History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 76

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 76

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Soon after the last mentioned date the history we are reviewing emerges from the darkness into the light of a better preserved record. This tells us that on the 26th of March 1758 a Congregational church was organized here with 16 members. This occupied the house of wor- ship already noticed. This society grew until it became the largest in the town. It was called the "First Strict Congregational Church of Southold," and was organized by Rev. Elisha Payne. During the winter of 1794-5 cơ number of members were added, and a similar increase occurred in the winter of 1801-2. In 1809 69 members were added. Another revival occurred in the winter of 1825-6, and still another in 1838, resulting in the addition

of 28 members to the church. The history of the "Long Island Convention " records the fact that three of the members of this church in its early years entered the ministry under the auspices of that body, and became worthy ministers of the gospel. These were Rev. Manly Wells, ordained at Baiting Hollow in August 1793; Rev. Daniel Youngs, ordained at Upper Aquebogue in 1783; and Rev. David Benjamin, ordained at Baiting Hollow in August 1820.

The old church stood until 1797, when a new building was erected on the north side of the street, nearly oppo- site. This was 30 by 42 feet in size and had full galleries. It was rebuilt in 1833, and a tall steeple added, which was such a conspicuous feature that it sug- gested the name "Steeple Church," which has ever since been applied to the building and in a measure to the locality also. This building stood until 1862, when it was replaced by a new one. This, which still occupies the site, was dedicated in February 1863, and its cost was something over $4,000. The old building was removed to Riverhead, where it is still in use for business pur- poses. While it was being taken down the superintendent of the work, Lewis Van Keuren, was instantly killed by.

From its organization to the present time nearly one thousand persons have united with this church. The society was incorporated about the year 1830, and is at present connected with the Long Island Congregational Association. Its confession of faith has been twice re- vised, once in 1829 and again in 1841, considerable changes being made in each instance.

The following pastors have supplied this church: Timothy Wells, 1759-82; Daniel Youngs, 1782-1814; Moses Swezey, 1815-26; Thomas Edwards, 1826, 1827; Evan Evans, 1827-31; Parshall Terry, 1831-34; John Gibbs, 1834-37; William Lyall, 1837-40; Thomas Harris, 1840-48; George Turner, 1848-51; Lewis C. Lockwood, 1851-53; Eusebius Hale, 1853-60; Richard A. Mallory, 1860-64; Archibald Sloat, 1864-67; Augustus Root, 1867, 1868; Luther Marsh, 1868-70; Thomas N. Bene- dict, 1870-79; R. H. Wilkinson, 1879 to the present time. A Sunday-school was organized here in May 1830. The first superintendent was Eurystheus H. Wells.

OTHER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.

In consequence of the revision of the "confession of faith" of this church which was made in 1829 a consider- able part of the congregation withdrew, and, holding the original articles of faith, organized a new church, and erected a house of worship about half way between here and Riverhead. This church, numbering sixty members at the outset, claimed the title of the "First Strict Con- gregational Church of Riverhead," reasoning that the organization from which it had seceded had by its action forfeited its right to that title: The new house of wor- ship was erected in 1831. During the period of its dis- tinctive existence. 1829 to 1834-this church was suc- cessively supplied by Rev. Christopher Youngs, Rev. Mr.

THE TOWN OF RIVERHEAD.

Fuller, Rev. Nehemiah B. Cook and-Rev. Mr. Moser, the last two being Presbyterian ministers. In 1834 the so- ciety agreed to a division of its membership into two churches, one to be located at Riverhead and the other at Northville. The interest of the former in the building was purchased by the latter and the church was moved to Northville, where, having done service as house of worship, lecture room and academy, it is still standing.

A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY OF INDIAN REMAINS

was made near this village in 1879. In plowing and preparing a piece of low ground for a cranberry "marsh" Nathan A. Downs found by the frequent appearance of Indian arrows and some specimens of rude pottery that he was on the site of an ancient Indian village. Investi- gation discovered curiosities that attracted the attention of archaeologists and the public far and near. A great number of graves were found, the bones within them being so far decayed as to fall to dust almost as soon as they were exposed to the air. The site of this Indian

whose description was the result of careful personal in- vestigation of the subject:

" The graves, of which thirty or forty have been opened, appear to have been small pits about three feet across, into which the dead were placed in a sitting posi- tion, with knees to chin. The body was then sur- rounded with a liberal supply of choice oysters, clams, whelks, meat and vegetables, and in some instances a burial urn and implements, before he was abandoned to the other world. The graves are discoverable only as a dark-colored, shelly spot of soil in the native yellow sand. Numbers of them were carted into the meadow before their true character was discovered. Fragments of almost every part of the human skeleton are abundant, and indicate a powerful race. The teeth and jaws are those of a very low type. The pottery is composed evi- dently of clay mingled with burned and pounded oyster- shells, hardened by a low heat. They seem to have been made by digging a hole in the ground and plastering the sides and bottom with the prepared mortar, which in time hardened and was taken out, burned, and put to use.

