My eighth great grandfather Samuel Bennett lived in a pace called Squaw cove. He passed there in 1699. I don't know the year he arrived in that location. I have been unable to find the exact location of this Squaw Cove on any map. I have found a description stating it was on the east side of Three Mile Harbor. I am very familiar with Three Mile Harbor as that is where I was raised. As a child I was unaware that my ancestors had lived so long in that place. I knew that Indians,native Americans if you prefer, had lived there. Not far from my home was Soak Hide Dreen where the Indians tanned their hides. I had heard that evidence of their existence there had been unearthed years before my birth. I played in that dreen, at the head of Three Mile harbor many times. I never saw any indication of Indians though.
I can be fairly certain that Great Grandfather Sam Bennett lived among the Indians or at least co existed with them. There presence would have most certainly been there at that time. He didn't marry a squaw though, married a fine white girl. The main settlement of East Hampton would be about three miles to the west of Squaw Cove. The " proprietors " as they were know had all the land lots for the Village and controlled most of the surrounding area. Later settlers arriving had to take what was offered in the way of land. The area around Three Mile harbor was very desirable in those days. It did contain wooded areas and access to the bay for fishing and the like. The land there is not as suitable for farming as other areas. I expect that is why Samuel Bennett wound up in Squaw Cove. There was no fighting the " proprietors " and you had to live where you could. The poor " immigrant " relegated to living in the wilderness and subject to the whims of the proprietors.
This was the beginning of the divide. We have all heard of the division in towns, the other side of the tracks. In the early days in East Hampton this area was called " down hook. " After the railroad came through it did become below the bridge, for the train trestle that divided the " upstreeters " from the rest of us. The rest of us came to be called " Bonackers " after the Accobonac Indians, at least that is the general belief. This divide lasted well into the 1960's that I can testify to. I can not speak much about it after that time as I moved away. I will leave that for the others that remain to decide.
This divide ,whether real or perceived, separated the white collars from the blue collars. I expect that is the usual division point, a distinction of classes. This was very real to me. My parents were aware of it and felt a little resentment about it. Those " upstreeters " had the money and the land. Once, back in the old days they had been sued to allow the division of property more fairly. I had heard a little of this from my folks and there friends. The " upstreeters " were money grabbers and always trying to take advantage of us " Bonackers. " But we " Bonackers " are'nt near as stupid as those " upstreeters " think we are. Sure we may not have that fancy college education, and fancy cars and houses, but by God Bub ,we are real ! We could be trusted and our sort where " The Finest Kind. " Never did I hear that term applied to an " upstreeter. " Why they figured they were so much better than us I'll never know.
I was aware of all this growing up but never paid it much mind. I mostly stuck with my own kind ( as the old folks said ) and let the " upstreeters do what they liked. I was naturally curious about them folks but didn't fit into their social circles. The girls were pretty but I was told to avoid them, them " upstreet girls " could be big trouble. Why their fathers where Doctors,lawyers and men of wealth and influence, best not to get mixed up in that.
Old Sam Bennett lived and died down to Squaw Cove and I was raised there, or close it myself. I think neither one of us would recognize the place anymore. Has the divide finally been breached ? I think this divide will always exist on some level. Maybe not in a physical sense but a mental divide. Now I think it is a divide between the " Natives " and the " immigrants. " Sounds kind of familiar to me ! LOL
I can be fairly certain that Great Grandfather Sam Bennett lived among the Indians or at least co existed with them. There presence would have most certainly been there at that time. He didn't marry a squaw though, married a fine white girl. The main settlement of East Hampton would be about three miles to the west of Squaw Cove. The " proprietors " as they were know had all the land lots for the Village and controlled most of the surrounding area. Later settlers arriving had to take what was offered in the way of land. The area around Three Mile harbor was very desirable in those days. It did contain wooded areas and access to the bay for fishing and the like. The land there is not as suitable for farming as other areas. I expect that is why Samuel Bennett wound up in Squaw Cove. There was no fighting the " proprietors " and you had to live where you could. The poor " immigrant " relegated to living in the wilderness and subject to the whims of the proprietors.
This was the beginning of the divide. We have all heard of the division in towns, the other side of the tracks. In the early days in East Hampton this area was called " down hook. " After the railroad came through it did become below the bridge, for the train trestle that divided the " upstreeters " from the rest of us. The rest of us came to be called " Bonackers " after the Accobonac Indians, at least that is the general belief. This divide lasted well into the 1960's that I can testify to. I can not speak much about it after that time as I moved away. I will leave that for the others that remain to decide.
This divide ,whether real or perceived, separated the white collars from the blue collars. I expect that is the usual division point, a distinction of classes. This was very real to me. My parents were aware of it and felt a little resentment about it. Those " upstreeters " had the money and the land. Once, back in the old days they had been sued to allow the division of property more fairly. I had heard a little of this from my folks and there friends. The " upstreeters " were money grabbers and always trying to take advantage of us " Bonackers. " But we " Bonackers " are'nt near as stupid as those " upstreeters " think we are. Sure we may not have that fancy college education, and fancy cars and houses, but by God Bub ,we are real ! We could be trusted and our sort where " The Finest Kind. " Never did I hear that term applied to an " upstreeter. " Why they figured they were so much better than us I'll never know.
I was aware of all this growing up but never paid it much mind. I mostly stuck with my own kind ( as the old folks said ) and let the " upstreeters do what they liked. I was naturally curious about them folks but didn't fit into their social circles. The girls were pretty but I was told to avoid them, them " upstreet girls " could be big trouble. Why their fathers where Doctors,lawyers and men of wealth and influence, best not to get mixed up in that.
Old Sam Bennett lived and died down to Squaw Cove and I was raised there, or close it myself. I think neither one of us would recognize the place anymore. Has the divide finally been breached ? I think this divide will always exist on some level. Maybe not in a physical sense but a mental divide. Now I think it is a divide between the " Natives " and the " immigrants. " Sounds kind of familiar to me ! LOL
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