USA > New York > Suffolk County > History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683 > Part 54
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"Know all men whome these present writings may in any way concern that I Raseokan do sell and make over unto the aforesaid parties-Richard Houlbrock, Robert Williams and Danial Whitehead, their heirs, executors or assigns-a certain quantity of land lying and being upon Long Island, bounded upon the West side with a river commonly called by the Indians Nachaquetack, and the North side with the sea, and going eastward to a river called Opcatkontycke, on the south side to the utmost part of my bounds; promising and by virtue hereof I do promise to free the above said lands from all title off and claim that shall be made unto it by reason of any former act; in consideration of which land the afore- said Richard Houlbrock, Robert Williams and Danial Whitehead doth promise unto the said Raseokan as fol- loweth: 6 coats, 6 kettles, 6 hatchets, 6 howes, 6 shirts, Io knives, 6 fathoms of wampum, 3 muxes, 30 needles. Further the said sachem doth promise to go or send some one in twenty days to show and mark out the bounds, and in case it prove not according to expectation, then this writing to be void and of no effect; but in case it be, then this writing to stand in full force, power and virtue. Witness our hands the second day of April 1653.
His
" RICHARD (R) HOULBROCK, mark.
" ROBERT WILLIAMS,
" DANIAL WHITEHEAD,
" RASEOKAN, Sagamore."
A careful examination of the description in this deed shows that it included the territory between what is now Cold Spring Harbor (then called Nachaquetack) on the
(then called Opcatkontycke) on the east, with Long Isl- [and Sound on the north; not including Eaton's Neck, Neck. The south boundary, designated as "to the ut- most part of my bounds," was " marked out " by Raseo- con's men as provided in the agreement, and was on the line of what was called the old Country road. This made a territory something more than six miles square, and it was within this territory, and chiefly at what was afterward known as the "Town Spot " (at the east part of what is now the village of Huntington), that our fore- fathers first settled. It has always been called the "Old purchase."
The other or second deed by the Matinecocks to the whites was made in 1656, and was for the eastern part of their territory. The following is a copy of this deed:
" This indenture, made in the year 1656, on or about the last day of July, betwixt Asharoken, Matinnicock Sachem, and the rest of the Indian owners with him, on the one part, and Jonas Wood, William Roggrs, Thomas Wickes, for themselves and the rest of their associates, on the other part, witnesseth that I Asharoken have sold unto Jonas Wood, William Roggrs, Thomas Wickes, all the meadows, fresh and salt, lying and being upon the north side of Long Island from our former bounds, Cow Harbor brook, to Neesaquocke river; all the meadow within these bounds, West and East, and to the North side to as far as Asharoken's bounds goeth, southward as far as the neck called Eaton's Neck, Crab meadows, and all the rest of the meadows within the aforesaid bounds; with all the arbige that is or shall be hereafter upon the wood lands within the aforesaid bounds, to be the aforesaid Jonas's, William's and Thomas's, to them and their associates, heirs and exec- utors forever; reserving to the Indians liberty to plant and hunt within these aforesaid bounds; and that for and in consideration of 2 coates, 4 shirts, 7 qts. licker, II oz. powder, in witness hereof we have sot to our hands:
" ASHAROKEN.
" MAKAMAH.
" SYHAR.
JONAS WOOD. WILLIAM ROGGRS. THOMAS WICKES."
" FOGER.
" POVNEPYA.
" NAMEROWS.
" MOHEMOS.
" MAMARAD. "MANATEORYE."
This deed included all the territory between the brook at the head of Northport Harbor and Smithtown Har- bor, south to the great plains and north to the sound, in- cluding Eaton's Neck.
It would seem, however, that those who had acquired title to Eaton's Neck under Theophilus Eaton, former governor of the New Haven colony, set up their claim to that neck against the grantees in the deed last recited. There is a curious paper in existence, found among the documents on file in New Haven, in the form of a depo- sition or affidavit by a number of Matinecock Indians, to the effect that their chief Raseocon had as long ago as 1646 made a gift of Eaton's Neck and adjoining ter- ritory to Theophilus Eaton.
While this gift, accompanied by a deed, was rejected west and the brook at the head of Northport Harbor and abandoned so far as it related to the extensive terri-
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THE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.
tory now known as Northport, Crab Meadow, Fresh Pond, and south to the middle of the island, it is as- sumed that the title to Eaton's Neck was permitted to stand, as originally, in Theophilus Eaton, running down from him to its present owners, regardless of the second deed above recited, though this deed to Huntington clearly included Eeaton's Neck in its terms.
