USA > New York > Suffolk County > Bridgehampton > Sketches from local history > Part 14
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The following story which I will here relate, is an incident directly connected with the great storm of September 15th, 1815: "In the muster roll of Capt. Ezekiel Mulford's Company of East Hampton, dated July 26th. 1776, may be found the name of Daniel Hopping. Private, Age 17. Residence, East Hampton ( Wainscott belonged to East Hampton) Place of Nativity, The same: Occupation, Farmer. Height, 5 feet, 9 inches." It is said that this Daniel Hopping was a very pious and God-fearing man. who sincerely believed and accepted all things to be the work of God, and was satisfied therewith. No matter what misfortune, or trial, or adversity one met with along the pathway of life, it was all the work of God. He had a neighbor, William Miller by name, who differed entirely with him, from a spiritual point of view. At the time of this storm. corn had not been cut up as yet, and this crop was broken down, and washed into the mud to such an extent that the crop was almost ruined. Grain stacks were blown down and scattered about, and every way one looked was apparent destruction.
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The morning after this storm, Daniel Hopping took a walk about the neighborhood to inspect the havoc wrought by this storm, and noted in particular his own corn field. While viewing the ruins he met his neighbor, William Miller, and said, "Well, Mr. Miller, the Lord was in my field of corn last night." "That may be true," said Miller, "but the Devil was in mine."
Electrical Storms
While writing on the subject of Storms I will mention a few that were electrical, and some of the strange freaks of lightning. "In ve olden time" we know the nails and spikes used in the construction of wooden buildings were all hand-wrought, being made by blacksmiths out of imported iron. The timber used in construction was usually oak, into which these wrought nails could be driven, but once driven, and the timber seasoned, could never be drawn. At the Head-of-the-Pond, on the farm of David Halsey stood a barn with an oaken frame. The verge boards were of pine nailed to an oak raf- ter with wrought nails. . \ bolt of lightning struck this barn, took one verge board off without split- ting, drawing the nails, whole and clean out of the oak rafter. and left them all in the pine board, which fell to the ground.
In the barn of John Squires, a tie beam about four inches square, morticed and tenoned into the rafters about one third of the way from the peak to the plate, was torn out by lightning, and thrown endwise through the gable end of the barn, and out into the field. In passing through the covering of the barn, it cut a square hole just the size of the timber, doing no other damage. Some years ago Joseph Longnecker was working for William Post. on the Haynes farm at Scuttle Hole, and was re- turning from the farther end of the farm, driving a team of mules before a farm wagon. The light- ning struck and killed both mules, but did not injure the driver. Some time before Nathan P. Halsey built his house on the east side of Sagg Street, John Brewster Hedges saw the lightning strike, during a very severe thunder storm, the hill on which the Ilalsey house now stands. When the cellar of this house was dug. the result or effect of this electrical charge was made manifest. The soil was sand, and where the bolt entered. it melted and fused the sand. resembling in form and shape the roots of a trec.
Ice on the Ocean Shore at Water Mill, Winter 1918
At first this was about two inches in diameter, ex- tending several feet beneath the surface, then it branched into several smaller roots about one inch thick. The center of these resembled glass, then melted stone, and the outside was coated with coarse sand.
The whale ship Concordia was lying at anchor at Sag Harbor. There had been a severe thunder storm, after which George Kiernan and Hervey T. Hedges when rowing about the bay, out of curios- ity went aboard this ship. They soon saw the ef- fects of lightning. The heavy chain cable with which the ship was anchored led from the windlass. . along the deck to the hawse-hole. The links of this chain for about six or eight feet, where it laid on the deck, had been solidly wekled to each other by the electric current, so that when the chain was lift- ed, it all came up together as if it had been a solid bar.
