New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-03

ed by another erected on the same site on a bluff
overlooking the village and bay In 1777 during the
| occupancy of Huntington by the British, this build
| ing was seized and occupied by the British a
| barracks and later is said to have been used
stable Finally in 1852 the Crownng act of desecra-
ton was consummated by the British in the demoli-
| ton of the graveyard and the old church torn
| down, the material secured from IT being used for
| the construction Of Fort Golgotha. the graves
| Of the towns dead About one hundred tombstones
are said to have been destroyed in the construction
of this fort and there is a tradition in Huntington
that many Of the citizens of that time forced
TO see great Ioaves Of bread baked by the British
| have the reverse of inscriptions from their de-
! ceased relatives tombstones imprinted them.
many of the stones being used in the construction
! of ovens.
/ Eotha Colonel Thompson Count Rumford 5
/ troops destroyed hundred tombstOnes. cut
down ia apple and pear trees in DR.. Zophar Plat
! orchard. stripped $50 feet of boards from Henry
Samms's barn. pulled down the old Presbyterian
church. and took 1000 feet of boards from the
Fresh Pond meeting house and $50 feet of fence
that inclosed the burying ground" They forced
Silas Sammis, carpenter, TO work on the fort
for fifteen days and other carpenters were forced
TO do similar service Turning John Sammis out
OF his house they quartered in It for three months
and six days They stripped his barn of 1868 feet
of boards. destroyed and burned $500 chestnut
rails the property of John Sammis, Sylvanus Chi
chester. Timothy Conklng, Ezra Conkling Widow
PIatt, EliphaIet Stratton. Israel Wood. Ananias
Conklins. Widow Brush Conkling Ketchanl. Phillip
ConkIing. Jonas Williams Peleg Wood. Ezekiel
Conkling. Richard Rogers and Rachael Williams"
Other Notifications erected by the British in and
about Huntington included Fort Salonga, at Fresh
Pond; Fort Franklin, Lloyd's Neck and
other ''5alIows Hill named from the fact
that two American spies were hanged there.
Among other acts Of piracy the British stole the
bell from the old Presbyterian meeting house be
fore IT was torn down. and carried it aboard the
Swan. British vessel the bay. The bell
the town originally f75. and diligent search was
made for it. II had been hung in MS. and
ried away in III. II taken TO New-York and
there by a Huntington man, through
whom the townspeople received word of where II
was On petition to Admiral Digby the bell
finally returned in 173. but cracked and in such
condition as TO be Of use It recast, and has
since been in service at the church.
The present Presbyterian church building. the
site Of that destroyed by the British was erected
in 1874. Twelve years some of the younger peo-
pie thought it should be remodelled inside. and
that end was taken and the contract let.
The New-York contractor failed. however. to show
up at the specified time. and at another meeting
the former vote was rescinded. The exterior
fixed up a little and the old church is now. one
Of the members put it. ''as snug half the
ones"
There are many stories told in Huntington of the
British occupancy Of the town The soldiers were
always engaged in trickery and thevery, and the
townspeople lived in constant fear 1t is said that
al one time British dragon riding past Ezra
Conkng's house when Mr.. Conkling was away
from home He saw a fat goose in the yard by
the roadside. and happening TO have 1shne
and hook in his pocket he baited the latter with
a kernel Of corn. The goose bit. and starting his
horse into a gallop the dragon rode off the
goose being dragged into the air forced O fly
along after him The racket brought the woman
OF the house to the door. and. being able to
the string holding the bird. she threw up her
hands and exclaimed: We'll, I never, If old
goose isn't fighting the British"
It is also told Of Ezra Conkling that to hide
promising calf away from the British he secreted
ii IN his mkroom. there TO fatten il for his own
Two daughters of a Tory neighbor who used
10 frt with British officers. said have given
the secret away, and early morning a party of
soldiers came to Mr.. Conklng's house to search, as
they said, for deserter Throwing two OF Mr..
Conklings children Of bed. they cut the bed
cord and with il led the calf of to camp.
Zophar Ketcham the British impressed
in the work upon the fort Lloyd's Neck. lie did
relish it. and resisted. He forced. however.
do the work. and asserted that the British are
than the devil"
When asked TO prove it by the Scripture, he said:
Scripture tells Us, Resist the devil he will
closer to you
It is recorded Of negro servant named Elijah
THAI in the assault of party Of Hessans upon the
house OF the Widow Flat he was shot through the