History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 63

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 63

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PAUPERS AND SLAVES.

In 1790 the overseers of the poor, David Rusco and Philip Conklin, bought of Hannah Davis a house in the village of Huntington, and converted it into a poor-house. This poor-house was held until 1868, when it was ex- changed for the farm at Long Swamp. In 1872, the county system of maintaining the poor having been adopted, the poor-house farm was sold for $2,600 and the paupers were removed to Yaphank.

Negro slaves were held in Huntington from the first settlement to some time after the beginning of this cen- tury. It is said that the Dutch were the first to import negroes into America for slaves. In 1655 a cargo of slaves from the ship "White Horse " was sold in New York, followed by many others. Some of these negroes from time to time found their way into Huntington, and so that in 1755 we find 81 slaves (46 males and 35 fe- males) in Huntington, distributed among 53 families. A family in no case held more than four, usually only one. By acts of the Legislature passed in 1799 and later provision was made whereby slaveowners might volun- tarily free their slaves, provided such slaves were under 50 years of age and capable of supporting themselves. Under these acts the slaves were from time to time set free, and negro slavery here ceased.

LATEST BOUNDARY DISPUTES.

Controversies occasionally arose concerning the boun- daries between this and other towns. Twice the line between Huntington and Oyster Bay was in dispute, but

THE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.

by an order made by commissioners appointed by the powder and the equal proportion of the ball and shot be Legislature in 1797 the present line was established. deposited with Capt. John Rogers."

It is stated that a company of 200 militia marched to Lloyd's Neck from Huntington village on a false alarm that the British were landing troops there.

The following romantic little incident is related by the descendants of Dr. Potter. During the Revolutionary war, while the sick of the British soldiers were quartered in the court of chancery was decided rather more favor- on the inhabitants here, a young midshipman was nursed

The most serious controversy as to boundary arose about the beginning of this century with Islip, concerning the ownership of Cap Tree Island, Oak Island and Grass Island in the South Bay. The litigation was chiefly between the town of Huntington and William Nicoll of Islip. Several suits were instituted, and a case ably to Islip than Huntington, giving each party a por- tion of the premises in dispute. The line has not since been changed. Both Huntington and Islip petitioned the Legislature for relief during the pendency of the suit, but that body refused to interfere. The islands in dis- pute lay opposite Islip. The claim of Huntington seems to have been based on the ground that its first patent, that granted by Governor Nicolls in 1666, included the premises, and that the town had purchased of the Indians large tracts of land east of the subsequently confirmed line at Sumpwams Creek and opposite the islands. It is true that it was voted at a town meeting in 1690 that the town of Huntington would buy the three necks of meadow lying east of Sumpwams which the Indians then desired to sell. Afterward large tracts of land were purchased further north and east of the line. This title was in 1814 recognized and confirmed by a quit-claim deed of 3,000 acres by Anning Mowbray of Islip to the trustees of Huntington. These lands were held many years by Huntington and in 1855 were sold, the western half to E. A. Bunce, Selah Bunce and F. M. A. Wickes at $5.40 per acre, and the east half to A. J. Blecher at $5.50 per acre. Since the town of Babylon was created the same old controversy has in a measure been revived.

THE WAR OF 1812.

The second war with Great Britain, known as the war of 1812, though it produced a temporary alarm at the prospect of an invasion, was not productive of many events of interest here. The people evidently intended to give the British a warm reception in case of an at- tempt to land troops in this vicinity. The following ex- tract from the town records best expresses the purposes of the people here in the emergency:

" At a special town meeting held in the town of Hunt- ington, held at the house of Ebenezer Gould, on Satur- turday the 5th day of November 1814, it was voted that the sum of two hundred and seven dollars and 86-100 be paid by the town, being the amount of two bills paid for 6 casks of powder, 400 lbs. of musket balls, and a quan- tity of buck shot, by the trustees of sd. town, for the militia to defend the said town with in case of invasion.

