USA > New York > Suffolk County > Bridgehampton > Sketches from local history > Part 10
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"This agreement made this 29th day of October. 1804 between Nathan T. Cook & Rufus Rose con- cerning the building of a House is as follows, Viz.
"That sd Cook agrees to erect a house twenty eight feet in front & thirty two feet from front to rear two storys high in the same model with the house now occupied by John Hulburt. Esq. And to be finished in the same way except his kitchen in the Lieu of which a porch is to be substituted the house to be covered with shingle, the lath to be
sawed, the timber to be taken from the stump & that which is too large, to be sawed &c &c. And sd Rose doth agree on his part to furnish materials sufficient for the above work in such season the sd Cook shall not be obliged to wait for any one article & if such materials are not provided according to the tenure of the preceding clause sd Rose is to make good the damages, he is likewise to Cart the timber & raise it after it is framed & do the glazing, he is likewise at the completion of the above work to pay sd Cook Seventy Five Pounds for his labour, in witness whereof we have interchangeably set our hands the day & year above written."
Here are the names of contracting parties
The John Hulburt house referred to above is the one in Sag Harbor, on the east side of Main Street. now owned by Mrs. Clarence Shamel.
The John Cook house in Mecox was built by Nathan Topping Cook and Sullivan Cook in the year 1809. I herewith give a copy of the Agree- mient to build this house.
"This Agreement Made this 22nd Day of March, 1809. Between Nathan T. Cook. Sullivan Cook and John Cook, Concerning the Building of a House. Which is as follows, viz; that Said Nathan T. Cook & Sullivan Cook Do Bind themselves to Erect A House for the Said John Cook, Which is to Be Thirty By Thirty Six Feet-The Building to Be two ' Stories High. The Work to Be Done as. Well as that Now Ocupved By Ruffus Rose. Having .\ Porch 9 By 15 feet. The House to Be Covered By Shingles-The Lath to Be Sawed-The Timber Taken after Carted Home-The Said John Cook Does Agree on His Part to furnish All Materials Sufficient for the Above Work In Such A Season that the Said Cooks as Aforesaid Shall Not Wait for Any one Article & if Such Materials are not Provided According to the Tenor of the Preceding Clause, the Said John Cook Is to Make Good the Damage. He Is Likewise To Raise the House . After it is framed and to Do the Glazing-He Is .Also to find Said Cooks One Meal Per Day While they are Doing the Said Work, and after the Said Work Is Compleeted He is to Pay the Said Cooks as .Afore- said the Sum of Two Hundred And twenty Five Dollars For their Labour-And We the Said Cooks Do Agree on our Part to Not Let other Work In- terfear With Said Cook as Aforesaid To His Dam-
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OLD DWELLING HOUSES
Stephen Topping, later Paul, later E. O. Hedges, 1750
1.%
Andrew Barron, later Lemuel Haines, 1750
Paul Halsey, Jr., later Watson, 1755
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Deacon David Hedges, later Wilkes Hedges, 1775
Old Hildreth House, Mecox, 1690-1873
Stephen Topping, later Malines Osborn, torn down 1914
SKETCHES FROM LOCAL HISTORY
age, Whereof We Have Interchangeably Set our Hands the Day and Date As Above Ritten"
The Jesse Woodruff House. ( later George H. Miller ) on Mitchel's Lane in Bridgehampton was built by Sullivan Cook in the year 1807. The Jacob Halsey House, (later Capt. Benj. H. Halsey) on Lumber Lane in Bridgehampton, was built about the year 1805. The William Turbell House, (later Charles Turbell) in Hay Ground, was built about the year 1810. The Sullivan Cook House. ( later Richard Cook ) in Scuttle Hole, was built about the
Jonas Wood, later Ebenezer White, 1676-1856
year 1815. On the 15th of September of the year 1815, there occurred one of the most severe storms that ever visited eastern Long Island, it blew down vast numbers of great trees in the forests. The James Hand House, (later .Albert, later John 11. Hand) in Wainscott, was built in the year 1816, and the Anthony Ludlow House, (later Charles Ludlow) in Mecox, was built in the year 1817: the frame of both of these houses was hewn from trees blown down in that severe storm. The Presbyterian church on Shelter Island was also built of timber hewn frem trees blown down in that same Septem- ber gale. This church was destroyed by fire a few months ago. The Col. Hervey Hedges House on Hedges Lane in Sagaponack was built in the year 1825. The Matthew Topping House, in Sagg. (later Gardiner B., later Addison G. Topping ) built in year 1797.
