History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 34

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 34

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Another mill was built by John Wade, on a stream in the western part of the village, under a grant of the town dated March 31st 1680. About one hundred years later this is supposed to have been in the possession of Rich- ard Woodhull, to whom the town in 1784 granted the privilege of moving the dam down stream on certain con- ditions. In 1824 the mill was owned by Isaac Satterly, who then released the town from its obligation to keep the dam in repair, according to the grant made to John Wade in 1680. Since its first occupation by Isaac Sat- terly it has been retained in the family.

The manufacture of pianos was begun in this village about 25 years ago. A large building was erected and filled with machinery and material for carrying on the work. This enterprise was conducted by Robert Nunns, and for a while it promised a degree of success; but the confusion which accompanied the late war brought dis- aster, and the business was closed. For several years the mammoth building, occupying a conspicuous posi- tion upon a prominent hill, stood unoccupied. In 1876 a stock company was formed and the building was pur-

chased and made a manufactory of india rubber goods, such as boots, shoes, hose, belting and packing. This enterprise was founded by Robert S. Manning, Joseph W. Elberson and Edwin Elberson. It has enjoyed a somewhat fluctuating measure of success. Its title, at first the "Long Island Rubber Company," has been changed to the "L. B. Smith Rubber Company." The business was opened in November 1876. The main building is 180 by 50 feet in size and four stories high, and there is an addition 75 by 33 feet. Some 200 hands are employed, and the value of the daily product is about $1,500. About 2,500 pairs of shoes and 150 pairs of boots are daily manufactured, besides other articles. Market for these goods is found in all parts of the United States and Canada. The establishment is still under the personal direction of J. W. and Edwin Elberson.

The following is the earliest item to be found in rela- tion to the employment of a minister:

"The 12 of May, 1662.

" At a town meeting Legally called it was voted and agreed upon by the Towne that the towne would give Mr. William Flecher Fortie Pounds a year, towards his maintaneance for the Dispencing the word of god amongst them as long as he resides amongst them per- formeing his function."

We do not know what may have been the result of this action. The first minister of whom any definite record has been preserved was Rev. Nathaniel Brewster, who entered upon the discharge of the ministerial func- tion here in 1665. He was a near relative of Elder

THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN.

William Brewster, one of the "pilgrims " of the " May- flower." Graduating at Harvard in 1642, he is supposed to have been the first native graduate of the New World. He continued to occupy the position of minister of the town till his death, in 1690, though in his old age he was assisted in the discharge of his duties by Samuel Eburne and Dugald Simson, Mr. Jonah Fordham, of Southamp- ton, filled the ministerial office as a supply for a few years during the interim between the death of Mr. Brewster and the settlement of Rev. George Phillips, in 1697. During the pastorate of Mr. Phillips, which continued about forty years, the church assumed a character inde- pendent of the town.

In the early years of the seventeenth century there were a few inhabitants who favored the Church of Eng- land, while the great majority of the townspeople were dissenters. Each of these parties claiming the civil patron- age, disputes arose which were only quieted by a division of the lands which had been set apart by the town for the benefit of a ministry. This was done by an arbitra- tion in 1741. With the pastorate of Rev. George Phillips, which closed with his death in 1739, the intimate connection of town and church faded out, and the church,

Rev. David Youngs was pastor from 1745 to 1751; Rev. Benjamin Talmadge, installed October 23d 1754, re- mained till his death, in 1786; Rev. Noah Wetmore served from April 17th 1786 till his death, March 9th 1796. Rev. Zechariah Greene, installed September 27th 1797, continued in active service until 1849, and as senior pastor till his death in 1858, at the age of 99 years. He was a native of Connecticut; had been a volunteer in the Rev- olutionary service, and was with Colonel Parsons when he led the unsuccessful assault upon the British fortifi- cations here in August 1777. During his army service he received a wound in the shoulder which disabled him for the time, and he turned his attention to study, and was ordained in the ministry at Cutchogue in 1787. When the infirmities of age began to depress him he was assisted in his work by other clergymen. For a while Rev. Ezra King devoted half his time to that work. Rev. John Gile became associate pastor in February 1843, and continued in the service of the church until his untimely death by drowning, September 28th 1849. Rev. James S. Evans was installed here March 19th 1850, and continued in the pastorate till December 17th 1867. Rev. William H. Littell, the present pastor, was installed October 28th I868.

