History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 71

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 71


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In proof of confidence the people have frequently


placed him in positions of trust and responsibility. The range of offices that a devoted medical man can con- sistently accept is limited. In 1864 he was elected on the Democratic ticket one of the coroners of Suffolk county, by a majority of 2. He has from his boyhood been a firm, consistent Democrat, loyal to his party and loyal to his country. His party has always appreciated his activity and ability in its behalf, and has at various times honored itself and him by placing his name on its most important committees of counsel and direction. In 1876, during the great Tilden campaign, when the De- mocracy of the country was more completely organized than ever before or since, Dr. Woodend was a member of the New York State central committee. The evidence of the wisdom of the choice is in the efficiency of the work done in this section. Suffolk county gave Tilden for president a majority of 215, and Robinson for gov- ernor a majority of 216, figures that surprised every- body. The county has not given a Democratic majority at a general election since. Dr. Woodend has frequent- ly been solicited to accept important nominations, which the demands of his profession have compelled him to de- cline. For the past 16 years he has been health officer in Huntington village, and has held exalted positions in the masonic order, being now past master of Jephtha Lodge, No. 494. As a prominent member of the Queens County Medical Society he has been elected its repre- sentative for four years in the convention of the New York State Medical Society.


When Robert Williams, the pioneer of Methodism in the south, landed at Portsmouth more than a hundred years ago, he organized a society and appointed Isaac Luke the leader. This was the first Methodist society south of the Potomac, and Isaac Luke was the great- grandfather of Dr. Woodend's mother. The doctor and his wife are members and constant attendants of the Second Presbyterian Church in Huntington.


April 27th 1859 William D. Woodend was married to Iantha D. Wood, daughter of Edwin Wood, of Hunting- ton. Their children have been: Matilda C., born July Ist 1860; George H., born February 20th 1864, died when six months old; William E., born July 2Ist 1865, now a member of Princeton College; Jennie P., born October 26th 1868, now attending the high school in Huntington village.


Dr. Woodend has from the first had a fine and con- stantly increasing practice, that has always embraced the best families and people in this wealthy and cultivated community. His frank, upright bearing and honesty in the diagnosis of disease have been largely the secret of his success. He keeps abreast of the constantly advanc- ing knowledge and discovery in his art, a fact that the intelligent community in which he lives is not slow to understand and to prize. In all the responsible and delicate duties of his profession the subject of this sketch has proved himself tender, wise and skillful, and be sure to carry his name and his memory gratefully to the next and the next.


90


THE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON.


SILAS WOOD,


the lawyer, statesman and historian, deserves a passing notice. He was born September 14th 1769, at West Hills, in this town. He was the son of Joshua and Ruth Wood and was the youngest son, his brothers being Sam- uel and Selah. He was educated at Princeton College and graduated at the age of 24. Two years after this he was elected to the Assembly from Suffolk county. He read law in the office of Daniel Cady at Johnstown, N. V. In 1813 we find him in the practice of the law in Huntington. In 1817 he was elected a member of Con- gress from this district, and as such he served five suc- cessive terms, ten years in all. He was defeated as a candidate for re-election in 1828, and soon after retired from public life and also from the practice of the law. He acquired considerable reputation as a representative and enjoyed the confidence of his constituents. While a member of Congress he wrote his history of Long Island. His success as a lawyer was achieved more by his plausible address and weight of character than through any extensive knowledge of law principles.


In 1825 Mr. Wood employed Abel Ketcham, a sur- veyor, to take the elevation above tide-water of the high- est point on West Hills, and it was found to be 3541/2 feet.


This survey Mr. Wood caused to be securely pasted in one of the town books of record.


Silas Wood was a descendant of Jonas Wood, one of the first settlers of Huntington. He spent the last days of his life in meditation upon religious themes, and is said to have written voluminously upon theological sub- jects. It is also stated that he became dissatisfied with some of his opinions and finally burned all these manu- scripts.


BEACON FARM.


Cornelius H. De Lamater purchased property on Eaton's Neck in 1861, and soon afterward acquired a little more than half the whole area of the neck. Since then he has made this beautiful place his home, con- stantly improving the land until it has been brought into excellent condition for farming. Near his residence on the southern side are the residences of his sons-in law George H. Robinson and John N. Robins. The place is widely known as Beacon Farm, and contains about 900 acres, two-thirds of which are under cultivation. Few spots combine so many charming attractions of lo- cation and surroundings.


