Our Town's Great History
a committee appointed to reproduce the Records by Town meeting, April 3, 1883.
April 29, 1648
"William Edwards hath entered an accon of Defamation against Benjamine Price and his wife, his wife saying that the wife of William Edwards was a base lieing woman and that shee would prove he a lier in many pticulers." The arguments are heard and the Jury finds for the Benjamin Price Defendant two pence cost and Damage and Court Charges.
"It is ordered yt evry man shall goe to make a triall with goodman Meggs a days worke a peece for a mill at the harbor."
June 29, 1654
March 19, 1657 - 1658
Thomas Osborne, John Osborne, Witness hearunto John Mulford, Jeremyah Osborne
John Laughton, Obadiah Rogers (original signatures).
"Whereas sundry yeares since I Pauquennacut & several of us the Indians of Meantacut, heard the old sachem of Meantacut declare in a general meeting of the Indians yt he had given to Lev. Lion Gardiner & Tho. James Minister of Easthampton upon some considerations knowne to himselfe : all ye whales should be cast up at any time at Meantacut land they being to give what they see meete for ye said whales to ye sd Sachem or his heires after his Decease.
April 2, 1700
Trustee Records between 1702 and 1869 to come...
EXCERPTS FROM theRecords of the Trustees of East-Hampton, 1870-1897.
Transcribed under the direction of a committee appointed in 1925 at the expense of the Town and its authorities. Wm. T. Vaughn, Justice of the Peace, Kenneth E. Davis, Supervisor of the Committee, H.D. Sleight, Historian.
April 20, 1870
The Trustees elected at the Annual Town Meeting held April 6th, 1870, David H. Huntting (Chair and Clerk), Edward Dayton, Jeremiah Conklin, Benjamin H. Barnes, Sylvanus M. Osborn, Jacob O. Hopping, Timothy S. Miller, Nathaniel Dominy, Charles J. Mulford, Jonathan E. Payne, James M. Strong, and William C. King.
Committee on beaches and fisheries- Appointed David H. Huntting, Jeremiah Conklin,and Charles J. Mulford, committee on beaches and fisheries.
Committee on suits- Appointed David H. Hunting, Edward Dayton, and Benjamin H. Barnes committee on suits. To defend the Seaweed suit of 1870 of David S. Sherry (relating to the North West beach against the land of Josiah Kirk).
1870
The Eliot Indian Bible sells for $1,050. Cockenoe, a Montauk Indian that was the counselor and brother-in-law of Wyandanch, acted as interpreter and aided Eliot in translating the Bible to the Indian language. In 1927, the Gardiners of Gardiners Island were said to have a copy and another copy was able to be seen in at the Jermain Library in Sag Harbor. The longest word in the Indian Bible is in the 40th verse of the 1stChapter of St. Mark. It is wutteppdesittukqussunnoowehtunquoh, which is interpreted as kneeling unto him.
April 11, 1871
The Trustees elected at the Annual Town Meeting held April 4th, 1871, David H. Huntting (Clerk), Edward Dayton, Abraham B. Dayton, James M. Hedges, Joseph G. Osborn, Elisha P. Mulford, Abraham S. Parsons, George L. Miller, Albert L. Hedges, Benjamin H. Barnes, George S. Schellinger, David Talmage.
Letting of fishing rights on Hicks Island- The Clerk reported that the Committee on fisheries of last year had hired to Andrew Racket the privilege of landing nets, pound poles, and fishing apparatus on Hicks Island for the year 1871 for five dollars, payable in advance.
Lease of Napeague fishing station- Agreed to lease the fishing station at Napeague heretofore occupied by the Luce Brothers to M P. Green for the year 1871 for Thirty five dollars to be paind in advance.
March 25, 1872
The Clerk reported that he had in his hands the sum of $69.60 income of Rysam fund for two years ending Feb 1st 1872. Whereupon the Clerk was directed to pay with the purpose for which the fund was given as follows to wit to the N West district the sum of $4.60. To the other districts in proportion to the number of children of indigent persons as shown by the division made Nov 30th 1868 as follow to Wit No. 1- Street, 23 children $8.08, No. 2- Main, 11 children $3.82, No. 3- Amagansett, 28 children $9.72, Springs, 40 children $13.88, Hook, 35 children $12.15, Sag Harbor, 50 children $17.35, Total 187 children $69.60.
June 17, 1872
The Trustees elected at the Annual Town Meeting held April 2nd, 1872, Edward Dayton (Clerk), George S. Schellinger, David Talmage, Albert L. Hedges, Abraham S. Parsons, Elisha P. Mulford, Joseph G. Osborn, James M. Hedges, Nathaniel H. Sherrill, James H. Strong, Samuel H. Miller.
