History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 50

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 50

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S. B. GARDINER.

Samuel B.Gardner received an education which fitted him for the practical affairs of life as well as for the duties of the legislator and the official positions of various kinds which he filled with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his fellow citizens. In 1846 he was elected to the Assembly of this State, having for his col- league Hon. Richard A. Udall of Islip; and he subse- quently held the offices of supervisor and justice of the peace in his native town for many years.

Upon the death of his brother John Griswold Gar- diner he became the proprietor of Gardiner's Island. Under his able management the estate was transformed in appearance and productiveness, and the band of re- tainers who under the preceding administration had found a support without rendering an equivalent service soon awaked to a realizing sense of the fact that with new lords had come new laws. It is safe to say that as a source of income this estate was doubled in value in a surprisingly short time, and it now ranks as one of the finest in the county.

In 1876 he was again elected to the Legislature, the political party with which he was connected feeling the need of a leader in whom the people of the county had more confidence than in the class of politicians under. whose guidance they had so often sustained defeat. During his political career he was a Democrat, but be- longed rather to the school of Jefferson and Madison than to the party which claims to inherit their name and expound their principles.

Mr. Gardiner in personal appearance was well calcu- lated to attract attention in whatever circle he appeared: tall and well proportioned, and, though dignified and courteously reserved in his intercourse with the world, kind and affable to all who had any claim upon his attention or acquaintance. In the bustling activity of modern life, and amid the tricks and chicanery of what is now called "politics," Mr. Gardiner moved as a relic of a former age, whose ample fortune rendered him independent of the one and whose integrity of character placed an infinite distance between himself and the other.

He died January 5th 1882, and his mortal remains were consigned to their last resting place in the family graveyard, upon the island which had been his home for twenty years; and the whole community united in

In the will of David Gardiner the fourth proprietor, who died in 1751, occurs the following: "I leave to my eldest son, John, my island called Gardiner's Island, and after his decease to his eldest son, and after his decease to the eldest son of the said eldest sor., and in that man- ner to descend to the male line of my family to the end of time."

The change of government and the abolishing of all feudal tenures, including entailments, has rendered his intention of no legal force, but the custom has ever been in accordance with this design.

In 1686 a patent of the "manor of Gardiner's Island " was granted by Governor Dongan to David, the second proprietor. This patent, after reciting the facts that the island had been purchased of James Farrett, agent for the Earl of Stirling, and that a patent had been granted by Governor Nicolls in 1665 upon consideration of an annual payment of £5 (which annual payment had been remitted by Governor Lovelace, who reserved in lieu of it as an acknowledgment to His Royal Highness, " one lamb, to be paid the 1st day of May yearly ") goes on to confirm to the said David Gardiner and his heirs and assigns the said island, "as a Lordship and Manor, with power to hold Court Leet and Court Baron, with the Advowson and right of Patronage of all churches," with many like terms, which conveyed manorial rights in " ye olden time."

Among the prominent members of this family may be mentioned Colonel Abraham Gardiner, who was born February 19th 1721. He married Mary, daughter of Nathaniel Smith, of Moriches, June 12th 1745. He was executor of. the estate and guardian of the children of David, the sixth proprietor. During the Revolution the island was plundered by the British troops, and their leader, not content with this, concocted an infamous plot to injure the reputation of Colonel Gardiner in the eyes of his patriotic countrymen. A letter was written and left in a conspicuous place, addressed to the colonel and calculated by its language to impress the reader with the idea that the plunder of the island was part of a pre- pared plan, and that Colonel Gardiner was in secret league with the enemies of his country. This letter, being duly found and communicated to the Provincial Congress, had at first the desired effect; but upon a strict examination his honor and patriotism were most clearly established. His tombstone in the ancient bury- ing ground at East Hampton bears the following epitaph:

" In Memory of Colonel Abraham Gardiner, who de- parted this life August 21st 1782, in the 62nd year of his age.

" Thus all we see, Ilke all we have, Of good beneath the skies Shall rest like that within this grave, Till God shall say, 'Arise.' "

THE TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON.

Dr. Nathaniel Gardiner, son of Colonel Abraham Gardiner mentioned above, was born January 11th 1759. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Dering, of Shelter Island. During the Revolution he was a surgeon in the army, and he was a member of the Legislature in 1786, 1789 and 1790. He died March 25th 1804.

