History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 44

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 44

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).

THE TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON.

ter, as related on page 21, general history of Long Island, in this volume. In this war the Montauks were reduced to great straits, and their case was ren- dered almost hopeless by a sickness which prevailed in the years 1658 and 1659. Among the victims was the great Wyandanch, and the tribe, having now lost its greatest warrior, was forced to ask the help and pro- tection of the English at East Hampton. This was readily granted, and the remnant of the tribe was per- mitted to reside on the parsonage land at the south end of the village. More than two hundred years after this event the workmen engaged in digging for the founda- tion of a house in this locality found the relics of Indian burial. Among the articles discovered were many glass bottles of peculiar shape, which had been buried with their deceased owners, and to-day the dwelling place of the living stands upon the resting place of the dead.

What knowledge we have of the manners and customs of this ancient people we owe entirely to the labors of David Gardiner, who has so ably recorded his observa- tions in his "Chronicles of East Hampton." According to his account they raised large quantities of corn and vegetables; and the woods, well stocked with game, and the never failing productions of the waters supplied to the fullest extent their daily wants. They had canoes of great size, capable of carrying large numbers of men. Their language was the same as that of the tribes inhabit- ing New England. In religion they were polytheists and had gods in great numbers, but over these were two pre-eminent, a good spirit and an evil spirit; the former was known as Cawhluntoowut, the latter was termed Mutcheshesumetook. The priests, called powawas, declared to the people the will of the gods. The most savory sacrifice was the fins and tails of the whales which drifted upon the shore, and this may account for the fact that these portions are reserved in the Indian deed for the town as a part of the considera- tion, or purchase price. They believed in a future state, and a realm of bliss far to the west, in the region of the setting sun, where those who excelled in savage virtues would enjoy the delights dear to the savage heart. Boundless feasting, hunting, and dancing would be their portion, while for the coward, the liar and the traitor was reserved that servile and degrading labor so much despised by the Indian; and the task of making a canoe with a round stone, and carrying water in a wicker basket, will not fail to remind the classical student of Tantalus, with his never ending thirst, and of Sisyphus, with the ever rebounding stone.

Wyandanch left an only son named Wyancombone, but he died of smallpox at an early age, and the male line of the great sachem was extinct. After his time the tribe, decimated by disease and slaughter, ceased to be a power to be feared.

THE FOUNDERS

of a new plantation in America in the early days had many things to contend with. The enthusiasm which in- spired the first effort frequently cooled before the neces-

sary hardships connected with the enterprise. Various causes of dissatisfaction would arise, and many who at first entered into the cause with zeal soon abandoned it in disgust. Of the twenty persons who were the original "undertakers" of the colony at Southampton fourteen left the plantation within four years. Some returned to the older settlements in New England, and some became the pioneers of new villages in the yet unoccupied wil- derness.

In the spring of 1648 Theophilus Eaton, governor of the colony of New Haven, and Edward Hopkins, gover- nor of Connecticut, obtained a deed for that portion of the town lying west of Montauk. This deed was given by the sachems of Shelter Island, Montauk, Corchaug and Shinecock. The object probably was to avoid all trouble that might arise from conflicting claims of owner- ship. Of this deed the following is a copy. It was re- corded at the time in the town book of Southampton, and at a later date in the Suffolk county sessions:

"This present Writing testifieth an agreement between the Worshipful Theophilus Eaton, Esquire, Governor of the Colony of New Haven, And the Worshipful Edward Hopkins, Esquire, Governor of the Colony Connecti- cut, and their associates, on the one part, And Pogatacut, Sachem of Manhanset, Wyandanch, Sachem of Mean- tauket, Momowoton, Sachem of Corchauk, Nowedonah, Sachem of Shinecock, and their assotyates, the other Part. The said Sachems having sould unto the foresayed Mr. Eaton and Mr. Hopkins with their assotyates all the land lying from the bounds of the Inhabitants of South- ampton unto the East side of Napeak, next unto Mean- tacut highland, with the whole breadth from sea to sea, not intrenching upon any in length or breadth which the Inhabitants of Southampton have and do possess, as they by Lawfull right shall make appear; for and in. Consider- ation of twentie coats, twenty-four looking glasses, twen- ty-four hoes, twenty-four hatchets, twenty-four knives, one hundred muxes, already received by us the fore- named Sachems, for ourselves and associates, and in con- sideration thereof wee doe give up unto the said Pur- chasers all our right and Interest in the said land to them and their heyres. for ever.

