USA > New York > Suffolk County > History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683 > Part 27
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THE DIVISION OF LANDS.
Table showing the number of each proprietor's lot or lots in each of the divisions of common land in this town as shown by the records.
The number at the head of each column refers to the explanation following the table.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Names of Drawers or Owners of Lots.
Land in " Old Field." 1661.
Second Division, " Old Field."
Three acre and four acre lots.
Meadow, " Old Purchase," South
*Ten acre lots to new purchasers.
" The First loot mente that was
(These lots are not numbered.)
Meadow, " New Purchase," 1675.
(L represents unnumbered lot.)
Meadow at Fire-place, 1716.
Meadow at Old Man's Beach, 1716.
Wading River Meadow, 1716.
Last Division of Meadows, 1720.
East Side Connecticut River,
" Wading River Great Lots."
South Side of Country Road.
"Great Division," on South Side.
"Little Division," on South Side.
West Division of "Long Lots."
East Division of "Long Lots."
"Division of Several Skirts."
East Side of Head of Connecti-
Lots at Long Swamp.
Division near Naskeague.
Lots on South Beach, 1774.
Robert Akerly.
14
2-3a
24
33
1
44
7
23
28
9
46
20
42
4
43
53
31
44
48
54
31
45
Samuel Akerly
32
34
1
32
L
6
22
48
52
30
1
48
23
47
12
53
35
40
3
28
53
Edward Avery ..
12
Alexander Briant
6
9
Nathaniel Brewster .. Thomas Biggs sen.
9-4a
47 37
17 2*
11
11
33
43 27
16 41
32
55
35
49
45
41
35
Thomas Biggs jun
John Bosweek.
John Budd ..
9 33
55
25
42
11 51
12
20
33
30
Henry Brooks ..
17 1
4 28
14 21
20 7
Daniel Brewster
Moses Burnit.
Roger Cheston
16
1-3a 10
20
17 41
28
26 47
10
31 21
27
36
4
4
36
24
49
33
13 37
44 36
11
49
39
15
33 38
38
5
19 48
10 13 20
5
11
26
25
10
4% 32
46
9
51 31
3
30
of 18
sof 12
jof 51 4of 25
of 9| } of 4 + of 7|1of 48 Jof 30 1of 25
+ of 4 1of 49
Timothy Brewster ..
48 20
6
46 25 15
3
6
8
43
26 46
48
6
10
L
3
16
45
from Yaphaok north,
Jaunary 16th 1720.
Fireplace.
"Lots in Newtown," 1667.
in the town." List dated 1668.
The " Fifty Acre Lots."
cut River.
9*
. .
8*
14
9
James Cock
I 2
THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN.
1
2
3
4
5
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
William Crumwell ..
22
John Cetchum.
24
15
7-48
John Coombs.
37
29
19
20
18
12
44
12
19
32
38
2
11
18
48
26
Samuel Dayton.
13
30
38
41
31
40
31
52
26
29
30
15
29
36
49
25
1
Ralf Dayton.
of 38 1of 25 4 of 19 1 of 47 4 of 28 1 of 40 } of 26 + of 19 4of 15
+ of 5 #of 1; 1 of 18
John Dier.
7
16
.
Joseph Davis
20
27
15
27
44
39
11
22
2
7
32
42
43
32
24
49
31
3
John Davis.
¿ of 8 1of 47 } of 24 } of 32 } of 17 4 of 16
# of 9 4 of 34 1of 43 1 of 12 1 of 54
22
33
Samuel Edsell
19
¿ of 26
4
2
CO
Samuel Eburne
40
41
David Eddows.
44
Widow Fancy ..
William Fancy
11
4
6
28
25
13
18
23
25
18
26
48
51
4
34
25
10
William Frost.
24
27
20
53
51
5
39
10
20
50
53
18
7
50
52
26
32
19
45
Richard Floyd.
43
33
34
28
33
13
28
13
26
32
45
44
39
43
55
40
45
54
40
28
45
29
37
45
37
51
28
47
47
2
26
48
50
8
19
40
19
10
14
1
39
37
16
27
45
21
26
24
11
4
5
Joshua Garlick
]*
32
William Herricks.
Thomas Helme.
23
Thomas Hulse ..
Thomas Harlow.
9
9-3a
sof 19
4817
Zachariah Hawkins ..