David Gardiner, grandson of Colonel Abraham, was born May 2nd 1784, and was a man of high public posi- tion. "In the vigor of life, adorned by eminent virtues, solid abilities, and rare accomplishments, beloved and venerated, he was stricken with instant death by the bursting of the great gun on board the steam frigate 'Princeton ' on the river Potomac." This sad event oc- curred February 28th 1844. His remains rest under a massive monument in the graveyard at East Hampton; but a far more enduring memorial is found in his " Chronicles of East Hampton," a work of the greatest interest, and embracing the results of extended research.

David second son of the sixth proprietor was born July 29th 1772. Julia Havens, his wife, was born on Shelter Island, May 25th 1771. David Gardiner their son was born at Flushing, L. I., January Ist 1799, and married Mariette, eldest daughter of Hon. Abel Hunt- ington, M.D. He was a revenue officer in the New York custom-house 25 years, and retired to Bridgehampton, where the remainder of his life was spent. He died February 25th 1880, aged 81. His wife died February Ist 1882, aged 81. They left three children-Frances, widow of Rev. Carlton P. Maples, formerly of Pomeroy, Ohio; John Lyon Gardiner, M.D., of Bridgehampton; and Rev. Charles Gardiner, of St. Luke's church East Hampton.

The greatest length of the island is 772 miles. Its shape is very irregular. Its area is about 3,000 acres. It is distant about three miles from the nearest shore. It is assessed for taxes at $60,000.

EAST HAMPTON PAST AND PRESENT.

Such is a brief sketch of the main incidents in the eventful history of this ancient town. Probably no other among the Long Island towns retains so much of the ways and manners of the olden time as this, which for more than two centuries had only one church; where the town meetings, in accordance with the practice handed down from Puritan days, are still opened with prayer; where town elections turn entirely upon local questions, and not on party politics; where intermar- riages of relatives, though sometimes productive of effects disastrous to mind and body, have in most cases tended only to perpetuate in a remarkable degree family characteristics both of a mental and physical nature; a town that in proportion to its population has produced more men of talent and high position than any other in Suffolk county; whose institution of learning has sent forth men whose courage has been witnessed on the battle field and their wise and eloquent words heard alike in the councils of the nation, the sacred desk and the halls of justice; men whose judgment has framed the government of a State and of a country where mil-

lions enjoy the greatest boon that heaven has given to a people, liberty under law.

The peculiarities of East Hampton village as a relic of the past are rapidly disappearing before the march of modern ideas, but it remains to be seen whether the future shall witness a better state of things than what has gone before. Our ancestors may have been quaint in their garb and formal in their manners, precise in their speech and fanatical in their religion, but they in their weakness laid the foundations of power, and established those institutions which are the blessing of the earth as it is and the glory of the world as it is to be.

PROMINENT FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS .*

We regret that our limits do not permit us to record at greater length the personal history of the men of the past generations whose acts have been a credit to them- selves and added lustre to the fame of this ancient town. Without disparagement to the many, we will mention the few who have been " foremost among their equals." The record of the Gardiner family is inseparable from the history of Gardiner's Island, already given.

THE MULFORD FAMILY.

The persons of this name are descended from two brothers, John and William, who came to this town from Southampton. John was a prominent man in all public affairs and was commissioned judge in 1674. In his will he leaves to his wife Frideswide " two acres out of my own home lot and two out of the lot I bought of Tho. Thompson." The latter home lot he leaves to his eldest son, Samuel, and to his son John "the home lot I live upon." He had daughters Mary (who married Jeremiah Miller) and Hannah (who married Benjamin Conkling). His will, proved March 19th 1686, marks approximately the date of his death.

If there is any name held in highest reverence in this ancient town, and to which the unanimous voice of the citizens would decree the highest place on the page of history, it is that of

-Painwill Mulfor 18

eldest son of the pioneer John, above named; whose energy in resisting despotic power and redressing a people's wrongs might justly entitle him to the name of " Tho village Hampden, who with open breast The little tyrant of his fields withstood."

