USA > New York > Suffolk County > History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683 > Part 20
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aforesaid," conveyed to theni all that "tract or parcel of upland aforesaid from the edge of the fresh meadow southward unto the Indian path, northward as now it is, and from the river eastward that parts Guscomgiraram from the said Sautapague unto the river westward that parts Sautapague and Naguntepague;" stipulating "that the upland aforesaid may be equally divided unto every English owner of meadow and upland answerable to their proportion of meadow, to the end that the Eng- lish and Indians may not be trespassers one to the other, but that there may be neighborly love continued between English and Indians. *
* * Whereas it is said in the 17 line the upland to be divided according to the proportion of meadow, it was a mistake-the upland is to every man alike according to the intent of the In- dians."
A deed dated July 13th 1689 " witnesseth that Jeffrey, the Indian living at Secotauke-that being the name that it is commonly called by "-had sold to Robert Kellum of Huntington " eight acres of land at Neguntatague, he having a right there whensover the Indians see cause to sell it. And the said Jeffrey doth engage that the said Robert Kellum shall have this eight. acres of upland at the south end of the neck above mentioned where the said Robert Kellum shall see cause to take it in." This was witnessed by Jonathan Harnott and Elizabeth Whitte
November 5th 1689 "Wanchas, Pamequa, Chippas, Will Cheepye, Wawerweeram, Peetawas, chief heads of all ye Sequatauge Indians," gave a deed to Jonas Wood sen., Captain Thomas Fleet, Isaac Platt and Captain Platt, of Huntington, for " a certain neck of meadow land lying and being on the south side of this island eastermost of all the purchased necks, commonly called or known by the name of Sampawams*, bounded on the south side with the sound [here meaning the Great South Bay], the east with a river or creek, and north with the Indian path that now is the west with a river or creek. We say all the aforesaid neck of. meadow land, both fresh and salt, with its upland within the bounds, and wood for sellars, gards and firings above the Indian path, unto the said Jonas Wood sen. and others, their heirs & assigns, and the use of the town of Huntington, for and in consideration of the sum of fower score and ten pounds, in silver or goods at silver prices, all in hand secured before the selling and delivery hereof."
This was signed by the above named Indians with their " marks."
November 13th 1689 the Secatogue Indians Pumshau, Wamchas, Pamequa, Will Chepie, Coucecukkua and Jef- frey sold to Samuel Ketcham of Huntington, for £10 10s., "a certain island ot meadow and the beach called by " them Sucrunkas and "bounded on the east by a certain crick which runs through the said island which we have sold to the said Samuel Ketcham, Nesauaske,
* Spelled at the present time "Sumpawams," the neck of land being the site of the part of Babylon village situated south of Prospect street. The "Indlan path " crossed the neck of Sampawams about where Prospect street Is now located.
3
THE TOWN OF BABYLON.
which creek is called by us Pascurucks-all the meadows lying westward of Pascurucks of the said Island Scre- kunkas." "And that there may be no mistake of this saile it is to be remembered and noted that the west bounds of the said island is to be reconed where the fishing houses formerly stood."
A deed dated March 7th 1691, from "Ould Cheepie, Will Cheepy, Massapague Indians," conveyed to Robert Kellum, of the town of Huntington, "one island or the island, between the south beach and the south mead- ows of the town of Huntington, against a parcel of mead- ow commonly called or known by the name of Half Neck." Through the island of meadow "aforsaid there runs a small creek, as two islands, but we accompt it as one island."
islands of meadow, lying and being on the south side of ome, Marsapeague Indians, deeded to John Ketcham,
September 21st 1691 Wamcos, sagamore of the Se- catogue Indians, with others of the Secatogues, sold to Epenetus Platt, Richard Brush, Jonas Wood and Thomas Brush, with their associates, all of Huntington, "the upland of a neck of land lying on the south side of this island, called Naqueetatogue. The meadow land of that neck belonging to Justice Platt, Richard Brush, Jonas Wood, Thomas Brush and their associates; but all the upland from the fresh meadow to the Indian path that now is from Sautepague River on the east side to Little Neck River west, with liberty to cut wood or timber for gards or sellars on the north side of the Indian path, the aforsaid Indians, being the true proprie- tors, do alienate and confirm all of the said land above mentioned on the south side of the Indian path, and what benefit on the north side of the path as is recited."