18
43
21
3
40
39
8
2
49
34
14
46
22
15
41
48
36
2
30
30
7
13
15
21
2
31
6
17
42
15
32
39
53
13
17
15
43
28
John Jenners ...
3 14-3a
45
25
1
50
7
27
28
48
42}
27
17
35
18
21
34
38
8
4%
Thomas Jennera ..
¿of 21 1of 10 1 of 34 1of 33 1 of 27 4 of 43 4 of 21 1of 38 1of 40
3
Widow John Jenners
43
of 32
+ of 6
William Jayne.
Robert Kellam
7*
Jacob Longbottom ...
50
30
1
15
Joseph Longbottom ..
8
19
30
L
35
37
29
21
42
35
22
31
46
39
8
8
24
14
38
9
Daniel Lane.
23
19
16
11
20
50
35
1
1
38
25
34
16
17
37
51
16
27
34
32
53
51
10
8-4a
1
32
Thomas Mapes
13
31
14
45
14
30
55
12
4
14
4
28
25
23
19
4
Andrew Miller.
31
2
16
7
2L
Francis Moncy
dof 35
22
27
Joseph Mapes
1}
41
37
¿of 50
18
35
45
17
32 4 of 24
38 tof 15
44
18 + of 16
48 4of 44
50
24 4of 46
16 4of 43 4of 26
+ of 5
21
47
55
+ of 7
Jof 4
27
1
+ of 5
Hugh Moaier
of 12
7
49
8
50
13
23
3
4
11
47
33
Jobin Moncy.
John Mosier.
Jof 47 tof 42 #of 16
Widow Moncy.
sof 36 ¿of 25 tof 19 4 of 47
#of 28 1of 40 4of 26 1 of 19 1 of 15
+ of 5 1of 17 1of 18
Cap Matthias Nickols
31
Nathaniel Norton ...
28
48
1
2
5
12
18
6
1 4of 19
37
15
13
10
17
16
50
13
34
13
17
49
50
20
12
41
23
Jonathan Owen
37
33
¿ of bitof 51
40
30
49
51
2
23
Henry Perring
23
37
41
50
47
43
52
30
Thomas Price.
19
4-4a
34
2
17
5
49
10
41
32
38
1
43
51
3
4-3a
29
8
2
52
46
54
35
39
44
38
16
52
10
13
Capt. John Platt.
William Poole.
16
1
Widow Perring.
11
L
26
3
5
19
53
17
2
14
45
51
21
50
16
29
39
George Phillips.
38
40
20
29
53
30
11
18
38
15
2
47
36
33
41
27
Henry Rogers
12
14
10
5-3a
40
33
Edward Rouse.
17
3
5
86
9
2
1-4a
12
33
3 }of 10
27
47
26
of 3
49
47
36
14
45
1
1
31 Jof 18
40
42
5
35
15
50
18
8
John Roe.
5*
19
23
1
49
13
29
48
21
44
54
48
12
19
5
6
29
1
24
31
Richard Smith.
8
2-4a
12
24
1
37
34
6-4a
5
54
31
40
52
22
41
13
42
32
23
15
Samuel Shermon
18
Arthur Smith
25
3-4a
William Satterly
15
18
26
1
1
21
14
21
35
23
16
33
53
2]
49
20
20
36
54
2
6
48
33
8
30
50
10
9
51
34
Benjamin Smith.
Robert Smith ..
26
28
48
20
¿of 34
36
40
12
27
1
25
9
15
21
11
Willlam Salyer
39
10
49
30
21
6
25
14
2
7
47
30
19
12
54
16
Thomas Smith
44
39
1
39
16
31
29
28
43
23
11
29
1
6*
39
54
41
6
29
52
27
35
47
9
38
1
Obadiah Seward.
John Smith.
49
13
1
13
28
8
¿ of 84
12
24
6
54
26
P
of 50
22
of 51
2.
of 6
¿ of 51
Įof 25
40
41
14
34
45
14
Selah Strong
Col. Henry Smith
3
42
43
à of 9
+ of 4
1 of 7 J of 48
j of 30 4 of 25
+ of 4 4of 49
Thomas Thorp.