Captain Samuel Mulford was the eldest son of John Mulford, the first settler, and was born in 1644. At a

* Some of these biographical and gonealogical sketches were written by others than Mr. Pelletreau, the author of the foregoing history. Those by him are the sketehes of the Mulford family, Eleazer and Bur- net Miller, Matthias Burnet, Thomas Chatfield, Abel Huntington, the Osborn family, John Howard Payne and the Dayton family, and the " Genealogical Netes."

3 x

THE TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON.

very early age he was appointed captain of the militia company; was recorder for many years, and in early life manifested an ability that placed him in a front rank among the inhabitants of the town. The intolerance and blind bigotry of Lord Cornbury, his zeal for the Epis- copal form of church government and unconcealed hatred of Presbyterianism and non-conformity in any shape, awoke the minds of the people to the fact that there had been little relief in the change from the domin- ion of papacy. It was in the heat of the controversy caused by the disappointment of the expectation of civil and religious freedom that an election was held for members of the colonial Assembly, and Captain Mulford was duly chosen as the representative of his native county. This was in 1705, and from that time till 1720 he was continuously re-elected to this high position, and remained unawed by the influence of the representatives of royal power, and unmoved by the hope of official favor, the faithful and unflinching champion of the length, by one of those singular circumstances which, in- people's rights.

The greatest grievance of his fellow townsmen was a human events and set at nought all human calculations, tax which, without shadow of law or justice, had been attention was drawn to his case, and justice obtained for his cause. His unsophisticated appearance rendered him a conspicuous and suitable subject for the operations levied by the governor upon the products of the whale fishery, he demanding a tenth as a right of royalty. Against this unjust demand the people, with Mulford at of the light-fingered gentry, and the contents of his

their head, rose as one man. In a memorial addressed to the king he recounts the fact that the taking of whales by the people continued "above fifty years before the captors heard of any duty for so doing until of late," and that it was looked upon as " an imposition contrary to the law of the colony."

It also seems that Captain Mulford and his two sons and Colonel Richard Floyd, of Brookhaven, "had been arrested on an action of trover for converting the Queen's goods to their own use," and that this case had been " carried from court to court to the number of fifteen or sixteen courts." The case against Colonel Floyd was, that Captain Theophilus Howell's company of South- ampton had a license to take whales, obliging themselves to pay one-twentieth part of all they gained. This party killed a whale and brought it ashore, and in the night a strong east wind drove it along shore about forty miles. The owners of the whale put it into Floyd's hands to try out, and he was prosecuted by the governor for the whale. The defense that was made by Captain Mulford is an example of careful reasoning which before an un- prejudiced tribunal could not fail to command respect; but judgment was given against him, and in every possi- ble way he was annoyed by persecutions and penalties.

On the 2nd of April 1714 he made a speech in the Assembly, " putting them in mind of some ill measures I was informed were taken." This speech was printed, and brought down upon the devoted head of its author the wrath of the royal governor. Suit was instituted against Mulford in the supreme court, and as it was in the power of the governor to prolong the matter it kept him away from his home, and deprived him of the op- portunity of attending to his personal affairs. Conscious of the injustice the Assembly united in a petition that

the prosecution might be dropped and Captain Mulford permitted to return to his native town. With that tenac- ity of purpose which distinguished him through life he resolved to make the journey to England, and there to present his wrongs in person to the king and council and demand redress. A voyage across the Atlantic at that time was something that called for the vigor of early manhood, but it was unhesitatingly undertaken by this man, whose head was whitened by the frosts of seventy years, but whose spirit was unconquered. To conceal his departure he made his way to Boston to embark, and duly. arrived at London. Unaccustomed to the sights and sounds of crowded cities, and with none to urge his case or assist his claim, Samuel Mulford stood in Eng- land's capital, unknowing and unknown. The attend- ants of court had no attentions for the plain man from a distant colony, who came unannounced by the voice of fame and unaccompanied with the pomp of power. At significant in themselves, sometimes turn the tide of

