Why Name?

I have been asked why Fire Place was originally given as the name to the Neck on which most of the village is situated. Reasons for naming places are seldom found recorded and unfortunately what meager traditions exist, do not agree. In this case, we can only speculate and utilize tradition and harmonize it with the records. The survey of the Town made in 1797, shows that Smith’s Inlet or New Inlet, now referred to as “Old Inlet” was then open and opposite Fire Place Neck. There is much that can be assembled to show that the inlet was used frequently in early colonial days and it is very probable that in order to guide the whaling crews which were so numerous off shore in the later part of the 17th Century and early part of the 18th Century and also when there was expected a vessel which might have to negotiate the inlet after dark, that fires would be built, probably at Woodhull’s Point, now called Long Point, at the mouth of the Connecticut River and that these fires would serve as a range light. The inlet lay about a southwest course from the point and as it cut through the beach also on a southwest course, a light or fire on the point would very likely be seen through the inlet and out to sea and could thus be used to “make” the inlet. Such a fire would also serve at night, as a guide across the Bay to the mouth of the Connecticut River. The river was also extensively used in olden times as is evidenced by the very old names of some of the landings like Indian Landing, Zach’s Landing and Squassucks Landing at the end of Beaver Dam Road.

Squassucks

Now in regard to the name “Squassucks,” Tooker’s “Indian Place-Names on Long Island”, pub. 1911, states the Squassucks is a contraction of Wessquassucks, the personal name of an Indian who lived at one time at or near Squassucks Point which is either Long Point or the next point up on the west side of the River. Tooker analizes (sic) the word to mean, a pot-maker — hence we assume that Wessquassucks, the pot-maker, lived at or near Squassucks Point. I offer the suggestion that Wessquassuck may have had his firing place or kiln for his pottery in the vicinity and that his fire once used as a beacon or guiding light, gave rise to the custom of lighting fires for the purpose and the fact that Fire Place Neck is almost always spoken of in the early records, not simply as Fire Place, but “the fire place”, seems to strenghthen (sic) the idea that I have just advanced.

Early References

Whatever the origin of the name, it is found frequently in the early records of the Town.  The first mention that I find of it is in Book I, under date of 30 March 1675, where the entry states that Francis Muncy “before he died”, exchanged his meadow share at the Fire Place with Samuel Dayton for the meadow at Sebomack (near Smith Point).  It is the only reference that I have found mentioning Fire Place in Book I.  In Book II, the references are more numerous and I will cite all that I have found in that book to contain.

18 May 1675, Abraham Dayton and Thomas Bearsley sell 18 barrels of whale oil “lying on the South Side of the Island at a place commonly called the fire place”.

25 May 1675, the town meeting voted to grant to Nicholas Chatwell and to Richard Southcott each some upland and “5 acres of meadow in the “Great Fly” at Fire Place provided they occupy the land before Christmas, but as their names do not appear again, they probably did not accept the gift under the conditions required.

30 July 1675, Richard Floyd trades his lot, No. 25, of meadow and upland in Fire Place with Joseph Davis for meadow at Unkechauge in Mastic.

24 May 1676, Samuel Dayton sells to William Rogers of Southampton, his parcels of meadow “lying on the west of the brook by the fire place” that he got by the trade with Francis Muncy.

Also in 1676, on the 4th of July, or exactly 100 years before the Declaration of Independence was voted for in Philadelphia, a sale of property here in Fire Place was made, when Robert Akerly of Setauket sold a share of meadow to Robert Kellam of Southampton.

5 Dec 1676, Richard Floyd sells half of his share of meadow, No. 10, “about the great flax” to William Jayne.

10 Dec. 1678, John Tooker sells to Joseph Mapes of Southold, another of the meadow shares, No. 6.

3 Feb 1678/9, Joseph Davis sells to William Jayne, his share of meadow, No. 20 with 15 acres of upland.

There may be other references to the Fire Place in Book II that I have overlooked, but the above are sufficient to show how much more active real estate was here in the last quarter of the 17th century, than it is today.

The many references and items relating to Fire Place and the vicinity, in the other record books of the Town and of the County, are so numerous, that I shall mention only the most important ones.  What is meant by meadow share in the above quoted references, I will explain further on.