History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 15

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 15


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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During the presidency of General Washington he made a tour into Suffolk county, and his impressions were noted down in his diary, from which the following extract is taken:


" April 21st 1790 .- We dined at Captain Zebulon Ketcham's, Huntington South, which had been a public house, but now a private one; that is, received pay for what is furnished. This house was about 14 miles from South Hempstead, and a very neat and decent one.


65


THE WAR OF 1812 -- COURTS AND EXECUTIONS.


After dinner we proceeded to a 'Squire Thompson's, such a house as the last; that is, one that is not public, but will receive pay for everything it furnishes in the same manner as it it was. The road on which I passed to-day and the country here is more mixed with sand than yesterday, and the soil is of inferior quality; yet with manure, which all the corn ground receives, the land yields on an average 30 bushels to the acre, often more. Of wheat they do not grow much on account of the fly, but the crops of rye are good.


" April 22nd .- About 8 o'clock we left Mr. Thomp- son's, halted awhile at one Green's, distance 11 mniles, and dined at Hart's tavern, in Brookhaven township, five miles farther. To this place we traveled on what is called the South road, but the country through which it passed grew more and more sandy and barren as we trav- éled eastward, so as to become very poor indeed; but a few miles further eastward the land took a different com- plexion, as we were informed. From Hart's we struck across the island for the north side, passing the east end of bushy plains and Coram, 8 miles; thence to Setauket, seven miles more, to the house of Captain Roe, which is tolerably decent, with obliging people in it. The first five miles of the road is too poor to admit inhabitants or cultivation, being a low, scrubby oak, not more than two feet high, intermixed with small and ill-thriving pines. Within two miles of Coram there are farms, but the land is of indifferent quality, much mixed with sand. Coran) contains but few houses. From thence to Setauket the soil improves, especially as you approach the sound, but it is far from being of the first quality, still a good deal being mixed with sand. The road across from the south to the north side is level, except a small part south of Coram, but the hills are trifling."


The war of 1812 gave Suffolk comparatively little trouble beyond some anxious apprehensions of danger that threatened. In 1813 a British fleet occupied Gar- diner's Bay, and from their headquarters there made at- tacks upon the shipping at different points. The partic- ulars of these attacks will be found elsewhere. A draft was made upon the militia for a three months' service at Sag Harbor, where the danger of an attack seemed great- est. Several frigates cruised the sound and harassed the trading sloops plying between the ports along the north shore of the county and New York. This interfered seriously with the shipping of cordwood from the forests of the county to the New York market, which was in those days a business of considerable importance. The searcity of wood in the market stimulated prices, and those who were daring enough to undertake the risk and fortunate enough to reach the city with a load of wood received a price two or three times as great as they or- dinarily expected for it. The cruising frigates were on the alert, and their diligence was every now and then re- warded by a prize. Some of the vessels thus captured were held for a ransom, on receipt of which they were returned to their owners, and others were burned. Though by this means some property was destroyed there were during the whole war but few if any lives lost.


her industries promoted and her culture encouragingly ad- vanced. During those years many thousand acres of valu- able land were improved, the great interests of ship-build- ing and the whale-fishery rose and flourished, the rail- road and telegraph were introduced, villages were built up and the population increased more than a hundred per cent. These matters will receive particular atten- tion on other pages.


CHAPTER V.


--


CIVIL HISTORY OF THE COUNTY-STATISTICS OF POPU- LATION.


HE courts of this county were held at Southold and occasionally at Southampton until the year 1729, when, a court-house having been erected at Riverhead, they were removed to that place, where they have been held ever since. The old building, which was abandoned on the building of a new church at Southold, was bought by the county, and used as a prison until the court-house was built at Riverhead. This building answered both as court-house and jail, and the first session of court was held in it March 27th 1729. About a century afterward it was repaired and a new jail building erected. A new court-house and jail were built in 1854. The county offices are also located at Riverhead.


The record of capital punishment in this county is as follows: John Slocum was executed September 4th 1786, for horse-stealing. The readiness with which the death sentence was passed scarcely a hundred years ago is vividly shown in this case, wherein a man gave his life in expiation of a crime for which in these days he would hardly be arrested. It is said that he only took the horse from its owner's stable and after riding it ten or twelve miles let it go. William Erskine (colored) was executed October 5th 1791, for rape; William Enoch January 12th 1835, for the murder of his wife; John Hallock July 2nd 1836, for the murder of a colored woman; Samuel Johnson July 6th 1841, for the murder of his wife; Nicholas Behan December 15th 1854, for the mur- der of James Wickham at Cutchogue June 2nd of the same year.