1
12
42
1
1
31
1
19
20
31
11
14
18
20
47
23
38
18
20
29
25
8
6
22
47
John Tooker
38
29
6
29
23
L
44
44
20
¿ of 8 8 of 21
42
37
42
55
John Thomas aen
Jof 43
of 21
lof 38 4of 40
# of 6
21
John Thomas jun
10
6
35
18
34
24
23
of 32 sof 26
4 of 47 ¿of 42 }of 16 tof 50 sof 15
4
12
lof 10
¿of 24 j of 16
lof 34 4 of 33
of 27
13
30
2
9
22
39
30
47
52
Į of 7 4of 44 1 of 46
28
45
45
21
87
30
+ of 4
36
lof 43
Jof 26
+ of 5
+ of 5
L
43
55
John Thompson
20
William Tayler.
11
35
2
Capt. John Underhill.
21
30
35
2
8-3a
Richard Woodhull
...
13
38
4
14
L
24
0010
4
5-4a
8
18
2
12
14
2
13
35
34
42
3
36
48
·
25
34
20
11
31
31
44
13
40
4*
8
7
15
1
29
22
36
7
36
Richard Waring.
7
22
1
24
7
51
10
46
23
15
7-3a
88
46
55
35
8
52
54
53
5
46
20
48
George Wood.
John Wood
5
6-3a
Thomas Wood
17
¿of 10
¿ of 3
Peter Whitehaire
5
8
43
34
41
Thomas Ward
32
Jobn Ward
15
11
52
1
42
8
1
17
25
41
1
39
39
37
38
23
40
39
27
38
12
18
19
26
44
3
42
10
11
46
37
Robert Woolley ..
William 'Williams
29
0
3
10
15
35
41
5
39
John Wade.
52
46
6
14
54
37
27
38
50
28
54
36
33
46
3
55
28
2
46
52
49
53
49
6
89
5
9
28
58
16
44
27
2
52
20
19
55
38
13
THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN.
Errora may exist in the opposite table, or wrong impressions arise from it in consequence of the following causes :- The same names were so often preserved in familles that what appears in the list as one man drawing lots in different divisions made many years apart may have been two or more men, belonging to as many successive generations. On the other hand the reckless orthography practiced in olden times upon proper names has doubtless cansed in some instances the same individual to be represented on different lists by different namea. Then again it appears that the names of some men were preserved as representing their estates or rights in common long after the men themselves were dead. The records also may have led us into error by the occasional omission of the distinguishing affixes junior and senior to names that are otherwise duplicated. The lists furnish evidences which support suspicion of these inaccuracies, but we are hardly war- ranted in attempting to correct them.
The following explanations refer by the numbers to the different di- visions in the table:
1. The division of Old Field of 1661 was made in six-acre lots.
2. The second division of Old Field was made later, in lots of three and four acres, the numbers in each class commencing at 1, &c. The figure and letter a attached to each number denote which class is meant.
3. The tract of meadows at Fireplace belonging to the tract of upland and meadows bought of Tobacns June 10th 1664. It was probably divid- ed in 1670, agreeable to a resolution of the trustees on the 16th of Janu- ary of that year.
4. The lots in Newtown, memorandum of which is dated 1667, contain- ed two classes, a division to the original settlers and another to the new purchasers.
5. A memorandum of this " first lootmente" is dated 1668, and ap- pears to have reference to no particular division of lots, but was simply designed to show who were shareholdera in the town, and the number of shares held by each man. The names of Henry Brooks, Thomas Smith and William Frost, however, show evidence of having been placed on the list at a later date. The records otherwise show these men to have been admitted to proprietary rights respectively August 1671, March 16th 1672, and September 26th 1672. The name of " Mr. Bayly', was on the list, hnt was crossed, and this agrees with the fact that John Bayles was a resident here from March 14th 1669 to April 22nd 1674.
6. The meadows lying between Connecticut and Mastic rivers, called the "New Purchase," the final deed for which was obtained, after re- peated attempts, September 19th 1674. The division is dated 1675.
7. The date of this division is uncertain. It was laid out about the year 1680 and was located near the Old Man's.
8, 9, 10 and 11 were divisiona of meadow in different part of the town. The last one was largely made up of patches here and there, some of the individual shares being described as follows: "Thomas Ward, at Stony Brook ;" "Zachariah Hawkina, at W. Meadow ;" " Henry Brooks, on Ward's Island ;" "Mr. Lane, on the olde field Beach ;" " Robart Wolle, wethin ye olde field Gate ;" "Samuel Dayton, by the Mill Creek ;" "William Frost, by John Hallat in ye meadow mill creek ;" "Samuel Akerly, by Richard Woodhull close;" "John Wade, between Richard Woodhull & Nathl. Brewster ;" "Wm. William, by John Wood's house;" and " Joseph Mapes, by William Satterly barn, on the east side of the Mill creek."
