USA > New York > Suffolk County > Bridgehampton > Sketches from local history > Part 23
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In the year 1762 there was no rain in this section from May until November. There was another year when similar conditions prevailed, but some years
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after the above date. The grass could not grow, and stock raising was the main business on the farms at that time. Very little hay was cut that year, in fact, so little that it was generally thought that the cattle would starve during the winter. This looked like trouble.
Deacon Jeremiah Haines said : "I think it will be all right, that the Lord will temper the wind to the shorn lamb." When the drought did break, the grass grew all winter, and some of the farmers did not fodder their cattle but once that winter, and that was the day before they were driven to Montauk.
About the middle of the last century there was a very dry summer ; some of the older men remem- ber it. There was so much anxiety that a special meeting was called one Sunday afternoon to pray for rain. Philip Reeve, whom everyone called Uncle Phil, an old resident of Water Mill, attended this meeting. It was a beautiful day and clear. Uncie Phil appeared there with his umbrella. All along the road and at the church he was asked : "Why did you bring an umbrella ?" He said in reply : "I under- stand this meeting is called to pray for rain, and I've got faith enough to believe we are going to get it. so brought my umbrella. Why did you not bring yours ?"
A Temperance Story
My mother had two older sisters, the name of one wa's Eugenia, the other Eliza. When these two were young they made a vow, that neither would ever marry a man who used tobacco in any way, 01 intoxicating drink. I am sure they were both in carnest. but how little they knew what was before them, for they both married men who did all of these things, and that to excess. However, they both did all in their power to make their homes happy. though it was often a trial both severe and hard. They were both true, loyal women.
Eliza married Austin Rose and lived on a farm in North Sea, a small hamlet several miles north of Southampton. There was neither store nor post office at this place, and Aunt Eliza (as we all called her) kept a good supply of groceries, and in fact all householdl necessities, to sell to the neighbors. She also acted as sort of a seribe for the entire com- miunity; wrote letters for those who had neither pen, ink or paper, or perhaps lacked the powers of composition.
All of her married life she had to contend with the curse of strong drink. She hated it by nature, and more than that by constant experience with the effects of it.
Sam Scott was a resident of the same place, and lived perhaps one mile from her home; a very kind hearted man indeed and while somewhat eccentric yet a good neighbor, and one who had many ex- cellent qualities, but he would drink.
As I remember him, he would sometimes drive one horse before his wagon, sometimes two horses, these sometimes abreast, and then again tandem, then it might be one horse and one ox, or a bull, or two oxen, or au ox and a bull, or one bull, which he had broken to single harness, and would drive all about with it before his top carriage. I have also seen him have an ox and bull yoked together with a horse hitched ahead.
Scott had been over to the Tavern at Cance Place and on leaving for home was not able to navigate liis land craft so as to avoid the dangerous reefs and leadlands, and by some unknown mishap was thrown from his wagon, run over and his ankle broken.
I do not remember how he got home, but Doctor James H. Rogers of Sag Harbor was sent for, and in due time came and set the broken bones, placing his ankle in a plaster cast, and left Sam in bed.
He had a boy in his employ at the time, whom he directed to bring in some joists, sawed them to pro- per lengths, bracing them on the floor on each side of his bed, tied them together at the upper ends, from which he hung a tackle; by placing a sling under his back he could raise himself, and swing over to a chair by the bedside.
The Doctor ordered that the leg and foot should he rubbed or massaged with New England rum, but Sam ordered otherwise. he allowed cold water was good enough for the leg, and that he should put the rum inside.
He was confined in this way for some weeks, and got very tired and restless, so one day he sent the boy over to Aunt Eliza's with this message: He wished her to come over at once and do some writ- ing for him, and he wanted it attended to that very day. The boy went as directed and brought back the answer, that she would come as soon as she could finish her housework. Aunt Eliza was very much
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worried and could think of nothing save Sam's re- quest all the morning.
Said she : "I guess Sam is worse, and my opinion is that he has made up his mind that he will never be any better, and with that idea in view, has decided to make his will, and wants me to write it for him."
