Patchogue remained an
unmarked part of the wilderness during the early years of the
Island's settlement, and it began with the sale in June 1664, by
Tobaccos, chief of the Unkechaug tribe of Indian, to Gov. John
Winthrop of Connecticut, all that tract of land extending from a
small pond near the bay in the extreme western part of Bellport to
Namkee Creek in Blue Point. This comprises the village of East
Patchogue, Patchogue and Blue Point.
This tract was known as
Winthrop's patent in 1680 and was composed of nine necks of land.
The
two eastern necks lying east of Saw Mill Creek were sold in 1749 to
John Brewster and Thomas Strong. On March 27,1752, Humprhey Avery of
Preston, New London County, Conn., bought the other seven necks for
about 2,600 pounds. In 1756 he was in need of money so he asked and
received permission from the governor and General Assembly to sell
his tract of land by lottery.
There were 8,000 tickets issued and
sold at 30 shillings each and the drawing was made in June 1758 and
was such a success that Mr. Avery was able to pay off his debts and
buy back part of the land, where one of his descendants of the same
name now lives.
According to Ross's History, a mill was built on the
Patchogue River before 1750 and the stream was considered so
valuable for this purpose that other mills for grinding grain were
soon built on it and were later devoted to more important
industries.
This territory developed very slowly and was not annexed
to Brookhaven town until February 6, 1773, by an act of the colonial
General Assembly. From that time on it grew more rapidly, especially
after the Revolution.
The first factory in Patchogue was a paper mill
built in 1798 and located near the site of the former lace mill. It
was destroyed by fire in 1850. This mill was owned by Jonas
Wicks, who made strawboard and wrapping paper.
About 1800 a cotton
twine mill was located just to the west of the paper mill, and
owned by Frederick Odell, who sold it to Justice Roe in 1816. He was a
son of Capt. Austin Roe of East Setauket, one of Washington's spies
during the Revolution. In later years this mill was built by John
E. Roe and formed a part of the early lace mill. John E. Roe also had
another twine mill on Swan Creek on the east side of the same dam on
which the Swezey grist mill stood until it was destroyed by fire
several years ago.
In 1880 John Havens, then owner of the west mill,
leased it to Carslow, Henderson& Co. Of Scotland, who began the
manufacture of crinoline. Later they important lace curtains and
bleached and finished them. In 1890 the mill was sold to the
Patchogue Lace Mfg. Co.
In 1822 Daniel Haff owned a two- story woolen
mill that stood on the site of the old electric light plant at the
Patchogue Lake dam, adjacent to the recent lace mill. The farmers for
miles around brought their wool to this mill to be carded spun and
woven into cloth.
Another mill was built by Nathaniel Smith and
Daniel C. Gillette in 1832 on the old dam across Tuttle's Creek at
West Lake. Other industries around that time included an iron forge
several tanneries and a shop making machines for manufacturing
envelopes.
Shipbuilding was an important industry about 1850, and
this probably did more toward building up the village than anything
else.
In 1869 Edwin Bailey started the lumber business of E. Bailey& Son. In
1878 Justus Roe, son of Austin Roe, and a great grandson of
Capt. Austin Roe began the manufacture of steel tapes and reels for
surveyor's use.
On Canaan lake there was an old paper mill owned by
John S. Havens, which burned down 60 years or more ago.