USA > New York > Suffolk County > Bridgehampton > Sketches from local history > Part 9
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"Richard Lester, born in East Hampton, long resident in Sagaponack, where he died March 27th, 1879, aged 82 years, and buried in this cemetery. His standard of fair and upright dealings was above all trickery and crookedness, and was an example far higher than that of many officials of our day. No blot of dishonor mars his fair name.
"The publication of an article like this is open to adverse criticism, because other names worthy of mention are omitted. This is extended beyond ord- inary limits, and must end somewhere. Let the critic credit me with charity, while I admit the truth of his charge. by saying I know how imperfect it is, and yet it is the best my age and infirmity and crip- pled activities permit me to do."
"Bridgehampton, September 29th, 1910. "H. P. Hedges."
The Old Cemetery was never a part or included in the church property adjoining, though some have been of that opinion. The shape and location of this old graveyard may be seen by referring to the maps for 1800 or 1850. This old portion was sim- ply a graveyard set apart and used by any one who chose, but its title was vested in the Trustees of the Proprietors of the common land of the Town of Southampton, and they held that title until the time of incorporation, as will be noted later. The new. or easterly portion, was formerly owned by the At- lantic Steam Mills Co. and was later bought by Wil- liam Hand, who laid it out into cemetery lots and sold it to individuals.
When this cemetery was incorporated. both the old, as well as the new part, were legally united and included into the one. The Proprietors having quit- claimed their right, title and interest, and released all claims of the Town, and the majority of the lot owners in the new part, at a meeting held for that purpose. voted to incorporate the same under the Laws of the State of New York. This was accom- plished February 4th, 1915, under the charter name "The Old Cemetery Association of Bridgehamp-
ton" under the management and control of six trus- tees. The original trustees were as follows :
William D. Halsey, President John C. Sayre, Secretary and Treasurer
Wallace H. Halsey Samuel O. Hedges Henry N. Corwith William I. Halsey
In the above article written by Judge Henry P. Hedges, he states "there rest the remains of two County Judges and Surrogates, three persons over 90 years of age, three Members of Assembly of this State, and there I must soon be laid with them."
It is now my sad duty to add to these numbers the name of the writer whom I quote, who died Sep- tember 26th, 1911. within a few days of being 94 years of age. The above article having been writ- ten only about one year before his death. He was a man in no way inferior to those of whom he wrote. Unquestionably our greatest local historian, and ap- parently almost to the last "His eye was not dint. nor his natural force abated."
His burial in the 'Old Burying Ground' adds one more to the number of those he refers to as having reached the age of over 90. One more to the num- ber of County Judges and Surrogates. One more to the number of Members of Assembly.
Those now buried there, who were over 90 years' of age are as follows: Mrs. Phebe Halsey. 97 years. Oliver Halsey, 95 years. Henry P. Hedges, 93 years, 11 months, 13 days. Mrs. Phebe Smith, 94 years. Miss Nancy Halsey, 93 years, Mrs. Jerusha Halsey, 92 years. Jesse Woodruff. 92 years. Jeremiah Hedges, 90 years. Then he men- tions six ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To this number I have to add the name of the Rev. . Arthur Newman, who died December 8th. 1924. having served the Presbyterian Church in this place for almost 42 years. . \ thorough scholar, an elo- quent preacher, a devoted pastor and an untiring worker ; only one other minister of this church served a longer pastorate. He was really the prime mover toward the incorporation of the 'Old Bury- ing Ground,' and also toward the erection of the monument in memory of the Founders, Sailors and Soldiers, that now stands in this village.
There is one other tombstone to which I wish to call attention. It is the little monument (a fac-
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SKETCHES FROM LOCAL HISTORY .
simile of the larger one by which it stands ) located in the easterly part of the old portion of this ceme- tery, erected to the memory of "Mary Evelyn daugh- ter of Capt. S. C. & M. . \. Woodruff, died in Naga- saki, Japan, Aug. 19th, 1863, Ae. 1 yr. 6 mos." This little girl was brought home from that far country, in a cask of alcohol, or liquor of some kind. it being before the days of embalming, and also the necessity of secrecy owing to the superstition of the sailors regarding a corpse on shipboard.
To the number of ministers interred here is an- other that was buried here at his own request, hav- ing expressed such a desire while yet living. It is the Rev. Henry T. Rose, who died in the year 1919. There is still another to be included in the list of ministers buried here. it is the Rev. William Hedges. son of Henry P. Hedges. There is also another master mariner that Mr. Hedges has omitted. It is Capt. William S. Denison, who died May 22nd. 1862. For rescuing the crew of a French ship. that had been rendered helpless in a severe storm. and bringing them safely into port. the French Gov- ernment presented him with a beautiful gold medal. which is now in possession of his descendants.