" Allsoe wee doe bind ourselves to secure their right from any claims of any others, whether Indians or other nations whatsoever, that doe or may hereafter challenge Interest therein. Allsoe wee the said Sachems have Covenanted to have Liberty to fish in any or all the creeks and ponds, and to hunt up and downe in the woods without Molestation, they giving the English In- habitants noe just offence or Injurie to their goods or cattle. Lykewise they are to have the fyns and tayles of all such whales as shall be cast up, to their proper right, and desire they may be friendly dealt with in ye other part. Allsoe they reserve liberty to fish in all convenient places for shells to make wampum. Allsoe if the Indy- ans hunting of any deer they should chase them into ye water and the English should kill them, the English shall have the body and the Sachem the skin. And in Testi- mony of our well performance hereof we have sett to our hands the Day and yeare above written.

" The mark of X POGGATACUT, Manhanset Sachem. "The mark of X WYANDANCH, Meantacut Sachem.

" The mark of x MOMOWETA, Corchake Sachem.

" The mark of x NOWEDONAH, Shinecock Sachem.

"Witnesses to this: Richard Woodhull, Tho. Stanton, Robert Bond, Job Sayre, Chectanoe x his mark, their Interpreter."

THE TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON.

"Whereas, by direction from Theophilus Eaton, Esq., and Mr. Edward Hopkins, a purchase was made by Thomas Stanton and others of a part of the Eastern part of Long Island, of the Indian Sachems, the true pro- prietors thereof, in the name of Theophilus Eaton, Esq., aforesaid and myself with our associates, as by the said agreement dated the 29th of April 1648 may more fully appear, which said purchase was paid by me Edward Hopkins, and amounted to the sum of thirty pounds four shillings eight pence, as may appear by a note of particulars under the hand of Thomas Stanton, to whom the said sum was paid, now delivered to Robert Bond of East Hampton; this writing witnesseth that I have received the fore-mentioned sum of thirty pounds four shillings eight pence, of the Inhabitants of East Hamp- ton, and have delivered unto them the writings of the said purchase, and all the interest that thereby was pur- chased. In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed, the 16th of April 1651. I say received £30 4s. 8d. per me, EDWARD HOPKINS."

The first settlers of this town, the men for whom Gov- ernors Eaton and Hopkins purchased the territory, were John Hand, Thomas Talmadge, Daniel Howe, Thomas Thompson, John Stratton, Robert Bond, Robert Rose, Joshua Barnes and John Mulford.

Of the above number all were originally settlers in lick, Fulk Davis, Nathaniel Bishop, William Barnes,

Southampton. John Hand appears in that town as a resident in 1644, and was probably there before that time. He was a brother-in-law of Josiah Stanborough, one of the original "undertakers," and both came from Stanstead in Kent. In 1649 he gave to Mr. Stan- borough power of attorney to dispose of lands in Stanstead.

Thomas Talmadge sen., Thomas Talmadge jr. and Robert Talmadge are all mentioned in the list of 1644, and the first of these was named in 1642, at which time it was voted at the general court at Southampton, Sep- tember 7th, "that Thomas Talmadge sen. shall have instead of his 8-acre lot another granted unto him for his propriety and best advantage."

Daniel Howe was one of the original " undertakers" of Southampton, and was a magistrate, but seems to have left the town in 1643. He was a freeman at Lynn, Mass., in 1634, and a lieutenant in the Ancient Artillery Company in 1638.

Thomas Thompson is mentioned in 1642; he had land laid out for him in that year, also in 1643, and he appears in the list of 1644.