From the earliest period each town took care of its own poor. The former method with some towns was to "farm out " the keeping of those dependent upon public charity to those who would take care of them at the least expense to the town. This system was often attended with inhuman abuses, and the system of providing a house for the care of the poor under the supervision of the town authorities was adopted. In 1870 the towns agreed to try the experiment of keeping their poor in a county institution. . Accordingly a farm was purchased at Yap- hank and buildings were erected upon it in 1871, at a


With the events of these years closed the war history in which this county was directly concerned until the outbreak of the rebellion of 1861. Nearly fifty years of uninterrupted peace gave Suffolk an era of tranquil prosperity, during which her resources were developed, total expense (including the site) of about $70,000,


9


66


HISTORY OF SUFFOLK COUNTY.


Additions have since been made to both grounds and buildings.


The office of county superintendent of poor, though not a new one, having been brought into a position of increased importance by the inauguration of the county almshouse and its accompanying system of keeping the poor, we give below the list of those who have filled that office since that time. The board of superintendents, to whose charge the general oversight of the institution falls, consists of three men, holding triennial terms, one being elected every year. The dates given show the beginning of the term for which each was elected:


William J. Weeks, 1869; Edward Dayton, 1870; Stephen R. Williams, 1871, 1874, 1877, 1880; Edward L. Guard 1872; E. Hampton Mulford, 1873; Thaddeus H. Corwin, 1875; William T. Hulse, 1876, 1879; J. Madison Wells 1878, 1881.


In the following lists are contained the names of those who have held important offices in the county at differ- ent periods from its organization down to the present time:


Judges under the Colonial Government .- 1723, Henry Smith, Richard Floyd, Benjamin Youngs; 1729, Henry Smith, Benjamin Youngs, Samuel Hutchinson; 1738, Henry Smith:, Joshua Youngs, Thomas Chatfield; 1752, Richard Floyd, Elijah Hutchinson, Hugh Gelston; 1764, Richard Floyd, Samuel Landon, Hugh Gelston; 1771, 1775, William Smith, Samuel Landon, Isaac Post.


County Judges since the Revolution. - Selah Strong, 1783-93; Ebenezer Platt, 1793-99; Abraham Woodhull, 1799-1810; Thomas S. Strong, 1810-23; Joshua Smith, 1823-28; Jonathan S. Conklin, 1828-33; Hugh Halsey, 1833-47; Abraham T. Rose, 1847-52; William P. Buffett, 1852-56; Abraham T. Rose, 1856, 1857; George Miller, 1857; J. Lawrence Smith, 1858-66; Henry P. Hedges, 1866-70; John R. Reid, 1870-74; Henry P. Hedges, 1874- 80; Thomas Young, 1880 to the present time.


District Attorneys (under the constitution of 1846) .- William Wickham, 1848-57, 1876-79; J. Lawrence Smith, 1857-59; George Miller, 1859-62; Henry P. Hedges, 1862-66; Samuel A. Smith, 1866, 1867; James H. Tuthill, 1867-76; Nathan D. Petty, 1879 to the present time.


County Clerks .- Henry Pierson, 1669-81; John Howell jr., 1681-92; Thomas Helme, 1692-1709; Henry Smith, 1709-16; C. Congreve, 1716-22; Samuel Hudson, 1722- 30; William Smith, 1730-50; William Nicoll, 1750-75: William B. Bevans, 1783, 1784; Ezra L'Hommedieu, 1784-1810; Hull Osborn, 1810-12; Charles H. Havens, 1812-20, 1822-29; Charles A. Floyd, 1820-22; Joseph R. Huntting, 1829-38; George S. Phillips, 1838-40; Samuel A. Smith, 1840-44; J. Wickhanı Case, 1844-50; Benjamin T. Hutchinson, 1850-53; James B. Cooper, 1853-56; Wilmot Scudder, 1856-59; Charles R. Dayton, 1859-62; John Wood, 1862-68; Stephen C. Rogers, 1868-71; George C. Campbell, 1871-77; Orville B. Ackerly, 1877 to the present time.


County Treasurers .- Nathaniel Smith, 1749-64; Josiah Smith, 1764-86; Selah Strong, 1786-1802; William Smith, 1802, 1803; Nicoll Floyd, 1803-34; William Sidney Smith, 1834-48; Harvey W. Vail, 1848-52; J. Wickham Case, 1852-55; Lester H. Davis, 1855-58; Elbert Carll, 1858-61; Francis M. A. Wicks, 1861-64; Jarvis R. Mow- bray. 1864-67; Joseph H. Goldsmith, 1867-69; Stephen B. French, 1869-76; Joseph H. Newins, 1876 to the present time.


