Historic and Natural Districts Inventory Form

Unless indicated below, this is a transcript of the original Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities/Town of Brookhaven survey form. Corrections to obvious typographical and spelling errors have been made. Corrections to factual errors, updates or comments on the information are either enclosed in [square brackets], or will be clearly indicated as updated material. Since most of the surveys were conducted in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, much of the information reflects that time period. Included in this category are sites for which some documentation may exist but are no longer extant often with little or no modern evidence at the site.

Sites which have a suffix of “S” are supplemental sites not included in the original surveys.

ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE INVENTORY FORM

Tar-men's Neck

Archeological Site Inventory Form

Fire Place Manse or Parsonage Lands

 If checked, this is a Supplemental Form, not in the original surveys.
Inventory Code:   Br01.2-S 
Prepared Date:   2004-10-06 
Last Modified:   1970-01-01 
Submitter
Submitter Name:   John Deitz
Submitter Address:   7 Locust Rd.

Brookhaven, NY 11719  
Organization:  
Identification
1-Site Name:   Tar-men's Neck 
2a-County:   Suffolk    2b-Town:   Brookhaven    2c-Village:   Hamlet of Brookhaven
Address:    
Ownership
   4a-Public Site    4b-Private Site
4-Present Owner:  Post-Morrow Foundation and individual private owners   5a-Address: 
Historic and Architectural Importance

According to Shaw's History (1933): "Tar-men's Neck derives its name from the fact that tar was made from the pine trees of the vicinity and the tar-men had a house in the Neck, some time prior to 1678. According to tradition, the house or shack stood a little east of the centre of the neck, probably in the immediate neighborhood (sic) of Mrs. Amy d' Arcas' place [I'm not exactly sure what house he was referring to]. The manufacture of tar and turpentine was carried on quite extensively in the Town at a very early date. By 1715, it had grown to such an extent that the trustees put a duty of "a bit" for every barrel of tar and ten shillings for each barrel of turpentine made in the Town. That they had difficulty in collecting the duty, is evident from that fact that on 2 Dec. 1717, they met for the expressed purpose of calling those men to account that had made or 'run tar' upon Town lands, to pay the money they were owing."

Research reported by Alison Wallner suggests that the "tar-men" included William Fancy, Jr., son of William Fancy, one of the original proprietors of Brookhaven/Setauket and a purchaser of one of the original meadow lots in Fire Place. (see Brookhaven Town Record:  1664 Meadow Lots Drawers). "Around the mid 1680's he mortgaged his property, including some tar making tools. So it would appear that he was involved in that business. In this same record he is called a weaver, and he also mortaged his loom."

  
6- Description, Condition, Evidence of Site
 

As was the early custom, a large tracts of land (called a manse, or parsonage lands) were set aside by the Town of Brookhaven for the benefit of the ministers of the Town church, in general as a farm to provide for their sustenance. Such a tract was provided in Fire Place for the Church at the South (the South Haven Presbyterian Church).  This tract included the section north of the northern boundary of the Corwin farm (the present LIRR right-of-way), between Old Town Road/South Country road on the west, the southern boundary of the Great Division of Lots (Montauk Highway), and east to Little Neck Run. (See map).

 6a-Standing Ruins

 6b-Cellar Hole with Walls  

 6c-Surface Traces Visible  6d-Walls Without Cellar Hole
 6e-Under Cultivation  6f-Erosion
 6g-Underwater  6h-No Visible Evidence
 6i-Other Much of the land in Tar-men's Neck south and east of South Country Road is currently owned by the Post -Morrow Foundation as open space/wetlands, and the Deer Run Farm.  
7- Collection of Material from Site
 7a- Surface Hunting By Whom:    Date:  
 7b-Testing By Whom:  Date:  
 7c-Excavation By Whom:  Date: 
 7d-None
7e-Present Repository of Materials  
8- Prehistoric Cultural Affiliation or Date
   
9-Historical Documentation of Site
History of Brookhaven Village: A paper written by Mr. Osborn Shaw of Bellport for the Fireplace Literary Club, and read by him at the Brookhaven Free Library, October 5th, 1933  
10- Possibility of Site Destruction or Disturbance
 «»
11-Remarks
12- Map Location
    [If an original form, the source map images were not reproducible.]
12a- 7 1/2 Minute Quad. Name: 
12b- 15 Minute Quad. Name:   
12c- U.S.G.S Coordinates:   
12d- D.O.T. Coordinates:  (if known):   
Other Maps:    See Other Documents for Map Showing Dayton's and Tar Men's Necks
13- Photographs
  Photos and images  
Supplemental Material
«»
Prepared By
  John Deitz