History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 11

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 11

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On the margins of creeks along the south side of the island are immense shell banks left by the Indians; these clam or quahaug shells have been burnt and the lime used profitably. The fish called menhaden, however, has been

GENERAL HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

most largely employed. Thompson, in his history of Long Island, published in 1839, estimated that a hundred million were annually taken for that purpose. He says: "The profusion of this species of fish and the consequent cheapness of the article will probably always insure its use in those parts of the island where they abound," But the establishment of factories for extracting oil from them has long since precluded their use, although the refuse is dried and sold under the name of fish guano.

Whether the great plains have deteriorated in fertility, or whether by an improved system of husbandry it is more profitable to pasture cattle only on the farm, it is difficult to determine; but the fact is that, in place of hundreds of cattle and thousands of sheep which once subsisted upon its abundant grasses from May until October, it is now a rare occurrence to see even a drove of a dozen or two cows attended by a boy, and there are no sheep.

Montauk Point is about forty miles long and contains nine thousand acres. It has been owned in common by about forty individuals in shares. It has never been tilled or used for any purpose other than pasturage, each owner being entitled to place upon it seven cattle or forty- nine sheep per share.

There are more than one hundred square miles or seventy thousand acres of salt meadows bordering the bays and harbors of Long Island. From these marshes immense quantities of hay are taken, which with corn stalks is largely used for wintering young stock and dry cattle. There are three kinds of grasses growing upon them, distinguished by the names of sedge, salt and black grass.

The scarcity and advance in the price of farm labor, as well as the advantages attending their use, have caused the introduction of the best farm implements and agricul- tural machinery. Stones are used to some extent as fenc- ing material where they are available, but by far the largest part of the island is entirely destitute of stones large enough for the purpose. Chestnut timber is abund- ant on all the rolling woodlands, and furnishes the ma- terial for about all the farm fences.

Why the attention of cranberry culturists has not been attracted to Long Island ere this it is hard to tell. The southern portion is watered for miles by numerous streams bordered by bogs now almost worthless, which could easily be converted into cranberry swamps. It is a well known fact that many a piece of marsh capable of being made to produce an annual profit of hundreds of dollars produces nothing now but coarse grass and bushes and a fine specimen of Long Island mosquito.

The soil of the southern half of the island, beginning at the foot of the line of hills which divide it through its entire length, is alluvial, and of comparatively recent for- mation. Vegetable matter and loam are deficient, sand preponderating. The action of the water appears to have taken away a portion of its soluble minerals. The soil, being of light, friable character, is adapted to garden farming, whereas a clay soil by constant tillage becomes still more tenacious.

. The Hempstead plains, which, through a mistaken pol-

icy, have until recently been held as public domain, are susceptible of remunerative cultivation. The soil, which is composed of black sand and vegetable mould, is a foot or more in depth. The hollows which cross the tract at regular intervals appear to have been ancient water courses, with but little and in some places no soil to cover the substratum of coarse gravel which appears to underlie the whole formation. There is another and still more ex- tensive tract extending eastward from the plains, reaching to the head of Peconic Bay, composed so nearly of pure sand as to be incapable of profitable cultivation by any process now known. Scrub oak and pines, with a little wiry grass, which usually dries up in the hot summer sun, are the only products. The northern and hilly or undulating half of the island has a soil rich in the mineral elements and phosphates essential to plant growth. Hence wheat, potatoes, cabbage and other strong growing crops are more successfully grown than on the alluvial portions of the island.

CHAPTER XII.

FORMATION AND GROWTH OF THE LONG ISLAND HIS- TORICAL SOCIETY.

HE first steps toward the formation of the Long Island Historical Society were natur- ally taken by a native Long Islander, who had affinities by birth, marriage and resi- dence with each of the three counties. He pre- pared and caused to be widely distributed the following circular:

BROOKLYN, February 14th, 1863.

DEAR SIR: The time has arrived when the city of Brooklyn should found and foster institutions-religious, historical, literary, scientific, educational and humani- tarian-beyond the scope of former undertakings. As one of these a historical society associated with our peculiar geographical position naturally suggests itself. We propose to establish

THE LONG ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

The threefold Indian, Dutch and English history of the island is full of interest, and there are doubtless con- cealed treasures in each department, which will be de- veloped by research and inquiry. By calling out the recollections of the living who will soon pass away, drawing public records and private writings from their concealment, having a fit place for the collection and de- posit of trophies, memorials and historic materials, and also for conventions and lectures upon historic topics, it cannot be doubted that much valuable knowledge will be saved and communicated which would otherwise be irre- trievably lost.

