Beginings in Long Island - East Hampton, Southampton, and Hempstead - Genealogy - http://maxpages.com/elizawoodruffs/Beginings_in_Long

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Beginings in Long Island

East Hampton, Southampton, and Hempstead

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Excerpts from “Isles of Shells” Long Island by George L Weeks, 1965

pp 58-59 Boundary Dispute Marred Early Days of East Hampton

The Town of East Hampton was settled by the English in the spring of 1648. Prior to the settlement, arrangements for the purchase of the lands had been consummated by a deed of conveyance “Betwixt the worshipful Theophilus Eaton, Esq., Governor of the Colony of New Haven, the worshipful Edward Hopkins, Esq., Governor of the Colony of Connecticut, their associates on the one part,” and by Poggatacut, Sachem of Manhasset; Wyandanch, Sachem of Montauk; Momwetow, Sachem of Corchake; and Nowedinah, Sachem of Shinnecock and their associates on the other part.
The conveyancce covered “ the whole breadth from sea to sea” and from the eastern boundary of Southampton to the east side of the Montauk highlands.
Within the town limits are Gardiner’s Island and Ram Island. The deed shows that in consideration of this area there was paid to the Indians the following: 20 coats, 24 hatchets, 24 hoes, 24 knives, 24 looking glasses and 100 muxes. The purchase involved 30,000 acres, the value of the articles given up for the same amounted to 30 pounds, 4 shillings, 8 pence.
The Indians reserved the right to fish in the creeks and ponds and to hunt up and down in the woods, provided they did not cause any trouble to the English settlers.
In the deed, it specified that the Indians were to have “fynns and tails of all such whales as shall be cast upp.”
Another important reservation specified that the Indians had the right to fish for shells to make wampum. It was also agreed that where the English killed any deer that the Indians chased into the water, the body went to the English, but the deer skins to the Indians.
This deed carries the date of April 29, 1648. It was witnessed by Richard Woodhull, Thomas Stanton, Robert Bond and Job Sayre.
Disputes over the boundaries between East Hampton and Southampton were settled by decision ot the General Court held at Hartford, Ct on May 16, 1695. It was declared by this decision that the bounds should forever be and remain at the stakes set down by Capt. Howe. The western bounds were about two miles from the east of Sackaponock Pond.
.......this grant was to Thomas Baker, Robert Bond, Thomas James, Lion Gardiner, John Hand, Benjamin Price and their associates, the inhabitants of East Hampton.

Excerpt from History of Long Island by

On EastHampton:

p88 The title (for Easthampton) thus acquired by Eaton and Hopkins was, in the spring of 1651, transferred to the settlers, whose names, and those associated with them soon after, were:
...the original settlers were: John Hand, sen. (d.1663), John Stretton, sen., Thomas Tallmage, jun., Robert Bond, John Mulford, Thomas Tomson, Daniel Howe, Joshua Barnes, Robert Rose, Thomas James
....those who came later were: William Mulford, Richard Stretton (d 1670), Ananias Conklin, John Miller, Luke Lilles, Benjamin Price, Thomas Osborn, sen (d. 1712), William Hedges, Ralph Dayton (d.1657), Thomas Chatfield, Thomas Osborn, jun., William Edwards, William ffithian, Richard Brookes, William Symonds, Richard Shaw (d. 1708), Samuel Beltnapp, Charles Barnes, Samuel Parsons, Joshua Garlick (d 1701), ffluke David (or Davis), Nathaniel Bishop, William Barnes (d 1700), Lion Gardner, John Osborn, Jeremiah Veale (or Neals), Stephen Hand, Thomas Baker, Jeremiah Meacham
....in 1654 the following names were added: Robert Deighton (Dayton), John Foster, Andrew Miller (son of John), Roger Smith, George Miller (son of John), Arthur Howell, and Nathaniel Birdsall.

