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From an
unsigned, handwritten paper in the collection of the New York Genealogical and
Biographical Society library. It is
written on the back of sheets of paper with an announcement from Christs
First Presbyterian Church, Hempstead dated Nov. 14, 1918 (having to do with
their lack of a minister due to theirs being off as a Chaplain in WWI.).
For what it is worth it has some interesting tidbits.
Historical address by Rev. J. Walworth, 200th Anniversary, Stamford, Conn., p.19 "The cause of Mr.
Dentons leaving Stamford is not entered upon record.
He differed with the church at Wethersfield on the subject of church
government. It appears that his
views upon this subject were very much in advance of the age in which he lived.
He could not have been in favor of the New haven doctrine that none but
Free Burgesses (church members) should vote in town meetings, because both Mr.
Denton and church at Hempstead not only allowed every inhabitant to vote, but
even made it a duty for all to do so. Stiles Wethersfield, vol.I,
p.135 Whereas there was a
dismission granted by the church of Watertown in the Massachusetts dated 29
March last [1636] to Andrew Warde, Jo. Sharman, Jo. Strickland, Robte Coo (Coe),
Robte Reynold and Jonas Werde with intent to form anew in a church
covenant in this area of Connecticut the said partners have so accordingly done. The lineage of the Carman family
has been traced in Hertsfordshire and Surrey in England back to 1042 A.D. where
John Carman was holding a Lordship in Surrey and in 1085-86 the same man is
recorded in Doomsday book. But the
connecting link between this English family and the American descendants is not
satisfactorily explained or accounted for. Two, perhaps three, immigrants
by the name of John Carman had arrived in this country from England within
twelve years after the landing of the Pilgrims in 1620, but whether one or the
other is an offshoot of the Hertsfordshire family or whether all were, is not
certainly shown. A John Carman came
to Plymouth in 1623 in the Fortune and before 1630, his name is found in a
conveyance there with William Lynch. He
may have been the same person that was in Lynn in 1636 and removed the next year
to Sandwich on Cape Cod and who in Sandwich in 1643 was participating in the
division of lands at the same time that John Carman of Hempstead was purchasing
from the Indians of Long Island. John Carman was undoubtedly the
first Englishman who settled with his family within the limits of the Town of
Hempstead on Long Island. It is
said that he came from the parish of Hemel-Hempstead
in Hertfordshire, England in 1631 in the ship Lyon.
The Carman line of ancestry has been traced back in England for
twenty-one generations to a time previous to the Norman Conquest.
As early as 1273 the family was located in Hemel-Hempstead. The earliest knowledge we have
of him in America was at Roxbury, Mass. Where he is recorded by Rev. John Elliot
in the list of members of the Roxbury Church, as follows: John Carman, he
came, etc. His wife is also in
John Elliots list of church members as follows: Florence Carman, etc. From Ross History of Long Island, vol. III - The maiden name of John Carmans wife was Florence Fordham. Her brother Robert came to this country with his sister and her husband, who was a minister. Five children were born to John and Florence Carman: John had 8 children: John Caleb - Caleb Samuel Benjamin - Samuel b. Mar 26, 1749 Stephen Mary Ann Richard Benjamin Abigail Samuel Thomas Joshua Joseph The date of their arrival at
Roxbury is not given, but they probably remained there at least until the birth
of their third child Caleb. As Rev.
John Elliot came in the ship Lion in 1631, his record is doubtless
correct. Another John Carman is
mentioned in the records of Plymouth Colony as having gone from Lynn, Mass. To
Sandwich on Cape Cod in 1637. 1632, March 4 John Carman took the Freemans Oath at Boston. 1633, July 8 His son John was born. 1634 Benjamin Coe, born 1629, who afterward married Abigail Carman, came to America with his father Robert. Both father and son were among the original proprietors of Hempstead. 1635, July His only daughter Abigail was born. 1639, March His son Caleb was born but died young. 1640 The Colony at New Haven had in 1640 by their agent purchased Rippowams of the Indians, etc. 1643 A committee was sent from Stamford to Long Island who succeeded in making a purchase of land from the Aborigine natives. 1643, Nov 13 Is the date of the deed from the Indians to Carman and Fordham of their southern portion of the land, which in the following year was described in the charter of Gov. Kieft {give description from Indian deed]. 1643. Doubtless John Carman, with at least a part of his family, and perhaps his brother-in law {father-in-law written above it, but brother-in-law not stricken out}, Rev Robert Fordham made his home at this time on Long Island, on the easterly part of the land deeded to them by the Indians. Thirty-four years later, July 12, 1677, his son John gave testimony that he was 44 years of age and he said that he saw his father give an axe to the one-eyed Sachem. This would prove that the son, ten years of age, was present at the time of the purchase. 1644. The charter of Gov. Kieft. 1645. Other families settle in Hempstead. 1645, Jan 9. Caleb Carman, son of John and Florence Carman, the first white child to be born in Hempstead. 1649. About this time his son Joshua was born. 1656. This is supposed to be about the date of John Carmans death. 1661.
John Carman, Caleb Carman and Benjamin Coe, who married their sister
Abigail, petition to the Courts, etc. History of Glastenbury, Conn.,
Chapter 8, p.31 Rev. Richard Denton came to Watertown, Mass. in 1634 to
Wethersfield, Conn. in 1635 where he remained until 1641 when he went to
Rippowoms (Stamford) carrying a considerable number of families with him.
In 1644 he removed with a portion of his congregation to Hempstead, L.I. Page 29 Of the members of
the church in Watertown, Mass. Who came to Wethersfield, only six were
dismissed, to which number only four were added in the next six years.
During the interval, they received ministerial labors of Rev. Peter
Prudden, Richard Denton and occasionally of Rev. John Shannan.
They seem however never to have properly organized their church or called
a minister to settle among them. Glastenbury #2, p.27 the names of those who left and went to Stamford are given in the list of 1673: Robert Babes went to Stamford died 1675 H.P.232 Robert Beedle H.P.232 Samuel Clark went to Stamford H.P.232 Robert Coe went to Stamford H.P.232 Richard Crabb went to Stamford H.P.232 Rev Richard Denton went to Stamford H.P.232 Jeffrey Ferris do do Daniel Frinch do do Richard Gildersleeve do do Jerrmiah Jagger do do John Jessup do do Richard Law do do Matthew Mitchell do do John Northend do H.P.18 Thurston Raynor do H.P.232 John Seaman do H.P.19 Robert Seelry H.P.155 Samuel Sherman went to Stamford H.P.232 Vincent Simkins do H.P.18 Henry Smith do H.P.10 Andrew Ward do H.P.232 John Wentmon do do Jonas Wood Jr. do H.P.18 Jeremiah Wood do do Jonas Wood Snr do H.P.232 Edmund Wood do H.P.18 Francis Yates do H.P.18 The church consisted of but
seven members divided four and three. The
four being a majority of the church claiming to represent the town and church,
though only a minority of the planters were with them.
The three church members with the majority of the people claimed the
right to remain, and the others finally left and commenced a colony at Stamford,
Conn. xxxx carrying with them the
records of the church, and also of the town, if there were any, claiming them as
their right. ~
end of letter ~
09/04/2006 |