John Brush, 1710; Daniel Youngs, 1718; Samuel Dayton, 1723; William Sell, 1728; Joseph Smith, 1730; Jacob Conklin, 1734; Thomas Higbe, 1740; George Munson, 1748; Thomas Wicks, 1785, 1791; Silas Halsey, 1787; Phineas Carll, 1793, 1799; John Brush, 1797; Josiah Reeve, 1803, 1808, 1811, 1813; Phineas Smith, 1807; Benjamin Brewster, 1810, 1812; Nathaniel Conklin, 1814; Samuel Carll, 1819; Abraham H. Gardiner, 1821, 1829; Samuel Smith, 1826; Richard W. Smith, 1832; Silas Horton, 1835; Samuel Miller, 1838; David C. Brush, 1841; Henry T. Penny, 1844; David R. Rose, 1847; John Clark (3d), 1850; Samuel Phillips, 1853; George F. Carman, 1856; Stephen J. Wilson, 1859; Daniel H. Osborn, 1862; John Shirley, 1865; George W. Smith, 1868; J. Henry Perkins, 1871; Egbert G. Lewis, 1874; George W. Cooper, 1877; Robert L. Petty, 1880.


Representatives in the Colonial Assembly .- Henry Pierson, 1691. 1701; Matthew Howell, 1691-1705; John Tuthill, 1693-98; William Nicoll, 1702.23; Samuel Mulford, 1705-26; Epenetus Platt, 1723-39; Samuel Hutchinson, 1726-48; Daniel Pierson, 1737-48; Eleazer Miller, 1748- 69; William Nicoll (2nd); 1739-69; William Nicoll (3d), 1768-75; Nathaniel Woodhull, 1769-75.


Representatives in the State Assembly .- 1777 to 1783- Burnett Miller, David Gelston, Ezra L'Hommedieu, Thomas Tredwell, Thomas Wicks. 1784 to 1785-Da- vid Gelston, Thomas Youngs, Ebenezer Platt, John Smith, Jeffrey Smith. 1786-Jonathan N. Havens, Da- vid Hedges, Thomas Youngs, Jeffrey Smith, Nathaniel Gardiner. 1787-Jonathan N. Havens, David Hedges, Daniel Osborn, John Smith, Caleb Smith. 1788-Jona- than N. Havens, John Smith, Daniel Hedges, Daniel Osborn. 1789-Jonathan N. Havens, David Hedges, Nathaniel Gardiner, John Smith, Henry Scudder. 1790 -Nathaniel Gardiner, Henry Scudder, John Smith, Jona- than N. Havens, Jared Landon. 1791-Jonathan N. Havens, John Gelston, John Smith, Philetus Smith, Thomas Wickham. 1792-Jonathan N. Havens, John Smith, John Gelston, Henry Scudder. 1793-Jonathan N. Havens, John Smith, Ebenezer Platt, John Gelston. 1794-Jonathan N. Havens, John Smith, John Gelston, Joshua Smith jr. 1795-Jonathan N. Havens, John Gelston, Isaac Thompson, Joshua Smith jr. 1796- Abraham Miller, Silas Wood, Jared Landon, Joshua Smith jr. 1797-The same. 1798-Abraham Miller, Silas Wood, Josiah Reeve, John Howard. 1799-John Smith, Jared Landon, Nicoll Floyd, Joshua Smith jr. 1800-Silas Wood, John Smith, Jared Landon, Nicoll Floyd. 1801-Nicoll Floyd, Mills Phillips, Abraham Miller, Jared Landon. 1802-Israel Carll, Jared Landon, Abraham Miller, Tredwell Scudder. 1803-Israel Carll, Josiah Reeve, Jonathan Dayton. 1804-David Hedges, Israel Carll, Sylvester Deering. 1805-Jared Landon,


Israel Carll, Jonathan Dayton. 1806-Jared Landon,


Israel Carll, David Hedges. 1807-Israel Carll, David Hedges, David Warner. 1808-Israel Carll, Jonathan Dayton, Thomas S. Lester. 1809-Mills Phillips, Abra- ham Rose, Daniel T. Terry. 1810-Abraham Rose, John Rose, Tredwell Scudder.


