About • 1850 Table • Population • Dwellings • Ages • Professions • Wealth • Schooling

For the purposes of this census, Brookhaven Hamlet (then known as Fire Place), is considered to be the locale along the south shore of the Town of Brookhaven from the Carman's River west to the Motts Brook (the eastern boundary of what is now the Village of Bellport). It is bounded on the north by the properties along the highway now known as South Country Rd./Montauk Hwy., and on the south by the Great South Bay.  It covers essentially the area shown in the 1858 Map of Brookhaven Hamlet, including the hamlet we now call South Haven, which also was known as Carmans (contemporary references sometimes refer to the Carman's mills as being in Fire Place.)

Summary

Population

There were 425 inhabitants within the Hamlet.

Households (Families) & Dwellings

There were 81 Households and 76 Dwellings within the hamlet.  There are fewer dwellings than families since 5 dwelling units contained multiple families.  Not all members of a household were necessarily related -- some may have been lodgers, workers, servants, other dependents, etc.  This census did not indicate relationships, although they may be surmised to some extent by last names, ages, and professions of men age 15 and older.

The average household size was about 5.2 people.

Ages

The average age of the residents was about 26.

Professions

For the 134 males age 15 and older, the most prevalent profession was "farmer" ( 43%, 58 people).  The second most prevalent was "laborer" ( 18%, 24 people), and the third was "seaman" (14%, 19 people).

 The enumeration of profession was done only for men 15 and older.

Wealth

The 1850 Census reports the value of real estate owned.  Of the 57 residents who reported the value of their real estate, the wealthiest was John R. Ireland -- $50,000.  His real estate holdings represented 28% of the total wealth reported within the Hamlet.  However, his reported holdings probably included properties elsewhere, including New York City and upstate New York.

Next in order were:  Samuel Carman, owner of the mills and other properties at South Haven -- $20,000, 11%; Theodosia Smith -- $8,000, 4.5%; and Nathaniel Hawkins, the Congregationalist minister -- $6,000, 3.4%.

The total wealth reported was $177,150.

Schooling

132 residents (31%) attended school during the previous year.  The oldest was age 20; the youngest was age 3.  

Of 148 school age children (ages 3 to 15), 122 (82%) attended school.  There were disparities between males and females, and between white and black youth.

Based on the 1858 Map, there appear to have been three schools in the Hamlet.

  Page revised:  28 October, 2005