Footnotes to Long Island History
The Forests of Brookhaven Town in Early Days
by
Thomas R. Bayles
At the
time of its first settlement by white people, the lands of Brookhaven town were
probably covered for the most part with a growth of heavy timber, and pine was
probably the predominating wood. The cutting of cordwood was begun at an early
period and the wood growing was freely appropriated by the individual owners
and others. There was danger of abuse in this practice and to prevent it the
town trustees passed a resolution forbidding anyone cutting cordwood or selling
it in the common lands without first obtaining a license from the trustees or
from a majority of the proprietors.
The
claims on trees in the common lands were regulated by the trustees in 1782 when
they passes a resolution that anyone cutting down a tree and neglecting to trim
it for twelve days should forfeit the same and any tenant in common was free to
trim out and take possession of such tree.
Some
timber was used at an early date in the manufacture of pipe staves. The
manufacture of tar was carried on to some extent and reference is made to it as
early as 1678, which suggests that previous to that date a house occupied by men
engaged in that business stood upon a certain piece of land on Dayton's Neck,
(Brookhaven).
From this the locality gained some reputation as Tarmen's Neck. The industry
must have made some progress for in 1716 it was looked upon of sufficient
importance for the trustees to impose a tax upon it and they enacted that every
barrel of tar made in town should pay a tax of nine pence, and every man having
no rights in the town patent or common should pay one shilling six pence for
every barrel that he made.
Officers
were appointed to collect this tax, Col. Floyd on the south side and Selah
Strong on the north side.
The
greatest use of these timber lands was for cord wood. This industry grew up in
the early days and the business flourished until the introduction of coal
supplied the market with more convenient article of fuel. Long before the
railroad was built there were frequent landings on the shores of the town from
which the wood was shipped to market.
On the
south side where the water was shallow near the shore, piers were built far out
into the bay and small boats were used to carry the wood from shore to the
piers and from them vessels of greater draft were loaded. A grant for such a
pier was given by the trustees to Smith Mott in 1813. This pier was to stand a
little west of Connecticut river, twenty five rods from the shore of his land
and to be 16 by 45 feet in size.