She tried to hurry through her work, but it was hard, for the thought of parting with a good friend and neighbor was almost more than she could stand. It was indeed a sad morning for her; she could hardly think of anything else, yet she felt she ought to go at his request.
As soon as she could, supplied with pen, ink and paper, she went to her task with a heavy heart. On arriving, she was ushered into Sam's room, where he patiently waited.
"Well Sam," said she. "the boy said you wanted to see me. How do you feel?" "Oh." said Sam. "I feel awfully bad. I am so glad you came, for I want you to do some writing for me. for I cannot do it. I am good for nothing."
"You know." said she. " I am always willing and
glad to help any one in need, and do all I can for their comfort, and I am here to help you the same way, if you will tell me what you want me to do."
"Well." said Sam, "if you will take that stand and sit right here by the side of the bed I will tell you what I want."
"Now, Miss Eliza (as he always called her) I knew you would help me, you know I have had a lot of trouble, and I feel mighty bad, and I do not know what to do, but I have got a cousin down in New York that is in the liquor business, and I want you to write to him for me and ask him if he will send me a barrel of rum."
It is needless to say that he did not get the rum from this source. but he recovered and lived many years after this.
Some one asked Sam why he did not drive a better rig, and not such a shabby outfit. and suggest- ed getting a new one. "I would," said Sam. "but if I did get a new one, it would soon be old and look just as bad or shabby as this, so that I would be no better off than now."
SOME STORIES OF NORTH SEA
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Some of the land about North Sea was farmed and cropped at an early date, and while the main colony was located at "Old Town," yet about North Sea and Cow Neck was considerable land under cultivation.
In those days one of the most important farm crops was flax. On this crop depended their supply of linen for cloth, thread, bedding, sails, seine, and even wearing apparel. Wool was used in many cases with linen. There was no cotton in those days. This crop was always pulled instead of being cut, as are other grains; this was to save and retain the whole length of the fiber, the longer the fiber the better.
'I'wo men went from the Colony at Southampton one day over to North Sea, to harvest the flax and oat crops. They visited the tavern on the way and probabiy drank while there all they should have. but they took a goodly supply of liquor with them to the field.
When they got there an argument arose as to which was the crop they were to cut and which to pull. This was a problem very difficult for them to
solve in their condition; however, they knew they must get to work, so finally agreed, and went at it, and finished the job that day.
Some days later they went to care for the crops they had previously harvested, when to their amaze- ment, they made the discovery that they had cut the flax and pulled the oats.
The section of land about North Sea was owned for many generations by the Rose family, and among the earliest of these was David. He was quite a large land owner, and had three sons, David Rogers, John and Austin.
David Rogers Rose was born April 7, 1798. He became a Colonel of the State Militia, and was sheriff of Suffolk County for seven years, and super- visor of Southampton Town.
When these three sons were young men there was a rough burly fellow working for their father; his name was Sam Haines, (lie afterward served a . term in the penitentiary and with two other convicts was harnessed to a cart and made to draw loads like mules) ; they were getting in hay at this time, and
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Haines resented some order from Mr. Rose and threatened to assault him, and in fact started toward him, when Austin pulling a cart stake from the liay rack, prepared to meet him, and Rogers (as he was usually called) called to him: "Hit him careless, Austin." Which I believe he did and laid him out stiff.
Rose was a very strong, powerful and muscular man, one that would and could settle a difficulty, but never aggressive or one to make trouble.
It was about nine miles from the Rose home to Sag Harbor, and one day Mrs. Rose went with the Sheriff. He did a great deal of public business and was very busy all the time he was there. so when he finished his work he thought of nothing but to get home, for it was a long drive over poor roads.
It was evening when he reached his home, and was asked : "Where did you leave mother ?" "Is she not home?" said he. "Why no, she went to Sag Har- bor with you." "Well, well, that is so." said he. "I entirely forgot it. she must be in Sag Harbor now." He unharnessed his team, took a fresh horse and drove back after her.