12. This was land upon which most of the village of Yaphank lies.
13. Extending from the east line of the town west to Miller's Place, it was bounded on the south by the Country road and reached north to the sound except where land already appropriated intervened along the north side. This division was completed May 4th 1729, by Richard Woodhull and Nathaniel Brewster, surveyors.
14. These lots covered a tract from the Smithtown line to the Con- necticut River, and from the Country road south to Winthrop's patent, on the Middle Island line. (This line runs from a point near'Swezey's mills at Yaphank westward to a point about four and a half miles south of the Country road at the Smithtown line.) The survey of this division was completed May 4th 1731, by the same surveyors as the above.
15. The east division on the south side, commonly called " Great Divi- aion," was made December 10th 1733, the survey being made by Nathan- lel Biggs and Samuel Smith. This comprehended a tract bounded north by the Middle Island line, south by an irregular line along the northern bonnds of lands already taken up, east by the west line of Smith's pat- entship and west by the " Little Division." The irregular line spoken of - the south bound of both " Great Division " and " Little Division " -ran from a " White Oak tree nere yamphank" [creek], ass the path Runs [south Country road from Southaven] to bever Dam Swamp, and then Runing due Sothwest untill it comes to a Due North Line from a pine tree in the heed of Dayton's swamp [Osborn's Brook], said to bee Robert Rose'a bound tree;" thence running due west to the line of Winthrop's patent. The stump of " Robert Rose's bound trec " was re- placed by a permanent stone fixed there by a committee of town trustees January 26th 1872. This division extended nearly three iniles.
16. This, called " Little Division," lay between the one last mentioned and Winthrop's patent, being hounded north and south by the exten- sion of the same lines as the north and south bounds of the other. It was lald out at the same time and by the same man. Its extent east and west was about four-fifths of a mile.
17. The West Division of Long Lots extended from the west line of the town to a point about Selden, where it joined the East Division of Long Lots, and from the Country road north to the irregular line of the varlous parcels of land along the north side that were otherwise dia- posed of. It was laid out March 10th 1734 by Samnel Thompson, John Wood, Thomas Strong and Samuel Smith.
18. This was bounded north and south by the continuation eastward of the same bounds as the last named, and extended eastward from that division to the Wading River Great Lota, joining that division between Middle Island and Coram, abont seven and seven-eighths miles east of the Smithtown line. It was laid out at the same time and by the same men as the last.
19. This division of "skirts" was the clearing up of the " odds and ends" after the two divisions north of the Country road had been made. It was made about the year 1735.
20. A small division lying at Middle Island, between a former one (12) and the Country road, and reaching from the head of Connecticut River to the line of Smith's patent. It was laid out April 20th 1739.
21. A division near Nassekeag, extending in a northeasterly and southwesterly direction about one and one-eighth miles and being about two-thirds of a mile in width. This was Isid ont April 24th 1739, by Robert Robinson and John Smith.
22. Another small division near Nassekeag, being a triangular piece, laid out May 2nd 1743.
23. Lots on the South Beach from Whalehouse Point to Long Cove, a distance of three milea 54 chains, surveyed and divided in June 1774.
Besides the above divisions there were others of smaller aize in dif- ferent parts, mostly about the north side, in the neighborhood of the original settlement. Among these were the home lots in the original town plat; the 20-acre lots laid out April 3d 1716, lying west of the town; the " Equalizing Division," ordered June 5th 1721; the Sheep Pasture Division at Old Man'a, laid out February 14th 1737; the Sheep Pasture Division southeast of the town, laid out April 6th 1738; the Weat Meadow Neck Division, and the 30-acre lots.
THE TOWN GOVERNMENT.