" One of the finest implements, together with the largest pieces of pottery, was taken from a grave supposed to be that of a chief. It is a perforated spear or arrow- village was upon the bank of Meeting-House Creek, on head nearly three inches on each angle, with a true hole the south side of the Country road and about one-eighth drilled from point to base; the edges are notched regularly like saw teeth, and the sides smoothly polished. of a mile from it. This creek runs into Peconic Bay, about one and a half miles distant from this point, and its name is suggested by the fact of its head being near ' A broken bone from the kitchen heap was found, which bore marks of having been sawn off for some pur- pose by a rude and slow process; probably the tool used was the edge of a shell; various gashes were started, the cuts being on four sides, and when partly weakened by the surrounding notches the bone was impatiently broken by the operator. Bird arrows, hunting arrows and a variety of chips and flakes and stone tools have been picked up in this vicinity, but the most interesting relic of all is the square clay walls of a temple or other struc- ture, which was found beneath three feet or more of solid soil on the further side of the creek. Away from the main village, with no shells near, and only a few arrow-heads to show its Indian origin, this is quite a mystery. What is it? It is too far from the village for a dwelling, and it would be useless to our later Indians, who, as far as we know, had no religion. Is it the sacred altar of a race who flourished before them, that had wholly disappeared beneath the shifting soil ? The dimensions of this curious structure are about 9 by 10 feet, with a dividing wall across the middle. There are traces of logs at the sides and beneath the floor, which are bedded in the purest clay, that must have been brought in canoes from the abundant clay beds near the swamps where the river-bed took its rise." the meeting-house ( "steeple church " ). It is supposed that this creek at some time during the remote centuries of the past was the lower section of a river whose source was away to the north, among the hills which range along the sound. The site must then have been a beau- tiful and attractive one. Where the low swamp now lies there must have been a pretty river, the placid waters of which were richly stocked with oysters, clams and fish. Shells and refuse abound in the vicinity, and it has long been supposed that the Indian inhabitants were once numerous. In plowing, dark spots were observed in the soil. These were at first supposed to have been temporary fire-places or ovens that had been filled with ashes, broken shells, refuse and soil; but on closer examination it was discov- ered that they contained human bones, and that the oyster shells had been placed where they were while the oyster was intact. A refuse heap some fifty yards long contained hundreds of loads of shells, chips of flint, bones and broken implements, and must have been many years accumulating. Near the shore of the now extinct LOWER AQUEBOGUE. river the graves of their dead were made. The geologi- cal changes that have taken place since these graves were made suggest that possibly thousands of years may have passed since that time. The remains exhumed show a singular phenomenon in the construction of the jaws and teeth, the molars or grinding teeth being absent and the existing teeth being fitted with interlocking points, which would give the jaws the fierce character of those of an alligator or shark.

Proceeding eastward along the Country road a distance of about two miles brings us to the locality formerly called Lower Aquebogue, or, as it is sometimes named, Old Aquebogue, the general size and character of which are similar to those of the village last noticed. Settle- ment was probably begun here during the latter part of the seventeenth century. One of the most ancient land- marks is an old cemetery. The present generation has seen but little progress in the original part of the village, but that section bordering the bay, about a mile below

Additional facts in reference to this interesting dis- covery are given in the following extract from an article published at the time from the pen of S. Terry Hudson, the former, is of recent origin, and its name (Jamesport)

THE TOWN OF RIVERHEAD.

has been given to the whole neighborhood, including the railroad station and the post-office.

The old town poor-house was located on the road leading to Northville from Old Aquebogue. The farm, with the house upon it, was purchased in 1832, and con- tinued in the use indicated until it was sold, November 2Ist 1871, the poor having been removed to the newly completed county-house at Yaphank. The house was repaired in 1861. In 1863 the farm produced 4 tons of English hay, 500 bushels of ears of corn, 140 bushels of wheat, 50 bushels of oats, 22 bushels of potatoes, 1,400 pounds of pork, 550 pounds of beef, and butter, poultry and eggs to the value of about $80.

