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SUFFOLK COUNTY.
thelineof Islip, and Mlssequa.glie? on Nissequague Neck, are hamlets. A tract of land, including
the principal part of this town, was, in July, 1659, conveyed to Lyon Gardiner as a free gift, by
Wyandance, Sachem of the Montauks;1 and in 1662 the grant was confirmed by the Nessequake
tribe, by whom the lands were occupied. In 1663 the tract was sold to Richard Smith, and in 1665
the remaining part of the town was purchased of the Indians by him. Fort Slongo, in the n. w.
part of the town, was erected by the British during the Revolution. It‘ was captured by a body
of Americans, under Col. Tallmadge, Oct. 3, 1781.2 There are 6 churches in town.3
SOUTHAMPTOflf3—was incorp. by patent, under Gov. Andros, Nov. 1,1676,4 confirmed by
Gov. Dongan, Dec. 6,1686, and recognized as a town March 7,1788. It occupies the greater part
of the s. branch of Eastern Long Island, and has 30 mi. of seacoast. The entire s. shore is skirted
by a beach which is united in a few places with the mainland, separating the inclosed waters into
distinct bays, the principal of which are East, Quantuc, Shinnecock, and Mecox Bays; minor
bays, branching from these, divide the surrounding shores into numerous irregular “necks” The
beach which separates the waters of these bays from the Atlantic is unbroken except by a single
inlet into Shinnecock Bay. The outline of the n. coast is extremely tortuous; ragged and often
nearly landlocked bays project inland, and irregular points of land jut out into the surrounding
waters. A range of low hills extends along the n. border of the town, and the Shinnecock Hills
occupy the central part; elsewhere the surface is level. The soil in the e. and s. parts consists of a
light, sandy loam, and is moderately fertile; but in other parts it is of an inferior quality. A large
tract s. of Peconic River is covered with extensive pine forests. Stock raising and the other branches
of agriculture form the principal industrial pursuits. The lands are enriched by the application
of immense quantities of bunkers. Large tracts of meadow and pasturage lands in different parts
of the town are owned by 3 companies, who, in common, elect annually a board of 12 trustees, to
whose management the lands are committed.5 Taking clams and oysters, and whaling, form an
important part of the business. The town has a small poorhouse, a short distance e. of Bridge-
harapton. A lighthouse has been recently erected on Ponquogue Beach.7 Sag- Harbor, (p. v.,)
in the n. e. part, was incorp. as a fire district in 1803, and as a village March 12, 1819. It contains
7 churches, the Sag Harbor Institute, a newspaper office, a bank, a cotton flannel factory,8 2 clock
factories, and several manufactories of oil casks. This port has long been noted for the extent of its
whaling business.6 It was made a port of entry in 1784, and by itself now constitutes a district of
customs. Pop. 2,776,—2,041 in Southampton, and 735 in Easthampton. Southampton, (p. v.,)
midway between Shinnecock and Mecox Bays, contains 2 churches, an academy,7 and 65 houses.
Ba'iclg'elianaptOM,11 (p. v.,) in the e. part, contains 2 churches and about 40 houses; Shlnne-
cocfe, on the e. side of Shinnecock Bay, is an Indian settlement of about 20 houses.12 Sagg’,
Scuttle Hole and Watermill are hamlets, in the e. part. Flanders, (p. v.,) in the sr. part,
contains 2 churches and about 20 houses; Speonli, (p. v.,) near East Bay, contains 2 churches and
about 40 houses. Ketcliaboneck and Quogue, (p. o.,) near Quantuc Bay, and Good Ground
(p. o.) and Canoe Place, near Shinnecock Bay, are hamlets. Riverhead (p. v.) is partly in
this town. The first settlement was made at Southampton, in 1640, by a company of immigrants
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barks, 2 brigs, and 2 schooners, with an aggregate of 5,927 tons,
registered; 15 sloops, 5 schooners, and 1 steamer, in all, 1400
tons, enrolled; and a few small vessels, amounting to about 100
tons, licensed. The total number of vessels belonging to this
port at different periods has been as follows : in 1807, 4 j in 1832,
20; in 1841, 44; in 1843, 52; in 1845, 61; and in 1847, 63.
10 This academy was established in 1831, and is unincorporated.
11 Thi3 village is sometimes called “Bullhead;” and the name
Bridgehampton is applied to a large section of country extend¬
ing from East'Hampton to the w. part of Mecox Bay.
42 This is the residence of the remnant of the Shinnecock In¬
dians, consisting of about 200 persons. They have learned many
of the arts of civilized life, and obtain a subsistence by culti¬
vating the soil, fishing, and taking clams. Many of the young
men go on whaling voyages, and the young women are employed
as servants in the families of the whites. They have entirely lost
their native language, and speak the English fluently. They are
frugal, industrious, orderly, and intelligent. They have a small
(Cong.) church and a spacious schoolhouse. They receive their
proportion of the common school money, and the school com¬
missioner of the district employs a teacher for theip. They are
exempt from taxation, aud are debarred the exercise of the elect¬
ive franchise. They occupy the lands between Canoe Place and
Shinnecock Creek as tenants in common. This tract was con¬
veyed to the trustees of the town by Pompumo, Chico, and Man-
manum, the sachems of the Shinnecock "Indians, Aug. 16,1703;
and the same day the trustees leased the lands back to the In¬
dians for a term of 1000 years, at an annual rent of one ear of
corn. The Indians annually elect 3 trustees, who, with the con¬
currence of 2 justices, can lease certain of their lands to the whites. |
1
Thi3 gift was made hy Wyandance upon the recovery of his
daughter, whom Gardiner had restored from captivity among
the Narragansetts.
2
The Americans destroyed the fortifications and 2 cannon,
3
Named from Southampton, Eng. Called by the Indians
4
“Agawam,” a place abounding in fish.
5
John Topping, John Howell, Thos. Halsey, sr., Jos. Raynor,
Edward Howell, John Jagger, John Poster, Francis Sayre, Jos.
Fordham, •Henry Pierson, John Cooper, Ellis Cook, Sam’l Clarke,
Rich. Post, and John Jennins were named trustees in this patent.
6 These lands are portions of 3 tracts, severally known as the
“ Tmvn Purchase,” the “ Quogue Purchase,” and the “ Topping
Purchase,” which are still held by the proprietors in common.
The “ Town Purchase” occupies tlie E. part of the town. It is
divided into 154 shares, called “ fifties,” worth about $10 each.
These fifties are subdivided into sixteenths, and the shares are
owned in every conceivable quantity, from l-40th of a fifty to 10
fifties. The Quogue and Topping Purchases occupy the w. part
of the town.
6
About 150 hands are employed, and 10,000 to i2,00(>yds. of flan¬
7
nel are made per week.
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