At the early town meetings punctual attendance of all the members of the colony was desired. When the work of the town meeting was impeded by the tardiness or non-attendance of some it was deemed necessary to establish some punishment to remedy or prevent difficulty on this score. Accordingly on the first of December 1659 the town meeting ordered a forfeit of two shillings six pence for such delinquency where a sufficient ex- cuse could not be given. The same desire to stimulate promptness in attendance seems to have taken hold upon the trustees, for they about 1695 ordered a fine of a pint of rum to be paid by any one of their members who did not appear at the time and place appointed for an offi- cial meeting. In the compilation of the town records that have been printed the compiler remarks in a foot note that the records do not show that the fine had ever been collected. To this may be suggested the proba- bility that such fine may have been many times collected but disposed of in some other way than being " spread upon the minutes." An amendment seems to have been made to this in 1702, when the fine for delinquency was fixed at three shillings for being even an hour late. This was reduced in 1702 to two shillings, and in 1704 one " bitt" for being an hour late, or two "bitts " for not attending at all. In 1710 the fine for not attending was raised to three shillings. The regulation no doubt soon became a dead letter.
The character of men was closely watched by the set- ters. Moral irregularities were often severely dealt with, At a court held December 8th 1663 William Poole was fined ten shillings for cursing, and William Fancy and Henry Rogers were each found guilty of lying and fined ten shillings. Actions for defamation were frequent in
14
THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN.
the courts, and the plaintiff generally laid his claim for heavy damages; but a small part ever being allowed, however. These defamation cases were not confined to the male members of the community, but we have start- ling reminders that the bane of a slanderous tongue fre- quently fastened itself upon the fair sex as well.
Corporal punishment in some form-though not to the bors was a "gallant of sider."
rigid extent that it was practiced in some towns-was in vogue here. May 11th 1696 Jonathan Owen was em- ployed to make a pair of stocks for the town, in connec- tion with certain work of repairing the meeting-house. May 2nd 1716 the town meeting voted a pair of stocks for the use of Justice Brewster at Fireplace.
Wolves were more or less common when the European settlers commenced their work here. The town meeting March 10th 1667 voted a premium of sixpence a head for every wolf killed ; the head to be brought to the con- stable, who was to pay the premium. As late as 1806 the town meeting voted a bounty of fifty cents a head for every fox caught within the town limits. Again in 1833 the town voted to raise a bounty for the destruc- tion of foxes.
Among the most curious of the early town regulations we quote the following:
"Orders and constatutions maed by the Athoaty of this towne 8th July 1674, to be duly cept and obsarved.
" 1. Whereas there have beane much abuese a pro- phaneing of the lord's day by the younger sort of people in discourssing of vaine things and Runing of Raesses. Therefore we make an order that whoesoever shall doe the lieke againe notis shall be taken of them, and be pre- sented to the nex court, there to answer for ther falts and to Reseve such punishment as thay desarve.
" 2. Whereas It have bene two coman in this towne for young men and maieds to be out of ther father's and mother's house at unsesonable tiems of niete, It is there fore ordered that whoesoever of the younger sort shall be out of there father's or mother's house past nien of the clock at niet shall be sumonsed in to the next court, and ther to pay cort charges with what punishment the cort shall se cause to lay upon them, ecksept thay can give suffissient Reson of there being out late.
-
"3. Whereas god have bene much dishonered, much pressious tyme misspent and men Impovershed by drink- ing and tipling, ether in ordnery or other privet houses, therefor, we maek this order that whoe soe ever shall thus transgres or sett drinking above two houres shall pay 5s. and the man of the house for letting of them have it after the tyme perfixed shall pay Ios., exsept strangers onely.
"4. that whosoever shall run any Rases or Run other- wise a hors back in the streets or within the towne platt shall forfet ros. to thee use of the towne.
"These above sayed orders is sett up and mad knowne the day and daete above written."
That the town fathers were considerably disposed to make use of strong drinks, and from that down to the use of cider, may be seen from the above regulation, which seemed necessary at that early period, as well as by the item that an "ordnary " was licensed July 12th 1670 to sell strong drinks at retail. The instructions of the town to its committee August 22nd 1671 to take "likers " with them when they went to purchase the south meadows of the Indians show to some extent the | do the town's work.
value they placed upon strong drinks. Then we have reason to believe that the settlers were strongly attached to cider, and began making preparations for its produc- tion very soon after their arrival. In 1667-only ten or twelve years after their coming-the regular fee for the services of arbitrators in settling disputes between neigh-
In line with the matter just referred to the following extract from the records is more worthy of preservation as a curiosity than for any practical value.
