Town of Babylon 1882 (Town of Babylon History Book, Chapter 19)

  Town of Babylon History Book - A History of the Town of Babylon from 1882 (chapter 19; April 2025)

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A History of the Town of Babylon from 1882

    To celebrate the 200^th anniversary of Suffolk County a book was published by the firm of W.W. Munsell, titled History of Suffolk County, New York, with Illustrations, Portraits, & Sketches of Prominent Families and Individuals. Suffolk County was established in 1683 and the book was published in 1882 ahead of the 200^th anniversary in 1883. A separate chapter for each of the ten Towns in Suffolk County was published in the book.

 Justice James B. Cooper[1] wrote the chapter about the Town of Babylon, one of the first published histories of the Town of Babylon which had existed for just ten-years at the time of publication. The History of Suffolk County was released in the fall of 1882, and was apparently not well-received by all readers. Published in some Long Island newspapers was this comment: “The new ‘history’ of Suffolk Co. has just been issued by W.W. Munsell & Co., of New York. It possesses many excellent features, but in the main does not give very general satisfaction. Its biographical department is particularly deficient, and its omissions are so conspicuous as to cause very general remark and censure. This defect should be remedied in future editions.”[2] No other editions were published.

Justice Cooper addressed some of the negative comments and admitted to the books “imperfections” through various letters to the editor of the South Side Signal.[3] Specifically, some readers criticized a lack of information about the County government, and some had opinions about “prominent citizens” that they thought should have been included in the book.

This early history of the Town of Babylon has been used as the basis for subsequent town history writings. The chapter is transcribed, below. The commentary and notes are offered to help connect the modern reader to the historical information.

Portrait published in the “Brooklyn Daily Eagle,” August 15, 1895.

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BABYLON.

By James B. Cooper.

This town previous to March 13^th 1872 constituted the southern portion of Huntington. The second section of the act creating the town of Babylon reads:

"The town of Babylon shall be bounded as follows: On the north by a line commencing at the boundary line between the towns of Huntington and Oyster Bay, one mile north of the line of the Long Island Railroad, and running thence easterly and parallel with said Long Island Railroad until it reaches a point on the boundary line between the towns of Huntington and Islip one mile north of the Long Island Railroad; on the east by the town of Islip; on the south by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the west by the town of Oyster Bay; the eastern and western boundaries being the lines now established and recognized as the town divisions of the said several towns respectively.”

Territory and Title.

The territory included within these boundaries was formerly occupied by the Massapequa or Marsapeague[4] tribe of Indians.[5] This tribe claimed jurisdiction from the present west line of the town of Oyster Bay eastward to Sumpawams River, now the eastern boundary of Babylon and the western boundary of Islip. About the year 1653 Captain John Underhill, with a considerable body of troops, had a severe battle with this tribe at its principal settlement, in the south part of the town of Oyster Bay, not far from the present residence of William Floyd-Jones. The Indians were completely worsted, and their fort demolished. The place has since been called Fort Neck.

Doubtless few if any dwellings or other buildings were erected in this portion of Huntington previous to the year 1709. The land first purchased on the south side was bought by the settlers on the north shore. They bought the marshy necks of land on the South Bay, which were then and now are covered with an abundant growth of salt sedge and black grass. These lands at that period appear to have been more highly prized by the inhabitants of the town than the uplands. The farmers were in great need of hay with which to feed their domestic animals, and English grasses were but little cultivated on Long Island until about 1800. The early yeomen spent the greater portion of the fall months in cutting, curing and carting the hay from these marshes to their north-side homes. Although these lands are still used for the same purposes, they are regarded as of less value, since farmers have during the present century given more attention to the growing of domestic grasses. The marsh land portion of the town adjoins the northerly and southerly sides of the Great South Bay — that on the north side of the bay being about one mile in width from north to south and extending east and west from the Islip line to the boundary of Oyster Bay. The tract on the south side of the bay adjoins the beach. It extends the whole length of the town, but is only about half a mile in width. These lands are overflowed by every high tide.

It is rather a singular fact that, although more than two centuries have elapsed since the town has been settled-by the white race, and its western limits are only about thirty miles from New York city, more than three quarters of the land in the town remains in an uncultivated state; that portion which is cultivated being on the eastern and northwestern parts and along the southern or post road.

With the exception of the sand dunes which border the Atlantic Ocean, and a narrow ridge of hills known as the Half Way Hollow Hills, the surface of the town is remarkably level.

The center portion, consisting of level plains, up to forty years ago was covered with pine forests. Since railroads have been operated through these pine lands numerous fires have occurred, mostly kindled by sparks from locomotives, causing great destruction to the pine timber, and there are now only found thick tangled scrub oaks and stunted pines. Only a small portion of this kind of land is under a good state of cultivation. The soil is mostly a sandy loam. The land is easily cleared, and is adapted to the growing of grain and root crops, and probably in a few years large tracts will be cleared and cultivated.

A number of the original deeds given by Indian chiefs for land in this town are among the town records of Huntington. One dated June 1^st 1657,[6] between Jonas Wood of Huntington and “Meantaquit [Montaukett] sachem,” witnesses that Wood, for himself and his neighbors of Huntington, “bought five necks of land lying next adjoining to Massapaugs sachem's land,” giving for it “twenty coats, twenty howes, twenty hatchets, twenty knives, ten pounds of powder, ten pounds of lead, and one great cettell [kettle], and one hat, present in hand; and doth further promise to give the above said sachem every year a coat for six years next ensuing.”[7]

A deed dated July 23^d 1657, made between Jonas Wood and Wyandanch, "the sachem of Secotaughe,” conveyed to Wood for himself one half neck of meadow lying “betwixt a river that bounds the necks bought by the inhabitance of Huntington eastward and so to trees that are marked, being next going to Massapeqs sachem's land,” "for and in consideration of one new gun and one pistol and two pounds of powder.” This deed was signed in the presence of John Strickline, John Lion.”[8]

May 12^th 1659 Wyandanch (who was the sachem of Montauk but exercised jurisdiction over all the Indian lands on the island) confirmed the sale last mentioned, speaking of the land as “that half neck from the water along the creek into the highway that headeth it.” The deed of confirmation was signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of David Gardiner, Jeremiah Conklin and Lion Gardiner.[9]

By deed dated August 17^th 1658 the same sachem "sold to Henry Whitney, of Huntington, for the use of the whole town of Huntington, * * * three whole necks of meadow land lying on the southward side of this town, and westerly by the six necks which were bought before;” and sent his “agent Checanoe to deliver upon conditions as followeth: first they shall pay or cause to be paid to me or my assigns these following goods punctually, that is — first, twelve coats, each coat being two yards of tucking cloth, twenty pounds of powder, twenty dutch hatchetts, twenty dutch howes, twenty dutch knives, ten shirts, two hundred of muxes [awl blades], five pairs of handsome stockens, one good dutch hat, and a great fine looking glass; and for Checanoe for his wages and going to mark out the land shall have for himself one coat, seven pounds of powder, six pounds of lead, one dutch hatchet, as also seventeen shillings in wampum.”

The seller acknowledged payment in the following words: "Received this 23^d May 1659 from the inhabitants of Huntington that satisfaction and payment for the meadow I sold last to them, which my man Checkenow marked out for them, which joins to that neck that belongs to Mr. Stikland and Jonas Wood and so goes westward so far as Chakenow hath marked, being purchased in August last, which was 1658.”[10]

By a deed dated July 12^th 1689 "Jeffery, Will Chepie, and Whawacem, Secatogue Indians and proprietors of a neck of land lying on the south side of this island, commonly called Sautepauge, with the consent of Pamequa and Wampas, and the rest of the owners of that neck of upland,” "for the kindness and great love” they had "unto Captain [Epenetus] Platt, Lieutenant Thomas Wicks, Jonathan Rogers sen. [Sr.], Nathaniel Foster and the rest of the owners of the meadow land of that neck aforesaid,” conveyed to them all that "tract or parcel of upland aforesaid from the edge of the fresh meadow southward unto the Indian path, northward as now it is, and from the river eastward that parts Guscomgiraram from the said Santapague unto the river westward that parts Santapague and Naguntepague;” stipulating "that the upland aforesaid may be equally divided unto every English owner of meadow and upland answerable to their proportion of meadow, to the end that the English and Indians may not be trespassers one to the other, but that there may be neighborly love continued between English and Indians. * * * Whereas it is said in the 17 line the upland to be divided according to the proportion of meadow, it was a mistake — the upland is to every man alike according to the intent of the Indians.” [11]

A deed dated July 13^th 1689 "witnesseth that Jeffrey, the Indian living at Secotauke — that being the name that it is commonly called by”— had sold to Robert Kellum of Huntington "eight acres of land at Neguntatague, he having a right there whensover the Indians see cause to sell it. And the said Jeffrey doth engage that the said Robert Kellum shall have this eight acres of upland at the south end of the neck above mentioned where the said Robert Kellum shall see cause to take it in.” This was witnessed by Jonathan Harnott and Elizabeth Whitte. [12]

November 5^th 1689 "Wanchas, Pamequa, Chippas, Will Cheepye, Wawerweeram, Peetawas, chief heads of all ye Sequatauge Indians,” gave a deed to Jonas Wood sen. [Sr.], Captain Thomas Fleet, Isaac Platt and Captain Platt, of Huntington, for "a certain neck of meadow land lying and being on the south side of this island easternmost of all the purchased necks, commonly called or known by the name of Sampawams*, bounded on the south side with the sound [here meaning the Great South Bay], the east with a river or creek, and north with the Indian path that now is the west with a river or creek. We say all the aforesaid neck of meadow land, both fresh and salt, with its upland within the bounds, and wood for sellars, gards and firings above the Indian path, unto the said Jonas Wood sen. [Sr.] and others, their heirs & assigns, and the use of the town of Huntington, for and in consideration of the sum of fower score and ten pounds, in silver or goods at silver prices, all in hand secured before the selling and delivery hereof.” [13] (*Spelled at the present time “Sumpawams,” the neck of land being the site of the part of Babylon village situated south of Prospect street. The "Indian path” crossed the neck of Sampawams about where Prospect street is now located.)

This was signed by the above named Indians with their “marks.” November 13^th 1689 the Secatogue Indians Pumshau, Wamchas, Pamequa, Will Chepie, Coucecukkua and Jeffrey sold to Samuel Ketcham of Huntington, for £10 10s.,[14] "a certain island of meadow and the beach called by them Sucrunkas and "bounded on the east by a certain crick which runs through the said island which we have sold to the said Samuel Ketcham, Nesauaske, which creek is called by us Pascurucks — all the meadows lying westward of Pascurucks of the said Island Screkunkas.'' “And that there may be no mistake of this sale it is to be remembered and noted that the west bounds of the said island is to be recorded where the fishing houses formerly stood.” [15]

A deed dated March 7th 1691, from “Ould Cheepie, Will Cheepy, Massapague Indians,” conveyed to Robert Kellum, of the town of Huntington, "one island or islands of meadow, lying and being on the south side of the island, between the south beach and the south meadows of the town of Huntington, against a parcel of meadow commonly called or known by the name of Half Neck.” Through the island of meadow "aforsaid there runs a small creek, as two islands, but we account it as one island.” [16]

September 25^th 1691[17] Wamcos, Sagamore of the Secatogue Indians, with others of the Secatogues, sold to Epenetus Platt, Richard Brush, Jonas Wood and Thomas Brush, with their associates, all of Huntington, "the upland of a neck of land lying on the south side of this island, called Naqueetatogue. The meadow land of that neck belonging to Justice Platt, Richard Brush, Jonas Wood, Thomas Brush and their associates; but all the upland from the fresh meadow to the Indian path that now is from Sautepague River on the east side to Little Neck River west, with liberty to cut wood or timber for gards or sellars on the north side of the Indian path, the aforsaid Indians, being the true proprietors, do alienate and confirm all of the said land above mentioned on the south side of the Indian path, and what benefit on the north side of the path as is recited.”[18]

By a deed dated November 28^th 1693, "in the fifth year of our Sovereign Lord and Lady, William and Mary,” Sowames, an Indian of Marsapeague, conveyed to John Wood, of Huntington, "a parcel of land lying in the town of Huntington, Copiag Neck, and bounded eastward on the land of Samuel Wood, of the aforesaid town of Huntington, westward upon Tacamackacackee Crick, southward upon the meadows already purchased, northward upon the commons, that is to say, forty rods above the now Indian path.” The deed was acknowledged before John Wicks, one of their Majesties' justices of the peace, July 9^th 1696. [19]

A deed by certain Secatogue sachems to Samuel Wood, dated July 2^nd 1696, recites that the sachems of Montauk and Secatogue in 1657 and 1659 conveyed to “Jonas Wood of Halifax, of the town of Huntington, a half neck of land and meadow lying at the south side, called Copiag Neck, which was bounded northward by the head of Copiag River, east by the creek, and westward by the Marsapeague Sachem's land;” and proceeds to confirm the former conveyance. [20]

Mamome, Sucuctom and Will Chopy, Marsapeague Indians, on the 5^th of May 1697 sold to John Ketcham and Jonas Platt of. Huntington “a certain neck of land lying on the south side of this island, within the bounds of Huntington, called by the Indians Scuraway and by the English Josiah's Neck, * * * from the south meadows, and so running north by the swamp called by the English the West Neck Swamp, to the line of the said swamp upon the brushy plains; then on a straight line upon the brushy plains till it comes against the head of a short swamp joining to the south meadows lying between his neck said and a half neck; then to run from the head of this half neck swamp on a northeast line northeast upon the bushy plains.” [21]

May 11^th 1697 William Chopie, Cungome, and Mamome, Marsapeague Indians, deeded to John Ketcham, James Chichester and Timothy Conklin, sen. [Sr.], of Huntington, for £ 16 7s.[22] “a certain neck of land lying on the south side of this island called West Neck, being the westernmost neck of Huntington bounds, bounded on the east by a river and swamp which parts this said neck and a neck called by the Indians Scuraway, by the English Josiah's Neck, and running northward by the said swamp upon the brushy plains to a cart path which leadeth from Thomas Powell's house to the Great Neck; bounded on the west by a river and a short swamp joining to this neck, and a neck called by the English Latten's Neck, called by the Indians Taukoms, running northward to the head of this short swamp on the west side upon a straight line north to the aforesaid Thomas Powell's cart path, that leadeth from his house to the Great Swamp; and bounded by the said path on the north from the east side to the west.” [23] 

December 2^nd 1697 several Secatogue Indians sold to Joseph Wood, Thomas Fleet and Nathaniel Foster, of Huntington, “a certain neck of land lying on the south side of this island within Huntington 'patten,’ joining to a river that parteth said neck and a neck called Sumpaumes; this river is called by the Indians Waraskcumuncake [now Carll's River, upon which the paper mill is situated]. The said neck is called by the English Easternmost East Neck, or commonly known by the name of Captain Fleet's Neck, and by the Indians Arasccascagge, and is bounded on the west by a swamp that parteth the other east neck and this said neck; all this said neck from the edge of the meadow to the head of the swamp that parteth these two east necks, and to run on a straight line east across this said neck to the great river that parteth this neck and a neck called Sampaumes.” [24] 

Certain Marsapeague Indians on the 4^th of May 1698 sold to the town of Huntington: “All that parcel or tract of land and beach, the beach bounded by the west side of Marsapeague Gut and running westward to the patent line, the upland being bounded as followeth: On the north by our south bounds that were formerly marked out by Suammee, bounded on the west by Thomas Powell's line to the head of Marsapeague east branch, so running eastward to the head of Rugua Swamp, and so running eastward to the land on the west neck bought of John Ketcham and James Chichester of the aforesaid Sewamas, and so running eastward by the said John Ketcham's and Jonas Platt's lands, running by their east line till coming within 40 rods of the Indian path, on the west side of the Great Neck, and running eastward by the land already purchased on the aforesaid neck, and so stretching eastward to the meadow of Copiague; bounded on the south by John Wood's land; so stretching northward to the south path by the single pine, and so bounds on the east side by the south path till it comes to our south bounds laid out by Suammee.” [25]

By a deed dated May 13^th 1698 the Indians Pameanes and Charles Pamequa sold to Epenetus Platt, Jonas Wood and John Brush, in behalf of them and their associates of the town of Huntington, "all that neck or part of upland situate and lying on the south side of this island commonly called by the English East Neck, by the Indians Causcuncruarau, being bounded as follows: On the west with the middle of Sautapogue Swamp, so running northward to the head of said swamp; so running east to the north corner of Thomas Fleet's and Joseph Wood's lyne; so running southward to their west lyne to the meadows already purchased.” [26]

December 16^th 1699 the Secatogue Indians within the bounds of Huntington sold to that town land “bounded by marked- trees between the Indians and the inhabitants of Huntington, east according to the bounds set forth on the patent of the said town, south by the purchased necks and west by the south path that leads to Copiague.” [27]

July 2^nd 1700 the town trustees bought of the Secatogues “all that certain tract of land situated on a certain neck * * * called Sautapauge, * * * bounded north by a straight line running from the head of Sautapague Swamp to a great pond at the head of the East Neck Swamp; east and west by the main rivers called Sautepague and Neguntatague rivers, and south by the former purchase.”[28]

April 14^th 1702 the town trustees bought "all that certain tract of land situated, lying and being on a certain neck on the south side of the island of Nassau commonly called Sampaumes* * * * bounded on the west side by the middle of a river or creek, on the east side by our patent line, on the south by our former purchase, on the north by the heads of the said swamps."* (*This deed conveyed all the land on Sumpawams Creek north of Prospect street in the village of Babylon and south of the Long Island Railroad. It is difficult at the present day to fix the exact northern boundary of the tract described.)[29]

A deed dated May 20^th 1702 conveyed from Wamcaus, Will Harnot, Chopous, Pompat, Charles Pamescau, Mumsuaram, Wanascut, Beames, Joseph Chopous, Wa Wharam and Aromskis, Indians of Secatogue, to the town of Huntingdon “all that certain tract of land lying and bounded northward of a former purchase by the cart path that goes down to Sumpaumes, southward by a red oak tree, so running westerly to a white oak tree by a pond, so running southwest to a single white oak tree upon the plains, to the south path.” [30]

November 17^th 1703 Wheamcaues, sachem of Secatogue, Chepous and Nepaunneck deeded to Joseph Wood, "living on the East Neck at South, his heirs and assigns, a certain piece or tract of land situate, lying and being upon the south side of this island Nassau, upon a neck called East Neck, bounded on the south by the said Joseph Wood's former purchase, on the east by the great river, on the north by the head of the branch of said river on the plains near the highway or cart path, on the west by said highway or cart path.” [31]

Several Secatogue Indians on the 27^th of October 1705[32] sold to the town of Huntington all their "right of unpurchased land “within the patent bounds of the town “except a certain piece of land from the head of the Lattens Neck Swamp to the Indian path that goes across said neck. All our right of unpurchased land within the foresaid patent bounds followeth: On the south with this aforementioned piece of land and joining to Joseph Wood's line upon the East Neck, and by the land already purchased by the trustees of said town of Huntington on the north, and by the patent line on the east; on the west by a cart path leading from Copiague to town.” [33]

October 29^th 1705 the Indian proprietors sold to the town of Huntington a certain beach lying on the south side of the island, bounded on the east by the patent line; on the west "by our former purchase on the west side of Massapague Gut"; on the south by the sea, and on the north by the Great South Bay. [34]

By deed dated November 20^th 1705 the native proprietors conveyed to the town of Huntington a tract on the south side of the island upon a neck called Naguntatogue; “bounded on the south side by land lying above the meadows purchased by the town of Huntington aforesaid; bounded on the north by the heads of the two swamps and the last land purchased by the town of Huntington; bounded on the east by the river that parteth this said neck and the little neck; to them as tenants in common, without any pretense of joint tenancy or survivorship; always providing * * * that it shall be lawful for the said Indians to hunt on ye said land.” [35]

A portion of the Bethpage purchase is situated in the town of Babylon, but the larger part is in the town of Oyster Bay in Queens county.[36] The original deed is in the possession of John C. Merrit of Farmingdale, L. I., and is dated 18^th day of 8^th month 1695. It was given by Maumo (alias Sowoncams) and William Choppy, Soar-ranking and Wamussau, Indian proprietors, to Thomas Powell sen. [Sr.] The easterly line of this purchase runs very near the house now owned and occupied by Phineas Seaman. On the east of the Bethpage purchase is the territory included in the Baiting Place purchase the eastern boundary of which is the Neguntatogue road; and on the east of the Baiting Place purchase is situated the Squaw Pit purchase, extending eastward to Sumpawams River.

Revolutionary Characters.

At the time of the American Revolution but few persons had settled in the limits of the present town. Colonel Platt Conklin at that time owned a large and valuable farm at Half Way Hollow Hills, and also a tract of considerable size at West Neck, now Amityville.[37] Thomas Fleet was also considered a large farmer and landed proprietor. His farm was upon the south main road. During the occupation of the island by the British troops Mr. F. was forced to furnish large quantities of hay and grain for the soldiers and horses belonging to Colonel Thompson's dragoons (the Queen's Rangers) and other corps. Foraging parties frequently came from the British quarters at Huntington to procure supplies from the farms on the south side.

Flouring mills and mills for fulling cloth had been erected on some of the streams in this town several years before this period.

While it is probable that several residents of what is now the town of Babylon served in the American army during the war of independence, it is impossible at this late day to obtain their names. The town however has been honored by having been the home of two well known individuals who participated in that eventful conflict.

