Camp at Whalebone

Property owned by Jesse Halsey, Abigail Fithian Halsey, Lizbeth Halsey White at Whalebone Landing in 1903

Dec 1837 Jesse Halsey and wife Mary [Budd] give 2 acres at Whalebone to CH Halsey (b. 1830) 

The acreage is bordered by: N, Stephen Harris; E&S, David H. Rose (2 acres) [wife Mary Halsey is CHH’s sister]; W, Ed. W. Halsey [Jesse and Henry’s brother]. Charles's father, Henry Halsey, purchased 4 acres from his brother Edward W. Halsey's son (Ed. J Halsey) and this portion of approximately 6 acres was split between Lizbeth Halsey White and Abigail Fithian White.

In 1882, Elizabeth [Aunt Libby Halsey] Fowler gave her 6 acres to CHH (her three sons went to sea and never returned, Charles was her favorite nephew), and in 1903, CHH left the remaining 5 of those acres to Jesse Halsey. Nearby property is owned by the descendents of many of Henry Halsey's siblings, among others: E&S Wilmun Halsey (CHH's brother) heirs (Aunt Gus); Wm. S. Halsey; David Rose (wife, Mary was CHH's sister); W.S. Foster; J. Herrick; John J. Morgan; Theo. A. Halsey (related via Eliza Halsey, wife of Henry Halsey and daughter of Barzillai Halsey); Gladys Beckwith, and Elaine Beecham (Harris heirs).

A Bit of Local History Written by the Late W.S. Pelletreau

Record of the Ownership of the Triangle between Main Street and North Sea Road Southampton Press

The recent burning of the Dawson dwelling and barns recalls an article written by our esteemed historian, the late William S. Pelletreau

--> [1840-1918], and published in the PRESS in May, 1917. The article has much value and interest to all living in that section of the village and is reprinted by request.

In old times, long before the Revolution, the entire triangle between the Main street and the North Sea road was owned by Abner Howell. He was the son of Col. Josiah Howell, and was a man of importance in his day and time. A small, brown tombstone tells us that Mr. Abner Howell died Sept. 16, 1775 in the 76^th year of his age. About 1750 he gave his son, Phineas Howell, the lot where John Cavanagh now lives, and he built a house upon it which was standing in our boyhood days. At the same time there was another house exactly like it and this was owned by Mr. Peter Fournier and was where the Commercial House now stands. They were not only exactly alike in other respects but there was a peculiar style to the chimneys which attracted our attention. Both of these houses were torn down about 1849. Abner Howell seems to have divided the entire triangle between his two sons, Phineas and David, and Phineas had the north part and David Howell had the south portion. In 1788 Phineas Howell sold east part to Annanias Halsey and went to what was the “Western Country” and settled in the town of Tully, in what is now Onondaga County, New York, and he died there at a very advanced age. Annanias Halsey was the father of a family that had been prominent in Southampton. His son, Uriah Halsey, lived on the place now owned by Mrs. Wilmun Halsey and had two daughters. One married John Sherry of Sag Harbor and the other married Capt. Crowell of the same place.

Another son of Annanias was Eli P. Halsey, who was the father Edwin P. Halsey, who lived in the old house, next north of Herrick’s store.

Another daughter married Col. Samuel hunting, whose wealth has been of benefit to many families. Another daughter, Mary (or Polly, as she was generally called) married Mr. Daniel Fordham, whose descendants are numerous and well known. Another daughter, Susan (commonly known in our boyhood days as Aunt Susan Halsey) lived and died unmarried in a little old house that stood just north of Capt. Daniel Jagger’s house, now Mr. Donnelly’s. After her death the house was sold by Capt. Jagger to David Terry, who moved it to Tuckahoe where it still remains.

The part of the lot sold to Annanias Halsey was in later years sold to Capt. Harry Halsey, who is well remembered. The part where the little house stood is now owned by Miss Abigail Halsey, and the homestead by the Rev. Jesse Halsey. The old house and lot of Phineas Howell was sold by him to Ebenezr Jagger in 1772. He had a tan yard on the premises, and was the great-grandfather of Mr. Hubert Jagger. In later years the house and lot belonged to Mr. Aja Halsey, who tore down the old house and built a new one and which, after passing through several hands now belongs to John Cavanagh.

