Captain Samuel Carman, Jr. [ii]† ^^{[1, 2, 3]}

1789 - 1869  (80 years)

• Name	Samuel Carman
  Prefix	Captain
  Suffix	Jr. [ii]† ^
  Born	31 Jan 1789	South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [4]
  	[The 1850 Census indicates he was 63, making him born abt. 1787.]
  Gender	Male
  Elected	1828	Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [5]
  	Town Trustee
  Religion	Abt 1828	South Haven (Presbyterian Church), Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [6]
  	a Presbyterian
  	He was involved in many aspects of the congregation governance. In 1828, he purchased two pews for $50, Nos. 30 and 31*. These were rows six and seven on the right side. This purchase entitled their use by the family and the family's heirs "forever." While some pews were repurchased in 1840 "for the purpose of promoting harmony and good feelings in the parish" and "were made free for the use of any and every person that would attend religious service in the Meeting House," the Carman pews were not listed among them. It is not clear when the practice was finally abandoned, but in 1889 the then minister, the Rev. Frisbie remarked : "And may I venture here to express the hope that all hereditary rights to pews shall be given up." * Borthwick's assignment of pews is based on the arrangement of the pews in 1930 (and present). Yet, he reports that the interior of the church was rearranged at some point which placed the pulpit at the opposite end of the meeting house. Whether the pews were arranged in the same way then as now is problematical.
  Elected	1849	Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [5]
  	Town Trustee and President of the Board of Trustees
  	He probably was Town Trustee prior to 1849. perhaps from the entire period between 1828 and 1849, as one would not likely be elected President of the Trustees with only one term of office. He was also "Trustee Overseer of the Poor," suggesting a longer term of office. The citation is not entirely clear; however further perusal of the Town Records will clarify.
  Census	1850	South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [7]
  	In his household were his wife Catherine, Elizabeth, Samuel, Ellen, Charles, Kate, Henry W., and Robert A. Also in the household was David Petty, 25, a laborer. He was a landlord, with property valued at $20,000.
  Occupation	1850	Fire Place (now Brookhaven Hamlet), Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [8]
  	landlord
  Possessions	1850	Fire Place (now Brookhaven Hamlet), Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [8]
  	real estate valued at $20,000
  	He was the second wealthiest resident of the Hamlet in 1850.
  Census	1860	South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [9]
  Occupation	South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [10, 11, 12, 13, 14]
  	mill owner, farmer and inn keeper
  	Samuel Carman operated the well know mill on the Connecticut river (now known as the Carman's river), had extensive land holdings and a large farm, and a well known inn popular with sportsmen from New York City. The Carman properties became the genesis for the Suffolk Club, a gentleman's sportsman's club. In the late 20th century, the properties were acquired by Suffolk county to become the South Haven county park.
  Occupation	1860	South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [9]
  	farmer
  Possessions	1860  [9]
  	real estate valued at $17,000 and personal property valued at $6,000
  Died	27 Feb 1869	South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [2, 4]
  Buried	South Haven (Carman Cemetery), Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [15]
  Notes	In the Records of the Town of Brookhaven there is the following reference to Samuel, which demonstrate what impact this family had on the area: "The following memorial and token of respect to Capt.. Samuel Carman, a former member of the Board was unanimously adopted, and then the Board adjourned - sine die - that is without day. In Memory of Samuel Carman who died Feby 27th 1869 aged 80 - Whereas Samuel Carman of South Haven in this Town of Brookhaven has lately departed this life in good old age, and whereas he was Trustee of this Town in 1828 and after holding United States office of Coast Inspector for several years was Trustee Overseer of the Poor and President of the Board of Trustees in 1849; and we trust all who knew him will bear testimony to his honesty as a man, and to his integrity as an officer, we offer this tribute to his memory to be sent to his family, and order that the Clerk enter the same in the Town Records of our town of Brookhaven April 6th 1869 - Wm. H. Clark Pres, Natnl Tuttle, Edwin Bailey, Cyrus E. Griffin, Thomas Terry, Chas S Havens Supervisor, Benjm T. Hutchinson T. Clerk"
  Person ID	I56	Brookhaven & South Haven Hamlets
  Last Modified	10 Nov 2013

  
  