Committee on Beaches- The Clerk George S. Schellinger & Joseph G. Osborn
Committee on Suits- The Clerk Joseph G. Osborne & Albert L Hedges
Collection of rents that are due- Agreed that the committee on fisheries be authorized to collect all rents due the Trustees for oil stations, beaches, etc.
February 17, 1873
Application & Lease of (fish) Oil Station at Napeague- Application made by Capt. Benjamin Payne for an oil Station at Napeague whereupon it was agreed to Lease to him an oil station there for the sum of Twenty dollars per year.
Application to purchase Hicks Island- Application was made by Jeremiah M Bennett to purchase Hicks Island, whereupon it was agreed not to sell Hicks Island at present.
April 1, 1873
At the annual Town meeting held in the town of East Hampton, the following persons were elected the Trustees of the freeholders and commonalty of the town of East Hampton, viz : Sylvanus M. Osborn (President and Clerk), Nathaniel Dominy, Sr., Henry P. Osborn, Joseph G. Osborn, William B. Bailey, William J. Bennett, James M. Strong, Alfred Clark, Joseph D. Parsons, Joshua W. Edwards, Samuel M. Mulford, David E. Talmage.
July 7, 1873
- M. Osborne reported that he had been to see Wm Wichkham, Esq. who thought the Leases (of the oil stations at Napeague) might be valid and that an elector who is not a freeholder in the Town of East Hampton is eligible to the office of the Trustees of the freeholder and commonalty of the town of East Hampton
November 17, 1873
Resolved that as Josiah Kirk has disturbed parties from carting seaweed from the shore at Northwest, a committee be appointed to prosecute said J. Kirk as said committee may think best and procure such council as they deem expedient, S M Osborne and D E Talmage, committee.
Resolved that the Committee on Privileges be instructed to protect the waters of our town and deal with all trespassers promptly in every respect.
February 19, 1874
Resolved that the Clerk be instructed to give a Quit claim Deed unto the Trustees of School District No. 5 of the town of East Hampton for the land which they now occupy. Bounded North and East by land of Patrick Lynch and South and West by Highways.
April 7, 1874
At the annual Town meeting held in the town of East Hampton at Clinton Academy, the following persons were elected the Trustees of the freeholders and commonalty of the town of East Hampton, viz : Sylvanus M. Osborn (President and Clerk), Charles J. Mulford, James M. Strong, Samuel F. Filer, Charles B. Barnes, D. Egbert Talmage, Jeremiah Lester, Nathaniel Dominy, Sr., William L. Talmage, Joseph G. Osborn, William B. Bailey, Joshua B. Edwards.
-Resolved, to renew no Lease for Oil Manufacturing at Napeague Harbor for less that $100, unless obliged to, or to hire any new ones for less that the aforesaid sum viz $100.
January 18, 1875
The committee on suits reported that upon the warrant the of H.B. Tuthill, Esq., they arrested 6 men in Napeague Harbor violating the Act passed by the Board of Supervisors Nov 15th 1874(that the Trustees will protect and defend from all encroachment the common land of the town of East Hampton), that prisoners resisted the officer in the discharge of his duty with deadly weapons and made their escape to New London. Whereupon it was Resolved that the Committee proceed forthwith and bring the offenders to justice. Resolved that the Trustees employ Samuel M. Gardiner Esq. as council in the case of the fugitives who escaped from the Constable.
April 2, 1878
At the annual Town meeting held in the town of East Hampton, the following persons were elected the Trustees of the freeholders and commonalty of the town of East Hampton, viz : Charles B. Barnes, D. Egbert Talmage, Joseph G. Osborn, Isaac King, Edward M. Baker, David P. Osborn, Joshua B. Edwards, Sylvanus M. Osborn (President and Clerk), Thomas D. Barnes, Jeremiah Lester, Nathaniel Dominy, Sr. (Chairman pro tem), William Collum
September 23, 1878
The Trustees of School District No. 4, the Springs, applies unto the Trustees of the Town for the land which they now occupy as a site for their schoolhouse bounded by three highways, whereupon the Clerk is authorized to execute a deed for the same unto the said Trustees of said School District for the sum of $3.
1879
A legal case ending in 1851 decided that the lands to the east of Napeague Harbor (Montauk) belonged to their Proprietors and that the Trustees should not continue to administer them. In 1879, just 27 years after the landmark decision, Arthur W. Benson purchased all of these lands from the Proprietors at a referee partition sale for $151,000 and became the sole owner of Montauk.