By a deed dated November 28th 1693, "in the fifth year of our Sovereign Lord and Lady, William and Mary," Sowames, an Indian of Marsapeague, conveyed to John Wood, of Huntington, "a parcel of land lying in the town of Huntington, Copiag Neck, and bounded eastward on the land of Samuel Wood, of the aforesaid town of Huntington, westward upon Tacamackacackee Crick, southward upon the meadows already purchased, northward upon the commons, that is to say, forty rods above the nowe Indian path." The deed was acknowl. edged before John Wicks, one of their Majesties' justices of the peace, July 9th 1696.
A deed by certain Secatogue sachems to Samuel Wood, dated July 2nd 1696, recites that the sachems of Mon- tauk and Secatogue in 1657 and 1659 conveyed to " Jonas Wood of Halifax, of the town of Huntington, a half neck of land and meadow lying at the south side, called Copiag Neck, which was bounded northward by the head of Copiag River, east by the creek, and west- ward by the Marsapeague Sachem's land;" and proceeds to confirm the former conveyance.
Manome, Sucuctom and Will Chopy, Marsapeague In- dians, on the 5th of May 1697 sold to John Ketcham and Jonas Platt of Huntington "a certain neck of land lying on the south side of this island, within the bounds of Huntington, called by the Indians Scuraway and by
the English Josiah's Neck,
*
* * from the south
meadows, and so running north by the swamp called by the English the West Neck Swamp, to the line of the said swamp upon the brushy plains; then on a straight line upon the brushy plains till it comes against the head of a short swamp joining to the south meadows lying between his neck said and a half neck; then to run from the head of this half neck swamp on a northeast line northeast upon the bushy plains."
May 11th 1697 William Chopie, Cungome, and Mam-
James Chichester and Timothy Conklin, sen., of Hunt- ington, for £16 7s. " a certain neck of land lying on the south side of this island called West Neck, being the westermost neck of Huntington bounds, bounded on the east by a river and swamp which parts this said neck and a neck called by the Indians Scuraway, by the Eng- lish Josiah's Neck, and running northward by the said swamp upon the brushy plains to a cart path which leadeth from Thomas Powell's house to the Great Neck; bounded on the west by a river and a short swamp join- ing to this neck, and a neck called by the English Lat- ten's Neck, called by the Indians Taukoms, running northward to the head of this short swamp on the west side upon a straight line north to the aforesaid Thomas Powell's cart path, that leadeth from his house to the Great Swamp; and bounded by the said path on the north from the east side to the west."
December 2nd 1697 several Secatogue Indians sold to Joseph Wood, Thomas Fleet and Nathaniel Foster, of Huntington, " a certain neck of land lying on the south side of this island within Huntington 'patten,' joining to a river that parteth said neck and a neck called Sum- paumes; this river is called by the Indians Wamsk- cumuncake [now Carll's River, upon which the paper- mill is situated]. The said neck is called by the Eng- lish Eastermost East Neck, or commonly known by the name of Captain Fleet's Neck, and by the Indians Arasc- cascagge, and is bounded on the west by a swamp that parteth the other east neck and this said neck; all this said neck from the edge of the meadow to the head of the swamp that parteth these two east necks, and to run on a straight line east across this said neck to the great river that parteth this neck and a neck called Sam- paumes." .