THE FIRST CHURCH IN THE TOWN.

Probably the first church within the present limits of this town was located here. The date of its organiza. tion is not known, but it was of the Presbyterian form, doubtless an offshoot from the old church at Southold. The first item of history we find concerning it is the or- dination of Rev. Nathaniel Mather, supposed to have been the first pastor of this church and ordained as such. This took place May 22nd 1728. The church united with the Presbytery of Suffolk on the organization of that body, in 1747. The first church edifice was erected in 1731. This was repaired and enlarged in 1830. The society appears never to have been very robust. At tinies it was united with Mattituck in ministerial support. The ministers who served it were: Nathaniel Mather to March 1748; John Darbee, 1749-51; Mr. Parkes, 1752- 56; Nehemiah Barker, several years; Benjamin Gold- smith, 1764-1810; Benjamin Bailey, 1811-16; Nathaniel Reeve, 1817-23; Abraham Luce, 1825-35; Jonathan Huntting, 1836; Mr. Gilbert, 1837, 1838; Abraham Luce, 1839-45; J. T. Hamlin, for several years, after which the church was for a while without a pastor.

THE LOWER AQUEBOGUE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

was organized February 22nd 1854, upon the field of the former Presbyterian church, with 34 members. The new organization gathered strength, and in 1859 the old house of worship was rebuilt and supplied with a steeple 85 feet high. The successive pastors of this church have been Enos H. Rice, Francis Hill, Samuel T. Gibbs, Azel Downs, George L. Edwards, Mr. Parmalee, G. W. Allen, Wooster Parker, John Fitch, and T. N. Benedict, the present pastor. A Sunday-school in connection with this church was organized about 1850. The first superintend- ent was William Hallock. The present incumbent of that office, J. M. Petty, has occupied it 21 years.

JAMESPORT.

The village of Jamesport is one of modern origin. The historian Prime, writing in 1845, says of it: "In 1833 there was not a single habitation here, now some forty." It is very pleasantly situated on a point project- ing into Peconic Bay and bearing the Indian name Mia-

mogue. It is regularly laid out, and was designed by its founders as a village of considerable dimensions, but since the first flush of enterprise, which was prompted by the expectation of building here an important maritime village, it has made but little progress. It is located at the head of ship navigation in the bay, which to this point has a good depth of water. A good wharf was built in 1833, and a hotel in 1836. In the days of its short-lived prosperity two or three whaling ships be- longed here.

As we have already seen, the neighborhood to which the name Jamesport is now applied really comprises two different settlements, the old one of Lower Aquebogue and the new one which we have just noticed. They are about a mile apart.

METHODIST CAMP GROUND.

Between the two settlements mentioned above, and near the railroad station, lie the grounds on which the first camp meeting was held in September 1834. This land was at that time owned by the Methodists. A com- fortable house had been erected in the lower village for schools or religious services irrespective of denomination. In 1854 the Methodists gave the camp ground in ex- change for this building, which they then occupied as a house of worship. About twelve years ago the interest in camp meetings revived and the Methodists of this district, after deliberation in special meetings called for the purpose and the report of a committee appointed to select a site, determined to purchase the old camp meet- ing ground.

The purchase was consummated March 26th 1870, by a committee, who held the title in their own names until it was passed over to the association afterward incorpo- rated. The ground has an area of six acres, and cost $1,000. The association was incorporated by act of the Legislature April 30th 1873. Its charter appointed 27 trustees, viz. George Hill, O. B. Corey, Addison Brown, A. T. Terrill, George W. Raynor, William H. Corwin, Thomas Hallock, S. B. Corey, Charles L. Corwin, Wil- liam T. Terry, Henry R. Harris, J. L. Overton, Charles Goodall, Nathaniel Fanning, Lorenzo D. Bellows, S. A. Beckwith, Sylvester Downs, Isaac Halsey, John Hawkins, George F. Wells, Albert Benjamin, Minor Petty, John B. Terry, John B. Overton, H. D. Brewster, James. Darling and Charles Strong, constituting them and their associ- ates and successors in office a " body corporate and poli- tic, under the name of the Suffolk County Camp Meeting Association of the Methodist Episcopal Church." Im- provements have been made upon the grounds at an ex- pense of several thousand dollars. Camp meetings are annually held here.