1881-1882
The Long Island Fish Company built a fishing pier directly opposite the head of Napeague Harbor, on the ocean side. It was constructed of tubular piles forced down in the sand by hydraulics. The piles, 20 feet apart, rested upon a circular iron shoe, which was forced down by water power. As the structure was extended out into the ocean the depth of the piles increased. The iron pier was completed in July 1881. Nets were set and the seines were raised every afternoon, taking immense quantities of blue fish, weak fish, Spanish mackerel, flounders, king fish, butter fish, etc. During the months of November and December, the end of the pier was greatly damaged by action of the waves. The pier, which extended 1,100 feet into the ocean, cost $25,000. The fishing season did not come up to expectations and in January 1882, the company was insolvent. Then came along another winter storm with easterly gales and completely demolished the structure.
March 12, 1888
A massive blizzard commenced to shut down the east coast from Georgia to Nova Scotia. It was put down and the most extensive and severe snow storm on record. Snow fell an average of two and a half feet in the vicinity of New York City, with less snow on the east end of Long Island. The mercury fell to six above zero. In Peconic Bay quite a number of wrecks occurred.
April 11, 1891
List of the Trustees of the Freeholders and Commonalty elected at the annual Town meeting held in Clinton Hall on the 7th Day of April: William B. Bailey, J. Maxon Schellinger, Benjamin H. Barnes, Charles H. Miller, James M. Strong (Chairman and Clerk), Julious D. Parsons, D. Egbert Talmage, Elias H. Payne, Jeremiah H. Mulford (Chairman pro tem), Nathan H. Dayton, David J. Gardiner, Christian Schenck.
April 15, 1891
Resolved that all persons not residents of the town of East Hampton are forbidden to enter upon the lands under water within the bounds of the patents to the town for the purpose of fishing for floating or shell fish therein, except Fort Pond Bay.
October 9, 1891
Resolved that the Clerk be and is hereby instructed to deposit fund known as the Rysam Childrens Fund the amount of the fund being Five Hundred dollars in the Sag Harbor Savings Bank for safe keeping.
September 17, 1892
Resolved that notice be given to Jeremiah H. Vail and George M. Vail (of the Village of Orient and Town of Southold) to remove their fishing apparatus from the bottom of Fort Pond Bay immediately and in case they refuse or neglect to do so that suit be begun against them for their ejectment.
November 27, 1894
Meeting of the town trustees held in the town house on the 27th day of November 1895 pursuant to a call of the Clerk, with James M. Strong in the chair, Trustees present to witt: Elisha H. Payne, Charles H. Miller, D. Egbert Talmage, James M. Strong, Jeremiah H. Mulford, Remington H. King, Julious D. Parsons, Benjamin H. Barnes, Edward M. Baker, David J. Gardiner, and William B. Baily.
The Clerk stated the object of the meeting as follows, An application having been made to purchase a piece of the South Beach the same being the front of the owned by Henry Mulford situated on Lilly Pond Lane. The question of the feasibility of selling the Fee of some portion of the South Beach reserving the public privileges was discussed at some length at which it was resolved that the Trustees will sell such portions of the South Beach as has not been previously sold, and give a quit claim deed therefor, such sales to be made only to the persons owning the upland adjoining. On condition that the person or persons purchasing any part of said Beach shall at the time of the delivery of the Trustees deed, deed back to the Trustees all the privileges the people of this town now have and that all such privileges shall be Specifically set fourth named and described in the deed. On such terms as the Trustees at some future time agree upon (Caried).
December 26, 1894
The special committee appointed at the last meeting to name the priviledges to be reserved in the sale of the South Beach hereby submit the following report to witt:
1st- The right of fishing landing fish packing and carting fish. All fish to be removed within 24 hours. Landing boats seins nets and fishing tackle of whichever kind. The drawing up of boats and leaving the same on the premises sold. Also the spreading and drying of nets and seins upon said premises.
2nd- The right to land Whale to cut up cart the same or any part thereof. The right to land and haul up boats and the tackle used in the capture of whale and leave the same upon said premises.
3rd- The right to pass and repass to walk or ride to sit or stand or lounge on said premises.
4th- The right to shoot and hunt.
5th-The right to place bathing houses and safety lines and arbors, but not to obstruct the public travel upon said Beach.
The vote on the foregoing reservations was take by calling the rool of the trustees with the following result to witt.
Jeremiah H. Mulford Votes Yes Remington H. King Votes Yes Charles H. Miller Votes Yes
Nathan H. Dayton Votes Yes David J. Gardiner Votes Yes Benjamin H. Barnes Votes Yes
-The Chair declared the foregoing adopted.
