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SUFFOLK COUNTY. 635
upon the s. is a belt of low, shifting sand ridges; and tbe e. part is broken by low, irregular bills,
some of which attain an elevation of 100 ft. above the sea. Near the coast in the s. part of the
town and upon tbe peninsula are several fresh water ponds. The principal of these are Great,1
Fort,2 Oyster, Hook, and Georgica Ponds; and their outlets have been closed bj sandbars or a
beach. Upon tbe main portion of tbe peninsula of Montauk tbe soil is fertile, but its neck is a
barren, sandy waste. In the w. part the soil is a light, sandy loam and is kept highly fertile by the
use of manures. Stock raising forms the leading occupation; and to that pursuit Gardners Island3
and Montauk Point are exclusively devoted. A tract of about 9000 acres, embracing the entire i:
portion of the town, is devoted wholly to pasturage. It is owned by a company, incorp. as tenants in
common, whose affairs are managed hy a board of 7 trustees elected annually.4 Twelve trustees are
chosen annually, to whom are committed the management of the town commons, tbe meadow beaches,
and the waters within the bays, the privileges of which are enjoyed by all citizens. A town poor¬
house is located on a small farm about 2 mi. w. of East Hampton Tillage. Lighthouses are located
upon Cedar Island, at the entrance of Sag Harbor,4 at the N. extremity ef Gardiners Island, and upon
Montauk Point.6 East Hampton, (p. v.,) about 1 mi. from the beach, in the s. w. part of the
town, has 2 churches,5 an academy,6 2 windmills, and about 70 houses. Amagansett, (p. v.,) a
scattered village about 2 mi. e. of East Hampton, contains 1 church. Pop. 270. Springs, (p. o.,)
near Acabonac Harbor, and Wainscott, in the s. w. corner of the town, are hamlets. Sag Har¬
bor9 (p. v.) is partly in this town. The first settlement in this town, and the first English settlement
in the State, was made on Gardiners Island in 1639, hy Lyon Gardiner.7 Settlement in the w. part
of the town was commenced in 1648, upon lands purchased of the Montauk Indians, hy a company
of English families from Lynn, Mass.8 The government of the colony was purely democratic. The
people met in “ General Court,” and enacted laws, appointed civil and ministerial officers, and acted
upon appeals from the decisions of their magistrates. Three magistrates,9 a recorder, a secretary,
and a constable were annually elected. Lands were allotted to individuals, and could not he
alienated without the approval of the General Court. In Dec. 1653, they adopted the laws of Conn.;
and from 1657 to 1667 they were united with that colony.10 The inhabitants sided with the colonists
in the disputes which led to the Revolution. In June, 1775, an “Association” favoring the measures
of the Continental Congress was formed, and its articles were signed hy every male inhabitant
capable of bearing arms.11 Rev. Thomas James, the first pastor in the town, settled in 1651.12
There are now 4 churches in town.13
HITMTIMOTOM—was incorp. hy patent, under Gov. Nicoll, Nov. 30, 1666.14 The patent
was renewed Aug. 2,1688, and again Oct. 5,1694. It was recognized as a town March 7,1788, at
which time Eatons Neck and Crab Meadow were annexed. The w. line was established Feb. 17,
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izing the Board of Regents of the University, This academy and
Erasmus Hall, in Flatbush", were incorp. the same day, and are
Ahe oldest legally organized academic institutions in the State.
9 See page 638.
10 This island was purchased from Jas. Farrett, agent of tho
Earl of Stilling, March 10,1639. Elizabeth Gardner—born upon
the island, Sept. 14,1641—was the first child of English parents
born within the present limits of this State. The pirate, Kidd,
visited the island in. 1699 and buried a quantity of gold, silver,
and jewels, which were afterward recovered by commissioners
sent from Boston for that purpose. A piece of cloth of gold pre¬
sented by Capt. Kidd to Mrs. Gardiner is still preserved.
11 This purchase was made hy the Governors of Conn. and Mew
Haven for the colonists, and was conveyed to them the following
year. The tract embraced an area of about 30,000 acres; and the
value of the articles given in exchange for it was £30 4s. 8d. The
Indians reserved the right of fishing, hunting, and of taking
shells for wampum upon the lands sold, and the right to the
fins and tails of drift whales.
42 The first magistrates were John Mulford, Robt. Bond, and
Thos. Baker.
18 The first school was taught by Chas. Barnes, who received
a salary of £30 per annum. He was succeeded in 1663 by Peter
Benson.
14 John Chatfield, Col. Abram Gardiner, Burnet Miller, Rev.
Sam’l Buell, -Thomas Wickham, and 248 others.—Hedge’s 200th
Anniversary Address. In Jan. 1777, the enemyjhaving armed oc¬
cupation of the island, required the inhabitants to sign a counter
declaration, as the condition of their remaining in quiet occupa¬
tion of their houses. This declaration was signed by 150; of whom
117 had signed the former paper.—MSS. State Library.
15 The succeeding pastors of the same church were Nathaniel
Huntiing, in 1699,Sam’l Buell, in 1746, Lyman Beecher, in 1799,
and Ebenezer Phillips, in 1810.
is 2 M. E., Presb., and Af. M. E.
H The trustees named in the patent were Jonas Wood, Wm.
Leverige, Robt. Seeley, John Ketcham, Thos. Skidmore, Isaac
Platt, Thos. Jones, and Thos, Wick*.—Patents, 1, 63, Sec. Offica. |
1
Called lay the Indians “ Quaw-no-ti-wock.” This pond con¬
tains 500 acres.
2
The Indian name-of this pond is “ Konk-hong-a-nok.” It lies
S. of Fort Pond Bay, and nearly divides the isthmus.
3
s Called hy the Indians “ Mon-cho-nock,”ov “ Ma-shong-o-muc,”
and mentioned in early records as the “Isle of Wight.” It con¬
tains 3,300 acres.
4
generally lasts from June 1 to Oct. 20. Ahout 1400 cattle and
1100 sheep are annually kept within these jnclosures. Five
Indian families reside upon the tract, who own 50 shares and
5
usually hired of them, for $200 per annum.
6
Cedar Island Lighthouse (built in 1839) is 34 ft. high.
7
fbet above the level of the sea. It was built in 1795, at a cost
of $22,500.
8
t The vane upon this church bears the dates of 1649 and 1717,
9
as those of the first settlement of the village and the erection of
10
the church edifice.
11
8 Clinton Academy was founded in 1784, and incorp. by the
12
regents Nov. 17, 1787. A petition of the trustees of this insti¬
13
tution suggested to the legislature the propriety of a general
14
tv stem of supervision, and led to the enactment of the law organ¬
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