There may be others that I have omitted, but I have tried to include all. These houses are now (1935) all standing, and for the most part are in fair order.
In group one I think I should have included one half of the Thomas Rose House, (later Israel Rose, later Pulaski Warren) in Water Mill, built about I700.
WHAT BECAME OF SOME OLD DWELLING HOUSES
In writing about Old Dwelling Houses in this locality, I wish to mention some of those known and remembered by the older men, but which at this time are gone. (See 1750 and 1800 maps ). I will begin with Wainscott. There was the John Talmage and the Daniel Hopping houses on the road to East Hampton. Then in the lower end of Sagg Street, there was the Jonas Wood house, later Rev. Ebene- zer White, built about 1676, torn down in 1856. Northwest of this was the Hezekiah Bower house in 1750, later Deacon David Hedges, later Capt. Josiah Foster, this was burned in June of 1874.
There has always been a question just where the Robert Norris House was located in Sagaponack. Judging from a boundary line mentioned in an old deed, and from the fact that there are pieces of old brick found that would indicate the site of an old house, I am persuaded that the Robert Bower house,
was located south of the Hezekiah Bower house. (later Deacon David Hedges, later Josiah Foster. ) Robert Norris was a taxpayer in 1683. and lived on the west side of Sagg street.
The Mrs. Cleaves house in Wainscott was bought by Ernest Fields, who moved it to its present site. . The Samuel Edwards house on Hedges Lane, owned by J. Dayton Miller in 1800, and Ebenezer Hedges in 1900, later the farm was bought by Raymond Magee, who sold the house to Charles Schwenck. and he moved it north on the Wainscott Road. The Isaac Hopping house in Wainscott, built about 1790, was burned in 1917. The Levi Hedges house on Parsonage Lane, was built about 1780, and torn down about 1900. The house marked Mr. Chase ( 1850 map) was a very old house and was torn down about 1853. The William D. Halsey house in Poxabogue was sold to Capt. Edward Halsey, and
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torn down in 1890. The Seth Topping House ( 1800) Halsey Hildreth in 1850, was torn down about 1870, this was in Poxabogue. The Stephen Topping House 1800, Malines Osborn in 1850, in Poxabogue, was torn down about 1914. The Mil- ler Edwards House, Poxabogue, ( 1850 map ) was torn down in 1865. The Stephen Topping house on Poxabogue Road was formerly the store of Stephen Topping. Sr. ( 1800 map) afterward soki to Thomas Tyndall, and moved east of the graveyard. The Town Poor farm was formerly owned by Sylvanus Topping. ( 1800). Sold after many years to Michael Haney, who tore down the older part of the house and retained the wing for a dwelling. The site of Capt. Caleb Howell's house could be located until a short time ago, by the old well some rods east of the Henry Howell house.
