History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 86

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 86


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This stream was the boundary line between the two towns; Adam owned half the stream and the Brookhaven grant carried the other half. The mill was erected and is still in operation. The pond flows back almost to the into the harbor, and so into the sound; and that ye said Stony Brook hotel, and is both useful and ornamental to Stony Brook and its environs.


be ye standing bounds between ye said towns." This award is on file in the town clerk's office, but not re- corded.


In 1798 Caleb Smith and Isaac Blydenburgh, who owned large tracts of land on either side of the Nisse- The changes in the Stony Brook stream and in the channel caused other disputes between the people of the two towns about the boundary, and in 1841 commis- sioners were appointed-on the part of Brookhaven Selah B. Strong, Charles Phillips and Davis Norton, and on the part of Smithtown Joshua B. Smith, William Wick- ham Mills, and Joseph R. Huntting-to settle the dis- pute, or, if they could not agree, to appoint an arbitrator. They appointed Hon. Charles H. Ruggles, of Poughkeepsie, the circuit judge, as arbritrator. He made his award February 14th 1842, by which quogue River, erected a dam at a place ever since called the New Mill, and flowed back the water on several hun- dred acres of forest land, where the trees had been cut and the stumps left standing. These stumps, being covered with water, have never decayed. They have stood for nearly a century in a perfect state of preserva- tion, and give to the pond the well known name of Stump Pond. There is a very fine water fall of eight feet, with authority and ability to increase it to ten feet; a saw-mill and grist-mill make use of it. In 1827 Richard and Isaac W. Blydenburgh erected here a cloth he decided " that the boundary line between the towns factory, and for many years carried on an extensive from the mill dam at Stony Brook to Long Island Sound begins in the middle of the main channel of the middle branch of the said Stony Brook at the said mill dam, and runs thence down the middle of the said main channel of said stream until it comes to the harbor, and so along the channel or deepest part thereof into Long said stream until it comes to the harbor and thence the middle of the channel of the harbor is adjudged to be business in manufacturing woolen cloths, affording a market for and greatly encouraging the production of wool in the western part of this county. Isaac Blyden- burgh's land was on the northeast side of the river. His grandson Benjamin B. Blydenburgh now owns the mill and mill pond, while his other grandsons Timothy and Island Sound; and the middle of the main channel of Theodore Blydenburgh occupy large farms-part of the family domain.


Caleb Smith, commonly remembered as 'Squire Caleb, the boundary line between the two towns from the mill


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THE TOWN OF SMITHTOWN.


dam to the sound." This award is on file but is not re- corded.


THE HEAD OF NISSEQUOGUE RIVER.


There are several branches or heads of the Nisse- quogue River, and the exact point or spot of the head waters of the river mentioned in the Smithtown patent and the Winnecomac patent was claimed to be imme- diately in that neighborhood, but was for a long time in dispute between William Nicoll (son of the Islip patentee) and the Smithtown people; and in 1763 they submitted the question of boundary to the arbitration of Samuel Willis, Zebulon Seaman and Richard Willets, of Jericho, who on the 3rst day of May 1763 made the award in writing, deciding that the western branch of Nisse- quogue River, on which the northeast corner of the Win- necomac patent is bounded, " is and ought to be taken and deemed the head of Nissequogue River, and the place, at the head of said river, in the brook eastward from the present path or road that goes around the river, and two rods westward from the old path or going over the river, in the brook, is the present station which we fix as the head of said river; and that a right line run from the old bound or near Ronkonkoma (that is already agreed upon by both parties) to the head of the western branch of the Nissequogue River at the station before mentioned shall be for the future taken and deemed and esteemed by the parties to be the partition or division between Smithtown and Islip," etc., etc.


The bond and award are filed in the town clerk's office, but not recorded. The town authorities afterward, by an order entered in the town records dated September 16th 1828, fixed the exact spot as being a maple bush at a point distant two rods west of Timothy Wheeler's tan yard and 13 chains east of Willets road. (Book I, page 60.) Willets road is the road leading from Aaron Vail's to Suffolk Station. The record is as follows:


"We the undersigned commissioners of highways of the town of Smithtown, being legally qualified according to law and by an act of the Legislature of this State passed April 2nd 1813, empowering commissioners of highways to open roads and watering places, having been called upon by Caleb Smith, Esqr., to open a road and watering place at the head of Nissequage River; and we the said commissioners, having examined the records and doings of commissioners of highways dated December 19th 1789, and from other documentary evidence and from other testimony exhibited before us, do adjudge and determine that the head of Nissequage River is at a bunch of maple sprouts about two rods west of Timothy Wheeler's jr. tan yard, and thirteen chains from Willets road to the above mentioned maple sprouts; and we do further adjudge that a highway two rods wide from Wil- lets road aforesaid to the head of said river or bunch of maple sprouts be opened for the convenience of a public watering place; and we do also further adjudge and de- termine that the public watering place be ten rods wide from Willets road, north of a line drawn from Whitman's Hollow to the aforesaid bunch of maple sprouts, and from said bunch of maple sprouts ten rods wide and twenty-five rods northerly down said river shall be deemed hereafter the common and public watering place.


"Given under our hands at Smithtown the 16th day of September A. D. 1828.


" JOHN VAIL,


" RICHARD WHEELER,


" JOHN S. ARTHUR,


Commissioners of high ways for Smithtown."


In the old records this spot is called the " Head of the River," and it must not be confounded with the present village of that name, two miles or more further down the stream. From this watering place eastward on the line between the towns of Smithtown and Islip runs the vil- lage street of


HAUPPAUGE.


This street or road forms the boundary between the two towns until it reaches a point in the woods about half a mile east of the road leading from the east part of Smithtown Branch to Lakeland. At that point the road turns slightly to the north; but the line continues straight on until it meets the easterly line in Ronkonkoma Pond.


The first settlers of Hauppauge were Thomas and Timothy Wheeler, who came there from East Hampton. They were descendants of John Wheeler, one of the original trustees and for a long time supervisor of East Hampton. Their residence was near the store now of Wallace Donaldson, and gave to the place the name of Wheeler's, by which it is known in the early records. The Wheeler place was a landmark for many of the highways and boundaries in that part of the town. Thomas and Timothy Wheeler left numerous descendants, many of whom now reside there. One of them, Richard Wheeler -the father of the present popular and useful civil en- gineer and surveyor Richard B. Wheeler-was once one of the side judges of the court of common pleas of the county.


The other early settlers were Caleb Smith, already mentioned, Joshua Smith, Joseph Blydenburgh, Alexan- der Smith and Theophilus Wood. The latter was the father of the late Thomas W. Wood, a much respected and worthy citizen, the father of the present Simeon Wood. The old Wood mansion is on the north side of the Hauppauge street, at its junction with the road lead- ing south past the Catholic church.


Joshua Smith's son Joshua was a noted and leading man in the town; he . represented the county of Suffolk in the Legislature in 1794-97 and 1799; was a member of the constitutional convention in 1781; was State senator in 1827, 1828 and 1829, and was first judge of the county from 1823 to 1828. His son Joshua B. Smith was a mem- ber of Assembly in 1839-43, and State senator from 1844 to 1847 and in 1858-9. They resided in the old family mansion, now owned by Charles A. Miller, of New York. The only child of Joshua B. Smith married Dr. J. R. Mowbray, of Islip, where she now resides.


Next adjoining this mansion is the residence of Moses R. Smith (a descendant of Alexander Smith, one of the influential citizens of the town), who has been justice of the peace and assessor, and held many other important offices.


Major Ebenezer Smith above named, a son of Joshua,


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THE TOWN OF SMITHTOWN.


married a daughter of Caleb Smith, also above mentioned, and was the father of Caleb, Ethelbert and Joshua, all esteemed citizens of this town.


The name Hauppauge is Indian; it is said to mean sweet water, and to have referred to the many streamlets of pure spring water which abound in the vicinity.


The Methodist Church Society was organized in 1806, under the name of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Congregation of Hauppauge. The first trustees were Elkanah Wheeler, Samuel Brush jr., George Wheeler, Isaac Nichols and Jacob Wheeler. The church was built in 1812, on the north side of the street, a little west of Wallace Donaldson's store. It until recently belonged to the Smithtown circuit, and until the erection of the Landing church was the only Methodist church in the town. It now belongs to the Lake Grove circuit.