" Also voted that I cask of the powder and the sixth part of the ball and shot be deposited with Capt. Samuel Muncy at South. Also voted that I cask of the powder and the sixth part of the ball and shot be deposited with Matthew Gardiner, Crab Meadow or Fresh Pond. Also voted that 112 casks of the powder and the sixth part of the ball and shot be deposited with Epenetus Smith, Cow Harbor. Also voted that 172 casks of the powder and the equal proportion of the ball and shot be deposited with Capt. Abel Conkling. Also voted that 172 casks of the

and kindly cared for at Dr. Potter's house by Mrs. Pot- ter; he recovered and went his way. In the war of 1812 the enemy captured a sloop belonging to Dr. Potter. It turned out that the midshipman who had been so kindly nursed in sickness by Mrs. Potter was the captain of the craft. When the captain found who owned the sloop he generously released it for a nominal ransom.

TITLE AND PRODUCTS OF LAND UNDER WATER.

From 1666, the time of the first grant to Huntington, down to about 1860 the town claimed to own in fee sim- ple and have exclusive control of the lands under the creeks, harbors and bays forming its frontage north and south. For 200 years the town granted leases for docks, leased or sold the land under tide-water mill-ponds, and prohibited non-residents from taking clams, oysters, etc., in the tide waters of the town. So jealous were the people of the town's rights that vessels collecting paving stones from the shores of the bays were driven away; even the seaweed did not escape notice, and was claimed by the town. Lands were sold in some instances run- ning to the channel, and the title to all the lands under water as above stated was not disputed.

About 1848 large oyster beds were discovered in North- port Bay, and fleets of vessels came from abroad and took many of the oysters. The town resisted, and an exciting oyster war followed, though no one was killed or wounded. Finally Connecticut parties assumed con- trol over parts of the best oyster grounds, planted oys- ters and excluded the people from the premises so occu- pied. In 1859 a suit originated between one Dickerson, an inhabitant, and Theodore Lownds and others, involv- ing the right of the Lownds party to hold this ground without a lease from the town. Before this suit was de- cided the Lownds party offered, through their counsel, to take up and remove all oysters from their beds if they were permitted to do so. The town trustees refused to permit them to do this. The suit was tried and resulted adversely to the town.

The unfortunate termination of this suit seems to have discouraged any further attempt on the part of the town to assert its rights for a period of about ten years. Many holders of dock leases refused to pay rent, and titles to salt water lands heretofore granted by the town were dis- puted.

In the spring of 1871 it was ordered at a town meeting that the trustees employ counsel to examine into the rights of the town to lands under water and as to the power of the town trustees over such lands, and the trus- tees were ordered to lease the oyster grounds under cer-

THE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.

tain restrictions. The trustees employed Charles R. Street and Henry C. Platt to examine into the town's title and the powers of the trustees and give an opinion upon the subject. A thorough and exhaustive examination was made of the whole subject, especially of the force and effect of the ancient grants and patents to the town by colonial governors, and a report was made and subse- quently presented in a pamphlet of about 100 pages. The opinion set forth that the town had a good and valid title to the lands under water in the harbors of the town, and gave the reasons. The trustees then entered upon the policy of leasing the oyster grounds. Surveys have been made in Northport and Huntington Harbors and Lloyd's Harbor, and many leases granted. Suits have been instituted against a few trespassers on leased grounds, which suits have generally been decided favorably to the town; but the Connecticut parties still occupy their ex- tensive oyster beds here and bid defiance to the town. The water front of the town should, under proper man-

It is not probable that a great many records have been lost. There are, however, two periods in the town's his- tory where records are missing. The first is between 1653, the supposed date of the settlement, and the begin- ning of 1658. What was done during these five years is not recorded, except in a few loose, time-stained papers. The other period is between 1690 and 1710, and the missing papers relate to town meetings only, the record relating to other town matters remaining. It is also highly probable that the first book of highway records agement, yield a revenue sufficient to pay the expenses of has been lost. Otherwise there are no serious breaks in the town government, and should afford profitable em- ployment for a large population. At one time Jarvis R. Rolph claimed title to all the lands under water in front of the town under a sale once made for a nominal sum. About 1866 the trustees paid him about $1,000 for a deed conveying the premises back to the town.

Much of the documentary evidence upon which the town relies in maintaining its title consists of loose papers in the town clerk's office, liable to be lost, while other records are so worn by time as to make it difficult to ascertain their contents. Provision should be made for better securing and perpetuating these records.

Huntington Bay and its surroundings are unsurpassed in the wide world for beauty of scenery. One attractive feature is the magnificent sea beaches, formed of pure crystal-like pebbles and sands which gleam in the sun- shine white as the drifting snow. In the summer vessels may be seen along the shore taking in cargoes of this almost transparent silex, to be sold and used in various ways in the world's markets. As the town reserved its owner- ship in the south part of East Beach the valuable bed of gravel and sand there deposited has for many years been eagerly sought for, and has yielded more revenue to the town than many suppose.

