

SUFFOLK COUNTY 

 This county occupies the eastern part of Long Island. It has 

 an area of 591,300 acres. From cast to west its extent is approxi- 

 mately 75 miles and from north to south 15 miles. The popula- 

 tion is shown in the following table: 



Population by To'wns 



(Census of 1915) 



Babylon 11,190 Smithtown 4,988 



Brookhaven 19,591 Southampton 13,453 



Easthampton 5,164 Southold 10,008 



Huntington 15,244 



Islip 17,658 



Riverhead* 5. 730 



Shelter Island 1,155 



Islip 17,658 Total 104,342 



Riverhead* 5. 730 - 



* Riverhead, in the town of Riverhead, is the county seat. 



HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS 



When Long Island first became known it was inhabited by 

 thirteen tribes of Indians, of which all but two resided wholly 

 or partly in this county. Of these the Montauks were the most 

 numerous and powerful. After the death of their sachem they 

 came under the control of the Xarragansetts. At present there 

 are two small reservations in the county — the Shinnecock and 

 the Poospatuck. 



All the towns in Suffolk County were settled by the English. 

 It is the oldest county of purely English settlement in Xew York 

 State. At about 1636 permanent settlements were made on the 

 western end of Long Island by the Dutch, and on the east end by 

 the English, both purchasing their lands from the Indians. Eng- 

 lish immigrants were permitted to settle on territory claimed by 

 the Dutch after taking the oath of allegiance to the Dutch gov- 

 ernment. 



The eastern towns were independent for some years. When a 

 new charter was granted to Connecticut in 1662 it was inter- 

 preted to include the whole of Long Island, whereupon these 

 towns were at once annexed to Connecticut. Two years later the 

 Duke of York obtained the grant that included Xew Amsterdam 



[688] 