JAMESPORT M. E. CHURCH.

The first Methodist Episcopal class in this village was organized by Rev. John Luckey, circuit preacher, in 1830. It consisted of 11 members. The first places of meeting were an old school-house and the dwellings of its members. The acquisition of a church edifice by

THE TOWN OF RIVERHEAD.

exchange of property has been mentioned. It was fitted | Her husband died in 1749. His widow died in 1780, and up and improved in 1855. Its present estimated value is $1,800. The society has a membership of about 30. her oldest son, Parker, inherited her estate, which was confiscated after the war and purchased by General Floyd, who sold the property to Mr. Jagger.

The records contain the names of the ministers who have supplied it, though at first it was part of a circuit comprising several other stations, and later has fre- quently been connected with Riverhead or Mattitutk. The preachers were: John Luckey, 1830, 1831; Alex- ander Hulin and J. F. Arnold, 1831, 1832; Richard Wymond and James Rawson, 1832, 1833; William K. Stopford, 1833, 1834; John Trippet, 1834, 1835; James Floy, 1835, 1836; William McK. Bangs, 1836, 1837; Theron Osborn, 1837-39; Eben S. Hebbard, William C. Hoyt and Dr. Rowland, at the same time; Orlando Starr, George S. Jayne and Charles B. King, 1839-41; David Osborn, 1841, 1842; S. W. Law, 1843; Oliver E. Brown, 1844; Isaac H. Sandford, 1844, 1845; George W. Wood- ruff, 1846; Bezaleel Howe, 1847; George W. Woodruff, 1847; Henry D. Latham, 1848, 1849; Frederick W. Sizer, 1850, 1851; Nathan Tibballs, 1851, 1852; F. C. Hill, 1853, 1854; S. F. Johnson, 1854, 1855; F. C. Hill, 1855, 1856; B. F. Reeve, 1857, 1858; N. F. Colver, :858; Charles Redfield, 1859; B. F. Reeve, 1860; William H. Bangs, 1863, 1864; Thomas N. Laine, 1865; Richard Wake, 1866, 1867; William P. Armstrong, 1868; George Hill, 1869; O. C. Lane, 1871, 1872; George W. Allen, 1873-75; T .. G. Osborn, 1877; O. C. Lane, 1878; F. G. Howell, 1879, 1880; J. R. Buckelew, 1881.

A Sunday-school of about 46 scholars is in operation in connection with the church.

RIVERHEAD.

The site of the village of Riverhead appears to have been a locality of no importance until it was chosen as the spot for holding the county courts, which was done in the early part of the last century. A small frame building was erected in 1728, and the courts were held here for the first time March 27th of the following year. This primitive building answered the double purpose of a court-house and jail. Previous to this the water power of the river had been utilized by a saw-mill, the proprie- tors having as early as 1659 granted to John Tooker and Joshua Horton the privilege of establishing such a mill, with a small quantity of adjoining land.

OWNERSHIP OF THE SITE.

Hon. George Miller, in his centennial sketch of the · history of this village, gives the following outline of the successive transfers of some of the important sections of real estate:

"John Tooker in 1711 conveyed 400 acres of land to John Parker, bounded east by Parker's land, south by Peconic River, west by widow Cooper's land, and north by the sound. Parker owned the land on the south side of the river. In 1726, by deed of gift, John Parker con- veyed to Joseph Wickham and Abigail Wickham, his daughter, all his land north of Peconic River, to the said Joseph for life and then to his daughter and her heirs.

"In 1753 Thomas Fanning sold the hotel property, 130 acres, with the dam as far as the saw-mill, to John Griffing for £1,000. In 1775 John Griffing conveyed his land south of the highway, with the grist-mill and his part of the stream, to Nathaniel Griffing, his son, for £500. John Griffing was a patriotic Whig, and went to Connecticut with his family when the war came on, and died there in 1780, intestate, and all his estate descended to his eldest son, John, who occupied the property until he sold it to Benjamin Brewster about the beginning of this century. He, within ten years, conveyed it to Bart- lett Griffing, the youngest son of John Griffing the elder, and he within a year conveyed it to his brother, William Griffing, in whose family it ever after remained until it was conveyed to John P. Terry, the present proprietor, in 1864."

HOTELS, ETC.