We may add that Abner Howell did not live on that tract. His home lot, which was that of his father’s before him, was where Mr. Livingston Bowden now lives. He was the village blacksmith and the relics of his shop were plainly visible some years ago, when the road was ploughed up on Bowden Square.

The south part of the triangle was given by Abner Howell to his son, David Howell, who built a house upon it about 1750. In 1770, the main street of Southampton was surveyed from the beach to the road at Long Springs and David Howell’s house is there mentioned. Like most houses of that time it was built on the line of the street. The present door yard has been taken in from the highway but no one is any the worse for it. David Howell was a silversmith and learned his trade from Capt. Elias Pelletreau. We have seen spoons made by him and stamped with his name. On May 10^th, 1782, David Howell sold his house and lot to Col. Josiah Smith of Moriches for £400, or $2,00. As the lot included what is now Mr. Donnelly’s property, it is worth as much today. What became of David Howell we do not know but he may have gone West like his brother. Colonel Josiah Smith bought this place for his daughter Hannah, who married Elias Pelletreau, and they lived there many years keeping a store, which did a large business for those days. Flax was a staple article and was raised in large quantities and taken in trade but times have changed and there has not been an ounce of flax raised in Southampton for nearly 100 years. We may as well mention that another article of extensive sales was West India rum. In the latter part of his life Elias Pelletreau purchased a large farm at the south end of the village, with a house still standing and well known as the Hollyhocks.

After the death of Elias Pelletreau, the David Howell, house and lot was sold to Benjamin Howell and after passing through one or two hands it came into possession of Capt. Austin Herrick and is now owned by his descendents who are well known to us all. The house which still remains, was built originally after the standard style of those times, with a long sloping roof on one side, but at some later period it was changed, and by making gambrel roof with dormer windows, it was made practically a two-story house. In old times, when land was cheap, houses were built large on the ground, the upper part was a necessary evil, and it was not necessary to put one house on another. It has stood the storms of more than 160 years and will outlast many of the flashy houses of the present time.

The person who sees Mr. Dawson’s place would hardly believe that it is a hundred years old. So much has been added that it looks like a new house, but the original house has passed its 100^th mark long years ago, and hereby hangs a tale.

In the early part of the last century, the farm at the north end, now owned by Mr. James E. Foster, was the homestead of John Bishop and his wife Jerusha, both models of short-sighted penuriousness. The story goes, and we have heard it repeated by those who evidently believed it, that they were left this farm and much other land, with the condition that they were to support two maiden sisters until their death or marriage. They seem to have been well convinced that the former would happen first and they might have to wait a long time for that, and they worried about certain sharp individuals, and there were sharp people even in those virtuous days, and they were Squire William Herrick, Rufus Sayre, and Joel Jacobs, made them the offer to take the girls off their hands and support them until they were dead or married, in exchange for their farm and some other lands, among which we believe was a lot at Halsey’s neck, now owned by Edward. H. Foster, Esq. They accepted the offer and congratulated themselves on their grand stroke of luck. One of the characters in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” says, “Gals is mighty on certain things. If you think they have gone one way they are sure to be gone the other.” With that perversity, so peculiar to the female sex, these girls, who were expected never to marry, were both married within a year. The Bishops then repented in sackcloth and ashes, that they had parted with their land so easily. The house on the farm was sold to Paul Sayre, the grandfather of our well-known townsman, Mr. Rufus Sayre, and he moved it to its present site where he purchased a small piece of land of the proprietors. This is the 100^th anniversary of its moving and it is certain that it was of some age at the time. Here Paul Sayre lived and died, and his daughter, Miss Nancy Sayre, with a sister lived there within our recollection.

As for the Bishops’ story we hardly know what to say. There are some things which make us doubt it, but as the Italian saying is, “If it is not true, it is well made up.”

The Jesse Halsey Manuscript Collection. Special Collections, Princeton Theological Seminary Library. 

"We have had a fine summer at the seashore."

"He . . . had his reason only at intervals."