pockets were quickly transferred to their own. It would seem as if the proverbial Yankee sharpness must have been early developed in this clime and prompted him to have several fishhooks sewn into his garments in such a manner that the next hand that was introduced into his pocket received an invitation to remain that it was found impossible to decline. This amusing affair was quickly noised abroad; it was mentioned in the newspapers at the time, and from an unknown individual he became the topic of the hour. His case was examined before the council, his information duly appreciated, the tax on oil ordered to be taken off, and he returned to his con- stituents with his efforts crowned with well merited suc- cess. At his return he took his seat in the Assembly. The hatred of the governor was not appeased; the old subject of the speech was revived, and by the vote of a subservient house he was expelled from his seat. It is needless to say that the people of Suffolk county did honor to themselves by immediately re-electing him to the place he had filled so long and so well, and he con- tinued to serve as their representative till October 17th 1720, when he was again expelled, for protesting against the legality of the house and refusing to unite in an ad- dress to the governor. Thus ended his public career, but to the end of his life he was in his native town an honored man.

In the village graveyard, almost on the site of the church where forty years before Rev. Thomas James had preached his sermon of defiance to the arbitrary act of a former governor he was laid to rest, and a simple monu- ment "with shapeless sculpture decked " bears the fol- lowing inscription :

" Here lyes buried the body of Capt. Samuel Mulford, who died August ye 21st 1725, Aged about 80 years."

THE TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON.

Honest Samuel Mulford! The moss is green on thy tombstone, and thy grave is leveled by the tread of time: but so long as the sound of freedom shall wake an echo in the hearts of men, and the cause of the oppressed find a champion against the might of the oppressor, thy power remains, thy spirit is with us still!

Captain Samuel Mulford's first wife, Esther, died No- vember 24th 1717, aged 64. His second wife, Sarah (daughter of Colonel Mathew Howell), died April 6th 1760, aged 97. He left children Samuel (3), Timothy (4), Elias (5), and Matthew (6). Samuel (3) had a wife Sarah, died in 1743, aged 65. Timothy (4) (wife's name Sarah) died in 1741, aged 60. Elias (5) married Mary Mason and died in 1760, aged 75. Matthew (6) married Elizabeth Chatfield; he died in 1774, aged 85. He had a son Colonel David (7), who died December 18th 1778. The last named had a son Matthew (born October 22nd 1756, died March 24th 1845), who had a son Charles Lewis, who had a son Robert L., now of New York. David (7) also had a son Jonathan, from whom is descended Samuel G. Mulford, the present representative of the family in East Hampton.

After the battle of Brooklyn Colonel Henry B. Living- Barnabas . (16) removed to Branford, Conn., about 1740; he was the progenitor of the New Haven branch of the family. Among other children he had a son Barna- ston conceived the daring plan of concentrating all the militia companies that could be raised and making a desperate effort to drive the enemy from the island. To bas jr. (born April 29th 1784, died June 22nd 1807), who effect this he sent messages to the various commanders had a son Hervey (born July 7th 1777, died February 16th 1847). Hervey had a son James Hervey (born December 26th 1802), and the latter a son Hervey, who with his son William Remsen Mulford now represents the family. To the latter we owe a very carefully prepared history of the family. in the county, urging their immediate aid. Among others to whom he sent letters was Colonel David Mulford, who commanded the second regiment, and, not hearing from him as expected, he somewhat hastily came to the conclusion that the colonel was not as patriotic and ardent in his country's cause as he should be, and ex- In the old burying ground in this town is an elegant and substantial monument erected by Robert L Mul- ford, of New York, to the memory of Judge John Mul- ford and his descendants. pressed these ideas in letters and conversations. This elicited a remonstrance from Colonel Mulford, and the following letter from Colonel Livingston (recently dis- covered) places him in an entirely different light:

" SOUTHOLD, 3d of September 1776.

" DEAR COLONEL: I just received your favour, and am extremely sorry that my warmth or rather zeal for the welfare of my country induced me to blame you rashly, as I am now convinced, tho' too late, of your sincerity in your countries cause. I think that we might have made our stand with safety for at least three weeks or a fortnight, as the enemy were no nearer than Jamaica, and the main body of them crossing at Hell Gate. Mr. Richard Millar with about forty other in- famous rascals, who style themselves Light Horse, are disarming the inhabitants. If I could have heard from you sooner, or known you would have attempted to make any stand, I should probably have been in posses- sion of those villains who have struck a panic by circu- lating false reports. But [in] the uncertainty of this, as I did not receive an answer to two letters I wrote to you, Major Rogers and Colonel Hedges by express, we to- gether with the officers . of the militia, determined a re- treat. Colonel Terry was with me and thought it would be impossible to rally [those] who were discouraged by the reports the disaffected have spread, and that it was his opinion I ought to look to the security of the de- tachment, which I have done and effected a retreat, with all our baggage and as many arms and ammunition as I could collect from the inhabitants on the way. I shall