Eng ªby A H Ritchie


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RESIDENCES OF. C.H. DELAMATER & GEORGE H. ROBINSON, EATON NECK, SUFFOLK CO., L.I.


2777


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C.H. DELAMATER, BEACON FARM VIEW, EATON'S NECK, SUFFOLK CO., L.I


THE TOWN OF ISLIP.


HE town of Islip is bounded on the north by pond belonging to the estate of Dr. Alfred Wagstaff. The land on the west side of this brook was called by the towns of Smithtown and Brookhaven, on the east by Brookhaven, on the south by the the Indians "Go-or- go his Neck," which has been cor- rupted to George's Neck and St. George's Neck. Seca- togue Neck, also called Hocum, is on the east side of this brook. Oquenock Neck, corrupted to Oak Neck, is said to have been the burial place of the Indians in this section, and this is believed to be the meaning of the


Atlantic Ocean, and on the west by Babylon and Huntington. It has a length, from east to west, of about sixteen miles, and a width between north and south (exclusive of the bay) of about eight miles, with an area of some 72,000 acres. The central range of hills known as the "backbone " of the island passes along the northern boundary of this town. The surface is level or gently sloping toward the south from the base of this range. The northern part of the town is included in the region long known as the "plains " or "barrens " of Long Island, a name which is sufficiently indicative of the character of the soil.


The Great South Bay, which has an average width of about four miles, passes through the southern part of the town, from east to west. This bay is separated from the ocean by a narrow beach-the Great South Beach. About four miles from the southwestern corner of the town this beach is crossed by Fire Island Inlet-the main entrance to the bay in this town-and here are found sev- eral islands instead of the continuous beach which ex- tends far to the eastward. Fire Island Inlet was not known under that name before the year 1781. It prob. ably broke through the beach during the great storm No- vember 29th 1700, and was known as the Great Gut or Nicoll's Gut or Nine-Mile Inlet, and extended nearly that distance west of the west line of Brookhaven pat- ent. The Great South Bay and Beach east from Nicoll's Point have by legislative enactment been made a part of the town of Brookhaven. Into this bay flow some six- teen noticeable streams, several of which have their sources from two to four miles inland and one of which -the Connetquot or Great River-rises near the northern boundary of the town.


The streams which discharge their waters into the bay were described by Bayles substantially as follows:


The western boundary of the town is Sampowams or Ampwams River. Next to the east from that is a small creek called Scoquams; later known by the appropriate name of Mud Creek. Next is a larger stream called Secatogue Brook. Near the head of this is a large trout


name. Oquenock Brook bounds it on the east and sepa- rates it from Saghtekoos or Sattocks Neck, "by Chris- tians called Appletree Neck." The stream which bounds this neck on the east is called Saghtekoos. Next is a neck of land called Masquetux, bounded on the east by a brook of the same name. Compowms Brook comes next in order, and like the other streams emptying into the bay runs on the east side of a neck of the same name. Manetuck brook comes next; then Watchogue; then Penataquit, which bounds Bay Shore on the east; then a small stream called Awixa; then the large stream called Orawac, now known as Paper-Mill Brook, at the mouth of which is the Great Cove, the most important harbor in the town of Islip. Next to this is a small stream run- ning into the Orawac called Athscar, which rises in a swamp called Deer Swamp. Next is Wingatthappagh Brook (" sweet, pleasant water"). Next is a small brook called Cantasquntha, now known as Widow's Brook, be- cause the residence of widow Nicoll is at its head. It empties into the bay through an estuary. Next in order going eastward is Connetquot River, which has its source near the northern boundary of the town. On this river are the houses, ponds and preserves of the Southside Sportsmen's Club. Eastward, from Connetquot River are several small streams, called in the order of their oc- currence Brick Kiln Neck Creek, Newton's Creek, In- dian Neck Creek, Edwards Creek, Partition Creek, and lastly Namkee Creek, which is the eastern boundary of the town of Islip. From the head of this creek the town line runs northerly to Waverly station on the Long Island Railroad.


That portion of the Great South Beach included in this town has within a recent period become a summer resort for pleasure seekers and several hotels have been erected for their accommodation, the largest of which is the Surf


2


THE TOWN OF ISLIP.


Hotel. Near the western extremity of this beach the government in 1825 erected a stone light-house, at a cost of SS,oco. A new light-house, standing near this, was completed in 1858. It was built of brick, in the most substantial manner, and has a height of 166 feet above tide water. It is a first class Fresnel .flashing light, of superior quality.


Three life-saving stations are located in this town, at intervals of about five miles. One of these is on Captree Island and two are on the Great South Beach.


Fire Island Inlet separates this beach from Fire Islands and the other Islip islands, the largest of which is Cap- tree Island. Since 1700 very little change has occurred in the Fire Islands. Fire Island Inlet, however, has been gradually working westward, and the Islip islands and the west beaches have undergone slight changes.


On the beach of Captree Island west from the inlet are several pleasure resorts, the principal of which are the Waywayanda Club-house, kept by Uncle Jesse Conklin, and a summer resort formerly a hotel, now owned by Henry Havemeyer of New York city. Other improve- ments are projected, even to a railway across the bay.


Ronkonkoma Lake lies in this town at its northeastern corner. This lake, which is circular in form and has no visible outlet, occupies one of the " bowl-shaped cavi- ties " or depressions in the drift deposit along the middle of the island. Its greatest depth is 72 feet. The pure water which fills it is supplied by rainfall and percolation through the soil in its vicinity. The absurd traditional stories which are related concerning this lake are not worthy of repetition.


The soil in this town is similar to that of other portions east by the lands of the said William Nicoll, on the south of the island south from the central range of hills. It is composed mainly of a sandy loam, in which small water- worn pebbles of quartz are mixed.


The northern shore of the bay is skirted to an average width of 300 or 400 yards by salt marshes or meadows which are overflowed at very high tide.


The northern part of the town is but little cultivated. It is in the region of central lands long known as the "plains" or "barrens of Long Island." The central branch of the Long Island Railroad passes through this region, and the timber which remained there when the road was built soon disappeared. Forest fires were from time to time kindled by sparks from passing locomotives, and large quantities of timber were converted into char- coal or "cordwood " and sent to market. After the destruction of the timber, which was the only valuable product of the land, it was abandoned and the scrub growth which now covers it sprang up. Some years since ! a few enthusiastic individuals sought to induce farmers to improve and utilize these lands. Their efforts were Blew Point, known by the Indian name of Manowtass- not crowned with success, and a great portion of this land remains unimproved.


Several hamlets lie along the line of the Long Island Railroad in this town, the principal of which are Brent- wood, North Islip, Central Islip, Lakeland, Holbrook and a part of Waverly. The post-offices in the town are Bay- port, Bay Shore, Brentwood, Central Islip, Fire Island,


Hauppauge, Holbrook, Islip, Oakdale Station, Ronkon- koma (at Lakeland, and Sayville.


-The population of the town in 1790 was 1,609; 1800, 885; 1820, 1, 156; 1825, 1,334; 1830, 1,653; 1835, I.528; 1840, 1,909; 1845, 2,098; 1850, 2,602; 1855, 3,282; 1860, 3,836; 1865, 4,243; 1870. 4-597; 1875, 5,802; 1880, 6,490.


LAND TITLES.


In other towns in Suffolk county the title to the soil was acquired by associations of individuals, who pur- chased land from the Indians and organized town govern- ments and afterward, when the island became a part of the English province of New York, received patents con- firming their titles to the soil and the municipal rights and privileges which they had assumed and exercised. The title to the land in this town, however, was acquired by individuals. The first patent conveying land here was granted on the 5th of December 1684, by Governor Dongan to William Nicoll. It embraced the land "scituate, lying and being on the south side of Long Island, bounded on the east by a certain river called Connetquot, on the south by the sound, on the west by a certain river called Cantasquntha, and on the north by a right line from the head of the said river called Connet- quot to the head of the said river called Cantas- quntha." Mr. Nicoll had on the 29th of November 1683 purchased this land from Winnequaheagh, Indian sachem of Connetquot. On the Ist of November 1686 Governor Dongan granted to William Nicoll another patent, con- firming the former, and conveying land "bounded on the by the sound or bay, on the west by a certain creek or river called or known by the name of Wingatthappagh, and on the north by a right line from the head of the said creek or river called Wingatthappagh to the head of the hereinbefore mentioned river called Connetquot."


June 4th 1688 a patent was made to Mr. Nicoll con- veying what have since been known as Fire Islands, which were described in the patent as "all those Islands and small isles of sandy land and marsh or meadow grounds situate, lying and being on the south side of Long Island between the inlet or gut and the lands of the said William Nlcoll, at a certain river called Connetquot, in the bay or sound that is between the firm land of Long Island and the beach," etc.


A fourth patent was granted by Governor Fletcher to William Nicoll, on the 20th of September 1697, convey- ing land " part adjoining to the land of our said loving subject [Nicoll], and of Andrew Gibb, bounded easterly by a brook or river to the westward of a point called the quott, and a north and by east line from the head of said river to the Country road; thence along the said road westerly until it bears north and by east to the head of Orawake River; and thence by a south and west line to the head of the said river, and so running easterly along by the land of said William Nicoll and Andrew Gibb to the head of Connetquot; and down said river to the


3


· THE TOWN OF ISLIP.


sound, and from thence along the sound easterly to the mouth of the Manowtassquott aforesaid, together with a certain fresh pond, called Raconckony Pond."


On the 26th of March 1692, in the fourth year of the


On the roth of October 1695 Governor Fletcher issued in any patent.


a patent to Thomas and Richard Willets, granting and confirming to them "two certain necks of land and meadow on the south side of our island of Nassau, in Suffolk county, called Fort Neck and George's Neck; beginning on the east side of Fort Neck at a certain pepperidge tree standing on the bank of Oakneck Creek, and from thence running alongst the said creek as it runs to the bay thirty-nine chains; then by the bay as it runs to the creek parting the two necks; thence north- erly up the said creek as it runs, forty chains; thence crossing to George's Neck, runs southerly down the said creek as it runs to the bay; thence by the bay to Thomp- son's Creek, twenty-two chains; thence by the said creek to the head thereof; thence on a due north line to the north side of Sompowans Swamp; from thence a due east line running until it meet with a due north line run- ning from the marked tree on the northwest bounds of Poll Courtlandt's land, being his marked tree; and thence to Oakneck Creek and pepperidge tree aforesaid where began."


On the 26th of September 1692 "Governor Fletcher granted to Stephen Van Cortland a license to purchase Saghtekoos of the native Indians. This purchase was made October Ist of the same year, and on the 2nd of June 1697 a patent was granted by Governor Fletcher conveying " a neck of land called and known by the In- dian name Saghtekoos and by Christians called Apple Tree Neck, being bounded on the west side by Oake- neck Brook to an Indian foot path, and on the north by the foot path to Saghtekoos Creek, and easterly by the said Saghtekoos Creek as it runs to the bay, and south- erly by the bay to the aforesaid Oakeneck Creek; con- taining the quanity of one hundred and fifty acres; also the aforesaid creeks so far as the said neck of land doth extend into the bay."


Other land lying to the north of Saghtekoos or Apple Tree Neck was purchased by Van Cortland of the na- tive Indians November 20th 1699, the title to which was perfected under an act of the General Assembly of New York, entitled " An Act for the better settlement and assurance of lands in this Colony," passed the 30th of October 1710.


North from the patents of Willets, Van Cortland and Mowbray is a tract of land that was not conveyed by pat- ent to any one, but was held by titles obtained from the Indians. East from this tract and west from the Nicoll patent is a gore or triangular tract that was not included


The lands in this town which were thus acquired in large tracts by individuals have since been divided and subdivided by the patentees and their successors, and larger or smaller estates have come to exist in their places. None of them were regularly laid out and placed in the market, but they were sold from time to time in parcels to suit the convenience or tastes of individual purchasers.


THE PATENTEES.


. Colonel or Sir Richard Nicoll, of the household of the Duke of York, the first English governor of the pro- vince of New York, was sent over by the Duke of York, afterward King James II. of England, as commander of the expedition to reduce the colony from the possession of the Dutch government, and arrived August 19th 1664. He returned to England in July 1668, and was afterward engaged in the Dutch war and was killed by a cannon ball on board the Duke of York's ship in 1672. He was buried in the church at Ampthill, Bedfordshire, England. A cannon ball, said to have been that which occasioned his death, is inlaid within the pediment, and on the moulding is this inscription, " Instrumentum mortis et im- mortalitatis."


While he was governor of New York his secretary was Matthias Nicoll, supposed to have been his nephew. The family originally came from Islip on the river Nen, in Northamptonshire, England. In 1672 Matthias Nicoll became mayor of New York, and from 1683 to 1687 he was one of the judges of the supreme court. He died at his residence on Cow Neck, now Plandome, Queens county, leaving his estate to his only son, William, who was the patentee in Islip.


William Nicoll-commonly called the " patentee " --- son of the above named Matthias, was born in England in 1657, and educated as a lawyer. He emigrated with his father to New York. In 1677 he accompanied Gov- ernor Andros to England, where he joined a regiment then going to Flanders, and spent some time in the army. He returned after an absence of two years and resumed the practice of his profession. In 1683 he was appointed clerk of Queens county, and he held the office until June 1688, discharging the duties the last year by his


October roth 1708 there was granted to John Mow- bray, tailor, of Southampton, a patent of confirmation for deputy Andrew Gibb, who was appointed his successor. a tract bounded by a line " beginning from the South Bay, up Orawack brook or river to the Country road


April rith 1687 he was commissioned attorney general of the province of New York. Having been a strong op-


northerly, and from thence along said road westerly till it comes to the east brook of Appletree Neck upon a south line, and from thence along the South Bay to the mouth of the said Orawack brook or river." It is proba- reign of William and Mary, Governor Ingoldsby granted ble that Mowbray first obtained his title from the Van to Andrew Gibb a patent conveying and confirming "a Cortlands, who had made extensive purchases of land from the Indians. certain tract of vacant Land upon Long Island comonly called and known by the name of Winganhappague Neck, being bounded on the East by Winganhappague River, south by the bay, west by Orawak River, and north by a right line from the head of Winganhappague River to the head of the said Orawac River"


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THE TOWN OF ISLIP.


ponent of the measures of Leisler he was arrested and ed to his eldest son, William 5th, who was born in 1776 and died April 21st 1799. William 6th, born October 26th 1799, died November 20th 1823. With his decease the imprisoned, but was liberated by Governor Sloughter on his arrival in 1691. He was appointed a member of the council in March 1691. In October 1695 he was sent to | entailment of the estate terminated, and it became the England by the Assembly to represent to their majesties property, as it now is, of his son William 7th, born May 13th 1820, and his daughter Frances Louisa, wife of Ma- the state of the province. He was captured by the French and taken to St. Malo, where he was imprisoned jor General William H. Ludlow, and has been divided for some months, and after being exchanged proceeded between them-the lands west of Connetquot or Great to England and thence to New York. On the arrival of River being possessed by William Nicoll 7th and those Governor Bellomont in 1698 the party of Leisler ob- on the east of that river by his sister Mrs. Ludlow. Much of the property has been sold. tained the ascendancy, and Mr. Nicoll was suspended from the council.


In 1701 he was elected a member of the General As- sembly, from Suffolk, but not being a resident of the county, as required by law, was not allowed to take his seat, which was declared vacant August 26th 1701. He then fixed his residence on Great Neck in Islip, on what is now called "Deer Range Farm," and in 1702 he was re-elected member from Suffolk county and on October 20th of that year was chosen speaker. He was speaker until May 1718, when he was obliged to resign in conse- quence of ill health. He retained his place as member of Assembly, however, until his death, in 1723. As a law- yer he acted as king's counsel against Leisler and Milborne in 1691; and in 1702 defended Colonel Bayard and Alderman Hutchins, whom Lieutenant-Governor Nanfan arraigned on a charge of treason. He acted as counsel in June 1707 for the Rev. Francis McKemie, a Presbyterian clergyman, who was prosecuted by Lord Cornbury for preaching without a license. He was a friend of liberty, a man of great ability, well versed in Latin, a good writer and an able speaker. His Islip estate was inherited by his eldest son, Benjamin, born in 1694. His second son, William Nicoll 2nd, became possessed by the will of Giles Sylvester of a handsome estate of some 4,000 acres, comprising about one-half of Shelter Island.


Benjamin, second proprietor of Nicoll's patent in Islip, died in 1724, leaving two sons, William and death. The property descended to his wife Rebecca Benjamin.


William Nicoll 3d, the third proprietor of the Islip estate, was born October 7th 1715. He was educated a lawyer. In 1750 he was appointed clerk of Suffolk county and he continued in office until his death, March Ist 1780. He was known as Lawyer or Clerk Nicoll. He inherited the Shelter Island estate from his uncle William Nicoll 2nd, who died a bachelor. The latter was a member of Assembly twenty-nine years in succes- sion and many years speaker; he died in 1768. William Nicoll 3d was elected member of Assembly in March 1768, to supply the vacancy occasioned by the death of his uncle William 2nd. He left two sons, William and Samuel Benjamin. He devised his Islip estate, by will




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