He lived to be almost ninety-two years old and was afflicted with rheumatism for many years, and walked bent over, supporting himself with canes or crutches.
One day he went over to visit his brother. Austin, who met him and extended the usual salutation : "How do you do?" "Why Aut." said Rogers, "I do not know what is the matter with me, for I can hardly get out of this wagon." "Well, Rog," said Austin, "I can tell you what the matter is with you, You was born too long ago."
This same Sam Haines referred to in this article was an ugly brute of a man, and when under the in- fluence of liquor, and for aught that I know at any time when he was so disposed. he used to abuse and maltreat his wife. On one such occasion, some of his good neighbors or the Justice told him he ought to be ashamed of himself, and that he should have more respect for his wife than to treat her in that way for he should remember that she was the weaker vessel. "Well," said Sam, "if she is a weaker vessel, as you say, then she ought to carry less sail."
The Sheriff, as Mr. Rose was usually called, was quite fond of gunning, and he, together with a number of his neighbors, would, when the gunning
season drew nigh, buy a keg of powder and divide it among them.
On one occasion when the powder arrived, they all agreed to test its quality at target practice ; so on a given day all assembled with their guns.
Some of the old guns used in those days if loaded too heavily would kick, as they termed the recoil.
When all was ready the company began to load and shoot, and finally it came the Sheriff's turn: he had put in a rather heavy charge. He knelt on one knee so as to take a good steady aim, and fired. His gun kicked pretty hard, in fact so hard that it knocked him clean over on his back. He jumped up and said "By goodness that is what I call good pow- der, you had better send and get another keg of it."
A Bridgehampton Episode
A good many years ago there came to Bridge- hampton, and in fact located here a man whose name was Peter Schofield. He was a peddler in general, but applied himself to almost any work so as to make a living.
He lived for a time on a lot across from what was afterward John F. Young's property on the chl Sagaponack Road. While located here he kept a house where strong drink could be bought, or at least procured, and it became what was considered a nuisance, and the best people in the community wished that it might be closed, or done away with. Public opinion became so strongly opposed to it. that some one proposed or suggested that it be raided some night by a volunteer company.
This was absolutely illegal, for if a nuisance the law could be resorted to, and a legal method used to bring about the desired riddance, but the previous suggestion rather appealed to the boys of the com- munity, who stood ready to carry out this piece of work but hesitated for fear of arrest and trial if they should be identified.
The older men refrained from such an illegal method, for they knew the consequences if recog- mized. I claim they were much more worthy of blame than the boys, and furthermore, I think it was a cowardly, underhanded piece of work on their part all the way through. They would not do it themselves, or take any part in it, but they told the boys : "if you will go and clean up the place, we will stand back of yon, and if you should get into trouble in doing this we will see you through and out of j:
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all right. and pay the bill if any charge should be made against you." This gave the boys a whole lot of courage.
My opinion is, they never would have dared to have done this dastardly piece of work of their own accord and had not been urged on by the older men, but of course that does not excuse them.
The boys on an appointed night assembled, and brought several long sticks of timber, so long and heavy that it took a goodly number to carry them. They had previously located the room where the liquor was kept. (I think they called it "the maga- zine") it was on an outside room or wing of the house.
They took the stick of timber, carrying it on hand bars or some other way, the boys lined up on either side, backing up and making a battering ram of it. When it struck the house it went clean through the siding. lath, wall, and in among the bottles and de- canters and other receptacles, working havoc and wrecking things generally.
Schofield came out and ordered them away, and identified many of them, but his piping little voice could hardly be heard for the noise the battering ram was making under the propelling power of these young men.
This work went on until the establishment was wrecked or the boys satisfied. It is said the noise from this attack could be heard for a long distance that still night.
Schofield was not one to let such an offense go by unnoticed. In due time a whole lot of the boys were arrested and held for trial. The evidence ali being against them, they were convicted and fined. "They thought they had good, reliable backers, so did not worry ; but when it came to a final settle- ment. I have been told, and I think it correct, there was only one of all the men that set them on that ever came to the front with his share of the fines for the boys. I do not know whether he paid the whole of the fines, but I think a large share of them.
