USA > New York > Suffolk County > History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683 > Part 97
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Next east of Second Neck is Short Neck (or, as it is sometimes called in the old records, Third Neck), and east of this is Fourth Neck. Although land was culti- vated here quite early there does not appear to have been any settlement on this neck before the Revolution. At the point where the railroad crosses the Country road at Atlanticville station, on the south side of the road, stands an old oak tree, which formerly gave to this locality the name of " Box Tree." This is derived from the fact that in former times, when the mail was carried weekly through the island in stages, it was the custom to leave letters and papers for this place in a box nailed on this tree.
ATLANTICVILLE AND PINE NECK.
This vicinity was known by its ancient name of Fourth Neck till within thirty years, when a post-office was es- tablished and called Atlanticville. The place contains a district school-house and a small Methodist church, built in 1850. The population in 1880 was 267. The
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creek on the east, which separates Fourth Neck from Pine Neck, was called by the Indians Achabacawesuck. This name was evidently too difficult for English tongues to pronounce, so the first four syllables were speedily dropped, and the creek is known as "Weesuck." Pine Neck, with the exception of a few houses and a small tract of cultivated land on the eastern side, remains a wilderness of pine forest, and from the nature of the soil does not seem likely to be cultivated to any great extent. A large boarding-house on Tiana Bay, kept by Benjamin F. Squires, is a favorite resort for sportsmen. Tiana is the largest creek that empties into Shinecock Bay, and connected with this creek-or bay, as it may well be called-is a peculiarity that deserves special mention. On the east side of the creek, and covering quite an ex- tent of its bottom, are stumps of pine trees evidently standing in the place of their growth, at a place where the water has now a continual depth of three or four feet; and it would seem as if the original forest had been in some ancient time suddenly submerged and the trees killed, and the parts remaining in air had decayed and broken off, leaving the stumps where they have since re- mained.
At the place where the Country road crosses the brook is the boundary between the Canoe Place division and the Last division in Quogue. purchase. On the east side of Tiana Bay is a point called the Ram Pasture, from the fact of its having been fenced off for that purpose in early times. The whole tract of country east of this to the main part of Shinecock Bay was known to the Indi- ans as Pauganquogue, which has been shortened to its present form of
PONQUOGUE.
The account of the laying out of this region and tracts westward of it may be found in volume III. of the printed town records, page 100.
The light-house on Ponquogue Point was built in 1857 and first lighted January rst 1858. It is 160 feet above the level of the sea, and is distant one mile from the ocean. This light-house stands on lot No. 25. This lot was drawn in the original laying out by Elisha Howell, who left it to his son Lemuel, who in turn left it to his son Moses. The latter died leaving one child, Charity, who married Rensselaer Topping, of Sagg, and the lot thus came into his possession. He sold it to John Foster, from whose assigns the light-house lot was purchased by the United States.
The Bay View Hotel, built in 1875, is an extensive building, and large numbers of sportsmen are attracted to this point by the excellent facilities afforded for their favorite amusement.
The village on the west side of this region is called Springville, and the district school-house is in the imme- diate neighborhood. Previous to the Revolution there were no inhabitants in this portion of the town. The first settler here was Wakeman Foster, who early in the present century had a house where his descendant John Foster now lives. The village of
GOOD GROUND,
now so thrifty and prosperous, with a population in 1881 of 553, had no existence previous to 1800. At that time the only house in the vicinity stood a little west of the present house of Elisha King, and was owned by a widow named Goodale. The next building erected here was a log house which was built in r804 and stood near the present residence of Mr. Williamson. After this large tracts were bought by the Squires family, and gradually the primeval forest was cleared away. A small tract of land near the center of the village has a soil so decidedly better than the rest of the country round that it has given its name to the place. The first mention which we have of it is in the laying out of the "Lower division " (1738), when the record says, "We layed out a highway near the middle of said neck (Pauganquogue) eastward of the good ground." This is the highway running south by the railroad station. The lands on the south side of the street are the amendments to the division above mentioned, while the land on the north side is the Canoe Place division.
A Methodist church was organized and a meeting- house erected at Good Ground in 1836, and a larger and better edifice was built in 1863.
SQUIRETOWN.
