The Carman Family

Adam Carman
1723 - 1804
The Quaker Grandfather

The Revolutionary Period
.... the family leaves Long Island ...
family line - John (1) John (2) Thos. (3) Jos. (4) Adam (5)

Life & Will
Canada
Persecution
Background of Titus Family
Family

Adam Carman was a birthright Quaker, his parents had become Friends prior to his birth. He was born on Long Island but ended his days at Stanfordville, Dutchess county, New York. In 1750 he married Philadelphia (Phila) Titus, 1727-1807, daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Germain). Titus. (Phila’s line through her mother has been traced back to Wm. the Conqueror, 724--814 A.D. This should satisfy her descendants that want a long pedigree!) The Titus family was prominent in early Long Island history and were Quakers.

The move from Long Island was made prior to the American Revolution, by which time their family was completed. We know a great deal, comparatively speaking, about Adam and Phila; the Quakers were good at keeping records. A family member, writing in 1901, noted that they lived to an advanced old age. "Phila was between 90 and 100 at the time of her death and retained her faculties remarkably."

Their children, all born on Long Island, were: Morris, Jacob, Charles, Richard, Margaret, Anne, Mary, Phebe, Sarah and Phila. (Taken from Adam's will; boys named first, then the girls.) Considerable is known about Adam's family and there are records of property transactions both on Long Island and in Dutchess county.

Life

Adam Carman was a cordwainer (shoemaker): but like most tradesmen of his time, likely did small farming on the side to provide subsistence for his family. He was not poor. In his will he bequeathed $100 to each of his sons and $50 to each of his daughters, and an equal division among all his children of the remainder of his estate after providing for his wife Philadelphia, to whom he left all his household furniture that she might wish and the interest on a thousand dollars, these to be divided equally among his children at her death.

Money was not given to Anne and Mary (minors), but to be controlled by the executors of the will "to use or hand out to them as they shall think best for their support." Adam also bequeathed to his granddaughter, Judith Gurney, $37.50. Judith was the daughter of Margaret Carman and Thomas Wood and wife of John Gurney, Jr., who with Adam's son Charles was an executor of the estate.

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Canada

Of especial interest to the author's family line, is that sometime before 1790, Adam's son, Jacob, with his wife and family and four of Adams' daughters went to Canada. (This was during the American Revolution). At least two of the four daughters are believed to have remained in Canada. Jacob was back in Green county, New York by 1790: although his oldest son, Samuel, did not return to the new United States until later.

To fully appreciate the Quakerism in this family, it is to be noted that as they moved, Adam and Phila, changed their meeting affiliations. Since they were always accepted, they were members in good standing. The basic strength of their faith came from Phila's side of the house.

Phila was descended from Edmund Titus who was born in England in 1630 and died in 1715 on Long Island. In 1650 he came to Hempstead, L.I. (after so-journing a short time in New England) and eventually settled at old Westbury on Long Island.

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Persecution

"As a Quaker he suffered in the hands of the authorities.”

The foregoing sentence tells a great deal, for the dominant groups on Long Island, Anglican and Dutch, did not welcome nor understand the Quakers. (They were not allowed seats in the government.) We note that Adam moved from Long, Island in the 1770's - perhaps in interest of his own and family's safety - as the war-clouds were gathering and the peace-loving Quakers were distrusted all around.

John Titus was a son of Edmund and the father of Jacob. Jacob had a sister, Philadelphia, (Referring to Peace and Love.) hence the name for his daughter who married Adam Carman. Considering the fact that the Carmans were originally Episcopalians, a more socially acceptable church, following Quakerism was a considerable sacrifice. While today we respect and honor that sect, in America prior to the Revolution, attitudes were much different.

