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SUFFOLK COUNTY.
landing' are hamlets on the coast-of Long Island Sound. Patchogue1 (p. v.) is situated on
Patchogue Bay, in the s w. part of the town. It contains 4 churches, an academy, and manufac¬
tories of twine, paper, cotton, ropes, and flour. Pop. 1,562. Bellport, (p. v.,) on the w. side
of Belleport Bay, contains 1 church and an academy. Shipbuilding is carried on to a considerable
extent. Pop. 383. Blue Point,2 (p. o.,) in the s. w. part, is a hamlet. Fire Place, (p. v.,)
on Belleport Bay, contains 1 church and about 35 houses; Moriches,3 4 chuaches and 50 houses;
East Moriches, (p.v.,) 40 houses; and West Moriches (Moriches p.o.) and Seatuch,
hamlets, are situated near the coast of East Bay. Yaphank,1 (p. v.,) a station on the Long
Island R. R., containing 3 churches and 35 houses, and South Haven, (p. v.,) containing 1
church and 20 houses, are situated on Connecticut River. Mastic4 is a hamlet on Mastic River.
Middle Island, (p. o.,) containing 2 churches, Selden, (p. o.,) 1 church, Mew Village,
(p. o.,) 1 church, and Coram,6 (Cor-um,) (p. o.,) are hamlets in the central part; andWasnp-
.missic,5 containing 1 church, and Manorville,6 (p. o.,) are hamlets in the e. part. Center
Moriches is a p. o. Waverly, and Medford, are hamlets and r. r. stations. The town
poorhouse is located near Coram, upon a small farm purchased in 1817 at a cost of $900. The
lighthouse on Old Field Point was built in 1823; and another on Fire Island, near Fire Island
Inlet, was built in 1858.7 The first settlement was made at Setauket,8 in 1655, by a colony of im¬
migrants from near Boston, Mass.11 The land was bought from the Setauket Indians, and the sale
confirmed by a release from Wyandance, Sachem of Montauk. This settlement was received under
the government of Conn. in 1661, and Richard Woodhull and Thos. Pierce were appointed magis¬
trates by the General Court. The tract of land between Islip and Bellport, extending to the center
of the island, was purchased of the natives by John Winthrop in 1666, and the title confirmed
March 29, 1680.12 Col. Wm. Smith purchased Little Neck, Oct. 22, 1686, and an extensive tract
E. of Connecticut River, extending northward to the center of the co., in May, 1691.9 Fort St.
George, a strongly fortified British post on South Bay, was surprised and taken by a party of 80
men, under Maj. Tallmadge, Nov. 21,1780. They crossed Long Island Sound from Conn., landing
at Old Mans Harbor, marched to Coram, where they destroyed a large amount of forage, and then
to Fort St. George, which they captured without the loss of a man. Over 50 men were made prison¬
ers, and a large amount of property was destroyed.10 Gen. Woodhull,15 Pres, of the Second and
Third Provincial Congresses, Gen. Wm. Floyd, one of the-signersof the Declaration of Independence,
Col. Richard Floyd,16 and Maj. Wm. H. Smith, were residents, and Maj. Benj. Tallmadge was a
native, of this town. In the infancy of the settlement a building was erected at Setauket, which
s*erved the double purpose of a townhall and church.17 . There are now 26 churches in town.18
EAST IIAMPTOM—was incorp. by patent, under Gov. Nicoll, March 13, 1666,19 and con¬
firmed by Gov. Dongan, Dec. 9,1686. It was recognized as a town March 7, 1788. It lies at the e,
extremity of Long Island, s. of Gardners Bay and Long Island Sound, and includes Gardiners Island,
lying n. of the mainland. The e. part consists of a narrow peninsula, to which the name, Montauk,
is applied. Upon the n. coast are several large bays, some of them nearly landlocked. The princi¬
pal of these are Northwest, Three Mile, Acabonac, and Napeague Harbors, and Fort Pond Bay.
In the central and w. parts the surface is mostly level or gently undulating; but along the coast
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Woolley, Akerly, Combs, Waring, Mapes, Thorp, Eburne, Brew¬
ster, Poole, Sharpe, Burnet, Helmo, Garlick, Moger, Pierce, and
Ware. Many of these names are still common on the island.
By a vote of the inhabitants, taken July 13,1687, the trustees
of the town were directed to establish a school, and Francis
Williamson was employed as a teacher, at a salary of £30 per
annum. The first mill was erected at Stony Brook, in 1690.—
Thompson’s Hist. Long Island, 2d Ed., 1,408.
I2 A great part of this tract was divided into 36 prizes, and
disposed of by lottery for £12,000 in June, 1758.
1“ These purchases were confirmed Oct. 9, 1693, under the
title of the “ Manor of St. George,” which included all the town
as then founded E. of tbe Connecticut. A large proportion of
this tract is still owned by the descendants of Col. Smith.
ll Washington’s Writings, VII; Journal of Congress, Deo. 6,
1780; Thompson’s Hist. Long Island.
is Gen. Woodhull fell in the battle of Long Island, Sept. 1776,
and was buried in this town.—Onderdonk’s Rev. Inc,
16 The lands of Col. Richard Floyd located in this town were
confiscated by the British.
-I The early pastors of the church at Setauket were Revs. Na¬
thaniel Brewster, in 1655, Geo. Phillips, in 1697, David Youngs,
in 1745, Benj. Tallmadge, in 1754, Noah Wetmore, in 1786, and
Zachariah Greene, in 1797.
18 9 M. E., 8 Presb., 4 Cong,, 2 Prot. E., 2 Af. M. E., Bap.
19 The trustees named in the patent were John Mulford, Thos.
Baker, Thomas Chatfield, Jeremiah Concklyn, Stephen Hedges,
Thos. Osborne, sr., and John Osborne.—Patents, I, 81, Sec. Office* |
1
Named from the “Ro-chough” Indians, who inhabited this
region.
2
Called hy the Indians “ Man-ow-tuss-quott,” an important
oyster bed in Great South Bay, in this vicinity.
3
2 An Indian name, pronounced Mo-rich-es. Great quantities
of fish and wild fowl are sent from this vicinity to the New
Tork market.
4
Connecticut. The place was originally called “ Millville,” and
afterward Brookfield.”
5
6 Named from an Indian chief.
i This name was given by the Indians to a swamp in the
viciuity.
6
Formerly called “St. George’s Manor.”
7
This lighthouse is 150 ft. high and 166 ft. above the sea, and
is furnished with a French flashing lens apparatus of superior
quality.
8
Then called “ Cromwell Bay.”
9
looker, Rogers, Fancy, Longbotham, Lane, Floyd, Muncy,
10
Seward, Wade, Sayler, Smith, Avery, Dayton, Davis, Frost,
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