The Cameron Boys | Southampton

The town was growing; first by a few summer boarders, then by a substantial influx of summer cottagers (Yorkers as we called them). Naturally some permanent residents were added. Among these was a Scotch family of size; the father was a skilled plumber and soon came to affluence, but in the first year they lived in the back street, as we who lived on Main Street called it. Its real name was Windmill Lane because in the old days three windmills were on or near it; I remember one of them, Cap’n Bill White’s. Well, the Cameron boys, one bigger than me and one younger, soon joined our gang and were often on our place where the crowd “hung out” playing around the haystacks or on rainy days in the big barn.

I had work to do—farm chores. In the early years, fetching the kindling and corn cobs to build the fires (we burned only wood); then looking for the eggs, driving the cows, later helping with the milking. One evening when I was milking the older Scottie was plaguing me and at a close range, I let him have it, squirting milk in a sizeable stream and all over him. When he had cleared his eyes and got his breath he ran over to the hen house, grabbed some eggs and began a barrage. He was the pitcher of our ball team and the eggs reached their mark—I was covered. (Fortunately, all the eggs were fresh.) I hurriedly hung up the milk pail, grabbed a trace from the harness closet and chased my friend down the back lot through the little gate into the road and half way to his home, lashing him with all my strength. He was heavy and I was light and swift; he got aplenty. He [Alex Cameron, Jr., mayor of Southampton 1943-1953] is mayor of the village now, and has been for half a dozen years; has the leading plumbing business in the county and has held the village tax rate down to the lowest in the state.

--from Jesse Halsey | autobiography 1950 

*images from The Plumbers Trade Journal, Steam and Hot Water Fitters Review, Volume 37, 1905; accompanying text reads: "On this page we publish two views of Alexander Cameron's shop at Southampton, L.I. As will be seen in the photograph of the showroom, Mr. Cameron carries a large stock of up-to-date goods.