History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 91

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 91


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" Memorandum .- That the true meaning of Mr Farrett is that, whereas he hath formerly purchased certain lands in Long Island for the Earle of Sterling or him selfe, that he doth by these presents fully release all claims and in- terest in the land aboue mentioned or persons that shall sitt downe upon it, with all title to government, whether in Church or Commonwealth, all which is to bee clearly and fully drawne up accordinge to the true meaning of this agreement when things shall be settled and concluded by the Right honorable John Winthrop above named.


"JAMES FFARETT. [L.S.]


"Sealed and delivered in Presence of Theoph. Eaton, John Davenport."


Upon the back of this document is written the follow- ing:


other of the Collonies, with liberty to trade with the In- dians (which they are debarred from), and for that they had possessed and improved this place before any actual claim made thereto by the Right honbbl the Earle of Sterling or had any neede of his lordships patent; and whereas his lordship (vpon consideration I suppose of the premises) required nothing of them but in way of ac- knowledgement of his interest, I doe hereupon conceive and doe accordingly (soe farr as power is given mee) or- der and sitt downe that the Inhabitants of the tract of land within mentioned, or the plantation now called Southampton, vpon Long Island, and their successors for ever shall pay yearely to the said Earle of Sterling, his heirs or assigns, vpon the last day of 7 ber, att Southam- ton aforesaid, foure bushells of the best Indian Corne there growing, or the value of soe much, in full satisfac- tion of all rents and services (the 5th part of gold and silver oare to the kings majesty reserved allways except- ed). In testimony whereof I have hereunto sett my hand, dated 20 (8) 1641


" Jo. WINTHROP."


The settlement being thus established, the settlers made an agreement with the Indian tribe occupying the land, and advanced part of the pay, and on the 13th of December 1640 obtained the following deed:


"This Indenture, made the 13th day of December Anno Dom. 1640, betweene Pomatuck, Mandush, Mocomanto, Pathemanto, Wybbenett, Wainmenowog, Heden, Watem- exoted, Checkepuchat, the native Inhabitants & true owners of the eastern pt of the Long Island, on the one part, and Mr. John Gosmer, Edward Howell, Daniel How, Edmond Needham, Thomas Halsey, John Cooper, Thomas Sayre, Edward ffarington, Job Sayre, George Welbee, Allen Breade, Willm Harker, Henry Walton, on the other part, witnesseth, that the sayed Indians, for due consideration of sixteen coats already received, and alsoe three score bushells of indian corne to be payed vpon lawfull demand the last of September, which shall bee in the yeare 1641, & further in consideration that the above named English shall defend vs the sayed Indians from the uniust violence of whatever Indians shall illegolly assaile vs, do absolutely & for ever give & grant, and by these presents do acknowledge ovrselues to have given & granted, to the partyes above mentioned, without any fraude, guile, mentall reservation or equivocation to them and theire heires & successors for ever, all the lands, woods, waters, water courses, easements, proffits & emolu- ments thence arrisinge whatsoever, from the place comonly knowne by the place where the Indians hayle over their cannoes out of the North Bay to the south side of the Island, from thence to possess all the lands lying eastward between the foresaid bounds by water, to wit, all the lands pertaining to the parteyes aforesaid, as alsoe all the old ground formerly planted lying eastward from the first creek at the westermore end of Shinecock plaine; to have & to hold forever, without any claime or challenge of the least title, interest or propriety whatso- ever of vs the sayd Indians or our heires or successors or any others by our leave, appointment, license, counsel or authority what soever, all the land bounded as is above said. In full testimonie of this our absolute bargaine, contract & grant indented, & in full and complete satis- faction & establishment of this our act & deed of passing over all our title and interest in the premises, with all emoluments & proffits thereto appertaining or any wise belonging from sea or land, within our limits above specified, without all guile wee have set to our hands the day scribing of this present writing it is agreed that the


"I J. Winthrop within named, having seariously con- sidered of that which in this writing is reffered to my de- termination, although I am very unwilling to take it vpon me & as unfitt also, the rather being to seeke of any rule or approued precedent to guide me herein, yet being called hereunto, I shall express what I conceive to be equall vpon the considerations here ensueing, viz .: The land within granted being a meere wilderness, and the na- tives of the place pretending some Interest which the planters must purchase, and they might have had land and yeare above sayd. Memorand .- Before the sub- enough gratis (and as convenient) in the massachusets or


5


THE TOWN OF SOUTHAMPTON.