C. H. Halsey to Samuel McCorkle

October 8^th, 1861

Southampton

Dear Sir

I now sit down to write you a few lines to inform you of my health which is good at this time, hoping this may find you enjoing the same great blessing. I received your last letters which was dated July 25^th in due time, and was glad to hear of your good health and that of your crew. I am now looking every day for a letter from you on your arrival at St Helena and hope you may have been successful in taking some of those large sperm Whales which are sometimes taken on that ground. I hope you may have received those letters which was sent by the way of England to St Helena, on your arrival at that port. I think we mailed them in February. It was but a short time after that my dear Brother Jesse was taken sick with Bilious Intermittent Fever, and died after a short illness of 8 days. He had taken a hard cold some too weeks before, but thought he was much better even the day before he was taken down to his bed. He was handled very severly [sic] and had his reason only at intervals. You Dear Sir can better imagine than I can describe our feelings as we stood around his dying bed and saw his eyes close in death, Methinks I see him now as he reaches out his hand and calls Mother Father. You to have lost Brothers and a dear Father and know by experience the feelings of those who mourn the loss of dear departed friends. I feel assured of your ready sympathy and it affords us much consolation to think he was with us and that all was done for him that could be both in Medical attendance and nursing to save life. God has in his Providence seen fit to sumon [sic] him, perhaps from the end to come, and we hope although his body lies moulding in the dust his spirit is now singing the praises above. He was indeed a lovely youth, beloved by all who knew him and I need not tell you how much we miss him, at the family alter, at the table, on the farm there is an empty seat, a vacant place. God has said he does not afflict willingly but that it is for our good that we may profit thereby.

Our hearts were made glad by the safe return again of our dear Brother Willie on the 18^th of August last. He is very well and thinks to go up to N. York with uncle Edward tomorrow. Father’s health is somewhat better than it was last spring, when he was very unwell and I was afraid [sic] he would never be much better.

Your Brother Robert has gone out to Pikes Peak and I have not heard from him since he left. I am very anxious to hear how he stood the journey and of his health. I hope it may have improved but it seems like a great undertaking for one to go so far and that to with a team. Father and Mother wrote to your Mother a few days ago and informed them of this opportunity to send letters. I received one last eve directed to you and shall send it in care Mr. S. P. Reeves. Mr. Phillips still occupies the House—and has been punctual in paying the rent. He was making enquiries a few days ago what you intended to do when you go home. I told him I could not tell until I had heard from you. I have fenced off six acres in the east Lot joining the pasture Lot in Sabboick Lane and hired it out on Town Meeting day for pasture for $21.50, West Lot $16.25, Barn Lot $8.25. The mowing grass which was sold 25^th of June last amounts to the sum of $57.18. I am in hopes to have some money to send to your Mother this Fall if Mr Lincoln does not take it all to carry on the war. The taxes will probably be very high this fall on account of the $150,000,000 loan which you and I have got to dig and delve to pay. There is a certain class who love or whose object it is to free the Blacks South only to make slaves of us, for I consider that slavery enough to be burdened to death with taxation and this question has been the sole cause of the present state of things. I hold to maintaining the Government but I want it done on Constitutional grounds, that is—give the South her rights as they are under the constituion. There is now about 400,000 men drawn up against each other, in nearly equal numbers in and around Washington and it is said that a struggle between these immence [sic] armies cannot long be postponed. James Post has joined a regiment and expects to go on to Washington when called for. He has been home to bid his friends Good bye. Charley Bishop is agoing [sic] in one of the Gun Boats on the Mississippi. I recieved [sic] a letter from Charley Fowler dated St Helena July 25^th I thought to have recieved [sic] one from you but I supose [sic] you have anumber [sic] to write and could not get time. I hope you will write however before you leave port and let me know when you expect to be home and what you wish me to do about hireing [sic] out the pasture land &c. If you should get home by the first of April you could attend to that your self; if you do not I shall not hire out the Barn Lot as you may wan tto use it your self. Good Luck Much Love Good Bye

Yours as Ever

Chas H Halsey

P. S. Your secret is safe as is my slave as yet.

From Incident on the Bark Columbia: Being Letters Received & Sent by Captain McCorkle and the Crew of his Whaler, 1860-1862; ed. Helen Halsey, New Haven, April 27, 1941; The Cummington Press, Cummington, MA. 