The Edward Howell House and Tavern (which is shown on all maps except the one for 1670) in Poxabogue, was built in the year 1690, was moved across the street to the west about 1875. and torn down in December of 1931. I have preserved a section of the corner post. rafters and plate of this house. The old Hildreth House in Mecox was prob- ably built about the year 1690, and was torn down about 1873. The Thomas Cook House in Mecox was moved from Bridgehampton, and later owned by Jesse Ludlow, and has now gone to decay. The Jeremiah King House in Mecox was bought by Roger Marran, and is now a wreck. The Benjamin F. Sandford House in Mecox was built in Sag Har- bor, afterward taken down and moved to its present site. The George Halsey House, on Ocean Road, (later Samuel Howell) was formerly the store of Robert Halsey, and stood where the store of David Hallock did later, (now the Chester Store). The Hezekiah Sandford House stood in the valley south of the Matthew Hildreth house, west side of Ocean Road. The Jerusha Halsey House was torn down by Henry P. Hedges after he had bought that farm and moved from Sag Harbor. This was on Ocean Road. The Levi H. Hildreth house stood a few rods south of where the house of his son, Lawrence Hildreth, stood in 1850. The Mrs. D. Sandford house. ( 1850 map) (later Richard Overton ) was bought by Hiram S. Rogers who moved it to his Fordham lot on Butter Lane, and is now owned by George McCaslin's heirs. The blacksmith shops of
William Fordham and Elisha Howell were both torn down. William Jones' blacksmith shop on Main Street was bought by Hiram S. Rogers, who moved it to his farm in Sagaponack for a shop. The Watson Hand house ( 1850 map) was moved to Church Street, where it now stands, and is owned by Mrs. William Rogers. The David Pierson house on Butter Lane was torn down: it formerly was the property of Richard Gelston, his daughter, Laura, afterward Mrs. Jeremiah Ludlow, was born there. The Alva Halsey house was torn down. The Dis- trict No. 9 schoolhouse ( 1850) was sold to. E. P. Rogers, who moved it to Narrow Lane for a dwell- ing house. The Tiffany & Co. store was destroyed by fire. The John King Hotel, ( 1850) was orig- inally the Capt. John Hulburt house ( 1750), finally came down to Augustus Gardiner, who moved it to the Triangular Commons, raised it up, and built another story under it. Later it was owned by John W. Hull, who ran it as a hotel for many years. It was then sold to the Episcopal Church Society, and torn down in 1915. The John L. Gardiner house ( 1850) later David Hallock, was moved to Osborn Park (so called) where it now stands. The Rogers store was later moved across the street. and was still later burned. The William Pierson house was destroyed by fire. The John Cook house in Mecox was built in the year 1809, and was destroyed by fire in 1921.
The Mary Brown house on Lumber Lane in. Bridgehampton, was very old when I was a boy, and was finally torn down. The Ledyard Halsey house ( later John Elliston) on Lumber Lane was burned about 1918. The Stephen Topping house (1800) and the .Alfred Talmadge house, both on Lumber Lane were torn down. The Arnold Ed- wards house on the Sag Harbor Turnpike. (later Hassler) was burned about the year 1872. The John Edwards house on the south side of Hunting- ton Path, was a one story building, and stood there until it was worn out and gone to decay. I remem- ber it in 1872. It must have dated back to at least 1740. The David Rogers house in Scuttle Hole was built in 1786 ( 1800 map) and was torn down about 1870. My grandmother, Elizabeth Tuthill Rogers, was born there. The Charles Seeley house. ( 1850) was moved to Sag Harbor, erected on the north side of John Street, owned by John Thatford, and burned about 1880. The Daniel S. Halsey house on
SKETCHES FROM LOCAL HISTORY
Butter Lane was formerly the kitchen on the Gabriel Halsey house on the Brick Kiln Road, and was moved to its present site in 1840. The Isaac Sandford house on Butter Lane was torn down. The David Sayre house was torn down. and later the Stephen Sayre house was bought by Phineas Terry and moved to a site near the former site of the David Sayre house. The Sylvanus Sandford house on Butter Lane. ( 1800) was bought by Elias Sandford who moved it across the street for a barn. The Elias Woodruff house was burned December 21st. 1899. The Silas Corwith house was burned about 1910. The Job Woodruff house was moved to the Kahle farm for a tenant house, where it now stands. The Capt. Jones Rogers house on the Hay Ground Road was bought by Patrick Connor, and later by Addison M. Cook, who tore it down. The Orlando Rogers house was burned in October of 1919. The Albert Cook house (later William Marran) was burned in 1911. The Thomas Halsey house was bought by William Edwards, who moved it north of the railroad, and was later owned by Charles
Strong. The Charles C. Topping house in Mer was formerly the schoolhouse of Andrew Ford ...... in Hay Ground, and is now torn down. The E .. ward Squires house at Head-of-the-Pond was tem down. The Abigail Squires house was moved fre !!! Hay Ground to its present site, later bought 3 Frank Benedict and moved to the Polish settlemc ::. The house in Deerfield marked Sullivan Covi (1850) later Widow McGee, was formerly :: Ethan Halsey house in Hay Ground, and was moral by Cook. The Enoch Halsey house in Water Mi" was burned November 10th, 1901. The John Lupton house, formerly David Lupton, on Ocean Road w .: destroyed by fire. The Hedges Sandford house ::: Water Mill was sold and moved across the street to the south. The old house on the east side of Mecox Road, in Mecox, that was formerly the Cor. with Store of early days, was destroyed by fire Jah 3rd. 1843. at 10 o'clock A. M. The James Edward. house on Mill Stone Road was burned about 18% The J. L. Overton house was torn down, this was the old Loper homestead.
