Hempstead NY and Pine, Seaman Genealogies
Edward presumably moved to Hempstead with his family in 1837. There, he met his first wife, Mary Ann Pine, as well as her brother, Charles Mills Pine, who became Edward’s mentor in business. The Mills and the Pines attended Christ’s First Presbyterian Church. This section also introduces Captain John Seaman.
In 1837, when Edward was approximately 18 years old, the Mills family moved to Hempstead NY, according to Jonas’ obituary. It appears likely that Edward followed the rest of the family to Hempstead, as it is noted in the Hempstead Sentinel that Edward lived there at one time.
—On Monday evening of last week one of the old residents of Hempstead died. Mr. Jonas D. Mills, who was born at Stony Brook, [Suffolk County?], May [unclear day and year], making him at the time of his death, 86 years, 8 months, and 28 days old. In his young days he learned the wheelwright trade, which at that time included the undertaking business. He subsequently took up farming in Queens County, but for the past 30 years he has not been actively engaged in business. He was married twice, and had two daughters and three sons, the latter still living—Edward H., J. Thomas, and Robert S. Mills. He came to this town about 1838, locating at Trimming (now Franklin) Square; in 1837 he came to this village, where he has ever since resided, with the exception of a few years. He always enjoyed good health, never needing a physician, and died of old age.
—Hempstead Sentinel
Mr. Mills was the father of J. Thomas Mills of Huntington.
— 10 Feb 1882, The Long-Islander, Huntington NY, p3, nyshistoricnewspapers.org. View largest available size.
LONG ISLAND
Jonas D. Mills, who died recently in Hempstead, had lived in that town 45 years.
— 06 Feb 1882, The New York Times, New York NY, p8, newspapers.com. View largest available size.
Mr. E. H. Mills, a former resident of this village, and a brother-in-law of the late Samuel M. Pine, was married December 30th, the bride being Mrs. Hannah Eastman. They are residents of Brookton, Tompkins county, this State.
…
MILLS—EASTMAN—At the bride’s residence in Brookton, Tompkins county, N. Y., Dec. 30th, 1896, by the Rev. W. A. House, Mr. E. H. Mills, formerly of Hempstead, and Mrs Hannah Eastman, both of Brookton.
— 14 Jan 1897, The Sentinel, Hempstead NY, p2, fultonhistory.com. View largest available size.
Jonas and Mary Platt Mills’ first child Sarah died a few years prior to the family’s move to Hempstead, when she was only a year and a half old. When the family arrived in Hempstead, their second child Robert was just a few years old.
In the 1840 census in Hempstead, several related names are found, including Seaman, Rhodes, Bedell, and specifically, Luther Loper, Samuel Pine and Jonas Mills, Edward’s father:
— 1840, United States Federal Census Hempstead NY, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
Hempstead is also referred to historically as South Hempstead, and was part of Queens County before the creation of Nassau County, which then became its designated county.
If Hempstead were to be incorporated as a city, it would be the second-largest city in New York, behind New York City; it is about three times the size of Buffalo, which has long been the state's second-largest city. ...Hempstead is thus the most populous municipality in the New York metropolitan area outside New York City.
...During the American Revolution, the Loyalists in the south and the American sympathizers in the north caused a split in 1784 into "North Hempstead" and "South Hempstead". With the 1898 incorporation of the Borough of Queens as part of the city of New York, and the 1899 split of Queens County to create Nassau County, some southwestern portions of the Town of Hempstead seceded from the town and became part of the Borough of Queens.
For Edward to move to Hempstead as a young man fits with other known facts and greatly adds to our understanding not only of his early adulthood, but the rest of his life. In Hempstead, Edward met two very important residents: Mary Ann Pine, who became Edward’s first wife and mother of Emily Mills, and Mary Ann’s brother, Charles Mills Pine, who became Edward’s employer and mentor in the grocery business.