MEMORIALS OF THE NORTH END: Part Two

by Lizbeth Halsey White

We often wonder what has become of our old houses for they were built to last for generations, but having no fire protection, except buckets and a well sweep, very many of them were reduced to ashes. The old David Jagger homestead on the North Sea road, built in 1707, was burned February 8, 1891. This farm was allotted to John Jagger I, before 1667, and some of the land is still owned by his descendents. For many years a lane opened this farm out to the North End of Main Street. The road passed just to the south of the Samuel Bishop homestead but it was closed some years ago. The Revolutionary Patriot of the Jagger family was Ebenezer Jagger and it was his son, Ebenezer, who in 1805 bought from the estate of Isaac Post the farm now owned by Hubert A. Jagger.

This frontage extended as far north as the road to Seven Ponds. In many of the records this road is known as Bishop’s Lane, but the name seems to have fallen into disuse. Let us see to it that the old names of our streets are retained.

The Albert Jagger farm across the street descended from his grandfather, Deacon Moses Culver. In 1799, Daniel Foster and his wife, Phebe, sell to Moses Culver, Blacksmith, his house and home lot, bounded north by Samuel Bishop, south and west by land of Samuel Post. Mr. Albert Jagger also was a “Fortyniner” and his letters written during this adventure have preserved to us the story of the Sabina and the ensuring experiences in the gold fields. He is also noted in the village for the daguerreotypes which he made so successfully and which have preserved for us the likenesses of his contemporaries.

Next north to the home of John Bishop were those of Daniel Sayre and his brother Francis. These were sons of Thomas and brothers of Job, for whom Job’s Lane was named. The home lots of Francis and Daniel Sayre would extend today from Mrs. Wilmun Halsey’s north and would include Roe’s Hotel. There is a curious record dated June 2, 1701: “It is ordered by the trustees that John Foster Jr. and Isaac Halsey Jr. shall go to Daniel Sayre and give him legal warning to throw out the Town’s land that he has taken in upon ye front of his home lot adjoining to ye Main St. within one month or expect to be sued by the Town for trespass.” Daniel Sayre moved to Bridgehampton and as he died only six years after this incident he must have moved soon after he had set back his fence. The property of Daniel Sayre is known to us as “Charles Selden’s” and is now the home of his son, Charles R. Halsey, and his daughter Mrs. Anthony Wilde. The place has descended to them from the Great-Grand-Sire, Paul Halsey, whose name is among the Patriots of the Revolution. Layton Avenue was laid out through this farm and the let on the north was originally a part of it. This for some time was owned by Joshua Halsey, whose name is also on the honor roll of the Revolution. The house now standing on the property was built in the 70s by the Eldredge brothers of Sag Harbor but for a number of years it was associated with the name of Daniel Y. Bellows who with his family made it their home. The house when built was an innovation, for it was close on the street with a basement entrance, and steps on either side leading up to the main floor. Its builders had visions of a city block, which even yet has not materialized.

On the land to the north occupied by Francis Sayre his descendants lived for one hundred and seventy years.

In 1822, Stephen Sayre and his wife Elizabeth sold to Moses Culver a “tract of land with dwelling house and buildings” 20 acres, price $1,000. This is the quaint old Cape Cod house still standing, given to Phebe Culver by her father. Phebe married Samuel Sanford who in 1843 was one of a committee to purchase land for the Methodist Church in Good Ground. In 1851, they sold the place to Septa Jackson who moved here from East Hampton. It is from the lips of his daughter, Mrs. Sarah Terry, that we have heard much delightful reminiscence of the neighborhood she knew as a girl. Their nearest neighbor on the south was Cabel Halsey, and on the north Peter Fournier. Across the street was only open fields from Lewis Sandford’s (whose home was where Leon Terry now lives) as far as Albert Reeves (now owned by Albert Roger). This field was known as Post’s Lot, as it was owned by Capt. George Post, and here Edward White says he drove the cows to pasture when a boy.

It was in the early 70s that Capt. Daniel Havens built the house on the hill which was his home for many years. With its terraced garden it has always been an attractive landmark. Here, Principal John G. Peck lived for several years when he first came to Southampton. The hill, still vacant, was purchased by the Catholic Society with the intent that their church would be built there. It is still owned by them and the North End children have a coasting place in winter.

John Rogers built his home at the foot of the hill and in the late 70s the Thompson Bros. built for a boarding house the building, which for some time has been owned by the family of the late Henry N. Clark.