From 1865 to 1868, inclusive, the town received of Elbert Arthur a yearly rent of $1,625. The total amount received by the town from leases of East Beach since 1852 exceeds $10,000. Great gravel-washing machines run by steam power are now taking up vast quantities of these pebbles from beds of the material covered by the waters of the bay.

MISSING RECORDS.

A belief founded on tradition prevails very generally in this town that a large portion of the town records have been lost or destroyed. This tradition is perhaps best set forth in a statement to Henry Lloyd made by the late Gilbert Carll, when he was 94 years old. He said that his grandfather Platt Carll told him that some time

before the Revolution Thomas Wickes, while town clerk, had the town records at his house in Santepeague Neck, two miles west of Babylon, and that a fire occurred and many of the records were burned. There is a mention made in the early records, about 1700, to the effect that some ancient records of the town which had been lost had been heard of, and a person was appointed by order of a town meeting to hunt them up, but no further men- tion is made of the matter.

the records of the town. It is true however that many of the most valuable papers, especially those upon which the title of the town and private titles rest, are so worn and dilapidated that they can hardly be handled without falling in pieces, so that gradually they are disappearing, and will be lost to future generations unless they are copied, or, what would be better, printed, as the eastern towns are printing theirs. Such printing should, how- ever, be done under the direction of persons thoroughly familiar with the records and competent to select only such as it is most important to preserve.

ACTION IN THE CIVIL WAR.

The events which transpired in the town of Hunting- ton during the late war of the Rebellion are so recent as to be in the memory of the present inhabitants, and this sketch will not go into the subject more than to state the facts of a local nature.

The town obeyed all calls for volunteers and drafted men. Many joined companies organized elsewhere.

One entire company, known as Company E 127th regiment, was organized in Huntington. Hewlett J. Long was subsequently captain and George S. Sammis lieuten- ant. This company was in Virginia, and also much of the time in or near Charleston, S. C.

Walter R. Hewlett of Cold Spring organized a com- pany very early in the war. The commissioned officers were: Walter R. Hewlett, captain; Charles E. Jayne, first lieutenant; George T. Walters, second lieutenant. It was made up of recruits from Huntington and Oyster Bay chiefly. This company is said to have been present in the battles of Cedar Mountain, Antietam, Chancellors- ville and Gettysburg, and with Sherman in his "march to the sea," and to have lost heavily at Cedar Mountain.

At the first call for troops in 1862 a special town meet- ing was called, and by a vote of 623 to 5 authority was given to raise $30,000 to pay a bounty of $100 to volunteers to fill the quota of the town, and $6 per month to the wives of volunteers and $1.50 to each child of a volun-

THE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.

teer between 2 and 10 years of age. Sixty-two promi- nent citizens agreed in writing to indemnify the town and secure the raising and payment of the money to the extent of $500 each. A committee was appointed to re- ceive and disburse the money, consisting of Townsend Jones, George A. Scudder, Edward A. Bunce, Henry M. Purdy and Isaac Willets.

In September of the same year, at another special town meeting, by a vote of 358 to 26, authority was given to raise not exceeding $35,000 to fill the town's quota under the call of the president for 300,000 men.

February 22nd 1864 a special town meeting by a vote of 256 to 27 decided to raise $24,000 to fill the quota under the call of the president for 200,000 men. July 13th following a special town meeting authorized the town auditors to issue bonds "to such amount as may be necessary" to procure the town's quota of men.

This unlimited appropriation of the credit of the town was for the purpose of avoiding a draft, and great efforts were made to procure men as volunteers by the payment of bounties. Some however were drafted and procured substitutes or paid the $300 conimutation. About the close of the war a town meeting authorized the payment of $250 each to such persons.

The books of the supervisor, J. A. Woodhull, show that there were issued bonds of the town for war pur- poses amounting to $195,439. The books of the presi- dent of the board of town trustees, Brewster Conkling, show expenditures amounting to $58,000 for war pur- poses. The war cost Huntington about $250,000. The bonds issued by the town were all paid off within about three years after the close of the war.