Colonel Abraham Skinner a distinguished lawyer and Revolutionary patriot, resided in Babylon from about 1808 to his death, which occurred here in 1826.[38] He was born in New York, June 6^th 1753. His family occupied a high social position and were related to the Van Cortlandts, De Peysters and De Lanceys. At the early age of 20 he married Miss Catherine Foster of Jamaica. When the Revolutionary struggle began Skinner was a young lawyer, engaged in the practice of his profession in New York city. Although only about 23 years of age he appears to have been on terms of intimacy with and to have won the confidence of General Nathaniel Greene when the latter was in command of the continental forces at Brooklyn, just previous to the battle there. Thompson in his history of Long Island says that Skinner was a zealous and active Whig in the Revolution, and was honored with the confidence of Washington, by whom he was appointed a deputy commissary of prisoners; and that as a lawyer he was distinguished for his talents and eloquence.[39] In the winter of 1781 he carried on a correspondence with Mr. Sproat, the British commissary of prisoners at New York, relating to the sad condition of American prisoners confined in the various ships in New York harbor.[40] In Washington's campaign in the Jerseys Skinner held the rank of captain, and acted in some capacity requiring him to be near the commander in chief. At the close of the war he was promoted to the rank of colonel. At the bar of Suffolk county he had no superior as an orator. In politics he was a staunch Federalist. He was twice married, but left no children. His remains are laid in the Episcopal church yard at Jamaica.[41]

Captain Joel Cook, a native of Wallingford, Conn., was born October 12^th 1760, and died at Babylon, December 8^th 1851. When the war of independence began he was about 16 years of age. He applied for admission into one of the companies then being raised in Connecticut, but being small of stature, even for his age, he was considered unfit for duty. An officer however offered to take him as a waiter, and he accepted. A year later he enlisted as a private soldier, and continued to bear arms until the close of the war, participating in most of the important battles of that memorable struggle for freedom. On the breaking out of hostilities between this country and Great Britain in 1812 Captain Cook was residing at New Haven, Conn. He raised a company at that place and fought in several severe battles with the English and Indians, He was engaged in the battle of Tippecanoe, in which the great Indian chief Tecumseh was killed; and was present at the inglorious surrender of General Hull at Detroit, where he became a prisoner of war. After being taken into Canada and detained some time he was exchanged and returned to the service. In 1814 he was appointed an inspector of customs at New Haven. After the war he removed to Ohio, and for a time resided at Chilicothe, and in 1818 was entered on the pension list of the Ohio agency, as a private late of the army of the Revolution. In 1824 his name was transferred to the roll of the New York agency. Captain Cook in 1840 resided at Yonkers, Westchester county, N. Y., and at the Fourth of July celebration held at that place that year he was entertained at a public dinner and presented with a gold medal. The presentation speech was made by W. W. Schrughan, afterward a judge of the supreme court. The following are the inscriptions on the medal: “Presented to Capt. Joel Cook by the citizens of Yonkers, in honor of his patriotic services in defense of liberty, July 4, 1840. At the battles of Danbury, White Plains, Trenton, Stony Point, Springfield and Tippecanoe.”[42]

Another Revolutionary soldier who lived and died in this town was David Smith.[43] He was a native of the old town of Huntington (or of Southampton), L. I., and served nearly the whole period of the war. A part of this time, in consequence of ill health, he was engaged in making and repairing the clothing of the soldiers.

While nearly the entire population of this section was favorable to the cause of independence there were a few who refused to aid in what they termed a rebellion against the constituted government. Among this small minority was one Arthur Dingee. He owned a large tract of land, a part of which is situated in the present village of Babylon. The tract lay on both sides of the Sumpawams road, and extended from the present Railroad avenue as far north as the nursery of Prince H. Foster.[44] Mr. Dingee appears to have been a decided tory. He fled to St. Johns, Nova Scotia, in August 1783. His name however does not appear in Sabine's “Sketches of American Loyalists,'' About four months previous to his departure he executed to his son Selah a warranty deed for all his real estate before mentioned, and also a bill of sale of all his personal property. The deed is dated March 31^st 1783, and is witnessed by Amos Baldwin and Ruth Van Cott. It was proved December 5^th 1791 before Caleb Smith, judge, and is recorded in the Suffolk county clerk's office, liber C, page 219. In August 1787 Mr. Dingee's wife and daughter left Long Island to join him in Nova Scotia. Those were the times which tried the souls of royalists, as the years immediately preceding had tried the souls of patriots. Doubtless Mr. Dingee, in opposing the cause of American independence, acted from a sense of duty, and had the attempted Revolution failed probably he would have been rewarded and honored.

There were others in the town who held the same opinions as Mr. Dingee, but he was the only one who suffered banishment. Selah Dingee, the son of Arthur, died February 26^th 1791, and the father returned in the following year to his home. About eight years had been spent in exile, and probably the feeling' of hostility to the loyalists in that time had softened to such a degree that Mr. Dingee could dwell at his old home on terms of friendship with his neighbors. The deed above mentioned was doubtless given to prevent a confiscation of the property described therein, which afterward became the property of Isaac Seaman, who married the daughter of Selah Dingee.

The War of 1812.

Among the citizens of this town who rendered military service to their country during the war of 1812 may be mentioned the following: Richard Dingee, captain, at Sag Harbor; Silas Tooker, at Sag Harbor and Brooklyn; John Tooker, Daniel Sammis, Israel Sammis, Jesse Sammis and Jesse Abbott, at Sag Harbor; Jesse Whitman, on the frontier, in the United States army; Silas Cooper, in the privateer and naval service.

The following entered the service as inhabitants of other localities, but afterward became residents of this town: Alanson Seaman, ensign, served at Brooklyn; Lawrence Seaman jr., Thomas Rhodes, Platt Frost, Thomas Hendrickson, John Brower and Peter Brower, at Brooklyn; Henry Sands, at Brooklyn and Sag Harbor; Henry Ferris, of Greenwich, Conn., drummer boy U. S. Army; was at the battle of Little York, Canada.

Edward Dodd was lieutenant of the privateer "Governor Tompkins.” He was a native of Hartford, Conn., but resided in Babylon many years previous to his death there, July 17^th, 1843. He rendered important service and is honorably mentioned in Cooper's Naval History. The “Governor Tompkins “was one of the best sailers in the privateer service, and did great damage to the commerce of the enemy. She took a valuable prize, and Lieutenant Dodd, being placed on board the same as prize master, brought the prize into New York, but the "Governor Tompkins” was never heard of more. It is supposed that in a gale which prevailed soon after the capture of the prize vessel the guns of the privateer shifted and she went under.

During this war the south coast of the island was in a very exposed condition. British men-of-war daily cruised from Sandy Hook to Montauk in sight of the shore, capturing small coasting vessels and occasionally landing and carrying away supplies. The inhabitants upon this as well as other parts of the coast were frequently alarmed by the reports which prevailed of the landing of troops from the British ships. On one occasion of this kind the militia of this town were called out, but the alarm, like many others, proved groundless. A new schooner, owned by Benjamin Rushmore and Simon W. Cooper and called the “Fair Trader,” in charge of Capt. Richard Jackson and loaded with a valuable cargo, was captured near New Inlet, by a party sent in a barge from one of Admiral Cockburn's ships. Some years later the “Fair Trader” was seen in the harbor of Halifax, N. S., where she was owned.

A horse express at this time was run on the south side of the island from New York to Sag Harbor. The soldiers who performed this duty were called videttes. Each vidette was directed to ride from one station to another, a distance of ten miles, in an hour, and deliver his mail to another vidette mounted and waiting. The relay house for this service was at Zebulon Ketcham's, about half a mile east of Amityville.

In the month of July 1814 the village of Babylon and vicinity were one day thrown into a state of high excitement by the appearance in Sumpawams Creek of a whaleboat loaded with armed men in uniform.[45] It proved to be Captain David Porter and ten of his sailors, who had survived the hard-fought and sanguinary battle of Valparaiso. The singular circumstance of their sudden advent is worthy of mention. In the latter part of March 1814 two American naval vessels, the “Essex “and the “Essex jr.,” under the command of Captain Porter, lay in a disabled condition in the neutral port of Valparaiso. According to the laws of nations they were safe from attack. But in the afternoon of March 28^th 1814 the American ships were suddenly and unexpectedly fired upon by two large and well armed British ships. After making a brave resistance for several hours Captain Porter was obliged to surrender. Of 225 brave men who went into the fight 55 were killed, 66 were wounded and 31 missing. Only 75 effective men remained. By an arrangement with the British Captain Hillyard the “Essex jr.” was made a “cartel,” and in this vessel Captain Porter and his surviving companions sailed for New York. After a voyage of about 73 days they arrived on the south coast of Long Island, and on the morning of July 5^th 1814 fell in with H. B. M. ship “Saturn,” Captain Nash, who examined the papers of the “Essex jr.,” treated Captain Porter with great civility, furnished him with late newspapers, sent him a basket of fruit and made him an offer of kindly services. The boarding officer endorsed the papers and permitted the ship to proceed. But in a couple of hours afterward the "Essex jr.” was again brought to, the papers re-examined and the ship searched. It was then stated that Captain Hillyard had no authority to make the arrangement. Captain Porter, regarding this treatment as a violation of all honorable rules of warfare, and finding that he was about to be made a prisoner, determined to escape from his base captor. The next morning about 7 a boat was lowered, manned, armed and provisioned. In this boat Captain Porter, with about 10 men, pulled off, but he was soon discovered and pursued by the "Saturn,” which was favored by a fresh breeze that sprung up about the same time. Fortunately however for the Americans a fog then set in, concealing them, and changing the course of their little craft they were soon out of danger from their pursuers. After rowing and sailing about 60 miles, Captain Porter with much difficulty succeeded in entering Fire Island Inlet. Here he was found by James Montfort, who piloted him up Sumpawams Creek. When he stepped from the boat Stephen B. Nichols told him that he doubted his being an American naval officer, and intimated that he might be from the other side. "Then, my good friend,” said the captain jocosely, “I will surrender to you; “at the same time handing Nichols an iron cutlass. When they reached the center of the village, in front of Rushmore's store, which then stood where Guilick's drug store is now situated, a large and excited crowd gathered. The story of Captain Porter appeared so extraordinary that few were inclined to believe it. Of course nothing had been published respecting a naval battle at Valparaiso, no vessel having reached the United States with an account of the same. Mr. Rushmore informed Captain Porter that his neighbors still believed him to be a British officer in disguise. Upon this he pulled out his commission, which he fortunately had with him. Then all doubts were dispelled and he was treated by the villagers with the greatest hospitality. The best carriage and horses that could be had were soon ready and at his disposal. The whaleboat was lashed upon a farm wagon and into the boat sprang the brave tars. In this manner the party was conveyed to the Brooklyn navy yard. Singular as it may seem in these days, when news is flashed in a few seconds all over the globe, Captain Porter brought the first information of his fight at Valparaiso.

Captain Nash, finding that the commander of the “Essex jr.” had escaped, permitted the latter vessel to continue her voyage to New York.

Desertions from British war vessels then cruising along this coast were not infrequent. Several of the deserters became residents of this locality. One of them, Thomas H. Deverell, taught the public school in this village in 1816, 1817 or 1818. He had been a lieutenant in the British navy and had done duty on board the “Endymion.” From this ship he deserted and landed on Montauk Point. The story he told was this: One evening, in the commander's cabin, the officers were playing cards and drinking wine. A dispute, such as frequently arises on such occasions, occurred, and Deverell, losing control of his temper, struck his commander. The latter was notorious for his vindictiveness and severity. To avoid serious punishment, perhaps death, by the advice of his fellow officers Deverell determined to escape. By the aid of friends he managed to leave the ship in a small boat, and landed on Long Island. He married, and spent the greater part of his life at Patchogue, and died at Port Jefferson about 1860. He was a man of education, and his manners and conversation were those of a gentleman. Respecting his personal history he was usually remarkably reticent. It is said, however, that to a very intimate friend not long before his death he stated that he was a natural son of a certain duke. His story was generally believed, for he was a man not given to romancing.

Another of these runaways, calling himself William Ingraham, lived many years in this town. His account of his escape was that he was a common sailor on board the "Saturn.” A number of the sailors, including himself, had often been most cruelly flogged, and had sworn to desert at the first favorable opportunity. A safe time soon came. A boat was made ready and the men were selected for the crew, for the purpose of capturing an American vessel loaded with provisions. When the vessel appeared a barge was sent in charge of a lieutenant to take her. It happened that nearly every sailor in the barge had been flogged, and naturally meditated revenge. At a convenient distance from the ship, on a given signal, the lieutenant was seized and bound. He threatened, protested, and begged, but to no purpose. The mutineers rowed the boat to Staten Island or the New Jersey shore, where there was an encampment of United States troops. The sea at the time was quite rough, and in coming through the breakers the boat was upset and the officer, being bound, was drowned.

Ingraham always said that none of the party intended to cause the officer's death, but that it was impossible to save him. The deserters were kindly received by the Americans, and Ingraham soon after came to Babylon. He was often heard to say that he could never set foot on English soil, and for that deprivation he cared little provided he could see his old mother before he died; but in that particular he was never to be gratified.

Walter Cochran, an Irishman, also took leg bail from the English naval service. He came on shore as waiter to an officer, and stood not on the order of his going but went at once.

A native of the town, Oakley Smith, had the misfortune to be taken prisoner by the British and to be confined in the famous prison at Dartmoor, England. He shipped as a sailor on board an American schooner, which proved to be engaged in furnishing the enemy with provisions. While lying alongside of an English ship he was arrested and sent to Dartmoor prison, where he was confined about a year. It is supposed that he was seized at the request of the master of the American craft, who, being engaged in a contraband trade, was afraid Smith would give information against him.

Shipwrecks.[46]

Although shipwrecks on the south coast of Long Island have for centuries been of frequent occurrence, they are fewer now than formerly, particularly in this locality. The erection of light-houses, and the careful surveys made and excellent charts published by the national government, have proved of great service to mariners in enabling them to avoid the dangers of this shore.

One of the most destructive wrecks occurred within the limits of this town in the night of Sunday October 27^th 1822. We copy some newspaper reports. An item from the Long Island Star of November 7^th 1822 reads as follows: "In the gale of Sunday night, the 27^th ult., a large ship came on shore near Babylon, L.I., and went entirely to pieces, and every soul on board is supposed to have perished. Eleven bodies have come on shore. The ship is ascertained to have been the “Savannah,” Captain Coles, from Liverpool to New York. The cargo of coals and crates of goods is mostly lost. Captain Coles we are informed left a family residing on Long Island.” [47]

From the Long Island Star (Brooklyn) November 14^th 1822: “The body of Captain Joseph Coles of the ship “Savannah,” of this port, which was cast away on the south side of Long Island on or about the 27^th of October, has been recognized by his family from among the eleven bodies that were driven ashore. The remains have been carried to Mosquetah Cove [Glen Cove], L. I., the captain's late residence.” [48]

New York Daily Advertiser: “The ship had on board a large sum of gold and silver money, which was in the captain's trunk. This came ashore on a part of the wreck, but the action of the waves broke open the trunk and the coin was scattered on the beach. In this condition it was found by a man named Smith Muncy, who was first and alone at the wreck at daylight on Monday morning. It was a sad sight. The ship had gone to pieces, and the dead bodies, together with the debris, lay strewn along the strand. Had Mr. Muncy been so disposed he could have secreted the treasure and appropriated the whole of it to his own use, for no human eye was upon him. But he was an honest man and delivered every dollar of the money to the wreck master.”[49]

The “Savannah “was the first ship propelled across the Atlantic Ocean by means of steam power. The expected event was announced in the London Times of May 11^th 1819 as follows: "Great Experiment. — A new steam vessel of 300 tons has been built at New York for the express purpose of carrying passengers across the Atlantic. She is to come to Liverpool direct.” This steamer was built at New York city, by Francis Fickett, for Daniel Dodd. Her engines were made by Stephen Vail at Morristown, N. J. She was launched on the 22^nd of August 1818. She could carry only 75 tons of coal and 25 cords of wood; was commanded by Captain Moses Rogers and navigated by Stephen Rogers, both of New London, Conn. She sailed from Savannah, Georgia, May 25^th 1819, bound for St. Petersburg via Liverpool, and reached the latter port on the 20^th of June. The voyage to Liverpool was made in 26 days, steam being used 18 days. For further particulars of this remarkable voyage the reader is referred to Harper's Monthly Magazine of February 1877.[50] The "Savannah “was afterward commanded by Captain N. Holdredge, when her steam machinery was taken out, and she was converted into an ordinary sailing vessel; In this condition, while in charge of Captain Coles, she was wrecked.

The brig “Voltaire” and the ship “Sullivan”[51] were also wrecked upon this shore. The brig “Brilliant,”[52] Captain Webber, met the same fate. This vessel struck on Cedar Island Beach, in this town, and the officers and crew, being in imminent danger, were landed in a small boat from the wreck by a fisherman named Ezra Sammis. A rather romantic incident in connection with this wreck deserves mention: Some years after the occurrence above mentioned John Webber, a son of the captain, married a daughter of Mr. Sammis at his home in Babylon. At the wedding Captain Webber, on being introduced to the bride's father, remarked that they had met before; but Mr. Sammis had no recollection of ever having seen the veteran mariner. Captain Webber reminded him of the circumstance of the wreck, and remarked that on that occasion he was in such peril and so glad to see his rescuer that it was not easy to forget his countenance. The next day the captain was shown a small building used as a schoolhouse, which he recognized as the former cabin of the brig “Brilliant.”[53]

Steam Navigation.

The Great South Bay is admirably adapted for vessels of light draught. This sheet of water is land-locked and, although quite shoal in the greater part of it, has a number of channels of sufficient depth to permit the use of small sailing craft and steamboats. About the year 1830 a gentleman from New York brought into the bay a tiny steamer, shaped something like a Brooklyn ferryboat, and attempted to use it for pleasure purposes; but owing to the weakness of the machinery the boat proved a failure. About 20 years later John D. Johnson, of Islip, used a steam yacht named the “Bonita.” Although not of large dimensions she was well built and properly equipped. [In 1859] D. S. S. Sammis, proprietor of the Surf Hotel, Fire Island, chartered this boat and began making regular trips between that place and Babylon.[54] This was the first successful attempt to establish a ferry across the bay.

Some years later Charles A. Chesebrough, of New York city, furnished a handsome steamer belonging to him, which for some time carried passengers between Islip and Fire Island.

About 1859 D. S. S. Sammis and Henry Southard purchased a steamer called the “Wave,” which for one season plied between Babylon and the Surf Hotel dock. [55] Mr. Southard having disposed of his interest in the “Wave,” Mr. Sammis obtained from the Legislature an act authorizing him to establish and maintain a steam ferry between his hotel and Babylon, and in accordance with the provisions of that act regular communication has since been maintained during the summer months.

In the Civil War.

When the war of the late Rebellion began a number of the young men of this town were early in the field. The first who entered the service enlisted in the corps known as “Berdan's sharpshooters,” a regiment of riflemen. Erastus Tooker of this regiment lost a finger and received a ball in the leg. Henry Smith, John Bailey, John Courtney, George Whitney, John Suydam, Ezra Soper and Edward Barto, were members of this regiment, which took part in several of the principal battles in Virginia.

In the Harris light cavalry were Nelson H. Southard and Augustus Ketcham. The former was taken prisoner and died at Andersonville, Georgia.

Micah Cooper, Henry and Miles Oakley, John Sammis, William Brewer, Oliver Carpenter (colored), and Jacob Jarvis (colored) entered the naval service from Babylon.

In the 56th regiment N. Y. volunteers were Henry Miller and George Smalling, the latter of whom was shot and taken prisoner, and died.

In the 127th regiment New York volunteers Company I contained the following sergeants from Babylon: Harvey Doolittle, 1^st; Samuel A. Miller, 2^nd; Medad Smith, 3^d; William Southard, 4^th; George E. Jayne, 5^th. Also the following corporals: 1^st, James Bostwick; 2^nd, Alfred C. Tillottson; 3^d, Charles E. Pitts; 6^th, William H. Smith; 7^th, John E. Albin; 8^th, Thomas B. Ketcham. Wagoner Henry H. Suydam was from Babylon, as were privates Jeremiah Albin, John E. Arnold, George Box, George G. Brown, John Brown, George W. Conklin, John Davis, Edward Davis, Emery Frost, Lewis Furman, John E. Jarvis, James H. Leek, George F. Mott, Jesse Muncy, John Oakley, George Price, William Seaman, Jacob Seaman, Joshua Smalling, Joel B. Smith, John A. Sammis, Floyd Tooker, Henry Van Cott, George S. Weeks and Joseph C. Wright.

The 127^th regiment was commanded by Colonel William Guerney. Only those who were residents of this town are given in the above list. Emery Frost, named above, had but one arm when he enlisted. He was a brave fellow and died in the service.

Life-Saving Service.

Upon that part of the south coast of Long Island embraced within the boundaries of this town are located two life-saving stations. No. 27 [56] is situated nearly south of Amityville, and is under the charge of Francis E. Weeks; and No. 26[57], south of Babylon, is in charge of keeper Henry Oakley. The men go on duty at the station house on the first of September and remain until May 1^st. They are thoroughly drilled in the duties of their calling.

Town Officers.[58]

The officers of the town have been as follows:

Supervisors. — Elbert Carll, John E. Ireland, Charles T. Duryea, Stephen A. Titus.

Town Clerks. — J. James Robbins, Woodhull Skidmore, Daniel J. Runyon, Frederick P. Conklin.[59]

Justices of the Peace. — John D. Capen, William Gaukler, David Larned, John R. Walker, Ferdinand Beschott, James B. Cooper, Warren D. Lewis, George W. Conklin, Charles Wagner, John M. Butler. [60]

The Dominican Convent.[61]

This building, situated about two miles north of Amityville, is an imposing structure, costing $256,000. It is built of brick and stone, and forms a parallelogram 176 feet in front and 183 feet deep. The north portion is the church and pastor's apartments.

The tract of land upon which this edifice stands contains about sixty acres, and was in 1876 deeded by Adam Schlegel to the orphanage and hospital of Trinity Church (R. C), Montrose avenue, Brooklyn, E. D., both of those institutions being in charge of the Sisters of St. Dominick. The corner stone was laid May 8^th 1878, and the dedication took place March 3d 1879, with appropriate ceremonies by Rev. M. May, V. G., of Brooklyn. In the Court surrounded by the four sections of this structure is a beautiful garden with a fountain.

