Setauket in 1715 to replace the old "town church' and it was
used during the Revolution for military purposes by British
soldiers Although considerably damaged by them, it was repaired
after the war and used until the present Presbyterian church was
built in 1811.
The oldest church on Long Island still standing is the Caroline
Episcopal church, which was built on the north side of the
Setauket green in 1729. A gallery was added in 1744 and
furnished pews for the slaves which still retains the name
"slave gallery." The colonial interior of the church was
restored in 1937 by Ward Melville and his mother Mrs. Frank
Melville.
As the settlements on the south
side grew, the need for a church was felt, as it was a long trip
across the Island to the old "town church' at Setauket, so in
1740 a Presbyterian church was built at South Haven just west of
the "goin over" on the Connecticut river. This church was used
as a horse stable by the British soldiers during the Revolution,
and a new one was built in 1828, which has recently been moved
to a new location in Brookhaven. This was a central point in
those days as roads came together here from all parts of the
town to the grist and saw mill across the roads on the river.
The next church built was the Presbyterian church in Middle
Island in 1776 and Rev. David Rose was pastor of both churches
until his death in 1799. The present church in Middle Island was
built in 1837. "Priest Rose," as he was called was a loyal
supporter of the American cause during the Revolution and served
with Col. Josiah Smith who commanded a regiment in the Battle of
Long Island in August 1776.
Slavery was common in the early years and in December 1677, John
Thomas of Setauket purchased from Isack Rainer of Southampton, a
negro named Samboe, and the "said Rainer doth ingaege to bring
him safe and sound, wind and limb, deliver said John Thomas at
Setauket." The price to be paid was 19 barrels of good whale
oil. Most of the important men of those days kept slaves and
town records show about 100 slaves kept by their owners in 1800.
Most were set free between 1800 and 1825.
There was no church on the south
side of town except the one at South Haven, until the
Congregational church was built in Patchogue in 1793.This stood
on the corner of the Montauk highway and Waverly ave. The first
Baptist church in the town was built in Coram in 1747, where the
present Methodist church stands but little is known about it. A
congregational church was organized at Mt. Sinai in 1789,
although a church is supposed to have been located there as
early as 1740. The present church was built in 1807. Wading
river had a Presbyterian "meeting house" 26 x 28 feet in size
which was built in 1740. A Congregational church was organized
in 1785.