Resolved that the Beaches opposite the inlets of the ponds known as Hook pond and Georgica pond be reserved for the purpose of draining said ponds.
Resolved that the price fixed for the sale of the South Beach land shall be Fifteen Dollars a rod running parallel with the ocean.
The vote was taken on the above resolution by calling the roll of the trustees with the following result to witt:
Benjamin H. Barnes Votes Yes Remington H. King Votes Yes Charles H. Miller Votes Yes
David J. Gardiner, personally interested, asked to be excused Nathan H. Dayton Votes No
The chair declared the above resolution Lost.
On motion of Mr. Barnes, the meeting adjourned to a call of the Clerk.
March 30, 1897
Because Fort Pond Bay was decided to lie within open waters and not solely within the bounds of the Town like the other water bodies presided by the Town Trustees the, Committee on suits and privileges makes report that the case known as the Fort Pond Bay case has been argued and tried in the Court of appeals and that the Court of appeals has decided this case against the Town.
Trustee Records between 1897 and 1926 to come...
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EXCERPTS FROM theRecords of the Trustees of East-Hampton, 1926-1939. Transcribed by Jeannette Rattray under the direction of Judith Hope, Supervisor, Mary A. Fallon, Councilwoman, and Carleton Kelly, Historian. April 15, 1930 The following members were present: Clinton H. Edwards, Capt. John Philips, David G. Mulford, J. Everett Hand, Emmett C. Miller, George Schellinger, George Sears, W. E. Talmage and Wm. M. Wood. "The whole board of Trustees were invited to inspect a development at the North end of Three Mile Harbor." March 6, 1931 Be it resolved, that the Trustees of the Freeholders and Commonalty of the Town of East Hampton convey to Dennistoun M. Bell of Amagansett, N.Y., all the right, title and interest of the Town of East Hmapton in and to the following described land, viz.: All that certain tract or parcel of land situate in the Town of East Hampton, County of Suffolk and State of New York lying between the waters of Gardiners Bay and other property of said Dennistoun M. Bell, bounded and described as follows: Northwesterly by the Southeasterly line or side of Barnes Hole Road; Northwesterly and Easterly by the waters of Gardiners Bay; Southeasterly by the Northwesterly line or side of Albert's Landing Road and Westerly and Southwesterly by other land of said Dennistoun M. Bell." May 31, 1931 Be it resolved, That the Trustees lease to the Town Board for a term of five years at one dollar per year, the property acquired by the Trustees from Mr. Bell at Fresh Pond; said property to be used for the purpose of bathing and picnicking and to be policed by the Town Board." June 26, 1931 Regulary moved and carried that the application of the Town of East Hampton for permission to dredge Three Mile Harbor in accordance with the map of Wallace H. Halsey, Inc., as submitted and filed, be granted." "Regularly moved and carried that the application of I.Y. Halsey for permission to dredge his propery fronting on Three Mile Harbor in accordance with map submitted and filed, and that Raymond A. Smith, Counsel for the Board, at the expense of Mr. Halsey draft the proper release and quit claim deed required in this matter." July 8, 1931 The following members were present: David G. Mulford, Venus E. King, J. Everett Hand, Wm. M. Wood, Emmett C. Miller, George V. Schellinger, J. Whitman Baker, W. E. Talmage and Capt. John Philips. First: Construct a proper and sufficient bulkhead or retaining wall along the entire frontage of the premises granted, separating said premises from the waters of Three Mile Harbor, and also over and across its own property, from the easterly end of the bulkhead or retaining wall first mentioned, as shown on a sketch or blueprint filed with said Trustees. Second: Fill in on the landward side of the said bulkhead or retaining wall, so as to eliminate all standing water or marshes. Third: Dredge a channel at least thirty feet in width and at least eight feet in depth from the main channel into Three Mile Harbor, in front of the said bulkhead or retaining wall, into "Maidstone Harbor". Fourth: Dredge "Maidstone Harbor", as shown on a sketch or blueprint filed with the said Trustees, along the entire frontage of the said bulkhead or retaining wall, and for substantially the entire width and length of the said "Maidstone Harbor", as far South as the Southerly end of "Harbor Boulevard", to a depth of about seven feet at mean low water, so as to provide a public harbor for small boats. Fifth: Tender to the Town of East Hampon, for public highways, by deed of dedication, the road shown on the sketch or blueprint, and designated as "Harbor Boulevard" leading from the road to Maidstone Park to and along the Easterly side of "Maidstone Harbor", and also the road shown and designated upon the said sketch as "Twillingate Avenue, " leading from the road to Maidstone Park through and across premises of Maidstone Acres Corporation to an outlet on the shore of Three Mile Harbor and to two outlets into premises of the Town of East Hampton known as "Maidstone Park." August 17, 1931 The following members were present: Emmett C. Miller, Capt. John Philips, Wm. M. Wood, David