It is proposed to establish, first, a library and repository of books, documents and manuscripts, memorials, trophies and pictures. For this purpose all persons are requested to favor us with any appropriate material in their posses- sion, either by gift or on deposit.

THE LONG ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

It is also proposed to encourage lectures upon historic and kindred topics.

Without further developing our plans and objects in this circular, we invite your attendance at the rooms of the Hamilton Literary Association, Hamilton Building, corner of Court and Joralemon streets, Brooklyn (the door nearest the corner), on the evening of Tuesday March 3d 1863, at 8 o'clock, to take measures to organize the society.

HENRY C. MURPHY, ALDEN J. SPOONER, JOHN GREENWOOD, JOHN WINSLOW, JOSHUA M. VAN COTT, J

Kings County.

R. C. McCORMICK JR.,

HENRY ONDERDONK JR,

Queens County.

HENRY P. HEDGES, Suffolk County.

At the time and place mentioned there was an unusual attendance of the educated and progressive citizens. Other meetings were held in the same place, which devel- oped a warm interest. The subject was debated in a be- coming spirit, the society was resolved upon, and appro- priate committees were appointed to prepare an act of incorporation under the general law and a constitution and by-laws, and provide the requisite rooms. The or- ganization was ultimately effected, and rooms were se- cured under the Hamilton rooms, on the corner of Court and Joralemon streets.

The first election of officers took place in these rooms in May 1863, the following full board being elected:

President, James C. Brevoort; first vice-president, John Greenwood; second, Charles E. West; foreign correspond- ing secretary, Henry C. Murphy; home corresponding secretary, John Winslow; recording secretary, A. Cooke Hull, M. D .; treasurer, Charles Congdon; librarian, Henry R. Stiles.

Directors .- Charles Congdon, Roswell Graves, Thomas W. Field, A. C. Hull, M. D., J. M. Van Cott, Ethelbert S. Mills, R. S. Storrs jr., D. D., Henry R. Stiles, M. D., A. N. Littlejohn, D. D., Charles E. West, LL. D., A. A. Low, George W. Parsons, Alden J. Spooner, John Wins. low, S. B. Chittenden, Hon. John Greenwood, George A. Stephenson, Hon. Henry C. Murphy, William Poole, Henry Sheldon, J. Carson Brevoort, W. I. Budington, D. D., Elias Lewis jr., Theodore L. Mason, M. D., Henry E. Pierpont.

Counsellors .- Kings County: Hon. John A. Lott, Francis Vinton, D. D., T. G. Bergen, F. A. Farley, D. D., Ben- jamin D. Silliman. Hon. James Humphrey. Queens County: William Cullen Bryant, Hon. John A. King, Richard C. McCormick, John Harold, L. B. Prince, Sol- omon D. Townsend. Suffolk County: Hon. Selah B. Strong, Hon. J. L. Smith, William S. Pelletreau, James H. Tuthill, Rev. E. Whitaker, Henry P. Hedges.

Executive committee .- R. S. Storrs jr., D. D. (chair- man), J. M. Van Cott, Alden J. Spooner, E. S. Mills, George W. Parsons, Henry Sheldon, Simeon B. Chitten- den, Henry R. Stiles (secretary).

The first annual meeting (second year) was held May 5th 1864, at which all the above officers were re-elected and the first annual report was presented, which exhibits

a beginning of great vigor and hopefulness. In this re- port Dr. Henry R. Stiles, the librarian, says:

" The nucleus of a library, with which we commenced our operations on the 4th of June last, comprised about 800 bound volumes and 1,000 unbound volumes and pamphlets. This collection, consisting chiefly of works relating to Long Island and American local history, family genealogies and newspapers, was contributed mainly by Messrs. J. C. Brevoort, A. J. Spooner, E. B. Spooner, Henry Onderdonk jr. and Henry R. Stiles. We then occupied two apartments, one used as a lecture- room; the other and smaller of the two was shelved as a library room, having, as we then modestly thought, ample accommodations for the next two years. We soon found, however, that we had quite underestimated the liberality of our friends; for so large was their sympathy, so active their co-operation, and so steady the influx of their gifts -never intermitting for a single day, it might almost be said for a single moment-that it soon became evident we should need more book room. At this point in our history (in September 1863) the receipt of nearly 1, 100 valuable volumes from the trustees of the former City library fairly overwhelmed our slender accommodations, and obliged us to extend our borders by securing three large and commodious apartments adjoining the library."