About the year 1830 several Irish families, among them those of Thomas Burns, Patrick Burns, John Fisher, Patrick Fisher and Cornelius Haggerty, formed a settlement about a mile south of the Branch. They and their descendants have been quiet, prudent and respect- able citizens, and by their industry added much to the material wealth of the town. In 1845 they erected a small Roman Catholic church, the first of that denomin -. ation within 20 miles of this place. It was attended by the people of Babylon, Islip, Port Jefferson, Northport and all of Smithtown. The first pastor was Rev. John O'Donnell. He remained one year, and was succeeded by Fathers McGinnis, Curran, McCarthy, O'Neil, Crowley, Carsolla, Manney, and the present priest, Father Dowd, who visits the parish about once in three weeks. In 1874 the old building was removed and replaced by the present substantial and commodious edifice, and the parish, though weakened by the erection of churches in all the chief villages, is at present in a prosperous condition.


SHERRAWOG-ST. JAMES.


The whole east side of Stony Brook Harbor was originally called Sherrawog. Adam Smith, son of the patentee, settled here, on the farm now occupied by Na- thaniel Smith and his son Edmund N. Smith. Adam de- vised it to his only son Edmund, and he to his two sons Edmund and Floyd. Edmund took the homestead and Floyd took the place afterward occupied by Henry Wells and more recently by the late Jonas Smith. Floyd was the father of Jesse Smith, commonly called "Scoggins," and the grandfather of the late Edwin A. Smith, United States assessor for this district. This farm of Nathaniel Smith is one of the many farms of this town which have never been conveyed. The place now occupied by Nathaniel Smith was formerly occupied by Jonas Hawkins, the grandfather of ex-Mayor Wick- ham of New York, who for many years owned and car- ried on a large distillery there, situated on the north side of the Hither Brook road and near the harbor.


village situated in a green valley running from the Moriches road to the harbor. Here were settled in early days Gershom Smith, Job Smith and Gilbert Smith, whose numerous descendants still people the village. Jonas Smith (not Captain Jonas) occupied the residence and farm of the late Samuel Carman, covering an exten- sive territory and some of the most commanding views along the sound. Carman's barn, on the highest point, is a well known landmark to mariners passing through the sound.


Near this and on a part of Jonas Smith's farm is the country seat of Prescott H. Butler, a pleasant cottage of the early colonial style, on an eminence overlooking the sound and Stony Brook Harbor.


About a mile east of the Head of the Harbor is Mills Pond, a hamlet of a few houses around a small pond, from which it derives its name. The first settler here was Timothy Mills, one of whose descendants, the late William Wickham Mills, owned and occupied the old family mansion. He was for several years supervisor of the town, was one of the largest landholders and a man of much influence. William Mills, another of the de- scendants of the original settler, occupied the farm now owned by William C. Powell. He was the father of the late Ethelbert S. Mills, Mrs. Josiah O. Low of Brooklyn, and James M. Mills of New York. Another of the family, Gideon Mills, resided where Benjamin Mott now lives.


Samuel Bailey, another early settler, lived on the east side of the pond, on the farm now occupied by his grandson, J. Henry Bailey.


In 1853 the Episcopalians in the town who had wor- shiped at Caroline Church, Setauket, and at the Episco- pal churches in Islip organized a society and erected an Episcopal church, called St. James church, in compli- ment to James Clinch of New York, through whose in- strumentality and liberality the church was organized and, in its infancy, mainly supported. The first officers of the corporation were: Wardens, William W. Mills, J. Lawrence Smith; vestrymen, Edward H. Smith, Charles S. Seabury, Edmund F. Smith, Joel L. G. Smith, Gideon Smith, William W. Mills jr., Charles Henry Wells and Henry Smith.


A neat wooden building, designed by Mr. Upjohn, after the gothic, was erected, mainly by contributions. A plat of two acres was donated by Joel L. G. Smith. On this are the church, a neat rectory with barn etc., and a cemetery. The church has also a glebe of four acres. The chancel is adorned with a large stained glass window, a memorial of Mr. Mills, the senior warden, and his wife. A smaller window of stained glass, made by Lafarge, in memory of the patron, Mr. Clinch, and his wife, is near the chancel.


The first rector was Rev. Carlton Maples. He remain- ed about two years, and was afterward the rector of a flourishing parish in Ohio. After him came the Rev. C. S. Williams, a much beloved pastor, who remained several years and received a call to a prosperous and growing


The southern part of Sherrawog, formerly (and some- times at present) called the Head of the Harbor, is a church in Brooklyn. Then came Rev. J. W. Buckmas-


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THE TOWN OF SMITHTOWN.


ter, who remained two years and was called to the church at Greenport. After him Rev. Henry Degen served here two or three years. He was called to a large and prosperous church at South Orange, N. J., and was suc- ceeded by Rev. James H. Lee, who after a little while received a call to a fine church at Canandaigua. After Mr. Lee came Rev. I. W. N. Irvine, who remained here three or four years and then went to Illinois. The pres- ent rector, Rev. Mr. Archdeacon, has been settled here nearly two years.