Some years ago there fived in a house owned by John L. King on the east side of the Sag Harbor Turnpike, Alvin Kramer, his wife and infant child. In a severe thunder storm one night. Mrs. Kramer arose from bed, took the infant who was sleeping in a crib, and went back to bed with her husband. The lightning struck a tree that stood near the house. A ball of fire came from this tree throughi an open window, rolled the length of the bed be- tween Mr. and Mrs. Kramer, burning through sev- eral thicknesses of bed clothes as it went. From the foot of the bed it jumped across, and tore a hole through the wall into the kitchen, then out and (Continued on Page 96)
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Founders' Monument in Bridgehampton
I think there should be some explanation relative to the emblems on the different panels of the Found- ers' Monument in Bridgehampton. It is really the
history of this town in stone. The front or 1660 side are two flintlocks crossed in the lower panel. In the upper is an Indian Tepee, both panels in keeping with the date. On the 1776 side is the Declaration
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1917-1919
of Independence and the open Bible. On the 1812 side the smooth bore cannons and the Frigate under full sail. On the 1861 side the Civil War cap, belt
and bayonet, and the emblem of the Grand Army of the Republic. The World's War is denoted only by the dates 1917-1919.
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down the well, leaving a strong odor of sulphur. None of the family were injured.
The big ship Hamilton 2nd ( Mulford & Sleight) was struck by lightning as she lay at anchor off Hedges' Banks ready to go to sea. The bolt splint- ered the top-gallant mast and landed upon the head of a Shinnecock Indian, stripping a ribbon of skin from his neck to his heels (the Indian recovered ) and then the lightning jumped to the cable and fol- lowed the links of forty fathoms out into the water, where it was supposed to have struck the anchor, as one of the flukes was gone when the ship got under way.
CYCLONES
When we of this section of our country speak of wind storms, tornadoes and cyclones, we naturally associate them as being confined to the tropics, or the far west, because that is where they usually oc- cur. When, however, we read or hear of such things taking place in our own neighborhood it is an entirely different matter. This locality has not been entirely exempt from these phenomena for while very rare, yet in a few cases, when we were visited by them, they were apparently as severe as those we read about. The first of these tornadoes or cy- clones to which I refer, occurred in the autumn of 1852 .. I will describe it just as I heard my father tell it, when I was yet a boy. This gigantic whirl- wind, which is really what it was, came from the south ; when it was on the ocean it was no doubt what is known as a 'water spout.' It struck the land abreast of Mecox. Its strength and power was first shown when it crossed the property of Albert Hal- sey, in Mecox. (the property is now known as 'Sun- ny Bank'). Here it picked up a hog house, in which was a good sized hog, and carried it a num- ber of reds, and dropped it into the drain that forms the outlet of Kellis Pond into Mecox Bay. Some- where along its course it followed a line of post and rail fence. It pulled these posts out of the ground. throwing perhaps half a dozen lengths of fence to the ground one way, and then as many more the other way, leaving the rails in the posts just as they were when standing, save where torn apart when thrown to either side.
In its course was a hay stack, standing on one side
of a division fence, this it did not tear in pieces and scatter about but picked it up bodily, lifted it over the fence, and set it down on the other side in good shape. The hay stacks in those days were usually built circular in form, and contained from two to four large loads of hay. These stacks were held to- gether by poles hung or suspended from the top. It uprooted trees in great numbers all along its path. breaking the limbs frem others, and scattered every- thing movable. It struck the homestead of Albert Cook, in Scuttle Hole. Here it completely unroofed his barn, scattering the shingles far and wide, it also picked up a two-horse farm wagon that stood in the yard. I do not know how high it lifted it, or how far it was carried, but when it came down, it struck with such force, that it broke one of the axles. (Addison M. Cook told me that he remembered this, when a small boy). I do not recall any other damage done by this cyclone. until it struck a row of stalk stacks my father had built that fall along the fence between his barn and the home of Charles H. Hildreth. These stacks were torn all to pieces. and the stalks scattered from where the stacks stood all of the way to the woods on the hill top.
Another Cyclone
On the 24th of August of the year 1903, at about three o'clock in the afternoon, a cyclone came out of . the west. A heavy cloud appeared on the western horizon, very black and ugly looking. It soon cov- ered the western sky, and it became as dark as if night was fast approaching. After a time the low- er strata of clouds seemed to be driven furiously by a counter current of wind, so that they rolled and tumbled in huge masses. At this time, the black clouds lifted, and underneath it, the sky changed to a copper colored hue, and the whole mass moved to the eastward: reminding one of that marvelous description given by John Milton, (which I quote from memory, it may not be exact ) where he says. "Ever and anon came on that terraced and bastion- ed wall of blackness."
