The Barteau (Bartow, Barto) farm dates to about 1741 when Francis Barteau was said to have relocated to Fire Place from Huntington, NY. It remained in the Barteau family until 1925 when it was purchased by Charles W. Nelson, Vice President of The Pictorial Review purchased it with plans to use it as a hunting lodge.

While the article in the New York Times indicated a "Nathan Bartow" was the original owner, evidence has not been found to confirm this.

At the time of the 1925 sale, "the property comprises a seventy-acre tract at present improved with several old buildings, which will be razed to make way for a one-story hunting lodge 100 by 40 feet and several five and six-room concrete bungalows."

At the north end of the original tract, a family cemetery was established, now known as the Barteau Cemetery (Br04.1.1-S). At the time, South Country Road (now Montauk Highway), followed a more northerly route. There is also a house, long said to be a "Barteau" house (Br04.1-S), at the north end of what would have been the original tract, near to the cemetery.

The "old buildings" described in the newspaper article were probably located at the south end of the tract on Yaphank Creek where it joins the Carman's River, and included two residences for Stephen Brewster Barteau and his son Edward Marvin Barteau..

In 2007, long time Brookhaven Hamlet resident Ben Savage said that the road, now known as Old Barto Road, was cut through in 1811 and the area by the creek dug out so that big boats and barges could get in. Ben said that it was a loading point for commodities coming out of the South Haven and Yaphank Mills (mostly lumber), and an incoming port for coal. The Barteau's apparently were the coal dealer for the area at one time.

Except for a few private residences along Old Barto Road between Montauk Highway and the Long Island Rail road right-of-way, the property south of Montauk Highway is now totally within the bounds of the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge.

See also Site Br04.1-S "Old Barteau House" and Site Br04.1.1-S "Barteau Cemetery."

New York Times, 24 July 1925, pg. 25.

[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:

From the Bartow Genealogy by Evelyn Barto: "Francis Barteau ... removed from Huntington, to Fire Place, L. I., in 1741, and the place remained in their family till 1871, when they sold and removed West. Francis m. Margaret Morris, da. of his stepmother, and had nine children: 1. Morris Barteau of Fire Place, kd. in the French war. 2. Temperance, m. * * * Rose, and had a son, Nathan Rose, who took the surname of Barteau, and was father of the Hon. David Barteau; his 2nd son, b. 1773, Judge of Broome co., N. Y. His descendants have taken the name of Barto. 3. Mary Barteau, m. Henry Somers. 4. Benjamin Barteau, d. y. 5. Margaret Barteau, d. y. 6. Phoebe Barteau, d. y. 7. Francis Barteau, m. Jemima Turner. 8. Stephen Barteau, kd. in the Revolution. 9. Clemence Barteau, m."

The Bartow Genealogy account above by Evelyn Barto is at odds with this account in the New York Times, July 24, 1925. The Barteaus seem to have retained ownership of the tract until at least 1925:
BARTOW PROPERTY SOLD TO PUBLISHER
Charles W. Nelson Buys Long Island Farm Held in One Family for 200 Years.
The Bartow property in Brookhaven, L.I., has been sold through Weidner & Osborne to Charles W. Nelson, Vice President of the Pictorial Review, who plans to use it as a hunting lodge.
The property comprises a seventy-acre tract at the present improved with several old buildings, which will be razed to make way for a one-story hunting lodge 100 by 40 feet and several five and six room concrete bungalows.
The land lies along Carmans River just opposite the old Tangier Smith estate, and has been in the Bartow family for 200 years, the original owner being Nathan Bartow.