BRIDGEHAMPTON IN THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION
During all of the early history of eastern Long Island, there never was a massacre of the Colonists by the Indians. This appears remarkable when compared with contemporary history on the main- land, but this is largely explained when we consider that when the Colonists bought the land of the In- dians for a stipulated price, they also agreed to de- fend them against invasion of this territory by hos- tile tribes. This referred directly to the Pequots and Narragansetts, for these tribes had conquered and were receiving an annual tribute from the Long Island Indians. The only event that savored of even the spirit of massacre, was the murder of Phebre Halsey, wife of the first Thomas Halsey at South- ampton. Montauk Indians were suspected, but upon investigation, it was proven to have been two Pequots, who were arrested and taken to llartford where they were tried. convicted and executed. . \t that time all criminal cases had to be tried in Hart- ford, from the fact that eastern Long Island at that time was under the jurisdiction of the Connecticut
Colony. It was during this episode that Lyon Gar- diner gave himself as hostage to the Montauk In -. dians for the safe return of their Sachem, Wyan- danch.
The Long Island Colonies were subject from the first to obligatory military training. "On October 9, 1642, Yt is ordered that every man in this towne that beareth armes shall watch and ward and conte to trayneings." "Each man must have a flintlock musket that would strike fire, with a bayonet to tit it, and cartridge box." First the officers had their training, a few days later those between 18 and 45 th who were liable to military duty were called out and they had company training. Later they had general training, when the companies from Southampton. East Hampton, Bridgehampton and Sag Harbor all met on the Triangular Commons in Bridgehampton. I think this law was in force until well toward the middle of the 19th century. I herewith give a list of the members of the Militia, whose names appear on the Muster Roll of November 5th, 1715. Most of these names may be found on the map for 1700.
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SKETCHES FROM LOCAL HISTORY
The Captain of this Company was Josiah Top- ping, of Hay Ground.
Stephen Topping
Elias Cook
Daniel Hedges
Nathaniel Woodruff
Obadiah Cooke
Alexander Wilmot
William Tarbell
Jeremiah Halsey
Samuel Haines
Thomas Cooper
Elisha Howell
Josiah Topping
Martin Rose Josiah Stanborough
Ezekiel Sandford
James Haines
Thomas Howell
Edward Howell
James Hildreth
Henry Ludlam
Theodore Pierson
Abiel Cook
David Halsey
Samuel Lum
Ammi Rusco
Elias Petty
James White
The following list of names are those the loca- tion of whose homes appear on the map for 1750. Eliphalet Clark Theophilus Howell
Joshua Hildreth
Jacob Wood
Jeremiah Halsey
Zechariah Sandford
Henry Ludlam
Abraham Halsey
Job Pierson
Elnathan White
Thomas Sandford
Ezekiel Sandford
Israel Rose
Very many of the sons of the above named men enlisted and fought in the war for liberty and inde- pendence only a few years later. At this time. how- ever, these Bridgehampton men were really part of the English army, and during the French and In- dian War. ( 1755-1764) some of them did service. Elias Halsey ( 1750 map) served as Lieutenant, Al- bert E. Squires, father of Ellis. ( 1800) did service both in this war and also the Revolution. David Hand started to go on the expedition with Mont- gomery, but was taken sick at Albany and returned home.