Certain Marsapeague Indians on the 4th of May 1698 sold to the town of Huntington:
" All that parcel or tract of land and beach, the beach bounded by the west side of Marsapeague Gut and run- ning westward to the patent line, the upland being bounded as followeth: On the north by our south bounds that were formerly marked out by Suammee, bounded on the west by Thomas Powell's line to the head of Mar- sapeague east branch, so running eastward to the head of Rugua Swamp, and so running eastward to the land on the west neck bought of John Ketcham and James Chichester of the aforesaid Sewamas, and so running eastward by the said John Ketcham's and Jonas Platt's lands, running by their east line till coming within 40 rods of the Indian path, on the west side of the Great Neck, and running eastward by the land already pur- chased on the aforesaid neck, and so stretching eastward
4
THE TOWN OF BABYLON.
to the meadow of Copiague; bounded on the south by John Wood's land; so stretching northward to the south path by the single pine, and so bounds on the east side by the south path till it comes to our south bounds laid out by Suammee."
By a deed dated May 13th 1698 the Indians Pameanes and Charles Pamequa sold to Epenetus Platt, Jonas Wood and John Brush, in behalf of them and their associates of the town of Huntington, "all that neck or part of up- land situate and lying on the south side of this island commonly called by the English East Neck, by the In- dians Causcuncruarau, being bounded as follows: On the west with the middle of Sautapogue Swamp, so running northward to the head of said swamp; so running east to the north corner of Thomas Fleet's and Joseph Wood's lyne; so running southward to their west lyne to the meadows already purchased."
December 16th 1699 the Secatogne Indians within the bounds of Huntington sold to that town land " bounded by marked. trees between the Indians and the inhabitants of Huntington, east according to the bounds set forth on the patent of the said town, south by the purchased necks and west by the south path that leads to Copiague."
July 2nd 1700 the town trustees bought of the Seca- togues " all that certain tract of land situated on a cer-
* tain neck * *
* called Sautapauge, * bounded north by a straight line running from the head of Santapague Swamp to a great pond at the head of the East Neck Swamp; east and west by the main rivers called Sautepague and Neguntatague rivers, and south by the former purchase."
April 14th 1702 the town trustees bought "all that cer- tain tract of land situated, lying and being on a certain neck on the south side of the island of Nassau commonly called Sampaumes* *
* * bounded on the west side by the middle of a river or creek, on the east side by our patent line, on the south by our former purchase, on the north by the heads of the said swamps."*
A deed dated May 20th 1702 conveyed from Wam- caus, Will Harnot, Chopous, Pompat, Charles Pamnescau, Mumsuaram, Wanascut, Beames, Joseph Chopous, Wa Wharam and Aromskis, Indians of Secatogue, to the town of Huntington "all that certain tract of land lying and bounded northward of a former purchase by the cart path that goes down to Sumpaumes, southward by a red oak tree, so running westerly to a white oak tree by "a pond, so running southwest to a single white oak tree upon the plains, to the south path."
November 17th 1703 Wheamcaues, sachem of Seca- togue, Chepous and Nepaunneck deeded to Joseph Wood, "living on the East Neck at South, his heirs and assigns, a certain piece or tract of land situate, lying and being upon the south side of this island Nassau, upon a neck called East Neck, bounded on the south by the said Joseph Wood's former purchase, on the east by the great river, on the north by the head of the branch of
said river on the plains near the highway or cart path, on the west by said highway or cart path."
Several Secatogue Indians on the 24th of October 1705 sold to the town of Huntington all their " right of unpurchased land " within the patent bounds of the town "except a certain piece of land from the head of the Lattens Neck Swamp to the Indian path that goes across said neck. All our right of unpurchased land within the foresaid patent bounds followeth: On the south with this aforementioned piece of land and joining to Joseph Wood's line upon the East Neck, and by the land already purchased by the trustees of said town of Huntington on the north, and by the patent line on the east; on the west by a cart path leading from Copiague to town."
October 29th 1705 the Indian proprietors sold to the town of Huntington a certain beach lying on the south side of the island, bounded on the east by the patent line; on the west "by our former purchase on the west side of Massapague Gut "; on the south by the sea, and on the north by the Great South Bay.
