Rev. James³ Carman (Caleb², John¹) is another of those whose parents are sometimes disputed, but the visible evidence points to him belonging here for now.

The descendants are James Carman are numerous and lead one of the spearheads of the Carman family from New Jersey and down into North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland and then into Ohio, Indiana and all across the country.  In one particular family line has a nearly unbroken string of 9 generations of all being Baptist Ministers.  And in this family line we have the association with the families of Abraham Lincoln and Daniel Boone.

"He was the first Pastor of the Baptist Church of Cranbury, New Jersey (now located at Heightstown two miles distant). He was baptized at the age of 15 on Staten Island by Elias Heack and licensed to preach by the Baptist Church of Middletown, NJ, chosen pastor of the Baptist Church of Cranbury when it was constructed in 1745. Lived in this capacity for eleven (11) years. His funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. Able Morgan Oct. 29, 1756 from Psalms 116 v15. He was buried in the old Baptist burying ground at Cranbury (see records of B. C. Church, Heightstown). - Journals of William Stillwell Carman, Book No. 24 - "Caleb Carman of Cape May, Bordertown Carmans, Virginia & Kentucky Carmans"

"Up to 1786 the Hightstown Baptist Church had been known as the Cranbury Baptist church; named at Cranbury from its original location in that village, about two miles distant from Hightstown. The church removed to Hightstown in 1785. A tradition of seventy and more years since was an arrangement with the Presbyterians, that if the Baptists would remove to Hightstown, the Presbyterians would would leave that place to them and not found a Presbyterian church there...The minutes of the Philadelphia Association (Minute 1745, page 49, A.B.P. Soc. Ed. 1851) state: "Agreed and concluded pursuant to requests made by the brethren about Cranbury, that our brethren, Nathaniel Jenkins and Jenkins Jones be at Cranbury, Friday the first day of November, in order to settle the members there, in church order."... One of the constituents was James Carman, a licentiate of the Middletown church. The organization of the church was probably due to him, he having been "licensed to preach among that branch of the Middletown church which resided at Cranbury." On the next Lord's Day, November 3rd, 1745, Mr. Carman was ordained for the pastorate of the new church. At this time he was sixty-seven years old, a time of life in which men are considering the question of retiring from public life... Pastor Carman was a remarkable man. Like the early time pastors, he was a missionary pastor. Three or four sermons a week, forty or more miles to an appointment did not content him; now in Hunderton County and then in New York City were chosen opportunities to do "what he could.' When seventy-four years old he was appointed preacher at the Philadelphia Association... Mr. Carman's salary was so small that no mention is made of it. He probably made these journeys at his own cost, "for Chirst's sake," was the law of his life. He died in 1756, at the age of seventy-eight years, having been pastor eleven years... Having finished his work the good man died and was buried near the old meeting house in Cranbury. In 1899, his remains were disinterred and buried near the house of God in Hightstown. An interim of six weary years pasted. Then Peter Wilson, whom Mr. Carman baptized was called and ordained for the pastorate on May 13th, 1782." - "A History of Baptists in New Jersey", Thomas S. Griffiths, 1904, Barr Press Publishing Company.

James Carman was born in May of 1677 in Jamaica, Queens, New York. He died 21 October 1756 at Cranbury, Cape May, New Jersey and is buried at he Old Baptist Church at Hightstown, New Jersey (known as the Cranbury Baptist Church before 1786 - hence some confusion, and he was moved once). James was married twice - first to Margaret Duwys  in 1708 by whom he had seven children. Second to Sarah Frazier in 1746 by whom he had another 3 children. Both Margaret and Sarah remain buried at the Old Baptist Church Cemetery in Cranbury,

Children of James Carman and Margaret Duwys:    

Children of James Carman and Sarah Frazier: