History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 72

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 72

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Thomas and Richard Willets, to whom a patent was granted for lands in Islip October 10th 1695, were Quakers who moved from Rhode Island and early set- tled at Jericho, Queens county. The rights under the patent were sold by Richard Willets to his brother Thomas, April Ist 1702. Little is known of the early history of this family. They are the progenitors of all the families of the name of Willets on Long Island.

Stephen Van Cortland, to whom a patent was granted June 2nd 1697 and who purchased various tracts from the native Indians, was a merchant in New Amsterdam be- fore it was in possession of the Duke of York. He was a member of the legislative council from 1683 to 1700 and commissioner of the revenue at the time of his death, which occurred November 25th 1700.

Andrew Gibb, who obtained a patent March 26th 1692, was clerk of Queens county from 1688 to 1702, succeeding William Nicoll in that office. It is not known that he ever settled in Islip, but he was there in June 1705. The records show a William Gibb as residing there, who was elected collector of taxes in 1721. It is a tradition that Gibb was so lonely that he deeded a large tract of land to a Quaker named Amos Willets to induce the latter to live near him. This Willets sold his land on "Compowms" to his brother Isaac, and in 1725 moved to Islip, where he resided until his and his son Joseph, who conveyed it to Captain Benajah. Strong March 18th 1773. Nothing is traceable about the Gibb family further than the death of an Andrew Gibb in Fordham, Westchester county, N. Y., in 1761.

John Mowbray, the patent to whom was granted October 19th 1708, first settled in Southampton. After obtaining his patent he settled in Islip, and sold most of his land. His homestead near Awixa descended to his son Anning and from him to his son Eliphalet.

CHARACTERS OF REVOLUTIONARY TIMES.

Among the occurrences in this town may be mentioned dated August 19th 1778, to his son William 4th, and his the following: During the Revolutionary war the people Shelter Island land to his son Samuel Benjamin, who was born September 4th 1764 and died September 19th 1828. were constantly annoyed by companies of British troops. Robberies were frequent. The principal officers fre- quently passed through the town, among whom were William Nicoll 4th, called Captain, was born May 21st 1756 and died April 22nd 1795. The Islip estate descend- General Abercrombie and Sir Henry Clinton. Lindley Murray, author of the English grammar, resided here

THE TOWN OF ISLIP.

during the war, and it is said was engaged in writing the grammar.

General George Washington while president passed through the town, remaining one night at Judge Thomp- son's. His traveling establishment consisted of two gentlemen on horseback as escort, a coach with four horses, followed by Washington's cook and the cook's wife in an old-fashioned chaise, drawn by one horse, with the culinary utensils suspended from the axle.

SETTLEMENT, OFFICERS AND ORDINANCES.

The town of Islip was named after Islip on the river Nen in Northamptonshire, England, from which place the Nicoll family is supposed to have originally emigrated. The church of St. Nicholas there situated contains a mural tablet to the memory of Lady Mary Washington, grandmother of General George Washington, who died January Ist 1624.

In 1666 the European settlers at Setauket obtained a grant for such lands "as they might thereafter purchase, whether from the native Indian proprietors or others." This grant included the eastern part of the present town of Islip, but no such purchase was ever made, and the land was afterward confirmed by patent to William Nicoll. The fact of this grant having been made has led some historians to suppose that settlements were made there at about that time. Tradition asserts that soon after William Nicoll received the first patent he sent one man or more here to possess it. It is certain that Mr. Nicoll became a permanent resident of the town in the autumn of 1701.

The first authoritative recognition of this town was on the 25th of November 1710, by an act of the colonial government entitled "an act to enable the precincts of Islip in the county of Suffolk to elect two assessors, a collector, constable and supervisor." This act defined the boundary of these "districts and precincts" to be "from the westernmost limits of the land of Thomas Willet [Sumpwams Creek] to the eastermost part of the lands of William Nicoll, near Bluepoint." Whether or not the officers prescribed in this "enabling act " were chosen during the succeeding decade is not known. The historian Thompson says: "As the number of inhabitants was quite inconsiderable, and more than half the soil. was claimed by one individual, there was no great neces- sity for troubling the people with the expense and re- sponsibilities of office where there was little or no duty to be performed."

The following is a copy of the first record of a town meeting:

"Precinct of Islip .- At a meeting of the Said precinct the first Tuesday in April, being the Sixth Year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord King George over Great Brittain &c., Annoq Dom. 1720, It was by a Majority of votes then and there ordered and Agreed as followeth, viz: Benja Nicoll, Esq., Supervisor for ye Year Ensuing; Thomas Willits & John Mowbray,. Assessors; Isaac Wil- lits, Collector; James Saxton, Constable."

At that time there were no more than thirty-one free-

holders in the town. Their names are given as follows by Thompson: Benjamin Nicoll, Thomas Willets, John Mowbray, Isaac Willets, Daniel Akerly, Joseph Dow, John Moger, James Saxton, William Gibb, George Phil- lips jr., John Arthur, Amos Powell, John Smith, Samuel Muncy, William Green, Richard Willets, William Nicoll, Anning Mowbray, Joseph Saxton, James Morris, Israel Howell, John Scudder, Timothy Carll, Stephen White, Amos Willets, Daniel Phillips, Joseph Udall, Samuel Til- lotson, Amos Russ and Thomas Smith.

From the year 1720 to the present time an unbroken record of the proceedings of town meetings is preserved. From these it appears that the following have served the town as supervisors:

Benjamin Nicoll, 1720-23; Richard Willets, 1724-30, 1732-34; Ananias Carll, 1731; George Phillips, 1735-46; William Nicoll, 1747-75; Isaac Thompson, 1776-85; Joseph Udall, 1786; Benajah Strong, 1787; Richard Udall, 1788-91: William Nicoll, 1792-94, 1798, 1822, 1823; Tredwell Scudder, 1795, 1796, 1804-15, 1824-33; Nathaniel Conklin, 1797, 1799-1803, 1816, 1817: Wick- ham Conklin, 1818; Amos Higbie, 1819-21; Tredwell O. Scudder, 1834-37; Harvey W. Vail, 1838, 1839; Richard A. Udall, 1840.43; Jonathan Smith, 1844-48, 1850, 1851, 1854; Nathaniel C. Green, 1849; William Nicoll, 1852, 1853; John W. Mowbray, 1855; Walker Scudder, 1856- 61; Jarvis R. Mowbray, 1862, 1863; Charles Z. Gillette, 1864-72; John Wood, 1873-81.

It does not appear from these records that the people of the town made a free use of their legislative powers during the first century of its existence. In 1753 and 1857 regulations were prescribed under which swine might run at large, and these were re-enacted at each town meeting during many years. In 1737 Ananias Carll, John Arthur and John Scudder were chosen " Overseers for taking Care of ye Pore, and to act upon that account as fully as if ye Town was all Present." In 1739 "it was agreed at ye Town meeting by Aning Mow- bray to keep Hannah Hulse ye year Ensuing at one shil- ling and ten pence three farthings Per week As many weeks as he keeps her if She shud live within ye year."

The first action taken by the town for the protection of the fisheries in the bay was recorded in 1765, as fol- lows: " It is also Concluded upon by the majority of voats that If any one of the Inhabitants of the precincts of Islip Shall Give Leave to any furriner to fish in the bay or also in the creek that He Shall forfeit the Sum of forty Shillings to the overseers of the poor for the use of the poor of the Said town." In 1767 the "fishing act that was made in the year 1765 is Continued, with an addition of the overseers of the poor of the town Re- covering the fine by Law."

No further laws concerning fisheries appear to have been enacted by the town till 1815, when it was " voted that any person not being a resident in the town of Islip Shall not Catch or Carry out of the town any Clams un- der the penalty of ten dollars for Every offense." The same penalty was prescribed for taking and carrying away fish and "horsefeet " and for shooting and carrying "out of the town any foul." In 1822 a resolution was adopted restricting the privilege of taking clams or fish

THE TOWN OF ISLIP.

to residents of Suffolk county. In more recent times the |not been used in several years. A paper-mill is located regulation of these fisheries has been made the subject on Orawac brook where it crosses the South road. It is (employed in the manufacture of binders' boards. of legislative action, and difficulties have arisen between Islip and the neighboring towns concerning them.

In 1820 a committee was appointed to hire out the grass on Captree Island, and committees were appointed at subsequent town meetings to dispose of the common grass till 1855, when trustees were first appointed to take charge of the common property of the town. The grass rents for the year 1820 amounted to $136.24 and for 1822 to $343.87.

INDUSTRIES.

The primitive forest in the town of Islip was composed mostly of pine and oak timber, which during the preced- ing centuries had grown to stately proportions. The sale of this timber at New York, where it was taken in vessels in the form of "cordwood," staves, etc., was an important source of revenue to the early inhabitants of the town. The soil never gave liberal returns for the labor bestowed on it except as the result of expensive manuring. Formerly cattle and sheep were raised here to some extent for the New York market; but stock rais- ing many years since ceased to be remunerative, and in 1874 there were only twenty-six sheep shorn in the town. Manufactories except for the supply of the immediate wants of the inhabitants have never come into existence.

The fisheries in the bay have always constituted the most important source of wealth to the people of the town. Fishing, clamming and oystering have been the occupations of a majority of the laboring people here, and the coves and estuaries of the streams along the shore of the bay have bristled with the masts of the vessels en- gaged in this business. The increased facilities for trans- porting the products of these fisheries to New York and elsewhere which have come into existence within the last half century have greatly enhanced their importance, and the modern method of preserving clams, oysters and other fish by canning renders these industries still more important.

A canning establishment was commenced some ten years since at Islip village by J. H. Doxsee. This, which is the only one of the kind on the bay, has from a small beginning grown to be an important industry. It is de- voted almost wholly to the canning of clams and clam chowder, of which about 12,000 dozens of cans are an- nually put up.

ROADS.

In the early times of Suffolk county the travel through the island was over the old Country road, or the "King's highway," about two miles of which traverses the north- ern part of Islip. From this roads leading to the bay were established at irregular intervals. Many of these roads were first called paths, and were often designated by the names of the men by whom they were established. They were used for passing to and from the bay for the purpose of fishing, clamming, etc., and for driving stock to and from the meadows along the bay that were then utilized for summer pastures.

The south Country road was laid out by commission- ers appointed by an act of the colonial Assembly passed October 4th 1732 and recorded in the town record April Ist 1735. These commissioners were Richard Willets, Ananias Carll and George Phillips. This road extended through the southern portion of the town at an average distance of about a mile from the shore of the bay.

A little more than a century later railroads were built along the courses of these highways through the town, not far distant from them. These railroads have effected a striking change in the portions of the town through which they pass, especially the Brooklyn and Montauk Railroad, which traverses the southern region. By rea- son of the facilities for travel thus afforded many opu- lent people in New York have established here their summer residences, erected expensive and tasteful man- sions and improved and beautified their grounds, and here with their families they pass the sultry season of each year, daily going to and returning from their places of business in the city. They are thus enabled to avail themselves of the pleasures of a seaside residence with- out the inconvenience of absenting themselves from business.

EDUCATION.

The first action taken by the town under the common school system which the State adopted in 18rI was in 1814. The following is the record of that action:

" At a special town meeting held at the house of John Douglass on the 25th day of June 1814, voted that Tred- well Scudder, William Wheeler, Willet Green, be com- missioners of common schools; John Douglass, Medad Rogers, Henry S. Nicoll, Eliphalet Mowbray, John Crum, William Conklin, inspectors of common schools."

The streams that debouch into the bay have always afforded sufficient water power to propel such mills as were necessary to supply the wants of the people here. A fulling-mill formerly stood a mile north from the South The town at that time was sparsely settled and divided into but few school districts, and each of these covered a large territory. They were divided and sub-divided to meet the wants of the increasing population till the pres- ent number of fourteen was reached. Some of these districts have in them but few children of school age. The smallest number in any district according to the re- road on the Sampowams River. The domestic manufac- ture of woolen cloth ceased many years since, and the occupation of this mill was gone. Saw-mills were on every important stream, but with the disappearance of the timber they fell into disuse and went to decay. A grist- mill called the Bay Shore mill is still in use on the Pe- nataquit River, and another, called Nicoll's mill or Con- port of 1881 was 15, the largest 535, and the aggregate netquot mill, stands on the Connetquot River. It has

1,959. All the larger districts maintain graded schools

THE TOWN OF ISLIP.

in spacious, convenient, and in some cases expensive houses. But few private schools have been kept in the town, and it is believed that the public schools will com- pare favorably with those of other towns in the county.

The first Sunday-school in Islip was held in the sum- mer of 1819, in a school-house some two miles from the western bounds of the town. It was under the patronage of Rev. Mr. Weed, of Babylon, and the superintendence of Miss Julia Thompson. It was discontinued in the autumn, and was not subsequently resumed. .Some years later Sunday-schools were established by the differ- ent churches.

SUPPORT OF THE UNION.

From the records of the town during the war of 1861- 65 it appears that at a special town meeting held August 19th 1862 it was resolved that the sum of $20,000 or such other sum as might be found necessary should be raised, to be expended " in paying to each volunteer if for three years or the war " a bounty of $100, and a weekly allow- ance of $2 to the wives of such volunteers, and $2 per month to each of their children between the ages of one and fourteen years, during the term of service of the hus- band or father. At a special town meeting held Decem- ber 24th 1863 it was resolved that the sum of $12,000 be raised for the purpose of procuring 39 volunteers to fill the quota of the town under the then pending draft. At a special meeting March 31st 1864 it was resolved that the sum of $6,000 be raised by tax "for the pur- pose of paying bounties to the volunteers necessary to be furnished by the said town under the last call of the president for 200,000 men." June 20th 1864 at a special meeting it was resolved that $20,000 be raised for obtaining volunteers in the military or naval service of the United States, to be credited to the quota of the town in anticipation of a future call. July 19th 1864 the additional sum of $10,000 was voted for the payment of volunteers, substitutes or drafted men to be credited to the quota of the town. September roth 1864 it was "resolved that the town of Islip raise by a tax the additional sum of $12,000 to fill up the town quota required by the last call of the president of the United States, for 500,000 men." At a special town meet- ing December 31st 1864 the supervisor was authorized to borrow on town bonds a sum sufficient to pay $500 to each volunteer or substitute credited to the quota of the town under the call for 300,000 men. February 4th 1865 it was found that only two men were required to fill the quota of the town, and no further action was taken.

VILLAGES.

So thickly are summer residences scattered along the South road through this town that it is almost a continu- ous village. Space will not permit even an enumeration of the splendid country seats that have thus been estab- lished at intervals. Along this road occur villages where churches, schools, post-offices, railroad stations and such places of business as are required to supply

the wants of the people have been established. Between these villages, however, none of which are incorporated, it is in some cases difficult to determine the dividing line.

The first of these villages east from the western boundary of the town is WEST ISLIP. This is a con- tinuous succession of summer residences, extend- ing eastward about a mile and a half.

The central portion of the thrifty village of BAY SHORE occupies Penataquit Neck. Many years since this place was known as Mechanicville, next as Penataquit, and finally by its present name. As in the case of the other villages of the town, it is difficult to estimate the popula- tion because of the difficulty of fixing its proper limits.

SAYVILLE, the most considerable village on the South road, is located about two miles east from the western boundary of the town. The name of the village was derived from the city of Seville, in Spain ; but by a blunder of the secretary of the meeting at which it was adopted it was written Say- ville, and so recorded in the post-office department at Washington. The center of this village is more compactly built than the other villages in the town, and probably within reasonable limits its population numbers 1,200 or 1,500. Within the last fifteen years many Dutch im- migrants have setted here, and they are engaged mostly in the fisheries.

Just east from Sayville and separated from it by a meadow through which runs a creek is BAYPORT, a pleasant rural village, where several opulent families from New York have their summer residences.

The village of ISLIP is centrally located between Orawac and Wingatthappagh brooks. As with the other villages along this road, its population is made up partly of permanent and partly of summer residents, and like them it is supplied with such stores, shops, etc. as are required to supply the wants of the inhabitants. The commodious, elegant and well kept hotels which are found in all these villages are worthy of more than a passing notice. These afford comfortable and luxurious homes for those who either alone or with their families flee from the dust and heat of the crowded city to enjoy for a time the freedom of rural life and the healthful and pleasant surroundings of a seaside residence.

LODGES AND ASSOCIATIONS.

Meridian Lodge, No. 691, F. & A. M. was chartered in 1869, The masters have been as follows: 1869, A Huntington; 1870, 1871, G. B. Howell; 1872, A. S. Hoff; 1873, G. W. Clock: 1874, H. C. Hoff; 1876, John Dag- gett; 1877, George E. Coe; 1878, 1879, H. C. Hoff; 1880. A. S. Hoff. The present officers are: W. M., A. S. Hoff; S. W., T. C. Fletcher; J. W., J. H. Cummings; S. D., W. S. Velsor; J. D., E. Ruland; treasurer, R. P. Ketcham.

The first masonic district comprises Suffolk and Queens counties, for which the grand lodge has one representative, viz. G. W. Clock, of Islip.

Meridian Lodge meets every Monday night over the Union Hall at Islip.

THE TOWN OF ISLIP.

Sayville Lodge, No. 322, I. O. O. F. was instituted May 22nd 1872. The charter members were Charles Z. Gil- lette, Adolphus Hiddink, J. Frank Homan, Henry F. Brown, Josiah Smith, Jeremiah Terry, Sylvester Knapp, William Worth, John Longworth and John F. Terry.

The first officers installed were: Sylvester Knapp, N. G .; J. Frank Homan, V. G .; William Worth, R. S .; Adolphus Hiddink, Per. Sec .; Jeremiah Terry, Treas.

The successive presiding officers have been: 1873, Jeremiah Terry, J. F. Homan; 1874, Isaac C. Skinner, Sylvester Knapp; 1875, Sydney B. Smith, John J. Ho- man; 1876, Jeremiah Terry, Robert Holmes; 1877, Jo- siah Smith, Elbert Ketcham; 1878, Samuel Smith, Robert Holmes; 1879, Elbert Ketcham, Lorenzo I). Smith; 1880, Charles H. Terry, Charles H. Smith; 1881, Homer F. Candee, Isaac G. Terry.