These claims for additional space, made by the natural history and museum department as well as the library, soon compelled the occupation of the entire third stories of the two large buildings which front on Court and corner on Joralemon street, comprising eight ample and convenient rooms, there being one reading room espec- ially for ladies, with cosey alcoves for books and appro- priate spaces for a large collection of valuable pictures. In these rooms the collections remained until removed to the society's own building. Even to this space had to be added, for the annual courses of lectures, the large lec- ture room of the Packer Institute, near at hand on Joral- emon street; and at times the Athenaeum, Atlantic av- enue and Clinton street. For additional space for the lectures the society for several years latterly has occupied the Second Presbyterian Church, Clinton and Fulton streets; and for some of the lectures of 1880-81 the beau- tiful auditorium of the First Baptist Church, Pierrepont and Clinton streets.

The society having been greatly favored in the accum- ulation of the materials of history, a spirit sprung up aniong the members of individual and mutual labor on works of local history. The principal of these were;

A History of Brooklyn, in three volumes, by Henry R. Stiles.

The Wallabout Series of Memoirs of the Prison Ships, with annotations by Henry R. Stiles.

Journal by two Labadists, Dankers and Sluyter, of a voyage to New Netherland from Holland in 1679-80.

History of the Battle of Long Island, by Thomas W. Field.

The Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brook- lyn, including particulars of the Battle of Long Island, by H. P. Johnson.

Sketch of the first settlement of Long Island, by Silas Wood; reprinted with biography and address by A. J. Spooner.

History of Brooklyn, by Gabriel Furman; reprinted with biography by A. J. Spooner, and notes by H. R. Stiles. Revolutionary Incidents in Kings, Queens and Suffolk, | by Henry Onderdonk jr., of Jamaica.

GENERAL HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

Dr. Stiles resigned his office of librarian, and was suc- books in every department from the splendid donations ceeded by George Hannah, who has served since July made for such purpose. Ist 1865.

The collections in books and objects of art and curios- ity increased so largely as to make an irresistible appeal for the always contemplated building; and about three years ago the board resolved upon a determined effort. An active committee was appointed, which prosecuted the work with zeal and success. In November 1877 it was reported that $100,000 had been subscribed. Plans were solicited, and those of George B. Post, a New York

architect, were preferred. Under his care the building has proceeded, and it was formally taken possession of, with appropriate ceremonies and speeches, Wednesday January 12th 1881, in the lecture room of the new build- ing. Samuel McLean was chairman of the building com- mittee. The number of subscribers to the building fund was exactly 300. The amount subscribed was $137,684. The cost of the building was $121,250. The three lots on which it stands cost in 1867 $32,500, on which $20,- ooo was then paid by subscribers, leaving a mortgage of $14,500; this was paid off on the delivery of the building, and a balance of $2,000 paid to the society. The society, like the Academy of Music and the Mercantile Library, has demonstrated the high-toned intelligence and liberality of the "City of Churches " in whatever concerns its re- ligious, moral or social welfare. Among the benefactors of the society (much too numerous to mention all, or even the leading contributors) should be named the two sisters Thurston, who gave $2,000 for a department of the his- tory of Egypt and the Holy Land, and Miss Maria Cary, who subscribed $2,500 to found a department of American biography. An unknown giver donated $2,000 as the nucleus of a permanent fund for increasing the library. The principal addition to this fund has been Mr. Seney's gift of $50,000, while he also gave $12,000 for immediate expenditure in books, and $25,000 for binding books. There are other invested funds for special departments.

The museum and natural history department is ar- ranged in the spacious upper hall of the building, and is under the competent and energetic care of Elias Lewis jr., whose reputation as a naturalist and scientist is well known on the island. The collections have since the removal been furnished with appropriate cases for their full display.

For all the privileges of the library, museum and lec- tures the fees are $5 for initiation and the same amount annually; life membership $100. There are over 1,300 annual and life members.