The store at the north was added to accommodate The Sea-Side Times, Southampton’s first newspaper. This paper was established in 1881 by Walter R. Burling, who established local newspapers in several other villages and he was known as the veteran newspaper editor of Long Island. Two of his sons remain in Southampton to carry on his important contribution to the community.

The Sea-Side Times after a time became the property of Charles A. Jagger, who was its editor at the time of his death in 1914. Dr. Jagger edited also a series of periodicals known as the Southampton Magazine, which has preserved to us many incidents of early and more recent local happenings which otherwise would have been lost to the future.

The home of Peter Fournier is now a part of the south wing of Ree’s Hotel. The grandfather of Peter Fournier came to this country about 1750 and settled in Southold. He went as a Refugee to Connecticut during the Revolution and fought in the third line. His name is signed—Francis Fournier, Frenchman. So we know that he was one of the many gallant representatives of that country who gave not only their sympathies but their service also to the struggling colonists in their efforts to achieve independence.

After the war he settled in Red Creek and he was known for his vineyards. Of the large family of Peter Fournier, only two remained in Southampton. John Fournier built the house next north and nearest the Railroad Station and “Arabella” will be long remembered for her quaint eccentricities.

It was Mrs. Sarah Terry who told us of the building of Mr. Wm. R. Post’s house, which she said was called a mansion because it had a cupola.

As long ago as 1836, a piece of land of several acres on the north side of the Pelletreau property was sold to Captain James Parker, who was a whaling captain. In 1849, he went with the Sabina to California, where he died April 29, 1851. His stone is in the old North End Cemetery with that of his four wives, the last of whom we knew as “Aunt Milly Parker.”

Captain Parker’s daughter Charlotte became the wife of Wm. R. Post who bought the property of the estate of his father-in-law and built the palatial home which was the wonder of its day and still remains one of the most beautiful homes of the village.

Wm. R. Post was born in the South End—the son of Captain James Post and his wife Hannah Rogers. He was a man of excellent business ability and became the leading citizen of the community. He was Supervisor of the Town, Elder in the Presbyterian Church, and Superintendent of its Sunday School. If there was anything anybody wanted to know they went to Mr. Post. He was very tall and well proportioned and carried himself with the dignity, which befitted his position in the community.

He was very fond of young people and had a way of asking questions about things in our geography or arithmetic, which we ought to know and didn’t know. The writer remembers sitting upon the high stool before his office desk and one of the questions asked she has never forgotten. She had never to her knowledge heard anyone say, in school or out, how many towns there are in Suffolk County, but it didn’t take her long to find out. Many children thought him stern but our mother’s children knew him for his kindly smile and friendly greeting as he came to the back door each morning for the milk.

Mr. Post married for his second wife, Mary, one of the five daughters of Jonathan Fithian. Squire Fithian came to Southampton as a very young man (1818) and taught first in the District School and afterwards in the Academy. He was born in East Hampton, where his ancestors had settled early in its history. He married Abigail, daughter of Thomas Sayre, and their home was built upon the lot now occupied by Willis Corwin. The large acreage next north now owned by Edgar Hildreth was for many years known as the “Fithian Lot.” Five lively girls and a genial father and mother made their home a popular social center and the name of the “Fithian Girls” became a synonym for life and mirth and wholesome fun. They all married except one, but this is another tragedy of the California gold-lure.

Squire Fithian filled the office of Town Clerk in Southampton for twenty years. He was Justice of the Peace from 1828 until his death in 1865. He also served several terms as Supervisor of the Town. In Volume IV page 288 of the Town Records, Wm. S. Pelletreau, who at that time was Town Clerk, has included a memorial to the memory of Jonathan Fithian. In the published address of Mr. Pelletreau, delivered at the 250^th anniversary of the settling of the town (1876) after eulogizing the soldiers of the Civil War, he concludes, “Let the greenest wreath and the fairest flower of today be brought as a tribute to the memory of Jonathan Fithian, the incorruptible magistrate, who living enjoyed the confidence of this citizens and dying left no nobler soul behind.”

After the death of her husband, “Aunt Abbie” went to live with her daughters “up the river” in Newburgh. As her life went out there was born across the street from her old home in the North End, a baby girl and Abigail Fithian lives on, a reminder of the neighbor and friend so greatly beloved.

Courtesy Lizbeth Halsey White Files, Southampton Historical Museum Archives and Research Center