There is another grave in this cemetery worthy of mention. In the year 1840 the Rev. Henry F. Roberts was assigned to the Bridgehampton Metho- dist Episcopal Church as pastor. He had married Mary Crain, daughter of Daniel Crain of Jersey City. They had a little boy born to them in the parsonage. This house is still standing on the northerly side of Main street. At the birth of this child. Mrs. Crain died, and was buried in the Okl Cemetery, where a white marble tombstone marks the grave.
This boy was named Daniel Crain Roberts, and became an Episcopal Minister. When the Centen- nial celebration was to be held in Philadelphia in 1876, he was requested to write a National anthem for that occasion, which he did. The first stanza of which is :
"God of our fathers, whose almighty hand Leads forth in beauty all the starry band Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies, Our grateful songs before thy throne arise."
Private Graveyards Now Discontinued
I again quote in part Mr. Hedges in regard to these : "Just south of the dwelling on the east side of Mitchel's Lane on the farm of the late Orlando
Hand, several generations of the Mitchel family. once owners of the farm, were buried ( for location of this graveyard see map for 1850). Some 40 or 50 years since they were removed, and buried in the plot where stands the granite monument to the memory of Edward Mitchel, near the center of the Old Bridgehampton Cemetery.
"On the triangle where the roads part, west and northeast from the road going to the farm of the late James Edwards, and later of Theodore White. was an ancient burying ground wherein were de- posited with others, two or three generations of the Loper family, including those of Jared Loper, once owner of the farm."
These bodies of the Loper family were removed. and the monuments in one group are just east of the southwest corner of the Old Bridgehampton Cemetery. This removal occurred within 40 or 50 vears. (for location of the Loper graveyard see maps for 1750. 1800 and 1850.) There was also a private graveyard on the farm of the late John Wilkes Hedges, but a few years ago this was abol- ished and the remains all removed to the New Ceme- tery in Bridgehampton.
In Water Mill on the northerly side of the old road leading over the Mill Dam, and near the south- erly shore of the Mill Pond, was an old graveyard, now abolished. I have been told that the monu- ments were buried: this, however. I cannot vouch for, but I here quote Mr. Adams as to the inscrip- tions on three of those monuments :
"Here lyes buried the body of David Halsey dec'd Feb. ye 18th, 1731-2. in ye 69th year of his age." "Here Lyes the Body of Mrs. Temperence Cook. Wife of Ellis Cook, who Died December 9th, 1725. in ye 19th year of her age."
"Here Lyes ye Body of Mrs. Temperence Ludlum. Wife of Mr. Jeremiah Ludlum, who Dec'd April ve 21st. 1726, in ye 29th year of her age." I think these monuments can still be found, by digging in the site of this old graveyard.
On the easterly side of the Towd Road, perhaps one-half mile north of the present home of Mr. James H. Corwith, was the home of Joseph Good- ale. ( See map for 1800). Here that family were bur- ied in their private graveyard, and I think their bodies are there yet. though the graves are obliter- ated and monuments covered.
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I will also mention the grave of John Wick, in his lot in Bridgehampton. (See map for 1800 & 1850 & 1750).
Before the days of vaccination, smallpox often became epidemie and its ravages were extremely severe, not only among the Indians, but among the early settlers as well. Isolated houses were con- structed remote from all other dwellings, most of- ten out in the woods or forest, where people suffer- ing from that malady could be taken and cared for without endangering the rest of the community. Ou the maps for 1750 and 1800 may be seen the location oi the "pock house" in Bridgehampton. It is to the north of Cook's Lane, and nearly opposite the northerly end of Norris Lane, though this lane does not appear on the 1750 map. I think it was here that my grandfather, Gabriel Halsey, went when a young man. after due preparation, and at a convenient season, to take this disease, so that he might be immune, and in case his family or friends should contract this dread disease, he might be able to act as nurse for them.
Smallpox. was so dreaded at this time that even after inoculation had been proven to be a preven- tive, yet there was so much skepticism and fear and doubt, many believing that this would give one the dread disease, that the Town Trustees enacted laws forbidding it.
I here quote from the Records, dated April, 1774: "Whereas the siting up Inoculation hath not only bin dangeras to the lives and helth of the inhabi- tants, but hath occasioned great unesiness among the people, to prevent the which for the futor It is enactted by the Trustees that no person on any pre- tence whatsoever shall set up inoculation, or inocu- late any person within the bounds and limmits of this Township on penalty of £5 for each and every person he shall inoculate with the smallpox."