At the last election for officers of the society the fol- lowing officers were chosen:

President, Rev. Richard S. Storrs, D. D., LL. D .; first vice-president, Hon. Henry C. Murphy, LL. D .; second vice-president, Hon. Joshua M. Van Cott; foreign corre- sponding secretary, Hon. Benjamin D. Silliman; home corresponding secretary, Rev. Charles H. Hall, D. D .; recording secretary, Chauncey L. Mitchell, M. D .; treas- urer, A. W. Humphreys; librarian, George Hannah; curator, Elias Lewis jr.

Directors .- Rev. Richard S. Storrs, D. D., LL. D .; Hon. Henry C. Murphy, LL. D., Samuel McLean, Alfred S. Barnes, Rev. Charles H. Hall, D. D., James R. Taylor, Henr y E. Pierrepont, A. Abbott Low, Henry Sheldon, Walter T. Hatch, Alexander M. White, Bryan H. Smith, Hon. Simeon B. Chittenden, Hon. Benjamin D. Silliman, J. Carson Brevoort, LL. D., Hon. Joshua M. Van Cott, Edwards S. Sanford, Rev. Alfred P. Putnam, D. D., Elias Lewis jr., Chauncey L: Mitchell, M. D., John S. Ward, George I. Seney, Joseph C. Hutchinson, M. D., A. W. Humphreys, Henry D. Polhemus.

Councillors .- Kings county: Alden J. Spooner, Rt. Rev. A. N. Littlejohn, D. D., Hon. J. S. T. Stranahan, Abraham B. Baylis, Peter C. Cornell, David M. Stone, Hon. John Greenwood, Rev. Frederick A. Farley, D. D., Prof. Darwin G. Eaton, George L. Nichols, Rev. N. H. Schenck, D. D., Hon. Joseph Neilson. Queens county: Henry Onder- donk jr., William Floyd Jones, John A. King, Benjamin D. Hicks, Henry W. Eastman. Suffolk county: James H. Tuthill, Hon. J. Lawrence Smith, Hon. John R. Reed,

The society is now established and fully equipped in its new and superb building, Clinton and Pierrepont streets, Brooklyn. The number of books in the library is about 30,000, with about an equal number of pamphlets. To these there has been a large addition of rare and valuable | Rev. Epher Whitaker, William Nicol, Samuel B. Gardiner.

HISTORY OF SUFFOLK COUNTY

CHAPTER I.

THE INDIAN TRIBES OF SUFFOLK COUNTY-THE ADVENT OF THE WHITE MAN.

UFFOLK COUNTY covers about two-thirds of Long Island. In the opening of historic times the red man was lord of the domain. The Indians occupying it were divided into several tribes. The jurisdiction of the Ma- tinecocks extended a few miles into the north- western part. The Nissaquags joined them, oc- cupying the section about what is now Smithtown. The Setalcats or Setaukets held the land now forming the northern half of Brookhaven township, and were joined on the east by the Corchangs, whose domain ran to the eastern extremity of the land on the northern branch. Shelter Island was owned by the Manhassetts. On the south side the Marsapeagues ran into the southwest corner and met the Secatogues, who occupied some part of what is now Islip township. The Patchogues held what is now the south half of Brookhaven, and were joined on the east by the Shinnecocks, whose land ran away eastward until it met the holdings of the superior tribe of the island, the Montauks. Above the mass of all these Indians there loomed three characters of such commanding power and superior qualities that they were accorded a higher position in the popular estimation than that of ordinary chiefs, a sort of royal triumvirate, in the persons of three brothers-Pogattacut, chief of the Man- hassetts, Wyandanch, chief of the Montauks, and Nowe- dinah, chief of the Shinnecocks. Of these the first held the title-though it would seem in a sense scarcely more than honorary-grand sachem of the island Indians ; while upon the second rested the more practical burden of duties and authority belonging to that title. The

third might be called a sort of prince, a reserve, and per- haps an adviser,

To realize the primitive condition of things, let us in- dulge imagination for a moment by looking in upon a scene of that period. We have wandered along the ocean shore, and listened to the hoarse song of the sea; our faces have felt the burning of the glancing sunlight, and we have breathed the strong salt air. There were no mammoth hotels, no villages of bathing-houses, no light-houses, no life-saving stations nor fragments of stranded wrecks. From the seashore coming through the interior we see no roads, no houses, no farms, but life is represented by the animals and birds that dart away from our approach, and by the fruit and flower-laden vines and shrubs that obstruct our movements. From an interior hill we can see now and then a little band of Indians following some obscure trail through the valley below, as they move from tribe to tribe upon some unknown embassy of friendship or of hatred. As we stand there and look across the val- ley we see where an Indian huntsman has secreted him- self hard by a little sheet of clear, fresh water, to watch for the deer that may come thither to drink. While we look, the sharp twang of the bow, the whirr of the death- dealing arrow and the commotion of the bushes where the game has fallen in its dying struggle tell us that he has not watched in vain.