The two deeds by the Matinecocks here given and the deed to Theophilus Eaton are the only conveyances known to have been made by them of their territory in Huntington.
The title to Eaton's Neck down to a recent period runs substantially as follows:
1646, The chief of the Matinecocks to Theophilus Eaton.
Theophilus Eaton (or his representatives) to William Jones.
1662, William Jones and Mary his wife (a daughter of Theophilus Eaton) to Robert Seely.
1663, Robert Seely to George Baldwin ..
1668, George Baldwin to Richard and Alex. Bryant.
1710, Alexander Bryan to John Sloss.
John Sloss to John Sloss Hobert.
1788, John Sloss Hobert to Robert Watts.
1792, Robert Watts to John Gardiner.
John Gardiner to John and Jonathan Gardiner.
Town of Huntington to John and Jonathan Gardiner. Since the last named period the neck has been divided, but it is yet generally held in large tracts.
While George Baldwin held it, and about the same year that Huntington obtained its patent, 1666, a grant was made to him of Eaton's Neck by Governor Richard Nicolis, and subsequently he obtained a confirmation of the grant from Governor Dongan, and it was erected - into a manor, called " the manor of Eaton."
Turning now toward the southeast we find, as before stated, the Secatogue tribe occupying the greater part of the south shore of the town as far east as Sumpwams River, now Babylon, west to the Marsapeagues' terri- tory, and north to the Matinecocks'.
Recosachok was then the chief of this tribe. Though occupying a large territory the tribe was small in num- bers. There were 27 heads of families in the town. These with their wives and children possibly numbered about 100 persons.
In 1657 Wyandance, the grand sagamore of all the tribes, sold to " Jonas Wood and the rest of his neigh- bors" five necks of the Secatogues' land, and Recosachok, their chief, confirmed the deed. The same year Wyan- dance and Recosachok both made a further deed to the same parties of what was known as " Half Neck," "from the sea to the south path." Thirty-two years after this (in 1689), after Recosachok had been gathered to his fathers, Wamehas, then chief of the Secatogues, made a deed of Sumpwams Neck, now Babylon, to the town. At different dates between 1688 and 1705 the chief of the Secatogues made as many as ten deeds to the whites, and a remnant of these Indians as late as 1755 conveyed to the town the last of the lands of the Secatogues.
At the southwest was the Marsapeague tribe. Its chief was Takapousha. These .Indians occupied the south- west part of the town, from the line of Queens county east to the territory of the Secatogues and north to the middle of the island, or the land of the Matinecocks. They were few in number in this town, but perhaps more numerous further west, in Queens county. There are only eight names of which a record is found. It is not probable that with wives and children the tribe in Hunt- ington numbered more than 30.
Takapousha sold no land to the whites, but Wyandance in 1667, by virtue of his claim of superiority, sold three necks of the lands of the Marsapeagues to the town. This deed was not ratified by Takapousha. After the death of Takapousha his son Isawaw became chief, and in 1683 he conveyed to the town meadows and beaches. In 1691 Choppie, then chief, conveyed meadows and islands in the South Bay. In 1693 Sowwames became chief and by three successive deeds, the last in 1698, conveyed away the last of their lands.
The Secatogues and Marsapeagues made as many as 25 deeds to the whites.
On the south side of the town the first purchases from the Indians only included the salt meadows lying between the streams and small arms of the bay, which were called " necks; later the fresh meadows as far north as the "Indian path " were purchased, and still later what was called the "brushy plains," or uplands, were acquired.
The first deeds were made to individuals and their associates, and the land was divided to the purchasers so that most of the inhabitants held small parcels of salt meadow; and, as the cultivated grasses were unknown here in those days, this salt hay was relied upon mainly for winter food for stock. At a later period the convey- ances were mostly to the town in its corporate capacity, and the lands were partitioned out by vote at town meet- ings and by grants by the trustees.
The first deed by the Matinecocks, for the " Old pur- chase", was made to several inhabitants of Oyster Bay, but these purchasers immediately sold to the original settlers of Huntington, and this territory was afterward divided among them and their descendants, except some remnants conveyed to the trustees of the town. The second deed by the Matinecocks, for the eastern part of their lands, though made to individuals named and their associates, was for the benefit of the town, and the land conveyed was parceled out among the people at various times during many years.