The church in 1845 had 81 members. It now has 140, which number has never been exceeded. Preaching stations in connection with this church are maintained at Stony Brook and South Setauket, and a Sunday-school has been established at the latter point. The Sunday- school at the church numbers about 100 scholars and 12 teachers. It has a good library of 500 volumes. The superintendents have been Floyd Smith, David B. Bayles, W. F. Smith, Thomas S. Strong, William H. Littell and Selah B. Strong.

Adjoining the meeting-house lies the old burying ground, the nucleus of which was the first established in the town. Since Colonel Richard Floyd in 1714 " did freely and voluntarily give for the use and benefit of a public burying place half an acre of land, to be laid out of his home lot adjoining the old burial place," it has been gradually creeping out over the adjoining fields to make room for the successive generations who have sought its restfulness. The graves of more than two centuries are there, and countless historic associations hover round the sacred spot.

Hard by, the venerable structure of

CAROLINE EPISCOPAL CHURCH .

lifts heavenward its grand old tower, while the quaint windows, " blank and bare," look silently out upon the graves of the generations of former worshipers who have come to rest within its shadow. From some notes fur- nished by the present rector we glean the following facts in regard to its history.

The church was organized during the first quarter of the last century. The earliest notice on the books of the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign receiving its share of the corporation lands, assumed its. Parts " is of the appointment of the Rev. Mr. Wetmore distinct character.

as missionary in the town of Brookhaven in 1723. That the services of the Church of England were known here, and worship in accordance with that form conducted many years before that date, there is scarcely room to doubt. It is not known however that the church had an edifice of its own until the present one was erected in 1730. For this building, which appears to be enjoying a robust old age, is claimed the double honor of having been the first church edifice ever erected at the expense of the Episcopal denomination on Long Island, and at present being the oldest church edifice standing on the island. The original name of the church was Christ Church, but the name was changed to its present one in compliment to Queen Caroline of England, who had pre- sented to the parish a silver communion service and em- broidered altar cloths. This royal gift was sacrilegiously abstracted during the Revolutionary period. Through a long term of years the society in London helped to sus- tain the missionary stationed here by a contribution of from £50 to £60 a year. The church was stronger and its services were more largely attended during the colo- nial period than for many years afterward.

Within a few years past the parish has recovered some- what. Since 1878 a new fence has been set up around the churchyard, a rectory of handsome appearance and comfortable dimensions has been erected, and the church repaired and thoroughly painted. Within the same pe- riod 24 adults and the same number of infants have been baptized, 38 have been confirmed, 33 communicants added anew and 22 received from other parishes. There are now 70 communicants. The Sunday-school, under the superintendence of the rector, consists of 50 children and six teachers. The following is a list of the rectors, which also shows the term each served the church, as nearly as can be ascertained:

THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN.

Rev. Mr. Wetmore, 1723-25; Rev. Mr. Standard, 1725- 28; Rev. Alexander Campbell, 1728-30; Rev. Isaac Brown, 1733-43; Rev. James Lyons, 1746; Rev. T. Lambert Moore, 1781-83; Rev. Andrew Fowler, 1788- 90; Rev. Mr. Sands, 1800; Rev. N. B. Burgess, 1811-14; Rev. Charles Seabury, 1814-44; Rev. William Adams, 1843, 1844; Rev. Frederic M. Noll, 1844-77; Rev. Robert T. Pearson, since 1878.

The Rev. Charles Seabury was the son of the first American bishop, and was introduced at the recommend- ation of Bishop Hobart, in 1814. After 30 years of faithful service he was buried in the churchyard, and a marble pillar there marks his tomb. Rev. F. M. Noll, who served the church 33 years, was unmarried, and for many years occupied rooms at the rear of the church. where the graves in the surrounding churchyard lay so near that one could step upon them from his threshold or reach the marble slabs from his bedroom windows. Amid such gloomy surroundings he enjoyed undisturbed seclusion.

THE M. E. CHURCH OF SETAUKET.