John Stratton was a brother of Richard Stratton, who also appears in the list of 1644, and probably they re- moved together to the new settlement.

Robert Bond had land laid out in Southampton in 1643, and at the general court it was ordered "that Robert Bond shall not make for any Indian or Indians any harping irons [harpoons] or fishing irons, which are known to be dangerous weapons to offend the English." The inference is that he was a blacksmith.

1665, as appears by a conveyance of his lands in .East Hampton by his son Thomas to George Miller.

Joshua Barnes, although engaged in the purchase, did not remove with the rest, but lived and died in South- ampton. William Barnes, his son, joined the new colony, and from him are descended the families of that name.

John Mulford was living in Southampton in 1643, and he and his brother William are mentioned in the list of 1644.

The men we have named are worthy of the honor of being styled the founders of this ancient town. It was for them to prepare a road which others were soon to travel, and as the new enterprise was crowned with suc- cess it is not strange that the numbers of the early set- tlers rapidly increased.

OTHER EARLY SETTLERS.

The following is a list of men who joined the settle- ment at a very early date: Thomas Osborn, William Hedges, Ralph Dayton, Thomas Chatfield, Thomas Os- born jr., William Fithian, Richard Brooks, William Simonds, Samuel Belknap, Samuel Parsons, Joshua Gar- Lion Gardiner, John Osborn, Jeremiah Veale, John Miller, Charles Barnes, Stephen Hand, Thomas Baker, Ananias Conkling, Richard Shaw, Jeremiah Meacham.

To give a detailed account of each settler in the above list would far exceed our limits, and we will only men- tion those whose descendants are still found in the town.

Thomas Osborn, the progenitor of the numerous family of that name, is mentioned in the Southampton records in 1650 as being of East Hampton. Of his pre- vious history we have no knowledge. He had a son Thomas, who was a prominent citizen and died in 1712.

William Hedges died about 1674; we have no informa- tion as to the locality from which he came. His de- scendants are numerous, and the family has always held a very high social position.

Ralph Dayton and his son Robert were inhabitants of Southampton. He died in i657. In 1647 one Samuel Dayton and his wife came to the latter place from Flush- ing, but whether he was related to Ralph is uncertain.

Thomas Chatfield came from Sussex, England, and died in 1686, leaving sons Thomas and John.

William Fithian is said to have been a soldier in Crom- well's army, and was a witness of the execution of Charles I. He came to this country about 1650, and died in 1678.

John and Samuel Parsons were brothers. The former died in 1685, leaving sons Samuel and John.

Joshua Garlick was probably a brother of Joseph Gar- lick, who was living in Southampton in 1645. He died March 7th 1700, at the age of 100 years.

Fulk Davis was one of the earliest settlers in South- ampton, and had land laid out for him in 1642. He of the bay at the village of Towd.

Robert Rose had land in 1644, but his name does not occur after that in the Southampton records. He had a | afterward moved to North Sea, and lived on the shore son Thomas, and is supposed to have been the father of John Rose (whose descendants still remain in that town), but of this there is no absolute proof. He died about

Nathaniel Bishop was a son of Richard Bishop of Salem, where he was a freeman in 1642. John, brother of Na-

Road to Amagansett

Arthur Creese

Wm Rachet

Isaac

Tho Chatfield

1882

Geo. Miller 1650

Lion Gardiner 1660

Aaron Kithian

heirs

Enoch Filhian 1668

1882

The. Squires 1650.

Josiah Hobart 1670

1882

John Dayton.

Rev. Nathaniel Hunting 1698

Nathaniel Bishop 1650

David H.