Excerpts from “Isles of Shells” Long Island by George L Weeks, 1965
pp 69 -70 Hempstead Town Area bought 1643 from the Indians

The Town of Hempstead in Nassau County was originally settled by families from the colony of New Haven. It was in 1643 that the Rev. Richard Denton, Capt John Underhill, Andrew Ward, Jonas Wood, Thurston Raynor, Matthew Mitchell, Robert Coe, Richard Gildersleeve, Robert Fordham, John Ogden, Robert Jackson, John Carman, Capt. John Seaman and others sent Robert Fordam and John Carmen to Long Island, and on Dec 13 they bought from the Indians of Marsapeque, Mericock and Rockaway about two thirds of the territory which now constitutes the Town of Hempstead.
This document is found in the Colonial records at Albany. To the aforementioned document is found the marks (or signatures) of Tackapausha, sachem of Marsapeag, and Jorrane, Pamaman, Remos, Wamis, Whanege, and Gerasco.
In the year 1644, the entire company crossed the Sound and erected dwellings upon or near the site of the present village of Hempstead. The settlers, having knowledge that Hempstead was within the limits of the councils of New Netherland took measures to obtain the approval of the Dutch governor, William Kieft, esq., and on Nov 16, 1644 a patent was issued.
The first division ot land took place in 1647 and shows the following names to have been freeholders of the town:
Richard Denton, Thomas Wilson, Robert Ashman, Henry Pierson, Robert Coe, Joseph Scott, John Carmen, Henry Whitson, Jeremy Woodr, Richard Lewis, Richard Gildersleeve, Thomas Stephenson, William Raynor, Joe Coe, Benjamin Coe, William Scott, John Ogden, John Storge, Samuel Strickland, William Williams, John Toppin, James Smith, Jonas Wood, William Rogers, John Fordam, Richard Ogden, William Lawrence, Robert Jackson, Henry Hudson
Also, John Foucke, Thomas Irelan, John Lawrence, Richard Valentine, Daniel Denton, William Thickstone, William Washburne, Nicholas Tanner, Nathaniel Denton, William Smith, Thomas Sherman, Edmond Wood, Francis Yates, John Smith Jr., John Ellison, Richard Denton Jr., Abraham Smith, John Hicks, William Shading, Samuel Denton, Thomas Foster, Thomas Armitage, Roger Lines, Simon Learing, John Lewis, Terry Wood, Christophe Foster, Samuel Clark, Edward Raynor, John Hudd, John Sewall, Thomas Pope, John Smith Sr., Daniel Whithead, Samuel Baccus, Robert Williams and John Strickland.
A document dated July 4, 1657 is in the Colonial archives of the State of NY showing that Capt. John Seaman and Robert Jackson and others purchased for the Indians in 1643 that part of the Town of Hempstead which is now Seaford and Wantagh.

From History of Long Island by

pp 467 -475 On Hempstead
The first effectual settlement in the country was made in this town in 1644 by emigrants from New England, the most of whom had resided a whil at Wethersfield and Stamford in the jurisdiction of New Haven. A good part of the first settlers, it is believed, came originally from a place in England called Hemel-Hempstead.
The colony of New Haven in 1640 purchased Rippowams from the Indians and called it Stamford; and the church at Wethersfield being unhappily divided, the minority concluded to remove to STAMFORD, CT, and agreed to settle twenty families there by the last of Nov 1641. Accordingly from thirty to forty families located there during the year, among whom were those of the Rev. Richard Denton, Capt. John Underhill, Andrew Ward, Jonas Wood, Thurston Raynot, William Raynor, Edward Raynor, Matthew Mitchill, Robert Coe, Richard Gildersleeve, Robert Fordham, JOHN OGDEN, Robert Jackson, John Carmen, besides others whose names, from the imperfect state of the Stamford records cannot be ascertained.
What urged the removal of these individuals to Long Island is not known with certainty, but the year preceding a committee was sent over who obtained a conveyance for about two-thirds of the territory which now constitutes the town of Hempstead.

(..on Dec 13, 1643 the settlers purchased the land from the Indians and on Nov 16, 1644, and aggreement was made with the Dutch.)

“ Know all men whom these presents in any wise concern, that I William Kieft, Esq., Gov. of the province called New Netherlands, with the council of state there established , by virtue of a commission under the hand and seal of the high and mighty lords, the States General of the United Belgick Privinces, and from his Highness, Frederick Hendrick, Prince of Orange, and the right honorable the Lords Bewint Hibbers of the West India Company, have given and grant, unto Robert Fordham, John Sticklan, JOHN OGDEN, John Karman, John Lawrence, and Jonas Wood, with their heirs, executors, administrators, successors or associates, or any they shall join in association with them, a certain quanity of land, with all the havens, harbors, rivers, creeks, woodland, marshes..... “ WILLIAM KIEFT