I do not know that it did any damage until it touched the farm of James H. Rogers in Hay Ground. Here it blew down about one dozen trees, tore off a portion of a shed, picked up a small build- ing, and carried it over into the highway to the cast and dropped it, blew down a very large tree that
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stood near the house, which crashed down on the kitchen, and smashed in the roof, doing consider- able other damage to the house. The Hay Ground school house was directly in its course. This was a frame building 29 feet square, standing on a brick foundation. It lifted this building from its founda- tion, turned it around, and set it down some twenty feet distant to the south and east, doing no serious damage to the building. It then came to the prop- erty of Theodore Mount. Here it turned a load of refuse wood that stood on a one-horse farm wagon, completely upside down, the wagon lying on the wood, which remained in position between the stakes. It lifted the pump and pump stick out of the well, and carried it over into Charles M. Rog- ers' lot across the street. It picked up a small building and carried it over into the lot owned by George Topping. It lifted a good sized corn house, on the farm of Capt. Henry Huntting, off of its foundation, turned it around and set it down with- out damage. It crossed the farm of Charles M. Rogers, cutting a clean swath through a field of standing corn, and came to the home of Thomas J. Hand. Here it broke off a new flag staff, picked up a heavy horse block, and carried it over the trees and buildings out into the lot to the southeast.
Some of the windows of this house were open when the storm struck. It pulled the carpets from the floors, slammed the doors shut in some cases, and blew them open in others, twisted the house so that many of the doors would not open, others would not shut. Those of the family that were at home were shut in and helpless. It blew down about thirty trees on this place. and did considerable damage. Dr. Mulford had a horse shed on his lot near Kellis Pond. This it demolished completely, and scattered the pieces so that they were never found. It then came to Allen .A. Halsey's on Paul's Lanc. unroofed his barn, lifted the tin roof from his house, and car- ried it to the east, some of it was rolled up and left in: his garden, and some blown to the fieldl across the street. The next place it struck was Nathan Post's, where it took off a portion of the barn roof. Then it swept across the street to Henry Sandford's, where it picked up a row boat that was turned down in his yard, carried it up over the corn house, and landed it out in the lot, breaking it when it struck the ground. It then took the corner off of a barn belonging to Theron O. Worth. Then a little to the
cast, it partially unroofed a barn of Emil Twyeffort. near Sagg Pond. Then it crossed that pond. and took off one end of a lot barn belonging to .Alfred P. Rogers (this barn stood in the lower part of Sagg quite near the ocean ). It next completely demolished a barn on the farm of John White. It then went to sea. It uprooted trees all along its path, blew down fences, and wrought general havoc along its entire course, particularly with the growing corn crop.
During the whole storm the rain fell in torrents, and the thunder and lightning was extremely severe. No people were injured, however, which was really remarkable, when we take into consideration the force and power displayed, for it was truly "A CYCLONE".
EARTHQUAKES
While it is generally conceded that Long Island lies outside of the earthquake beit, and not subject to them, because not included in the seismic center or area, this idea is substantiated by the fact that we have never had any serious or violent shocks.
Yet, Long Island, with all the favorable condi- tions we enjoy is not entirely exempt from earth- quake experiences. Nathan Topping Cook built his house in Hay Ground in 1793. and sometime be- tween that date and 1800, there was a severe earth- quake in this locality. Doubtless there may have been others prior to this one, but I can find no record of them. In the chapter on 'Old Graveyards' I have already told of the effects of this particular quake on the Scuttle Hole graveyard, and that according to the opinion of some noted geologists, it had been the cause of an earth slide that was dis- tinct and plainly marked. In some cases the graves were from 15 to 20 inches out of plumb. Probably the land on both sides of that chain of ponds settled toward the center at that time, or I might say the valley. I am confident there was an earthquake in the 1830's, that some of the older men told about. but I cannot recall the facts, so cannot be sure.
The next earthquake I will mention is one that I well remember, it occurred on a Sunday afternoon in August, 1882. The waves were north to south. In some cases it upset vases standing on the mantel. or dishes on the pantry shelves. Pictures swung out from the walls, and the houses rocked up and down considerably, and in some cases the fumes of
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sulphur were very perceptible. This was accompan- ied by a heavy, low, rumbling noise.