Some years later throughout all of the Colonies. the men and officers who had kept up the interest in the training of the militia, saw not so very far ahead the probability of abundant use for their ability as soldiers and military leaders. England, like the old Egyptian monarch. sought to strengthen their cause by increasing the burdens of their subjects, but in both cases it worked inversely. Throughout the Colonies, men who were quietly following their vo- cations, unnoticed, became eloquent orators in the cause of liberty and freedom. 1776 found the Town
of Southampton, east of Water Mill, or that area covered by these maps, with a population of 1.434. according to the census of that year. At this time all of the men who were subject to military duty, were enrolled and organized into companies. At the period just prior to the Revolution there were two companies in Bridgehampton. One being in Sagg. and one in Mecox. In Onderdonk's Rev. Incidents, we read "Company 3, (this is Sagg) Capt. David Pierson, Ist Lieut. Daniel Hedges, 2nd Lieut. David Sayre, Ensign, Theophilus Pierson." Company 9. (this was Mecox) Capt. John Sandford, Ist Lieut. Edward Topping, 2nd Lieut. Phillip Howell, En- sign, John Hildreth." Most of these names appear either on the map for 1750 or 1800. "In 1775 associations were formed, the members of which pledged themselves to the support of the measures of the provincial congress, and the union of the American colonies, to resist the oppression of the British government." Every male inhabitant in Southampton, with only two exceptions, signed this instrument of association, and these two after some hesitation also signed it, which made it unanimous. It only took a short time after the declarations in writing of these men, before the matter of organiz- ing regiments in Suffolk County was thought to be a necessity. "On April 5th, 1776, the First Regi- ment, of 13 companies was reported, this was com- posed of 1,030 men and officers from the western portion of the County, but as early as February 10th, 1776. the Second Regiment reported nine com- panies, with 760 men and officers, of which it is thought Bridgehampton furnished three companies. and in addition to these. Bridgehampton, East Hampton and Southampton furnished a company of minute men to act as a home guard, and this was prior to the date of the First Regiment."
After the battle of Long Island, which took place August 27th, 1776, which resulted in the defeat, or rather retreat of the Colonial army, Long Island was left undefended, and an easy prey for the ene- my's depredations. What with war vessels on either coast, and the English army supplemented by hired Hessian troops, marching unopposed the entire length of the Island, it would be impossible to por- tray the ill treatment and insults to which the Colon- ists were subjected. Live stock was confiscated and never accounted for, cattle, sheep, hogs, poultry and even horses were taken, and the farmer forced to
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SKETCHES FROM LOCAL HISTORY
cart hay and grain with which to feed them, and none of these articles were ever paid for.
The companies of eastern Long Island men who took part in the battle of Long Island, and there were a good many, retreated to the mainland with the rest of the army. While those left at home either fled to Connecticut, where they joined the Continen- tal army, or were forced to take the Oath of .Alle- giance to the English King. Some of these at the point of a bayonet, as was Col. Jonathan Hedges, and hundreds of others. This military occupation of the Island by the English, broke up the regiments already organized, or those that were being organ- ized by the Colonists, and so put a stop to all mili- tary training. Some took their families with them to the continent, and never came back, others re- turned after the war was over, to former homes, now devastated and left in ruin.
I herewith give a copy of an Oath of Allegiance taken by Daniel Hildreth, the original of which is still preserved, and sworn to before the Tory Gov- ernor, William Tryon.
"I do hereby certify, that Daniel Hildreth, aged 63 of Southampton Township, has voluntarily sworn before me, to bear Faith and true Allegiance to his Majesty King George the Third, and that he will not directly or indirectly, openly or secretly, aid. abet, counsel, shelter, or conceal any of his Majesty's Enemies, and those of his Government, or molest or betray the Friends of Government, but that he will behave himself peaceably and quietly, as a faithful Subject of his Majesty and his Government. Given under my Hand on Long-Island, this 22nd Sept. 1778."
"Win. Tryon. Govr."
This Daniel Hildreth was the grandfather of the man from whose diary I will quote later. He lived in Seven Ponds, and was noted for the high grade pumps he made and sold throughout this entire sec- tion. I wish to say also, that at the time this docu- mient was executed Major John Andre was secre- tary to Governor William Tryon, and it is very probable that the document is in Andre's handwrit- ing.