North of Good Ground, near Peconic Bay, is a small village called Squiretown. The first settler here was Ellis Squires, the ancestor of the family now so numer- ous. The best information we can obtain indicates that he was a brother of Jonathan Squires who came from Nantucket in 1769 and settled at Wainscott, in the town of East Hampton. About the time of the Revolution Ellis was living at Flanders, where he had a house near the present residence of Oscar Goodale. A few years later he moved to the place above mentioned, where he purchased lot No. 8 Canoe Place division (the south end of which is at the Good Ground school-house). He and his sons afterward bought lots 9, 10 and II. The houses of Joshua and Nicolls Squires stand on the roth lot. Ellis Squires died in October 1822, aged 84, leaving several daughters, and three sons-Ellis, Seth and Dan- iel-each of whom left a numerous family.
CANOE PLACE.
This place, which is a narrow isthmus connecting the two parts of the town, derives its name from the fact of the Indians drawing their canoes across here from the North Bay to the south side. In 1739 the trustees sold to Jeremiah Culver a piece of land at Canoe Place, em- bracing the present hotel property and running east to Shinecock Hills. Until after the Revolution his was the only house in the wilderness between Riverhead and Southampton, and its advantages as a stopping place were highly appreciated by travelers on that desolate
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road. He was living here as late as 1771, but during the Revolution the place was owned by Major George Her- rick. In 1785 he sold the premises to John Howell, grandfather of Charles Howell late of Ketchaponack. From him it passed into the hands of Israel Conkling, since which time it has had many owners. Excepting the house above mentioned, the only human habitation was a small house built by Wakeman Foster about 1800, which stood on the north side of the road, a little west of the hotel.
The bay privileges caused a village to spring up, and a small church was built under the auspices of the Long Island Presbytery in 1819. This building still stands, on the west side of the road leading south from Canoe Place, and services are occasionally held. The Shine- cock tribe of Indians have a piece of land about half way between this place and Good Ground, and here their church stood in the early part of the present century. The railroad crosses this tract, and about two rods south of the track is the grave of Paul Cuffee, the last native preacher to the Long Island Indians. The grave was originally enclosed with a neat paling, which is now in ruins. The headstone still stands, bearing the following inscription:
"Erected by the New York Missionary Society in Memory of the Rev. Paul Cuffee, An Indian of the Shin- ecock tribe, who was employed by that Society for the last thirteen years of his life on the Eastern part of Long Island, where he labored with fidelity and success. Humble, pious and indefatigable in testifying the gospel of the grace of God, he finished his course with joy on the 7th of March 1812, aged 55 years and three days."
It is sad to reflect that the tribe for whose welfare he labored with such fidelity is willing to allow his remains to rest in a neglected grave.
FLANDERS.
About two miles from Riverhead is the village bearing the above name. The first settlement was made here about 1770, and the first settlers were Josiah Goodale (who was living here before the Revolution, and whose descendants still remain) and Ellis Squires. A Congre- gational church was built here about forty years ago, and a Methodist church was built at the expense of Rev. Nathaniel Fanning about 1860. The population is r26.
WATERMILL.
mill and privileges soon after passed into the hands of William Ludlam, who died in 1665, and in his will left the mill to his sons Henry and Joseph. The latter re- moved to Oyster Bay about 1670, and the mill continued in the possession of the family of the former till 1733, when Jeremiah Ludlam sold it to John Conkling, of East Hampton. In 1790 it was owned by Hugh Smith, of Moriches, whose heirs probably sold it to Jonathan Conkling about 1794. It was purchased about 1815 by John Benedict, and still remains in the possession of his descendants.
In 1746, at a meeting of the town trustees, it was voted "Yt the Inhabitants of the Mill should have a peice of land for a burying place at a place called ye new burying place, Near Israel Rose's, to bury ye dead, to be to them and their's forever." The following are the old- est inscriptions:
" In Memory of Mr. Abraham Halsey, who died Nov. 28th A.D. 1759, in the 64th year of his age."
" Samuel son of Joel & Hannah Sandford died June ye 11 1755, aged about 9 months."
"In Memory of Mr. Joel Sandford, who departed this life Feb. ye 15 1795, aged 70 years."
"In Memory of Daniel Sandford, who died Nov. 8 1807, in the 74 year of his age."
This village was constituted a school district in 1813 and a school-house erected, which in 1870 was replaced by an elegant building. This is now one of the model schools of the town.
The population of the place is 173.
BRIDGEHAMPTON.
