvin Holmes, Joseph Terry, Samuel Hobart, David Terry, William H. Tuthill, Caleb Dyer and Jonathan Latham.

The company commenced business July 6th 1837. The first president elected was Seth H. Tuthill ; Joseph H. Goldsmith was the first secretary, and John Brown the first treasurer. In 1838 Ebenezer W. Case was elected treasurer. In 184r Captain John Brown of Orient was elected president. The former secretary and treasurer having resigned, Ebenezer W. Case was elected secretary

The present directors of the company are Hutchinson H. Case (president), Henry H. Terry, David R. Rose, Moses C. Cleveland, David H. Huntting, Henry P. Hedges, Jonathan B. Terry, Rensselaer T. Goldsmith, Nathan D. Petty, Sidney L. Seaman, John S. Havens, John O. Ireland and Herman T. Smith.

On the 30th of April 1876 the charter was renewed for 30 years.

This company does not insure outside of Suffolk county, nor does it take risks in thickly settled. villages. Its officers and directors are generally known in the county, and the assured have confidence in the manage- ment of the company, and when they sustain loss expect prompt payment according to the conditions of insurance. The rates are much less than can be obtained through other companies, which has caused a large amount of property to be insured, amounting at this time to be- tween three and four millions of dollars.

The company has been and is now managed very economically. It proposes to keep a sufficient surplus, with the yearly premiums received, to meet all losses The company has 22 agents, who render quarterly reports to the secretary.

MATTITUCK.

The creek or small bay which extends from the sound nearly across the town was called by the Indians " Mat- tituck," and this has given its name to the region lying on both sides of it and embracing some of the most fer- tile and highly cultivated lands in the town. The eleva- tion called " Manor Hill," on the main road, is usually considered as the boundary between this village and Cutchogue. The comparatively narrow strip between the head of the creek and Peconic Bay was called in the early records the " Canoe Place." The part of this dis- trict east of the Canoe Place was a part of the great Cutchogue division, the lots running from the main road north to the sound. The land to the west of Mattituck Creek belonged to the Occabaug division, the lots run- ning from the bay to the sound, and a single lot con- taining about 250 acres.

About 1664 Thomas Mapes records among his lands " one divident " (he owned two shares) " at Occabouk, lying next and adjoyning to the canoe place by Matti- tuck pond, being in breadth eight score poles, in length from sea to sea, the land of John Youngs jr. west." This tract of over 500 acres runs from the creek as far west as

THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD.

the land of Thomas Hallock. It is now subdivided is so famous in the history of the Southold church, was among many owners. The north part, next the sound, ordained June 4th 1775, and remained ten years. was called Mapes Neck and remained in the Mapes family for three generations.

The neck called in the old records "Pesapunk;" bounded on the north by the main road running west from " Manor Hill," and considered among the choicest tracts of land in the town, was originally owned by John Booth, who sold it to Thomas Giles in 1677. Giles sold it to David Gardiner of Gardiner's Island in 1682, and

The tract west of this neck, lately in possession of Hon. Francis Brill, was originally owned by William Purrier, and transferred by his executors to Thomas Mapes as equivalent to a legacy of £20. The land around Mattituck Pond originally belonged to William Purrier, Thomas Reeves and William Wells.

The population of Mattituck in 1880 was 843.

MATTITUCK CHURCHES.

Presbyterian :- At what time a settlement was made we do not know, but in 1684 John Osman had a house west of the creek, and in 1715 the population had in- creased to such an extent that James Reeves, who was probably one of the earliest settlers, gave a half acre of land as a site for a church, and an acre and a half ad- joining for a burying ground. This conveyance was dated November 7th 1715, and in the following year a church was erected. This building was superseded by a new church in 1830. In 1853, when the Presbyterian society erected the present church, the old one was bought by the Methodist society and moved a short dis- tance west, and the services of that church have been regularly sustained.

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