Indians aboue named shall have libertie to breake vp ground for theire vse to the westward of the creek above mentioned on the west side of Shinecock plaine.


" Witness of the deliverie & subscribinge this writing: Abraham Pierson, Edward Stephenson, Robert Terry, Joseph Howe, Thomas Whitehone, Joshua Griffiths, William Howe, Manatacut x his mark, Mandush x his mark, Wybenet x his mark, Howes. x his mark, Secom- mecock x his mark, Mocomanto x his mark. These in the name of the rest."


The original deed is still in existence in the town clerk's office, but almost illegible. Upon the back of it is written a confirmation of the above deed made by "eleven of the chiefe of the Indians of Shinecock" (among them " Pungamo, Sachem, who is son and heire to the within subscribed Mandush"), before Colonel John Youngs of Sonthold, and dated November 24th 1686; also another confirmation, dated August 16th 1703, acknowledged before John Wheeler, justice of East Hampton. The former of these was executed at the time of the giving of the second Indian deed, and the latter when the lease of Shinecock Hills and Neck was made to the Indians, an account of which will be given in another place. The tract of land thus purchased and obtained is known as "the Town purchase."


When the attempted settlement at Cow Bay was broken up the persons examined before the Dutch governor stated that it was intended to bring twenty families, and that many more would come if the land was good. The exact number that began the settlement at Southampton we do not know. Of those who did come some evi- dently abandoned the plantation at a very early date, and others removed to other settlements within a few years, but the majority, more tenacious of their purpose, re- mained till called away by death, and their descendants are still here. We give the following as a list of those who were here during the first year:


Edward Howell, Thomas Halsey, Thomas Sayre, Job Sayre, William Harker, William Wells, John Moore, Thomas Talmadge jr., Thomas Talmadge sen., Abraham Pierson, Henry Pierson, Daniel Howe, Richard Barrett, William Rodgers, Fulk Davis, Nathaniel Kirtland, Phil- lip Kirtland, Thomas Farrington, John Farrington, Rich- ard Mills, Thomas Tomson, Allen Breade, Henry Wal- ton, Josiah Stanborough, Edmond Needham, Thomas Terry, George Welbee, John Gosmer, John Cooper, Henry Symonds, Richard Post.


The following were settlers here previous to 1650:


John Stratton, Thomas Hildreth, Isaac Willman, John Budd, Thomas Burnett, Thurston Raynor, John Ogden, John White, Arthur Bostock, Richard Smith, Joshua Barnes, Theodore Vale, Thomas Topping, Jonas Wood, George Wood, John Mulford, Richard Odell, Edward Johnes, William Browne, Theodore Robbinson, John Kelley, William Barnes, Robert Rose, Ellis Cook, John Cory, Robert Marvin, Jeremiah Howe, Christopher Fos- ter, John Lum, William Mulford, Robert Talmage, Rob- ert Bond, John Ogden, Mark Meggs, Thomas Beale, Thomas Pope, Isaac Willman, Richard Woodhull, Rich- ard Jaques, John Hand, Tristram Hedges, Samuel Day- ton, Raphael Swinfield, John Jessup, John Jagger, Thomas Doxy.


Following are copies of the autographs of three of these men and another early resident:


The Cupping Edward Johnes 1648


Samt Johnny


Q2n/02/2020 For Cer.


Of these many remained but a short time, and some of them were among the first settlers of East Hampton. Richard Smith removed from the town at an early date and became the founder of Smithtown, and his name is celebrated in Long Island history as "Bull Smith." It is generally believed that Richard Odell and Richard Woodhull, whose names appear as above, were one and the same person, who afterward settled in the town of Brookhaven, and whose illustrious descendant General Nathaniel Woodhull has left an imperishable name as a martyr to the cause of Long Island liberty. Of the orig- inal " undertakers," Edward Howell, the acknowledged leader, was a native of Marsh Gibbon in Buckingham- shire, England; Thomas and Job Sayre were, as before stated, from Bedfordshire; John Cooper was from Olney, county of Bucks or Buckinghamshire; family tradition states that Thomas Halsey was from Yorkshire; Josiah Stanborough was from Stanstead, in Kent. These are the only ones of the 14 founders whose descendants are now found in the town.