On February 28th, at 9:22 o'clock. 1925, we had another earthquake. In this one the waves or vibra- tions were also from the north to the south. The houses rocked back and forth or rose and fell during
these wave movements. Pictures and hanging lamps swung back and forth, windows rattled and shook. Many people were nauseated and made sick by this shake, but no serious damage has ever been done by earthquakes in this locality. They were never se- vere enough for that.
WRECKS AND STRANDED VESSELS
In writing this chapter I shall try to include most of the wrecks and stranded vessels that came to grief on our coast during the last century. Without doubt some will be omitted. I know that there are some that have never been recorded by any of our local historians.
After having cruised in the waters of New Eng- land and Long Island Sound as an American com- merce destroyer with but little success, the British Sloop-of-war, Sylph, commanded by Captain Henry Dickens, with 12 officers and 121 men, went around Montauk Point, and headed west along the southern coast of Long Island. This was on January 16-17 of the year 1815. She carried a battery of 22 can- non beside small arms. That night there came on a very severe snow-storm in which, losing her reck- cning, she went ashore at Shinnecock Point. Nathan White of Wickapogue was the first man to see her. and gave alarm. A volunteer crew after a perilous and dangerous effort, saved one officer and five of the crew, all of the others perished. Many of the bodies drifted into Shinnecock Bay, and were buried near Tiana, on the north side of Shinnecock Bay. The vessel went to pieces, but one cannon, a bar shot and several other relics were saved and are still preserved. Tradition says, that some of the sur- vivors told that the officers had shamefully abused some of the men the day previous, and that the man at the wheel said "I will send some of them to H-1 tonight, if putting her ashore will do it."
Some years ago, when a new inlet was dug from the bay to the ocean, a big steam dredge was used. and in excavating, which was just where the Sylph came ashore, a musket was brought up by the scoop, and also a sword, marked "Sylph". These were both saved.
The next year the "Gunpowder Ship" was blown
up off Southampton. This ship took fire, and was abandoned by her crew. No one lost. She carried 900 kegs of powder, and woolen goods for the Gov- ernment.
The "Money Ship", A Sequel To E. R. Shaw's "Pot of Gold", A Story of Fire Island Beach
A number of years ago when going to New York in company with the late Mr. James Henry Pierson. of Southampton, the conversation turned to inci- dents of local history of this Township.
He told among others the story of the "Money Ship". I had never heard this story in detail, and became so much interested that I asked him to put this bit of history in writing for me, and the follow- ing story is the result of that request :
"One day late in the autumn of the year 1816, a strange craft was observed off Southampton, L. I. She was quite unlike in build and rig the many ves- sels that passed almost daily along this coast.
Ship "Catherine" on the shore at Amagansett, Aug. 5, 1851, as it appears at this time
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"There had been a hard storm in which it was very evident this vessel had fared badly. The next day she was in a new position. It was plain to those watching from the shore that she was adrift and probably abandoned.
"It was decided, if the surf went down by the next morning, and the vessel was still in sight. to go off to her : but when the morning came, the ves- sel was ashore opposite Shinnecock Bay, about two miles west of the village of Southampton.
"Those who first reached her found a deserted ship, without name or cargo, with sails furled, and cabin furniture, articles of clothing and food scat- tered about as if she had been abandoned in great haste. . No records or papers could be found which might have given some clue as to the port from which she sailed, or her destination.
"The Wrecking Master for the district took charge of the vessel, stripped her of sails, rigging and whatever could be removed. This was all carted to the village and deposited on the then Tay- ern Lot on Main Street (now the property of Mr. Samuel L. Parrish ) and duly advertised and sold.
"On the day of the sale a by-stander found wedged tightly in a dead-eye a Spanish dollar. It was passed around from hand to hand and other (lead-eyes, and in fact the whole pile of wreckage was scrutinized with care. but no more dollars found. Many jests were made at the expense of the lucky finder, and of the unknown sailor who was supposed to have chosen this strange hiding place for his money.
"The following day the hull was sold on the beach were it lay. One of the men at the sale, had, on his way up the beach, picked up a slender piece of wreckage, which he used as a staff or cane.
"While on the ship he idly dropped this stick down one of the pumps. It struck upon the sand. which quickly fills every part of a wreck. When he withdrew the stick, wedged in a split in its end was a Spanish dollar.