As will be noticed by examining these deeds, the con -- sideration paid the Indians was of a nominal character, usually consisting of a few hatchets, a few pounds of powder, some knives and other implements, rum, and strings of wampum. There is evidence that the lands of the Indians at the south side were in some instances more or less occupied by the whites before deeds were made. The loud and persistent complaints of the red men were usually followed by sending among them some of the sharpest and most unscrupulous of the settlers, with directions to "satisfy " the Indians the best way they
THE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.
could and procure deeds, to which their signatures were obtained, often reciting that the deed was made in con- sideration largely of "the love of the Indians for the white men"!
Wyandance, secure in his position at Montauk, was glad enough to sell out the lands of these tribes in Huntington for gaudy coats and hats and "great fine · looking glasses." Raseocon and Asharoken, Matinecock sachems, made short work of the matter by selling out all their territory in Huntington for a few coats, hatchets and knives and a little powder and rum. They reserved the right to hunt, but this soon became of little value, as the whites occupied the soil and with firearms soon rendered the game scarce. Recosachok, chief of the Secatogues, shared with Wyandance the coats and trinkets which formed the consideration for the earliest sales of the lands of that tribe, and these chiefs, having once cast off the clothing made of skins, and donned civilized costumes, were loth to return to their primitive habits, so that the whites had little difficulty in inducing them, from time to time, to part with a " neck of land " in consideration of more coats and finery. Wamehas likewise hankered after the flesh-pots of Egypt, and soon sold out his birthright for less than a mess of pottage. ·
Thers is one notable exception to this race of spend- thrift chiefs-old Takapousha, chief of the Marsa- peagues. There is something heroic in the idea of this chief, clothed in his furs, disdaining the gewgaws and tempting finery offered by the whites, standing as a bar- rier against their encroachments and as far as he could holding his possessions intact until death took him to the happy hunting grounds. But Owassum, his son, coming into power, soon squandered the Marsapeague lands.
It will be noted that the Marsapeagues were very few in number in this town. Perhaps the fact that just be- fore this time Captain John Underhill had led an expe- dition against this tribe at Fort Neck, on the south side of Oyster Bay, accounts for the smallness of their numbers. History does not inform us as to the number! of Indians slain, but in view of Captain Underhill's reputation as an Indian fighter, and his well-known maxim that "the only good Indian is the dead Indian," it is highly probable that the Marsapeagues suffered great loss in numbers. The occasion of this attack was a suspicion that Takapousha was untrue to the English, and had advised the Dutch to wage a war against the English settlers. However this may have been the first settlers of Huntington, coming here the same year, seem to have had little trouble with the Indians, and the con- quest of New Amsterdam by the English and expulsion of the Dutch in the year following (1664) put an end to any further apprehension of trouble from this source.
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
The deed of the Old purchase was made by the Indians to Richard Holbrook, Robert Williams and Daniel White- head, inhabitants of Oyster Bay, and is dated April 2nd 1653, but on the same day these parties conveyed the
premises so purchased to the inhabitants of Huntington, and this purchase was the only land owned by them until 1656, a period of three years. Hence the first settlement was made about the center of this purchase, viz., the east part of what is now the village of Huntington, then called the "Town Spot."
It is presumed that many of the settlers came here by water, landing at Huntington Harbor. As the country along the harbor and the valley immediately south of it presented attractions for settlement, lands were first se- lected there; rude houses were constructed, and the heads of families soon began to gather around them some of the comforts of home. Along this highway (then called a "cart path") leading south from the harbor through the east part of the valley or near to it there lived, among others, Thomas Scudder, Richard Higbee, John Betts, James Chichester, Robert Cranfield, Nathaniel Foster, Stephen Jarvis, Thomas Powell, Isaac Platt, Thomas Weeks, Jonas Wood, Thomas Whitson, Henry Whitney, Richard Bryant and Thomas Scidmore. Down East Neck there were, among others, Henry Scudder, Jeffrey and Isaac Esty, Mark Meggs, Thomas Fleet, John Jones, Thomas Joanes and John Finch. At West Neck, on the path to Horse Neck, John Sammis, Jonas Brush, John Corey, Timothy and John Conklin, Abial and probably John and Henry Titus, John Teed, Richard Williams, Timothy Wood and others were building them- selves homes.
