OCEANSIDE 1800-1850
Dr. Boardman writes on this milestone period: There seems to be nothing in the way of recorded history of Christian Hook for the period from the end of the Revolution to the close of the War of 1812. We know that it was a period of readjustment in which the differences between the Whigs and Tories were gradually forgotten. From the records of the Township and newspapers, it was a period of continued friction with England over commerce and shipping. Privateering and coastal raiding continued. As the War of 1812-1814 progressed, there was feverish preparation for defense against another British landing which never materialized. While these events must have had bearing upon the lives of the people of Christian Hook, it is apparent that the century of farming and fishing prosperity was under way.
These "Years Between" saw the last trees of the great virgin forest cut. The growing city of New York created a ready market for lumber, fuel wood and food supplies. The commercial boat fishermen depleted the "inexhaustible" supply of shell fish to the point where the Town of Hempstead, in special meeting, adopted and prepared to enforce strict measures against the non-resident operators. While the great days of the oyster industry were ahead, that was a matter of systematic oyster farming rather than drawing upon nature's bounty as had been the basis of operation up to this time.
If the local income from the sale of the nature products declined, it was more than compensated by the demand for farm produce. Livestock and foodstuffs could be loaded upon boats for overnight delivery at the New York markets.
If the quite and prosperous agricultural community of Christian Hook did not "make the news" we do have some clear indications of life and times from outside sources.
From an authentic map of 1829, we find there was a county highway following the course of the present Oceanside Road and Brower Avenue from Hempstead to the settlement west of Parsonage Creek and also to Hog Island Channel, now South Oceanside. On this early map, waters to the south are marked as "Parsonage Bay." There was another county road connecting Raynortown (Freeport) and Near Rockaway (East Rockaway). This was locally known as School House Road, later as School Street and recently, as Foxhurst Road.
Stage coach lines, centering in Near Rockaway, branched out to Brooklyn, New York, Jamaica and Raynortown. From the latter a line ran to the Hamptons and Sag Harbor. It is interesting to note that at one time, Sag Harbor handled more shipping than New York. Thus, the stage line through the northern part of Christian Hook was of major importance. The community was by no means isolated.
However, because of the very sandy soil, these lines never were comparable to the Boston or Albany Post Roads. Freight wagons and even stage coaches frequently required a second team of horses to draw them through the heavy sand. Coastal shipping, therefore, played the key role in those early days of transportation.
Christian Hook, between the two ports of Raynortown and Near Rockaway with the growing business center of Hempstead immediately to the north, was in a very favorable spot for the exchange of products and goods. Hempstead was the "shopping center." In 1793, Snedeker opened a general store that was to serve as the leading merchandise mart for more than half a century. It was there that the residents of Christian Hook went for the merchandise necessary for farm and home life. An early advertisement of goods for sale ran thus: "Bibles, cycloth, spirrits, scythes, umbrellas, muslin, veal hind quarters, crooked combs, pine boards, clams, cups, saucers, rum, potash, serge, jacket patterns." It is noted the list began with "Bibles" and finally can to "rum." This is far from the current order of things as reflected in the leading ads of press and televison. Potash was an important item in the country stores for it was a necessary ingredient for the home manufacture of soap, one of the early household chores.
THE PETTIT FAMILY
Frequent reference has been made to the family name of Pettit. First mention in Town history is that of Joseph Pettit, Town Clerk in 1667. His grandson, Joseph Pettit, was judge of the Court of Common Pleas and came to own much of the land that was Christian Hook and Hicks Neck (Baldwin). Thus judge's grandson, Increase Pettit, has been mentioned in the rescue of a patriot escaping from the British. It was his grandson who purchased the Parsonage Farm in 1826 and became a key figure in the years that followed. We do not know the story of the families that lived in that historic house in the century before the purchase by James Pettit, but to his family in that house were born John, Matilda, Ethan, Ezra, Asa, and Abigail. With the joys there were great heartaches, too, for it is reported that Abigail died of hydrophobia at the age of fourteen.
As one goes north of Fortesque Avenue from the Parsonage Farm House, (now the Peace residence at the fork of Brower Avenue and Harold Street) there is a small plot of high ground on the right, just before crossing a small stream. This has been incorrectly called the "Mormon Cemetery," but it was actually the family burial plot of the Pettits long before the founding of the Mormon faith. There rest many of those who worked and played leading roles in the affairs of Christian Hook in the nineteenth century.
