Stephen Carman was a member of the State of New York Legislature, representing Queens County, for at least 20 years and by some accounts for 30 years. General record has him in the legislature from 1788 through 1818 - winning 21 straight terms to office.  His interest in politics seems to have arisen from the perpetual debate in his time between Whigs and Democrats as to whether the common lands of Hempstead should be kept, or should be sold. These common grounds were used for pasture and range for the sheep. And every year at sheep parting time the Whigs would post a large poster proclaiming their opposition to selling the Hempstead Plain or the Marshes (the marshes were held in common for the harvest of salt grass, a valued commodity for animal feed). Stephen Carman and the Whig Party succeeded for years to defeat the Tammany candidates.  But with the rise of Andrew Jackson to President, the wind had turned and those who called themselves "friendly to the rights of the people" won office.

Stephen Carman was a delegate member of the Constitutional Convention at Poughkeepsie, New York that ratified the Constitution of the United States.

Stephen is also said to have donated the lumber for the building of the first Episcopal Church in Brooklyn.

The Honorable Stephen Carman was married a total of four times, fathering children with each of his wives.  His descendants can be found by clicking here.