Mecox was the original name for all the tract of coun- try between Mill Creek and Sagg, and Bridgehampton derives its name from a bridge which was anciently built over Sagg Pond. The ancient road from Watermill to the eastern part of the town ran through the lane by the homestead of Theodore Halsey; then through the farm of David Halsey to the wading place, across to the lane run- ning to Mecox street, through the street to the road to the ocean, and probably around Sagg Pond by the beach. To avoid this circuitous road the town in 1686 voted to pay £50 " for the building of a bridge over Saggaponack Pond," and the inhabitants of Saggaponack and Mecox were to keep it in repair; the bridge to be made suitable for horses and carts to pass over. It is probable that the bridge was not built till several years later, and we believe it was not finished before 1691.
The facilities for a mill at this place were perceived at The second church built in the village of Southamp- ton, in 1652, stood on the south side of Isaac Wilman's house lot. Between the south line of the lot and the meeting-house was a small "gore piece " of land, which was long a source of dispute. To settle it the town in 1672 granted to Wilman the privilege of taking up the land that was due him on a division on the west side of Sagg Pond, and gave him two acres in addition. When a very early date, and in 1644 an agreement was made between the town and Edward Howell, by .which the latter agreed to build a mill and the town at large was to build a dam and furnish a sufficient force to open the "Sepoose " (as the artificial channel between Mecox Bay and the ocean is called); and Mr. Howell was to have forty acres of land adjoining. This is now the homestead of the late David Hedges Sandford. The it was proposed to build the bridge it became necessary
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THE TOWN OF SOUTHAMPTON.
to buy a road to it through this piece, and accordingly a of the main street, and as far west of Lumber lane; it bears strip four rods wide was bought, the town allowing Isaac the following inscription: "Here was layed the body of Mr. John Wick, Esq., Who Dyed January the r6th anno 1719, in the 59th year of his age." Wilman for it the right to take up twelve acres of land. This right he sold to Christopher Leaming, who in 1687 proceeded to locate his claim on the corner lot in Sagg, The old burying ground at Mecox contains the graves of the early settlers of this part of the town, and we here give some of the inscriptions which will soon be illegible: where the boarding-house of Hiram S. Rogers now stands, on the north side of the road to Wainscott. The bridge was built by Ezekiel Sandford, and was a little " Here lyes the body of Benony Newton, deceased March the 4th 1703 4 in the 54th year of his age." south of the present one; for in 169> Isaac Wilman sold to Ezekiel Sandford seven rods of land to connect the " Isaac Newton was born May 20 1676, dyed March 20 1703-4 in the 28 year of his age." " bridge lately built" with the road formerly bought, and the same was sold by. him to "the inhabitants of "Here lyeth the Body of Anthony Ludlam, who dyed March the 17 Anno 1681-2, in the 31st year of his age." Saggaponack and Mecox," and the deed is entered in the town clerk's office.
The road purchased from Wilman included a piece of four rods square " to set a meeting-house on," which was on the north side of the road, about fourteen rods from the pond. Here the first church was built, probably about the time that the bridge was finished. The second church was built in r737, on the north side of the road leading from Bridgehampton village to Sagg.
at Sagg, began to agitate the idea of rebuilding the bridge, and reopening the ancient highway. He found few to assist him, but, thanks to his foresight and energy, the bridge was rebuilt, and a new road to it, on the same site as the one bought of Isaac Wilman, was bought by the town and laid out as a highway in 1882.
The first settlement at Mecox was made about 1660. The population in 1880 was 1; 253. The first house was built by Ellis Cook, on the south side of Mecox street, near where his descendants still live. Among the first settlers were Thomas Cooper, Benony Newton, Anthony Ludlam {who had a house here in 1665 near Calf Creek, where his descendant Charles Ludlam now lives), Jacob Wood and John Beswick (" brickmaker "), who in 1671 sold his house on the east side of Swan Creek to Isaac Mills. On the north side of Mecox street lived Thomas Cooper (next east of the marshy hollow), and east of him lived James Hildreth, whose ancient homestead was standing within a few years. At the west of the hollow lived Benony Newton, whose next neighbor west was Matthew Lum. In 1678 the town voted fourteen acres of land to Ezekiel Sandford, on condition that he should settle in the town and carry on his trade of making cart wheels. This tract was next south of the homestead of Hon. Henry P. Hedges. South of it was a lot he pur- chased of Robert Woolley, and on it the house built by Ezekiel Sandford still stands.