Daniel Bishop 1685

Hunting

1882

With Barnes 1650 David H. Hunting

Church 1860

1882

John Parsons 1650 The. Isaacs 1880

Samuel Parsons 1685 H. Sherill

1882

Nathan Birdsall 1630 DEAbel Huntington

Nathaniel Downing 1680

Heirs

1882

John Edwards 1650 Eleazar Miller Geo. Mulford 1882

Jeremiah Miller 1700 1722

Reuben Hedoes 1776. Mrs Arrowsmith 1882

Wh Edwards 1650 Samuel G. Mulford

Church

1717

1882

Benjamin Price 1650 Samuel H. Miller

Justice John Wheeler1703

1882

Joseph Diament-1675

Ancient Hoad Closed

John Osborn 1650

Samuel G. Mulford

Bought for Parsonage 1665

Josiah, Hobart 1698

1882

Robert Dayton 1650

Henry Milford

1882

Ralph Dayton 1685

Mathew Mulford 1751 St. Luke's Church

Thomas Chatfield 1650

Thomas Chatfield 5.1686

Capt. Ettowes 1882

Lion Gardiner 1650

Samuel B. Gardiner

1882

Jer. Conkling 1658

Rev. Thomas James 1650 . Samuel B. Gardiner

Sold to John Gardner 1695

182

X Windmill

George Miller 1650

Charles P. Jeffrys

Jeremy Meacham 1650 .

1882

Wm Hedges 1630 John D. Hedges

Stephen Hedges 1679

1882

John Stratton 1650

William Simons 1650

Hand

Osbartu

1650

16,50

Robert Dayton 1660

John Stratton 1655

Ed.

tillinghast 1882

Tillinghast 1882

Geo. W. Elkins 1882

Burying Ground 1653 1st A Church

Fond.

Wood's Lane Road to Bridge Hampton

WeHedges

Rev. Thomas

Nath:

John

Miller.

1660

Hedges

1660

Samuel B. Gardiner Andrew Miller

1882

WW Schelling

David Gardiner 1742

Silvanus T.Osborn

1882

Richard Shaw

1650

Phebe Dominy Richard Shaw Jr

1683

1812

Gen. Jeremiah Miller

Joshua Garlick

1650

Samuel B. Gardiner Richard Shaw.

1882

David Gardiner 1730

-Ri. Brooks

16 50

1660

Samuel Osborn Tho. Terrell

1882

Was Schelling 1726

Wm Mithian 1650

Dr Chas. B. Dayton Mathias Burnet 1670

1882

Burnet Miller, 1776

Clinton Academy 1784 Richard Stratton 1630

DE John Hedoes

Isaac & Benjamen

Stratton : 1676

Heirs 1882

Rev. Samuel

Stephen Osborn 1650

Richard Strutton

Buel.

1740.

1666

Buel's

Lane

David G Mulford Wm Mulford 1650

1882

1686

The. Mulford

Samuel M. Gardiner Thomas Baker

1882

1650

Tho. Thompson 1650

Wm Hedges

Arthur Howell

1656

1882

John Mulford 1650

James M. Hedges Samuel Mulford 16:86

1882

Isaac Isaacs 1790

Robert Bond

1650

Www.Osborn

Robert Bond TE 1660

1882

Tho. Osborn. 1668

The Talmadge 1650

Mrs David Thompson

1882

Nathaniel Talmadge

1687

Jeremiah Osborn 1690 John Stratton 1650

John Stratton T'

166:

1680.

Edward Osborn Thomas Chatfield

1882

Stephen Thomas

Parsonage land

Calf pasture 1650

1660

Plan of East Hampton Village, showing home lots of early settlers. By wmf. Pelletreau

James

Birdsall

1660

Bazaleel Osborn

1660

NewTown Lane These Lets Laid out 1660

Jeremiah Osborn 1680 JohnHand 1650 Edward Osborn 1882 John Hand 2nd 1660

Presbyterian

Parsonage 1882

THE TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON.

thaniel, was the ancestor of the families of the name in Southampton. Nathaniel did not long remain in East Hampton, but moved to the western part of the county, and we believe settled at Huntington.

Lion Gardiner, the original owner of Gardiner's Island, became a settler in the town in 1653, his son David re- maining on the island.