  Father	Samuel Carman, Sr. [i]^,   b. Abt 1740, {Hempstead, Queens (now Nassau), NY} ,   d. 21 Dec 1821, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY  (Age ~ 81 years)
  Mother	Theodosi Latting, >,   b. 7 Oct 1753,   d. 31 May 1811, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY  (Age 57 years)
  Married	30 Apr 1777	Hempstead, Queens (now Nassau), NY   [4, 16]
  Family ID	F17	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Catherine Homan, †^,   b. 17 Aug 1795, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. 4 Jan 1861, {South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY}  (Age 65 years)
  Married	26 Jan 1812	Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [17, 18]
  Children	1. Joseph Henry Carman, Sr. ^,   b. 13 Aug 1812, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. 13 Jan 1894, {Brookhaven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY}  (Age 81 years)   2. Elizabeth (Betsey) Carman, ^,   b. 24 Jun 1814, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. 12 Sep 1878, NY  (Age 64 years)   3. Samuel Carman, ^,   b. Abt Jul 1816, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. 19 Apr 1823, {Fire Place (now Brookhaven), Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY}  (Age ~ 6 years)   4. Dr. William H. Carman, ^,   b. 26 Apr 1819, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. 19 May 1890, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA  (Age 71 years)   5. John Carman, ^,   b. 9 Mar 1821, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. 7 Sep 1844, {Fire Place (now Brookhaven), Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY}  (Age 23 years)   6. Samuel Carman, [iii]^,   b. 15 Jul 1823, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. 4 Feb 1868, Bellport, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY  (Age 44 years)   7. Joshua Carman, ^,   b. May 1825, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. 13 Oct 1906, Brookhaven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY  (Age ~ 81 years)   8. Ellen (Elinor) R. Carman, ^,   b. 23 Dec 1827, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. 18 Dec 1914, {Brookhaven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY}  (Age 86 years)   9. Charles Justus Carman, ^,   b. 3 Mar 1830, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. 27 Apr 1916, NY  (Age 86 years)   10. Catherine A. Carman, ^,   b. Abt 1833/4, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. Yes, date unknown   11. Henry W. Carman, ^,   b. Apr 1835, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. 1 Aug 1919, Patchogue, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY  (Age ~ 84 years)   12. Robert A. Carman, ^,   b. Jun 1841, South Haven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY ,   d. Aft 1920  (Age ~ 80 years)
  Family ID	F22	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos		Captain Samuel Carman, Jr.
  		Carman's Mills SH02: The north side of the mills, looking south. The saw and planning mill is to the right; the grist mill is to the left.

  
  

  Documents » Slide Show		South Haven Mills and Carman Inn Data Sheet Members of the Carman Family for several generations operated mills, an inn, store and post office in South Haven, New York, none of which now exist. This is Brookhaven/South Haven Historic Site SH02.
  		Daniel Webster's Big Trout This 1895 article from the Brooklyn Eagle provides one account of the legendary tale of Daniel Webster and the trout caught in the Carman's River. Modern telling of this story has Daniel Webster catching the fish, but we have not found any 19th century accounts where Webster is the actual fisherman. If one were to read just the headlines, one can see how the legend was beginning to develop. But the actual article only indicates that he purchased the trout, at an extraordinary cost. Also of interest in this article is the dispute between landowners—in this case the Suffolk Club and the Tangier Smith family—over who actually owned the Carman's River. This was a dispute that continued into the 20th century.
  		Theodosie Carman Smith, Hannah Carman Smith, and William E. T. Smith vs. Samuel Carman Jr., in Chauncery Court, 1822 In 1821, less than a year before Samuel Carmen Sr. died, he gifted his daughter Theodosie Carman Smith a large parcel of land in South Haven, NY. [See]. Samuel Sr. had a will prepared in 1815. In 1818, their brother Samuel Jr. persuaded Samuel Sr. to sell to him much of Samuel Sr.’s substantial estate for a very modest sum. Theodosie and her sister Hannah (as well as Hannah’s husband William Smith ‘Tangier’) filed a case in New York Chancery Court on 08 Aug 1822, less than a year after Theodosia had received her large parcel, charging that their brother Samuel Jr, had exercised an "improper and undutiful influence" over their father "for the manifest purpose of benefitting himself" and asked to have the 1818 deed declared null and void. A little over two years later, the court returned its decree in the matter. The decree dismissed the case. This document is of some interest especially in that it details the value of Samuel Carman Sr.’s estate.