The first house in what is now the main village of Bridgehampton was built by John Wick about 1712. His home lot was the corner of the village street and Lumber lane. He was a magistrate and a man of note in those
. early days. He was buried on his farm, and his tomb- stone may still be seen standing about thirty rods north
"In Memory of Capt. Daniel Sayre, who died May ye Ist A. D. 1748, in ye 63d year of his age."
"Here lyeth ye Body of Mr. Anthony Ludlam, who dyed December ye 21 1723, aged 53 years."
CHURCHES AND MINISTERS OF BRIDGEHAMPTON.
Presbyterian .- The first church, as has been stated, stood on the west side of Sagg Pond, near the bridge. The bridge fell out of repair and ceased to be used as a highway, and in 1765 the road bought of Isaac Wilman was sold by the trustees to John Sandford, and the places that had known them knew them no more. In 1876 Silas The second was built in 1737, when it was " voted by ye towne yt ye people of Bridge Hampton shall have liberty to build a meeting-house upon ye knowle between Abram Howell's house and Joshua Hildreth's." This stood on Tuthill, of Speonk, who had purchased a tract of land the north side of the road leading from Bridgehampton
to Sagg, and some forty rods west of the road running to the ocean. The building was 38 by 54 and stood 105 years. The present church was built in 1842, and is one of the finest country churches on Long Island.
The first minister was Rev. Ebenezer White, who was ordained here October 9th 1695. He was here for some time before this, for on April 17th 1695 he purchased of " Jonas Wood and wife Lydia, of Elizabethtown, New Jersey, 10 acres of land at Saggaponack, with housing &c., bounded East and South by highways, West by Street, North by Col. Henry Peirson." This is the corner lot on Sagg street near the burying ground, and still con- tinues in the possession of his descendants. The old house in which he lived was torn down about 1860. It was a large, double two-story house, built after the ancient manner, fronting the south, and had a long roof on the north which reached nearly to the ground.
On May 27th 1695 the town granted him 15 acres of land, which was duly laid out and is now part of the homestead of Captain Jeremiah Ludlow, south of Bridge- hampton village. Mr. White labored here 53 years, and died February 4th 1756, aged 84. His tombstone may be seen in the Sagg burying ground.
Mr. White was succeeded by Rev. James Brown, who was ordained June 15th 1748. He resigned his charge March 27th 1775, and removed to a farm at Scuttle Hole, now owned by George Strong. His tombstone, which stands in the sadly neglected burying ground in that locality, bears the following inscription: "In Memory of the Revd James Brown, Pastor of the Church of Christ in Bridge Hampton, who died April 22 1788, in the 68 year of his age."
According to Prime the pulpit was vacant for a long
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period, but on August 30th 1787 a pastor was ordained, whose life was one long and bright example of the deeds that adorn and the virtues that exalt humanity. Rev. Aaron Woodworth, D. D., was a native of Long Meadow, Mass., and a graduate of Yale. His pastorate, which continued 34 years, was terminated by the hand of Death; his parishioners bore to their final resting place the re- mains of one who had been in all the relations of life a useful and honored man. His monument in the church- yard bears an epitaph which is but a just tribute to the many virtues of one who has left upon the hearts of men a record of remembrance, more lasting than the sculptured stone.
Rev. Cornelius H. Edgar came to this place November 21st 1845, and was ordained June 10th 1846. He re- mained as pastor until October 2nd 1853, when he re- signed his charge and removed to Easton, Pa., where he still remains, as pastor of the Reformed church.
Rev. David M. Miller was installed April 27th 1854, after having preached some three months as a stated supply. His life and ministry, which were full of prom- ise, were terminated by his untimely death in June 1855. His funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Nicholas Murray, D. D., and was an eloquent description of a holy life. His remains rest in the churchyard already consecrated by the dust of his sainted predecessors. Shortly before his death he was married to the only daughter of Hon. Hugh Halsey.
Rev. Thomas M. Gray, son of Rev. John Gray of Easton, Pa., was installed April 23d 1856. The pastoral connection was dissolved April 10th 1866.
He was succeeded by Rev. William P. Strick- land, D. D., who came in May 1866, and preached as a supply until October 5th 1875, when he was duly install- ed. Failing health caused his resignation in October 1878.