Jeremiah Veale was from Southold. He is said to have been born in England, and died in 1686. It is pos- sible that Jeremiah, the settler in East Hampton, may have been a son of the one mentioned above. Of late years the name has been changed to Vail, and by this name his descendants are known.

John Miller's descendants are still numerous, but of his own history previous to his coming to East Hampton we know nothing. He had a son John. He died in 1663.

Charles Barnes, who was a schoolmaster for many years, is believed to have been a brother of William men- tioned above.

Stephen Hand was a son of John Hand mentioned above.

Thomas Baker, the ancestor of the families of that name, came from England in 1639. His wife's name was Alice, and they were married June 20th 1643. He had sons Thomas (born July 26th 1654) and Nathaniel (born December 22nd 1655), and a daughter Abigail.

Next is the lot of Lion Gardiner. After residing upon The families in this town are descended from the second his island, with none but Indian neighbors, from 1639 to

son, Nathaniel. Thomas Baker died at the age of 82.

Ananias Conkling was a brother of John Conkling, who was one of the early settlers of Southold, to which place they came from Salem, Mass., in 1650. Their na- tive place is said to have been Nottinghamshire, England. Ananias had a son Lewis, the ancestor of all the East Hampton families of the name.

Richard Shaw was a son-in-law of Joshna Garlick, but we know nothing of his previous history, and he has left no descendants in the town. His son John removed to Cape May in 1693.

Tradition, well supported by known facts, asserts that most of the early settlers came from Maidstone in Kent. In fond remembrance of their native village they gave its name to the new settlement. This name, although never judicially or legally sanctioned, was used incident- ally as the name of the place for at least forty years, and persons in writing deeds and wills seem to have clung to the old name from individual choice.

THE EARLY VILLAGE.

To locate the homesteads of the early inhabitants is no easy task, when we consider that no record of the original division has come down to us, and our informa- tion upon this subject is derived from a careful compari- son of ancient deeds and wills, with a few incidental allusions in the writings in the town clerk's office. The early home lots were located at the south end of the present village, and north of the road to Bridgehampton, or what was then called "Wood's lane." What is now called Town Pond was then a swamp which extended

beyond its present limits nearly to Buel's lane. On the east side of this swamp, on the upland, was laid out the burying ground. At the south end of the present home- stead of John D. Hedges was a tract of land known as the Calf Pasture. This was in after years purchased by the town for the use of the minister, or, as it was called, " parsonage land." It was upon this place that the Mon- tauk Indians, fleeing from their bloodthirsty enemies the Narragansetts, were allowed to remain under the protec- tion of their white neighbors.

On the present home lot of John D. Hedges, his an- cestor William Hedges had his dwelling place, and he has transmitted it to his descendants in an unbroken line, William having left it to his son John in 1674. Still con- tinuing north, on the east side of the street, we next find the home lot of Jeremy Meacham, and next the lot of George Miller, which was probably owned at first by Robert Rose, the ancestor of the numerous families of that name. Both of these lots are now the property of Charles P. Jeffrey.

Next comes a lot which has a historic interest as the dwelling place of Rev. Thomas James, the first minister of the town. Shortly before his death he sold this lot and the rest of his real estate to John Gardiner, the third owner of Gardiner's Island. It has been in the family ever since, and now belongs to Hon. Samuel B. Gardiner.

1653, he removed to East Hampton, and here he died in 1663. His daughter Mary married Jeremiah Conkling, and her father built a house for the young couple on the north side of the lot. It still remains in the Gardiner family.

Mr. Gardiner had for his neighbor on the north Thomas Chatfield, who died in 1686. His lot then de- scended to his son Thomas, who was a prominent citizen and judge of the county court in 1738. The Presbyte- rian parsonage now stands on this lot. It remained in the Chatfield family till within the last sixty years.

Next was the lot of Ralph Dayton, who died in 1658. In the Southampton records we find the following entry: "Sept. 22 1658, at a quarter court, the will of the late deceased Ralph Dayton was brought into the court and approved of by ye magistrates, and the £10 that Robert Dayton owed to his father he hath put into the estate." It would seem by this as if he was living in that town at the time of his death. His lot descended to his son Robert, who died in 1712. In 1751 it was owned by Matthew Mulford, and it now belongs to his descendant Henry Mulford. St. Luke's church stands on the south part of this lot.