THE BEDELL FAMILY
Another family in early prominence in Christian Hook was that of Daniel Bedell, whose family lived in Hempstead. After the War of 182, in which he served as a non-commissioned officer, he came to Christian Hook where he became captain of a small freighter that plied the waters between local ports and New York. He figured large in both the shipment of produce to New York from Mott's Landing, known also as the "Port of Hempstead" and in the bringing in of goods for local stores. He was a principal supplier for Snedekers in Hempstead, which hauled from the dock in a large freight wagon drawn by four horses.
THE PORT OF OCEANSIDE
This "Mott's Landing" gives name to the present Mott Street. Traces of the old dock facilities as well as the modern private facilities along the channel there mark the scene of a busy, thriving community. Other residents also used this landing for part-time or full occupation as boat men and shell fishers. Since so many devoted time to the business of obtaining food from the bounty of the sea, the term "Clam Digger" became associated with the people of Christian Hook.
Until the coming of the railroad, the area that is Rockville Centre today was known as the "Pine Barrens." It was just the cut-over scrub forest between the settlement of Hempstead to the north and the bayside village of Christian Hook.
As mentioned before, this too was the site of the camp of the Rockaway Indians for more centuries before than the White Man has possessed it.
As this was a period of commerce, it is also quite natural that the misfortune of ships played an important role in the economy as well as the news. Many a family was enriched because of individual salvage operations that took place off shore between Jones Inlet and Rockaway Inlet. One very clear-cut illustration was that of the French ship NESTOR which grounded and broke up somewhere off Point Lookout. It carried a cargo of calico cloth which washed upon on the shore and provided a wealth of dress material for the women folk. However "Calico Beach Cloth" quickly became a symbol of poverty and so only those whose need outweighed pride would be seen wearing it.
On a more tragic note were the disasters to passenger vessels. The account by Mrs. Heinley is quoted:
"In the bitterly cold winter of 1836-1837 occurred two of the greatest disasters every experienced on the South Shore. On November 20, 1836, the almost new American ship BRISTOL was returning from Liverpool loaded with Irish Immigrants. The trip had been fast and pleasant, but at three forty-five in the morning a gale struck her just off the coast of Long Beach opposite East Rockaway. In a few hours she was grounded. In spite of the cold weather crowds gathered all anxious to aid the stricken vessel, but the sea was so heavy that help from land could not be given. The great waves dashed against the ship, and before the very eyes of the crowd on shore, eighty of the one hundred twenty drowned. There were many attempts at rescue, but none were effective until low tide, when two boats were able to save all the women and children who had not been drowned or lashed to death by the waves. When low tide came a second time, the remaining survivors were taken ashore. For seven miles the beach was strewn with bodies and wreckage. Naturally such a disaster brought many spectators. The shore was literally lined with wagons that had come from twenty to thirty miles away. Some were there solely out of morbid curiosity, but others were land pirates in every sense of the word. There were those, however, who were filled with compassion, and they were responsible for the fitting burial at Sand Hole Cemetery.
"Just seven weeks later on New Year's Eve, THE MEXICO, another American ship also carrying Irish immigrants as well as numerous first class passengers arrived at Sandy Hook, distress signals flying. No pilot answered the call, and the captain, after his journey of sixty-nine long stormy days, was forced out to sea again. A terrific snow storm arose, and for three days THE MEXICO buffeted the waves. Finally on January 3, having been driven eastward by the gale, the vessel was grounded on ‘the more easterly part of Long Beach just opposite Christian Hook.' The hold filled up with water and the passengers, hungry from having lived for several days on rationed food, were forced onto the cold windy decks, now covered with frozen sea spray. Here in the sight of the land they could not reach, one hundred eight souls froze to death. The next morning, Raynor Rock Smith, the famous wrecking master, aided by several others, dragged a boat across the ice on Hempstead Bay and launched it into the ocean. They saved one officer, four passengers and three sailors. The sea was too rough for any further attempt at rescue, but sometime later sixty of the dead stiffly frozen were taken from the beach up Parsonage Creek; then they were piled crosswise like cord-wood on sleds and placed in the barn of John Lott of Hick's Neck. Several weeks later they were buried in a trench grave at Sand Hole Cemetery at Pearsall's Corners, along with the victims of the BRISTOL disaster. In 1840, a monument was erected at the end of the long grave."
By way of explanation, Hick's Neck is now Baldwin and Pearsall's Corners has become "Five Corners" in Lynbrook. The cemetery is just north of Merrick Road between Rockville Centre and Lynbrook. The monument with its inscription is worth visiting.
RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENTS
A natural phenomena shared by almost the entire United States of the time was "The Shower of Stars" that occurred in the early evening of November 13, 1833. Now we understand that the Earth passed through a "cloud" of meteoric fragments which came burning into the atmosphere over the Atlantic Coast. It is said that the sky first turned a copper red, then the Earth was lighted by the thousands of "shooting stars." To the residents of Christian Hook it was a terrifying experience and seemed to indicate the end of the world was at hand.
THE MILLERITES
While not based entirely upon this, a cult known as the Millerites came into being. Its leader, William Miller, preached the second coming of Christ and the end of the world in the year 1843. They had it figured out to the day and hour. Then the faithful would enter into Heaven in the flesh. Pettit's Woods was the scene of an encampment of 2,000 people. When one reflects that the population of the Township of Hempstead was around eleven thousand, this represented a goodly turnout and there was doubtless much excitement.
Of course the day of days came and the believers, dressed in the robes which they felt would proper Heavenly attire, gathered to await the event. The hour and the night passed without the great event and the followers, mystified, disillusioned or what-have-you, betook themselves home. There were some minor problems, for some had disposed of all earthly possessions in anticipation they would have no further use for them. After a time normalcy returned.
THE MORMON INFLUENCE
Even as the Millerites were preparing for the second coming of Christ and the end of the World, another religious force, destined to have a far greater permanent effect, was in the making. The Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter-Day Saints commonly known as the Mormon Church had been established at Fayette in Seneca County, New York in 1830. By 1840, it was sending out its missionaries to spread the gospel at the followers believed it to be.
There are two stories of why they soon became very numerous in Christian Hook. The first is that a band of followers migrated to the shore of Hempstead Bay (Christian Hook) to secure passage to Europe and to carry the gospel overseas. They took up farming as a means of earning money but became an integral part of the community. The second is that missionaries of the Faith, sent to New York, Brooklyn and Queens, found exceptionally willing acceptance among the people of Christian Hook.
The clear facts are that a very large percent of the families were converted and did become devout followers. At a point not clearly known, but on Parsonage Creek north of Brower Avenue, provisions were made for the baptism of converts by total submersion. This was done even when a hole had to be cut in the ice for the purpose. This place was known as "The Mormon Hole." Likewise, there was at one time a structure not far from where the Oaks School now stands, which was known as Mormon Hall. There is some difference of opinion as to whether this was a church in the usual sense or a gathering place of more general nature. At any rate, it disappeared as resentment against the sect arose and for more than half a century gatherings for worship were held privately in the homes of the faithful.
It must be explained that certain views of the Mormons, particularly their belief in the plural marriage or polygamy, brought them into sharp conflict with the majority of the people of their time. Since law of the State did not countenance polygamy, there was open conflict with authority.
Those in leadership decided to go to the far open West to establish a new territory where they might worship according to their belief. Some of the converts from Christian Hook joined the party. Thus it was that the descendants of the early settlers along Parsonage Creek journeyed west in covered wagons, crossed the plains, forded the rivers, scaled the passes of the mountains and finally came to the Valley of Great Salt Lake. Looking down upon it, their leader Brigham Young uttered his famous words, "This is the place." Here was the land he had seen in a vision as the place to which he must take his followers. Thus, those who had farmed the lands around Hempstead By took up again their agriculture on the plains of Utah and helped build the great Mormon Territory.
Not all went by the overland route. Others joined with converts in Brooklyn and Queens to charter a ship, THE BROOKLYN, and sailed around Cape Horn, thence up the Pacific Shore to California. From there it was a less difficult overland trip to join the others at Great Salt Lake.
No attempt to evaluate the contribution which the Mormon faith made to the growth of Christian Hook will be made in this account. The conflicts with established law and social order, plus the nationwide wave of resentment which came as a result of certain lawless acts of a few in the "Old West," made these people objects of suspicion and kept them from showing themselves as a public force. This is doubtless why there never was a permanent church erected or other action taken that would give tangible evidence of their good works. However, since hard work, honesty in dealing, community service and personal dedication of time and energy to religious service are basic tenets, their influence was great and contributed to the finest in the traditions of the community.
THE HALF CENTURY IN REVIEW
In summary, the period from 1800 to 1860 was one of stable agriculture. Cattle and hogs were fattened upon the open marshlands in summer. Fish were gathered in winter to fertilize the fields. Oysters and clams growing naturally served as supplementary income. Trade was largely by coastal shipping with Mott's Landing or "The Port of Hempstead" as the basis of commercial enterprise.
Midway in the period, the Parsonage Farm was sold by St. George's Church and the influence of the predominant Protestant sects seems have weakened. There was no lack of religious interest, however. After the rather hysterical fervor of the Millerites, there following the strong and abiding Mormon influence.
