The name Richard Woodhull
is one of the most prominent in the history of Brookhaven town and
the records bear witness to a character, which for principles of
honor and justice, unselfish motives far seeing discretion,
kindliness of manners and constant efforts to promote the growth of
the early settlements, had few superiors among the honored names
that grace the pages of early Long Island history.
Born in Northamptonshire England September 13 1620, Richard
Woodhull came to this country at the age of 24.He first established
himself in Southampton in 1644, and was active in the pubic service
of that town. His name appears in the records Brookhaven town in
1657, when he purchased two necks of meadow land at Mastic form the
Unkechaug Indians for the town.
He was appointed a magistrate for
the town by the court at Hartford in 1661 and held this position for
several years. He held many office and acted on many important
commissions one of the most important of which was that masterly
stroke of diplomacy by which the title of the town to the whole
northern territory was forever freed from the complications of
Indian claims. This deed from the Indians in 1675 is presented in
the following paragraphs
"know all men by these presents that I Gie of Seatokit, Sachem and
now living in Setakett in the east Riding in Yorkshire, with all my
Associates that have been the Native proprietors of all the lands of
Setakett Doth fully and absolutely Ratify and confarm unto the
patentees and their Associates of Brookhaven alles Setauket; All
those parsells of land that have been bought of any of us or our
Anchestores, that is to say from the west lyne from Stony Brook to
ye North Sea and south to the middle of ye island and so to extend
to the head of the weading River or Red Brook and to the middle do
the island south and so to the North or sound. I say I Gie doth for
myself and my Associates or any that have anything to do with any
part or parsell of land within the lyne above menchened of all that
the inhabitance have purchased Doth for ourselves or haires and
assignees Ratttifie and confarme unto the inhabitances of Setaket,
to them, their haires, exacutrs and assignees all uplands, meadoes,
timber treese with all harbors, creeks, ponds, fishing, fouling,
hunting, with all singular privileges to have and to holdwhat
parsill of land that is within the above said Bounds yt is to say
from the west lyne Stony Brook to the east lyne of weading river and
from ye middle of ye island south and to the sound North that is ytt
onpurchased I Gie Seetokit sachem. my elf and my coe partners and
associates doth fully give unto Mr. Richard Woodhull whatsoever
upland or madowes that we apprehend is onbought by the inhabitance
of Seatoket and doth fully and absolutely give unto Mr. Richard
Woodhull senior whatsoever upland or madowes timber tress and all
privileges profits or whatsoever from us our Hairs or any that shall
come after us to him the said Mr. Richard Woodhull, to whom we shall
dispost it him, them and their hairs Forever to have and to hold
without Lett or molestation, And we do Hereunto sett our hands and
sale this nineteen day of November 1675
(his x mark)
GY SACHEM
(his x mark)
Massetuse
(his x mark)
john mahue
(his x mark)
nasseceage)
(his x mark)
achedons
Coraway puding sealed
saigned and delivered
in the presence of us
Robert Philipson
Richard Mann
On November 23, 1675, Richard Woodhull deeded over to the town
Brookhaven all the land covered by the above deed which he had
secured from the Indians that covered the northern part of
Brookhaven town from Stony Brook to Wading River