USA > New York > Nassau County > Long Island; a history of two great counties, Nassau and Suffolk, Volume I > Part 40
USA > New York > Suffolk County > Long Island; a history of two great counties, Nassau and Suffolk, Volume I > Part 40
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To the north of Bohemia lies what used to be Lakeland, and to those few who live there, it still is Lakeland. This settlement was commenced in 1848 by a Dr. Peck who bought several thousand acres of land, for some of which he paid only $2.75 per acre. He began to sell small parcels for farms and the Railroad established a station which served the surrounding country from 1844 to 1868.
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LONG ISLAND-NASSAU AND SUFFOLK
There were at that time twenty-four houses, a store and a post office The community had cigar factories and a button factory employing many people from Bohemia.
Lakeland lost its railroad station and post office because the center of population moved to the east, so today we have the Ronkonkoma railroad station and post office serving all this section. The school for this locality is also known as the Ronkonkoma School. Most of the village of Ronkonkoma lies in the Town of Brook- haven. The Lakelanders still maintain their identity as a separate
(Photo Courtesy of The Historic American Building Survey, Library of Congress) Joshua Brewster-Smith House, Hauppauge
village, and have their own fire department and other community activities functioning under that name.
About five miles to the west of Ronkonkoma lies the village of Central Islip. In 1874, most of this hamlet lay to the north of the railroad and contained about fifty houses. It was at this time that the station known as Suffolk Station, then located where Islip Avenue crosses the tracks, was moved to the present site. The chief occupa- tion of the people there at that time was farming, but as soon as the State Hospital was established, many people found employment in this institution and the community began to grow.
In 1874 there was a recorded population of 110. In 1940 there were 2787 registered there which did not take into consideration the State Hospital's 7000 inmates.
The Methodist Church was founded in 1869 and the church was built the following year. Many additions and alterations have been
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ISLIP TOWN
made to the original structures since that time. The first meetings of the society were held in the school which was shared with the Episcopalians. This latter group started as a mission of St. Mark's Church of Islip in 1869. When the Episcopalians built their church they called it the Church of the Messiah. In recent years the Catholics have erected a beautiful church, and also have a parochial school.
The public school district was organized in 1858 and became a Union Free School district in 1865. The high school is now located on the same property.
Two miles north of Central Islip is Hauppauge, part of which is in the town of Smithtown. It is a beautiful little rural community located at the headwaters of the Nissequogue River. The pioneer settlers were the Wheeler family and for a long time the place was called the "Wheeler Settlement." In 1874 there were 250 inhabitants and seventy years later there were but 574. This community has a Methodist Church, built in 1806.
A little to the west of Central Islip is the pretty village of Brentwood. In 1853 a group of intellectuals here founded Modern Times, laid out in blocks of four acres each. For a number of years this venture flourished but when the leaders passed away, the end soon followed. Josiah Warren, the leader, inventor of the cylinder press, was described by a newspaper as the first American Anarchist. Dr. Minnie Merton, the niece of Samuel B. Morse, built her own home in Brentwood. In 1864 the village name was changed to Brentwood. Today it has a public school, library and other community organiza- tions. Here is located St. Joseph's Academy, established in 1895, Ross's Sanitorium, started in 1890, and the modern Pilgrim State Hospital, which cost over thirty million dollars.
West Islip occupies the sites of two Colonial estates, Willett and Van Courtlandt. In the 1890s the Wagstaffs, Colts, Stevens, Remsens, Hydes, Keiths, Sillimans, Arnolds and Higbies lived here but today hardly any of these families remain. The first public school was started in 1807 in a building on the Merrick Road. The second one, a one-room affair, was built on Higbie lane in 1835. Since then two others have been erected. In 1853, the records show that a George M. Bishop taught the school which then had an enrollment of thirty-three, at a salary of seventy-five dollars a year. In 1870 there were about four hundred people dwelling in this community. Today there are over 2000. It has a number of factories but no rail- road station nor post office.
There are three incorporated villages in the town of Islip-Bright- waters, Ocean Beach and Saltaire. All three started as developments. Brightwaters is a restricted area which is mostly residential. It has a beautiful park, yacht basin and waterways owned by the village. Ocean Beach, across the Great South Bay from Bay Shore, is a summer resort. In the winter there are less than a hundred people there where in the summer over 3000 make their homes. Saltaire is also a popular summer resort on the ocean front.