probably sail with my little detachment this evening. I should be glad you would assist Captain Davis, who I have ordered to collect what arms he can to prevent their falling into the enemies' hands; also in raising recruits for the continent. A number of boats will be sent to take off the effects of those hearty in the cause. " I remain your most ob't

" HENRY B. LIVINGSTON."

The descendants of the original William Mulford by his wife Sarah (who died in March 1687) were as fol- lows: He left children Thomas (2), William (3), Benja- min (4), Sarah (5) and Rachel (6).

Benjamin (4) went to Cape May, New Jersey, and has descendants now living in that State.

Thomas (2) married Mary, daughter of Jeremiah Conkling .* (Her mother was a daughter of Lion .Gar- diner). He died in 1731, aged 77. He left children Thomas (7), died in March 1765, aged 77; Rachel (8); Abiah (9), married William Hedges; William (10); Eze- kiel (11); David (12) and Jeremiah (13) whose descend- ants are now living in New Jersey.

Thomas (7) had sons Elisha (14), Daniel (15), Barna- bas (16), born 1744, died 1827, Thomas (17).

Captain Ezekiel Mulford, who commanded one of the companies that took part in the battle of Brooklyn was a grandson of William, one of the first settlers. While in service he received directly from Washington the highest compliment for his intrepidity in a dangerous enterprize. After the battle he returned to East Hampton, and lived to an advanced age. He was noted for his retentive memory, and was to the end of his life a man of very active habits. His tombstone may be seen in the north burying ground at East Hampton, and bears the follow- ing inscription: "In Memory of Ezekiel Mulford, who died April 15th 1819, aged 83 years."

ELEAZER AND BURNET MILLER.

Eleazer Miller was born in 1717, and. was a grandson of John Miller, whose name appears in the list of the first settlers. He was elected a member of Assembly in 1748 and continued in that office till 1769, when he was defeated in a warmly contested election by General Nathaniel Woodhull. His long term of 21 years gained him the name, by which he was universally known, of

THE TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON.

"Assemblyman Miller." He died March 15th 1788, in the 92nd year of his age. His tombstone may be seen in the old burying ground.

Burnet Miller was a son of Eleazer Miller just men- tioned. He was town clerk for many years. He was a member of the 4th Provincial Congress, representative in the State Legislature from 1777 to 1783, and with the exception of one year was supervisor from 1764 to 1776. Of his life after the Revolution we have not been able to learn any particulars. It is probable that he joined the tide of emigration and went to some of the counties on the Hudson, whither many of the East Hampton families removed.

MATTHIAS BURNET.

Captain Matthias Burnet, who was one of the most prominent citizens of the early time, was a son of Thomas Burnet the first of the name in Southampton, and was born in 1673. He early removed to this town, and held a prominent position, being supervisor for a period of 19 years. His tombstone bears the following inscription: "Here lyes buried the body of Matthias Burnet, Esquire, who died October the 4 1745, in ye 72 year of his age."

JUDGE THOMAS CHATFIELD

was the eldest son of Thomas Chatfield the first of the name. He is said to have been of sound mind and superior judgment. After having served as justice of the peace for niany years, he was in 1738 appointed one of the judges of the court of common pleas, and held that positivn till his death; in 1752. He was supervisor in 1741-43. Judge Chatfield had a son John, who was justice for many years previous to the Revolution. From the description of the judge written by the author of " Chronicles of East Hampton," he might well be termed the last of the old settlers, for his costume and conversa- tion were of an age long anterior to his own. He had a daughter Mary, born September 12th 1707. September 9th 1731 she married Joseph King of Southold, who died November 6th 1732. She married Francis Pelletreau of Southampton, September 4th 1734, and after his de- cease, which occurred September 26th 1737, she married Judge Hugh Gelston. Judge Chatfield died January 12th 1754, aged 65.

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