THE SHINECOCK INDIANS.


The settlers upon arriving found the place inhabited by a race whose origin is wrapped in utter obscurity. From the brief notices found in our records they appear to have been divided into small bands, and were living in villages that were all situated near the different creeks or branches of the bays forming so important a part of the geography of the town. The principal seat of the tribe inhabiting and claiming the land within the limits of the town seems to have been at Shinecock Neck. We may here remark that the names Shinecock, Montauk, Cor- chaug and others were not the names of Indian tribes as such, but only of the localities where they were situated. The word Shinecock is said to mean "level land," and seems to have been a general name for the plain of which that neck of land formed a part. As a tribe they appear to have been subordinate to the tribe at Montauk, whose sa-


6


THE TOWN OF SOUTHAMPTON.


At the beginning of the present century the Indians lived entirely in wigwams, of which several stood near the bay at Canoe Place, and there were several near the


chem held sway over the entire eastern part of Long Island, and whose claim was recognized by the early settlers in all bargains for land. It is plain that their number has been greatly exaggerated. Civilization alone can enable a outlet of Cold Spring Bay, besides many in Shinecock. country to support a dense population, and the shell Soon afterward they began to build small frame houses, and the last wigwam disappeared about 1830. As these exist now only in traditions of the past it may be well to describe their construction. A circular place some twelve feet in diameter was cleared of bushes and the turf re- moved to the depth of ten or twelve inches; this was heaped around the circumference, making a low bank. Small poles about twelve feet long were sharpened at the larger end and stuck firmly in the top of the embank- ment. The tops were then brought nearly together, leaving a small circular hole at the top. Slender " hoop poles " were then fastened horizontally to the upright sticks, at intervals of about ten inches. To these the covering was fastend. This consisted either of mats woven of flags and rushes, or thatch of a coarse kind of heaps and other remains of their villages seem to indi- cate a small number of people, whose subsistence was mainly derived from the resources which nature had pro- vided. At the census of 1698 there were reported 52 Indians upward of 15 years, about the same number of women, and as many children; total 152. This was not the exact number, for Matthew Howell, who made the enumeration, goes on to say: " The hethen are so scat- tered to and fro that they can neither be sumonsed in nor counted;" but the above must have been approxi- mately correct, and as nothing had occurred to our knowledge to lessen their number since the settlement, it may be considered a fair statement of their power at the time when the white man first stepped upon their soil.


As stated above their chief seat was at Shinecock, and grass which still grows in the swampy places at Shine- as a locality on the west side of the neck, adjoining a cock, and which the natives called " bluevent." A fire was made within a small circle of stones in the center of the top. These stone "fireplaces," being the only thing connected with the wigwam that was indestructible, are still to be seen, and mark the places where many an In- dian dwelling stood in times long past. A flat stone with a hollow on the top large enough to hold a pint of corn was used as a mortar, and these, together with stone pestles, are to be seen in collections of Indian relics. Stone arrow heads are frequently found, but those of quartz, which were probably made by the tribe dwelling here, are not as finely formed as those of obsidian and other stones, which were probably obtained by barter from other parts. branch of the bay, is mentioned in deeds as early as 1660 as "Old Fort," and still retains the name, it is to be sup- the wigwam, and the smoke found an outlet at the hole in posed that an Indian fortification once existed there, of which at the present time no trace remains. Near it is an ancient aboriginal burying ground, and many stone arrow heads and hatchets have been plowed up in the vicinity. A few years ago excavations were made at the burial place and four skeletons were discovered. These had been buried in a sitting posture, and with them were many curious relics of the past. Among these were a gun barrel nearly six feet in length, several glass bottles and an earthen cup; a quantity of traders' beads and a considerable amount of wampum (the latter being cylin- drical beads of shell a quarter of an inch in length and nearly one-eighth of an inch in diameter and pierced longi- dently made from small pieces of bullion upon which the


As anything in relation to the last lingering remnants tudinally) and a copper box containing a few coins, evi- of the aboriginal owners of the soil is a subject of inter- est, a few remarks upon their present condition may not stamp had been put by means of a die and hammer and be inappropriate. The ancient language, manners and customs have long since wholly vanished. The last one who could claim to be of pure Indian blood died about 1850. The last Indian custom that survived was that of carrying the "back basket " by a strap passing round the forehead of the bearer. It was carried in this man - ner by an old woman who died in 1879.


bearing date 1656. A basket which had probably con- tained food had also been buried, and, incredible as it may seem, a fragment was sufficiently well preserved to show that it had been woven of flags. Portions of a woollen blanket were also found which had resisted decay. We may conclude from this that the aboriginal customs in relation to burying the dead were continued long after the advent of the white settlers.