CHAPTER XI
The Town of Huntington MARTHA K. HALL Librarian, Huntington Historical Society
PURCHASES - PATENTS
A S HUNTINGTON approaches its tercentenary and stands poised for a new era of adventure, it might be well to scan briefly its history, that an appreciation of the past may inspire and temper the future. Its establishment is recognized as from April 2, 1653, when three men of Oyster Bay, Richard Holbrook, Robert Williams and Daniel Whitehead, bargained with Raseokan, chief of the Matine- cock Indians, for land bounded on the west by a river flowing into Cold Spring Harbor-east to Northport Harbor and south to the Old Country Road, "the utmost of my bounds". Payment consisted of 6 coats, 6 kettles, 6 hatchets, 6 howes, 6 shirts, 10 knives, 6 fathoms of wampum, 30 muxes and 30 needles. The deed for this transac- tion was signed by 22 Indians whose names appear in Huntington Town Records, and the land involved, known as the "First Purchase", was immediately assigned to men already settled here.
A second purchase was made July 20, 1656, by Jonas Wood, William Rogers and Thomas Wilkes of Huntington, for land extend- ing from the eastern confines of the first purchase to the Nis- sequogue River for "seven quarts of licker and aleven ounces of powther" and the right to hunt, fish and follow their own pursuits.
Other purchases followed-Baiting Place, Upland, Squaw Pit and all unpurchased lands in the middle of the island; also the eleven necks on the Great South Bay until Huntington included lands from "sound to sea" comprising an area of about 160 square miles, the southern part of which was known as Huntington South until 1872, when it became a separate town, known as Babylon.
Boundaries of these purchases were generally accepted until Huntington came under colonial rule, when they were confirmed and legalized by patents issued in the interests of the Duke of York- the first by Governor Richard Nicolls, November 30, 1666; the second by Governor Thomas Dongan, August, 1688, and the third by Benjamin Fletcher, October, 1694. These patents defined certain rights and responsibilities connected with ownership, and provided for expenses to be met proportionate to individual holdings. Men involved in these patents were called patentees-those of the Nicholls patent being Robert Seeley, Jonas Wood, William Leveredge, Isaac Platt, Thomas Scudmore, John Ketcham, Thomas Weeks and Thomas Joanes.
Indefinite boundaries were often a source of dispute, that of eastern Huntington being the most contested. In 1695 this was estab- lished as from "Freshpond to Whitman's Hollow", but not until after much litigation was it definitely defined according to the survey map of Scudder V. Whitney, in 1884, by markers.
L. I .- I-22
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GOVERNMENT
The first settlers of Huntington were English, some of whom were educated and familiar with the existing law and constitution. Using this as a basis, they established for the community a code of civil and moral laws worthy of the name of "Pure Democracy", all questions being decided by majority vote in public assembly. While some severe New England laws were adopted and stocks erected for certain penalties, they do not seem to have been extensively used. Satis- factory dealings with the Indians promoted a reasonable assurance
(Photo Courtesy of The Historic American Building Survey, Library of Congress) Isaac Smith Farmhouse, Melville
of peace, and though in 1658 at a Town Meeting it was voted that every man must be provided with a "good gun and sword" and a fort erected, the precautions may have been in fear of the Dutch rather than the Indians, and in 1680 the fort was demolished and given to the Reverend Eliphalet Jones for firewood.
Huntington was independent of outside influence, until at the Town Meeting of April 10, 1660, "the mayor vote was for to be under Coniticot jeurisdiction." This condition did not remain long, for with the introduction of colonial rule, Colonel Richard Nicolls sum- moned two deputies from each community to Hempstead, in Febru- ary, 1665, and on March 1st, Jonas Wood and John Ketcham appeared as representatives from Huntington. The results of this meeting are embodied in the Duke's Laws which appear in Volume 1 of Huntington Town Records. Herein Huntington is referred to as of the "East Riding of Yorkshire."
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THE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON
These laws required that Trustees be appointed who were vested with authority to grant lands from the "commonality"-public lands- for farm or home lots. Special privileges in free taxation were offered to skilled mechanics, the following quote being self-explana- tory-April 1, 1679-"this present smith Samuel Griffen and all others that shall or may desire land in this town shall be bound to build and fence their lots given them and diligently follow their particular trades for the benefit of the town."
As public lands diminished the supervisor, town clerk and asses- sors acted as trustees until this obsolete body was replaced by the Town Board consisting of supervisor, town clerk and four justices of the peace. When the town became second class, the town clerk ceased to be a member. The office of Justice of the Peace was of "royal descent", that is by appointment, until November 9, 1826, the first elected in Huntington being Jacob Smith in April of 1830.
