Historic 14 Flying Point Road
This farmhouse on Flying Point Road has deep roots in the Southampton community. The house was built about 1880 for the family of Isaac Conklin Dimon (also spelled “Diamond, Diament, or Demming). Isaac (also known as “Conklin”) was a descendant of Thomas Diament, who came to Southampton from Lynn, Massachusetts about 1655. Thomas later moved to East Hampton where he farmed and raised his family.
Conklin’s father, Isaac L. Dimon, a fourth-generation descendant of Thomas, was born in 1781. Sometime before 1830, Isaac moved to Southampton and built a home on Flying Point Road, near the present day 14 Flying Point Road, with his wife Elizabeth Miller of Bridgehampton, whom he married in 1804. Isaac’s property consisted of approximate 100 acres at the southwest corner of Flying Point and Seven Ponds Road. Isaac and Elizabeth had three children, one of whom was Conklin, born in 1808.
Conklin married Elmira White in 1833 and they had two children, Ann and Samuel. Samuel (born 1837) embarked on a whaling career and his last voyage, on the whaleship Trident (commanded by Jetur Rose), departed from New Bedford in 1865. He returned in 1871, married Anna Jagger and built a house at 6 Flying Point Road in 1872, on property given to him by his father. Although whaling was a dangerous profession, home ownership was also dangerous. While making repairs, Samuel fell from his roof and suffered several broken ribs. He survived the fall and lived to the ripe-old age of 68.
Elmira died in 1841, leaving Conklin with two small children. Three years later, Conklin married Clarissa Hedges from Sagaponack. They had three children, including one son, Charles Conklin Dimon, who was born in 1858. To reflect the growing fortunes of the Dimon family, Conklin built a new house, 14 Flying Point Road, in 1880. Clarissa died in 1881, shortly after moving into the new house. Conklin died on Christmas Eve in 1889. Conklin and Clarissa’s house was passed on to their son Charles.
Charles focused on dairy-farming and started the Clover Farm Dairy, catering to the growing population on the East End.
Charles married Edna M. Jennings and their two children, Charles Edwin (also known as “C.E.” or “Edwin”) and Katheryn, enjoyed playing in front of the house.
Charles died in October 1921, but his son, Edwin, continued the family farming tradition. Throughout the early 20th century, dairy farms occupied large portions of land in Southampton, but ultimately could not compete with dairy production in Upstate New York and the Midwest. A progressive farmer, Edwin shifted to potato farming, along with many other Southampton farmers. In addition to farming, Edwin was active in agricultural affairs and served on the Board of Directors of the Suffolk County Farm Bureau.
Although the farmland had been subdivided over the years, the house at 14 Flying Point Road remained in the family until 2004. Unfortunately, the house has been vacant for several years and both the exterior and interior have deteriorated. Fortunately, the current owners have recently agreed to preserve the Dimon house, thus helping to maintain the rich agricultural history of Southampton.