FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE FOUNDING OF BROOKHAVEN TOWN

Footnotes to Long Island History

Further Information About The founding Of Brookhaven Town

by

Thomas R. Bayles

The lands of the town which were purchased from the Indians at different times by the early settlers and later held by the fifty-four proprietors in common were in tracts of various sizes and were divided among them as occasion demanded. in some of these shares were made the extra one being held by the town for the purpose of supporting the minister.

The support of the gospel ministry was considered important in those days and provision was accordingly made for it. the first meeting houses were erected and paid for by the town and the first ministers so employed. Purchases of land from the Indians were of land from the Indians were usually made by the proprietors of the town through their authorized representatives and the lands on the north side were divided in long lots extending to middle of the island. The first settlements were made along the north side of the town and it was probably more than fifty years before any settlement was made in the inferior. In the early days of the 18th century tradition tells us that the younger men established homes upon the south end of the long lots of their fathers along the middle country road.

The settlers appeared to have lived on friendly terms with the Indians and were not molested in ant way by them but on the contrary seemed to have lived in almost absolute peace and quiet.

The town placed itself under the protection of Connecticut in 1659 and in 1662 became a part of that colony. This connection was broken off by the conquer of 1664 after which it came under the dukes government with the other towns of Long Island.

In the latter part of the 17t century settlement had been started at mastic, south haven, Bellport and Brookhaven and as it was a long road from mastic to Setauket so far the convenience of the two sections of the town in holding meetings for consideration of questions of common interest a meeting place half way between was chosen at Coram. The first record of a public meeting being held at Coram was the first of January, 1695 for the purpose of considering the question of inviting a minister to the town but it was not until years later that it became the regular meeting place for the town meetings and meetings of all the official boards of the town as well and was so continued until 1885.

Beginning with the original purchase in 1655 and the deed confirming this from Wyandanch, Sachem of Montauk tribe who was also the grand sachem of all the tribes on the island, the proprietors of the town gradually added to their holdings by additional purchases from the Indians. in 1657 two pieces of meadow at Mastic were purchased from Wyandanche and Wenecocheage.

The south side of the town was claimed by and purchased from the unkechaug Indians sometimes called the Patchogue tribe. on the 10th of June 1664 tobaccus, Sachem of Unkechaug sold to the town all.