It was mainly at the Town Spot that measures were taken for the protection of the infant colony from appre- hended depredations of the Indians. In the day time the stock was in part driven for pasture to the East Fields, that wide and fertile tract of upland at what has since been called " Old Fields," and in part to the West Fields 'West Neck); but at night it was driven in and confined in a sort of stockade at the Town Spot, and guards were regularly deatailed, whose duty it was to watch at night and protect the settlers and their property from attack. The rules for the punishment of what was called " the watch " for neglect of duty were very strin- gent.
Soon these settlers, whose homesteads usually con- tained only a few acres, required more land for cultivation, and were granted parcels of what was called " good plant- ing land" in the East or West Fields or other localities; so that, while they resided near the Town Spot, their farms were some distance off, and they soon sought and obtained small parcels of salt meadow to furnish prov- ender for stock during winter.
Though the Indians had given deeds of the lands they had reserved the right to hunt, so that they continued to dwell in their old wigwams and mingled more or less with the whites; but they were remarkably peaceable, seeming from the first to recognize the fact that the whites were masters of the situation, and yielding submission to the decrees of fate.
The division of lands in the Old purchase was made to those who made the purchase from the parties in Oyster Bay and procured the deed from the Matine-
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THE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.
cocks, and in proportion to what each had contributed to the purchase; but the greater part of the lands was held in what was called " commonage," and continued to be so held for many generations.
In July 1656, three years after the first purchase, the second purchase was made, as we have already seen, by a deed from the Matinecocks of all the territory between the head of Cow Harbor (Northport) and Nesaquake River (Smithville), made to William Rogers, Thomas Weeks and Jonas Wood, and the "rest of their associ- ates." This territory was held in shares or " hundred- pound rights," in proportion to what each had contrib- uted in procuring it; and after the patent granted in 1666 by Governor Nicolls, and subsequent patents, the remainder came to be the common property of the free- holders of the town who had contributed toward the ex- pense of procuring the title.
The immediate occasion of this seeond purchase was the need of more meadow lands; for at this period there were no cultivated grasses in the territory, and the people Mayo, Whitehead and Wright, finding the people of had to rely on the native grasses for feeding their stock dur- ing the winter months. The new purchase secured to them the broad salt meadows about Crab Meadow and Fresh Pond, and many of the new comers located in the vicin- ity of Cow Harbor (Northport) and Crab Meadow Neck.
THE LLOYD'S NECK CONTROVERSY.
The first serious controversy between Huntington and its neighbors concerning boundaries occurred very soon after the settlement, and related to the ownership of Lloyd's Neck-then called Horse Neck, though its In- dian name was "Caumsett."
It is worthy of remark here that at different periods in the early history of the town its boundaries were at- tacked at each of its four corners, followed by a vigor- ous and lengthy litigation in each case, in all of which the outposts of Huntington were more or less driven in and her territory restricted. The case of Lloyd's Neck is interesting, as the facts do not seem to have gone into history, and widely differ from the popular belief.
As has been shown Huntington had acquired the In- dian title by a deed from Raseocon, sagamore of the Matinecocks, to Holbrook, Williams and Whitehead, Oyster Bay men, who on the same day of the purchase, April 2nd 1653, assigned the whole of their purchase to the people of Huntington. The lands so purchased were described as " bounded upon the west side with a river commonly called by the Indians Nachaquetack [Cold Spring], on the north side with the sea, and going to a river called Opcatkontycke [Northport Harbor]; on the south side to the utmost part of my bounds." This description naturally included Horse (Lloyd's) Neck, and the Huntington people asserted their claim to it. In times of drouth and scarcity of feed for stock horses were driven there for pasture, and probably the neck took its name from this fact.
Huntington was, however, soon disturbed in its claim. The first move was the making and delivering of the fol- lowing deed by the Indians:
"September the 20 1654.
" This writing witnesseth that I Ratiocan, sagamore of
Cow Harbor, have sold unto Samuel Mayo, Daniel White- head, and Peter Wright my necks of land which makes the east side of Oyster Bay and the west side of Cow Harbor, on the north side bounded with the sound, called by Indians Caumsett. For and in consideration of which neck of land we the aforesaid Samuel Mayo, Daniel Whitehead, and Peter Wright do promise to pay to the aforesaid Ratiocon, sagamore, three coats, three shirts, three hatchets, three hoes, two fathom of wampum, six knives, two pair of stockings, two pair shoes. In witness whereof we have interchangeably set our hands."
