Footnotes to Long Island History
A Diary of the 1800’s
April 14, 1955
by
Thomas R. Bayles
Life in the
country went on at a much slower pace 150 years ago, and folks in a
small community were neighbors and knew each other.
Local
happenings were of much interest, as there was not much contact with the
outside world, except through the stagecoach that went through the
island with the mail and some stray passengers.
According
to Skinner’s New York State register for 1830, the mail was dispatched
from New York twice a week on Mondays and Fridays at 4 p. m. for the
middle of the island, and the mail stage went through Hempstead,
Jericho, Smithtown, Coram, Middle Island, and Suffolk Court House
(Riverhead). The stopping place in Middle Island was the old Hutchinson
homestead, which was postoffice as well as tavern for travelers.
Incidentally, Middle Island had the first postoffice established in
Brookhaven Town back in 1796.
The
following items from a diary of Miss Cynthia Hutchinson in 1808 give
some idea of what life was in those days.
“May 16:
Three men planting corn it is very late. Mr. Hutchinson is sick. Uncle
Matt came and planted part of the garden.
“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.
Papa also had intermitting fever.
August 29:
Rev. Moses Swezey preached in the meeting house and singing school was
held in the afternoon, and was so well attended that those who came late
could hardly find seats.
“Mr.
Gilmore and Benjamin Moore, who peddled dry goods and made frequent
visits, announced that it was their last trip as they were going upstate
to the ‘new country’.”
Loading
sloops with cord wood over the Sound shore if frequently mentioned in
the diary.
“September
28: Mr. Joseph Gerard called. He is paying his respects to Miss Chary
Swezey.
“November
3: Simeon Hulse died after three weeks sickness with lung fever. At
the funeral the house was full of people.
“November
9: Papa thrashed clover seed today. Evening meetings at Coram are very
largely attended and frequent, and held very late.
“Uncle
Rufus Tuthill came from Aquebogue with Priest Goldsmith, who was going
to preach here. He preached Mr. Brown’s funeral and held a meeting
‘down the river.’
“April 7,
1909: Daniel Terry of Oyster Ponds (Orient) called. He has been at
Albany on the Assembly for town months. He went away in the morning
with the ‘Post.’
“Tuesday,
April 18: In the evening Debby and I went to meeting. It was a very
melancholy meeting, and I believe there were but few who did not shed
tears because Mr. John Turner and his cousins, Isaac and Chary, who we
can’t ever expect to see again, as they are going to move a great way
off to the ‘new country.’ It seemed hard parting with them. After the
meeting we went to Mr. Woodruff’s and stayed until one o’clock, and bid
each other farewell.
“August 8:
In the morning I went to the store and got a gallon of rum. Mr. Petty
and Mr. Hulse are to work here today.
“August 6:
Mrs. Clarissa Clark who has moved ‘up in the new country’ writes home
that she likes it very much and would not come back for anything. They
plan to move 200 miles further west next winter.
August 18:
Mr. Brown’s beach party took place. Papa went, also old Mr. Joshua
Swezey and Harmony and Mr. and Mrs. Wooster. Reached home at 11 o’clock
at night.
“September
30: Jeffrey 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 the meeting house.”
Social
calls were frequent between neighbors, quiltings were common, knitting
was a daily occupation, as was spinning.
“Uncle
Jeffrey Hutchinson called on his way to New York with fowls.” (Some trip
with a wagon load of fowl for the New York market!)
“February
2, 1810: Grandpapa and Mama and Uncle John came here. Saturday morning
after breakfast they set out to go to Smithtown. They hadn’t been gone
more than half an hour when Mr. Brown came running in and told Pa to get
his horses at once and go after his father and mother as the horse had
run away and they were both thrown out of the chairs in the wagon and
hurt. He went at once and brought them back and then went after the
doctor. He came and bled grandfather and believes there are no bones
broken. Uncle John went after the horse, which ran to Patchogue.
“April 3:
Vendue (auction) of Joel Swezey attended. They are going to move to the
‘new country’ shortly.
“July 28:
Papa and Mama stayed to Mr. Carll’s all night. Got home next day from
the carding machine at the mill down the river.”