Some years since there was found imbedded in the mud of a swamp at Potunk a stone axe or hatchet with a handle of oak about two feet in length, secured to the axe by being placed against the flat side and a withe wound firmly around both in the same manner that a - rope is belayed, thus holding it very securely.


In the spring of 1880 a man while catching eels in the creek at Canoe Place drew up on his spear from beneath a considerable depth of mud a wooden paddle, evidently one that had been used in propelling a canoe in olden time. It was three feet in length including the blade, which was about a foot long.


A Congregational church which was organized by Paul Cuffee, the Indian preacher, is still maintained, but is without any regular preacher. About IS45 a Second Adventist society was organized among them by James Lee, an escaped slave from Virginia, who married into the tribe. The most important of its members were lost in the wreck of the ship " Circassian " in 1876, since which time the society has dwindled almost to nothing.


"June meeting," held annually on the first Sunday in June, is a religious anniversary, the origin of which has been ascribed by some to the pagan festivals of ancient times; but according to the best information we can ob. tain it was instituted by Paul Cuffee. This of late years has ceased to be the source of religious benefit which its


7


THE TOWN OF SOUTHAMPTON.


founder desired, and is generally regarded as a season more of mirth and rejoicing than of pious acts and holy meditation.


It is a fact which we believe will be admitted by all who may give the subject attention that the physical characteristics of the Indian race are far more apparent in the girls and women of the tribe than in the boys and men. This we attribute to the fact that the mixture of blood is owing to negro and mulatto men having come into the tribe and married Indian women. The boys seem to inherit the form and features of their fathers, while the girls have the personal peculiarities of their mothers. Nobility of character is one of the virtues which novelists persist in attributing to the aborigines on our soil, but if anything of this has descended to their posterity the writer during a long and intimate ac- quaintance has wholly failed to perceive it.


At the last census the Shinecock tribe numbered 188 souls, though some of them have no claim whatever to the Indian nanie.


THE SECOND INDIAN DEED.


The first or " town purchase," as it is called, embraced only that part east of Canoe Place. A full account of the purchase of the western part of the town will be given in its appropriate place. In the year 1686 a new generation of Indians were on the scene, and these ap- pear to have been dissatisfied with the bargain and sale made by their ancestors. To quiet them a confirmation of the old deed was obtained from the sachems then in power, and this was again confirmed in 1703, at which time a new deed was obtained from Pomgumo, Chice and Mahanum as sachems, and signed by 34 other mem- bers of the tribe. This deed stated as follows:


"For Divers good reasons them thereunto moving, as also for the sum of twenty pounds current money of the Province of New York * *


* have granted, released and forever quitclaimed unto the trustees of ye comonalty of ye town of Southampton * all that tracte of * * lande of ye towneship of Southampton situate, Lying and being upon the southward branch and toward ye east end of ye Island of Nassau, bounded South with ve mane otion, on ye north by ye bay and Peconick grate river, * *


* and Eastward by a line Running from ye most eastward pinte of Hogg neck across ye said branch of ye island to and by a stake upon Wainscutt plains, and westwardly from an inlet out of ye sea or mane otion, Comonly known by the name of Cupsoage gut, into ye south bay; running Northerly up Seatuck River to ye marked bound tree, standing upon ye west side of ye mane brach of said Seatuck River, and from said tree extending northerly to Peconick grate river aforesaid."


they released and quitclaimed to the trustees aforesaid all their right, title and interest in the lands so described. These two deeds were duly executed on the 16th of August 1703, and entered on the town records.


INDIAN LEASE FOR SHINECOCK HILLS AND NECK.