This was signed by fourteen Indians.
Here was a separate and subsequent sale of Horse Neck to Oyster Bay men, in hostility to the Huntington title. The leading men in this town were outspoken in their denunciation of what they called an act of bad faith on the part of the Oyster Bay purchasers. They did not so much blame the Indians, for it was expected they would sell as often as they could find a purchaser.
Huntington determined to hold the neck, finally, May 6th 1658, sold out all their interests to Samuel Andrews, a London merchant, for {100. Andrews was evidently a man of business. He had heard of Wyandance, the big chief down at Montauk, and, believing his ratification of the sale would be valuable, he, accompanied by Rich- ard Woodhull and Daniel Whitehead, proceeded at once to Shelter Island and with a few presents procured Wy- andance's signature to a complete ratification of his pur- chase. This was done May 14th 1658, only eight days after Andrews made his purchase.
It seems that Huntington, hearing of this sale to An- drews, took similar steps to procure Wyandance's sanc- tion to its title, and sent John Gosby to Shelter Island to see the chief, but he arrived there one day too late and failed in his mission. 'Samuel Andrews died soon after and, September 5th 1660, his executors conveyed Horse Neck to John Richbill of Oyster Bay. The case of John Conklin, an inhabitant of Huntington, against John Rich- bill was decided in favor of Richbili, and Governor Rich- ard Nicolls issued his mandate to all justices of the peace and high constables directing Richbill to be put in possession of Horse Neck, which was done.
But Huntington was not to be driven from the field without another effort. Richbill found his possession of the neck so much disturbed that he brought an action against the inhabitants of the town of Huntington for what he called "unjust molestation." This cause was tried at a general court of assizes held at New York city, composed of the governor and his council and the justices of the peace of "Yorkshire," in October 1665. The trial brought up for review all the facts bearing on the title as to both parties. The following are the names of the jurors who decided the case: Richard Gildersleeve, foreman; William Hallet, Henry Pierson, John Barrows,. John Symonds, Edward Titus and Thomas Smith. The attorney for Richbill was John Rider; the attorney for the people of Huntington was Rev. William Leverich.
Many witnesses were examined and depositions were
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THE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.
read in evidence. Daniel Whitehead, Robert Williams, and Richard Holbrook, the men who conveyed to Huntington its title, which on its face included Horse Neck, stated that when the Indian chief signed the deed Horse Neck was reserved to the Indians by a verbal declaration. This is a notable instance of the evil of ad- mitting evidence of verbal declarations tending to vary a written instrument like a deed. The trial occupied two days, and the jury brought in a verdict in favor of Huntington, finding that "Horse Neck lyeth within the bounds of Huntington's deed, except further light can be made to appear unto us by the Hon. governor and coun- cil, and the plaintiff shall pay all costs and charges."
This was regarded as a great triumph for Huntington, but her triumphing was short. A rehearing was had be- fore the governor and council, where adverse influences were at work, and the same year a decree was made re- versing the finding of the jury and declaring in favor of Richbill. This result was attained by giving more force to the idle, uncertain talk had when the Huntington deed was made than to the plain words of the deed itself. The following is a copy of the decree which declared Horse Neck outside the limits of Huntington:
"The court, having heard the case in difference between the plaintiff and defendants debated at targe concerning their title to a certain parcel of land commonly called Horse Neck, and having also seen and perused their several writings and evidences concerning the same, it was committed to a jury, who brought in their verdict for the defendant; upon which the court, demurring, did . examine further into the equity of the cause, and upon mature and serious consideration do find the said parcel of land called Horse Neck doth of right belong to the plaintiff, it being purchased by the said plaintiff for a valuable consideration, and by the testimony of the first purchasers, under whom the defendants claim, was not conveyed or assigned by them to the defendants with their other lands; upon which and divers other weighty considerations the court doth decree that the said parcel of land called Horse Neck doth belong and appertain unto the plaintiff and his heirs, and it is hereby ordered that the high sheriff or under sheriff of the North Riding of Yorkshire upon Long Island do forthwith put the said plaintiff or his assigns in possession thereof; and all per- sons are hereby requested to forbear the giving the said plaintiff or his assigns any molestation in the peaceable and quiet enjoyment of the premises."
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