"And that no person shall be inoculated by any person whatsoever within the bounds and limmits afore said on penalty of £5 And that no person whatsoever shall receive into their house or enter- tain any person so inoculated on penalty of $5 for every person so received or entertained. And that 110 person whatsoever shall attend upon or nurse any person that is inoculated on penalty of $5 for every person they nurse or tend. Except it be by the concent and aprobation of two of his Majestyes Justices of the Peace of said Town."
Lemuel Howell, the father of Capt. Caleb, the location of Caleb's house may be seen on the map for 1800, while on a visit to New York contracted smallpox. After reaching home and coming down with that disease, he was taken to the pock house, where he died, and for burial was taken a short dis- tance to the south, and near the northeast corner of his own farm. The inscription on his tombstone is as follows : "Lemuel Howell, Born Sept. 18th, 1718. Died Feb. 22nd, 1781." No one thought that that very ground would eventually become an incorpor- ated cemetery, but such is the case. The New Ceme- tery on Norris Lane was laid out and opened soon after the first meeting, held March 20th, 1893, at which meeting it was voted to incorporate under the name of "The Bridgehampton Cemetery Asso- ciation" and the Lemuel Howell grave was included within this cemetery. The first interment after incorporation was on Aug. 17th, 1894.
OLD DWELLING HOUSES
In this chapter I am going to divide the Oki Houses into three groups. The first to consist of those now standing that were built between the years 1675 and 1725. The second those built be- tween 1725 and 1775. The third those built be- tween 1775 and 1825. thus covering a period of 150 years.
Some very excellent workmanship is shown in the construction of some of these old houses. The timber was of hewn oak, cut in many cases in the forest near where the house was built. The frame morticed. tenoned and pinned or dovetailed. In some cases where the beams were exposed. they were beaded, shingle lath of sawed or rived oak .. The nails, spikes, door handles, hasps, hinges and latches all hand-wrought by a blacksmith. Some of the door locks were made of wood, and may be seen at this time. Foundations were usually of native stone. Chimneys of brick made of clay tempered and molded by hand, and in the earlier days laid up with clay mud. Walls of lime made from oyster shells. Shingles of cedar, some of native wood, but more imported from the mainland. Window lights of imported glass, on which there was a heavy im- port tax, which accounts for the small windows and few in number.
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OLD DWELLING HOUSES
Old Haines House, Scuttle Hole, 1679
Ezekiel Sandford's House, Bridge Lane, 1680
.
John Wick's Tavern, 1686
Job Pierson House, Sagaponack, 1695
Thomas Strong, later Abner, 1695
Thomas Osborn, later Elisha, 1700
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These houses were usually set facing south. sometimes with a compass, so that at high noon the sun would be in a direct line with the house frame. then by marking the hours, they had a sun dial. The style of these houses, if two stories, was a short roof to the south, and to the north a long one brought down so low as to just leave room enough for a door under the plate. The cellars were as a rule very small. The chimneys of immense propor- tions, placed in the center of the house, with huge fireplaces on either side, on one end of which was the brick oven, where the family baking was done. A large crane in these fireplaces from which was hung kettles, spiders, baking pans and other cooking utensils. The fuel was wood, and the light was from either pine knots, whale oil or tallow dips. the latter home-made.
Of the houses in group one, I would place first on this list the Old Haines House in Scuttle Hole, built in the year 1679, the year of the laying out of the 40 acre Division, and rebuilt by James Haines in the year 1779. Then the Ezekiel Sandford House on Bridge Lane in Bridgehampton, built in the year 1680. Then the John Wicks' ( Bull's Head Tav- ern) built in the year 1686. Then the Job Pierson House in Sagaponack, built in the year 1695. Then the Thomas Strong House (later Abner) in Wain- scott, built in the year 1695. Then the Thomas Os- born House (later Elisha) in Wainscott, built in the year 1700. Then the Moses Rose House (later Edward Mooney) in Sagaponack, built in the year 1705. Then the Widow Topping House, in Bridge- hampton. (later Lewis Sandford, later Charles H. Hildreth) near Windmill Hill, built in the year 1725. These eight houses are still standing at this time (1935). The west half of the H. Morgan Topping house in Wainscott was probably built about 1690, by either a Mulford. Howell or Os- borne. all of whom lived there for a short time. In 1700 it was owned and occupied by George Squires. but I have not included this house from the fact that it has been rebuilt and I cannot separate the new part. This is also true of the James White House (later Charles S. Rogers) in Sagaponack. It is the center of this house that is oldl. This is also true of the Cooper house in Mecox, and the Col. Henry Pierson House in Sagaponack.