By deed dated November 20th 1705 the native pro- prietors conveyed to the town of Huntington a tract on the south side of the island upon a neck called Nagunta- togue; "bounded on the south side by land lying above the meadows purchased by the town of Huntington aforesaid; bounded on the north by the heads of the two swamps and the last land purchased by the town of Huntington; bounded on the east by the river that parteth this said neck and the little neck; to them as tenants in common, without any pretense of joint ten- ancy or survivorship; always providing *
* * that it shall be lawful for the said Indians to hunt on ye said land."
A portion of the Bethpage purchase is situated in the town of Babylon, but the larger part is in the town of Oyster Bay in Queens county. The original deed is in the possession of John C. Merrit of Farmingdale, L. I., and is dated 18th day of 8th month 1695. It was given by Maumo (alias Sowoncams) and William Choppy, Soar-ranking and Wamussau, Indian proprietors, to Thomas Powell sen. The easterly line of this purchase runs very near the house now owned and occupied by Phineas Seaman. On the east of the Bethpage purchase is the territory included in the Baiting Place purchase, the eastern boundary of which is the Neguntatogue road; and on the east of the Baiting Place purchase is situated the Squaw Pit purchase, extending eastward to Sumpawams River.
REVOLUTIONARY CHARACTERS.
At the time of the American Revolution but few persons had settled in the limits of the present town. Colonel Platt Conklin at that time owned a large and valuable farm at Half Way Hollow Hills, and also a tract of considerable size at West Neck, now Amityville. Thomas Fleet was also considered a large farmer and landed proprietor. His farm was upon the south main road.
During the occupation of the island by the British
* This deed conveyed all the land on Sumpawams Creek north of Prospect street in the village of Babylon and south of the Long Island Railroad. It is difficult at the present day to fix the exact northern boundary of the tract described.
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THE TOWN OF BABYLON.
troops Mr. F. was forced to furnish large quantities of hay and grain for the soldiers and horses belonging to Colonel Thompson's dragoons (the Queen's Rangers) and other corps. Foraging parties frequently came from the British quarters at Huntington to procure supplies from the farms on the south side.
Flouring mills and mills for fulling cloth had been erected on some of the streams in this town several years before this period.
While it is probable that several residents of what is now the town of Babylon served in the American army during the war of independence, it is impossible at this late day to obtain their names. The town . however has been honored by having been the home of two well known individuals who participated in that eventful con- flict.
Colonel Abraham Skinner, a distinguished lawyer and Revolutionary patriot, resided in Babylon from about. 1808 to his death, which occurred here in 1825. He was born in New York, June 6th 1753. His family oc- cupied a high social position and were related to the Van Cortlandts, De Peysters and De Lanceys. At the early age of 20 he married Miss Catherine Foster of Ja- maica. When the Revolutionary struggle began Skinner was a young lawyer, engaged in the practice of his pro- fession in New York city. Although only about 23 years of age he appears to have been on terms of intimacy with and to have won the confidence of General Na- thaniel Greene when the latter was in command of the continental forces at Brooklyn, just previous to the battle there. Thompson in his history of Long Island says that Skinner was a zealous and active Whig in the Revolution, and was honored with the confidence of Washington, by whom he was appointed a deputy com- missary of prisoners; and that as a lawyer he was dis- tinguished for his talents and eloquence. In the winter of 1781 he carried on a correspondence with Mr. Sproat, the British commissary. of prisoners at New York, re- lating to the sad condition of American prisoners con- fined in the various ships in New York harbor. In Washington's campaign in the Jerseys Skinner held the rank of captain, and acted in some capacity requiring him to be near the commander in chief. At the close of the war he was promoted to the rank of colonel. At the bar of Suffolk county he had no superior as an orator. In politics he was a staunch Federalist. He was twice married, but left no children. His remains are laid in the Episcopal church yard at Jamaica.