The land adjacent to the convent is devoted to the growing of produce used by the inmates. On the premises are a large barn, a wind-mill for raising water, and other buildings. Four horses and a number of cows are kept on the farm.

The Sisters of St. Dominic are a community numbering about two hundred. Many of them become disabled or need rest from their labors in the city, and are sent to this convent to receive the benefit of the invigorating air of the vicinity. A bath house on the shore of the South Bay adds to the comfort and health of the occupants of the building. The entire number of inmates, including priests, sisters, orphans and old people, is about two hundred.

The house is divided as follows: 1^st, Church of the Rosary; 2^nd, parsonage and hall; 3^d, convent; 4^th, novitiate; 5^th, orphanage; 6^th, apartments for the aged.

The institution is under the charge of Rev. Father P. Schwarz [Peter Schwarz].[62]

BABYLON VILLAGE.

There are now three villages of considerable population in the township — Babylon, Breslau and Amityville, neither of which is incorporated.[63] The first named is the oldest and largest, and is situated in the southeast portion of the town on Sumpawams Neck.[64]

The name Babylon is said to have first been given to this locality by Mrs. Conklin,[65] the mother of Nathaniel Conklin, on the occasion of the erection of a dwelling house formerly situated on the site of Guilick's drug store, at the [northeast] corner of Main street and Deer Park avenue. A tablet was placed in the chimney front of this house inscribed as follows: “New Babylon. — This house built by Nat. Conklin, 1803.”[66]

As early as 1770 a few houses had been erected and several farms were under cultivation in this locality; but the number was not sufficient to entitle the place to be regarded as a hamlet or village, or even to be designated by a name.[67]

Probably the first house erected on the site of the village was the Heartte house, built about 1760.[68] It stood upon the premises now owned and occupied by Mr. Post, on Main street.[69] The Heartte family owned large possessions of Sumpawams Neck.[70] At the period of the Revolution Nehemiah Heartte was the owner of the premises. One of his sons, Philip Heartte, removed to Troy, N. Y., and a son of the latter, Jonas C. Heartte, was mayor of that city.[71]

About the beginning of the present century Abraham G. Thompson, afterward a distinguished merchant of New York city, kept a store upon the site where the brick store of Dowden Brothers is now situated [southeast corner of East Main Street and Fire Island Avenue]. There were then a flouring-mill and a saw-mill upon Sumpawams Brook[72], and similar establishments upon the stream where the paper-mill now stands.[73]

Jesse Smith, the grandfather of S. C. Smith [Selah Carll Smith], the present proprietor of the Watson House, was the owner and keeper of a tavern now known as the American House, situated at the [northwest] corner of Main street and Deer Park avenue. Mr. Smith also owned a considerable tract of land in this vicinity. He afterward conveyed the property to Nathaniel Conklin, who some years later sold the same with other lands to Benjamin Rushmore and Simon W. Cooper, and they made a division of the same by quit-claim deeds to each other. As the deed from Conklin to Rushmore and Cooper affects the title to many lots in Babylon village an abstract of it is here inserted.

Nathaniel Conklin, to Simon W. Cooper and Benjamin Rushmore.

}

Warranty Deed. Dated May 9 1815. Recorded in the county clerk's office of Suffolk county in Liber D of deeds, page 423, on the 28th day of February 1816, Charles H. Havens clerk.

All those several parcels or tracts of cleared and timber land in Huntington aforesaid, on a neck at the south side called Sumpawams.

The first piece situated on the north side of the highway or country road, and the west side of the highway leading up said neck, and bounded southerly and easterly by said highways, northerly by land of Edward Dodd in part and partly by land of Timothy Carll, and westerly by land of said Timothy Carll.

The second piece, being a triangular one, situated on the south side of said highway or country road and the west side of the highway leading down said neck, and bounded northerly and easterly by said highways and westerly by land of Timothy Carll aforesaid.

The third piece situated on the south side of said highway or country road and the east side of the highway which leads down said neck, and bounded northerly and westerly by said highways and southerly and easterly by land sold by Nathaniel Conklin aforesaid to Thomas Gould.

The fourth piece situated on the north side of said country road or highway and the east side of the highway leading up said neck, bounded westerly by the highway last mentioned in part, partly by land of Jordan Taylor and partly by land of the heirs of David Smith; easterly by land of Nathaniel Conklin in part and partly by land sold by said Conklin to Thomas Gould; and southerly by land of said Nathaniel Conklin in part, partly by land sold by said Conklin to Thomas Gould, partly by land reserved for the school-house, the church and the burying-ground, and partly by said country road or highway.

Containing in the first piece by estimation 2 acres, three-quarters and 22 rods; in the second, 1 acre, three-quarters and 24 rods; in the third, 2 acres; in the fourth, 69 acres, three-quarters and 37 rods. And in the whole, 76 acres, one-quarter and 3 square rods, be the same more or less.

Acknowledged before Abraham Skinner, master in chancery, February 7^th 1816.

There are no educational institutions in the town other than the public schools,[74] seven in number, and two private day and boarding schools, conducted respectively by Miss Gannon[75] and Mrs. James B. Cooper [Gloriana Rice Cooper],[76] both of which are located in the village of Babylon.

Churches of Babylon Village.

First Presbyterian.[77] — The history of this church extends over a period of 150 years. It was first organized as “The First Presbyterian Church of Islip and Huntington South.” In 1859 the title was changed to "The Presbyterian Church of Huntington South,” in consequence of the withdrawal of a large number of members who resided at Islip and the erection at that place of a new edifice. In 1870 the name was changed to the "First Presbyterian Church of Babylon, Long Island.”

The first building erected for this church was completed about 1730. Its site, as near as can be ascertained, was in the western part of the town of Islip, on the premises of C. Du Bois Wagstaff, about three rods east of the walnut tree which marks the southeast corner of the land of E. B. Sutton.[78] It was a small and plain frame structure, and was only occasionally occupied, as the neighborhood at that period was not populous. In 1778 it was demolished by the British military authorities and the greater part of its material taken to Hempstead for the purpose of constructing barracks for the soldiers then stationed at that place.

At the close of the war, November 4^th 1783, the site near which the present church structure stands was obtained, and soon afterward a new edifice was completed. This building was of wood, two stories high, the frame being of the very best large oak timber, most of which was hewed. The interior, excepting the pulpit, was devoid of paint or ornament. The pulpit was narrow, very high, and painted blue or lead color. A wide gallery extended around on every side except the north, where was placed the pulpit. When the minister was seated he could not be seen by any portion of the congregation, not even by persons seated in the gallery. Only when standing at the sacred desk was he visible. Those who attended service in those days kept their feet warm by footstoves. About 1831 a large stove for burning wood was first introduced. This solid building stood adjoining the highway until it was removed, in 1839, to make way for a new church. It is still in good condition, and is owned and occupied by D. S. S. Sammis [David Sturgis Sprague Sammis] for his residence. It appears that 84 persons subscribed for its erection the sum of £ 32 4s.[79] Those who contributed £1 [80] or more to the building fund were Isaac Thompson, Aaron Higbie, Nathaniel Conklin, Phebe Conklin, Garrett Montfort, John Moubray, Arthur Dingee, Jesse Conklin, Timothy Scudder, Silas Muncy and Jesse Weeks.

The congregation was received into the Presbytery of Long Island April 11^th 1797, and on January 1^st 1798 those who wished to be united as a church under the care of the presbytery signed a covenant which had been drawn up for that purpose. The following names appear signed thereto: Isaac Thompson, Jesse Ketcham, Tredwell Scudder, Sarah Thompson, Gunning Moubray, Thomas Ketcham, Temperance Ketcham, Keziah Scudder, Mary Moubray, Rebecca Sammis, Phebe Ketcham, and Jeremiah Sprague. January 20^th 1798 Isaac Ketcham and Tredwell Scudder were elected elders and Jesse Ketcham was elected deacon. The trustees were Jesse Ketcham, Tredwell Scudder and Nathaniel Conklin. On the first Sunday in April of the same year the Lord's Supper was for the first time administered in the new church.

Previous to this time — say in the summer of 1796 — an effort was made to procure the services of the Rev. Luther Gleason as permanent pastor. The sum of £ 79 3s [81] was contributed by 75 persons for the pastor's support. An agreement was entered into with the Presbyterian church at Smithtown to call Mr. Gleason to take charge of the two congregations, he to preach one half of the Sundays in the “meeting-house “at Smithtown and the other half in the “meeting-house “at Huntington South. In case of public fasts or Thanksgiving days the Smithtown congregation was to have the minister's services. The salary was fixed at £ 160[82] per year, and Mr. Gleason was to have the use of the parsonage house, barn, and lands belonging to the same, situated at Smithtown. He entered upon his pastoral duties July 9^th 1797, and continued to discharge the same — traveling between the two places — for nine years. He is said to have been a man of rather limited education, but a very companionable man and a pleasing preacher; and he made many warm friends. The fact of his having been a chaplain in the Continental army during the Revolution doubtless tended to make him popular. He won the hearts of his parishioners to such an extent that he retained their confidence even after he had been deposed from the ministry. On the 20^th of March 1804 he was convicted by the Presbytery of Long Island on charges of “making too free use of intoxicating liquors “and “a lightness of deportment unbecoming the sacred profession.” He confessed his guilt, and was restored to his former standing. On June 17^th 1806 he was arraigned on charges of a more serious nature. A trial was held, lasting five days, which created great excitement, and he was found guilty and suspended. Still further charges being preferred, he refused a trial and left the presbytery. He was finally deposed, October 16^th 1807. The action of the presbytery was, however, not approved by a large portion of the congregation, who petitioned to have Mr. Gleason restored to them, and, on being refused, asked for letters of dismissal.

Much dissension prevailed until 1812, when the disaffected were excluded from the communion. That act so weakened the church that it was found impossible to support a pastor. In April 1818 the unfortunate differences were partially reconciled, and on a Sunday of the same month the Lord's Supper was administered for the first time since July 21^st 1811, but entire harmony was not restored until several months later.

Rev. Samuel Weed began his labors as a missionary in 1817, and was ordained May 21^st 1819, but not installed. While attending a meeting of the General Assembly at Philadelphia, June 25^th 1820, he died. The church at this time had only 29 members. For further and full particulars relating to the history of this organization the reader is referred to an interesting account of the same by the Rev. James C. Nightingale, in the South Side Signal, July 22^nd 1876.

The following named ministers have since Mr. Weed's death filled the position of pastor of the church or minister in charge: Alexander Cummings, 1820-24; Nehemiah Baldwin Cook, 1824-32; Jonathan Cable, four months in 1833; Ebenezer Platt, 1833-37; Hollis Reed, 1838; Alfred Ketcham, 1839-48; Edward Vail, 1848-51; Gaylord L. Moore, 1852-56; Charles W. Cooper, 1857-69; James McDougall jr., 1871-73; James C. Nightingale, 1873-79; Walter B. Floyd, 1881 to the present time.

The third house of worship was erected in 1838 and 1839, and the present handsome church edifice and a parsonage situated on Deer Park avenue were completed in 1873.

Babylon M. E. Church.[83] —Previous to 1840 the Methodists in this vicinity worshiped in private houses and school rooms. In that year a lot of land was purchased of S. W. Cooper [Simon W. Cooper], situated on the east side of Sumpawams road (Deer Park avenue), adjoining the premises of S. G. Wilson, and a church building 30 by 40 feet was erected. This building having become insufficient to accommodate the increasing congregation, another lot, a few rods further north, was purchased and presented by William R. Foster.[84]

In 1859 and 1860 a much larger and more ornamental edifice was erected on the newly acquired premises.

The pastors of this charge since 1840 have been Nathan Rice, William E. Bates, Timothy C. Young, Henry Hatfield, James D. Bouton, G. A. Graves, Charles Stearns, Gershom Pierce; Robert Codling, 1857, 1858; H. Asten, 1858-60; S. D. Nickerson, 1861, 1862; L. P. Perry [Levi P. Perry][85], 1862-64; William Gothard, 1864, 1865; 1866, supply; A. O. Hammond, 1867-69; J. V. Saunders [James V. Saunders][86], 1769-71; Lavall [James Lavalle][87], 1871, 1872; J. W. Horn, 1872, 1873; George Dunbar, 1873-76; E. A. Blake [Edwin A. Blake][88], 1876-79; W. H. Russell [William H. Russell][89], 1879, 1880; William P. Estes, 1880-82.

Trinity Episcopal Church.[90] — In 1862 a Protestant Episcopal church was organized, with the title of "Trinity Church Babylon,” but in consequence of the organization, some years later, of Christ Church West Islip, and the building by the latter of a beautiful edifice east of the village, in the town of Islip, Trinity church has practically been merged in the other organization.

Babylon Baptist Church.[91] — In 1872 the Baptists effected a church organization, and in the following year the handsome house of worship now standing at the corner of Main street and Carll avenue was completed. The erection of this building was principally due to the liberality of E. B. Litchfield [Electus B. Litchfield] and Mrs. Sarah Bertine. The pastors have been George LaValley, James S. Ladd and John B. L'Hommedieu.

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church,[92] situated on the north side of Grove place, is a handsome and appropriate structure of the gothic style of architecture. It was erected in 1878. From 1878 to 1880 Rev. Joseph Coughlin was the parish priest. He was succeeded by Rev. James Blake, the present incumbent.

Independent Order of Odd Fellows.[93]

Sampawams Lodge, No. 104, was instituted July 27^th 1849. The charter members were Jesse Conklin, Stephen Leek, Stephen J. Wilson, Henry Southard, Valentine Sprague, Henry Bedell, E. V. Brown, Ebenezer Kellum, Charles Pascoe and John Snodgrass.

The first officers were: Jesse Conklin, N. G.; Stephen Leek, V. G.; John Snodgrass, secretary; Ebenezer Kellum, treasurer.

The present officers (1882) are: Henry Baylis, N. G.; Frank S. Weeks, V. G.; Jonathan Sammis, secretary; Joel S. Davis, treasurer.

Hotels.

The American House,[94] before mentioned, is probably the oldest hotel on this island, having been in continuous use as a place of entertainment for nearly a century. The east wing is the part longest erected, and bids fair to stand for many years longer.

Under the roof of this venerable hostelry numbers of eminent personages have been sheltered and fed. Among the number may be mentioned Joseph Bonaparte,[95] ex-king of Spain and the eldest brother of the great Napoleon. The ex-king made a tour through Long Island in 1816, stopped at this hotel, and in consequence of sickness was detained thereat for several days. Although free from haughtiness, he traveled in good style and with a due regard for comfort. An Italian gentleman was his traveling companion, and in his train he had several carriages. The vehicle in which he rode was drawn by four splendid horses; another carriage carried his cooks and other servants, and the third was loaded with silverware, wines and cooking utensils. It is said that this distinguished tourist at one time contemplated purchasing a farm located about three and a half miles east of this village. He subsequently purchased a large estate near Bordentown, N. J.

Commodore David Porter[96] was also a guest. In 1840 Daniel Webster, on his way to attend a great political mass meeting of the Whigs at Patchogue,[97] stopped here over night, occupying the apartment now used as the travelers' room. Cephas Halsey and Major Philip Thomas boarded in this house a number of years previous to 1848. They were both gentlemen of the old school, the former having been a successful trader in the West Indies, and the latter having served his country in important military and civil positions. Major Thomas was a native of Maryland, and distinguished himself as an officer at the battle of North Point (Baltimore) during the war of 1812.

During the fifty years preceding 1841, in which the U. S. mails were carried in stages over the south post road, this building was one of the important resting places. Here horses were changed, and passengers who were going to the city breakfasted and those returning took dinner. The owners of this site have been Jesse Smith, Nathaniel Conklin, Benjamin Rushmore and Simon W. Cooper, Jordan Seaman, E. W. Underhill, Selah C. Smith, --- Clarendon, --- Schmull and David S.S. Sammis; and the place has been kept by Jesse Smith, Philo Snedecor, John Bedell, Jordan Seaman, Edwin Dodd, J. E. Dodd, Jesse Conklin, C. E. Snedecor, William Watson, S. C. Smith, Martin Willetts, William Pitman Kellinger, D. S. S. Sammis, and Mrs. P. A. Seaman [Phebe Ann Seaman].

Other hotels have been in operation in the village and are now discontinued. About 1814 Thomas Gould had a public house near where is now the residence of Colonel Post on Main street.[98] Another was kept by Patrick Gould about 1829[99] on the site of S. L. Seaman's store,[100] at the [southwest] corner of Main street and Placide avenue [now Fire Island Avenue].

This place was afterward under the management of Jesse Conklin, Elkanah Jarvis,[101] Ira Kellum, and U. H. Bassett.

The Sumpawams Hotel[102] was opened about 1850, by Thomas J. Seaman, and conducted by him until his death, in 1856. The house was then kept by his widow until 1872.[103] The property, situated on the south side of [East] Main street, is now owned by L. H. Fishel,[104] and used for various business purposes, containing the post-office, the store of the owner, Trave's meat market and Johnson's confectionery establishment.[105]

The Watson House,[106] one of the finest watering place hotels in the country, is situated on the east side of Placide avenue [now Fire Island Avenue]. It was built in 1870, by S. C. Smith, is now under his management, and is frequented by persons from every section of the country.

The Argyle Hotel was erected on the property owned and occupied as a country seat at one time by E. B. Litchfield of New York and named by him “Blythebourne.”[107] It was purchased by the Long Island Improvement Company, an association of English and American capitalists, in 1881, from L. H. Thayer [should be Stephen B. Thayer] of New York.[108] In February 1882 work was begun toward the erection of a mammoth summer hotel. This structure was completed in June of the same year, and is a very handsome edifice, beautifully located. It has a frontage of 300 feet and a depth of 155 on the ends and 60 feet in the center. It is built in the Queen Anne style. It has room for 700 guests and is luxuriously furnished throughout. It was opened June 20^th 1882.[109] James P. Colt is the manager.

Trade and Manufactures.

Of persons who have been engaged in merchandising may be named Abraham G. Thompson, Foster Nostrand, Benjamin Rushmore, Benjamin K. Hobart, Thomas H. Smith, Timothy P. Carll, Lawrence Seaman jr., Smith Woodhull, Ezra C. Stadge, Silas Tooker, Wm. A. Tooker, Samuel C. Wicks, S. S. Bourdette, Alanson Seaman, James H. Carll, B. T. Hunt, Thomas J. Seaman, Walter W. Robbins, John M. Oakley, Sidney Bruce, Aaron Smith, Charles Jayne, Timothy S. Carll, John Robbins, Theodore N. Hawkins, Mark Ketcham, Washington F. Norton, Sidney L. Seaman, S. J. Wilson, E. J. Moore, Leopold H. Fishel, J. James Robbins, Elbert Dean and Dowden Brothers.

Although the place has never been remarkable for its manufacturing industries it has not been entirely devoid of enterprise in that line. As early as 1801 Nathaniel Conklin,[110] at that time the most wealthy, enterprising and extensive land owner in the vicinity, established a tannery; and for several years, with Simon W. Cooper as foreman, he conducted a large business. In consequence of failing health Mr. Conklin sold out to his foreman, under whose ownership the tannery remained until his death, in January 1852.[111] His son George D. Cooper then carried on the concern until he died, in October 1860,[112] when the business was discontinued.

About 1810 Major Timothy Carll[113] commenced on the stream of water called Blythebourne[114] the manufacture of a good quality of woolen goods; and after his death, February 18^th 1826, his son Selah Smith Carll[115] was proprietor until his death, in 1829, with Samuel Hargraves, an Englishman, well skilled in the business, as superintendent. The factory was afterward run by several persons in succession, the last being one Parkhurst, under whose management the buildings were destroyed by fire.

About 1849 Isaac Willetts[116] purchased the property and water power and erected new buildings, and for a number of years he manufactured straw paper on a large scale. The paper business was afterward conducted successively by Martin Willetts, Sherman Tweedy, George W. Ingalls, S. Harned and Elbert H. Walters.

The property is now owned and used by the Argyle Hotel Company.

Post-Office.

The first post-office within the limits of the town was established here in the first years of this [19^th] century. For about 20 years it was known as “Huntington South P. O.” The name was subsequently changed to Babylon.[117] The first postmaster[118] was Major Timothy Carll (major to distinguish him from others of the same name). His successors have been: Simon W. Cooper, 1815-36; Timothy Platt Carll, 1836-49; Walter W. Robbins, 1849-53; Lawrence Seaman jr., 1853-61; Walter W. Robbins, 1861- 63 (died in office); John Robbins, 1864-66; Sidney L. Seaman, 1866-69; Theodore N. Hawkins, 1869-71; John Robbins, 1871-82.

Journalism.

The first newspaper published in this town was the Suffolk Democrat. For about 15 years previous to 1859 it had been published at Huntington.[119] In that year Hon. John R. Reid became its owner and assumed its editorial and business management, which he retained about six years. The first number of the paper printed here was issued April 8^th 1859. During the editorship of Judge Reid the paper attained a large circulation as well as influence, and was regarded as the leading Democratic journal of the county. For about a year it was published by Charles Jayne, when it was removed to Huntington and its name changed to Suffolk Bulletin.

On the 7^th of July 1869 Henry Livingston, as editor and proprietor, issued the first number of the South Side Signal.[120] From that time to the present it has had an eminently successful career, and it now has an extensive circulation. Its especial attention to local news through the medium of a numerous corps of sub-editors has greatly contributed to enlarge its list of subscribers.

In the spring of 1876 the press, stock and fixtures of a newspaper which had been published at Islip were purchased by an association, and the first number of the Babylon Budget was issued, March 25^th 1876.[121] The paper has since been under the management of John R. Reid, W. S. Overton [Winfield S. Overton], Jesse S. Pettit, John Louden, Charles T. Duryea, and J. R. Reid [Judge John R. Reid] the second time. It is now conducted by S. A. Titus [Stephen A. Titus], and is in a prosperous condition.

