Footnotes to Long Island History
Beach
Parties in 1809, Too
From the Diary of Miss Cynthia Hutchinson, who married Doctor Norton
by
Thomas R. Bayles
In 1808
Thomas Jefferson third President of the United States was rounding out his
second term as the nations chief executive. Daniel D. Tompkins was serving as
New York State's fifth governor and Long Island was a sparsely settled community
in a progressive state having a population of about 900,000 people.
Here
are extracts from the diary of one of long Islands residents a Middle Island
woman in the year 1808 and the years following:
May 16,
1808- 3 men planting corn. It is very later. Luther Case is going to the New
Country where he has property.
May
29,- I sat in a cool room and took the ague and had a fit of sickness which
lasted until the 29th of August remitting fever and ague.
Aug 29-
Attended singing school and rode horseback. Rev. Moses Swezey preached Sunday.
Singing school was held in the afternoon. Mr. Hubbard spoken of as a school
teacher.
Sept.
5- singing school on Sunday afternoon so well attended that those who came late
could hardly find seats.
Sept.
28- Mr. Joseph Gerard from New York called. He is paying respects to Miss
Charry Swezey. Loading sloop frequently spoken of..
Nov. 1-
Thrashed clover seed. Simeon Hulse died after three weeks sickness with lung
fever.
Nov. 5-
Funeral of young woman Matilda Yarrington at Coram. There seem to be funerals
oftener than any other meeting.
Nov. 6-
Reading meeting. Few people out. Evening meetings at Coram were very largely
attended and frequent and held very late.
Nov.
18- a night meeting was at the meeting house.
Nov.
29- Paul (probably the Indian preacher Paul Cuffee) preached.
Feb. 3,
1809- At the school house in the evening Mr. Allen who had been hired to preach
4 Sundays, preached.
Feb 19-
Rev. Woolworth of Bridgehampton preached and a number taken into the church.
Spinning flax seemed to be the order of the day.
March
17- Papa went to Coram to Republican meeting. Mrs. Gerard expects to move down
the river before long.
Morning
with the post.
April
18- In the evening Debby and I went to
meeting which was very melancholy there were but few who did not shed tears. Mr.
John Turner and his cousins Isaac and Chary who we can't expect to ever see
again as they are going to move a great way off up in the "New
Country".
May 21-
Mr. Dagget preached in the A.M. and went to Fire Place in the afternoon.
June 5-
A company training was held at Christopher Swezey's.
June
14- General training. A gala day and women and all went to see it. (In July
twin children of Mr. G. Brown died a week apart. The funeral of the second
child is thus described). "Just as we got there Mr. Corwin came and made a short
prayer and then went to the meeting house. The corpse was carried to the door by
its parents, Then Debby and Polly Howell carried it to the
burying ground across from the meeting house."
Aug. 3-
in the morning I went to the store and got a gallon of rum. Mr. Petty and Mr. Hulse
are to work here today.
Aug.
18- Mr. Brown's beach party took place. Papa went, also old Mr. Joshua Swezey and
Harmony and Mr. and Mrs. Wooster. Reached home 11 o'clock at night.
Sun,
Aug 20- Meeting in the schoolhouse in the evening very much crowded and very
warm. Miss Harmony Swezey almost fainted away, it was so warm. Her brother
Joshua and her cousin Sylvanus Overton carried her home in a chair.
Sept.
30- Jeffery Randall's wife died. At the funeral there were so many in
attendance that the services were held in the edge of the woods instead of in
the meeting house. Mr. Robinson preached. Quilting, knitting and spinning are
common occupations.
March 26 - Mr.. Woodruff read a sermon. Had a full meeting
so that they had to remove into the meeting house.
April 7 - Daniel Terry of Oysterponds (Orient)
called. He has been at Albany on the Assembly two months.
Jan. 9, 1810 - Daniel and Charles Swezey called,
going up to a meeting at Mr. David Davis' where Mr. Hallock preached.
Mr. Hubbard is school teacher, boarding around still.
Feb.. 3 - Mr. Brown came running in and told papa to
get his horses immediately and go after his father and mother. He said
their horse had run away and they were both thrown out of the wagon and
hurt. He went as quick as possible and brought them back and then went
after the doctor. He came and bled grandfather and believes there are no
broken bones. Uncle John went after the horse, which ran to Patchogue.
he came back about places.`
Men on their way from New York to the eastern part
of the Island frequently call and stay all night. (evidently conducted
an inn)
April 3- Vendue of Joel Swezey attended. They are
going to move to the new country.
May 30 - Jonathon Edwards came and warned us all to
training. Cherries were plentiful at Mr. Brown's and Joshua Swezey's
place's
July 29 - Papa and Mama went to the carding machine
(down the river) Stayed all night and came home the next day.
December 18 _ Mr.. Brown had his barn raised.
Charity Hulse married to Lewis Ritch.
Jan. 1, 1811 - Dr. Norton had a singing school
about this time in the Coram school house.
April 23 - Mr. Woodruff and family left for the new
country
June 23 - Mr. King moved here June 6 (The Rev. Ezra
King, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Middle Island for over 30
years) Mr. King and Mr. Prime of Fresh Pond exchanged pulpits at times.