The lodge room with its contents was destroyed by fire December 12th 1877, and another was immediately built. The lodge is in a prosperous condition. It numbers 59 members and has $800 in the treasury.

Suffolk County Council Royal Arcanum, No. 571, was organized March 29th 1881, with a full list of 25 charter members and the following officers: H. T. Clock, R .; A. R. Stellenwerf, V. R .; W. W. Hulse, P. R .; C. W. Vail, S .; E. S. Moore, M. D., O .; J. B. Pullis, Col .; N. O. Clock, Treas .; C. G. Sands, C .; T. Z. Wicks, G .; H. T. Hill, I. S .; L. R. Garret, O. G .; E. S. Moore is medical examiner for the council. The present number of mem- bers is 30.

The objects of the order are social intercourse, mutual benefits and life insurance.

Oakwood Cemetery Association was organized in Decem- ber 1880, with Jarvis R. Mowbray president, and P. J. Hawkins secretary.

The association has purchased thirty acres of land on the Brentwood road, about three-fourths of a mile north from the south Country road, and this land is being fitted up for a rural cemetery.

In times past the people of Islip entombed their dead mostly in private cemeteries, which are to be found in various parts of the town; but here as in other regions through the country the people have engaged in the laudable work of fitting up a tasteful place of burial and making provision for the care and keeping of it in the future.

RELIGIOUS HISTORY.

Islip Methodist Episcopal Church .- The first Methodist preaching in the village of Islip was at the house of John T. Doxsee, April roth 1810, by Rev. H. Redstone. From that time till the erection of the first church edifice, in 1828, services were held semi-monthly at the house of Mr. Doxsee and Daniel Jarvis and some others. The clergymen who have officiated in the circuits of which Islip has constituted a part have been the following:

Revs. Henry Redstone, Coles Carpenter, 1810; Ezekiel Canfield, 1811; Samuel Bushnell, 1811, 1812; Francis Ward, Theodosius Clark, Daniel T. Wright, 1813: Arnold Schofield, Charles W. Carpenter, 1814; John Reynolds, Oliver Sykes, 1815; Beardsley Northrop,

Zalmon Stewart, 1816; William Jewett, Fitch Reed, 1817; William Jewett, John M. Smith, 1818; Samuel Cochran, Ebenezer Brown, 1819; Reuben Harris, 1820, 1821; Samuel D. Ferguson, 1820; Eli Denniston, 1821; Jacob Hall, 1822, 1823; Humphrey Humphreys, 1822; William M. Willett, 1823; Henry Hatfield, 1824; Horace Bart- lett, 1824, 1825; John W. Le Fevre, 1825, 1826; Noble W. Thomas, 1826, 1827; Cyrus Foss, 1827; Oliver V. Amerman, 1827, 1828; Richard Seaman, C: W. Carpenter, 1828; Josiah Bowen, 1829, 1830; Samuel Drake, 1829; Edward Oldrin, 1830, 1831; Reuben Harris, 1831, 1832; A. S. Francis, 1832; Ira Ferris, 1833; James Rawson, 1833, 1834; William K. Stopford, J. B. Merwin, 1835; Bezaleel Howe, 1836; John B. Matthias, 1837, 1838; Zechariah Davenport, 1839, 1840; Nathan Rice, 1841, 1842; Stephen Rushmore, Francis C. Hill, 1843; Edmund O. Bates, 1844, 1845; Timothy C. Youngs, 1846, 1847; Henry Hatfield, 1848, 1849; James D. Bouton, 1850, 1851; Frederick W. Sizer, 1852, 1853; Charles Stearns, 1854, 1855; Ralph Pierce, 1856; Robert Codling, 1857, 1858; Henry Ashton, 1859, 1860; Lorenzo D. Nicker- son, 1861, 1862; Levi P. Perry, 1863; William Gothard, 1864, 1865; J. V. Saunders (Islip station), 1866, 1867; T. Morris Terry, 1868.70; George Dunbar, 1871; Henry S. Still, 1872, 1873; Robert Codling, 1874, 1875; W. A. Munson, 1876; Seneca Howland, 1877, 1878; I. C. Barn- hart, 1879-81.

The first house of worship was a wooden structure about 22 by 32. It stood on the north side of Main street near Olympic avenue. A second church edifice was erected in 1849 on the same site. This was also a framed building, about 34 by 44. In 1866 the present church building was erected. It is a convenient wooden structure with a brick basement. It has a seating ca- pacity of about 300.

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