There are a few facts relative to two of the eight
houses first named above that I wish to relate. The first mention of Sag Harbor in the records was in 1707. At that time there were three houses there. and they stood near the shore below the bluff at the northerly end of "Turkey Hill." AAt an extremely high tide caused by a severe easterly storm, one of these houses was floated from the piers on which it stood, and drifted across to Hog Neck (now North Haven) where it landed high up on the beach. It was then sold to Moses Rose of Water Mill, who took it apart and carted it across Short Beach, Long Beach and then through the woods to Water Mill. About the year 1870, this man's grandson, Hervey Rose, sold it to Edward Mooney, who had it moved with teams of oxen to Sagaponack, where it still stands. Edward Mooney paid Fifty Dollars for it.
The other is the Widow Topping House (see 'T. R. Vol. III, page 212). This house was built just south of the Triangular Commons about 1725. When Lewis Sandford was about to get married. his father, David Sandford, bought this house and moved it to Windmill Hill. This place was later bought by Jason Loper for his son, Edwin Loper. Charles H. Hildreth married Edwin Loper's daugh- ter Julia, and so came into possession of the place. He rebuilt it. It is still standing (1935).
The second group or class are those built between 1725 and 1775. The first house I name in this class is the Stephen Hedges House, (later Jared, later Charles O.) on Parsonage Lane, built in the year 1730. Then the Zacheus Rose House, (later Steph- en, later Henry Martin) built about the year 1730. Then the James Brown, parsonage. (later Rev. Aa- ron Woolworth) built about 1730. Then the Syl- vester Strong House. (later Edwin) built about the year 1740. Then Capt. William Pierson House. (later Josiah Rogers) built about 1740. Then the Timothy Pierson, Sr. House, (later L. P. Topping. in Poxabogue, built about 1745. The Ethan Halsey. Sr. House (later Widow McGee) was built about the year 1775. in Hay Ground.
Then the Ebenezer Edwards House. ( later Thomas Gelston, later E. H. Dickinson) on Butter Lane, built in the year 1747. Then the James Sand- ford House, (later Lorenzo Sandford) in Bridge- hampton, built about the year 1745. The John White House in Sagaponack was bought by him of Heze- kiah Bower in 1797. when he repaired it, I think it
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OLD DWELLING HOUSES
--
Moses Rose, later E. Mooney, Sagaponack, 1705
Widow Topping House, later Chas. H. Hildreth, 1725
Stephen Hedges, later Jared, later Chas. O., 1730
-
Zacheus Rose, later Stephen, later Henry Martin, 1730
James Brown Parsonage, later Woolworth, 1730
17
r
Sylvester Strong, later Edwin, Wainscott, 1740
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was built as early as 1730. Hezekiah Topping owned it in 1767, and he left it to his two nephews, Heze- kiah Bower and Job Haines. I presume Haines sokl his share to Bower. The Matthew Halsey House on Lumber Lane in Bridgehampton, ( later Richard Halsey) built about the year 1740. This house was built in the hollow to the south of where it now stands, and to prevent it from being flooded they built a dyke across the valley to the east, but this proved inadequate, so they employed Samuel Schel- linger of Amagansett to move the house to its pres- ent site. Some one asked Schellinger how he could move it up hill, whereupon he replied. "I would rather move it up hill than down, for if I were going down the hill with it. I should have to put a breech- ing on it".
I think the Ebenezer Edwards house was built by him shortly after he sold his farm in East Hampton about the year 1747 for 350 Pounds. I also am of the opinion that he only held it for a short time, and then sold it to Deacon Maltby Gelston. It then passed to Maltby's son Thomas, and after he died it was bought by David Ludlow and his wife Phebe Top- ping. then by will to Edward Howell and wife, and then to the Dickinson family.
About the year 1730 Jeremiah Halsey built a one- story house on the north side of Paul's Lane in Bridgehampton, it then went to his nephew Sylvester Halsey, who raised it up and made it two stories. At his death he left it to his nephew. Lodowick Hal- sey Cook, it then went to his son. . Augustus L. Cook. Then the Stephen Topping House, ( later Paul Top- ping. later Elisha O. Hedges) in Poxabogue, built about 1750. Then the Andrew Barron House, (later Lemuel Haines ) in Sagaponack, built about the year !750. Then the Paul Halsey, Jr. House ( later Wat- son Halsey) on Paul's Lane, built about 1765. Then the Capt. Nathan Post House. ( later Uriah Savre) in Bridgehampton, built about 1770. Then the Tim- cthy Pierson, Jr. House, ( later Capt. Austin ) built about 1770.