At first Town Meetings were called when needs arose, but later became regular spring events, and at the turn of the century became biennial, officials holding office in 1899 continuing in office until 1901, since which date elections have been held in odd years only. State and national elections were held in the fall after the ratification of the Constitution by New York, July 26, 1787. In 1842, Huntington was divided into four election districts-today there are thirty- and by act of legislature in 1887 district voting was established, but the spring Town Meeting vote continued until 1919, when for the first time town and general elections were held together. In 1933, Huntington became a second class town.
Town meetings took place for two centuries in taverns or other convenient places, but as the population spread southward, they were held in the home of Elias Smith of Long Swamp during the late 1800s to accommodate electors from south.
After the separation of Babylon from Huntington, assembly took place in the Euterpean Hall which stood on the southwest corner of New York Avenue and Main Street; the "Court Room" or other available places. In 1844, it was voted to raise by tax a sum suffi- cient to build a fireproof office for the safekeeping of public records, which were kept in the "Town Chest", but no permanent home was provided until 1910 when the present Town Hall was erected.
These records reveal that in 1673 sixty-three taxpayers were listed, and in 1685 the value of Huntington estates was 6298 pounds, 16 shillings and 8 pence, approximately $31,494. In 1945-46, there were 23,000 parcels of taxable property with a total taxation of $2,351,884.61, and a population of 31,584.
As early as 1680 road building became the concern of the town- Indian trails widened and straightened formed the main thorough- fares, and connecting roads were cut. In 1708, "serveyors and orderers" were elected to care for the condition of roads, and later turnpikes of varying widths were built, that of the Huntington- Smithtown Company in 1845 declaring a dividend of 25 cents per share. Not until 1909 did Huntington plan for adequate roads, and in 1919 the first of the major highway improvements was provided for by a bond issue of $500,000 adopted by the taxpayers, at which
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time the assessed valuation of Huntington was $14,835,203. In 1945, there were fifty-one miles of permanent highways, and an additional 276 miles of town roads maintained at approximately $105,000 per year.
Slavery was the accepted custom here from early times, records of sales appearing in the Town Records, until in 1799 the law of New York State provided for gradual emancipation and finally for full freedom in 1827. The following quote is one of many appearing in the Town Records: "January 30, 1800-I Jonah Wood-do manumit and set free A Certain Female Slave by the name of Mary aged about fifty-three years-in accordance with the Legislature of March 29,1799."
Dependent poor were at first farmed out but in 1821 the Wicks homestead "on the west side of the common in the East Street" was bought by the town to shelter these unfortunate people, the property being exchanged in 1868 for that of Elias Smith of Long Swamp, which served as the "town farm" until 1871 when the County House at Yaphank was built. The town now maintains a Home Relief and Welfare Department.
THE EARLY TOWN Its Growth and Development
Settlement of the early town around what is now known as "the Town Green", appropriately designated by Romanah Sammis as "The Heart of Huntington", seems to have been natural. A map of June 27, 1808, by John Ketcham shows the "Town Spot" with four "watering places" bounded by five highways-"All vacant ground lying between the described highways to be forever left open and unobstructed for the privilege of watering places and water courses." This vacant land is referred to in early records as "commonage"-land for public use, while the watering places consist- ing of ponds, provided accommodation for the watering of cattle. All that remains of these watering places and water courses is the small stream flowing north.
Highway number 1 of the map began at the corner of the house of Widow Mary Jarvis "which said corner of the house bears from the place where Samuel Fleet's dwelling house joins his store," and proceeded north, being the eastern boundary of the "common". This was called East Street, and the extension to the south for years was known as "Town Hill",-Park Avenue of today.
Highway 111 ran from Cow Harbor Lane (the road to Cow Harbor or Northport) in a westerly direction over the hill following the course of the present Main Street and on to Oyster Bay. This was known as Oyster Bay Path. The three other highways of this map do not exist today, having lost their usefulness with changing times.
A map of today would include land to the north which was given in 1935 by Mrs. Henry W. Cannon who lived in the former Captain Alexander Mather house on the northeast corner of East Street.
HUNTINGTON
Horse Neck Caumsett 165#
Fotons Week
1646
Askoroken
Crabmeadow
West Nock
Fresh and
East Neck
Little
Cow Harbor.