In early times the towm made liberal provision for the support of the ministry, and in addition to the fifteen acres of land granted to Rev. Ebenezer White, as before men- tioned, sixty acres were laid out for a parsonage in 1691. This land was located at Sagg, and is now the farm of John S. Osborne, on the north side of the north road from Sagg to Wainscott. In 1712 twenty acres more were laid out in Bridgehampton village, including the present homestead of William H. H. Rogers. In 1751 another tract was laid out on the north side of the road to Sagg, where the "old Woolworth house" now stands. In 1848 a lawsuit was begun by the Methodist society to obtain a portion of the lands thus reserved for gospel purposes, but without success.
Bridgehampton M. E. Church .- A Methodist church was organized in 1820 and a small house of worship erected, which stood in the street on the east side of the
residence of William H. H. Rogers. This was disposed of, and a much larger house was built in 1833 on the south side of Main street, east of John Hull's hotel.
This church was moved to its present site and much enlarged and improved in 1870.
The New Light Movement .- The history of the and it was with feelings of no common veneration that churches of Bridgehampton would be incomplete with- out some notice of the remarkable schism which occurred in 1748, known as the New Light movement. The ori- gin of this excitement was the preaching of Rev. James Davenport, of Southold, who, according to his biographer, " became satisfied that God had revealed to him that His kingdom was coming with great power, and that he had an extraordinary call to labor for its advancement."
The fourth pastor, Rev. Amzi Francis, was ordained Acting upon this belief he proceeded to the wildest acts April 17th 1823. After a pastorate of 23 years he was called to his rest October 18th 1845, at the age of 52; and by the side of the venerated Woodworth all of him that was mortal is waiting for the Judgment day.
of enthusiasm, and soon produced in himself and in his followers a state of things which might well be called half religion and half insanity. In the opinion of those who embraced his views, the religious progress of their brethren was too slow for them. A new church organi- zation was soon established and a small house of worship erected. This building stood on the south side of the main road to Easthampton, and nearly opposite the Hay Ground burying place. Although the early enthusiasm soon died out and many returned to the fold they left, still a distinct church was kept up under the ministry of Rev. Elisha Paine, who died in 1775 and whose tomb- stone at the " Hay Ground " records that he was a native of Nantucket and son of Elisha Paine, and removed to Canterbury, Conn., where he practiced as an attorney. He was settled in Bridgehampton in 1752, and died at the age of 83. He left a son Elisha, who was living in Cardigan, Grafton county, New Hampshire, in 1776. The church died out in the early part of the present cen- tury; the building was sold and moved away, and is now used as a dwelling house, standing next south of the dis- trict school-house in Bridgehampton village.
At the present time we find it difficult to form a just conclusion as to the true merits of this movement, but one thing must not be lost sight of: its only history has been written by its enemies. That their enthusiasm led the New Light sect into acts of error is doubtless true, but that their strivings were after good and a life of more active holiness cannot be doubted.
BRIDGEHAMPTON INSTITUTE.
Although common schools had been established in this part of the town from a very early date, the inhabitants long felt the want of facilities for a more advanced in- struction. This want was met by the founding of the Literary Institute in 1859. The first trustees were Colonel Edwin Rose, Silas W. Corwithe, Alanson Topping. William D. Halsey and James L. Haines. The following is a list of the principals of the institution: Samuel E. Herrick, 1860; Albert White, 1862; -Warner, 1863; George R. Howell, 1867; Rev. Mr. Lawrence, 1869; Edwin Hedges, 1870; Lewis W. Hallock, 1873.
In 1874 Professor Hallock became the principal owner of the stock, and he has until the present time labored with
" TREMEDDEN" COUNTRY RESIDENCE OF_R. ESTERBROOK JR., BRIDGEHAMPTON, SUFFOLK CO., L. I.
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THE TOWN OF SOUTHAMPTON.
unwearied pains, which have been crowned with abundant success. The institution was in 1875 incorporated by the regents of the State, under the name of "Bridgehamp- ton Literary and Commercial Institute," and its fame now extends far and wide.
SAGG.
This village, the oldest in the eastern part of the town, was settled as early as 1660. The first houses were built at the south end of the street and on the road leading to Sagg Pond. The earliest settlers were Captain Thomas Topping, Josiah Stanborough, Christopher Leaming, John and Elnathan Topping, and Henry Peirson, son of the town clerk whose pen wrote our earliest records. The descendants of the Toppings still remain, though not as numerous as in the past.
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