While directed by Judge Reid the Budget obtained a wide reputation for the terse, vigorous style of its editorials, as well as for its originality and its able and independent treatment of public questions.

AMITYVILLE.

This village is situated in the southwestern portion of the town [of Babylon], near the easterly line of Queens county,[122] and is next in size and population to Babylon.[123] Previous to 1840 it was known as West Neck South.[124] At that date the locality could properly be classed as a hamlet, there being only a few houses scattered along the old post road from Hempstead to Babylon.[125]

Colonel Platt Conklin, son of Captain Jacob Conklin, was about the middle of the last century the owner of a large tract of land in this vicinity, which he probably sold about 1770. [126]

At an early period a grist-mill and saw-mill was erected on the stream known as Ireland's Brook. This mill property has been owned by three successive generations of the Ireland family.[127]

One of the first houses built on the south road [Merrick Road] in this immediate locality was erected by Abraham Wanzer. It afterward became the property of Thomas Wiggins, who conveyed it to Joshua Hart sen. [Sr.], March 21^st 1794. The premises are now owned and occupied by Joshua Hart son of the last named.

The earliest house of entertainment was that of Zebulon Ketcham, which was situated half a mile east of the present village.[128] Washington on his tour through Long Island while president dined here. An account of this journey in "Onderdonk's Annals,”[129] states that "President Washington passed up the south side as far as Patchogue; thence crossing over to Smithtown via Coram he returned through Oyster Bay, Hempstead Harbor, and Flushing. He was attended by his suite of officers and rode in a coach drawn by four gray horses, with outriders. He dined at Zebulon Ketcham's, Huntington South, and begged the landlord to take no trouble about the fare, and on leaving gave a half ' Joe ' and a kiss to his daughter.”[130]

At a later period, about 1810, Thomas Ireland, besides his mill business, kept a public house.

During the Revolution Joshua Ketcham had a good farm down on the neck. He was a thrifty farmer and suffered considerably from the depredations of "British foraging parties.”

One of the first merchants here was Ebenezer Chichester, who had a store in 1816. He afterward formed a partnership with John O. Ireland. The latter in 1824 was in business on his own account in a store situated on the corner of the turnpike and the Farmingdale road. Mr. Ireland is now living at Greenport.  In 1836 Nathaniel Williams commenced business on the site last mentioned, and he continued the same until 1859.  The present store-keepers in the village are Messrs. Woodhull Skidmore and Purdy.[131] 

The place has two churches, both Methodist Episcopal.[132] The first church edifice was erected on the north side of the country road [Merrick Road]. About 1845 a new building was erected on the same site, which remained there until 1874, when it was removed to the east side of Farmingdale road and remodeled into a handsome church.[133]

About the year 1870 a considerable number of this congregation, and about 30 members of the church, desiring to have a place of worship nearer their homes, erected a building for religious meetings half a mile north of the railroad.[134] Services are now held on alternate Sundays, the same minister officiating in both churches.

The population of the territory properly included in the village is about 1,500.[135] The village is situated in the midst of a fine section of farming land, and the residences in this locality indicate a thrifty population.

The three hotels of this place, the Douglass House,[136] King's Hotel[137] (formerly the Revere House), and the Bay View Hotel,[138] are well filled during the summer months.

In 1867 Charles Wood established a large lumber yard near the railroad depot, and he has since continued to transact a large business.[139] He is said to be one of the most enterprising business men on Long Island. He has recently commenced operating a large sawing and planing mill.

The most noted establishment of Amityville is the new institution for the treatment of the insane, known as the “Long Island Home Hotel.” It is owned by an incorporated company, organized in 1881. It is a handsome edifice, 250 feet in length, containing a central building four stories high, surmounted with a cupola, and has wings on each side 75 feet long. Its internal arrangements are very complete. The insane are treated with kindness, instead of harshness; and in pleasant weather are allowed 'to busy themselves about the grounds in such outdoor employment as their taste dictates. The success of this treatment has been very great; the larger number of the patients have been entirely restored. John Louden is the superintendent. The trustees are William Blake, Townsend Cox. A. D. Bailey, P. H. Foster, J. Louden, D. J. Runyon, D. S. S. Sammis, and S. R. Williams. The president is Townsend Cox; vice-president, William Blake; treasurer, S. R. Williams.

About four years ago a company was organized here for the purpose of planting and growing oysters in the waters of the South Bay. The company purchased and laid down in waters near the village several hundred bushels of seed-oysters, and it is said that the venture has proved decidedly profitable. The business bids fair to increase to a great extent at no distant day.

BRESLAU.[140]

This village is situated about midway between Babylon and Amityville. Its history does not extend back more than 13 years. In 1869 the land upon which the village now stands was covered with pine trees and an under growth of bushes. About that time Charles S. Schleier, a German by birth but a resident of this country since 1849, conceived the idea that Long Island presented excellent facilities for the building up of a manufacturing and industrial community on the co-operative plan. In company with a number of intelligent gentlemen he examined the site and became satisfied that it was a suitable place in which to test the feasibility of his scheme. Some of the land was purchased by Mr. Schleier, and some by Thomas Wellwood[141] [sic]. It was divided into lots and sold to settlers, who were mostly Germans.

The place grew rapidly and a manufacturing establishment was put up about 1872. It was a brick building three stories high, 120 feet by 40, and was intended for a shoe factory. A Massachusetts firm, however, commenced the manufacture of papier mache goods[142] there, and probably would have been successful had not the long period of business depression prevailed soon after the beginning of the enterprise. As it was, the firm failed. The building is now occupied as a button manufactory: bone, celluloid, rubber and other materials being worked up into buttons. A large number of hands are now employed in the work, and the business gives indications of success. On the north side of the railway, nearly opposite the button manufactory, is a large frame building furnished with steam power. In this building trimmings of various kinds for ornamenting ladies' dresses are made, of worsted, silk, cotton, and linen materials.

It is not unlikely that ere long other industries will be undertaken, the location being so well adapted for manufacturing purposes.

The present inhabitants are nearly all of German birth, and are industrious. Their houses give evidence of thrift and comfort. Many of the dwelling houses have been enlarged and improved since they were first erected, in the early days of the settlement. Every year shows decided gains in the development and prosperity of the village.

The school district which embraces Breslau is number 4 in the township.[143] The public school is well attended and the children are taught the different branches; principally in English, but are also taught to speak the German language grammatically.

There are three churches, Lutheran,[144] Methodist[145] and Roman Catholic.[146]

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.[147]

John R. Reid[148]

[John R. Reid] was born in the town of Brookhaven, Suffolk county, N. Y., February 8^th 1836. After obtaining a common school education, by which he profited to the utmost, he commenced teaching in his fifteenth year. Alternately teaching and attending school — he having no income save that which he earned — he became thoroughly versed in Latin and French, familiar with the higher mathematics, and well grounded in rhetoric, logic and metaphysics, with an earnest love for polite literature. As a student he was energetic and ambitious, always standing well in all his classes and leading in most.

In his twentieth year he began the study of law. He graduated at the State and National Law School, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, and was admitted to the bar on attaining his majority. He immediately entered upon the active practice of his profession, having an office in New York city as well as at Babylon, where he resides.

He has also taken an active part in political matters, editing with marked ability two Democratic newspapers for several years and being foremost with voice and pen in efforts to promote the mental, moral and social well being of the community. As a speaker on literary and educational topics, temperance, odd-fellowship and masonry he has been earnest, entertaining and instructive. He has an excellent command of language, and his wit and humor are keen, delicate and scholarly. Being both rhetorical and logical he is very effective in his appeals as an advocate. As a stump speaker he is ready and versatile. In Suffolk county he is regarded as the ablest criminal lawyer and advocate at that bar, and in the profession generally he holds a prominent position. As a jury lawyer he has a recognized eminence.

As an editor he was noted for his sparkling, incisive style; while as a paragraphist he elicited praise from all who could appreciate keen wit, delicate humor, and polished satire, united to inexorable logic. During his editorship the Babylon Budget gained an extended reputation for its originality, its fearlessness, its fairness and its scholarship, and his exit from the editorial chair was sincerely regretted. He is a man of convictions, never concealing his sentiments on any of the great questions of the day; and in party matters he is recognized even by his foes as one of the few politicians who stand by their party for principle rather than for pay.

He is a persistent and discriminating reader, and has one of the largest and best selected private libraries in the State, gathered with the enthusiasm of a book-lover and the refined taste of a cultured student — a collection of more than 15,000 volumes, in which there are not half a dozen books which a scholar would not deem a prize.

He is fond of music; is an excellent violinist, and possesses instruments of rare value.

He holds a conspicuous place in the masonic fraternity; is an active Odd Fellow; is a counsellor- of the Long Island Historical Society, and a member of New York's famous Lotos Club.

In 1869 he was elected county judge and surrogate of his native county, and conducted the office with acceptance to the bar, while winning respect from all who transacted business in the courts over which he presided, by his dignity, courtesy, judicial fairness and official independence and discrimination. At the end of his term he declined a renomination on account of the inadequacy of the salary, and returned with renewed vigor and increased knowledge to his professional work, in which he is now actively engaged.

Jacob Conklin. [149]

The oldest house in the town, perhaps in the county, is situated near the Huntington line. It was built by Captain Jacob Conklin, who was impressed on board of Captain Kidd's ship and served under him on one of his voyages. On Kidd's return from his last voyage, and while his vessel, the "San Antonio,” lay in Cold Spring Harbor, Conklin and others, having been sent on shore for water, hid themselves and did not return to the ship. Doubtless they feared Kidd's arrest and trial, and dreaded lest they might be punished with him. They were for some time secreted among the Indians. Conklin purchased a large tract of land from the natives, of which the farm late the property of Colonel James F. Casey is art, and upon which the venerable mansion above alluded to is situated. The house was probably erected about 1710, and every part of it bears evidence of its antiquity. The high hill behind the dwelling commands a splendid though distant view of the ocean and bay. Near by are several fine springs of water, one of which is said to be of medicinal character.

Captain Jacob Conklin was born in Wiltshire, England, probably in 1675, and died at his residence in this town in 1754. His wife was Hannah Platt of Huntington, by whom he had several children, among them Colonel Platt Conklin, who was an ardent patriot during the Revolution. The latter had only one child, Nathaniel, who was sheriff of the county. He was the third owner of the premises above described. This property descended to the grandchildren of Sheriff Conklin, thus having been owned by four successive generations of the family. It has since been owned by Dr. [William H.] Bartlett, formerly editor of the Albion, Colonel James F. Casey, and Ulysses S. Grant jr., the present owner.

Prince H. Foster. [150]

Prince Hiller Foster, of Babylon, was born August 10th 1812, in the town of Pleasant Valley, Dutchess county, N. Y. His father, John I. Foster, was born in what is now Babylon, when it was a part of Huntington. His grandfather was a Hempstead man, living but a short time in Huntington, when he returned to Far Rockaway, where he died. His grandfather on his mother's side was Prince Hiller, of Rhode Island. The Hillers were Quakers. His father went to Dutchess county when about 21 years old, and settled in that part of Pleasant Valley called the "Nine Partners.” He was a weaver by trade, and left Queens county because he heard that the land up the Hudson was so rich it needed no manure. This he found to be a mistake.

The subject of this sketch when a boy spent very little time in school, not more than two years in all. At the age of 16 he was bound as an apprentice to learn the shoemaker's trade, which poor health obliged him to quit after two years. Then he shouldered his axe and went out to chop cordwood at from 25 to 31 cents per cord. After a rough and tumble experience of a few weeks of this work he hired to a farmer December 1^st 1831 to work a year for $85, which contract he faithfully performed.

In 1833 he went to Brooklyn to visit his uncle William Foster, and thinking he would try city life engaged as clerk in a grocery on the corner of Bridge and High streets. He staid there one month and then engaged with Thomas McCormick in the same business on the corner of Prospect and Gold streets, at $6 per month and board. Here he worked eleven months, suffering all the time from poor health. He then worked a while in a crockery store in New York at $10 per month and board. This was in the cholera season of 1834.

About this time, although his father had brought him up a Democrat, he concluded after much examination and thought to quit the party and vote with the Whigs, which he did, and afterward with the Native Americans. 

The next spring he leased a store on High street, Brooklyn, near Gold, and commenced in a moderate way the grocery business for himself. Feeling the need of a partner for life he soon after married Adeline, daughter of John Prince of Southold, who was a descendant of old Captain John Prince — one of the settlers who came to the town soon after 1640. The year 1836, just before the financial reverses that spread over the country, was a good time for the retail business in Mr. Foster's line. The next year his-first child was born, and he bought a house and lot, and was fairly prosperous in everything except his health, which continued poor. He was energetic, and withal a little odd in some of his methods of bringing his business to the attention of the public.

In 1844 he sold out, and on settling up found his ready money was $600. He took a trip to the west, to see how that famed country looked, visiting Cleveland, Cincinnati, and other places. When he came back the Long Island Railroad was built as far as Suffolk Station, now called Central Islip. In the fall of 1844 he located as a dealer in pork and poultry on James street, Brooklyn, on a site now covered by the suspension bridge. Mr. Foster says he was the first man who made a specialty of connecting the poultry and pork trades. His health failing he sold his business in 1847, and went to Oyster Bay to a water cure, which did him little or no good. Then he bought stall 3 in Brooklyn market and operated for a short time in pork. In 1851 he bought opposite the City Hall, and fitted up a place for the provision trade, which he conducted till burned out in May 1853, losing a part of his insurance. Then he went into the old Military Garden on Fulton street and fitted a place for business at a cost of $7,500. In 1856 he bought the place in Babylon on which he now lives, doing business in the city winters and living on his farm summers.

After selling his business and having to take it back once or twice, he finally in 1864 made a final sale for $15,000 and turned his attention to his farm and his health. During the next few years he made several experiments in gardening and tree-raising, but with no definite purpose of starting a nursery. These small beginnings proving profitable and interesting he decided about 1869 to add to his stock and see what could be done. That year he sold $256 worth; in 1881 $4,500, and over $5,000 in the first half of 1882. People are fast learning that plants and trees grown near home are more apt to live and flourish than those brought from a distance. Mr. Foster's reputation for square dealing and exact representation stands enviably high.

His health has gradually improved since he left the city. He has studied deeply, for a man absorbed in other business, into the conditions of health and the causes of sickness. Believing that contagious diseases are contracted in many cases by inhalation of germs from the air, he invented and has had patented a wire gauze mask to wear over the mouth and nose in localities where danger exists. His invention has been pronounced valuable by investigating men competent to judge. It is in the line of the discoveries of Professor Pasteaure, the eminent French chemist and savant, whose recent demonstrations in regard to disease germs have been pronounced the most wonderful since the times of Jenner, and have caused the British Medical Association to pronounce him the greatest living scientist.

In politics Mr. Foster is a genuine Republican, active and foremost when hard work is to be done. In religious matters he is a free thinker, believing that religion is a matter of growth, the faith of a people always changing and rising with its intellectual development. He thinks the religious dogmas of our forefathers no better adapted to our use than their plows, their sickles, or their stage coaches. He believes our conceptions of the Almighty will always enlarge with our comprehension, and that the best way to serve Him is to help His children.

John Louden. [151]

John Louden of Amityville, superintendent of the “Long Island Home Hotel,” was born in the town (now city) of Calais, Maine. His family came from New Hampshire, where their record stood high, his grandfather serving in the war of 1812, and his great-grandfather in the Revolutionary war. When 9 years old he left home and lived at the village hotel a year, making himself generally useful. He then did farm work till 14 years old. He next hired to a stock and general produce dealer, who also had a grocery store, and staid with him five years, at $8 per month for the first year, and an increase of $2 per month each succeeding year.

Like so many Long Island lads this Maine boy was smitten with a desire to go to sea, and he indulged it, sailing first as cook, then before the mast, and later as mate. He was offered a ship, but the sailor's life did not suit him.

In 1861 he enlisted in the 12^th Maine regiment, and did his duty in a patriotic soldierly way till his health failed, about a year after, when he was discharged and sent to the Massachusetts general hospital, where he lay five long months. During this sickness the surgeon told him he had every known fever. His strong constitution finally threw them all off, but when he left the hospital he could barely stand. Home was sought, but a three months stay resulted only in a very slow improvement. At this juncture he tried a voyage from Maine to Boston. It lasted 22 days and ended in a shipwreck, but the invalid was nearly cured by it.

The first work he did after his army experience was as advance agent for “Cooper Brothers' Great Show,” in which capacity he crossed the ocean and traveled seven months in Great Britain, returning to Calais a well man. Then he was engaged in the general produce business five years. During this time he was a policeman in the city of Calais for a short time, and in 1865 was very active in the recruiting business. He was also deputy marshal and helped capture the St. Albans bank robbers, so notorious at the time. He was afterward appointed a custom-house officer of the port of Calais, which position he retained one year.

Not liking the climate of Maine he in 1869 sold out in Calais and moved to Brooklyn, where he was engaged for six months in the general produce business. This did not pay, and Mr. Louden removed to Babylon. There, with Yankee aptitude, he went to work as a carpenter, and from that to driving a butcher's wagon. He remained two years with the firm of Wood & Terry, butchers and dealers, as driver and general managing agent. His duties took him all over the country and brought him in contact with all classes, who soon knew him as a remarkably active, clear-headed, enterprising man.

This acquaintance with the people resulted in his being offered the superintendency of the Suffolk county alms-house at Yaphank, which he accepted and held six years and two months. He employed the inmates so skillfully that he cleared up the county farm and made it the finest in that section. His reputation soon spread abroad, and he was offered by the charity commissioners the position of assistant superintendent of the out-door poor of the city of New York. He resigned his place at Yaphank to accept this position and performed its duties eleven months, when he was appointed deputy superintendent of the work-house on Blackwell's Island, where he staid five months. At this time he was appointed general superintendent of Blackwell's Island, and afterward general inspector of the institutions of charity and correction of the city of New York. This position he held when, at his suggestion and by his exertions, the Long Island Home Hotel at Amityville was commenced. He resigned his post at New York in October 1881 to enter upon active duty as its superintendent.

But for John Louden this humane institution would not have been in existence to-day. It is essentially the child of his heart and brain. While superintendent at Yaphank he had large experience with insanity in its many shades and manifestations, and he proved by actual and successful trial that common sense and humanity are the qualifications needed in dealing with the insane. He took off their straight jackets and treated them kindly, and was rewarded by seeing in a great many cases reason resuming her throne. It was the burden of his thought how to best restore these unfortunates. He was so practical and so successful with his theories that his fame as' a manager spread far and wide, other managers coming long distances to see the working of his system.

To these experiences and these results the public is indebted for the new Amityville home, which Mr. Louden has been instrumental in creating, with the help of large-hearted men of means and brains. It is believed that here the mentally disordered can find a real home and a host of real friends, through whose aid they may be restored to sanity and to their families.

Mr. Louden has been for many years an earnest working Republican in politics. Wherever there has been the most to do there he has always been found, active, honorable and true.

In 1864 he married Sarah, daughter of Richard Trimble of Calais, by whom he has had five children, three boys and two girls. Four of his children are living, one daughter having died.

Perry Belmont. [152]

    Hon. Perry Belmont, son of August Belmont, was born in New York city, December 28^th 1851; graduated at Harvard College in 1872; was admitted to the bar in 1876, and has since been engaged in the practice of law. In 1881 he was nominated for member of the House of Representatives in the XLVII^th Congress[153] by the Democrats of the first district of New York, consisting of the counties of Suffolk, Queens and Richmond; and was elected over the Republican candidate, John A. King, by a vote of 20,815 to 18,163. As a young man, in his first term of Congressional service, he has taken remarkably high rank and attracted unusual attention, especially in connection with the foreign relations of the United States government.

Henry Placide. [154]

Henry Placide, an eminent comedian, made Babylon his residence for about 24 years previous to his death, which occurred there in [1870]. He was born in Charleston, South Carolina. His grandmother was the celebrated actress Mrs. Pownall,[155] and his father, mother, brother and sister ranked high in the same profession. The last was the wife of William E. Blake, equally distinguished in the theatrical vocation. Mr. Placide possessed talents of a high order. The particular line in which he acquired the greatest reputation was genteel comedy. Honest and capable critics have affirmed that in some characters he was without a peer. Some years ago the venerable Thurlow Weed, whose praise is praise indeed, in an able article published in the New York Times testified to Mr. Placide's extraordinary professional ability. In private life he was kind in his family, strictly honest in his dealings and warm and sincere in his friendships. In social intercourse with his neighbors his deportment was gentlemanly and his conversation lively.

David S. S. Sammis. [156]

David Sturges Sprague Sammis was born in the town of Huntington, near Babylon, in the year 1818. His father, Daniel Sammis, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and lived to be 84 years old. His mother is still living, in her 90^th year. His grandfather served in the Revolutionary war. The Sammises originally came from Holland, four brothers settling on Long Island.

Up to the age of 17 our subject lived on a farm, and learned to handle the shovel and the hoe. In the year 1835 he went to New York to learn the druggist's business with Edward A. McLean, 208 Greenwich street. There he staid two years, but, the peculiar atmosphere of a drug store not agreeing with him, he left and engaged as a clerk with Mackarel & Simpson, stage  proprietors. In the year 1848 he leased of James Rowe, father-in-law of the late Dr. James R. Wood of New York, the property on the corner of East Broadway and Pike street, New York, where he opened a hotel under the name of the East Broadway House, which was recognized as the headquarters for politicians, without regard to party. In 1855 he bought an undivided portion of Fire Island, which had been used theretofore only as a pasture for cattle. The next year he had built a hotel with accommodations for 100 guests, on his recent purchase. Under his skillful and- liberal management the place at once became popular, proving a financial success. During the following winter he added 100 feet to his building, making everything first-class, to the extent of introducing gas throughout the whole hotel. In 1858 he sold the East Broadway House to the well known Nicholas Houseman of New York, since which time he has devoted his entire time to his large and constantly growing interests in Suffolk county.

