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by Charles Street (Author)
The town of Babylon formed part of the old town of Huntington until the passage of an act in 1872 made it a separate town. This first volume embraces what may be termed the foundation history of the town. It tells us of the pioneers who first settled Huntington, where they first established their homes: how they acquired title to their lands; the character of the Indian tribes they found there and the treaties they made with them. It tells us when and where the early settlers founded churches and schools; their long and bitter contests with rival communities to maintain the boundaries of their town; their methods of land division; their persistent hostility toward the Dutch government of New Netherlands, and their friendship with the New England colonies. In short, it affords a view of the social, political, religious and personal lives of our ancestors during this remote period of American history. This instructive and entertaining collection details extraordinary incidents and qualities of the 'fathers' of eighteenth century New England. These men 'were remarkable for their piety and moral worth, and also for their active virtues. They were men of firmness and resolution, ready to endure every suffering, for the sake of civil and religious freedom.' The alphabetically arranged sketches are short but informative, providing when and where these men were born, their education and accomplishments, and their impact on their communities. Documents are organized by date under a brief head line, ending with a reference to the volume and page of the records or the file of papers where the original is found. This book contains all Indian deeds, grants and patents from colonial governors, minutes of town meetings and grants of land by town meetings, deeds and miscellaneous records. A few wills and inventories of estates appear, chiefly before 1665. An index of deeds, arranged alphabetically by grantor's surname, includes date and full-name of grantee. The original full-name index adds to the value of this work.