Many of those who went to the war from Huntington lost their lives. At a public meeting held in 1865, at which Hon. Henry J. Scudder delivered a patriotic ad- dress, a subscription was started to erect a monument to the memory of these soldiers, but little has been done of late years toward carrying out the purpose. There is the sum of $670 in a trust company in New York city, draw- ing two per cent. interest, belonging to the fund for a soldiers' monument. J. R. Rolph is custodian of the fund.

Among the men prominent in transacting the business arising out of the large appropriations and disburse- ments of money for carrying on the war may be named George A. Scudder, Brewster Conkling (then president of the board of trustees), J. Amherst Woodhull (supervisor), Carles A. Floyd and Elbert Carll, and among those active

in procuring enlistments were Captain Walter J. Hewlett, lation of about 1,500, two churches, a large school-house, Captain Hewlett J. Long and Jenkins Van Schaick.

In 1863, at the time of the first draft, Thomas Aitkin and Samuel Marsh were appointed commissioners to de. termine the quota from Suffolk county. The people of Huntington were nearly unanimous in sustaining the war for the suppression of the rebellion, but they suffered little from it otherwise than in the payment of taxes.

BABYLON FORMED FROM HUNTINGTON.

In 1872 the people of both the north and south sides of the town, feeling that they were no longer united by common interests in township affairs, made a movement for a division of the town. Petitions were forwarded to the Legislature favoring the measure, and a bill was drafted and passed creating the new town of Babylon out of the south part of the old town of Huntington. The division was no doubt a judicious step. As the lines of railroad and water travel all run east and west there is little communication between the two sections and little community of interest, separated as they are by wide uncultivated plains thinly populated. About the same time the Legislature abolished the board of trus- tees of the town as a separate body, and made. the super- visor, town clerk and assessors trustees ex officio.

STATISTICS-BRICKMAKING.

This town in 18ro had 4,425 inhabitants. The popu- lation in 1845 and at intervals of five years since is given as follows in the "Manual " of the Legislature: 1845, 6,746; 1850, 7,481; 1855, 8, 142; 1860, 8,924; 1865, 7,809; 1870, 10,704: 1875 (Babylon having been taken off), 7,739; 1880, 8,245.

The present assessed valuation of property is $1,762,- 965. In 1823 the assessed valuation was $811,480; this included the territory now in the town of Babylon.

The manufacture of brick is one of the largest indus- tries in the town. The brick yards of the late Charles H. Jones at West Neck have been annually producing enormous quantities for the market for many years. Dr. Oliver L. Jones now adds the management of this busi- ness to his other large property interests. The yards of Frank M. Crossman are very extensive and annually em- ploy a large force of men.

The Eckerson brick yards, at East Neck, are likewise on a large scale. The bed of clay worked is very exten- sive and seems to run through all the necks of land on the north side of the town.

NORTHPORT.

Northport, in the eastern part of the town, has a har- bor unsurpassed on the sound for its capacity, depth of water and complete shelter from storms. It has a popu- one newspaper, and numerous religious, benevolent and other societies. The chief branch of industry is ship- building. The ship yards of Jesse Carll are noted for the speed and completeness of the vessels there con- structed.

Northport Presbyterian Church .- About 1794 the first Presbyterian church was erected in the eastern part of Among those who gave their services to the cause of the the town at Fresh Pond, and the congregation was called Union in this war was Admiral Hiram K. Paulding, long by that name. Rev. Joshua Hartt became its first a resident of Huntington, and a brave and distinguished naval officer.

minister. He preached there from about the close of the Revolutionary war to 1825. He probably married

RESIDENCE OF CHARLES HOMER DAVIS, HUNTINGTON, SUFFOLK CO., L.I.

THE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.

more persons than any other minister in the town; the maintained services in Huntington in connection with record mentions over 500 marriages by him. The fee the regular services in Cold Spring. was ordinarily about $3. The last entry in the record, after stating the fact of the marriage of a couple, says, " Promised $50 and paid nothing." MELVILLE.

From 1809 to 1811 Rev. Nathaniel Prime was the minister; Rev. Henry Fuller to 1819; after him Rev. Nehemiah Cook to 1832, Rev. E. Mclaughlin to 1834, Rev. C. Sparry to 1835, Rev. Ebenezer Platt to 1837, Rev. William Townley to 1843, Rev. Ebenezer Platt again to 1850, Rev. J. B. Smith to 1856, Rev. G. K. Narreman to 1857, Rev. S. G. Laws to 1872, Rev. C. H. Woodruff to 1881. The present elders of the church are Joseph S. Lewis, A. M., Ketcham and C. H. Brush.

