On 2/4/04 (8:35:07 AM MST), as part of an eMail,  Nancy Hyden Woodward
([log in to unmask]) wrote,

"Apropos Lion Gardiner, under Governor Thomas Dongan, who succeeded Edmund
Andros as governor of New York in late 1682, the province was divided into
shires in 1683 ... "


According to "Local Government Handbook", page 3, 4th Ed., 1987, State of New
York Department of State, "In 1683, the General Assembly of Freeholders
reorganized the governmental structure in all of the province of New York into 12
counties ... "

These original 12 counties:  Albany, Cornwall, Dukes, Dutchess, Kings,
Queens, New York, Orange, Richmond, Suffolk, Ulster and Westchester.


Ms. Woodward also writes, "Gardiner (who learned their language) just
happened to be visiting Wyandanch on Montauk (the easternmost part of Long Island)
and said that he would remain there as hostage to ensure Wyandanch's safe
return."

The pertinent current geography:

Montauk is a hamlet (an unincorporated area) in the extreme eastern part of
the Town of East Hampton, Suffolk County.  There are currently 2 villages
(municipal corporations) and 7 hamlets all or partly in the Town of East Hampton.
There are no cities and 10 towns in Suffolk County.  There are 2 Indian
reservations in Suffolk County.  (I'm including after my name a NYS Geographic
Glossary with the NYS definitions of county, city, town, village, hamlet and postal
zone.)

Beginning on the north and moving in a clockwise direction, the Hamlet of
Montauk is bordered on the north, east and south by Long Island Sound; and, on
the west by the Hamlet of Napeague.

And, as occurs in every one of Suffolk County's 157 communities (0 cities, 31
villages and 126 hamlets), the Hamlet of Montauk has a different border than
does the "Montauk, NY 11954" postal zone (i.e., a place can have a Montauk
mailing address and not be in Montauk).  Those places that have a "Montauk, NY"
mailing address that are not in the Hamlet of Montauk are in the Hamlet of
Napeague.

For those who have their copy of the 2002 or earlier edition of the LI
Population Survey or have already downloaded the report from the Long Island Power
Authority web site (eMail me directly if you need instructions on how to access
and download the report), you'll find the Hamlet of Montauk in the Town of
East Hampton, Suffolk County on pages 15 & 32 (map) and 33 (population estimate).


I hope this information is useful or, at least, interesting.

Happy Tu B'Shvat, the Jewish Arbor Day celebrating the New Year for trees
(begins Friday, February 6 at sunset),

Walter Greenspan

.   Cities, Towns, Villages, Hamlets and Postal Zones in New York State

New York State is divided into counties.

County
A county is a municipal corporation, a subdivision of the state, created to
perform state functions; a "regional" government.  All counties are divided
into cities, towns and Indian reservations.

City
A city is a unique governmental entity with its own special charter.  Cities
are not sub-divided, except into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic
areas.

Town
A town is a municipal corporation and encompasses all territory within the
state except that within cities or Indian reservations.  Towns can be
sub-divided into villages and hamlets.

Village
A village is a general purpose municipal corporation formed voluntarily by
the residents of an area in one or more towns to provide themselves with
municipal services.  The pattern of village organization is similar to those of a
city.  A village is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic
areas.

Hamlet
A hamlet is an unincorporated area in one or more towns that is governed
at-large by the town(s) it is in.  A hamlet is divided into neighborhoods, which
are informal geographic areas.

Postal Zone "City" and "Town"
A postal zone "City" and "Town" is an administrative district established by
the U.S. Postal Service to deliver the mail.  Postal zone "City" and "Town"
may not (but are encouraged to) conform to municipal or community borders.
Thus, postal zone location does not always determine city, village or hamlet
location.


Please be aware:  In many areas of New York State, the problem of
non-conforming postal zones leads to a situation where the majority of places have a
different community name in their mailing address than the community where that
place is actually located.