Editing Montauk, New York (section)

===17th century===
Montauk derives its name from the [[Montaukett]] tribe, an [[Algonquian languages|Algonquian]]-speaking tribe who lived in the area. In 1614, [[Netherlands|Dutch]] explorer Adriaen Block encountered the tribe at Montauk Point, which he named ''{{lang|nl|Hoeck van de Visschers}}'', or "Point of the Fishers".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wick|first=Steve|url=http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-history-hs216a,0,6109119.story|title=Property of the Netherlands|website=Newsday|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041217053943/http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-history-hs216a,0,6109119.story|archive-date=December 17, 2004}}</ref> Two decades later, in 1637, the Montauketts sided for their own protection with the New England settlers in the [[Pequot War]] in Connecticut. In the aftermath the Montauketts were to sell [[Gardiners Island]]. In 1648 what would become the Town of Easthampton<ref>1686 Dongan Patent{{full citation needed|date=February 2021}}</ref> (first Maidstone) was sold to settlers by the colony of [[Connecticut Colony|Connecticut]] and the colony of [[New Haven Colony|New Haven]] while retaining the lands to the east, from the hills rising above where the first fort stood ([[Napeague, New York]]) to Montauk Point. The western boundary of today's [[Hither Hills State Park]] is also known as the 1648 purchase line.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

In 1653, the [[Narragansett-Montaukett War]] started. [[Narragansett people|Narragansetts]] under [[Ninigret]] attacked and burned the Montaukett village, killing 30 and capturing one of Chief Wyandanch's daughters. The daughter was recovered with the aid of [[Lion Gardiner]] (who in turn was given a large portion of [[Smithtown, New York]] in appreciation). The Montauketts, ravaged by [[smallpox]] and fearing extermination by the [[Narragansett people|Narragansetts]], were provided temporary refuge by white settlers in East Hampton. Many short but famous battles ensued.<ref>The Narragansetts "would have exterminated the whole Montauk tribe if they had not received help from the white settlers.” Cited in {{cite web |url=http://longislandgenealogy.com/indians.html |title=Long Island Indians and The Early Settlers |work=Long Island Genealogy |access-date=2013-04-27}}</ref> The skirmishes ended in 1657. Fort Pond Bay derives its name from a Montaukett "fort" on its shore. A deed was issued in 1661 titled "Ye deed of Guift" which granted all of the lands east of Fort Pond to be for the common use of both the indigenous people  and the townsmen.<ref>[http://www.montauk.com/legal/town_biase/MtnLeave2000v2OSC.pdf "Ye Deed of Guift", 1661] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621001505/http://www.montauk.com/legal/town_biase/MtnLeave2000v2OSC.pdf |date=June 21, 2023 }}, pp. 11–19</ref>

Further purchase agreements were entered into in 1661, 1672 and 1686 which, among other things, allowed a group of Easthampton townsmen to graze cattle on the Montaukett lands. While some lands were protected in the agreements as forest land, for the most part, all of Montauk was maintained by the townsmen as a private livestock and fisheries operation. As a result of Montauk being operated as a livestock operation, the site now known as Deep Hollow Ranch is considered to be the oldest [[cattle ranch]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://libn.com/2004/01/23/1658-the-first-home-of-home-on-the-range/ |title=1658: The first home of home on the range |date=January 23, 2004 |work=Long Island Business News |access-date=June 20, 2024}}</ref>

In 1660, Wyandanch's widow sold all of Montauk from Napeague to the tip of the island for 100 pounds to be paid in 10 equal installments of "[[Indian corn]] or good [[wampum]] at six to a penny".<ref>{{cite book |last=Thompson |first=Benjamin Franklin |title=History of Long Island; Containing an Account of the Discovery and Settlement; with Other Important and Interesting Matters to the Present Time |url=https://archive.org/details/historylongisla00thomgoog |access-date=2010-04-17 |year=1839 |publisher=E. French |location=New York |page=[https://archive.org/details/historylongisla00thomgoog/page/n191 185]}}</ref>  However, the tribe was to be permitted to stay on the land, to hunt and fish at will on the land, and to harvest the tails and fins of whales that washed up dead on the East Hampton shores. Town officials who bought the land were to file for reimbursement for the [[rum]] with which they had plied the tribe.<ref>[http://www.easthamptonlibrary.org/lic/lectures/gaynellstonelecture.htm The Material History of the Montaukett], lecture by Gaynell Stone, East Hampton Public Library, January 31, 1998 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207062207/http://www.easthamptonlibrary.org/lic/lectures/gaynellstonelecture.htm |date=December 7, 2006 }}</ref> The tribe was to continue residence until the 19th century in the area around Big Reed Pond in what was to be called "Indian Fields".{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

In 1686, [[List of colonial governors of New York|Governor of New York]] [[Thomas Dongan, 2nd Earl of Limerick|Thomas Dongan]] issued a [[land patent|patent]] creating the governing system for East Hampton. The patent did not extend beyond Napeague to Montauk. This lack of authority has formed the basis for various control disputes ever since.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

[[File:Culloden-point.jpg|thumb|right|Site of the 1781 shipwreck of the ''Culloden'']]