A few years prior to the Mills’ move to Hempstead, Charles was already living there, newly married to Elmira Loper whose family also lived in Hempstead and attended Christ’s First Presbyterian Church. Charles is presumably the Pine (or perhaps it is his father Nicholas?) of the general store Weekes, Seaman & Pine. Hempstead was presumably when Edward’s and Charles’ paths first crossed, and it would seem likely that Edward may have initially worked at Weekes, Seaman & Pine. To understand Edward’s life, one must understand the life of Charles Pine, which Edward emulated in many ways.
Vol. V, No. 238 - February 21, 1835.
… In Hempstead, L.I., Mr. Charles Pine, of the firm of Weeks, Seaman & Pine to Almira Jane, daughter of Luther Loper. …
— 1835 Feb 21, Christian Intelligencer of the Reformed Dutch Church, Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
1835.
…Jan. 29. Charles Mills Pine to Elmira Loper.
— 1922, History and Vital Records of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church of Hempstead, Long Island, New York, Contributed by John Dean Fish, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53, p250, Google Books. Emphasis added.View largest available size.
Weekes, Seaman & Pine was possibly owned by some of the same partners as the previous firm of Weekes, Seaman & Co. in the same village:
…at the store of Weekes, Seaman & Pine, Hempstead…
— 16 Jul 1834, The Long Island Farmer And Queens County Advertiser, Jamaica NY, p4, nyshistoricnewspapers.org. View largest available size.
NEW STORE in Hempstead.
The subscribers having entered into copartnership, have opened a Store in the Village of Hempstead, (lately occupied by Benjamin Weekes, deceased,) under the firm of Weekes, Seaman & Co. where they intend to keep constantly on hand a general assortment of GOODS, suitable for the country, which they will sell as low and on as accommodating terms as any other store in the place. All kinds of .country produce will be taken in exchange for goods, for which the most liberal prices will be given.
THOMAS W. WEEKES,
NATHANIEL SEAMAN,
ABRAHAM WEEKES.
Hempstead, Jan. 25, 1826.
— 23 Mar 1826, The Long Island Farmer And Queens County Advertiser, Jamaica NY, p3, nyshistoricnewspapers.org. View largest available size.
Dissolution of Copartnership.
The copartnership heretofore existing between the subscribers under the name and stile of
WEEKES, SEAMAN & CO.
is this day dissolved by mutual consent.
Dated, Hempstead, September 27, 1826.
NATHANIEL SEAMAN,
THOMAS W. WEEKES,
ABRAHAM WEEKES.
40—3w
— 05 Oct 1826, The Long Island Farmer And Queens County Advertiser, Jamaica NY, p3, nyshistoricnewspapers.org. View largest available size.
731. Nathaniel Seaman (Richard,5 Nathaniel,4 Nathaniel,3 Nathaniel,2 Captain John1). Born October 25, 1777; died January 8, 1848; married July 5, 1801, Mary De Mott. (She was born July 12. 1786; died September 25, 1875.)
Nathaniel Seaman was Delegate to Convention in 1821 on Revision of the Constitution of the United States. They had four children :-—
1248. Elizabeth Seaman, born September 6, 1802; married Stephen C. Snedeker.
+1249. Richard N. Seaman, born May 6, 1810; died July 21, 1839; married April 28, 1835, at Hempstead, L. I., Mary Pet tit, daughter of Robert and Sarah Pettit. (She was born June 2, 1811; died October 31, 1870.)
+1250. John Henry Seaman, born August 10, 1814; died February 27, 1890; married at Hempstead, L. I., January 13, 1836, Mary Ann Vandewater. (She was born January 1, 1812; died November 23, 1873.)
1251. Mary Seaman, born May 31, 1831; died December 8, 1833.
— 1928, The Seaman family in America as descended from Captain John Seaman of Hempstead, Long Island by Mary Thomas Seaman, p176, archive.org. View largest available size.
Read more about the Seaman family in the section on Captain John Seaman further below.
Charles and Elmira had a young son that died in Hempstead.