The first division of land among the settlers took place in 1647, which shows the following named persons to have been freeholders of the town: Richard Denton, Richard Denton Jr., Daniel Denton, Samuel Denton, Nathaniel Denton, Robert Ashman, John Hicks, William Washburne, Robert Coe, John Carman, Jeremy Wood, Richard Gildersleeve, William Raynor, Benjamin Coe, JOHN OGDEN, Samuel Strickland, John Topping, Jonas Wood, John Fordham, Richard Valentine, William Lawrence, Thomas Ireland, William Thickstone, Nicholas Tanner, William Smith, Edmond Wood, John Smith Jr., Thomas Armitage, Simon Searing, Terry Wood, Thomas Wilson, Henry Pierson, Joseph Scott, Henry Whitson, Richare Lewis, Thomas Stephenson, John Coe, William Scott, William Rogers, RICHARD OGDEN, Robert Joackson, John Foucks, John Lawrence, Thomas Sherman, Francis Yates, John Ellison, Abraham Smith, William Shadding, Thomas ffoster, Roger Lines, John Lewis, Christopher ffoster, Samuel Clark, John Hudd, Thomas Pope, Daniel Whitehead, Robert Williams, Edward Raynor, John Sewell, John Smith Sr., Samuel Baccus, John Strickland.

A religious establishment was a matter that early engrossed the minds of the settlers, and the founding of a church, as well as directing attention the observation of the public worship on Sunday and other days, were considered of primary importance.
This strickly puritanical proceeding, bearing so close an analogy to the order adopted at Hartford a few months before, leaves little doubt that the one was made a precedent for the other...The opinions and prejudices of the people were more favorable to the policy of CT than that of New Haven Colony; and it is probable that the rule which had been adopted in the latter, allowing none but free burgesses, or church members, to vote in town meeting, occasioned dissatisfaction at Stamford and induced the planters to remove to this place, where it was considered not only the right, but the duty of every man to exercise his electorial privilege on all public occasions.

From History of Long Island by

pp143-150
On Southampton
The settlement was begun in 1640, being nearly contemporary with that of Southold, on the opposite side of the bay. In Ogilby’s America, it is mentioned that “about the year 1640, by a fresh supply of people that settled Long Island, there was erected a town called Southampton, and severed from the continent of New Haven, they not finding a place in any other colonies.”
Governor Winthrop, in his journal of April 4, 1640, says “that the inhabitants of Lynne, finding themselves straitened, looked out for a new plantation, and going to Long Island, they agreed with the Lord Stirling’s agent, one Mr. Farrett, for a parcel of the isle near the west end, and with the Indians for their right. The Dutch hearing of this, and making claim to that part of the island, by a former purchase of the Indians, sent men to take possession to the place, and set up the arms of the Prince of Orange upon a tree. The Lynne people sent ten or twelve men, with provisions, etc., who began to build, and took down the prince’s arms, and in place there of an Indian had drawn an unhandsome face. The Dutch took this in high displeasure, and sent soldiers and fetched away their men, and imprisioned them a few days, and then taking an oath of them not to return, discharged them. Upon this, the Lynne men (finding themselves too weak, and having no encouragement to expect aid from the English) desisted that place, and took another, at the east end of the same island; and being now about fourty families, they proceeded in their plantation, and called called one Mr. Pierson, a godly learned man and a member of the church of Boston, to go with them, who, with some seven or eight more of the company, gathered into a church body at Lynne, before they went, and the whole company entered into a civil combination to become a corporation.....

(The text then discusses the politics between the English and the Dutch and their control, or lack of it, over the colonies. The Dutch claimed Long Island was theirs, the English said the colonists were acting on their own, and going without approval)

The original agreement between Farret (Lord Stirling’s deput) and Capt. David Howe, Job Sayre, and their associates is dated Apr 17 1640, by which they were fully authorized to make purchases for the Indians of Long Island and settle thereupon; with as full and free liberty, both in church order and civil government, as the plantations in Mass. enjoyed....