1811-Tredwell Scudder, Thomas S. Lester, Jonathan S. Conklin. 1812-Abra- ham Rose, Usher H. Moore, Nathaniel Potter. 1813- Benjamin F. Thompson, Henry Rhodes, Caleb Smith. 1814-Thomas S. Lester, Nathaniel Potter, Jonathan S. Conklin. 1815-Tredwell Scudder John P. Osborn, John Wells. 1816-Abraham Rose, Benjamin F. Thompson, Phineas Carll.


1817-Israel Carll, Thomas S. Lester, Abraham Parsons. 1818-Charles H. Havens, John P. Osborn, Nathaniel Miller. 1819-John P. Osborn, Isaac Conk- lin, Daniel Youngs. 1820 -- Charles H. Havens, Abra-


Sheriffs have taken office as follows: Hugh Gray, 1702; |ham Parsons, Ebenezer W. Case. 1821-John M. Wil-


67


ASSEMBLYMEN-POPULATION-FIRST CHURCHES.


liamson, Isaac Conklin, John P. Osborn. 1822-Tred- well Scudder, Hugh Halsey, John M. Williamson. 1823- Samuel Strong, Joshua Fleet. 1824-Hugh Halsey, Josiah Smith. 1825-Joshua Smith, David Hedges jr. 1826-John M. Williamson, Usher H. Moore. 1827- Samuel Strong, George L. Conklin. 1828-Tredwell Scudder, Abraham H. Gardiner. 1829-John M. Wil- liamson, David Hedges jr. 1830-Samuel Strong, Noah Youngs. 1831-George S. Phillips, George L. Conklin. 1832-John M. Williamson, Samuel L'Hommedieu jr. 1833-David Hedges jr., William Wickes. 1834-Wil- liam Sidney Smith, John Terry. 1835-George S. Phil- lips, George L. Conklin. 1836-Charles A. Floyd, Nathaniel Topping. 1837-John M. Williamson, Josiah Dayton. 1838-Charles A. Floyd, Sidney L. Griffin. 1839-Joshua B. Smith, J. Wickham Case. 1840-John M. Williamson, David Halsey. 1841-Alanson Seaman, Josiah C. Dayton. 1842-Richard A. Udall, Benjamin F. Wells. 1843-Samuel B. Nicoll, Joshua B. Smith. 1844-Richard W. Smith, Silas Horton. 1845-John H. Dayton, Darling B. Whitney. 1846-Richard A. Udall, Samuel B. Gardiner. 1847-Henry Landon, J. Lawrence Smith. 1848-Edwin Rose, William Sidney Smith. 1849-Edwin Rose, Nathaniel Miller. 1850- David Pierson, Walter Scudder. 1851-Franklin Tut- hill, Egbert T. Smith. 1852-Henry P. Hedges, Zophar B. Oakley. 1853-Abraham H. Gardiner, William H. Ludlow. 1854-George Miller, William S. Preston. 1855-John E. Chester, David Platt. 1856-David G. Floyd, William Sidney Smith. 1857-Edwin Rose, Abraham G. Thompson. 1858-George Howell, George P. Mills. 1859-Benjamin F. Wiggins, Richard J. Cor- nelius. 1860-Philander R. Jennings, Richard J. Cor- nelius. 1861-James H. Tuthill, Alexander J. Bergen. 1862-John C. Davis, John S. Havens. 1863-Benjamin F. Wiggins, John S. Havens. 1864-William H. Gleason, Henry C. Platt, 1865-William H. Gleason, Henry C. Platt. 1866-James H. Tuthill, Richard A. Udall. 1867-Alfred Wagstaff jr. 1868-James M. Halsey. 1869-William A. Conant. 1870-Brinley D. Sleight. 1871, 1879-George F. Carman. 1872, 1873-John S. Marcy. 1874, 1875-Nathan D. Petty. 1876-Samuel B. Gardiner. 1877-Francis Brill. 1878-Charles S. Havens. 1880, 1881-E. A. Carpenter.


POPULATION OF THE TOWNS AT DIFFERENT PERIODS.


1790


1800


1810


1814


1820


1825


1830


1835


Brookhaven


3,224


4.022


4,176


4.790


5,218


5,393


6,095


6,868


Easthampton


1,497


3,154


1,484


1,449


1,646


1.556


1,668


1,819


Huntington.


3,260


8 949


4,424


3,946


4,935


4,540


5,582


5,498


Islip


609


958


885


1,074


1,156


1,344


1.653


2.016


2.138


Shelter Island


201


260


329


379


389


349


330


334


Smithtown ..