On another page is to be seen a view of this monster palatial summer resort, which furnishes the very best accommodations for over 500 guests. From its first beginnings to the present time it has been the child of Mr. Sammis's own rearing, conceived in his fertile brain, and developed and perfected by his hand and his purse. The undertaking has been every year more and more successful, but some losses have attended its history. A $25,000 steamboat, built to carry his patrons across the Great South Bay, was caught in an ice gorge one winter night and utterly ruined except her boiler and some of her machinery. The next spring, with his accustomed energy, Mr. Sammis replaced the wrecked boat with a better one. To further add to the comfort of visitors to Fire Island he has built a street railroad from the depot in the village of Babylon to the steamboat landing.

Besides this great watering place enterprise, Mr. Sammis has large property interests in the village of Babylon, where he resides and where he is noted for personal worth and public spirit. Mr. Sammis is a representative man of the times, wide awake, far-seeing, of excellent judgment and perfect integrity, with a large heart and a broad, genial nature, that makes a host of friends and holds them.

Surf Hotel.

Charles S. Schleier. [157]

Few men have the natural or acquired ability of brain or purse to become the founders of cities. Grasp of the present, penetration of the future, knowledge of men, the power of concentrated action, and the means to move the machinery of accomplishment, these are the indispensable qualifications of a great organizer. One man whose acts prove the possession of this combination is Charles S. Schleier, the founder of the city of Breslau.

He is a native of the celebrated old city in Germany after which he has named the vigorous town he has planted in Suffolk county. There he was born, in 1823, and there he would have continued a very successful mercantile career. But in the revolution of 1848 he espoused so heartily the rights of the many against the usurpations ofthe privileged few as to become obnoxious to the government. In such a land he could not enjoy his personal rights, and he came in 1852 to America and settled in the city of Brooklyn. There he engaged successfully in the paper hanging and wall decorating line of business. In a few years he became a noted man. His business expanded from store to store and street to street.

But his nature was too large and too active to be confined within the harness of any one line of occupation. He put new life into the people of his nationality in Brooklyn. He started the first German weekly in that city — the Brooklyn Volksblatt. In 1864 he started the Brooklyn Deutsches Wochenblatt, which he has conducted ever since as editor and publisher.

In social matters he displayed the same fertility of conception and rapidity of execution that characterized the operations by which he obtained his livelihood. In 1855 — only three years after his arrival — he organized the first dramatic social club, known as the “Thalia,'' which numbered 165 members, who owned their club house. In 1860 he started the "Urania” dramatic club, in 1868 the "German Dramatic Club,” and in 1873 the “German-American Association,'' at 500 Atlantic avenue. In most of these clubs he was honored with the presidency, and in all of them he was an active member.

In politics he was equally interested and energetic, organizing in 1862 the German reform party of Brooklyn, which controlled nearly 8,000 votes and was known as the “German-American Democratic Central Association.” Until 1870 he was either president of the central club or of the executive committee, from the active duties of which his Breslau undertaking compelled him to retire. The many German processions in honor of McClellan, Seymour and Hoffman were planned and conducted by him.

He was foremost in forming many secret and benevolent orders; the well known order of “Herman's Sons” delegated him in 1868 to represent over 100 lodges at the great convention in Chicago, where he was elected as second grand national president, for a term of two years. In business enterprises he has interested himself in many a venture. In 1867 he started the “Unger Patent Chair Company,” of which he was president. He was interested in the New York Pier and Warehouse Company, and was agent for the (Baltic Lloyd) Stettien steamship line. These were a few of the activities of the man who planned and in 1869 executed the founding of the city of Breslau.

Through industry, perseverance and economy he had accumulated a fortune, which he proceeded to invest in this vast undertaking. By the Germans, in whose particular interest it was done, the planting of this town was thought a most important event, and he permitted no occasion to pass unimproved in which its interests could be brought prominently before the public. His extensive acquaintance, the confidence reposed in him, and his general knowledge of mankind, with his individual resources, all went to make up the broad vantage ground on which this important enterprise rested. After the preliminaries were finished, and his plan was duly promulgated, people flocked to him to make purchases. In a few months nearly a thousand lots were sold, and a building association was formed of over 500 members. The corner stone of the first building was laid June 6^th 1870, on which occasion no less than 10,000 people from far and near were present.

The amount of land originally purchased by Mr. Schleier was 6,000 acres, which was surveyed and laid out in lots of various sizes. The number of lots sold up to July 8th 1882 was 25,209. The growth of the city has been steady, but not rapid. Like most other undertakings of great proportions, it has met and overcome unexpected obstacles. The number of families on the ground as actual settlers is about 600. In 1881 36,000 letters were received and distributed at the post-office, and during the same year there were 52 births. Mr. Schleier donates land to all manufacturers who will locate their works there. Among the new manufactories which have accepted his terms are establishments for making canes and umbrellas, dress trimmings, cutlery and cigars; and a company has been formed for planting mulberry trees here and producing silk cocoons.

One of the finest beds of clay known exists at North Breslau, suitable for the manufacture of brick; and so pure is the clay that an expert from Germany pronounces it the best he has ever seen for making the finest porcelain ware. "The Breslau Brick Company" has been organized, with an office in New York. C. S. Schleier is president and D. G. Harriman is secretary. The company aims to manufacture all goods of which clay is the raw material.

In 1870 Mr. Schleier built at Breslau, at a cost of $2,300, a depot on the South Side Railroad and gave it to the company.

To him clearly belongs the honor of being the first man to make a move in the direction of utilizing to any considerable extent the uncultivated lands on the south side for the benefit of the laboring classes of Brooklyn and New York. Although well advanced in years Mr. Schleier still retains his full mental and physical activity and confidently believes he will live to see Breslau a city of 50,000 inhabitants. He married in his native city and has raised a family of thirteen children, only five of whom are living-two sons and three daughters.

William Y. Provost. [158]

Doctor William Y. Provost was born in Green Point (now the 17^th ward of the city of Brooklyn), Kings County, N.Y., April 6^th 1839, being the youngest of the seven children of David and Elizabeth (Hendrickson) Provost.

The Provosts, one of the Knickerbocker families, descended from Huguenot stock, as will be seen from the following history of their forefathers. David and Jean Provost, two brothers, French Huguenots, came over and settled in New Amsterdam (New York City) about the year 1620. They married into old Dutch families and soon became (for that period) wealthy men. They and their descendants held positions of trust and honor in the infant city and colony. The Dutch were slow to give places of trust or honor to new or unsettled men, and we find that they soon twisted the name of Jean into Johannes. In 1638 Governor Kieft appointed David Provost the first tobacco inspector of the colony; this position was of great importance, as most merchandise was paid for in tobacco. He was also for 20 years prior to 1664, one of the five members of the Colonial Assembly, or in the council of the governor. He was continuously during Stuyvesant’s time, up to the surrender to the British in 1664, in the Assembly or council of five. His son David was, prior to 1656, sheriff of the Dutch towns on Long Island and this position for years.

The son of the sheriff, also named David, in 1699 and 1700 was mayor of the city of New York; he was also in military service, being a captain and afterward colonel of the regiment of foot in the province of New York. While mayor he was also made recorder. In 1706 David Provost, then a prominent merchant, was appointed by Governor Cornbury one of four merchants to raise and pay out money for fortifying the city. From 1709 to 1724 he was one of the members of the colonial Assembly, and was appointed by the queen one of Governor Hunter’s council. In 1724 and 1725 he was a tonnage master of the colony, which was also a position of high trust. He was twice married, first in 1699 to Maria de Peyster, widow of John Spratt: and second about 1710 to, Christiana Praa, one of the four children of Captain Peter Praa by his second wife, Maria Hay. David Provost died in 1725, leaving two children by his wife Christiana-Jonathan and Catherine, the last of whom married Dr. La Rue. His widow married the Rev. John Aronda, and lived to a great age; her daughter Mrs. La Rue dying before her, at the age of 95. From the deed of Christiana to her two children in 1793 it would appear that she held in high esteem her husband’s relations and children by his first wife.

The descendants of David and John moved in the first social circle in the new world, and were distinguished by the offices of trust. In 1721 James Alexander married the widow of Colonel Provost. Their son became William Earl of Stirling, the celebrated major general of our Revolutionary army. Lossing in his “Field Book” says “Lord Stirling’s mother was the widow of Colonel David Provost, known in the city of New York a century ago ‘Ready-money Provost.’” Mrs. Lamb in her history says this is a mistake; that Lord Stirling married the widow of Samuel Provost. It is readily seen they may both be right, as the son of Lady Stirling may have married the widow of Samuel Provost. But it was the mayor that was known as “Ready-money Provost”.

Governor Hunter in 1721 married the daughter of Maria Provost, who married Abram Van Hume.

In 1664 John Provost (a son of Johannes or David) was clerk of the only two courts in the county, and took the oath with Governor Stuyvesant and others. This position he must have held for years, as we find him still clerk in 1673. In 1689-90 he was a member of the court of exchequer, and authorized to look after affairs in Albany He was in the council of Governor Leisler, and in 1691 at the Hague. In 1696 the public documents speak of John Provost as “a merchant of New York city of considerable estate, who has lived there fifty years in good repute, and in Governor Leisler’s term in the council and manager of business with the Indians at Albany.”

In 1722 William Provost was recommended as an eminent merchant to a place in the council of the province of New York, and was appointed by Governor Burnet and served until 1735. In 1732 Governor Cosby recommended that William Provost be appointed to the council of New Jersey–“not but what he would like to keep his and council, but because his estate and fortune is in New Jersey, where his family are lately removed, and he would be of great service there.” In 1735 William Provost was appointed to the council of New Jersey, and in 1740 he was appointed commissioner to settle the boundaries between Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Samuel Provost, born March 11^th 1742, was chaplain to the Continental Congress in 1785, and to the Senate in 1789. He was afterward a bishop of the Episcopal church, residing in New York city, and died September 6^th 1815.

Jonathan, the son of David and Christiana Provost, died about 1800. He is styled in all of the old deeds as “of New Jersey” and gentleman, probably having no business.

He left one child, John, who was said to be one of the most perfect gentlemen of his time, in education and habits. He married Eve Calyer about the year 1793, and died of cholera in 1832, leaving his widow, and three children, viz: James C., who died in 1872, leaving a large family; Ann, married Dr. Edmunston and died young , leaving two girls, Harriet Eve and Mary Elizabeth; and David, the youngest, the father of the subject of this sketch.

David, last named, married Elizabeth Hendrickson, of Huntington, L. I., by whom he had seven children. Six of them are now living. John C. Provost, the eldest son, is well known in business circles in Brooklyn and New York; Peter C, for many years in the insurance and real estate business, is now retired and living in Suffolk county; Andrew J., a lawyer, has practiced in his native city for the past thirty years; he represented his district in the Assembly two terms, refusing a third nomination on account of his business, and is now living at his country seat at Whitestone, Queens county, L. I., surrounded by his family and all that taste could desire. Hannah M. Lake, the eldest daughter, is still living in Brooklyn. Sarah E., wife of James W. Valentine, also resides in Brooklyn, her boys all grown to man's estate (viz.: David H., a contractor, who has contributed largely to the improvements of his native city; Richard L., associated with him, and Andrew J., a lawyer). Elizabeth married the Rev. Mr. Mansfield, an Episcopal clergyman, and is now residing in Massachusetts, the only member of the family not a resident of their native State.

William Y. Provost, the subject of this sketch, is now a practicing physician in Babylon, where he located in 1871. He was educated in a private school in New York city taught by Dr. Tyng, an Episcopal clergyman, and matriculated at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College in 1860-61. He was a private pupil of the late Professor James R. Wood of New York city. He entered the service of the Sanitary Commission during the Rebellion and was busily engaged in relieving the wounded in the peninsula campaign. He returned in August 1862; was cited before a board of examiners at Albany, and was duly commissioned by Governor E. D. Morgan as assistant surgeon of the 159^th regiment New York volunteer. He was mustered into the service and joined his regiment at East New York September 6^th 1862, under the command of Colonel E. L. Molineux. In December 1862 the regiment joined the Banks expedition and started for Baton Rouge, La. Upon arriving there it went into garrison, and while there our men were fitted for the active campaigns which soon followed, viz.: the first upon Port Hudson in the rear to allow Commodore Farragut to run his boats past that almost impregnable stronghold, which was in the main successful; the attempt to cut off the rebel troops in western Louisiana, which failed, although costing the gallant 159^th dearly, as at Irish Bend they lost 200 men in killed and wounded, one field officer killed, and General Molineux wounded, who was carried off the field of battle by Dr. Provost; then the Red River campaign, which was also disastrous; and the siege and capture of Port Hudson. This command after sharing the varying fortunes of General Banks was ordered north and joined the forces of General Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, and at Winchester and Cedar Creek the men proved to the enemy the stuff of which they were made. After the Shenandoah campaign they joined General Sherman's army at Savannah, and continued to do garrison duty in that city and Augusta until the close of the war.

In 1863 Dr. Provost was promoted surgeon of his regiment. He was in charge of the hospitals at Baton Rouge, Savannah, Thibadaux and Augusta, and served upon the staff of Major-General Grover as medical director. After the war he returned home and at once began practice in New York city.

In 1868 he married Miss Evelyn Talmage, daughter of Hon. D. M. Talmage, then minister to Venezuela. They immediately sailed for Europe, where Dr. Provost spent most of his time in the hospitals of London, Dublin and Paris. He returned the following fall, and from that time to the present has identified himself with Long Island. He is health officer of his town and member of the board of education.

Three children were the issue of his marriage — William W., Frederick T., and Florence M. Provost.

In all branches of his profession Dr. Provost is an acknowledged authority. He realizes that no other profession is as rich in recent developments of important discoveries, with all of which he keeps fully abreast. The selection of Babylon as his permanent home was a recognition of its prominent position among the villages of Long Island. The choice of this village for summer or permanent residence by so many families of wealth and taste renders it a peculiarly fitting field for a physician to whose extensive city experience have been added large army and hospital practice in medicine and surgery, and extended foreign travel for special professional research.

Phoenix Remsen. [159]

This family, whose original cognomen was Van der Beeck, dates back to a remote period in Germany and the Netherlands. The arms borne by it were granted in 1162 by the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.

They indicate reputation in the knight service, etc., and the waved lines across the shield represent a brook, and denote the origin of the family name — the words Van der Beeck signifying of the brook.

No other family has given as many merchants to the city of New York. There were three Henry Remsens in New York city who were eminent as merchants.

The first Henry (or Hendrick) was born in 1708. His father was Rem Remsen, born in 1685. His grave was in 1852 to be seen in the ancient grave yard in Fulton street, Brooklyn. He was a son of Rem who was a son of the first Rem, whose real name was Rem Jansen Van der Beeck. His son was called Rem's son Rem, and finally became Rem Remsen. The first Rem Jansen Van der Beeck came out from Holland in 1642. He went to Albany to reside, but came back and settled in Brooklyn.

His descendant Henry (or Hendrick) Remsen, who was born in 1708, made a great deal of money in New York. He died July 7^th 1771, aged 63. His wife Catalina died in 1784, aged 81.

His son Henry was born April 5^th 1736. He married Cornelia Dickerson December 28^th 1761. He was a merchant of eminence in New York; and in 1768 Henry Remsen jr. & Co. did a very large business. He was the son of the Henry who died in 1771. His store was in Hanover square; but at that time no part of New York was numbered. This house did a very heavy importing business.

Henry Rutgers Remsen was the first child of Henry Remsen of New York (first child of Hendrick Remsen of Brooklyn, the latter being the third child of a former Hendrick Remsen of Brooklyn, who was the second child of Rem Remsen of Brooklyn, second child of Rem Remsen Van der Beeck of Wallabout, third child of Rem Jansen Van der Beeck of Wallabout). He was born in New York, May 31^st 1809, and died there April 4^th 1874. He was a lawyer. He was married in Morristown, N. J., October 21^st 1834, to Elizabeth, daughter of Waldron Phoenix, of that place.

Phoenix Remsen, sixth child of Henry Rutgers Remsen, was born in New York, January 7^th 1846, and removed to Islip, where he now resides, in 1882. He was married in New York, January 18^th 1870, to Sarah Louisa, daughter of Dr. Alfred Wagstaff, of New York. He is a lawyer, as was his father.

Of all the Knickerbocker families of New York none were more worthily conspicuous than the Remsens. Henry Remsen was as distinguished in banking as Peter Remsen was as a merchant. He was at one time private secretary to Thomas Jefferson, president of the United States, and it was proverbial in after years, when Remsen was president of the Manhattan Bank, that he was exceedingly polite and scrupulously honest.

All the old people may remember the immense double house of brick which Mr. Remsen erected and occupied to the last, on Clinton street at the corner of Cherry, New York, within one hundred feet of his relative Colonel Rutgers's private grounds, at that time quite out of town.

James B. Cooper. [160]

The above named gentleman is one of the native citizens of this town. He was born here on December 1^st 1825. His father, Simon W. Cooper, was born at Southampton, L. I., and came here to reside about 1804, and for many years conducted the tanning business on quite an extensive scale. The mother of James B. Cooper was Miss Grace Dibble, of Stamford, Conn. Mr. Cooper is a descendant of John Cooper, who was one of the first settlers of the town of Southampton. He was a native of Olney, Buckinghamshire, England. Being a staunch Puritan, he, with many others, in 1635 left England. He came in the ship “Hopewell,” bringing with him his wife and four children, and took up his residence at Lynn, Mass. In 1640 he removed to Southampton, L. L Howell, in his history of that town, says: “It would seem from records concerning Mr. Cooper that he was a man of bold and determined spirit, as fully exemplified in the stern warning given by him to the agents of the Dutch government not to bring their flag within gunshot of Southampton or to attempt to compel the inhabitants of that town to swear allegiance to the Dutch government.” The same peculiar trait appears to have characterized most of his progeny. The family pedigree is easily traced, and is as follows, viz.: I, John Cooper, of Olney, England; 2, Thomas Cooper, born in Olney, England; 3, Thomas Cooper, born at Southampton, L. I. 4, David Cooper, born at Southampton, L. I.; 5. Silas Cooper, born at Southampton, L. I.; 6, Simon W. Cooper, born at Babylon, L. I.; 7, James B. Cooper, born at Babylon, L. I.

The latter has held a number of important public offices, having been one of the trustees of the town of Huntington and county clerk of Suffolk county in the years 1853, 1854, and 1885. During the years 1861, '62, '63, '64, '65 and '66 he was an inspector of customs at the port of New York. He was removed from the customs service — his political opinions not being in accordance with the Johnson administration. Mr. Cooper then purchased the Hempstead Inquirer, a newspaper located at Hempstead, L. I. This journal he conducted with considerable ability. The editorials, though somewhat lacking in polish, showed sound reasoning and a vigorous and original manner of expression. This newspaper enterprise not proving remunerative, Mr. Cooper sold out his interest in the paper, and was soon afterward appointed assistant assessor of internal revenue. This position he held for four years, or until after his return to his native village. Soon after his return he was elected a justice of the peace of the town of Babylon — a place he held for six years, being twice elected without opposition. He discharged the disagreeable duties of this office with marked ability, receiving high compliments from the county judge and from members of the bar for his able and impartial administration of justice, civil and criminal. It is a singular fact that from Justice Cooper's rulings and judgments only three appeals were taken, and in each instance they were sustained by the appellate court. In fact all the several public stations which he has filled, and the various duties which he has discharged, have given ample evidence of his executive ability. Whatever may have been said of his obstinacy or of his opinionativeness, no one has ever questioned his honesty or capability. He has been called peculiar, which is probably true; all men of intense convictions are peculiar, and they are not infrequently rather unpleasant companions, nevertheless, they seldom fail to command the respect of the conscientious and thinking portion of the community. Mr. Cooper, the subject of this sketch, has generally been found in the minority on all new questions, but there has hardly been an instance in which his views have not eventually been in accordance with those of the populace. In early life he was a strong Democrat, but separated from his party on the slavery issue. He was a member of the Democratic State convention which gave birth to the Republican party of the State of New York, and has twice been a member of the Republican State committee. Mr. Cooper may be said to be a politician in the true, but not in the popular sense of the term. No one can justly say he is a demagogue. His education was acquired entirely in the common schools, and may be said to have been of a very crude order; but, notwithstanding, he has written much for the press, and his articles have not been without influence on the public mind. Of late he has devoted much attention to matters of local history, and has published several interesting sketches relating to that subject. He is a warm-hearted man, who sympathizes so deeply with erring' humanity that he has sometimes been accused of being a weakly sentimentalist. He is noted for his hostility to capital punishment, and for his firm friendship to those whom he professes to regard.

Dowden Brothers. [161]

The members of the firm of Dowden Brothers, Babylon, are F. Augustine Dowden and T. Edward Dowden, the two youngest of a family of eleven children. Their oldest brother, who died recently, was professor of St. James Academy of Binghamton, N. Y., for twenty-six years. One brother is now doing a successful business at Glen Gove, four others are in business in the town of Huntington, and two are successful business men in the western States. Their father settled in Cold Spring in 1833, where he was connected with the woolen mills until they ceased operation. He is still living, being now in his 80th year. Their mother died in 1879, in her 66^th year.

Both these young men attended the district school, where they acquired a good common English education, and later attended the higher schools of New York. F. A. Dowden soon engaged in the wool and hide business at Cold Spring, and T. Edward Dowden taught school for a time, and afterward engaged in the mercantile business in New York, where his health was not good.

In 1877 the present firm was formed to conduct a general dry goods and grocery business, to which has been added hardware, flour, feed and grain. They moved, in 1880, into their large and finely located brick store, a cut of which appears above. Their business, which has attained extensive proportions by fair and just dealing, is among the largest, and their store one of the finest in Suffolk county.

---

Notes and commentary by Mary Cascone, Town Historian, Town of Babylon:

[1] James B. Cooper (1825-1907). With a total of more than 25-years, Cooper was the longest serving Justice of the Peace for the Town of Babylon. (He should not be confused with a son and grandson who were also named James B. Cooper.)