On the shores of the different bays we find the Indians congregating in villages. These locations are the most favorable to their convenience and habits of life. From the adjacent waters the fish and bivalves which consti- tute an important part of their bill of fare may be ob- tained, as well as the shells from which they manufacture wampum. The numerous springs of fresh water, burst- ing from the pebbled shores, afford them a bountiful sup- ply of that pure element. Approaching one of these rude settlements unobserved, we may take refuge for the pur- pose behind one of these old oaks which, unmolested by the destructive hand of what we call improvement, has braved the storms of heaven and the decay of time for

HISTORY OF SUFFOLK COUNTY.

more than a century; or, if we choose, hide ourselves within the hollow trunk of its neighboring ancestor, and from this covert watch the movements of the savages before us. They know nothing of the existence of any race of beings in the shape of men besides themselves. Their lives, habits, religion and language are unmixed- and shall we say uncorrupted ?- by contact with the white man.

From the elevated position which we have taken we look down upon a quiet Indian village in the immediate

foreground, located upon a low bluff, rising from the .with fire and water and their stone axes digging it out shore of a bay, which with its partially encircling belt of white sand and the verdure-clothed hills rising from it in beautiful undulations presents a landscape scene of sur- As we gaze upon the scene before us, ruminating on the contrast two hundred and fifty years will bring, two Indian girls emerge from the cedar thicket and come running down the slope where these men are at work. With excited gestures they tell the men of something they have seen from the hill behind the cedars. We can- not hear their story, but from the manner of its recital and the absorbing attention the men are ready to give to it we are led to wonder what startling news the little girls have brought. Presently the men throw down their im- plements and start with quick and stealthy tread, follow- ing the lead of the girls as they retrace their steps until the whole party disappears among the cedars. passing loveliness. Beyond the glimmer and sheen of the nearer waters the view takes in a glimpse of the wider expanse which loses itself in the hazy vail that obscures the distant horizon. On the placid water be- fore us half a dozen canoes are paddling lazily about, some containing a single Indian each, others with several, returning perhaps from some neighborly errand to another tribe, or different village of the same tribe, or it may be from some hunting or fishing expedition. There comes one canoe containing three half-grown boys and a quan- tity of long coarse grass or rushes which they have gath- ered from the bog just across the cove. They are bring- ing them to be made into mats by that group of women Some women who were at work about the shell-heap and wigwams, having seen the movements we have just noticed, come over to where the old men are shaping ar- row points and inquire what strange story the little girls brought to the other men. The old arrow-makers are evidently the sages of the village, whose superior wisdom is recognized and sought whenever any mystery is to be solved. These old men are doubtless believed to possess some peculiar spirit charm, by which they can divine things not made known to ordinary minds. This peculiar charm invests their arrows with additional value. To them the women come for the solution of a mystery which troubles them, in regard to the movements of those men who have gone into the cedar-crowned mount. But the old men give them no relief. Then the returned hunters come over to the spot, and the small boys come running up from the shore with the same in- quiry upon their lips. The collecting group attracts the attention of the women out in the cornfield, and they leave their work to come and learn the cause of its gathering together. Now nearly all the Indians of the village who happen to be anywhere within sight have joined the mystified company. seated on the slope just in front of us. That rude man- ufacture in which they are engaged is to them one of the fine arts. But a much finer art is being practiced by that little company which you see to the right of them, hover- ing about that heap of shells. They are working out from the shells they have gathered, by a slow and tedious pro- cess, the details of which we are not near enough to see, those curious little beads which when strung are called wampum and are used for ornaments as well as for money. The facilities of the island Indians for obtaining desirable materials are superior to those of many living on the mainland; hence this is an article of export, as far as their relations with those tribes allow commercial transactions. Then there are others about that shell- heap busy opening clams which they have taken from the flats not far away, and which when opened they ex- pose in the sun until they are thoroughly dried. These dried clams are an important commodity with them, being in demand for home consumption and exportation as well. The great quantities of them found beneath waters here afford an exhaustless supply to the moderate wants and industry of the Indian.

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