A Methodist Episcopal class was formed here in 1843, and a small chapel was built during the same year. This was one of the results of a very important revival which took place at Port Jefferson and spread to the neighboring villages that year. The chapel here became a preaching station on the Smithtown circuit, which at that time covered a large area. In 1848 it was set off with Port Jefferson from the former connection. At that time it had a Sunday-school numbering 21 members. The present somewhat commodious church edifice was erected in 1870. It occupies the site of the former chapel, about half way between the two village centers. A churchyard, occupied as a burial ground, surrounds it. The church continued in its connection with Port Jefferson until 1873, when it was transferred to a con- nection with Stony Brook, which is still existing.

THINGS THAT WERE. .

Setauket Division, No. 414, Sons of Temperance was instituted here in September 1868. In 1871 it had a membership of 83. It was disbanded in June 1875.

The Long Island Star, a weekly newspaper, was estab- lished in this village in 1866, by a joint stock company with a capital of $1,500. Its editor and business mana- ger was James S. Evans jr. It enjoyed for a while an encouraging degree of prosperity. In 1869 it was moved to Port Jefferson and in the following year to Patchogue, where after a few issues its publication was suspended.

side lies the village of Stony Brook, in the northwest part of the town. A very small part of the village is in Smithtown. The site is hilly and a brook runs down into the harbor, forming the boundary of the town and suggesting the name of the village.

MANUFACTURES AND COMMERCE.

Upon this stream a mill was established, by a grant from the town, voted May 18th 1699. The right of the stream and two acres of land were given at that time to Adam Smith on condition that he should construct a dam and maintain a " good and sufficient " mill, and the rates of toll which he was allowed to exact were one- tenth for wheat and one-eighth for corn or rye. The water in the harbor is shoal, large "flats" extending over a considerable portion of its area. . A channel permits navigation to the docks, of which there are two. The first of these was established under a grant from the town trustees to George Hallock, given November 5th 1809 and confirmed March 7th 1826; and the other by a grant to Jonas Smith May 3d 1831. The Indian name of the locality was Wopowog. Rassapeague and Sherwogue were names given by the natives to localities in the immediate vicinity.

Settlement was commenced here in the early part of the last century, but it made slow progress during the first hundred years. The population is at present about eight hundred. Farming, ship-building and commerce have been the principal occupations of the people. The names of Captain George Hallock and Jonas Smith are prominent in connection with the commercial and ship- building enterprises of the place. The commerce of the village in 1843 employed one brig, eight schooners and fifteen sloops. At that time there were annually sent from the harbor about four thousand cords of wood, and received about twenty thousand bushels of ashes and more than three hundred tons of other fertilizers. The manufacture of pianos was carried on by C. S. Seabury at one time. An establishment for desiccating soft clams was commenced a few years since, but was soon discon- tinued.

SCHOOLS OF STONY BROOK.

The village contains two flourishing district schools, one near either end of the long avenue upon which most of the dwellings and business places are built. An un- successful attempt was made a few years since to unite the districts. The citizens of former generations were forward in matters pertaining to education and culture. The records tell us that on their application the town trustees granted a site for a school-room April 6th 18or. This was to be selected from the public land lying north- west of Isaac Davis's blacksmith shop, but not to inter- fere with the highway.

STONY BROOK M. E. CHURCH.

STONY BROOK. A church for the use of different denominations was erected in the village in 1817. As the years advanced At the head of Stony Brook Harbor and upon the east the Methodist Episcopal denomination gained ground,

and the building fell into its possession. Until 1848 this was a preaching station on the Smithtown circuit. In connection with Port Jefferson, Seatuket and Mount Sinai it was in that year set off from the former circuit. It then had a Sunday-school numbering 30 scholars. The

THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN.

society remained in the latter connection until 1859, when it was separately established, with a mem- bership of 75, and a flourishing Sunday-school of 202 scholars.

The present church edifice was erected in 1860. It is of handsome proportions, and is well furnished. A par- sonage, which its occupants credit with being a superior one, was built by the congregation in 1873, costing, with the plot of ground upon which it stands, about $2,400.