Loper, Francis Edgar, son of Isaac and Deborah Loper, died Sep. 7, 1865. Age 23 years, 2 months and 10 days
Loper, Luther Loper, (Father) died April 5, 1856 in his 76th year
Loper, Bishop, Sarah Bishop, wife of Luther Loper, died Jan. 6, 1870, in her 86th year
Pine, Francis Bishop Pine, son of Charles M, and Elmira J. Pine, died Oct. 5, 1836 Age 7 months and 18 days
— 1940, Cemetery Inscriptions from Hempstead, Long Island New York by Josephine C. Frost, p26, familysearch.org. View largest available size.
Jonas’ obituary noted that he lived in Hempstead “with the exception of a few years”, which included 1850, where he is recorded in the United States Federal Census in Islip NY, at age 55, a “farmer”. The family appears to return to Smithtown by 1851, when Mary Platt is readmitted to Smithtown Presbyterian on 03 Jan 1851 and then returns to Hempstead as evidenced by her removal from the church, “by certificate to Hempstead” 05 Jun 1858. The very next day, Edward’s brother Robert was baptized in Hempstead along with his future wife, whom he married several weeks later.
— 15 Sep 1850, United States Federal Census, Islip NY, p18, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
— Sessional Records of Smithtown L. Island, 1809 to 1850, No 11, U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970, Philadelphia PA, p158, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
1858.
…June 6.
…Miss Esther Hinman Losee.
…Robert Sidney Mills.
— 1923, History and Vital Records of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church of Hempstead, Long Island, New York, Contributed by John Dean Fish, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 54, p35, Archive.org. View largest available size.
1858.
…July 21. Robert Sidney Mills to Esther Hinman Losee, both of Hempstead.
— 1922, History and Vital Records of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church of Hempstead, Long Island, New York, Contributed by John Dean Fish, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53, p257, Google Books. View largest available size.
1861.
…Mar. 2. William Hinman, son of Robt. S. and Esther H. Mills, born Jan. 8, 1860.
…1867.
Nov. 29. George B. Mills, son of Robert S. and Esther H. Mills, who was born Sept. 26, 1865.
— 1923, History and Vital Records of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church of Hempstead, Long Island, New York, Contributed by John Dean Fish, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 54, p36, Archive.org. View largest available size.
In 1850, Edward was living in Factoryville (West New Brighton) Staten Island, and he married his first wife Mary Ann (Pine) Mills (08 Feb 1819 to 28 Dec 1895) in Hempstead. Charles Pine’s grocery store in Staten Island was established in 1848, likely narrowing the timeframe for when Edward moved to Factoryville.
At Hempstead, L. I., Dec. 29, by the Rev. N.C. Locke, Mr. Edward H. Mills of Factoryville, S. I., to Miss Mary Ann Pine of the former place.
— 03 Jan 1851, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn NY, p2, newspapers.com. View largest available size.
1850.
Mar. 7. Charles T. Ruland and Ann Catherine De Mott.
Marriages BY Rev. N. C, Locke.
Dec. 29. Edward H. Mills of Staten Island to Mary Ann Pine.
— 1922, History and Vital Records of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church of Hempstead, Long Island, New York, Contributed by John Dean Fish, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53, p256, Google Books. View largest available size.
A Group of Former Pastors
…(7) N. C. Locke.
— 1895, Souvenir of the 250th Anniversary of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church: Hempstead, Long Island, N.Y., October 14, 15, 16, 1894, archive.org. View largest available size.
Interestingly, Reverend Locke is buried in Batavia NY, exactly 13 miles (according to Google Maps) from Evergreen Hill Cemetery in Corfu NY, where Edward and Mary Ann are buried. The Reverend’s only surviving daughter at the time, Fanny Spencer Locke, 2nd (1860 to 16 Jul 1862) died a week before his death, and his father, Dr. John Locke (1784 to 01 Aug 1862) died two weeks after his death. (Fanny was the older sister of Fanny Smith Locke (1854 to 06 Jun 1855). It was likely only a few months after the Reverend’s death that the Mills moved to Corfu NY.