The names of the settlers who had arrived during the first twelve months were: Daniel Howe, Thomas Goldsmith, John Oldfields, Samuel Dayton, Thomas Burnet, John Howell, Thomas Sayre, Edward Howell, William Odell, Thomas Topping, JOHN WOODRUFF, Allen Breed, Edmund Farrington, Isaac Hillman, John Cooper, George Woods, Henry Pierson, Richard Post, Obadiah Rogers, John Fordham, John Lum, Samuel Osman, John Rose, James Herrick, Christopher Foster, Joseph Raynor, Ellis Cook, John Jagger, Richard Smith, Thomas Hildreth, John Hampton, Joshual Barnes, Abraham Pierson, Edward Needham, Samuel James, JOHN GOSMER, John Bishop, John White, William Payne, John Jessup, Josiah Howe, Henry Walton, William Harker, John Jennings, Benjamin Haynes, George Wells, Job Sayre.

The conveyance for eight miles square of land from the agent of Lord Stirling to the above named persons, is recorded as follows:
“MEMORANDUM; It is agreed upon, between James Farret, agent and Edward Howell, JOHN GOSMER, Edmund ffarrington, Daniel Howe, Thomas Halsey, Edward Needham, Allen Breed, Thomas Sayre, Henry Waslton, George Well, William Harker, and Job Sayre; that whereupon it is agreed upon in a covenant passed between us touching the extente of a plantation in Long Island, that the aforesaid Mr. Edward Howell and his co-partners shall enjoy eight miles square of land, or so much as the said eight miles shall containe, and that now lie in said bounds, being layd out and agreed uppon: It is to begin at a place westward form Shinnecock, entitled the name of the place where the Indians drawe over their cannoes out of the north bay, over to the south side of the island, and from there to run along that neck of land eastward the whole breadth between the bays aforesaid, to the easterly end of an island or neck of land lying over against the island commonly known by the name of Mr. Farret’s Island. To enjoy all and every parte thereof, according as y is expressed in our agreement elsewhere, with that island or neck, lying over aginst Mr. Farret’s Island, formerly expressed. “JAMES FARRET.”
Witnesses: Thomas Dexter, Richard Walker

A deed was subsequently obtained for the same lands from Pomotork, Mondugh, and other principal Indians to JOHN GOSMER, Edward Howell, Edmund Farrington, George Wells, Edward Needham, Thomas Sayre, Job Sayre, Edmund Halsey, Thomas Halsey, Henry Walton, Daniel Howell, John Cooper, Allen Breed, and William Harker, bearing date December 13, 1640, for the consideration of sixteen coats already received, and also fourscore bushels of Indian corn, to be paid upon lawful demand by the last of September, 1641; and upon further consideration “ that the said English shall defend us the sayed Indians from the injust violence of any Indians that shall illegally assaile us.”
Most of the names mentioned above will be found in the histories of Lynn and other places in the vicinity of Boston. Many of the persons probably came to Boston with Governor Winthrop, some years before their removal to Long Island. They were generally of a superior class, and of greater intelligence than some who came subsequently to other towns, being both respectable in character and education.
Edward Howell was the owner of 500 acres at Lynn, and possessed a large estate here at his death, leaving a family whose posterity are very numerous at this day. This same may be saik of Sayre, Halsey, Cooper, Post, Rogers, White, Rose, Wells, Foster, and Pierson. Daniel Howe was the first lieu. of the artillery company at Lynn in 1637, having been admitted freeman in 1634, and was a representative in 1636 and 37. He removed from this place to Easthampton, where he was associated with the first planters, and finally to New England, where he died.....Capt Howe in 1645 transferred his possession here to John Gosmer for L4, payable in wampum, 2 cows and 10 bushels of barley.....

pp159-160 Rev. Abraham Pierson was the first minister of this town. He graduated at the Unv. of Cambridge, Eng., 1632, and was episcopally ordained at Newark in Eng, and had been a preacher in Yorkshire. He came to Boston in 1639 and joined the church there. He united with those at Lynn who designed a settlement of Long Island, and arrived here as has been seen in 1640....Mr. Pierson remained in this church till the union with CT, in 1644, the consequence of which was the allowing others to vote than church members (called free burgesses). He disproved of this and therefore, with part of his church, removed into the jurisdiction of New Haven and united with the settlers of Branford, CT, the most of whom had come there from Wethersfield and problably for the same reason....The charter of Ct being obtained by Gov. Winthrop in 1662, which included the colony of New Haven and the right of suffrage being allowed to all freeholders, Mr Pierson and his people became dissatisfied and most of them again removed and settled at a place in East New Jersey, puchased in 1666, which they called Newark, after a borough of that name in England, in which their minister had been ordained as aforesaid. He removed there in 1667, thus becoming the first pastor of a third settlement.

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