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Background

The Titus family was then and in later history an outstanding group, and many of Edward's descendants were distinguished citizens. An idea of the stature of this man can be gained from his obituary that is to be found in the records of the Society of Friends:
'Edmund Thus one that Received the truth many years since and lived & dyed in it in his latter dayes his Eyes grew dim that he could not see and thick of hearing, all which he bore very patently in the time of his last sickness his Daughter Phebe filled standing by him, he said my life is in Christ my God with more comfortable words his last words were these I have put away all filthyness & superfluity of Haughtiness I have received with meekness and gratefulness love thus was able to save the soul and soon after departing this life a quiet frame of Spirit sense to the last the 7 d 2mo 1715 aged 85 years.'
Adam was not the first of the Carmans to live in Dutchess county. Other family members had been living there since 1740. They located principally around Fishkill on the Hudson River. (Near Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The community in which Adam settled was inland from the river. This is the area in which the home of Pres. Franklin Roosevelt was located. There is much information on Dutchess county, its Quakers, etc. There are records of many Carmans and evidence of their intermingling with the Dutch, by marriage, business and legal transactions.) Here they were boat builders, farmers, millers and active in governmental affairs. The Van Wycks, Pynes and other Carman relatives were also in the area.

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Migration

It is difficult for the American of today to imagine that early pioneers moved in other directions than westward. In this case, the Long Island pioneers were moving north, up the Hudson in New York state. This was then virgin territory and as the Indian menance lessened they felt free to leave Long Island. Other Carmans, in earlier years, had moved south to New Jersey. The move in that direction led others to Virginia and the Carolinas. (Comparatively little is known a bout our Southern cousins. In the pre-Civil war years some Caiman families sent their sons to New York (Columbia university) for professional educations; indicating that they were prosperous. It is very likely that some of their descendants were on. the side of the CSA in the Civil War.) It was not until after the Revolution that the westward migration really began.

As noted, Adam and Phila were not moving into an area of strangers; they were moving where there were other kin and friends from Long Island. It was part of the search for new land on which to make their homes. Believe it or not, by the time of Adam Carman, Long Island had been settled for more than a century!

If Adam and Phila were seeking an area where the established churches were not so strong, they may have found their goal, but they were moving into a political tempest - the Revolutionary war - which influenced all area. And, being Quakers and peace seekers they could not escape trouble. The Carman family history takes a decided turn in this generation.

Shipyard

The village of Chelsea, formerly known as Low Point or Carthage Landing postoffice, had at one time a shipyard owned by Cornelius Carman where sloops and steamboats were launched, existing about 1515. (On Hudson River). ('History of Dutchess County. New York, 1909. P470.) r>
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Family of Adam and Phila (Titus) Carman
all generation (6)

Morris Carman (Rushmore) 175l-l828
Jacob Carman (Weeks) 1754-1814
Charles Carman (Humphries) 1756-1848
Richard Carman (Dean) 1758
Margaret Carman (Woods) -1838 to Canada
Phebe Carman
Sarah Carman (Garrett) lived in Canada
Anne Carman
Mary Carman (Garrett) lived in Canada
Phila Carman (___ ) (Cronk?)


Again the reader of this family history is reminded that the author is tracing his basic family line and generally ignoring other branches of the family. With each generation, more and more Carman families come into existence and to attempt a more complete family history would require hundreds of pages of manuscript and a life-time of searching.

The northward migration of this particular Carman reaches its epitome during the Canadian migration. There are now Carman cousins, who as Canadians, are unknown to the members of the family living in the United States. The author's forbearers returned to the United States following the American Revolution and joined the westward movement across the nation.

Some of the conclusions reached may, be controversial, but in general give a reasonably accurate picture of the family groupings, movements and motivations.
Dutchess Co. N.Y Craftsmen

A John Carman and a Joshua Carman signed a contract (1743) to build the Frankfort Store House at Fishkill, N.Y. This was a warehouse on the Hudson River. --- History of Dutchess, Co. N.Y., 1909, p. 304.

Medal of Honor

George Washington Brush, M.D., b. 1842, was a Congressional Medal of Honor winner for his services in the Civil War in 1897. He had four John Carmans in his ancestral line: John (1}; John (2); John (3) and John (4)! -- Compedium of American Genealogy, Vol. I., p 507.





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