1,022


1,413


1.592


1,771


1.874


1,677


1,686


1.580


Southampton


3,408


3,670


3,899


3.527


4,229


4.561


4,850


5,275


Southold.


3.219


2.200


2.613


2,679


2,968


2,459


2,900


3,236


Suffolk County


16,440 19,464 21.113 21.368 24,272


23,695


26,780 28,724


1840


1845


1850


1855


1860


1865


1870


1875


Babylon*


7,050


7,461


8,595


9,696


9,923 10,159 10,159


11,537


Easthampton


2,076


2,155


2.122


2.145


2,267


2,311


2.372


2.299


Huntington


6,562


6,746


7,481


8,142


8,924


7,809 10,704|


7,739


Islip.


1,909


2,098


2.602


3.282


3,845


4,243


4,597


5,802


Riverhead


2,449


2,373


2,540


2,734


3,044


3.226


3.461


3,976


Shelter Island.


379


446


386


483


506


570


645


644


Smithtown ....


1,932


1,897


1,972


2.087


2.130


2,085


2,136


2,379


Southampton


6,205


7,212


6,501


6,821


6,803


6,194


6,135


6,124


Sonthold


3,907


4,191


4,723


5,676


5,833


6,272


6,715


6,840


Suffolk County ...


32,469 34,579 36,922 41,066| 43,275 42,869 46,924 51,873


* Formed from Huntington March 3d 1872.


CHAPTER VI.


RELIGIOUS, TEMPERANCE AND EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS- A GROUP OF COUNTY SOCIETIES.


HE first churches were independent. They had in their practice some form of Congre- gationalism, but there was no organized union between them, and they seem to have had no denominational connection. All the churches that were organized here within at least half a century of the first settlement afterward be- came Presbyterian. The Presbytery of Long Island was organized at a meeting held at Southampton April 17th 1717. It belonged to the Synod of Philadelphia. The growth of the denomination called for the organization of the Presbytery of Suffolk, which took place April 9th 1747. This was reorganized in October 1790, under the title of Presbytery of Long Island, which has ever since been preserved, though its territorial limits have at differ- ent times been curtailed as the number of churches in- creased, until it now comprehends only that part of Suf- folk county lying east of the west line of the town of Brookhaven. The churches west of that line belong to the Presbytery of Nassau, which also comprehends Queens county.


Strict Congregational churches were organized here as early as the middle of the last century, but no union existed between them until the organization of the "Strict Congregational Convention of Long Island " at Riverhead, August 26th 1791. This organization embraced a few churches, principally in the county, and retained its ex- istence till April 1845, when it was dissolved. Other associations of this denomination have at different times been organized.


Babylon


1.254 3,206


643


594


948


382


23


4,533


Brookhaven


Easthampton.


619


338


297


106


308


11


2,299


Huntington


2,185


1,018


1,024


933


568


58


7,789


Islip


1,611


764


815 552


1,210 321


635


11


3,976


Shelter Island.


179


79


85


66


87


644


Smithtown.


620


380


353


840


316


46


2,379


Southampton.


1,661


830


794


430


1,174


45


6,124


Southold


1,881


915


941


727


1,173


52


6,840


Suffolk County


14,260 7,147


6,969


5,870


7,371


.585 51,873


Males of


voting age.


Males of


school age.


Females of


school age.


Foreign born


population.


Owners of


21 yrs. old and


over, unable


to read and


Total


write.


population.


Riverhead ..


1,044


1,611


1,514


789


1,945


115


11,537


783


207


5,802


569


17


1,528


Riverhead.


1.498


17,11


1.753


1.857


1,816


4,533


Brookhaven ..


The canvassers' return in 1879 showed 4,572 votes for Charles T. Duryea and 4,571 for George F. Carman. The certificate of election was given to Mr. Duryea, but after he had taken his seat, an error being shown in the count, the Assembly unseated him and recognized Mr. Carman as the representative of Suffolk.


The nationality of the inhabitants of this county is largely English. But little more than eleven per cent. of its population is of foreign birth, while fully seventy- one per cent, were born within the county. In this percentage of home-born inhabitants Suffolk is exceeded by only one county in the State.


CLASSIFIED TABLE OF POPULATION AS RETURNED BY CENSUS OF 1875.


land.


68


HISTORY OF SUFFOLK COUNTY.