G. Mulford, J. Whitman Baker, George V. Schellinger, George Sears, W. E. Talmage. Section 1 - It shall be unlawful for any person not a citizen of the Town of East Hampton to take from the waters of Three Mile Harbor, Napeague Harbor, Accabonac Creek or Harbor, Georgica Lake, Northwest Creek or other waters within the bounds of said Township, any fish, shrimp, eels, escallops, oysters, clams, periwinkles, or other products of said waters. Section 2 - Persons who are residents of the Town of East Hampton are prohibited from taking fish, shrimp, escallops, oysters, clams, or periwinkles, from (these said waters) by the use of dredges propelled or operated in any manner other than by hand power. Section 3 - Persons are prohibited from taking shell fish between sunset and sunrise and not more than one dredge from one boat can be lawfully used, and if the boat has two or more dredges it shall be presumptive evidence of a violation of the act. Section 4 - It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to take from any waters of the Town of East Hampton escallops which shall measure less than two inches from the centre of the lip or bill nor any round clam less than one inch in thickness nor shall it be lawful for such escallops or clams to be possessed at any time. Any escallops mearuing less than two inches from teh centre of the hinge to the centre of the lip or bill or round clam less than one inch in thickness, taken from the waters of said Township shall be immediately returned to the waters at the place where taken. Section 5 - It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to take from the waters within the bounds of the Town of East Hampton any escallops between the first day of April and the first day of September of each and every year (this text is from 1931, see the East Hampton Town Shellfish regulations for this year's current regulations). Section 6 - It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to take from the waters within the bounds of the Town of East Hampton any soft or long clams between the first day of June and the first day of October of each and every year (this text is from 1931, see the East Hampton Town Shellfish regulations for this year's current regulations). Section 7 - Persons shall be deemed to be a resident of the Town of East Hampton at any given date within the meaning of this act when he shall have actually and continuously resided within the said Town for a period of at least six months immediately preceding such date. Section 8 - Any provision of this act to the contrary notwithstanding, shall not be deemed to prevent any person or persons residing within the Town of East Hampton from angling fish for other that commercial purposes. Section 9 - All other Trustees' laws in regard to the taking of fish, shrimp, escallops, oysters, clams, periwinkles or other products from the waters within the bounds of said Township are hereby repealed. Section 10 - Any violation of this act will be subject to a penalty of not less than Five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars and costs. Section 11 - This act shall take effect immediately upon publication. November 21, 1933 The following members were present: Wm. L. Edwards, David G. Mulford, Emmett C. Miller, George V. Schellinger, J. Everett Hand, George Sears, Capt. John Philips, Edward Baker, W. E. Talmage. At this meeting a delegation of men interested in the escallop industry asking that the Trustees put a limit on the Escallops taken in any one calendar day. The law was enacted to read: "Section 1 - It shall be unlawful for any person to take from the waters of the Town of East Hampton more than five (5) bushels of escallops in the shell during any one calendar day." November 16, 1934 The following members were present: George Sears, John Strong, Lyman Ketcham, Everett Babcock, Everett Hand, Herbert Mulford, Emmett Miller, William Collins, Talmage Lester, Robert Pratt. December28, 1934 "On motion duly made and seconded, in was resolved to grant George Miller permission to cart Beach Sand from the common land at Napeague to be used as a fill for a new road across the Napeague Meadows. April 12, 1935 The following members were present: William Collins, John Y. Strong, Everett Hand, Herbert Mulford, Emmett Miller, Talmage Lester, Robert Pratt, Lyman Ketcham. The Clerk was instructed to notify Mr. Palmer that the Trustees unanimously voted against the leasing of any land under water at Three Mile Harbor (in this instance for the purpose of bedding clams in front of Mr. Palmer's property)." November 13, 1935 Resolved that the Clerk be and he hereby is instructed and authorized to execute in behalf of the Trustees, all leases to respective lots at Lazy Point, as have been or may be approved by said Trustees and to affix his signature as such clerk, and affix the seal of said Trustees thereto, the said leases to be for the term of one year commencing September 1, 1935, with the right of renewal from year to year as long as the tenancy is continuous, at the rental of five dollars per annum, said leases to be approved before execution by Raymond A. Smith, Esq., Counsel to the Trustees." Trustee Records between 1936 and the present days to come...
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