Captain Joel Cook, a native of Wallingford, Conn., was born October 12th 1760, and died at Babylon, De- cember 8th 1851. When the war of independence be- gan he was about 16 years of age. He applied for ad- mission into one of the companies then being raised in Connecticut, but being small of stature, even for his age, he was considered unfit for duty. An officer however offered to take him as a waiter, and he accepted. A year later he enlisted as a private soldier, and continued to bear arms until the close of the war, participating in most of the important battles of that memorable struggle |
for freedom. On the breaking out of hostilities between this country and Great Britain in 1812 Captain Cook was residing at New Haven, Conn. He raised a com- pany at that place and fought in several severe battles with the English and Indians. He was engaged in the battle of Tippecanoe, in which the great Indian chief Tecumseh was killed; and was present at the inglorious surrender of General Hull at Detroit, where he became a prisoner of war. After being taken into Canada and detained some time he was exchanged and returned to the service. In 1814 he was appointed an inspector of customs at New Haven. After the war he removed to Ohio, and for a time resided at Chilicothe, and in 1818 was entered on the pension list of the Ohio agency, as a private late of the army of the Revolution. In 1824 his name was transferred to the roll of the New York agency. Captain Cook in 1840 resided at Yonkers, Westchester county, N. Y., and at the Fourth of July celebration held at that place that year he was enter- tained at a public dinner and presented with a gold medal. The presentation speech was made by W. W. Schrughan, afterward a judge of the supreme court. The following are the inscriptions on the medal:
"Presented to Capt. Joel Cook by the citizens of Yonkers, in honor of his patriotic services in defense of liberty, July 4 1840."
" At the battles of Danbury, White Plains, Trenton, Stony Point, Springfield and Tippecanoe."
Another Revolutionary soldier who lived and died in this town was David Smith. He was a native of the old town of Huntington (or of Southampton), L. I., and served nearly the whole period of the war. A part of this time, in consequence of ill health, he was engaged in making and repairing the clothing of the soldiers.
While nearly the entire population of this section was favorable to the cause of independence there were a few who refused to aid in what they termed a rebellion against the constituted government. Among this small minority was one Arthur Dingee. He owned a large tract of land, a part of which is situated in the present village of Babylon. The tract lay on both sides of the Sumpawams road, and extended from the present Rail- road avenue as far north as the nursery of Prince H. Foster. Mr. Dingee appears to have been a decided tory. He fled to St. Johns, Nova Scotia, in August 1783. His name however does not appear in Sabine's "Sketches of American Loyalists." About four months previous to his departure he executed to his son.Selah a warranty deed for all his real estate before mentioned, and also a bill of sale of all his personal property. The deed is dated March 31st 1783, and is witnessed by Amos Baldwin and Ruth Van Cott. It was proved De- cember 5th 1791 before Caleb Smith, judge, and is re- corded in the Suffolk county clerk's office, liber C, page 219. In August 1787 Mr. Dingee's wife and daughter left Long Island to join him in Nova Scotia. Those were the times which tried the souls of royalists, as the years immediately preceding had tried the souls of patriots. Doubtless Mr. Dingee, in opposing the cause of Ameri-
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THE TOWN OF BABYLON.
can independence, acted from a sense of duty, and had the attempted Revolution failed probably he would have been rewarded and honored.
There were others in the town who held the same opinions as Mr. Dingee, but he was the only one who suffered banishment. Selah Dingee, the son of Arthur, died February 26th 1791, and the father returned in the
A horse express at this time was run on the south side following year to his home. About eight years had been of the island from New York to Sag Harbor. The sol- diers who performed this duty were called videttes. Each vidette was directed to ride from one station to another, a distance of ten miles, in an hour, and deliver his mail to another vidette mounted and waiting. The relay house for this service was at Zebulon Ketchani's, about half a mile east of Amityville.
spent in exile, and probably the feeling' of hostility to the loyalists in that time had softened to such a degree that Mr. Dingee could dwell at his old home on terms of friendship with his neighbors. The deed above men- tioned was doubtless given to prevent a confiscation of the property described therein, which afterward became the property of Isaac Seaman, who married the daughter of Selah Dingee.