"This unexpected find, also in so strange a place. was followed with more jests and guesses. Many more thrusts were made with the stick, but no more dollars brought up.
"The mystery of the wreck, and the finding of the dollars, made a fruitful topic for discussion on the street, in the stores and tavern for many days.
"The wreck was purchased by a company formed for that purpose, and was left to be broken up for the material it contained, at a more leisure season. This is the way wrecks were disposed of, and many a barn yard and pightle fence in Southampton, and in fact all along the southern coast of Long Island was made wholly or in part of the ribs and planks of ships that had sailed far and wide, and spread their sails over many seas, and brought rich cargoes from strange and distant lands.
"Occasionally in the next few weeks, a lone fish- erman or hunter would see the wreck in passing, or if the tide was down, go on board, but little heed or attention was given to it.
"A young Southampton whaleman ( Henry Green) returned from a voyage soon after this oe- currence. and one day went up the beach, gunning, with a companion or comrade (Franklin Jagger). Finding himself near the wreck, his curiosity led him to go on board.
"The ship lay head on the beach, with her hull sharply inclined toward the sea. The waves had broken in the stern so that in storms they would run high up the cabin floor, carrying with them sand and shells to be deposited in every nook and cranny of the wreck.
"On the cabin floor, clean at that time, in plain view. lay a silver dollar. This discovery did not ex- cite the interest of the finder so much at the time. but when he had returned to his home, and heard of the other dollars, he thought it over, and was much puzzled.
"He could understand how the waves could pick up round or light objects, like pebbles or shells, and toss them into the wreck, but a silver dollar is flat and heavy, and not so easily moved. He made up his mind that it did not come from the sea, and so resolved to investigate further.
"The next night, providing himself with one of the old perforated tin lanterns used in those days (these were simply a cylinder of tin or sheet iron with perforations to allow the light to filter through ), a candle and a tinder box, he and his com- rade started for the wreck.
"The beach is a lonely place on a dark night, and a wreck is full of strange and ghostly sounds. His comrade was half-hearted and inclined to turn back, but the young whaler was not easily frightened or
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Brig "Mars" wrecked at Apaquogue, 1828, photo taken 1931
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French ship "Alexander Le Valley", Feb. 18, 1874 at Wickapogue
Schooner Northcliff, Wainscott, May, 1923
Norwegian Bark "Clan Galbraith", July 22, 1916, Flying Point
5 Masked Schneact, . Gro P Hudson' care ashore off Shindreoch HHK.
Schooner "Geo. P. Hudson", April 9, 1908, Shinnecock Hills
"Louis LePlace", Lone Hill, Capt. Henry Squires with crew all lost, Feb. 9, 1895
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deterred from an undertaking. When they reached the wreck, they lighted the lantern, and made direct- ly for the cabin.
"The tide was down, but occasionally a wave higher than the others would run up on the floor. For a time their search was unrewarded, and be- coming somewhat discouraged they were about to leave the wreck and go home when one of them glancing up over his head saw projecting from the low wooden ceiling, which had split and opened, the edge of a silver dollar.
"Giving the lantern to his comrade and using his jackknife to enlarge the opening. he succeeded in getting a firm hold of the piece of ceiling, and pulled it from its place. As he did so, down upon his head came a shower of dollars.
"In his excitement, his comrade dropped the lan- tern, and dollars and lantern rolled together into the .ca. While the shower of dollars was falling. he dropped instantly upon the floor, and extending his arms, stopped many of them.
"They were in total darkness at this time, and there was nothing to do but gather up what they had saved, as best they could, and give up the search for that night. More trips were made and dollars found in other places about the wreck. The secret was well kept, and no one ever knew just how much money was obtained.
"With the beginning of winter, a hard storm broke up the wreck, and it soon became known that che must have had money aboard, many dollars be- ing found in the sand and in the fragments of the ;hip. Farmers came with their teams and ploughed the beach. One man found sixty dollars in one day.
"For many years 'Beach Dollars' would occasion- ally be found. The writer has two, which he got from a noted beach hunter, who had picked up a dozen or more in his frequent gunning expeditions. They are prized as mementos of an interesting inci- dent in local history, and of a day that is past."
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