Footnotes to Long Island History
Town
'Choosy' of Settlers
November 8, 1951
by
Thomas R. Bayles
Many
interesting regulations and orders enacted at the town meetings by the early
settlers in the years before 1700 appear in the records of Brookhaven town.
At a
town meeting held on April 6, 1668 it was ordered that all the inhabitant of Setauket
should be partners with Daniel Lane in purchase of the land he bought of the Indians
in the Little Neck, excepting "such persons as will not pay the Minister's Rate."
This indicates that any of the settlers who did not pay the church tax, were not
allowed to share in this division of lands.
On
May
25, 1673, the following is recorded:
"These
presents testifieth that whereas there was a difference between Henry Rogers and Roe
about damages of swine and other things, these do satisfy whom it may concern
that they have mutually and fully agreed each to the other to pass by all
differences that is between them from the beginning of the world to this day concerning
any creatures or damages of either side, and have promised each to the other to
live neighborly together, and to do what they can to keep themselves from any
damage each to the other, either by fence or swine or cattle and if either of
them shall fall out without a cause they shall forfeit five pounds to the other,
that is clear."
The
records for March 30, 1675 show the following item. "Francis Muncie before he
died exchanged his meadow at the Fire Place in the Old Purchase with Samuel
Dalton for his lot of meadow seabannek in the nue purchase and at this time
the widow Muncie is willing to the same and gives he consent."
On June
29, 1666 the following order was voted. "An order made by the constable
and overseers of this town that is to say that whosever doth intend to sell or
give houses or lands shall first proffer it to the towne, and if they cannot
agree they have liberty to sell to any that the constable and overseers shall
except of, but if any person belonging to this town bargains sell, let or give
any house or housing, land or lands directly or indirectly without the license
from the above mentioned parties, shall forfeit for every such default the sum
of twenty pounds sterling to the use of the town."
Again
on April 2, 1672 the following is recorded:
" Mr. Alcock
is accepted as a townsman upon condition he bring a letter of recommendation or
certificate of his good behavior. Benjamin Hubbard is admitted to purchase land
in this town. It was voted and agreed that there shall be no more land given
out to strangers."
In 1662
it appears a man by the name of Richard Bulleck strayed into the town and
bought some timber and plank off John Ketchum for the purpose of building a
boat. The townsmen learning of this agreed to give him four months time to complete
his boat and leave the town, and instructed him not to make any disturbance or
buy any land in the town.
These
items show that the early settlers exercised vigilance in guarding against
admission of undesirable persons to the rights of citizenship and property
owners.
On June
10, 1672 an agreement was entered into between the townspeople and Richard
Warning and Samuel Ackerly " to keep the said inhabitants cows, taking them
in due time in the morning between Goodman Jenner's corner and Robert Ackerlys
hollow and to bring them thither again at night, and if in case they said cow
keepers should happen to lose any cows to be careful to go the same way the
next morning and so from day to day until they have found them."
On
March
16,1672 it was voted and agreed that Henry Perry and Thomas Biggs were to burn
off the west side of the west side of town and John Roe and Thomas Ward the
east side, they have 5 shillings a year as now
"if they burn it well and so Mount Misery neck."