THE WAR OF 1812.
Among the citizens of this town who rendered military service to their country during the war of 1812 may be mentioned the following: Richard Dingee, captain, at Sag Harbor; Silas Tooker, at Sag Harbor and Brooklyn; John Tooker, Daniel Sammis, Israel Sammis, Jesse Sammis and Jesse Abbott, at Sag Harbor; Jesse Whit- man, on the frontier, in the United States army; Silas Cooper, in the privateer and naval service.
The following entered the service as inhabitants of other localities, but afterward became residents of this town: Alanson Seaman, ensign, served at Brooklyn; Lawrence Seaman jr., Thomas Rhodes, Platt Frost, Thomas Hendrickson, John Brower and Peter Brower, at Brooklyn; Henry Sands, at Brooklyn and Sag Harbor; Henry Ferris, of Greenwich, Conn., drummer boy U. S. army; was at the battle of Little York, Canada.
Edward Dodd was lieutenant of the privateer "Gover- nor Tompkins." He was a native of Hartford, Conn., but resided in Babylon many years previous to his death there, July 17th, 1843. He rendered important service and is honorably mentioned in Cooper's Naval History. The " Governor Tompkins " was one of the best sailers in the privateer service, and did great damage to the commerce of the enemy. She took a valuable prize, and Lieutenant Dodd, being placed on board the same as prize master, brought the prize into New York, but the "Governor Tompkins " was never heard of more. It is supposed that in a gale which prevailed soon after the capture of the prize vessel the guns of the privateer shifted and she went under.
Cooper and called the "Fair Trader," in charge of Capt. Richard Jackson and loaded with a valuable cargo, was captured near New Inlet, by a party sent in a barge from one of Admiral Cockburn's ships. Some years later the " Fair Trader " was seen in the harbor of Hali- fax, N. S., where she was owned.
In the month of July 1814 the village of Babylon and vicinity were one day thrown into a state of high excite- ment by the appearance in Sumpawams Creek of a whale- boat loaded with armed men in uniform. It proved to be Captain David Porter and ten of his sailors, who had survived the hard-fought and sanguinary battle of Valpar- aiso. The singular circumstance of their sudden advent is worthy of mention. In the latter part of March 1814 two American naval vessels, the "Essex " and the " Essex jr.," under the command of Captain Porter, lay in a disabled condition in the neutral port of Valparaiso. According to the laws of nations they were safe from attack. But in the afternoon of March 28th 1814 the American ships were suddenly and unexpectedly fired upon by two large and well armed British ships. After making a brave resistance for several hours Captain Porter was obliged to surrender. Of 225 brave men who went into the fight 55 were killed, 66 were wounded and 31 missing. Only 75 effective men remained. By an arrangement with the British Captain Hillyard the " Es- sex jr." was made a " cartel," and in this vessel Captain Porter and his surviving companions sailed for New York. After a voyage of about 73 days they arrived on the south coast of Long Island, and on the morning of July 5th 1814 fell in with H. B. M. ship " Saturn," Cap- tain Nash, who examined the papers of the " Essex jr.," treated Captain Porter with great civility, furnished him with late newspapers, sent him a basket of fruit and made him an offer of kindly services. The boarding officer endorsed the papers and permitted the ship to proceed. But in a couple of hours afterward the "Essex jr." was again brought to, the papers re-examined and the ship searched. It was then stated that Captain Hillyard had no authority to make the arrangement. Captain Porter, regarding this treatment as a violation of all honorable rules of warfare, and finding that he was about to be made a prisoner, determined to escape from his base captor. The next morning about 7 a boat was low- ered, manned, armed and provisioned. In this boat Captain Porter, with about 10 men, pulled off, but he was soon discovered and pursued by the "Saturn," which was favored by a fresh breeze that sprung up about the same time. Fortunately however for the Americans a fog then set in, concealing them, and changing the
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