In 1829 the church was taken down and rebuilt at Red Hook. In 1871-72 this building was sold and a large and imposing edifice was erected at the head of Main street in Northport, at a cost of $10,000.

The foregoing facts and dates were furnished by a member of the church.

A Methodist society was early organized at Northport and a church was built in 1852. The society had so in- creased in 1873 that a large and handsome brick church was erected on Main street, at a cost of $18,000. Its bell cost $657. The architect and builder was Benjamin T. Robbins. This is a strong and prosperous church.

Alcyone Lodge, No. 695, F. & A. M. held its first reg- ular communication under a dispensation from R. W. James W. Gibson, March 5th 1869, with the following officers: William H. Sammis, worshipful master; John W. Dickerson, senior warden; Archibald M. Brewster, junior warden. The lodge was duly constituted June 23d 1869, by John H. Anthon, acting grand master.

The Suffolk County Journal has been published and edited by B. T. Robbins for several years in Northport. A paper called the Northport Advertiser was published several years by Joseph S. Lewis.

COLD SPRING.

Cold Spring is a beautiful village in the extreme north- western part of the town. It has a magnificent harbor and bay and is surrounded with high hills, generally covered with forest trees. At the head of the harbor is a suc- cession of small lakes fed by springs of pure water, upon the surface of which are reflected the dense forest trees their names:

which cling to the adjoining hills. On the banks of one of these lakes Townsend. Jones, a retired New York merchant, has a charming villa and cultivated grounds. Lower down on the harbor are hotels and boarding houses for city visitors, the "Laurelton " on the west side and "Glenada " and " Forest Lawn " on the east.

There is a Methodist Episcopal church at Cold Spring F. Bowers; Dr. Joseph H. Ray, March 23d 1875; Dr. and another at Centerport.

The Baptist church of Cold Spring was organized in 1842, by a union of the Baptists of Cold Spring, Hunt- ington and Centerport. The meeting of organization was held at Centerport. For some years this church

Melville is a pleasant little village near the center of the island, with hills at the north, its fields and gardens sloping toward the sunny south.

In 1829 achurch of the Presbyterian denomination was organized here with a membership of 45, and a plain but neat church edifice was erected. Rev. Joseph Nimmo, of the presbytery of Hanover, Virginia, supplied the pulpit six years. During his ministry the membership increased to 118. Mr. Nimmo was a fluent and attractive preacher and won the confidence and favor of all. He was succeeded by Rev. Chester Long in 1836. Rev. Charles M. Oakley took charge in 1853, Rev. P. B. Van Syckel in 1866, Rev. J. M. Hunting in 1869, and Rev. L. C. Lockwood in 1874. The latter continues his able and successful labors at Melville. The present member- ship is something over 100.

HUNTINGTON VILLAGE.

Huntington, the old "Town Spot," is the principal village in the town, and has a population of about 3,000. The origin of the name of this village (and town) is un- known. As the first settlement, or at least the first pur- chase of land from the Indians, was made in the year that Cromwell dissolved the "long Parliament," and as Cromwell's birthplace was Huntingdon in England, it is possible that the settlement was named in honor of him; some color is given to this view by the fact that Setauket was then named Cromwell's Bay. The fact that this locality at the time of its settlement abounded in game and was a desirable hunting ground is also suggested as accounting for the name.

Huntington village has nine churches, a fire company, a masonic lodge, an organization of odd fellows, two musical societies (the Choral Union and the Orchestra), a public library of 1,700 volumes, a village improvement society, and several co-operative religious and benevolent societies. It has two newspapers, six lawyers and four doctors. The following physicians, who practiced in Huntington, died at the dates given in connection with

Dr. Zophar Platt, September 28th 1792, aged 87; Dr. Gilbert Potter, February 14th 1786, aged 61; Dr. Benja- min Y. Prime, October 31st 1791, aged 58; Dr. Daniel Wiggins, September roth 1805; Dr. James Sandford, Oc- tober 1795; Dr. Oliver Brown, October 1815; Dr. Daniel W. Kissam, November 21st 1839, aged 76; Dr. Benjamin

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