[2] The same statement was published in the South Side Signal, September 2, 1882, p. 3 and Long Island Traveler, September 8, 1882, p. 3

[3] “History of Suffolk County,” South Side Signal, September 16, 1882, p. 2; “That History,” South Side Signal, September 16, 1882, p. 2; “The New History of Suffolk County,” South Side Signal, September 23, 1882, p. 2.

[4] Spellings and pronunciations of Long Island Native American words and names are subjective and typically determined by community residents. The Native Americans of Long Island had a spoken language, and records kept by Colonists, starting in in the 1600s, contained interpretations of the Native American language. The European settlers typically used phonetic spellings, which often differed among documents and writers. The meanings of Native American words can also differ among historians and researchers.

[5] More research is needed to accurately describe the Native Americans who lived in and around what became the Town of Babylon and across Long Island. While many writings describe Native American tribes on Long Island, it is important to note that scholars believe that European Colonists identified the indigenous people using Native American terms for various territories across Long Island. For example, the area from present-day Seaford to Copiague was reportedly referred to as “massapeaqua,” meaning “great water land,” thus, the settlers referred to the indigenous people living there as “the Massapequas.” However, it is important to note that these were classifications assigned by European settlers and not an identity designated or adopted by the native people themselves.

The concept of Indian Tribes on Long Island is disputed by historians. Suffolk County Historian Paul Bailey published the booklet “The Thirteen Tribes of Long Island” (1959) but wrote “Although we use the generally accepted term of ‘tribe’ in dealing with the local Indians, it is a misnomer. The thirteen division might better, perhaps, be called communities, although each so-called tribe had a number of villages.” Baily promoted the idea of “tribes” with his title while disputing the word within his text.

Dr. John A. Strong wrote “The Thirteen Tribes of Long Island: The History of a Myth.” Hudson Valley Regional Review 9, no. 2 (1992): 39-73. In part, Dr. Strong wrote “Most of the ‘tribal’ names with which we are now familiar do not appear to have been recognized by either the first European observers or by the original inhabitants until the process of land purchases began after the first settlements [of Colonists] were established. We simply do not know what these people called themselves, but all the ethnographic data on North American Indian cultures suggest that they identified themselves in terms of lineage and clan membership.”

[6] The original text incorrectly published the date as June 5, 1657,

[7] Recorded as “Indian Deed of Five Necks, South Side,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 1, pages 10-11. Note by editor Charles R. Street: “This was the first Indian deed of lands on the South Side of Huntington. It was made by Wyandance, the Grand Sachem of all Long Island, residing at Montauk, and by the Chief of the Seucatogue Indians, in occupation. This deed, like all others conveying Necks only, took in the meadow lands lying between the ‘Old Indian Path’ and the South Bay, being the Necks extending into the Bay. The grantee was Jonas Wood ‘of Halifax,’ and the purchase was for the benefit of a number of persons to whom the lands were afterwards divided. These Necks were located on the Great South Bay, about midway of the shore line of the present Town of Babylon, between Sumpwams and Copiague Necks. The value of the premises was chiefly in the salt grass these meadows produced, and as ‘English hay’ was unknown to this country for the first century after its settlement, salt hay was highly valued and was carted to all parts of the town from the South Meadows—C.R.S.”

[8] Recorded as “Indian Deed of Half Neck,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 1, pages 12-13. Note by editor Charles R. Street: “This neck was west of and adjoining the five necks heretofore purchased.—C. R. S.”

[9] Recorded as “Indian Deed, Confirmation of Half Neck,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 1, pages 21-22. Note by editor Charles R. Street: “The premises here described seem to have been included in the former purchase by Jonas Wood from the Secetaque Indians of what was called ‘that half neck.’ It probably involved a dispute between the Massepagne and Secetaque tribes as to ownership.—C. R. S.”

[10] Recorded as “Indian Deed of Three Necks, Southside,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 1, pages 16-18. Note by editor Charles R. Street: “Takapousha was the chief of the Marsapeague Indians who occupied the Southwest part of Huntington. In another paper he put it on record that it ‘grieved his heart’ to make this deed, but he was compelled to do so by Wyandance, the Montaque chief and Lyon Gardiner. It was necks of meadows only, but was soon followed by a deed of the uplands. Henry Whitney, the grantee, was a man of note among the first settlers here and he officiated in the church here before there was any regular minister employed. These three necks of land were located west of and adjoining the six necks previously purchased and extended westward to the Oyster Bay line. The one adjoining Oyster Bay Town was the subject of litigation, further on.—C. R. S.”

[11] Recorded as “Indian Deed of Santapague South, and Confirmations,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 33-36.

[12] Recorded as “Indian Deed to Robert Kellum,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, page 36.

[13] Recorded as “Indian Deed of Sumpwams Neck, South,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 41-43.

[14] 10 pounds, 10 shillings; prior to the American Revolution, Colonial currency was represented in pounds, shillings and pence.

[15] Recorded as “Indian Deed of An Island In South Bay,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 48-50.

[16] Recorded as “Indian Deed to Robert Kellum Of Islands In The South Bay,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 90-92.

[17] The original text incorrectly published the date as September 21, 1691.

[18] Recorded as “Indian Deed of Naguntatogue Neck, South,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 95-97. Note by editor Charles R. Street: “This is one of a series of Indian deeds that take in premises adjoining and north of the original conveyances by the Indians of the necks of meadows. Many whites had settled on the south side of the town, and upland was needed as well as meadows. Hence these purchases further inland from the South Bay. The premises are situated near the southeasterly boundary of the present Town of Babylon.—C.R.S.”

[19] Recorded as “Indian Deed of Copiag Neck, South,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 121-123. Note by editor Charles R. Street: “Like the last Indian deed printed, this deed takes in a strip of upland north of the meadows previously purchased of the same Indians, The policy of the whites from the first settlement was to acquire the low lands along the coast on both sides of the Island, first, then, as the settlement increased in numbers, slices of the uplands were procured, extending further and further inland, the red man retreating towards the interior. If he was permitted to hunt and fish on the shores, it was under restrictions and conditions of competition with the superior appliances of the civilized whites, a competition the Indian could not withstand. White civilization pressed upon them from the north and from the south, until they were driven into narrow limits, and gradually, within less than a hundred years, perished away.—C. R. S.”

[20] Recorded as “Indian Deed to Samuel Wood,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 189-191. Note by editor Charles R. Street: “There were two Jonas Woods. The one who made the early purchases from the Indians is called Jonas Wood of Halifax, the other, who was a Justice of the Peace, is called Jonas Wood of Drum.—C. R. S.

[21] Recorded as “Indian Deed to John Ketcham and Jonas Platt – South,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 204-207.

[22] 16 pounds, 7 shillings; prior to the American Revolution, Colonial currency was represented in pounds, shillings and pence.

[23] Recorded as “Deed. Indians To John Ketcham, James Chichester, and Timothy Conklin,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 207-210.

[24] Recorded as “Indian Deed To Joseph Wood, Thomas Fleet and Nathaniel Foster, South,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 213-216.

[25] Known as Baiting Place Purchase, recorded as “Indian Deed To The Trustees of the Town,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 218-221. Note by editor Charles R. Street: “This deed is endorsed ‘Deed of Baiting Place Purchase.’—C. R. S.”

[26] Recorded as “Indian Deed. East Neck, South Side,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 221-224.

[27] Recorded as “Indian Deed To Trustees,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 258-262. Note by editor Charles R. Street: “I am informed that this is the deed commonly called the Squaw or Squam Pit Purchase. The title was vested in the trustees. How it subsequently came to be vested in the large number of persons who occupied it, and whose assigns or descendants now occupy it, will perhaps appear by consulting the large volume of Records concerning the Squaw Pit divisions, now in the hands of private parties at Babylon.—C. R. S.”

[28] Recorded as “Indian Deed, Santapogue,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 267-270.

[29] Recorded as “Indian Deed To Trustees,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 275-278.

[30] Recorded as “Indian Deed To Trustees,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 278-281.

[31] Recorded as “Indian Deed To Joseph Wood,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 282-285.

[32] The original text incorrectly published the date as October 24, 1705.

[33] Recorded as “Indian Deed To Trustees,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 285-288.

[34] Recorded as “Indian Deed To Trustees,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 288-291.

[35] Recorded as “Indian Deed To Trustees,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 2, pages 291-294.

[36] At the time of this publication, 1882, current Nassau County was part of Queens County, as noted in this sentence. Nassau County separated from the old Queens County in 1899.

[37] Colonel Platt Conklin (1711-1780) was the son of Jacob Conklin and Hannah Platt Conklin. Jacob Conklin was a legendary figure who sailed with the privateer Captain Kidd, which is commemorated on a historical marker on Colonial Springs Road, Wheatley Heights, near the site where the Conklins built a family home around 1710. Late in life, he married Phebe Smith (1730-1816) and they had one child, Nathaniel Conklin (1768-1844). Nathaniel Conklin and his mother Phebe Conklin are credited with the naming of Babylon. Platt Conklin also served as Town Supervisor for the Town of Huntington. He was interred at the Conklin Family Cemetery, in Wheatley Heights.

[38] The original text incorrectly published his death year as 1825. An announcement of his death: “Died – At Babylon, Abraham Skinner, Esq. counsellor at law, aged 73 – He was buried at Jamaica”; Long Island Star, August 3, 1826, p. 3.

[39] Profile of Abraham Skinner -- “Mr. Skinner was at this time [1792] clerk of [Queens] county, which office he held from 1778-1796. He was likewise a lawyer, much distinguished for his talents and professional. He was born at New York in 1750, and soon after his admission to the bar, the Revolutionary troubles began. He was a warm and active whig, and was honored with the confidence of the commander-in-chief, by whom he was appointed deputy commissary general of prisoners. In [Jared] Sparks' life and writings of Washington, is the copy of a letter addressed by him to Mr. Skinner, acquainting him of an arrangement made with Sir Henry Clinton, for the British commissary to meet Mr. Skinner at Elizabethtown, Sept. 19, 1780, to agree upon an exchange of officers, prisoners of war, upon a footing of equal rank, and to include the whole on parole at New York or in Europe. ‘An exchange,’ says the general, ‘of all the officers, prisoners of war in our hands, is earnestly wished; but if you cannot make it so as to comprehend the whole, make it as extensive as you can.’ Mr. Skinner met the British commissary at the time and place appointed, but failed to accomplish a plan of mutual exchange within the range of his instructions. In 1778, Mr. Skinner was appointed clerk of Queens county, and held the office till 1796. In 1785 he was chosen a member of the state legislature. A few years after, he moved to the city of New York, where he enjoyed a lucrative [law] practice for many years; from whence he removed to Babylon in Suffolk county.” The History of Long Island; from its Discovery and Settlement, to the Present Time, volume 2, by Benjamin F. Thompson, Gould, Banks & Co.: New York, 1843, p. 128-129. (Thompson’s first edition, a single volume, was published in 1839, and a two volume set was published in 1843.)

[40] The Library of Congress website, www.loc.gov, has copies of correspondence between Abraham Skinner and George Washington, and with David Sproat.

[41] Although not confirmed, it is believed that he was interred at the Grace Episcopal Churchyard, 155-15 Jamaica Avenue, Queens, NY. Abraham Skinner is mentioned in The Origin and History of Grace Church, Jamaica, New York, by Horatio Oliver Ladd, The Shakespeare Press: New York, 1914.

[42] Joel Cook was interred at Babylon Cemetery. (Daughters of the American Revolution, Ancestor No. A025361.) The Joel Cook Monument Association erected a memorial to Captain Cook in 1907. It was originally located at the northeast corner of North Carll Avenue and Grove Place. To accommodate expansion of the high school, the monument was relocated to Argyle Park in 1957, where it remains. Accounts of Cook’s death include: “Death of Another Soldier of the Revolution,” Long Islander, December 26, 1851, p. 2. Accounts of the Cook Monument include: “Capt. Joel Cook Monument,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, November 23, 1907, p. 15; “Captain Cook Monument Unveiled,” South Side Signal, November 30, 1907, p. 2; “Captain Joel Cook Monument,” Babylon Leader, February 21, 1957, p. 1.

[43] David Smith (1759-1809) reportedly served as a Private in Nathaniel Platt's Company, within Colonial Josiah Smith's Suffolk County Regiment, which formed in Smithtown, New York. Around 1790, David Smith built a house on the east side of Deer Park Avenue. David Smith married Fanny Ludlow and they had two children – Charity and David. David Smith died in 1809 and he was buried on the family property, not far from the house, which was a common practice. In 1908, his remains were relocated to Babylon Cemetery, where they are marked by a marble headstone and medallion installed by the former Saghtekoss Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The property was later identified as 527 Deer Park Avenue, at the corner of Ketewamoke Avenue. The house, which was later expanded around the 1830s, was demolished in 2017. (Daughters of the American Revolution, Ancestor No. A105079.)

[44] Sumpwams Avenue is now known as Deer Park Avenue. From this description, the property attributed to Arthur Dingee would have been on both sides of Deer Park Avenue, from the railroad on the south to the area just south of Sunrise Highway.

[45] David Porter (1780-1843). Later accounts of Porter’s arrival in Babylon include “Navy Crew, Dodging British Braved Fire Island Inlet And Reached Babylon, 1814,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, January 15, 1924, p. 20; “Porter’s Heroic Escape From British Gave Babylon Supreme Thrill in 1814, “Brooklyn Times Union, June 6, 1936, p. 25.

[46] In 1949, former Village of Lindenhurst historian Lorena M. Frevert wrote that the boardwalks at Oak Beach were named to honor local shipwrecks, in 1913, at the suggestion of Capt. Carll Jackson of Babylon village. She recorded, “The following ships are so remembered: Savannah, the first American steamboat to cross the Atlantic, wrecked in 1821; Elizabeth, Sullivan, Voltaire, Toronto, Drumelzier and Brilliant; as published in "The Town of Babylon" by Lorena M. Frevert, from Long Island; a History of Two Great Counties, Nassau and Suffolk. Vol. I., edited by Paul Baily, Lewis Historical Pub., 1949, p. 370. The Town Board resolution authorizing the construction of the Oak Beach boardwalks was published in “Marconiville Not Unlawful Place … Municipal Fathers in Session,” South Side Signal, July 4, 1913, p. 1; “Resolved that a boardwalk six feet wide and of suitable construction be erected in the centre of Elizabeth street on Oak Island beach, extending from Savannah walk northerly to Toronto avenue and thence westerly along the center of Toronto avenue to the westerly line of lot leased by Mrs. Warren Davis, No. 130 and that the Clerk be directed to notify all lease holders fronting on Toronto avenue between lots Nos. 113 and 130, inclusive, to build a boardwalk not less than four feet in width and of suitable material and that in case of failure to do so, after ten days notice, the town will build the walk and assess proportionate cost against the lease holder. According to the map prepared by Surveyor Sammis of Oak Island beach the streets named to date are Savannah walk, which extends the full length of the ocean front, Drumzelia [sic] avenue and Voltaire avenue, which extends east and west, and Brilliant, Elizabeth and Sullivan streets, running north and south.”

Tom Morris, author of Islands of Content: A History of Oak Island, Oak Island Beach and Captree Island, New York, Lulu.com, 2016, also wrote about local shipwrecks and the Oak Beach boardwalks. Morris wrote that there were two ships named Savannah that are often confused. One wrecked in 1821 near Moriches and one wrecked in 1822 near Oak Beach. Both Frevert and Morris assert that the Oak Beach boardwalk is named for the 1821 wreck. At the time of Judge Cooper’s 1882 article, the boardwalks had not yet been created or named.

[47] “Melancholy shipwreck,” Long Island Star, November 7, 1822, p. 2.

[48] “Captain Joseph Coles … ,” Long Island Star, November 14, 1822, p. 3.

[49] Other sources of Smith Muncy’s discovery of the wreck include, “The Muncy Brothers,” Brooklyn Times Union, January 3, 1903, p. 21.

[50] “The Log-Book of the ‘Savannah’,” published in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, February 1877, p. 342-347.

[51] Reportedly, the Sullivan was carrying a load of cotton and wrecked near Oak Beach on January 1, 1852; Islands of Content: A History of Oak Island, Oak Island Beach and Captree Island, New York, by Tom Morris, Lulu.com, 2016

[52] The Brilliant wrecked on December 10, 1831, at the west end of Oak Beach. Sources include: “Wreck and Loss of Lives,” The Evening Post, December 13, 1831, p. 2; “Today, Dec. 9, Is 101^st Anniversary of Wreck of Brig Brilliant.” Babylon Leader, 9 Dec. 1932: 1, 4.

[53] Reportedly, the cabin/schoolhouse was later used as the kitchen in the house formerly located at 75 Fire Island Avenue, Babylon. Commonly known as the Bishop House, it was demolished in 2019/2020 and replaced by an apartment complex.

[54] The original text stated that Sammis chartered the boat “about 1856,” however, research reveals that it occurred in 1859. “We learn that the small steamer Bonita has been chartered for that purpose, and will run for the balance of the season between Babylon and Fire Island, in connection with the Long Island Railroad cars and Babylon stages. Passengers from the city can get tickets at the railroad office for the whole trip.” Long Islander, August 19, 1859, p. 2.

[55] Advertisement for the Surf Hotel and transportation on the Wave – “Surf Hotel, Fire Island Beach, Is now open for the reception of guests. T.T. Bloomer & Co., Proprietors. – Visitors will take the Long Island Railroad at South ferry Brookly, (at 10 A.M. and at 3:30 P.M.,) where tickets can be procured to the Surf Hotel via Deer Park, tence by omnibus to Babylon, where the new and splendid steamer Wave, Capt. H. Southard, will be in waiting to convey passengers to the hotel. Fare $1.75”; “Summer Resorts,” New York Daily Herald, June 25, 1859, p. 3. 

[56] U.S. Life-Saving Station No. 27 was known as Oak Island (west end) Station, later Gilgo Beach Station. The Life-Saving Station at Oak Beach was established in 1872, south of the area that is now Oak Beach Park. Due to erosion, the station was moved to the north side of the island in 1898-1899. To make way for construction of Ocean Parkway, the station was moved again to the site where the building remains, 108 Oak Beach Road, Oak Beach. The station became a Coast Guard station in 1915 and was used by the Coast Guard through 1945. The building was transferred to the Town of Babylon in 1948 and is now known as the Oak Beach Community Center.

[57] U.S. Life-Saving Station No. 26 was known as Oak Island (east end) Station, later Oak Island or Oak Island Beach Station.

[58] At the time of this publication, the Town of Babylon had only existed for ten years. The dates of service for town elected officials are published elsewhere in this book.

[59] The original text incorrectly identified Town Clerk Conklin as Frederick N. Conklin.

[60] The original text incorrectly identified Justice Walker as William Walker, and did not include the names of Justices Wagner and Butler.

[61] In 2007, the Sisters of St. Dominic Motherhouse Complex was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. As of this writing (2022), the Sisters of St. Dominic still operate at this property on Albany Avenue, North Amityville.

[62] Rev. Peter Schwarz; “Amityville,” South Side Signal, January 4, 1902, p. 3.

[63] Although often referred to as “villages,” these three communities were not incorporated villages as they are now known. Babylon village incorporated in 1893. Breslau changed its name to Lindenhurst in 1890 and the village incorporated in 1923. Amityville village incorporated in 1894. Before their village incorporations, the communities were often perceived as larger than the village boundaries established at the time of their incorporations, as known today. For example, earlier proposals to incorporate Babylon were larger and included parts of present West Babylon. In order to pass the village proposal, boundaries were amended to appease opponents. In Amityville, areas that were referred to as North Amityville in the 1870s and 1880s were often references to northern parts of a general area known as Amityville, some of which are now in the Village of Amityville and some in the Hamlet of North Amityville. When the Breslau community started in 1870, it was much larger than the area that was incorporated in 1923. Breslau included parts of our present Hamlets of North Lindenhurst and West Babylon.

[64] Identification and description of the 11 necks in the Town of Babylon are published elsewhere in this book.

[65] Phebe Conklin (nee Smith) (1730-1816), was the daughter of Nathaniel Smith (1697-1765) and Phebe Howell (1703-1775). She married Platt Conklin (1711-1780) in 1767, and they had one child, Nathaniel Conklin (1768-1844).

[66] The naming of Babylon is commonly credited to Phebe Smith Conklin, and her son Nathaniel, although two differing legends exist. The first legend purports that she chose the name from the Psalm “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down.” However, a more scandalous version suggests that Mrs. Conklin was unpleased with the proximity of her son’s home to a raucous tavern at the American House. Referring to the alleged debauchery of Ancient Babylon, she declared “It is another Babylon!” Nathaniel retorted that “It is a New Babylon,” and engraved the name in his chimney stone. The Nathaniel Conklin House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, and is a museum at 280 Deer Park Avenue, with the stone on prominent display.

[67] “Not designated by a name,” is contrary to information that the general Babylon village area was referred to as Sumpwams. Also, the southern part of the old Town of Huntington, including present Babylon village was often referred to as Huntington South.

[68] Variations of the surname Heartte include Hartt and Heart. The text is “about 1760,” referring to an approximate date. Often, we can interpret approximate dates as about 5 years before or after the given date. However, it brings into question to which Nehemiah Heartt the writer was referring, Nehemiah Heartt Sr (1717-1796) or his son Nehemiah Heartt Jr. (1745-1808). In 1760, Nehemiah Jr. was only 15 years old, making it less likely that he built a house on East Main Street, in Babylon, and more likely that it was his father’s house, possibly inherited by or later transferred to Nehemiah Jr. The writer states, “At the period of the Revolution Nehemiah Heartte was the owner … One of his sons, Philip Heartte, removed to Troy, N. Y., and a son of the latter, Jonas C. Heartte, was mayor of that city.” Nehemiah Jr. did have a son named Philip, whose son Jonas C. Heartt was Mayor of Troy, NY. According to the Daughters of the American Revolution Ancestor Search, Nehemiah Jr. served in the American Revolution, in a militia from Dutchess County, NY. It is possible that the British occupation of Long Island (1776-1783) drove the family northward to Dutchess County, and later Rensselaer County (Troy, NY).

