AREA CAN BOAST PROUDLY OF RICH HISTORIC PAST

Footnotes to Long Island History

AREA CAN BOAST PROUDLY OF RICH HISTORIC PAST

SEPT 29 1966

by

Thomas R. Bayles

This account of the Moriches bay area history is the start of a series of articles which will view the past present and future of the area Mr. Bayles' articles which appears below tells of those who played a part in the beginning of the area later articles will cover those now engage in the current growth of the area and the part these effort will play in its future.

Hasley's Manor was a territory of about 14,000 acres bounded on the north by Peconic River on the west by Brookfield on the south by the Moriches patentship and the east by the Town of Southampton This land was included in the col. William Smith patent of 1697 and was sold by major William Henry Smith to Isaac Halsey of Southampton in 1716. Hasley's Manor was under the political jurisdiction of the Manor of St. George until about the time of the Revolution, when it was annexed to the town of Brookhaven.

South of Hasley's Manor and surrounded by the Manor of St George, except on the east where it joined Southampton Town, was the independent patentship of Moriches. The earliest purchased from the Indians in this section was made by Dr. Henry Taylor and Major Thomas Willets of Flushing and Capt. Thomas Townsend of Oyster Bay when they purchased from the Indian John Mayhew the neck called Watshauge in 1679. This was called Watchogue and contains the eastern section of East Moriches.

The land lying between Terrell's River and Mastic River was taken up by the settler at an early period as early as 1703. Samuel Terrell was in possession of a neck called Warratta, lying on the west side of the river named in his honor. His possession of that land was acknowledged by Col. William Smith, and he appears to have been an active pioneer in the purchased and improvement of land. In 1738 he was admitted by the trustees of the town as a proprietor and tenant in common. The manor of St. George, Brookfield, Hasley's Manor and the Moriches patentship were annexed to the Town of Brookhaven about the time of the Revolution, and in 1797 the trustees ordered that a survey of town and a map should be made by Isaac Hulse who was then clerk of the town.

A large tract of land on the south side, extending east from the Connecticut River to the Mastic River and north to the middle of the island was purchased by Col. William Smith from the Indians in 1691. This also included the Great South Bay the islands in it and the ocean beach and was known as the Manor of St. George. A patent for this immense tract was issued by Gov. Fletcher in 1693, and Col. Smith later purchased most of the land east to the Southampton town line at Eastport for which he received a patent from Gov. Fletcher in 1697

The same year that William Floyd fled to Connecticut his friend and neighbor Judge William Smith of the Manor of St. George, together with his family went to Kingston N.Y. for safety. Before he went however he buried the old patent to the manor of St. George in the ground, which he dug up again after the war. It is difficult to imagine what hardships these and thousands of other refugees endured the seven long years the British were in possession of long island

The Presbyterian church in South Haven was built about 1740, as the early settlers found it too far to go the old church in Setauket. This was the only church on the south side of Brookhaven town for over 50 years and was used as a barracks by the British soldiers during the Revolution. This was used until 1828 when a new church was built which has recently been moved to Brookhaven .

In addition to getting hay on the south side of the town the settlers went there at an early date to go whaling, for the whale oil could be burned in their lamps and the bone used in various ways. An agreement was made with the Unkechaug Indians who had their headquarters at Mastic in 1667, that they should receive five pounds in wampum for every whale washed up on shore. Abraham Dayton and Thomas Bearley sold 18 barrels of whale oil in may 1675 "lying on the south side of the Island at a place called Fire Place," near the mouth of the Connecticut river.

To provide for the remnant of the Unkechaug Indians, which have been known as the Poosepatuck tribe, Col. William Smith in 1700 gave a lease to them to plant and sow 175 acres forever and the annual consideration was "Two eares of Yellow Indian Corne." Their reservation is located at Mastic on the west bank of the Forge River.

One of the important men during the Revolution was Colonel Josiah Smith who was born at East Moriches November 29, 1723, the son of Nathaniel Smith and grandson of Richard(Bull) Smith the founder of Smithtown. When the Revolution broke out he was appointed a Colonel of the Regiment of Minute Men. Early in 1776, the Continental Congress organized four battalions for defense of the New York colony and Josiah Smith, chairman, and the members of the Suffolk County committee wee authorized three companies. Colonel Smith's regiment was the best disciplined and armed on the Island and was active in the Battle of Long Island on August 27, 1776. After the British took over Long Island he went to Connecticut with his family for protection and returned after the war. He died in 1786 and his grave in East Moriches is maintained as a historical landmark by Brookhaven Town.

Among the names of Long Islanders who died in the cause of American independence stands out that of General Nathaniel Woodhull, who became a martyr in the opening days of the Revolution. He was born at Mastic December 30, 1722, and spent his early years on the farm of his father. In 1769 he was chosen as Suffolk County member of the Colonial Assembly and held that office until the Colonial government was dissolved in 1775. He was elected president of the Provincial Congress and held that office until August 1776, when he gave up his post to take an active part in the defense of Long Island. Woodhull's command was captured near Jamaica by the British and he was taken prisoner. An officer ordered him to say "God save the King" and he replied "God save us all" at which the cowardly officer struck him with his sword and wounded him so severely that he died on the 20th of September at the age 54. Wood's history declares; "The capture of General Woodhull deprived the country of the talents, experience and counsels of one of the ablest and most patriotic of her citizens." This native son of Long Island lies buried at Mastic beneath a headstone which reads: "In memory of Gen Nathaniel Woodhull who, wounded and a prisoner, died on the 20th of September 1776 in the 54th year of his age, regretted by all who knew how to value his many private virtues, and that zeal for the rights of his country to which he perished a victim."

Another important man was William Floyd who was born at Mastic December 17, 1734. At an early age he became an officer in the militia and was advanced until he became a major officer in the militia and was advanced until he became a major general. He was elected to a seat in the Continental Congress in 1774 and held it until 1782. He was one of those who urged the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and was one of the signers of that historic document while the British were in possession of Long Island, he was forced to flee to Connecticut with his family for safety. He returned in 1783 and commenced the slow work of rebuilding his state which had suffered much damage at the hands of the British. He died in 1821, and his name will ever hold an honored place in the history of the United States.