And that was Captain Samuel Pierson.
A Man Out of Bondage
It was many years ago, in fact, it was when Captain Philetus Pierson ( father of the Hon. James Henry Pierson ) was an active business man, that there came to Southampton a young colored man ;
he was from Virginia, and had either escaped from slavery, or had been granted his freedom, unques- tionably the latter, for he had no dread for the Fugitive Slave law. He was a large, well-built man. of good appearance, and much superior to the average of his race in intelligence, though it was very evident he had had no advantages.
He worked for the farmers in that locality, and in a short time learned to read and write, was a regular attendant at church, and it soon became evident that this man was a natural born orator. His command of language was marvelous : it is said he could hold his audience spellbound, and many times moved them to tears by his great eloquence. and the wonder of all was, where did this man get his ability ?
He was a thorough gentleman, and instinctively commanded the respect of all classes, and even among his associates no one presumed to call or adi- dress him as any other than Mr. Lee, and it seemed perfectly natural to do so, yet he was one that never put himself forward, but on the contrary was diffi- dent and retiring.
The Hon. James Henry Pierson told me this story. He said: "When I was a boy old enough to assist in the farm work, this man worked for my father ; one day we were sent together to the field to hoe corn ; when we came to the end of a row we stood to rest for a few minutes before starting back on the next row; on this occasion this man leaned against the fence, stood there much longer than usual, and appeared to be in deep thought and medi- tation ; there he stood in silence and apparent soli- tude, and then looked at me and said : 'James, there flows in my veins the best blood of Virginia.' This is all he said, or to my knowledge ever did say, on this subject."
This man married Dorcas (a half breed Indian) and reared a large family, of whom Capt. Ferdinand Lee was one : the latter I knew, and I think several of his brothers became noted in the whaling in- dustry which made castern Long Island famous a few years ago.
Captain Ferdinand Lee was lost with all of his crew on a whale ship in the Arctic Ocean about the year 1887. This was the year so many of the whaling fleet were lost in the Arctic. Moses Walker was lost about the same time on the Bark Amethyst.
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A Boy of the Last Century
In a home on the north country road, the one leading from Scuttle Hole westerly to the "Head of the Pond," there lived almost one hundred years ago, a man whose name was Sylvanus Squires ; he was called by every one Uncle Sylvy ; he had a son John and grandsons Robert and George. He had always led an active life, as any man who is a suc- cessful farmer is obliged to do, and when advanced in years to where his neighbors might have been justified in speaking of him as old, yet his appear- ance and activity would not warrant the use of that word.
I am sure that we who are natives of eastern Long Island know or have a right to know that a drizzling northeaster is a wet storm, and that it has the power or faculty of loading every tree, shrub, bush, vine or blade of grass with all the moisture it is capable of holding.
It was in some such spell of weather as this that Mr. Albert Cook took his horse and carriage and started perhaps for the store or blacksmith shop, and somewhere along the road came upon Uncle Sylvy busily engaged in picking high-brier black- berries.
Mr. Cook was much surprised and really worried and alarmed at seeing the old man out in such weather, so stopped his horse and said: "Why, Uncle Sylvy, you ought not to be out in such a storm, it is no place for a man as old as you are."
The old man resented it, and replied: "Old, I am not old, I am only ninety-four, and if it was not for my confounded old back and legs I would be just as good as I ever was."
Several Stories of Local Interest
A man in this town was returning home in the dead of night and was caught in a drenching rain storm. He stopped and called a neighbor from his bed to an upstairs window, and asked: "Are you willing that I should stay here to-night?" The man replied : "Why yes. Stay there if you want to," and went back to bed.
An old resident in this community, I regret I have forgotten his name, had spent most of his active life at sea, and who must have been rather particular as to his diet, said : "If I am going to have stew, I want stew, and if I am going to have soup, I want soup.
and I want it thin. I would like to have it so you can see a cambrie needle in forty fathom of it."