Lord. Erskine, who commanded the forces on eastern Long Island, made his headquarters in Southampton, and was a gentleman in every respect. a kind officer and just. He evidently saw and be-
lieved in the injustice to which the Colonists were subjected, for at an early date he resigned his com- mission and returned to England. Major Cochran was of a very different type, a man arrogant, brutal. domineering, autocratic and vile. Note his order for the whipping of William Russel. He made his headquarters in Sagaponack, and left a record des- pised and hated, and always will be.
I will name the officers and privates who served in the war of the Revolution, the location of whose homes appear on these maps, and designate the dis- trict in which they lived.
Those in Water Mill were:
William Ludlam Capt. Henry Ludlam Private
Jeremiah Ludlam Jolın Conklin
Private Thomas Stephens
Those in Mecox were :
Benjamin Sandford Matthew Cooper Private
Private
John Cook
Daniel Sandford
Job Halsey
Edward Howell William Howell ..
David Lupton
Daniel Schellinger
Those in Wainscott were :
William Miller Private Daniel Hopping Private
Those in Sagg were :
Lemuel Pierson Hezekiah Bower Private
Sergt. Major
Jonathan Hedges.
Jonathan Hedges
Jr. . .
Colonel
Henry Topping
Daniel Topping Lieut.
Benjamin White
Job Hedges Private
David White ..
Abraham Pierson
Ephraim White ..
Isaac Pierson ..
Jolın Pierson
Job Pierson ..
Josiah Stanborough
Lemuel Pierson ..
Zebedee Osborne . .
Matthew Topping ..
Jeremiah Hedges
Daniel Hedges Capt. Surgeon
David Pierson
Elias Pierson Corp.
Those in Bridgehampton were :
John Hulburt
Lieut. Col.
William Gelston :
Stephen Halsey, Surgeon David Gelston Sergt.
Elias Halsey
Lieut.
John Gelston Adjutant
Ilenry Halsey Capt.
Nathan Cook Fifer Stephen Halsey Sergt.
David Howell Capt. Timothy Halsey
..
Jeremiah Rogers Capt.
Phillip Halsey ..
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David Hand Capt. Beriah Dayton Private
Sylvanus Halsey
Jeremiah Halsey
Phillip Howell Lieut. Matthew Halsey ..
Josiah Hand Private John Corwithe .
Jeremiah Parker
Daniel Halsey
Henry Moore
Daniel Woodruff
Edward Topping Capt.
Luther Hildreth ..
David Sayre Lieut.
Abraham Halsey
Silas Cook
Private
Samuel Brown ..
Henry Corwithe ..
Ethan Halsey
John Edwards
Lewis Sandford
William Halsey
Thomas Halsey ..
Joshua Hildreth ..
Caleb Corwithe ..
David Howell, Jr. ..
David Woodruff
Moses Howell
James Sayre
Stephen Sayre
Those in Scuttle Hole were :
Abraham Rogers
Silas Woodruff Private
Private
Samuel Browne =
David Sandford
Benjamin Woodruff "
Those in Hay Ground were :
Jonathan Cook Corp. David Cook Private
Matthew Jagger
Nathaniel Rogers
William Rogers Capt. Ensign
Abraham Rose Lieut. Albert Squires Private
David Cooper Private Stephen Talmage
I will relate a few incidents in the lives of some of the men whose names appear in the above list.
The stories of David and Daniel Hedges in con- nection with the Refugees has already been told by Judge Hedges. David Hand, the patriot, Josialı Hand, already mentioned as living at the Brick Kilns. The Matthew Halsey named above, served as a private at the battle of Long Island. under Gen. Israel Putnam. He headed a private expedition to New London and captured 13 Hessians, for which exploit he received from the Continental Congress a large quantity of currency. The winter that Wash- ington was at Valley Forge, this man went to New- ark by skating across the frozen New York Bay, the Kill van Kull and Newark Bay, it being a very coll winter. William Miller of Wainscott was a private in Col. Smith's regiment, and was on the l'rivateer "Marquis de Lafayette."
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