Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 July 1903 — AN ANCIENT AMERICAN VILLAGE. [ARTICLE]

AN ANCIENT AMERICAN VILLAGE.

Jay W. Williams Writes Interestingly of East Hampton, New York. East Hampton, Long Island, N. Y„ July 1,1903. Mb. Babcock: Thinking a letter from the old village might interest you, concluded to write you briefly. The village is situated on the Atlantic coast, one hundred miles east of New York city and sixteen miles from Montauk Point, on the south side of the island. The first settlement was made here in 1649 and the Presbyterian chnrch was organized in 1650. The settlement was made by a colony of Presbyterians who left Connecticut on account of religions persecution. I visited the old graveyard and there are tombstones dating back to 1680. The heads of all the graves but one are facing the West, and this one is to the East. It is of their first minister, and it is said it was his request that he be buried that way that he could face his congregation on the resurrection day without turning around. On one gravestone I found the following inscription: ‘ ‘Here lyes buried ye bod> of Doct Edward Hunting, M. A., who departed this life ye April 10th Anno Domini, 1745, in ye 42 year of his age.” I also found a number of very strange epitaphs. The people of the village point out with great pride the house where John Howard Payne was born, author of .Home, Sweet Home, and the house where Dr. Lyman Beecher, father of Henry Ward Beecher, lived during his pastorate of the Presbyterian church, from 1798 to 1811. The beautiful shade trees and the well kept lawns are the pride of the people. I think the main street is three miles long. Old East Hampton proper, is about a mile in length, with a graveyard, goose pond and an oldfashioned windmill at each end of the street. I visited one of the old windmills and they were grinding wheat that day. I asked the age of the mill and the miller said it was over 200 years old, so you can see how ancient this Flace is for on American village. have visited the ocean there nearly every day since being here and enjoy the breezes very much. Will leave for home to-day, taking a boat from Sag Harbor to New York, Yours Truly, Jay W. Williams.