Capt. Jetur Rose sailed from North Sea to New Suffolk with Lewis Scott to get a cargo of building stone for the latter. Scott was anxious to carry as large a load as possible, so loaded the boat down to the water's edge. As they were returning a squall came up and Scott kept saying : "Let us throw over some of the cargo." The Capt. answered: "No, no, you cannot afford to lose your stone. You better sink yourself, you always say you are prepared to go." He replied : "Yes, Capt. but I don't want to go by water."
Opinion Changed By Locality
A man from Middle Island made up his mind that it was decidedly wrong and unjust for him to waste his talents in his home town, but that a man of his ability should go out into a larger sphere of action and activity, where he would be more highly appreciated, so he moved down to the Hamptons, where he made his permanent home.
He found everything very different from his former surroundings, and the longer he stayed the more he realized it.
He must have been quite a man, for he weighed the situation thoroughly and at last came to the following conclusion. Said he : "When I lived in my old home. I considered myself to be a King among Hogs ; but since I came down here, I have concluded I am no more than a Hog among Kings."
I think it was about the same time as the above incident, there was another family, I think their name was King; it consisted of the father, mother and one boy whose name was Joe. The father fol- lowed the water, I think went whaling, and this left the mother for the most part alone to bring up. manage and discipline this boy. He got where he was quite troublesome and hard to manage.
The mother had often used the rod to bring her obstreperous child to a state of humility and obe- dience, but he had gotten where he could out-run her, and would at times defy her in trying to carry out her intended methods of discipline.
One day, because of some prank played or mis- chief done, she commanded him to come to her ; this
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he objected to; then she resorted to her persuasive powers, but to no avail.
"Oh," said he, "you want to whip me and I will not come."
"No," said she, "I will not whip you, so come along to me."
"Well," said Joe, "will you swear you will not whip me?"
"Yes," said she, "I will swear I will not whip you, so now come."
"No," said Joe. "Those who will swear, will lie, and I do not think much of the legs that will get the body into trouble. I'll not come." And he did not.
SUPERSTITION AND WITCHCRAFT ON LONG ISLAND
Eastern Long Island was settled by men who were formerly part of and belonged to the Massa- chusetts Colony, and when they came over to their Island home they unquestionably brought with them many of these ideas of superstition and witchcraft, though I think it was of a milder form. I might say that the one fact that was the cause of the over- throw of this business in Salem, was some of the leading citizens having been accused, and they hav- ing influence enough and a standing that could oppose and stamp out the evil.
No one was ever executed on Long Island, but one woman was arrested for practicing witchcraft in East Hampton and would have been tried there. but the law was such that she had to be taken to Hartford for trial. Her name was Goodwife Gar- licke and she had a good many influential friends, among whom was Col. Lion Gardiner, who pre- sented such a strong defense at the trial that she was acquitted : had it not been for them she probably would have fared worse. At the trial it was proved that she had used herbs to bewitch with, and that she had no objection to being thought a witch, and had as good please the devil as anger him.
I question if very many would have admitted it, but there is little doubt but that there were many all through this part of the Island whose minds were tainted with these foolish notions and super- stitions : and I am not sure but that there is some of that taint left over to this very day.
When Sag Harbor was a flourishing seaport. many of the Down Fast boats would come to this
port, and most of them would have a horseshoe nailed to the mast and one over the cabin door, for a witch would never go or stay where there was a horseshoe.
You see by this it was in the blood still, and even in the Hamptons many a farmer kept a horseshoe nailed to the hog trough, to keep the witches away from his hogs. When a pen of hogs failed to thrive, and would squeal and run about the pen as if they were being chased, it was laid to witches, and a horseshoe was the remedy. The year that Bridge- hampton was settled. witchcraft was at its height in England, and 120 victims were executed.
In the New England colonies a vast amount of literature for that day was circulated, defending the cause, and only three books denouncing it.
If an ox or a horse was taken suddenly lame, there was but one cause. If grain blighted or failed to ripen normally. If any one had a sudden or pecu- liar pain or illness or suffered misfortune. If any- thing happened out of the ordinary, it was all laid to witches.
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