Farms 1612
Second Contarte Purchase
First Purchase 1663
1656
Ord Fields
Clay Prix
long Swamp
Comac
West Hills
Country Road
Purchase of all Unpurchased lands Oct. 1699
Half Way Hollow Hills
Baiting Place Purchase 16.98
Goshen Purchase 1706
Sweet Hollow
Upland Purchase
Nagunterogue 169,
Sentapoque 1698
at East
Linke East 1657
Symptoms 1689
Josias
Halt
Great
Showing Purchases and Early Settlements. tikett.
Whismans Hollow Fin
Huntington
Litre
Cold Spring
Ten
Dix Hills
old
inbordos
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LONG ISLAND-NASSAU AND SUFFOLK
Branching north from Oyster Bay Path, Wall Street led to the head of the harbor, while further west a path along which as early as 1660 cattle were driven to pasture at Horse Neck, became known as Horse Neck Path-later North Bowerie-now West Neck Avenue. The main path to the south followed the course of the present New York Avenue. The street led from Oyster Bay Path to the Conklin home- stead-the present home of the Huntington Historical Society-through Conklin lands as the "lane", becoming the "South Path" which was joined by the road from East Street, Spring Street and The Ridge (Nassau Avenue), on through to the Thatch meadows of the South.
Other highways derived their names from the particular indus- tries carried on in the vicinity. Mill Dam Lane led to the first mill near the head of the harbor; the extension of this street became Shoemaker Lane when shoes were made in the homes here. Early in the town records reference is made to Mutton Hollow, the road which branches west from Wall Street north of Mill Street. Here for many years the industry of sheep-raising was carried on, and when the Southdown sheep became the specialty, the road became South- down Avenue. At the fork of the road where it bends north and meets the lane from West Neck Avenue once stood the first slaughter house of Huntington. In a dooryard on the lane in those times' could be seen skins in process of being tanned, so that the name of the lane became Tanyard Lane. The old cider mill nearby for many years was operated by the family of Rear Admiral Hiram Paulding, 1787-1878, whose special recipe produced such a delectable beverage as to be sought by people from far and near.
The house of Widow Jarvis of the 1808 map still stands as does that of Samuel Fleet. This gambrel-roofed house has a long impor- tant history but the period of Fleet's occupation seems to have been particularly colorful. As Principal of the Huntington Academy, he boarded his pupils, caring for their physical and moral well-being; at the same time a member of The Library Association; publisher of Long Island's first magazine, The Long Island Journal of Philosophy and Cabinet of Variety, 1825-1826; also of the Portico, 1825-1827; combining these duties with that of postmaster, with headquarters in the store which adjoined his home. This house is now owned by Reginald H. Runge who has carefully restored its beauty.
Immediately south stands the house in which Thomas Powell lived. Outstanding in integrity and ability, he held every office of importance in the town, but records show that his religious scruples as a Quaker prevented his payment of taxes to the church, and in 1689 we find that he sold his holdings in Huntington and became Proprietor of the Bethpage Purchase. Also in this house was born John Bloomfield Jarvis, 1795-1885, noted engineer, whose outstanding achievement was the planning and construction of the Croton Aque- duct and distributing reservoir of the Croton River water supply for New York City. Other people of importance have lived here, the present occupant being Mrs. Hilda Taylor, portrait painter.
Platt's Inn at the south corner of Highway 1 and Cow Harbor lane, which stood until the 1860s, was the center of town activities for many years, town meetings often being held there. On the cor-
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THE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON
ner of Horse Neck Path and Oyster Bay Path, stood the Wood home- stead which has weathered the years since 1740, and sheltered several generations of the Wood family, John Fleet Wood being the last occupant.
Maps of 1855, 1860 and 1873 show the gradual growth of the town westward, noting increasing homesteads, as well as places of business. In the Long Islander for September 23, 1870, the following appears: "By far the most important branch of our manufactories is the Brick interest. There are on the north side of our town six manufactories in this branch that keep 30 machines going, and employ 175 men. The product last year was 20 million brick valued at $180,000. Next in order comes the ship-building interest which employs 35 to 40 men and turns out about $75,000 worth of work.
"There are six carriage manufactories employing 25 men and producing $25,000 of work; four boot and shoe manufactories employ- ing 12 men with a product of worth $15,000; three stove and tinware establishments; three bakeries, two cabinet makers, 11 blacksmith shops employing 25 men; three harnessmakers, three sash and blind manufactories with 25 men, five grist mills, one pottery, two under- taking, one stone cutter, one sand and clay mining company, two thimble manufactories, one paper mill and one manufactory of mineral water."
