The very first European settlements on Long Island were by settlers from England and its colonies in present-day
New England. Lion Gardiner settled nearby Gardiners Island. The first settlement on the geographic Long Island itself was on October 21, 1640, when
Southold was established by the
Rev. John Youngs and settlers from
New Haven, Connecticut. Peter Hallock, one of the settlers, drew the long straw and was granted the honor to step ashore first. He is considered the first New World settler on Long Island.
Southampton was settled in the same year.
Hempstead followed in 1644,
East Hampton in 1648,
Huntington in 1653,
Brookhaven in 1655, and
Smithtown in 1665.