The Carman Family
Section II
The Carmans In The American Revolution
A Family Divided
Oaths Required
The Grandfathers Dispersion
The American Revolution was more than a war for independence from Britain. It was also a battle against the aristocracy
that dominated the politics of the colonies; against the established churches: the disenfranchisement of many; and a
struggle for land ownership. It became a struggle for social as well as political rights and to level the rigid class
structure.' ---adapted from Milestones to American Liberty
The Carmans and the American Revolution
To understand what happened to the Carman family during the American Revolution one must study the Revolution as it
affected New York State, especially Long Island. After the unsuccessful campaigns for the colonists in 1776, during which
time battles were fought on Long Island and in the vicinity of New York City, the British made that city their principal
base of operations. They remained bottled up -- mostly from their own choosing --- for the duration. of the war, surging
out on occasion for campaigns in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and upper New York.
New York City was still occupied at the time of the surrender at York Town. During the war, British ships filled New York
harbor (including the notorious prison ships) and the waters of Long Island were controlled. Farmers on Long Island sold
wood, produce and other foodstuffs to the British as did many of their up-state brethren. Loyalists were used as spies and
enlisted as soldiers.
Occupied Long Island had many problems. Not the least was the conduct of. the British troops, who were as interested in the
affairs of love, perhaps more so, than the progress of the war. There were marriages with the soldiers by the girls of the
Island, including Carman girls --- a fact that is historically recorded.
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Divided
The populace, as in all the colonies, was divided; some for the war; others against; and a great body of them hoping that
it would cease. Caught in the middle were the Quakers, despised because of their desire for peace and generally suspected of
being loyalists. The Torys as a group (along with the Quakers) fled to Canada, or back to England (thousands of them) many
never to return. After the British took Long Island, hundreds fled to Connecticut.
The Carmans divided, and for each Patriot (then called Rebels), one can find a Tory --- some of them notorious. The Quakers
were neutral, bombasted from both sides. On Long Island, in up-state New York, in New Jersey we find the Carmans on both
sides of the conflict. Our family, the central Illinois group, have no Patriot ancestors, because of their Quaker
inheritance. Yet, as Carmans we can say that as a family we participated in the Revolution --- both sides!
The New Jersey Carmans, for example, furnished some of Washington's finest soldiers. However, Bliss Carman, the famous
Canadian poet, was descended from a New Jersey Tory who fled Canada. (Those Torys who stayed in Canada were made citizens
and became eligible for land grants. This included a number of Carmans.) There is record of one Carman moving seven times
to escape the British and of a John Carman of the sixth generation who became known as John (Jersey) Carman in upper New York
state to distinguish him from his Tory cousins.
A well-known Loyalist of the Revolution was Richard Carman of New York who went to St. Johns, New Brunswick, Canada and at
the Peace was a grantee of the city. Richard's brother, Samuel, was a Colonel in the Patriot forces. Several persons of
the name of Carman in Queens county of Long Island acknowledged allegiance to Lord Richard and Sir. Wm. Howe (British
Commanders) in 1776.
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Oaths
Many Carmans, both on Long Island and in Dutchess County New York, had to take the Oath --- proving their loyalty. In this
Oath they promised not to help the British. They were suspect and in the crowd holding them more or less at gun point would
likely be their own Carman kin.
On the other hand, in the records of Carman family members who belong to the DAP or similar organizations, we find they
trace their ancestry to Carmans who served the Patriot cause with distinction. This is particularly true of many from New
Jersey and, of course, in New York state. Some Carman Revolutionary War veterans, as did their widows, survived to receive
pensions.
Similar circumstances existed among the Carman family members by marriage. No better illustrations can. be found than in
the family of Hannah (Carman) Van Wyck. Hannah's two older sons - one fled to Canada and the other served in the colonial
forces. One Van Wyck was killed in battle, others cited for exceptional service. One harassed so badly in his home
community, that he fled, later becoming an important New York politician. The family furnished a number of officers.
The Revolutionary War, strictly speaking, was a Civil War cutting across all lines; family, religious, and political.
It struck deep into the heart of the Carman family.
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Grandfathers
The colonial period of America was over in 1789 with the formation of the New Republic and the election of Washington
as its first president. It had been a long historical period and involved other subjects than separation from the mother
country. It did away with state-type religions in several of the colonies, making it somewhat of a revolt against the
established churches and gave release to commercial enterprise along with the surge to new lands. A new era was
developing among the people. ( Thompson's History of Long Island and other sources.)
The two Grandfather's discussed under the Revolutionary Period changed the direction of the author's branch of the family,
which in turn affected the lives of their descendants -- the central Illinois group.
The Carmans were now involved in a new movement westward, away from New York into the states soon to be formed from the
Northwest Territories.