This church is pleasantly situated, in a good neighbor- hood and with healthy surroundings, and pays a fair salary for a country church. Thus far the settlement of a young man here has for the most part proved a sure stepping stone to a higher and more enlarged sphere of usefulness.


Soon after this church was erected a post-office was established under the name of St. James, and from that time the locality has borne that name. The late Joel late president of the Nassau Bank, New York, and his


L. G. Smith, one of the founders of the church, built the fine dwelling now occupied by Mrs. Milton G. Smith, and afterward renioved to his late residence near Mills Pond.


Near St. James church, and on an eminence overlook- ing the sound and the harbor, was erected in 1873 a Methodist church, a neat modern building with a spire. The society was organized under the name of "Thom- son Methodist Episcopal Church."


The first trustees were J. B. Meeker, G. S. Hodgkin- son, Thomas Hubbs, G. N. Pedrick and Ernest Myers, and the first minister was Rev. J. S. Brundage. He was pastor from 1874 to 1878; Rev. Samuel Thompson, 1878, farmer is kept up by the present owner, George W. Hal- 1879; Rev. S. A. Sands, 1879-81.


The congregation is large and increasing. Rev. J. Langlois now has charge of this society, in connection with those of Lake Grove and Hauppauge. Next west of this was the residence of John Smith, son of Epenetus, who owned a large tract of land reach- ing northward almost to Stony Brook Harbor. He had a large family of sons, of whom the only survivor is the late Timothy C. Smith, who owned several hundred Epenetus, who still occupies the family residence. One


Next west of the Episcopal church is the residence of acres of land called the "Royal Grant." Edwin A. Smith formerly resided here, and from the estate he de- rived the name of "Ed. Grant," so familiar to the men of his day.


Just beyond this, going westward, is the St. James Driving Park, a mile race-course for training and trot- ting horses, reputed to be the best driving track in the county.


Still further on was the residence of the late Lyman Beecher Smith, of whom an account is given elsewhere. About one mile south of this is


SMITHTOWN BRANCH,


the business center of the town. It derives its name from the northeast branch of the Nissequogue River, which, taking its rise in the hills near the backbone of the island, and a short distance from the head waters of the Connetquot Brook, flows first westerly, then south- westerly, in a circuitous course, for several miles at the foot of the farms of the villagers; runs through Stump Pond, Phillips Pond and several smaller ponds, and meets tide water at Phillips's mill.


One of the first settlers here was Joseph Blydenburgh, who married a daughter of Jonathan Smith, a son of the patentee. On Jonathan's right was laid out the house lot where stands the residence of J. Lawrence Smith, and part of which formed the residence of Mr. Blyden- burgh. From this Joseph Blydenburgh springs the nu- merous family of that name, many of whose members have removed from and some of whom still remain in this town. The last resident on the old homestead was Richard F. Blydenburgh, who had several sons, only one of whom survives, namely Jesse S. Blydenburgh of New York, who has a country seat on part of the old domain.


Benjamin B. Blydenburgh, another descendant of the first settler, resided on the corner opposite the Presbyte- rian church. He was a public spirited man and a leader in town affairs; was much interested in public schools and did much to advance the cause of education. His farm is now owned by his son Hamilton Blydenburgh, daughter Miss Annie Blydenburgh.


Thomas Arthur early settled at the east end of this village. He was the son of William Arthur, who formerly resided on the farm of the late Edwin A. Smith, opposite the railroad depot, which farm was afterward occupied by his grandson, John S. Arthur. William Arthur was the progenitor of the large family of that name now re- siding in the county. The old homestead of Thomas Arthur is now occupied by his son Jeremiah N. Arthur.


Next west of Arthur's was the residence of Richard Oakley, whose reputation as a wealthy and successful lock. of the sons of the latter, George A. Smith, is the present town clerk.