The deed for the above sale is filed at Liber 1159 Page 241 of Suffolk County Deeds, dated November 28, 1925 was "between Ida M. Barteau, Edward M. Barteau and Gertrude J. Barteau, his wife, Grace G. Corwin and Mary J. Raynor, all of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York, and Wesley L. Barteau and Kathleen R. Barteau, his wife, of Charlton Depot, State of Massachusetts, parties of the first part, and Charles W. Nelson, residing at 221 Broadway, Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New York, party of the second part … bounded and described as follows: Commencing at the northeasterly corner thereof at a point formed by the intersection of the southerly line of land of Ellen Wilkinson with the center line of Barteau Creek [Yaphank Creek]; thence running in a general southerly direction by and with the center of said Barteau Creek as same winds and turns the distance of about eighteen hundred eighty-eight and 2/10 (1888.2)) feet and to a post placed for a bound; thence running S. 12 ³ 57' W. by and with a ditch separating the premises herein described from the land of Ellen Wilkenson the distance of four hundred sixty one and 5/10 (461.5) feet to a post placed for a bound; thence runnin S. 79³ 24' E. the distance of two hundred eighty one (281) feet to Carmans River; thence running a general southerly direction by and with Carmans River the distance of six hundred forty-nine and 5/10 (649.5) feet to a certain ditch; thence running N. 77³ 9' W by and with said ditch the distance of six hundred seven and 6/10 (607.8) feet to a post placed for a bound; thence running S.27³ 34' W the distance of one hundred seventy-three and 4/10 (173.4) feet to a post; thence running N. 58³ 26' the distance of sixty (60) feet to a point; thence running N. 48³ 32' W the distance of thirty-five and 6/10 (35.6) feet to a post; thence running N. 38³ 2' W the distance of twenty-nine and 7/10 (29,7) feet to a post; thence running N. 26³ 38' W the distance of three hundred ninety-one and 6/10 (391.6) feet to a post; thence runningN. 24³ 42' W the distance of two hundred ninety three and 9/10 (293.9) feet to a monument; thence running S. 65³ 52' W. the distance of two hundred seventy-two and 3/10 (272.3) feet to a monument; thence running N. 22³ 19' W the distance of three hundred and 2/10 (300.2) feet to a monument; thence running N. 21³ 42' W the distance of two hundred three and 2/10 (203.2) feet to a monument; thence running N. 20 ³ 43' W the distance of three hundred fifty-eight and 6/10 (358.6) feet to a monument; thence running N. 20³ 53' W the distance of seven hundred sixteen and 4/10 (716.4) to a monument; thence running N. 20³ 56' W the distance of one hundred ninety and 8/10 (190.8) feet to a monument, said last eleven courses and distances being along land of Rasmus Michaelson; thence running N. 69³ 53' E. by and with land of Rasmus Michaelson; thence running N. 69³ 53' E by and with the land of Rasmus Michaelson and land of Ellen Wilkinson, passing through three monuments the distance of thirteen hundred forty-five (1245) feet to the point or place of beginning.
"Excepting however, from the premises above described all that certain piece or parcel of land with the buildings and improvements thereon, conveyed to Edward M. Barteau by Stephen C. Barteau by deed bearing date the 21st day of May, 1892 and recorded in the office of Clerk of the County of Suffolk on the 27th day of May, 1892 in Liber 375 of deeds at page 95 and therein and described as follows: Commencing at a locust stake on the road that runs to Barteau dock; thence runing southerly from said locust stake ten (10) rods; thence westerly sixteen (16) rods to a locust stake; thence northerly ten (10) rods to a locust stake; thence easterly sixteen (16) rods, containing one (1) acre.
"The premises heerin described contain sixty-four and 65/100 (64.65) acres …."

The earliest deed so far found concerning this property is dated 15 March 1810, between Nathan R. Bartoe to his son Stephen Bartoe. While dated 1810, this deed was not filed with the County Clerk until 1908. While less precisely described than the above description, as was typical of the day, it appears to be much the same tract—basically the easterly portion of Little Neck from the Nathaniel Hawkins farm to Yaphank Creek southward of the South Country Road to the Carmans River. However, it appears that Charles W. Nelson did not purchase the entire farm, but rather a southern portion, as the Nelson property commenced "at the northeasterly corner thereof at a point formed by the intersection of the southerly line of the land of Ellen Wilkinson with the center line of Barteau [Yaphank] Creek." This point would have been some distance south of South Country Road. The northern boundary of the Nelson tract may be where the Wertheim Refuge property begins on Old Barto Road. What is now known as Old Barto Road is mentioned in the deed. This deed is found at Liber 655, Page 443 of the County deed records. Another deed of the same date is between Stephen Bartoe to his father Nathan R. Bartoe seems to describe the property on the north side of South Country Road. The deed was not filed until 1907, and is at Liber 617, Page 386. Other deeds conveying minor parcels between family members have been found at Liber 957, Page 99; and Liber 375, Page 99.

On 14 April 1928, Edward M. Barteau and Gertrude J. Barteau, his wife, transfered to Charles W. Nelson the one acre parcel excepted out of the original 1925 sale of the Barteau family farm to Charles W. Nelson (Liber 1342, Page 144).

On 29 January 1929, Charles W. Nelson transfered the entire parcel to his wife Beatrice Nelson (Liber 1407, Page 338). Charles died 23 August 1930 after being ill for a year.

From 1937 until their deaths, the site was occupied by Lt. Commander John C. Rochester and his wife Beatrice, the former Mrs. Charles Nelson. Beatrice died in 1967 and John in 1970. The residence was apparently occupied until 1976, when it is said to have burned.

The site ihas since been incorporated into the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge.

John Deitz