John Osborne's home lot came next. About 1673 it was purchased for a parsonage, as the old record says, "it being in the hart of the Towne." In 1676 the same premises were sold by the town to Captain Josiah Ho- bart, whom, according to an entry in the town book, "they had latelie received as an inhabitant amongst them." The lot is now owned by Samuel G. Mulford.

In 1651 it was voted " that a cartway over to the east

THE TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON.

side of the town shall be made in the hollow between Goodman Osborne's and Goodman Hand's." This was on the north side of the lot described above, and was early used as a road to Amagansett, but it was closed in a few years.

The next was the lot of Benjamin Price, who was town clerk for several years, but the original owner was prob- ably John Hand. It was owned in 1676 by Justice John Wheeler, whose mother, Alice, was the second wife of Josiah Stanborough. It now belongs to Samuel H. Miller.

Then comes the lot of William Edwards, and on the south side of it was erected in 1717 the second church. The present owner is Samuel G. Mulford.

We next find the lot of John Edwards, brother of the above. In 1700 it was owned by Jeremiah Miller. In 1722 it belonged to Eleazer Miller, who was member of the Legislature from 1748 to 1769, and from his long con- tinuance in that office obtained the title of " Assembly- man Miller." The present owner is Jeremiah Mulford.

The next was owned by Nathan Birdsall, who proba- bly conveyed it to Nathaniel Downing, who owned it in 1680. The south part of it is now owned by the heirs of Dr. Abel Huntington ..

Next was the lot of John Parsons, who left it to his son Samuel in 1685. Part of it is now the property of Hiram Sherill, concerning whose ancestor the romantic story is told that he was in a vessel wrecked on the coast; that a party of young ladies visited the wreck, and one of them upon returning home reported having seen the handsomest man she had ever met; this was soon re- ported to the shipwrecked sailor, and the result was a more extended acquaintance and marriage. The young lady in question is said to have been the daughter of John Parsons.

William Barnes came next. His lot is now owned by David H. Huntting, except that portion now occupied by the present Presbyterian church.

North of William Barnes lived Nathaniel Bishop, and after him his son Daniel.

Thomas Squires was the original owner of the next lot. In 1670 it belonged to Captain Josiah Hobart. The lot formerly purchased for a parsonage was given to Cap- tain Hobart in exchange for this. It was here that Rev. Nathaniel Huntting lived during his long pastorate. It is now the property of David H. Huntting, his de- scendant.

Nathaniel Foster came next. He died in 1660, and | his lot reverted to his father, Christopher Foster, of Southampton; and at a town meeting that year it was voted that "Goodman Foster was accepted to possess as an inhabitant his sonne Nathaniel's lot, to live upon it himself, or to put such an inhabitant as the town should accept of." It afterward belonged to Daniel Edwards. It has a historic interest as the place where Dr. Lyman Beecher lived during his stay in East Hampton, and the house he occupied is yet remaining. This lot now be- longs to George Hand.

the lot in 1660, and Enoch Fithian in 1668. It is yet in the hands of his descendants.

Lastly, next to the Amagansett road, lived Arthur Creese, wliose lot afterward belonged to the Chatfield family. It is now owned by William Racket:

Commencing at the south end of the street we find that time has made many changes. "Pudding Hill" was at the time of the settlement quite an elevation, and at its base was a marshy tract so difficult to cross that a por- tion of John Hand's home lot was bought for a road. But the quantity of material which in the course of two hundred years has been washed down "Wood's lane " has rendered the marsh dry land, and reduced the hill to a hillock. The tract south of the Bridgehampton road was a part of what was called the " second home lots." The first lot north of this road was John Hand's, who left it to his son John in 1660, and it remained in the family for some time after. It now belongs to Ed- ward Osborn.

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