Notwithstanding it was the site of the "County Hall," no progress toward building a village was made until after the Revolutionary period. . The object of courts in those days being simply to dispense justice and settle disturbances as quickly as possible, lengthy terms of court were not required, and the demand for hotel ac- commodation was not sufficient to warrant any outlay in that direction. Men who were required to attend court, even to the judges, went with their own conveyances, and took with them provisions and provender sufficient for the anticipated needs of the journey. The inhabitants of most of the towns could start from home in the early morning, with their necessary documents and books be- stowed in one end of a sack balanced across the horse's back, with a "mess of oats " or corn for the animal in the other end; and, tying their horses under the shade of the trees, attend the session of the court, transact their business and return to their homes at night. Still the need of a " public house " seems to have been noticed, and this want was supplied before any thought of build- ing a village received serious consideration.

In the earliest years of the present century the princi- pal part of the village site was owned by three men, viz., Richard Howell in the eastern part, where cedar trees from which shingles were made were abundant; John Griffing, who then kept a "public house," in the central part, and Josiah Albertson, whose property was in the western part, and included a grist-mill and a fulling-mill on the site now occupied by Perkins's factory.

About the year 1812 the village contained but four dwellings. These were John Griffing's, Joseph Osborn's, David Jagger's and William Albertson's. The grist-mill and the "County Hall" were the public institutions. Not many years later the latter was rebuilt and enlarged, and a separate jail building erected, and the mill, then owned by Benjamin Brewster, was destroyed by fire and another one built in its place. By the year 1825 the vil- lage had made some growth. Besides dwellings there had been established a shoe shop by Moses C. Cleveland, a blacksmith shop by Jedediah Conklin, and three stores,

THE TOWN OF RIVERHEAD.

kept by Elijah Terry, William Jagger and Willlam Grif- fing jr.

The three principal hotels of the village were established as follows: The Long Island House, or its original part, by the Griffings, about the middle of the last century; the Suffolk Hotel was built as a dwelling in 1825, and enlarged and used as a hotel in 1834; the Griffing House was built by Henry L. Griffing in 1862, and aftarward enlarged.

MANUFACTURING.

Peconic River affords water power for several mills at or near the village. This feature of the locality probably suggested the first steps toward improvement which led to the establishment of a village. A grist-mill was started at the village in the latter part of the last century. A grist- mill, fulling-mill and saw-mill were established at Upper farther up the river Jeremiah Petty built a forge for the manufacture of bar iron about the year 1797. The business was carried on by successive owners about twenty years, when it was a abandoned. The bed of this pond is now used as a cranberry marsh.

Mills on the stream ahout a mile above the village. Still Judge John Woodhull, a prominent man of the town in

In 1828 John Perkins established a woollen factory at the Upper Mills. A considerable part of the business then consisted of manufacturing the wool raised by the farmers of the surrounding villages for their own home use. The business was carried on by Mr. Perkins during his life, and at his death, in 1866, was assumed by his sons J. R. & J. H. Perkins, by whom it is still continued. The products of this factory are stocking yarn, flannel . and cassimere. It is driven by water power, employs ten hands, and consumes annually about twenty thousand pounds of wool.

A planing and moulding mill was started here by Charles Hallett in 1857. It stood just above the bridge, and was driven by water power. A few years later it passed into the hands of other parties, and later still, the business being suspended, the building and power fell again into the hands of Mr. Hallett, who in 1870 appro- priated them to the manufacture of strawboard. In 1868 he established a large moulding and planing mill by the river below the bridge, using steam power. This mill is conveniently situated on the river, with a front sufficient to accommodate the landing of lumber from the boats that come up the river. It has had at times fifty men employed, and in some years its business has amounted to more than $100,000.

in the various manufacturing and mercantile enter- prises of the village.

One cause of the slow growth of the village during the first quarter century or more after the Revolution may be found in the general depression of those times and the reduced financial condition of the people. There was but little here except agriculture to support the people, and the soil in this locality, being light and thin, was al- ready well nigh worn out, and so afforded but little promise even to this industry. It is said also that about this time the people were sadly in debt. But in the midst of this depressing condition of things the custom of fer- tilizing the land with fish came into existence, and the failing energies of the soil were thus revived. This was about the beginning of the present century. Other fer- tilizers were introduced, and the condition of the soil and consequently that of the people was improved. To his day, was given the honor of being first to introduce the use of ashes as a fertilizer.

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