"Memorandum upon the 4th day of January 1699.
" it was agreed by the majority of all those that weare present at the Raising of the frame of the towne's well that on Condition that Moses Owen would treate all those that weare present at the saide raising aforesaide, then he the saide Moses Owen shall have privilidge of drawing water att the aforesaide well, provided that hee the said Moses doe beare an Equall proportion of the charge of providing and mainetaining buckitts & well ropes for the drawing of water thereat, which hee the aforesaide Moses accordingly performed."
" Entered per Timothy Brewster, Clerk."
Now that the subject of wells is suggested it may be remarked that the construction of a well was in those days an undertaking of considerable magnitude, and the town occasionally interested itself in the matter, as in the case above. May 4th 1701 the trustees allowed David Ed- wards liberty to dig a well in the highway against his house, and to have the use of it himself for seven years, but he was required to give security for any damage that might be done by cattle falling into it. January 14th 1722 the trustees ordered the payment of fifteen pounds to Nathaniel Brewster for "Repairing the Well and the Towne house." The fact that the well is the first men- tioned admits the inference that it was the principal item in the combination. The fact that a frame and ropes and buckets (plural) are spoken of may suggest that the method of drawing water from these primitive wells was by the pulley. If so the old "crotch and pole " system may have been a later invention, though that is supposed to be an ancient one. It may still have been in use at the same time.
It has already been hinted that the trades of shoe- maker, weaver and blacksmith were especially encouraged by the primitive townspeople. This was more emphati- cally true with regard to the blacksmith. That trades- man was probably a much more important factor in the town at that time than either of the others. The settlers had to depend upon him for a large part of their farming implements, their nails for building, and a hundred other articles of every day use or convenience which in these days are furnished by the foundries and machine shops, then unknown, and by processes of manufacture then un- discovered. Accordingly, December 10th 1686, the people in town meeting voted "that Christofer Swaine be ad- mitted and incouraged as a smith for this town, and that a shop shall be built for ye sd Christofer about May next, he paying the workmen by work at his trade." In January 1699 the town gave an old shop-perhaps this one-to David Edwards, to be his as long as he should
15
THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN.
Dogs began to be a nuisance at an early period. De- cember 18th 1728 the trustees recite that no care is taken to prevent dogs running about without their masters, and |piers were built far out in the bay, and small boats were that great damage has been done by them to flocks of sheep; therefore the trustees enact that any person shall be at liberty to kill any dog found more than a quarter of a mile away from home without being with his master, and in case of suit this act to be shown in defense.
THE PRODUCTS OF THE FORESTS.
At the time of its first occupation by white people the greater part of the lands of this town were probably covered with a growth of heavy timber. It is probable that pine was then, as now, the predominating wood. The cutting of cordwood was begun at an early period. The wood growing upon common land was freely appropria- ted by the individual owners and perhaps sometimes by others. There was danger of abuse, and to prevent this the trustees March 9th 1813 forbade any person cutting cordwood or exposing the same for sale in the common land without first obtaining license from the trustees or a majority of the proprietors. May 5th 1690 the town meeting had voted to enforce the act of assembly pre- viously passed forbidding the turning of swine loose in the woods. The claims on trees in the common land were regulated by an act of the trustees December 18th 1728, to the effect that any person cutting down a tree FIRST MILLS. and neglecting to trim it for twelve days should forfeit the same, and any tenant in common was then free to trim out and take possession of such tree. Some timber was used at an early date in the manufacture of pipe staves. The manufacture of tar was carried on to some extent, though but little account of this industry remains. Inci- dental reference to it is made as early as 1678, which suggests that previous to that date a house occupied by men engaged in the business stood upon a certain piece of land on Dayton's Neck, at what is now Brookhaven. From this circumstance the locality gained some reputa- tion as Tarmen's Neck. The industry must have made some progress, for in 1716 it was looked upon as of im- portance sufficient to excite the trustees to levy a tax upon it. June 4th of that year they enacted that every barrel of tar made in the town should pay a tax of nine pence, and every man having no rights in the town patent grain, and two quarts and a pint of every bushel of Indian or commons should pay one shilling six pence a barrel for all that he made. Officers were appointed to collect this tax-Colonel Floyd on the south side and Selah Strong on the north side, and Mr. Woodhull and Lieu- tenant Owen to assist both as needed.
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