On Wednesday, the 2d February, at the Reformed Dutch Church, on the Heights, Brooklyn, N.Y., by the Rev. Dr. Bethune, the Rev. Nathaniel Clark Locke to Harriet Cooper Spencer.
— 16 Feb 1853, Middlebury Register, Middlebury VT, p3, newspapers.com. View largest available size.
The Late Dr. Bethune.— The remains of the late Rev. Dr. Bethune, who died in Florence, Italy, last Spring, are expected daily to arrive in this port, on board the bark Undine, having been shipped at Florence on the 27th of May.
Death of Rev. Dr. Locke.— The Rev. Nathaniel C. Locke, D.D., late pastor of the Presbyterian Church, at Hempstead, L.I., Died in New York, on Monday, July 21st. Dr. Locke was for several years pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn, and afterwards at Hempstead. He resigned his last charge on account of the state of his health, which has been so feel for two or three years past, that he has performed by little ministerial labor. In addition to other causes of prostration, he suffered for some months, from a cancer, which was the immediate cause of his death. His only child died on the 15th inst., after an illness of a few hours. Dr. Locke was an able, discriminating, and impressive preacher, and gave evidence, wherever he was called to labor, of a sincere and earnest devotion to the great work of the ministry. He was, from its organization up to the time of his death, a member of the Presbytery of Nassau.
— 26 Jul 1862, Times Union, Brooklyn NY, p2, newspapers.com. View largest available size.
In the City of New York, on the 21st inst., the Rev. Nathaniel C. Locke, brother of Mr. W. C. Locke and Mrs. J. H. Lee, of this City.
Dr. Locke was an able and impressive preacher, and had for many years the pastoral charge of the Presbyterian Church at Hemstead, [sic] L. I. He had resigned his charge on account of ill health. On the 15th inst. he lost is only daughter. The immediate cause of his death was a cancer.
— 26 Jul 1862, The Buffalo Commercial, Buffalo NY, p2, newspapers.com. View largest available size.
Rev. Nathaniel C. Locke, D.D., late pastor or the Presbyterian Church at Hempstead, L.I., died in this city on Monday, July 21.
— 02 Aug 1862, Brooklyn Times, Brooklyn NY, p2, newspapers.com. View largest available size.
…April 5. Luther Loper, member, 76 yrs.
…Aug. 14. Mrs. Hannah Gordon Locke, wife of Dr. John Locke, and Mother of Rev. N. C. Locke, member, 70 yrs.
…1859.
…Sept. 28. Mrs. Rhoda Pine, relict of Nicholas, member, 73 yrs.
— 1923, History and Vital Records of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church of Hempstead, Long Island, New York, Contributed by John Dean Fish, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 54, p141, Archive.org. View largest available size.
Both the Mills and Pines attended Christ’s First Presbyterian Church in Hempstead. Many other family names can be found in the Church’s records that are either relatives of Mills and Pines or otherwise connected with them, including Seaman, Gildersleeve, Higbie, Weekes (also Weeks), Hawkins, Bedell and Mersereau. It is perhaps relevant that the surname “Watts” is also present and may provide context for understanding Edward’s nephew’s middle name (which he commonly went by).
Christ’s First Presbyterian Church.
— 1895, Souvenir of the 250th Anniversary of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church: Hempstead, Long Island, N.Y., October 14, 15, 16, 1894, archive.org. View largest available size.
The history of Christ's First Presbyterian Church is closely identified with the history of Hempstead. In 1643, the Rev. Robert Fordham and John Carman found a suitable location for settlement here and purchased land from the Native Americans. Families came to settle the next year. They received a patent from the Dutch governor of the New Netherlands and the church was organized under Rev. Richard Denton. Rev. Denton had first settled in the Massachusetts May Colony, but left for Weathersfield, Connecticut in 1635 in order to practice Presbyterianism. Later, he and his followers came to Long Island for religious reasons. They established Christ's First Presbyterian Church in 1644. It is one of the oldest Presbyterian Churches in the country.