The Methodist Episcopal denomination began work in this county about one hundred years ago. Its growth has been steady and rapid, and it now has a larger mem- bership and a greater number of churches than any other denomination in the county. The churches are under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the New York East Con- ference. Other sects of Methodists are also represented.


The Protestant Episcopal church gained an introduction here a hundred and fifty years ago, and the Baptist church followed it but a few years later. Neither of these made much progress until within a few years past. The Roman Catholic Church has been established in different parts of the county within the last forty-five years. It had in 1875 eleven organizations and ten church edifices in the county, every other denomination having an edifice for each or- ganization. Other denominations are represented in the county, as will be seen by the accompanying table of church statistics, taken from the State census of 1875:


DENOMINATIONS.


Organizations.


Membership.


Value of Church


Property-


Dollars.


¡ Annual Amount Paid


for Salaries of Clergy -Dollars.


African Methodist Episcopal ..


43


1,150


800


Baptist .


623


45,100


6,900


Christian Connection


..... 1,371


98.000


Methodist Episcopal ..


4,307


278,300


Methodist Protestant.


95 26


2.095


400 600


Presbyterian.


3,869


314,075 101,600


8.525


Reformed (Dutch) Church


2


10,700


350


Roman Catholic ..


11


2,690


5,450


Union ...


1


30


101,850 1,800


100


United Methodist Free Church


12


1,000


350


Universalist


1


32


11,000


600


Totals


154 14,145 974,970


81,465


The Suffolk County Sabbath-school Association was organized about twenty-three years ago, and has been in active operation most of the time since. For several years it held four sessions a year, then three, and finally two sessions a year. The zeal with which its work was


The Suffolk County Medical Society was organized July 22nd 1806. Its early records have been lost. The names of Drs. A. G. Thompson, W. S. Preston and B. D. Carpenter are prominent in its history during the gener- ation now declining. The society holds a regular meet- pushed has been fluctuating, but doubtless in the main it ing at Riverhead in April of each year, and a semi-annual has exerted a considerable influence in exciting the in- meeting in some other village in the county in October. terest of Sunday-school workers. For several years a paper called the Suffolk County Sabbath-School Journal was issued quarterly under the direction of its secretary, and contained reports of its meetings.


The Long Island Bible Society has for many years done a good work in this county in the distribution of the Scriptures. Local societies, auxiliary to this, are sus- tained in many of the villages, and through them and the churches collections are made annually for the work of the society. Through the same channel the object of supplying the Scriptures to all who desire them is also carried on.


The Suffolk County Temperance Society was organized in 1850, and has been in operation ever since, most of the time holding meetings monthly in the different vil- lages. Its sessions usually last two days.


county. The order soon began to decline, and there are now but few representatives of it left.


Pursuant to an act passed May 14th 1845, and another, amending the same, passed February 16th 1846, a special election was held May 19th 1846, for the purpose of de- ciding by vote of the people whether licenses for the sale of spirituous liquors should be granted in this county or not. The vote in the several towns stood as follows :


"For License." " No License."


Huntington ...


505.


483


Islip.


141


14


Smithtown


73


103


Brookhaven


150


467


Riverhead


82


221


Southold


6.


289


Shelter Island.


2.


37


Southampton ..


186


405


Easthampton ...


48


83


Total.


1,193. 2,235


"No License" majority, 1,042.


Such a radical change as the entire withholding of licenses was at that time a severe shock to public senti- ment, and a " re-trial " of the question was demanded. A special election for that purpose was held in most of the towns April 27th 1847, with the following result:


"For License." "No License."


Huntington.


598


476


Islip ..


186.


160


Brookhaven


458


384


Southampton.


168


315


Easthampton.


101.


87


1,511


1,422


Majority for license, in the five towns making returns, 89.


The first newspaper published in the county was the Long Island Herald, started at Sag Harbor, May 10th 1791, by David Frothingham. Since that time no less than twenty-six others have been started, of which four- teen are still issued.


It has at the present time thirty-six members, and its officers are: E. F. Preston, president; W. W. Hewlett, vice-president; J. H. Benjamin, secretary; H. P. Terry, treasurer, and R. H. Benjamin, librarian.


In the early part of the present century the towns were divided into school districts, and the division and num- bering, with occasional changes to meet the growth of certain localities, remain the same to the present time. The school system was at first under the care of three commissioners in each town. The office of county superintendent was created in 1842, and continued about six years, after which the duties of that office were dis- tributed among town superintendents. This arrange- ment continued until the office of Assembly district com- missioner was constituted. That office has been held by the following gentlemen: In the first district, comprising




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