  
  

  Headstones		#79.04.1 Samuel Carman, Jr. .. was the sole male heir to his father's estate. He became a prominent businessman in his own right. Said to be very personable, he promoted his hotel and the Carman lands along the river as a destination for sportsman. Eventually, he leased (later the family sold), a large tract to a group of wealthy New York City sportsmen who established the Suffolk Club. He was active in politics, and for many year was a Trustee of the Town of Brookhaven, serving for a while as its president. Plot: 04
  		#79.04.2. Samuel Carman Jr. gravestone restored .. sometime after 2003, a large tree fell in the cemetery, smashing his gravestone. With the valuable assistance of the Suffolk County Parks Department, the tree was removed. Fortunately careful excavation work by the volunteers working to restore the cemetery were able to recover the pieces, and the stone mason was able to repair the monument—albeit not to its orginaly condition. Plot: 04

  
  

• Sources

  [S2] Carman.net, http://www.carman.net/samuel7,_samuel6.htm. [S4] Brookhaven Town Records:, p.370. [S157] Shelter Island: Mallman, PM REF 285.1 MAL., p. 171. [S2] Carman.net. [S93] Brookhaven Town Records: 1856-1885. p. 375 http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/pageviewer?frames=1&cite=ht tp%3A%2F%2Fcdl.library.cornell.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2Fmoa%2Fsgml%2Fmoa-idx%3F notisid%3DAKK8987-0002&coll=moa&view=50&root=%2Fmoa%2Fmono%2Fbroo0064% 2F&tif=00003.TIF&pagenum=375 [S44] Borthwick, p. 197. [S3] 1850 Census, Census Place: Brookhaven, Suffolk, New York; Roll: M432_601; Page: 202; Image: 405. [S3] 1850 Census, p. 112. [S61] 1860 Census, p, 217. [S97] Historic Structure Survey, http://brookhavensouthhaven.org/history/BuildingInventoryForm.aspx?InventoryCode=SH13. [S97] Historic Structure Survey, http://brookhavensouthhaven.org/history/ArcheologicalSiteForm.aspx?InventoryCode=SH02. [S97] Historic Structure Survey, http://brookhavensouthhaven.org/history/BuildingInventoryForm.aspx?InventoryCode=SH04. [S97] Historic Structure Survey, http://brookhavensouthhaven.org/history/HNDistrictsInventoryForm.aspx?InventoryCode=SH01. [S1049] Evening Post (New York City), 2 April 1824, p. 2. Extract of a letter to a gentleman in this city, dated, Fire-Place, (L.I.) March 29. Sir,—Permit me to make a statement to you of the unusual mode that has lately been practised by a gentleman sportsman from the neighbourhood of your city, who called on me on Sunday, the 21st inst. stating that he expected a company of gentlemen down by the middle of the week to join him; that he would go to my brother-in-law, Mr. Smith's [William ("Point Billy Smith")] to shoot, and when the party arrived, wished me to inform him. But the weather proving bad, the company did not come as was expected. On Thursday the 25th, business called me to my lower farm, where I saw rather an unusual mode of sporting going on in the creek, by this same gentleman who had called at my house on the Sunday preceding. His waiter and one of Mr. Smith's hired men were hauling a net for the purpose of catching trout. I went to the sportsman and saw them draw their seine twice, at the bottom of the meadow, at the old fishing ground, but they caught nothing. This gentleman, whose name I will not at present mention, informed me that they had hauled three times in the creek below, about three hundred yards from where they were. I stated to him that it was rather an unusual way of sporting for gentlemen. He informed me that Mr. Smith had furnished him with the net; and that Mr. Smith intended to take all the fish out of the creek. It gives me pleasure to add that after hauling their net five times, they caught no fish. Yours, &c. Samuel Carman. REMARK Unless the Legislature will pass a law prohibiting the taking of trout in nets in the creeks and ponds of Suffolk county, (L.I.) the breed of this delicious fish will soon be destroyed, and gentlemen need not trouble themselves to visit that part of the Island under any expectation of amusing themselves by angling. [S87] Cemetery: Carman, Stone 4. [S79] Smith, Tangier Family, LI REF 929.2 SMITH., p. 31. [S294] Carman.net: Samuel7, Samuel6. [S718] Ancestry.com: Asimov & Byrne Family Tree, November 2009; http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/4175907/person/-1642319386. Parentage attributed to Edna Valentine Bruce's notes on the Homan family of South Haven. Edna Valentine Bruce (see) was a Brookhaven Hamlet native who researched many of the local families.