The next house to the west was the hotel of Thomas Hallock, well known to travelers through the island fifty years ago. The stage of Ezra Smith and his sons Elias and George, starting from the house of Coe Down- ing at Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn, at early dawn, usually reached this hotel late in the evening, and put up for the night. "Uncle Tom " kept a good, homelike house, and the weary traveler was sure of a sumptuous meal and a good bed. Mr. Hallock came here when a boy with only a penny in his pocket, and obtained work with a carpenter at sixpence a day. By energy and persever- ance he soon became the owner of a good farm and hotel, and was a most popular landlord.


Next west of Hallock's house is the residence of the late Joseph R. Huntting, formerly county clerk, after- ward a lawyer and one of the judges of the court of common pleas. He died in 1881, at the ripe old age of 85. His son John S. Huntting has for many years been a justice of the peace and one of the principal managers of town business.


21


THE TOWN OF SMITHTOWN.


Adjoining Mr. Huntting's was the residence of Dr. F. side of the street, now belonging to the estate of the late David J. Ely. On the opposite corner Theodore Brush erected in 1850 a small country store. It proved a success, and his father-in-law, Captain James Darling, entered into business with him. They conducted it several years, under the firm name of Brush & Darling. O. Arthur, a self-made man and a natural mechanic. Without any previous preparation he "took up" the trade of blacksmithing, and for many years he and his brother, Erastus C. Arthur, had a successful business. They had a particular talent for tempering edge tools, and Arthur's axes were celebrated for their keenness and Brush sold out and moved away, and the business has come to Conklin & Jayne.


tenacity. The brothers made the best horseshoes, and their judgment and skill in that line commanded for them a large business. But F. O. Arthur's genius was not confined to that trade. He could make or mend a watch or a.tin pan or a clock, and was equally skillful with the finest and most delicate jewelry. While he was in the height of his prosperity Solyman Brown, a dentist of some note in New York, came here. Arthur made his acquaintance, studied and learned the whole art and science of dentistry, made for himself a complete set of dentist tools, abandoned the anvil, set up as a dentist, practiced during the rest of his life, and was esteemed a most skillful dental surgeon. In the house of E. C. Arthur formerly resided Charles A. Floyd, a lawyer and at one time a judge of the court of common pleas. He afterward removed to the town of Huntington, and rep- resented this Congressional district in the 27th Congress.


Daniel Saxton, whose name often appears in the early records, resided in this immediate vicinity.


Next is the residence of Judge J. Lawrence Smith. He was member of Assembly in 1847; commenced to practice law here in 1850; was afterward district attor- ney, and eight years county judge and surrogate of the county. He still practices his profession here.


Next we find the Presbyterian parsonage. Adjoining it is the Methodist parsonage, and next to it the tailoring and dry goods establishment of S. E. White. Passing the house of Benjamin B. Blydenburgh and the Presbyterian church we find the school-house of union free school district No. 1.


Next west of Ely's is the factory of Alanson E. Hal- lock, where carriage building, smith work, harness making and all that pertains to them are successfully carried on. This was formerly the residence of John Rolph, a plodding harness maker, who tanned his own leather and made harness which was expected and war- ranted to wear into the next century. The premises were formerly owned by one Dickerson, to whom al- lusion is often made in the early town records. Rolph was succeeded by Egbert P. Brush, who established the carriage-making business, but he soon left it and went " on the water," and is now a jolly tar, running coasting vessels through the sound. His father, Elijah Brush, occupies the next house, erected by Silliman & Doane as an appurtenance to their fruit tree nursery established here in 1837. This business was faithfully prosecuted for several years, but the late frosts in the spring and the early frosts in autumn, which pervade the valley of the Nissequogne River, were so destructive to the tender shoots of the young trees that the business proved un- profitable and was abandoned. Passing northward from the Branch toward the Landing we pass the house late of Dr. Josiah Bowers, now the country seat of Ethelbert M. Smith.


The Presbyterian Church of Smithtown Branch .- The first church in the town was erected at Nissequogue, on the Iand now of Caleb T. Smith and near his gate at the corner of the Horse-race lane. The inhabitants of Smithtown contributed toward the support of the Rev. George Phillips of Setauket, and are said to have wor- shiped for a season at the Setauket church. It is not ascertained that Mr. Phillips ever preached at Nisse- quogue, or that there was any organized church there. The town voted Mr. Phillips a tract of land adjoining the Brookhaven line and the road from Mills Pond to Stony Brook, probably with the intention that he should settle there and be convenient to both parties; but Mr. Phillips continued to live in the old parsonage at Setau- ket, and died there. The patentee's widow gave him a cow in her will. He was one of the witnesses to the will.




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