[69] The Col. Henry A.V. Post (1832-1914) property was formerly located on the property now identified as 95 E. Main Street. Col. Post served in the Civil War. An obituary stated that “Colonel Post came to Babylon in 1872, and their home on Main street, formerly the James Harvey Carll place, is one of the most prominent residences along the entire South Side”; “Obituary – Colonel Henry A.V. Post,” South Side Signal, January 30, 1914, p. 4. Interestingly, Edwin Post, a son of Colonel Post and his wife Caroline, married Emily Price (1872-1960); the couple divorced in 1905. Emily Post was an author and novelist who was famous for writing about etiquette, including Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and at Home, 1922, a best-seller with several subsequent editions.

[70] Sumpwams Neck is property on the south side of Main Street, between the Carll River and Sumpwams River.

[71] From PoliticalGraveyard.com: “Heartt, Jonas C. — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Mayor of Troy, N.Y., 1838-43; member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County 1st District, 1852. Burial location unknown.” [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/heaney-heartwell.html#740.76.38 ; accessed January 12, 2021.]

[72] The “flouring-mill and a saw-mill” was located on the north side of East Main Street, along a body of water now known as Hawley’s Pond, part of Sumpwams Creek that flows from the Deer Park/Brentwood area to the Great South Bay; the site is now in between the north and south bound ramps of Route 231. According to Babylon Reminiscences, by Benjamin P. Field, The mill was in operation until around 1887 when it became a whip factory owned by David Ricketts Jr.; “Babylon Local Record,” South Side Signal, June 25, 1887, p. 3;  Babylon Reminiscences, by Benjamin P. Field, 1911. The old mill building was removed in 1910; “Babylon Local Record,” South Side Signal, January 8, 1910, p. 3; “Town Topics,” South Side Signal, July 29, 1910, p. 5; “Babylon Town Board Meeting,” South Side Signal, August 5, 1910, p. 8; “Babylon Brevities,” South Side Signal, September 23, 1910, p. 4.

[73] The “paper-mill” refers to the mill operated at the present site of the Argyle Lake overflow. In 1850, Isaac Willet purchased the property from Elbert Carll, described as including a “mill dam.” The mill ground straw purchased from local farmers to make their products, and operated until around 1882 when the Argyle Hotel opened.

[74] Town of Babylon School Districts in 1882: No. 1 – Babylon, No. 2 – West Babylon, No. 3 – North Babylon, No. 4 – Breslau (Lindenhurst), No. 5 – East Amityville (Copiague), No. 6 – Amityville, No. 7 – Deer Park and Wyandanch (the district split in 1923).

[75] An advertisement in the South Side Signal, September 14, 1872, p. 4, described the school as Miss Gannon’s French and English Day and Boarding Academy for Young Ladies, established 1866. Miss Adelaide Gannon died in 1883. Her obituary stated that she was “an estimable lady for many years identified with the educational interests of Babylon, died suddenly of heart disease on Sunday evening last. Miss Gannon was an English lady by birth, and had but one relative in this country – a niece, who by this sad event is left without a single person in this country allied to her by kinship. Miss Gannon was a lady of rare musical and literary attainments, an excellent teacher, and greatly endeared to her scholars and the people generally. Her funeral from St.  Joseph's R. C. Church on Wednesday was largely attended”; South Side Signal, January 27, 1883, p. 2. 

[76] The school was operated by Gloriana Rice Cooper at the northwest corner of George and Cooper Streets. The residence used as a school was later used as the site of the first Southside Hospital, which opened in 1911. The hospital moved to Bay Shore in 1923 and the house was demolished around 1931. At the time of this writing (2022), the site is the Babylon Post Office.

[77] The First Presbyterian Church Babylon is still operating on the same site and, generally, in the same buildings as described herein.

[78] Effingham B. Sutton (1817-1891) owned a large estate in West Islip, along the eastern boundary of the Village of Babylon, known as Effingham Park. The estate was later sold to Edwin Hawley.

[79] 32 pounds, 4 shillings; prior to the American Revolution, Colonial currency was represented in pounds, shillings and pence.

[80] One pound; currency.

[81] 79 pounds, 3 shillings; currency.

[82] 160 pounds; currency.

[83] Babylon M.E. Church refers to Babylon Methodist Episcopal Church. The congregation is now known as The United Methodist Church of Babylon, located at the northeast corner of Deer Park Avenue and James Street.

[84] William R. Foster (1813-1890) was founder and president the Bowery Bank. Reportedly, he and his wife Harriet were fervent Methodists. The Fosters had a large estate in the southeastern part of Babylon.

[85] “75 Years of Local Methodism,” South Side Signal, October 30, 1914, p. 1, 8.

[86] “The Churches of Babylon,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 30, 1897, p. 20.

[87] “The Churches of Babylon,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 30, 1897, p. 20.

[88] Rev. Edwin A. Blake; “Reviews 42 Years In The Ministry – Dr. Edwin A. Blake, Pastor of Simpson M.E. Church at Amityville, Recalls Many Interesting Experiences,” South Side Signal, March 27, 1914, p. 1

[89] “75 Years of Local Methodism,” South Side Signal, October 30, 1914, p. 1, 8.

[90] This congregation is now known as Christ Episcopal Church, located at the southeast corner of Prospect Street and South Carll Avenue.

[91] In 1872, four years after its formation, the Babylon Baptist Church Society opened its church at the northeast corner of West Main Street and South Carll Avenue (the site was sold to the village in the late 1950s and is now a parking lot). The wooden church originally had a towering steeple, which was removed in 1912. Later changing its name to First Baptist Church, the congregation opened a new church in 1958, about a half mile to the west, known as 300 West Main Street. The Baptist Church closed in 2019, and is now the home of Community Church.

[92] Formed in 1877, the Catholic Society of Babylon met in local hotels until they were able to construct a wooden church on the north side of Grove Place, near Deer Park Avenue, in 1878. (The book text refers to their church on Grove Place, in 1882.) To accommodate the growing congregation, property was acquired on the southeast corner of Grove Place and North Carll Avenue. The Byzantine-style church, in use today, was designed by Robert J. Riley and Gustave E. Steinbeck, and the first worship services were held on July 12, 1912. The church’s unique dome is adorned with a fresco buono, known as The Cyclus, by Maxwell Franz Friederang which depicts St. Joseph. From 1927 to 1991, the church also operated a parochial school. 

[93] This international fraternal started in the 1700s and continues today. There were also Lodges in Breslau and Amityville. Website: www.odd-fellows.org . The title “N.G.” stands for Noble Grand (Presiding Officer) and “V.G.” stands for Vice Grand (Deputy Presiding Officer).

[94] The American House was destroyed by fire on June 4, 1883, just a year after the publication of this book. References to it being “the oldest hotel on the island,” probably refers to it being one of the oldest still existing in 1882, and should not be confused with assertions that it was among the first hotels on Long Island. The South Side Signal (June 9, 1883, p. 2) published this account of the devastating fire: “A serious fire broke out at about noon on Monday last, resulting in the total destruction of the American Hotel. The fire was discovered inside the ceiling between the first and second floors some 15 or 20 feet from any chimney or flue which leads to the opinion that it originated from mice gnawing matches. Evidently the fire had been smoldering for some time before it was discovered. Efforts were made to extinguish it before giving out alarm, but the fire rapidly worked its way beyond reach, and the department was called out. The response was promptly made and a stream of water was soon pouring in from the new well on East Main street. The fire had spread in two directions and before it could be checked in the central wing flames were bursting through the roof of the main building. It then became apparent that no single engine could check the fire and the work of removing furniture, etc., was taken in hand by the citizens, while the firemen directed their efforts to driving back the flames and preventing their spread to the buildings on the north. Here was the great battle ground of the day, and only by the most heroic efforts was the fire stayed. This was only accomplished by pulling down the entire north wing which consisted of a two-story building some 50 feet or more in length. For some time it seemed as though it would be impossible to save the Budget building, but as the men realized that its destruction would involve a clean sweep of that part of the village, they doubled their efforts. The firemen worked with desperation, and directed their labors with great good judgement. They were successful and but for the efficient organization of our fire department, at least half the village would have been laid in ashes. Much praise is due the Islip Fire Department, which responded with wonderful promptness to a private telegram stating that the village was in danger. In a little over an hour after they received word about 25 men, under Chief John Frazer, arrived upon the scene and reported for duty. They were received with loud cheers from the Babylon men, and with hearty goodwill rendered us efficient service. The Breslau Fire Department was likewise largely represented, but owing to an oversight of the Babylon fire authorities they were not called upon to bring their machines.

The American hotel was a large F-shaped structure, facing about 150 feet on Main street and 100 feet on Deer Park avenue, with a central wing extending north and forming the kitchen, pastry room, etc. Elsewhere will be found some interesting reminiscences of this house probably the oldest hotel on the island. It was owned by D.S.S. Sammis whose loss on the building and furniture will amount to about $20,000; insured for $12,000 on the building and $2,000 on the furniture. Mrs. P.A. Seaman [Phebe Ann Seaman], who leased and ran the house, sustains a loss about $1,000; insured for $500. Platt B. Penny, who operated the bar and billiard saloon, sustained a loss of about $700; insured for $500.

Soon after 4 o'clock the fire was under control and the danger past. Not till then did the firemen think of refreshments, and none had eaten since breakfast. An invitation to partake of the hospitality of Mine Host John Lux, of the Washington Hotel, was promptly accepted, This was supplemented by an order for Mr. Sammis and contributions by citizens and the scenes soon changed from desperate effort to mild wrestling with sandwiches and coffee at Charlie Kroll's and moderate conviviality over flowing lager at Lux's hotel. The work of the day added laurels to the department, and congratulations were general among the citizens that the destruction was not more complete.”

An adjoining column, continued: “Retrospective – We learn from the recently published history of Babylon, by our local historian James B. Cooper, the following items of interest respecting the hotel in this village which was destroyed by fire on Monday last.” It was followed by a reprint of this American House profile.

[95] To date, no contemporaneous account of Bonaparte’s 1816 visit to Babylon has been identified, and no dispute to the account has been found, either. Joseph Bonaparte reportedly lived in the United States from around 1816 to 1839. His home in Bordentown, NJ, was named Point Breeze.

[96] Commodore Porter is discussed in the “War of 1812” section.

[97] In 1840, Daniel Webster (1782-1852) was a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. He later served as U.S. Secretary of State under Presidents William Henry Harrison, John Tyler and Millard Fillmore. Accounts of Mr. Webster’s visit to the convention in Patchogue include “Great Gathering at Patchogue!” Corrector, September 30, 1840, p. 3. Chauncy L.C. Ditmars, the first Town Historian for the Town of Babylon, wrote the article “Daniel Webster Fished Long Island,” published in the Long Island Forum history magazine in December 1938. Ditmars reported that Webster “often stopped at the American House … on one occasion making a patriotic speech from the front porch before leaving for his favorite fishing locale at Samuel Carman’s at Fire Place [an earlier name for the hamlet of Brookhaven].” Another article reported “Daniel Webster used to ride down to Babylon from New York, in the 1840s, in the stage-coach, to fish in the lakes and streams thereabout as well as to indulge in deep sea fishing. One Fourth of July he exploded his oratorical fireworks from the porch of the ancient American House in Babylon”; “Babylon Leads As Home Centre,” Brooklyn Times Union, June 22, 1930, p. 9.

[98] Col. Henry A.V. Post is discussed in footnote 68 of this chapter.

[99] It is believed that this is a reference to the National Hotel, which stood on at the southwest corner of Main Street and Fire Island Avenue, and was recorded on the 1858 map of Suffolk County. In his 1911 book Babylon Reminiscences, Benjamin P. Field made no mention of either Thomas or Patrick Gould, but he did provide some information about the National Hotel. [pg. 1] “There were three hotels in the village at that time, the ‘American,’ the ‘National,’ and the ‘Sumpawams.’” [pg. 5] “[Elkanah] Jarvis had previously kept the National Hotel but had moved to this farm in the pursuit of agriculture. He established the first milk route that was ever known in Babylon, while living at this place, and was therefore the ‘pioneer’ milkman. He was very familiarly known, and when Elkanah Jarvis was around there was sure to be fun somewhere near by, for he was good natured and jolly, like many others in the olden time.” [pg. 9-10] “[The] National Hotel, kept by Nathan E. Bassett. Had we started in the morning, … it would have brought us to Bassett's at about mail time, so we will take a look up the road to see if the stage from Deer Park is in sight, and we will stop into Bassett's and refresh ourselves with something from the old-fashioned cut glass decanters which he always kept on the top shelf. The bar room was on the west end of the house, and on entering the door we would be very apt to meet old Mr. Sharp, who was apparently generally angry with himself and every one else. He had his ‘pleasant spells’ at times, however, but they did not attack him very often and were of short duration. … It was at this house that the lamented ‘Ed’ Snedicor could be found with his ‘little fiddle’ and it did seem that none other, could bring such sweet and delightful music from a violin as he could from this same instrument. Many are the feet which have danced the ‘double shuffle’ or a genuine ‘break-down’ to the inspiring strains of Snedicor's music, that will dance no more, having ‘shuffled off the mortal coil’ forever. Nathan E. Bassett was a man of excellent good sense, with a large cheerful element in his ‘make up’ and his estimable wife ranked high with the village people. Their able management of the ‘National’ gave the house an enviable reputation. The old National Hotel was afterward cut in two and moved on what is now Fire Island avenue. The residence of S. L. Seaman was built from one half of it, and that of Jesse Conklin from the other half, and is now owned and occupied by Lawyer Albert Douglas Haff.”

[100] Sidney L. Seaman (1825-1907) owned and operated a dry goods store, succeeding his father in the business. (See Obituary, South Side Signal, January 12, 1907, p. 3.)

[101] See footnote 93, above, regarding the National Hotel.

[102] Description of Sumpawams House from Babylon Reminiscences, by Benjamin P. Field (1911). “[T]he Sumpawams House, kept by Thomas J. Seaman. The bar room was in the western part. Some years after the death of Mr. Seaman the building was enlarged to its present capacity and conducted as a hotel for a number of years by Mrs. P. A. Seaman [Phebe Ann Seaman] & Son, after which it was abandoned for hotel purposes, and is now owned and occupied by L. H. Fishel, our esteemed townsman and successful merchant. Our good neighbor has received his portion of success which has been well merited. Mr. Fishel still rills a large sphere of usefulness, and has, by his unswerving integrity and devotion to public, as well as private interests, won the esteem of all who know him, and stands foremost in the ranks of our best citizens.”

[103] Thomas J. Seaman (1808-1856). (Death notice, Long Islander, July 25, 1856, p. 3.) The 1850 Federal Census listed Thomas J. Seaman’s occupation and “Boarding House.” Phebe Ann Robbins (1821-1901), reportedly married Thomas J. Seaman in 1827. The Federal Censuses recorded her occupations: 1860 – Inn Keeper, 1870 – Landlady, 1880 – “Keeps Hotel.”

[104] Leopold H. Fishel (1839-1913) reportedly settled in Babylon in the mid-1850s. The date that Fishel first opened a dry goods store in Babylon has not yet been located, but it was active in 1869 and was advertised in the first issue of the South Side Signal, in July 1869. When the store relocated to the old Sumpawams House building, an announcement of the new store location’s opening was published in the South Side Signal (May 1, 1875, p. 2): “Fishel’s new store was formally opened on Thursday [April 29, 1875], with a splendid stock of goods, which will be sold strictly for cash. Drop in and see.” (See also, Fishel obituary, South Side Signal, March 14, 1913, p. 4.) Known as the Fishel Building, the old Sumpawams House, was destroyed by fire in 1973.

[105] Advertisement, South Side Signal, January 7, 1882, p. 4: “A. Johnson, Main St., (Opp. American Hotel), Babylon, manufacturer and dealer in – Confectionery – Of all kinds, manufactured on the premises and warranted pure. Parties, hotels, church fairs and families supplied with Confectionery, Ice Cream, &c., at N.Y. prices.”

[106] The Watson House opened September 21, 1871. It was built by Selah C. Smith, grandson of Jesse Smith who erected the American House. The South Side Signal (September 23, 1871, p. 2), gave this description of the hotel’s opening and naming. “Our Big Hotel. — The frame of Selah C. Smith a large hotel was formally raised and christened with champagne, and all the et ceteras, on Thursday evening last. Hon. J. R. Reid made a neat little speech appropriate to the occasion, and announced that the new Hotel would hereafter be known as the ‘Watson House,’ in honor of George Watson, of Beekman street, N.Y., who has for many years been a guest of the old American Hotel. Mr. Watson responded, briefly and to the point, thanking the Hotel Proprietor for the honor conferred upon him, and the Judge for his happy manner of expressing it, with the warmest wishes for the success of the enterprise. The host and hostess, Architect W. L. Hallock, Boss Carpenters Rogers Aldrich and Platt Hartt, were severally toasted in bumpers of champagne; when the pleasant little meeting adjourned with three rousing cheers for the ‘Watson House.’”

[107] Although it has been widely reported that the Blythbourne estate was owned by Electus B. Litchfield (1813-1889), it was actually owned by his wife Hannah M. Litchfield (nee Breed, 1818-1873); deed dated November 1, 1866, Liber 142, Page 109, Suffolk County Clerk, Land Records.

[108] The property was transferred from the Litchfields to Charles Fox, President of the South Side Railroad (a railway company that was later acquired by the Long Island Rail Road), in 1873; deed dated April 28, 1873, Liber 197, Page 396, Suffolk County Clerk, Land Records. Later that same year, Charles and Emmeline Fox sold the property to Stephen B. Thayer; deed dated August 1, 1873, Liber 221, Page 108, Suffolk County Clerk, Land Records. Thayer sold the property to Austin Corbin, President of the Long Island Rail Road; deed dated November 29, 1881, Liber 260, Page 10, Suffolk County Clerk, Land Records. The Argyle Hotel opened in June 1882 and the following year Austin and Hannah Corbin sold the hotel and property to the Long Island Improvement Co.; Deed dated January 25, 1883, Liber 271, Page 208, Suffolk County Clerk, Land Records.

[109] The Argyle Hotel closed in 1897, and the building was torn down in 1904. A month before the opening of the Argyle Hotel, the South Side Signal published this description of the new hotel: “Babylon’s Grand Hotel – The ‘Argyle’ – The long talked-of project of erecting a mammoth hotel on the Litchfield property — the most eligible site in the town—is at last a reality, and under the intelligent direction of Austin Corbin the Long Island Improvement Company have given us a caravansary capable of accommodating the tide of pleasure-seekers who desire to make Babylon their summer home. For years our accommodations have been inadequate to meet the demands of those who would gladly tarry with us, but who were compelled to seek hospitality elsewhere along our shores. Seeing this growing demand for better quarters, the company organized this enterprise; with considerable tact they have seized upon the opportunity, and the result cannot be otherwise than satisfactory to those engaged in the enterprise and the community in which it is located. The Hotel ‘Argyle’ is rapidly approaching completion, and the first of June will see its doors, thrown open to its guests, who have, we understand, already arranged for more than half its capacity.

Accepting the invitation of the architects and contractor, on Tuesday lust we made an inspection of the ‘Argyle,’ and through the politeness of Superintendent Brophy were shown through its spacious apartments, and the plans of running the establishment were fully explained. On entering, the visitor is ushered into the grand hull on the lower floor, which is lighted and ventilated by large oval openings through the four floors, properly protected by strong ornamental railings.

Here the offices are located, and facing the main entrance is the grand staircase, finished and railed in solid woods – ash predominating. To the left is the dining hall, which is to be one of the most prominent features of the house. It is 98 feet long by 47 feet wide, and will seat with four private dining-rooms adjoining, 600 persons at once. The interior is gothic, in natural woods – lighted by large stained-glass windows. The ceiling in the highest parts is 55 feet above the floor. Adjoining is the kitchen, a room 40x50 feet in size, fitted with patent ranges, steam tables and every first-class kitchen appliance. The balance of the first floor is devoted to suites, private parlors and sleeping apartments—there being about 300 of these, all connected with the office by patent electric bells.

On the second floor the main parlors are located, the balance being devoted to sleeping accommodations. The third floor is nearly a duplicate of the second. Three square, tower-like structures surmount the main roof by two stories. The center of the building is surmounted by two ornamental towers, five and six stories high—with flagstaff 40 feet still higher. The view from the top of the towers is grand beyond description - affording a birdseye view of a vast expanse of sea and shore.

Descending to the basement the visitor is struck by the scope afforded in every department. Here the barbershops, baths, billiard saloons, bar and wine-rooms are located. The hotel is flanked on either side by airy piazzas—30 feet wide in front, and of proportionate width on the sides and rear, all planked and sealed in Georgia pine, finished in shellac and varnished. In addition to these there are several upper piazzas and 24 private balconies. The water service of the house is perfect, and an abundant supply has been provided for—the water being pumped to a water tower some distance west of the house. On each floor there are three fire plugs of regulation size, with hose and pipes attached, ready for instant use. The drainage system is admirably arranged, with patent overflow and precipitating traps; thus guarding effectually against contaminating the soil - so often the result of imperfect drainage.

The ‘Argyle’ has been constructed with special reference to the comfort and convenience of the guests. All the rooms are large, light, easy of access, and well ventilated. The halls arc wide and roomy, and, in fact, the whole arrangement is as near perfect as it was possible to make it. Its construction called for the services of about 85 men for three months. Its completion in so short a space of time is almost a marvel of mechanical skill and energy. Its success cannot fail to add largely to the wealth and prosperity of the town. It is designed to accommodate about 600 guests, and its management will require the service, of about 150 employees.