From the time of the settlement till 1703 the Indians had roamed at will over those parts of the town which had not been used for actual cultivation by the white settlers. At the time of the giving of the second deed it was found necessary to restrict them to some particular place, and a lease was given for the tracts of land above mentioned. As this document is of the greatest importance in a legal point of view we will give it entire:


" This Indenture. made between the trustees of the Communalty of the Town of Southampton, in the County of Suffolk and Province of New York, on Island of Nas- sau, on the one part, and Pomguamo, Chice and Mana- man and their people belonging to Shinnecock, of the other part, witnesseth: That the said Trustees of the Thwn aforesaid, by and with one full consent and agree- ment, for divers good causes them thereunto moving, and one ear of Indian corn annually to be paid to the-Trus- tees of said Town for the time being, yearly and every year upon the first of Novmember, and for and upon the condition and proviso hereafter expressed, have demised, granted, and to farm letten, and by these presents do de- mise, grant, let and let to farm unto the said Pomguamo, Chice, Manaman, and their people abovesaid, all that their certain tract of land lying within the bounds of Southampton aforesaid called by the name of Shinecock and Sebonac, bounded west by Canoe Place, alias Nia- mug, and bounded southward by Shinecock Bay, and Eastward by a line running from the head of Shinnecock Creek, to the Northwest corner of James Cooper's close, and from thence northwardly to the westward part of Jonathan Raynor's land at Sebonac old ground, and from thence on a direct line to a place called the ware- house, by the North Bay, and on the north by the said Bay, meadows, marshes, grass, herbage, feeding and pas- turage, timber, stone and convenient highways only ex- cepted; with all and singular the privileges and advan- tages of plowing and planting, and timber for firing and fencing, and all other conveniences and benefits what soever, excepting what before is excepted, to the only use and behoof of the said Indians, their heirs and successors, for one thousand years thence next ensuing the date hereof. Provided always the said Indians do not keep nor cause to be kept any part or parcel of the said land within fence or enclosed from the last of October to the first of April, from year to year, during the whole term aforesaid. And for the full confirmation hereof the par- ties have interchangeably set their hands and seals in Southampton aforesaid, this sixteenth of August Anno Dom. 1703.


This is signed by the trustees of the town and recorded in the town records.


Immediately after the above lease occurs the follow-


To this, to make " assurance doubly sure," was added |ing: "We the trustees within named, according to the a deed from Giangonhut, sachem of Unckachohok (a town's former agreement with the said Indians of Shine- cock, do hereby grant liberty to them and theirs to cut flags, bullrushes and such grass as they usually make their mats and houses of, and to dig ground nuts (mow- ing lands excepted) anywhere in the bounds of the town- ship of Southampton aforesaid; as witnesseth our hands and seals this 16th day of August 1703." tract of land at Moriches next west of the town of South- ampton, and now called "Unchachog"), and Sumono, his sister, wife of Pomgumo, in which they acknowledge that all the land east of Seatuck and described in the above deed did belong " unto Pomgumo, Chice and Mahanum, sachems, and their people belonging to Shinecock," and


8


THE TOWN OF SOUTHAMPTON.


From that time to the present this tribe of Indians has continued to inhabit the tract of land so leased. In 1859 the proprietors of the undivided lands, in whom was vested the fee of the land, subject to the terms of the lease, made a proposition to the tribe to release to them all their right and interest to the land in Shinecock Neck, in exchange for all the right which the tribe held in the tract known as Shinecock Hills. This agreement was assented to by a majority of the tribe, and the consent of the State was given by an act of the Legislature. The proprietors then offered Shinecock Hills for sale by auction. The tract was estimated to contain 3,200 acres, and was sold to a company of men, residents of the town, for the sum of $6,250. Ram Island, a small isl- and in Bullshead Bay, was sold to the same company for $250. This had always been " proprietor land," and had no connection with the Indian claim. The company was soon after incorporated under the title of the "Trustees of Shinecock Hills," and the land is still held by them as tenants in common.


By an act of the Legislature in 1816 the Shinecock tribe was empowered to elect annually three trustees. These are elected on the day of the annual town meet- ing (the first Tuesday of April), at a meeting of the tribe at which the town clerk presides. These trustees have the management of the lands of the tribe, and with the consent of two justices of the peace of the town may hire out land to the whites for cultivation. By laws passed in 1831 the tribe became entitled to a share in the common school fund, and in 1860 a commodious school-house was built by the State. This building was burned in 1864, and a year or two later a much finer one was erected, and a good school has been maintained to the present time.




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