Local History Spotlight: The Life and Times of Cato Crook

On October 2, 1819, Cato Crook (1763-1841), a formerly enslaved man living in Bridgehampton, wrote a letter to Elias Smith, a major landowner in Smithtown, asking that his “runaway” niece either be better treated or released from servitude altogether. This surviving letter offers a glimpse into the complex and painful world of servitude and slavery in New York in the early 19th century. Join Julie Greene, Southampton Town Historian, as she discusses the life and times of Cato Crook and how historic documents provide a window into the past. Please register for this program.