The Wilkes Hedges homestead on Hedges' Lane was built by Deacon David Hedges in the year 1775. and he left it to his son Wilkes ; the Deacon's former homestead located on the westerly side of Sagg Street ( 1800 map) went to his son Zephaniah.
The Miller Edwards House (later Robert Hled- ges) on Sagg Road, and the Aaron Fithian House.
(later Benjamin Vail) on Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton, were both built about the year 1740. but have been rebuilt and changed to such an extent that the old building does not appear.
The Elias Sandford House (later Edward, later Henry II. ) on Butter Lane in Bridgehampton. This was the second Elias, he moved one half of this house from Poxabogue about 1730, and soon after built the other half.
The Gideon Halsey House. (later Halsey Foster ) in Head-of-the-Pond, was built about the year 1775. These houses in class two named above are still standing, and for the most part are in fairly good order.
I wish to relate an incident relative to the Aaron Woolworth property in Bridgehampton. "When the parsonage was being made ready for the new minis- ter, Aaron Woolworth, Capt. John Hulburt desired to add to the beauty of the grounds, which gave occasion for the following letter, written to a rela- tive in Connecticut, dated Bridgehampton. April 2Ist. 1789." "I wish you to get six good Button- wood trees and put them on board Parker's boat. when he comes down. for Mr. Woolworth to set around his house. Send your bill also of them." "John Hulburt".
Of the trees mentioned above, one still lives. It measures about 7 feet in circumference, and may be ' seen at the old Woolworth parsonage. (at this time, 1935) which is now the property of the late Charles T. Ludlow, in Bridgehampton.
The houses in group three are those built between 1775 and 1825. and of course will be much larger than either group one or two. I will refer the reader to the map for 1850. where the location of most of these houses may be found.
I will begin with the James B. Halsey House in Hay Ground. (later Capt. James H. Rogers ) built about the year 1776. Then the Abraham Pierson House (later Nymphus Wright ) in Sagaponack, built in 1776. Just east of the Pierson house is the Wilkes Hedges house, built in 1775. From the fact that the Hedges house was going to be so much bet- ter than the one in which the Piersons lived, the latter would not stand for it, so started at once to get out timber for a house that should be as good, if not better than Wilkes Hedges. After the new house was completed, it proved to be not as good as
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OLD DWELLING HOUSES
Capt. William Pierson, later Josiah Rogers, Sagaponack, 1740
Timothy Pierson, Sr., later L. P. Topping, 1745
Ethan Halsey, later Widow Magee, 1775
r
Ebenezer Edwards House, later Gelston, Butter Lane, 1747
Ethan Topping, Hay Ground, 1775
Mathew Halsey, later Richard, Lumber Lane, 1740
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they intended. Isaac. Abraham's son remained at home, but Samuel Huntting, another son, was so provoked over this fact that he moved to Chatham- four-corners, New York State, I think Columbia County, where his descendants still live.
The Timothy Halsey ( Master Tim) later Jere- miah Haines House, in Scuttle Hole, the Nathan Pierson House (later Wallace W. Hildreth) in Sagaponack, and the William Halsey House ( later Roger Halsey, later Herman R. Halsey ) were all three built about the year 1790. This last named was in Hay Ground. The Nathan Topping Cook House in Hay Ground (later Alanson, later Addi- son MI. Cook ) was built in the year 1793.
The Silas White House (later Jesse Halsey, later David Halsey) in Head-of-the-Pond. was built in the year 1794. James White, a brother of Silas, built a similar house a few rods east of the one first named, and in the same year, viz: 1794. When James got married, he moved this house across the street, and it became later the Darius White home- stead. Since that it was bought by Mr. Bottomley, who moved it to its present site. The John Norris House. in Poxabogue, (later Stephen Topping ). the Capt. Jonathan Osborne House, in Wainscott. the James Edwards House, ( later Thomas Osborn. later Oliver) in Wainscott, the Daniel Woodruff House, ( later Jetur Bishop ) in Bridgehampton, the Silas Pierson House, (later Iliram S. Rogers ) in Sagaponack, were all five built about the year 1795. The Esquire Maltby G. Rose House (later Elbert Rose) was built in the year 1791. The William Howell House, (later John N. Hedges) in Mecox. was built about the year 1800. The Theophilus Cook House, (later Capt. John Sweeney, later Albert Jen- nings) was also built about 1800. The Dr. Rufus Rose House, (later Capt. George Hand) in Hay Ground, was built in the year 1804. I herewith shew copy of the contract to build this house.
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