Since it became a separate charge this church has numbered in its membership as follows: in 1860, 75; 1865, 77; 1870, 88; 1875, 134; 1880, 158. The Sunday- school connected with it numbered in 1862, 116; 1870, 145; 1880, 224. The society has been served by the following ministers: 1859, Otis Saxton; 1860, 1871-74, Daniel Jones; 1861, Christopher S. Williams; 1862, William R. Webster; 1863-65, J. V. Saunders; 1866-68, E. K. Fanning; 1869, 1870, D. F. Hallock; 1875, R. S. Putney; 1876, G. H. Anderson; 1877-79, D. McMullen; 1880, Nathan Hubbell; 1881, S. F. Johnson.

BETHEL CHURCH.

Between the villages of Stony Brook and Setauket stands a small church maintained by the neighboring colored population, which has been established several years. It is called Bethel Church. A lot of one acre at Laurel Hill was set apart as a negro burying ground by the trustees of the town in 1815. In 1871 (January 3d) this was confirmed to the trustees of Bethel church.

MISCELLANEOUS.

A division of the Sons of Temperance was organized here about the year 1870, which in 1873 had 11I mem- bers, and was sustained with more or less interest till 1876, when it ceased operation.

Oak Hill Cemetery, beautifully situated in the eastern suburb of the village, contains five or six acres, and was opened as a cemetery in 1864. Its site was formerly owned by the late John Oakes, who designated it as his own burial place, and was in accordance with his request buried there in 1863. Edward Oakes, his son, owned the ground, and has heretofore managed it as a private cem- etery, but it is designed to place it in the hands of an association as soon as practicable. Forty-two lots have been sold from it. The plot is well wooded, and it is the design of its founder that all revenue derived from the sale of timber or lots shall be devoted to the improve- ment of the grounds.

A newspaper called the Independent Press was started in this village in 1865, by Harvey Markham. Its initial number was a four-page paper, 12 by 18 inches in size, and was printed on the 17th of August. It was soon after enlarged to 18 by 24 inches, and at the end of a year its size was again increased, to 20 by 28 inches. In the spring of 1868 it was moved to Port Jefferson, in connection with which village it will be further noticed. .

SOUTH SETAUKET.

On the southwest border of Setauket lies the locality called by the Indian name of Nassakeag, or by the mod- ern name of South Setauket. A church under the title of "Free Christian Church " was established here and a house of worship erected in 1869. The leader in this enterprise was Ephraim Hallock, who for' several years supplied the pulpit.

On Old Field Point, which lies on the sound shore, northward of this village, a light-house was built in 1832. It has a white tower, 34 feet high, and stands on a bluff over 30 feet above the shore. Its lantern, elevated 67 feet above the sea level, gives a fixed light from a lens of the fourth order. The house, built at an original cost of $3,500, was refitted in 1855.

STRONG'S NECK.

Little Neck, now Strong's Neck, the initial part of "St. George's manor," lies near Setauket. It was called by the Indians Minasseroke. It is nearly surrounded by Conscience Bay and Setauket Harbor, and is joined to the mainland by an isthmus which has been sometimes flooded by the tide.

There has also recently been constructed a bridge and dock across the harbor, by which the neck is connected with the mainland at a convenient point. This bridge, established under a grant from the town, is 800 feet long, and is raised about three feet above ordinary high water. It was completed in September 1879, and cost about $4,000. Here was once the royal seat and a favorite res- idence of the Indians. The principal part of the neck was bought of the Indians by Daniel Lane, whose title was transferred to the town proprietors in 1663. Ac- cording to Thompson a certain part, called the "Indian Ground," about 70 acres, not included in this purchase, was bought of the Indians by Andrew Gibb November 28th 1685, and a patent was issued for the same by Gov- ernor Dongan December 20th 1686. Colonel William Smith bought the interest of the town proprietors in this neck September 11th 1691, and it was included in his patent of 1693. His grandson, William Smith, in 1768 sold it to Andrew Seaton, reserving a mortgage upon it. This being soon after foreclosed the property was bought by Selah Strong, and by him and his descendants it has ever since been held.

PORT JEFFERSON.

Port Jefferson lies at the head of a beautiful harbor, two miles east of Setauket. The site and surroundings of the village present a very picturesque appearance. The Indian name of the locality was Sonasset. The neck of land on the west side of the harbor, lying be- tween this and Setauket Harbor, was called by the Indians Poquot, and has since been known as Dyer's Neck. The site of the village was not naturally favora- 'ble for building upon. It consisted of a valley, sur-

THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN.

rounded by steep, high hills. The harbor is one of the finest on the Long Island cost. Its entrance, however, is through a narrow channel, which the current along shore continually filled with drifting sand. Ap- propriations have at different times been made by the State and federal governments for the improve- ment of this channel by the extension of a break- water far into the sound to hold back this drifting sand.

The site of this village, formerly called Drown Meadow, remained almost unnoticed for a century after the es- tablishment of a settlement at Setauket. Since the first years of the present century it has grown from a hamlet of half a dozen houses to a village of about two thousand inhabitants. It is now the principal village and trade center on the north side of the town. Packet lines have been in operation between here and New York city, and efforts have repeated- ly been made to establish regular communication by steamboat, but they have not been sufficiently suc- cessful to insure permanency. A steam ferry between this place and Bridgeport, Conn., has been in operation since 1872. The boat used on this ferry is a 50-ton pro- peller, called the "Brookhaven," 61 feet long, 15 feet beam and 4 feet deep. The railroad to this place was put in operation in January 1873. Telegraphic connec- tion with the world, however, was not established until December 1880.

The village school has ranked among the first in the county. It has an attendance of about three hundred, and employs five teachers.

SHIP-BUILDING AT PORT JEFFERSON.

Ship-building is the principal industry to which this village owes its prosperity. The pioneer in this and kin- dred enterprises was Captain John Wilsie, who began to build vessels here as early as 1797. He purchased of Judge Strong a tract of land in the northeast part of the present village, extending from a point at the foot of East Broadway up the hill eastward along the north side of that street and northerly down to the water's edge. In the house now owned and occupied by James M. Bayles he established a tavern, and upon the site of the ship-yards of James M. Bayles & Son he began to build vessels. August 1st 1809, after a committee appointed July 7th 1807 to represent the town in negotiations to that end had reported, the trustees granted to John Wil- sie the privilege of extending a wharf into the bay from his land. After his death this right was confirmed to his son John, in 1819, for a term of 21 years. At the ex- piration of that time the grant was renewed to James R. Davis (1840). In 1825 the same dock had been in pos- session of Israel Davis. In the early part of the present century Richard Mather, who married a daughter of the senior Wilsie, engaged with him in the business, and afterward continued it. John R. Mather, son of the latter, whose life has been spent in this enterprise, is still engaged in it.

CAPTAIN W. L. JONES'S ENTERPRISES.

About the year 1836 a new era seemed to open to the progress of this industry and the improvement of the village generally. This was in a considerable measure owing to the enterprise of Captain William L. Jones, who probably ventured more capital and energy in developing the village than any other man has ever done. Captain Jones was a member of a native family, and was born about the year 1792. In early life he naturally took to the water. His parents were Daniel and Bethia Jones. He inherited considerable landed property about Comse- wogue, which furnished him with the means for carrying out the designs of an inventive and enterprising genius. The estate of the Roe family comprised the greater part of the present village site, and from this Captain Jones purchased a large tract, reaching from about the site of the Presbyterian church, along the west and north sides of Main street to the neighborhood of the Baptist church, and so northerly to the shore of the bay; including also a tract on the east side of Main street, up Prospect street as far as the residence of John R. Mather. No- vember 10th 1837 he received a grant from the town for a dock into the hay from the shore of his property, and at the same time entered into an agreement to construct a causeway over the salt meadows to the dock through his land, so as to make a public highway 18 feet wide, to be stoned up on either side and of sufficient height to be above ordinary high tides. This two-fold enterprise was completed in a few years, at a cost of several thousand dollars. "The dock is maintained in part, and the high- way thus opened over the flooded meadows is now the busy street that runs from Hotel square to the shore. Nearly half the business of the present village is carried on upon the land that forty years ago was owned by Cap- tain Jones, the greater part of which was made available for business by the improvements just noticed. Captain Jones was married November 30th 1814, to Hetta Hal- lock. After her death he married the widow of Richard Mather, and his third wife was Hannah Hallock, who survived him. He died in 1860.

GROWTH OF PORT JEFFERSON-THE MILLING INTEREST.

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