Brickmaking was one of the earliest of Huntington's industries. Shipbuilding was introduced by Thomas Fleet, who arrived from Eng- land in his own boat, setting anchor in Fleet's "hole" in 1659. At one time he is said to have had 40 craft engaged in trade.
Huntington's first mill was built in 1660 on Mill Dam Lane, and operated by William Leverich, the first minister. He was succeeded by William Ludlam, who sold to Mark Meggs in 1669, who in turn sold to the town in 1672. Jacob Scudder next built a mill nearer the head of the harbor, which was later sold to Zophar Platt who built a dam and tide mill in 1752 on the southwest of the harbor. It was operated until 1919, Daniel Smith being its last owner. The only mill standing today is the Lefferts mill on the property of Arthur Gwynne on West Neck. In 1825, Daniel Sammis built a sawmill behind where the Methodist church now ' stands, its superstructure being so unusual as to be a landmark for many years.
The growing of grain and raising of cattle for New York markets were thriving industries here until the opening of the western plains after the Civil War.
Ezra C. Prime, a descendant of the Rev. Ebenezer Prime, born in New York City, December 20, 1810, came to Huntington in 1836 and established a thimble factory which stood at the corner of Main street and Spring.
During the later 1800s and early 1900s, the entertainment of summer visitors occupied many of the people, and as railroad serv- ice became more accommodating, these visitors established summer or permanent homes here, and Huntington became a residential com- munity. Among the outstanding men who adopted this town as their home were Dr. Joseph Ray of Baltimore, Charles R. Street, lawyer and historian, Thomas Young, who became Judge of Suffolk County,
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LONG ISLAND-NASSAU AND SUFFOLK
and Temple Prime, famous conchologist and genealogist, who endeared himself to the town for his many generous gifts and services. He died in 1903 leaving a sister, Cornelia, who was no less esteemed.
$
1
(From 1903 photo by Hal B. Fullerton)
Old Thimble Factory Which Stood at Corner of Spring Street and Main Street, Huntington
Her gift to the trade school, now used as an Industrial Arts Depart- ment for Huntington High School, was but one of her many kind acts to the town, and when in 1916 she purchased the Gilbert Scudder house and property for a hospital, she expressed her great concern for humanity. The original building is now used for a nurses' home,
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THE TOWN OF HUNTINGTON
and the present building which was promoted by the Huntington Chamber of Commerce through public subscription, was opened October 29, 1933.
To August Hecksher, whose home was on property now known as Wincoma, Huntington owes its park and museum, a most valuable asset for education and recreation, which was presented to the town in 1920. Within the last half century, Huntington has assimilated many citizens of foreign birth, whose initiative and vision have con- tributed to the success of various progressive enterprises.
CHURCHES
Huntington's first church was Congregational. Organized in 1658, a meeting house was built in 1665. It stood about on the site of the Hecksher Park gate. Worshippers were summoned by the beat of the drum-"Monday, June 3rd, 1672, Being a training day it was agreed by the consent of the whole company that Abiel Titus should beat the drum Sabbath days in the fore and after noon ;- and at all times needful, as training days * *
After some controversy it was voted to build a second churcli "on the East Hill" June 24, 1715. This building suffered considerably during the Revolution and was replaced 1784 by the present graceful edifice. Its first minister, Reverend William Leverich, spent much time teaching Christianity to the Indians. In 1689, he sold his lands to Jonas Wood and left Huntington.
He was succeeded by Reverend Eliphalet Jones, who remained pastor until his death in 1731. In 1719, Reverend Ebenezer Prime, a graduate of Yale, came to Huntington as assistant to Rev. Jones, and was ordained June 5, 1723. At this time there were 41 members of the church; during his pastorate 328 names were added, there were 2381 baptisms and 822 marriages. His home for many years was the house on Spring Street now owned by Thomas Doran. Dur- ing the revolution he was a refugee to Connecticut, returning a sad- dened man through the loss of his wife. His son, Dr. Benjamin Youngs Prime, an eminent physician, was the father of Rev. Nathaniel Prime who wrote an eccelesiastical history of Long Island in 1845. Rev. William Schenck served 1793-1817, and during the ministry of Rev. Samuel Robertson, 1817-1823, the church Manse was built. The Rev. William Samuel Hess is the seventeenth resident pastor.
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