The ground plan of the building is somewhat in the shape of a Maltese cross—covering 41,250 square feet of surface. The entire area of the various floors is 206,250 square feet, or about 104 acres. The grounds embrace about 60 acres, handsomely adorned and shaded. The situation commands Blythebourne Lake and the highest elevation in the village. The cost of construction cannot be definitely stated, as the work is not entirely completed. May 15 is the time fixed for closing up the work, and the house will be open to the public soon after the first of June

We cannot well close this random sketch without making a brief allusion to who those inspired and executed the work of this important enterprise.

The ‘Argyle’ has been placed here by the Long Island Improvement Company, under the comprehensive management of Austin Corbin, President of the Long Island Railroads. Architects, Wm. Field & Son, of New York. Contractor, John Lee, of 216 State street, Brooklyn. As an evidence of the faithfulness with which he has executed his trust we will state that in the whole course of the work nor the slightest dispute has arisen as to the manner of doing the work nor the quality of the materials furnished – all of which were to be first-class. The work was superintended by John Brophy, of 628 Baltic street, Brooklyn. The magnitude of the undertaking and the rapid progress made from a pretty good commentary on his skill in managing large enterprises. Thomas Donlan, of Brooklyn, was entrusted with the erection of the brickwork. The plumbing and gasfitting was done by Mead & Rossman, of 11 East 14^th street, New York. A wilderness of piping has been put in without a defective joint. The plastered walls were put in by Gustavus Sanford, of 17^th street, New York. Samuel Cornell, of 221 Court street, Brooklyn, furnished the hardware with such precision and promptness as not to have caused the least delay nor annoyance. The marble work, mantels, &c., were furnished by P.H. McGratty, of 250 & 282 Baltic street, Brooklyn. The work done is a credit to his skill in this direction, and we take pleasure in calling attention to it as a sample of his work. The stair-building is the work of Christopher Lee, of 351 Baltic street, Brooklyn. The designs are novel and elegant. The entire work of painting the hotel was done by H.P. Lugar, of 435 East Houston street, N.Y. The electric call bells, connecting every part of the establishment, and requiring some 250 separate wires, were put in by H.G. Runkel, of 21 East 15^th street, N.Y.

The ‘Argyle’ will be under the management of Mr. Colt, a man of ample experience and genial disposition, who has been long and favorably known to the hotel frequenting public. The success of the enterprise is already assured. The fare and service will be of the best, and prices fixed on a popular basis. We predict that the ‘Argyle’ will become one of the most popular summer hotels on the Atlantic coast.” South Side Signal, May 6, 1882, p. 2.

[110] This is the Nathaniel Conklin (1768-1844) that built the Nathaniel Conklin House that is now a museum, at 280 Deer Park Avenue. Reports of Conklin’s death include: “Died,” Brooklyn Evening Star, March 28, 1844, p. 2; “Died,” Long Islander, March 29, 1844, p. 3.

[111] Simon Wheeler Cooper (b. 1779) died on January 16, 1852, in Babylon.

[112] George Dibble Cooper (b. 1832), died October 17, 1860, in Babylon.

[113] Timothy Carll (b. 1759), died on February 18, 1826, in Babylon. He built the home that is now commonly referred to as the “1801 House,” located at the northwest corner of the Argyle Square complex. Romanah Sammis, author of Huntington-Babylon Town History, 1937, pg. 252, wrote: “The Carll homestead, just west of the Municipal Building, on the north side of Main Street, was built in 1801 … It was built by Timothy Carll who owned the first mill on Annuskemunnica Creek (Carll’s or West Creek). This house has been remodeled, but the eastern end with its brick oven has not been spoiled by changing. The property is now in possession of the Wiltsie family.”

[114] Blythbourne in an earlier name for the body of water now known as Argyle Lake, which is part of the Carll’s River.

[115] Selah Smith Carll (b. 1790) died on September 24, 1829, in Babylon. Around 1826, he built a home on the north side of West Main Street. His widow Julia Carll (nee Thompson) was affectionately known as “Aunt Julia,” and the home referred to as “Aunt Julia’s House.” In the early 2000s, it was known by the street address 73 W. Main Street, and was occupied by Kevin Brosnahan, Esq. for his law practice. After Mr. Brosnahan’s death in 2015, the property was sold and the building torn down in 2018, for redevelopment.

[116] Isaac Willets (1802-1877), purchased the property with “mill dam,” which is now the overflow at Argyle Park. Deed dated May 14, 1850, Liber 55, Page 122, Suffolk County Clerk, Land Records. See Willets’ obituary, South Side Signal, June 2, 1877, p. 2.

[117] The Huntington South Post Office was established on September 7, 1802 and renamed Babylon on May 6, 1830. Source – New York Postal History: The Post Offices and First Postmasters from 1775 to 1980, by John L. Kay & Chester M. Smith, Jr., American Philatelic Society: 1982.

[118] Contrary to this account, some sources indicate that the first Postmaster was Abraham G. Thompson (1776-1851). Romanah Sammis, author of Huntington-Babylon Town History, 1937, pg. 243, wrote: “Abraham G. Thomas, became a wealthy business man of New York City, owning warehouses in Brooklyn … [and] was Babylon’s first postmaster. The records do not show the date of the establishing of the office Huntington South, but Abraham G. Thompson made his first returns from that office on January 1, 1803. The name of the office was changed to Huntington South on July 7, 1826. On May 6, 1830, the name was changed to Babylon. On November 5, 1867, the name Seaside was substituted for Babylon, but its period was brief, and on January 10, 1868, the name Babylon was restored.” [Note: Sammis did not provide the source of their information.]

[119] The Suffolk Democrat commenced publication in 1847, as announced by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, February 25, 1847, p. 2: “A new democratic paper at Huntington, Suffolk, Co., L.I. – The Suffolk Democrat is the title of a new democratic paper just commenced at Huntington, Suffolk co., under the editorial charge of Edward Strahn [or possibly Strayham]. Mr. Strahn has until recently been a resident of N.Y. city – and a democratic contemporary there says he is known as a vigorous and able political writer, and an efficient democrat; and his new paper promises to be a sound and able exponent of democratic principles. In this introductory address to the democracy of the county, the editor says: “We this day commence the publication of a journal which will be Devoted to the advocacy and permanent establishment of the measures you hold dear. Such ability as we possess, and all the industry we are capable of, shall be used for the purpose of disseminating the great truth of our political creed – and never with the view of distracting us in council or dividing our forces when an enemy remains in the field. Having unlimited confidence in the integrity and intelligence of the people, and knowing that they have the power to write themselves when they discover that they have been wronged – it shall be a rule of our faith to submit to the will of the majority, whenever that will has been fairly and honestly ascertained. With the various factions into which our party has been unfortunately divided, we will have nothing to do, unless to counsel peace and harmony, and a strict adherence to our agent and well defined principles. Men, in our estimation shall always be held subordinate to measures, and he whose sentiments and acts agree best with the principles of the democratic republican party, shall always have our support.”

In the “Town of Babylon” chapter written by Lorena M. Frevert, in Long Island; a History of Two Great Counties, Nassau and Suffolk, volume 1, pg. 379, Mrs. Frevert asserts that John R. Reid purchased the newspaper in 1859 and it “became one of the leading Democratic papers in the county. Charles Jayne succeeded Judge Reid as publisher and in 1865, the publication of the sheet returned to Huntington as the Suffolk Bulletin of Charles R. Street.”

[120] Henry Livingston (1837-1906). The South Side Signal was published from July 7, 1869 through July 1920. The original text incorrectly stated that the first issue was on July 9, 1869.

[121] An announcement of the Babylon Budget, printed in the South Side Signal, April 1, 1876, p. 2: “‘The Budget,’ Babylon’s new paper, made its appearance on Saturday last. It is a neatly made-up eight-page sheet, 20x40 inches in size, well printed on good paper. No names are announced in connection with its publication, though it is understood to be owned by a stock company, Hon. J. R. Reid doing most of the editorial work. The mechanical dept. is in charge of W.S. Overton, formerly of the Signal, a man every way qualified to do justice to the subject. The manner in which he has brought order out of a demoralized lot of type is really marvelous. We sincerely wish the new paper all the success it deserves.”

The Babylon Budget ceased publication in 1890, as reported in the South Side Signal, February 15, 1890, p. 2: “The Babylon Budget, which began its career in 1875, has been purchased by the Signal’s proprietor, and has been consolidated with the Signal. It was published as a separate paper for the last time on Wednesday, 5^th inst. All bills due the Budget are payable to the proprietors of the Signal, and all claims against the paper should be presented to those persons. The Budget during the fifteen years of its existence had a somewhat checkered career. The following named persons edited it at different periods: [Winfield] S. Overton, Hon. John R. Reid, Jesse S. Pettit, G. Fred Hallock, John Louden, Hon. Charles T. Duryea, [Stephen] A. Titus and the Budget Co. The paper was founded for the purpose of “booming” Nassau County, and later was prominent as a Republican organ. It did good work for that party, and possessed not a little influence. Having “fought a good fight and kept the faith,” it has been suspended – there not being any apparent necessity for prolonging its labors. Its editor in his valedictory states, however, that if at any future time there is a demand for the renewal of the services of the Budget, willing hands will be found ready to take up the work where it was left off and the paper will again appear in the field.”

[122] At the time of this publication, the present Nassau County was still part of Queens County. In 1898, the three eastern towns of Queens County – Hempstead, North Hempstead and Oyster Bay – moved to secede from Queens County (which had become a borough of the City of New York in 1898), and established the County of Nassau, effective on January 1, 1899.

[123] The 1880 Federal Census recorded 4,739 people in the Town of Babylon. The three largest communities, Amityville, Babylon and Breslau, were not incorporated villages, but a breakdown of their populations was recorded; Babylon – 2,142, Amityville – 1,063, Breslau – 606 (the remaining 928 residents lived in the other outlying areas of the Town of Babylon). Note: The precise geographic area that defined these population groups is unknown and may not be the same as that used today.

[124] The name change to “Amityville” was made in 1846; “Change of Name,” Long Islander, August 14, 1846, p. 2.

[125] Although referred to as a “village,” Amityville was not yet an incorporated village at the time of this publication. Amityville village incorporated in 1894. Before their village incorporations, the communities were often perceived as larger than the village boundaries established at the time of their incorporations, as known today. For example, in Amityville, areas that were referred to as North Amityville in the 1870s and 1880s were often references to northern parts of a general area known as Amityville, some of which are now in the Village of Amityville and some in the Hamlet of North Amityville.

[126] Platt Conklin is discussed in footnote 37 in this chapter.

[127] When this article was published in 1882, the mill was operated by the third generation of the Ireland family. The mill was operated by a fourth generation before closing in 1913. The mill was razed in 1915. A historical marker on Merrick Road, Amityville commemorates the old mill – “Ireland's Mill – Purchased In 1793 By Thomas Ireland. Four Generations Ran Saw & Grist Mill Here. Sold Feed, Grain, Hay & Ice Until Ca. 1913. Razed 1915.”

[128] Zebulon Ketcham’s property was on the north side of Montauk Highway, just east of Ketcham Creek, in the area of present Deauville Boulevard; the area is now known as Copiague, being east of the boundary of the Village of Amityville.

[129] Believed to be a reference to The Annals of Hempstead, 1643 to 1832; Also, the Rise and Growth of the Society of Friends on Long Island and in New York, 1657 to 1826, by Henry Onderdonk, 1878.

[130] A “half ‘Joe’ ” refers to a gold coin. An account of President Washington’s visit to the home of Zebulon Ketcham appears in the Copiague section.  

[131] A contemporaneous reader of this account, which reported just two stores in Amityville, wrote a rebuttal with 15 stores. “We have just looked through the wonderful production known as the history of Suffolk County. It reminds one of the triplesheet of the Herald. The public is informed that Amityville is one of the villages of the town of Babylon and that it has two stores – Woodhull Skidmore’s and Henry Purdy’s. They say history repeats itself, well it will have to repeat itself several times before it is correct on this point. In order that the readers of this so-called history may not be prejudiced against our village, we append a list of the stores of this place, the proprietors and the business of each: Robbins & Homan (successors to Woodhull Skidmore), general country store; Hendry Purdy, ditto; Cornelius Velsor, ditto; Royal Seaman, ditto; S. Hartman, paints, oil, glass, tinware, stores and house furnishing goods; H. Henschel, stoves, tinware, glass, crockery, &c.; A.E. Kramer, clothing, gents’ furnishing goods, hats, caps, &c.; Henry G. Foster, drugs, medicines, fancy articles, stationery, &c; Jas. Lush, confectionery, ice cream, &c., and harness; George W. Cort, stoves, tinware, pumps, &c.; W. Wolters, boots, shoes and gents’ furnishing goods; Robert K. Smith, ditto; E. Pearsall, bread, cakes, &c., J.S. Robbins & Son, meat, vegetables, &c.; Jacob Landau, dry and fancy goods. These are all legitimate stores. We might add several others that would come under the mercantile head, but do not, as they are not, strictly, stores. The history says two; actual count says fifteen. Are the balance of its statements as accurate and reliable?” “Amityville,” South Side Signal, September 9, 1882, p. 3

[132] Both of these churches continue to the present day, although neither is currently identified as Methodist Episcopal, just Methodist; Simpson United Methodist Church and First United Methodist Church of Amityville.

[133] Today, First United Methodist Church of Amityville is located at 25 Broadway. In A Backward Glance (1980), Cecil H. Ruggles wrote an essay, “Amityville’s Oldest Church” (pg. 16), detailing the early history of the church now known as First United Methodist Church of Amityville. Ruggles reported, “[T]here are records of the first Methodist class held [in Amityville] in 1792 at the home of Elijah Chichester. … In 1823 the first church was built on Merrick Road and served there until 1845 when it was moved to the southwest corner of Cedar Street and Broadway where … it now houses offices. A second house of worship was erected in 1845 at the head of Richmond Avenue. …  The church building was moved in 1867 to the present site on Broadway, rebuilt and enlarged. …. The congregation evidently grew through the following decades for in 1891 the cornerstone was laid for a larger building [which was expanded and remodeled in 1915, 1921 and 1939].”

[134] Today, Simpson United Methodist Church is located at 30 Locust Avenue. The Simpson Church congregation use 1869 as their year of formation; although this historian has not yet been able to locate formation documents prior to 1870 (but we are still looking). As stated, it is largely held that congregants living on the north side of the community desired a house of worship that was closer to their homes. The church was named in honor of Bishop Matthew Simpson in 1898 (South Side Signal, January 15, 1898, p. 3). The first church was dedicated on August 28, 1870 (Signal, August 27, 1870, p. 2), on a site that was near the present northwest cloverleaf of Sunrise Highway and Broadway. The expansion of Sunrise Highway led to the demolition of the church in 1932 (Suffolk County News, October 14, 1932, p. 9). In November 1932, the congregation broke ground for a new church, a short distance from the site of their first church (“Ground Broken for Simpson Structure,” Amityville Record, December 2, 1932, p. 1) and the structure was dedicated in the spring of 1935 (“Simpson Church Ready to Dedicate, Amityville Record, April 12, 1935, p. 1). However, in 1959, New York State informed the congregation that the widening of Sunrise Highway would again necessitate the relocation (“100 Are Split on Widening of Stretch of Sunrise Hwy.,” Newsday, October 23, 1959, p. 37). The congregation built their current house of worship, on Locust Avenue, which opened in 1963 (“First Church Invited To Opening of New Simpson Building,” Amityville Record, February 21, 1963, p. 5).

[135] As noted above, the 1880 Federal Census recorded the population of Amityville at 1,063.

[136] An 1883 article explained that Douglass House, named around 1880, originally opened under the name Brunswick Hotel and was a “retreat for many of the tired workers of New York and Brooklyn.” The Douglass House closed in 1883 and became part of Brunswick Home hospital. “Amityville,” South Side Signal, August 18, 1883, p. 3.

[137] Mary King and step-son James A. King, operating under the name Mrs. E.C. King & Son, purchased Revere House in 1882 and changed its name to King’s Hotel; “Amityville,” South Side Signal, March 18, 1882, p. 3; “Amityville,” South Side Signal, July 1, 1882, p. 3. Elijah C. King (x-1872) was the spouse of Mary King (1830-1901) and father of James A. King (1851-1917) who continued hotel operations, separately and in partnership, after Elijah C. King’s death. It appears that the Kings operated a few different hotels in Amityville. The hotel names were not consistent and it can be difficult to differentiate between them but it appears that their hotels included the South Side Hotel, located at the northwest corner of Broadway and Merrick Road. The South Side Hotel or King’s Hotel was later known as the Amity Inn; “Amity Inn Sold,” Brooklyn Times Union, July 2, 1909, p. 5.

[138] Some newspaper descriptions from the 1880s described the Bay View Hotel as being in East Amityville, however, these descriptions were prior to the 1894 incorporation of the village and probably just referred to its location as being in the eastern part of Amityville. (East Amityville was one of the names used for Copiague, prior to 1900.) A 1902 map of Amityville indicated the Bay View Hotel at the northeast corner of Merrick Road and Bayview Avenue. A 1915 map of Amityville also showed the hotel at this location under the name Alexandria Hotel.

[139] In 1894 the Village of Amityville incorporated and Charles Wood (-1900) was elected the first President (Mayor) of the village. Obituaries – “Charles Wood,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 9, 1900, p. 16; “Amityville,” South Side Signal, June 16, 1900, p. 3.

[140] In 1891, the community of Breslau changed its name to Lindenhurst; “Lindenhurst,” South Side Signal, July 18, 1891, p. 3.

[141] Thomas Welwood spelled his surname with one “L.” Wellwood Avenue is spelled with two “Ls,” reportedly, due to a clerk’s error that established the road’s spelling.

[142] The Breslau Manufacturing Company opened on July 29, 1872; “Breslau,” South Side Signal, August 3, 1872, p. 2; advertisement, South Side Signal, November 13, 1875, p. 4. In 1880, the Vulcanized Horn and Rubber Button Manufacturing Company of Massachusetts purchased the factory and produced buttons and sewing notions, “Breslau,” South Side Signal, November 22, 1879, p. 3.

[143] The school district of Breslau was known as Town of Babylon School District No. 4.

[144] St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church formed in 1876. The congregation continues and is headquartered on East John Street, Lindenhurst.

[145] The Methodist Society of Breslau ended by 1887 as described in “Breslau’s Abandoned Church – A Church Once in Use Now Falling to Pieces,” Brooklyn Times Union, July 11, 1887, p. 1. The Methodist Society of Breslau was a different group and not part of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church that formed in Lindenhurst in 1926.

[146] The first church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church was dedicated in 1871. The congregation continues and is headquartered on South Wellwood Avenue, Lindenhurst.

[147] Only the profiles of Captain Jacob Conklin and Henry Placide were written by Justice Cooper.

[148] John R. Reid (1836-1902); “Death of Hon. John R. Reid – A Distinguished Lawyer, Judge, Student and Educator,” South Side Signal, May 17, 1902, p. 2; “Ex-Judge John R. Reid,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 10, 1902, p. 7.

[149] Jacob Conklin (1675-1754). Profiles of Jacob Conklin and his property include “Gen. Casey’s Stock Farm. Interesting Stories of an Old Long Island Pirate,” South Side Signal, October 15, 1875, p. 1; History of Suffolk County, by W.W. Munsell, 1882, Town of Babylon chapter p. 17, Town of Huntington chapter p. 36; Huntington – Babylon Town History, by Romanah Sammis, 1937, p. 268-272.

[150] Prince H. Foster (1812-1895); “Babylon Local Record – Prince Hiller Foster,” South Side Signal, July 27, 1895, p. 3; “Obituary – Prince H. Foster,” Brooklyn Times Union, July 24, 1895, p. 3.

[151] John Louden (1839-1933); “John Louden Dies in Amityville,” Brooklyn Times Union, August 8, 1933, p. 7; “L.I. Man Who Voted for Abraham Lincoln for President dies at 94,” Suffolk County News, August 11, 1933, p. 9.

[152] Perry Belmont (1851-1947); “Perry Belmont, 96, Dies; Ex-Envoy, Congressman,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 26, 1947, p. 7.

[153] 47^th U.S. Congress, 1881-1883.

[154] Henry Placide (1799-1870); “Funeral of Henry Placide,” Brooklyn Times Union, January 26, 1870, p. 3; “Henry Placide,” South Side Signal, January 29, 1870, p. 2. The original text incorrectly stated that Placide died in 1872.

[155] Mary Ann Matthews Pownall (1756-1796). With her first husband James Wrighten (1745-1793) she had a daughter Charlotte Sophia Wrighten (1778-1823) who was the mother of Henry Placide.

[156] David S.S. Sammis (1818-1895); “The Late D.S.S. Sammis,” Brooklyn Life, May 25, 1895, p. 21; “Obituary – David Sturges Sprague Sammis,” South Side Signal, May 25, 1895, p. 2.

[157] Charles S. Schleier (1823-1887); “Cremated At Fresh Pond,” Brooklyn Daily Standard-Union, June 8, 1887, p. 4; “Breslau,” South Side Signal, June 11, 1887, p. 3.

[158] William Y. Provost (1839-1920).

[159] Phoenix Remsen (1846-1922); “Phoenix Remsen,” New York Tribune, July 8, 1922, p. 7; “Island News Notes,” Suffolk County News, July 14, 1922, p. 6.

[160] James B. Cooper (1825-1907); “Death of James B. Cooper,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, February 25, 1907, p. 3; “Death of a Prominent Old Long Islander,” Long Islander, March 1, 1907, p. 1; “Obituary – James Brown Cooper, Sr.,” South Side Signal, March 2, 1907, p. 3. This is the James B. Cooper who wrote the “Town of Babylon” chapter in 1882. He had a son, also named James B. Cooper (1871-1940), who was the founder of the Babylon Leader newspaper in 1910.

[161] F. Augustine Dowden (1851-1927); “Augustine Dowden Dies in Hospital,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 30, 1927, p. 18; “F. Augustine Dowden,” Suffolk County News, August 5, 1927, p. 12. T. Edward Dowden (1851-1934); “Obituary – Thomas E. Dowden,” Long Islander, December 21, 1934, p. 4.