Edward and his half-brother Robert are the only relevant Mills I have found in the Church records, and coverage of the Pine family in the records is also uneven. And unfortunately, Church records only exist from approximately 1805 onward.
The records of the 18th Century are not preserved for us because they were consumed in the fire which destroyed the church building in the year 1803.
The 1895 Souvenir book shows Robert Mills still listed as an active member (p71).
Esther Mills.
Hempstead, L. I., January 31—Funeral services were held yesterday for Mrs. Esther Mills, who died at Nassau Hospital on January 27, aged 79 years, Mrs. Mills was noted in the neighborhood where she lived for her great love of flowers. The begonias she raised were the admiration of professional gardeners. The Rev. Dr. F. M. Kerr officiated at the funeral and interment was made in Greenfield Cemetery. Mrs. Miller [sic] was the wife of an old resident of Hempstead, Robert S. Mills, and the daughter of Richard and Phebe Losea, She was born in East Williston, and was married in 1858. For some years previous to coming to Hempstead village to live, Mr. and Mrs. Mills occupied the Richard Losea homestead, about two miles from the village. This house is nearly one hundred years old, and is still a landmark. Mrs. Mills was a member of the Presbyterian Church and a devoted wife and mother. The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Mills was quietly celebrated three years ago at their Grove street residence, where the funeral services were held. Besides her husband, Mrs. Mills is survived by one son, William H. Mills, of Brooklyn.
— 31 Jan 1911, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn NY, p12, newspapers.com. View largest available size.
The funeral service of Robert Mills was held at the residence of Mrs. Mott, 200 Main street, yesterday afternoon, the Rev. Dr. Kerr, officiating. Interment was in Greenfield. Mr. Mills’ death occurred Sunday evening after a brief illness from Bright’s disease. He was in his 78th year. One son survives, William H. Mills of Brooklyn. Mr. Mills was born at Smithtown, November 11, 1834, When quite a young man he engaged in farming, which he successfully conducted for a number of years, part of that time upon a place south of the village, where he married July 21, 1858, Esther Hinman Losea. A few years ago they observed the 50th anniversary of their wedding. A little more than a year ago, Mrs. Mills died. Mr. Mills living in the village after retiring from farming, had a kindly greeting for all and often expressed pleasure in the growth and progress of our village.
— Uploaded by anonymous user to findagrave.com. View largest available size.
— 18 Jan 1912, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn NY, p12, newspapers.com. View largest available size.
— 26 Jan 1912, South Side Signal, Babylon NY, p8, nyshistoricnewspapers.org. View largest available size.
Note that Robert’s birth year is generally given as 1835, although one obituary reports 1834. Robert’s middle name is generally spelled with a “y”, however it should be noted that the records of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church at Hempstead consistently spell it with an “i” which may in fact be correct, as that is the spelling used by relative William Sidney Mount.
I know of no formal histories or genealogies of the Pines, and initial searches starting with Mary Ann resulted in very little, so I have had to reconstruct this branch of the Pine tree from remaining documentary evidence.
From the beginning of this research, Charles M. Pine emerged as a central figure in the Mills’ lives, and although I didn’t know exactly how at the time, the last name struck me as a very big coincidence, and so I assumed he was related to Mary Ann, and probably quite closely, and that a closer examination of Charles’ life would reveal much about the Mills. In time, I slowly compiled evidence proving that Mary Ann and Charles M. Pine were siblings. This fact alone explains much about the Mills’ lives.
My ability to make this connection was initially hindered by the fact that of the handful of member-created genealogies on ancestry.com that included Charles and referenced his parents, all showed his parents as some variation of:
Charles L. Pine (1785 to Apr 1853), whose relation to these Pines, if any, is presently unknown to me.
Sarah Soper (1787 to ?), a person I have otherwise been unable to identify. Her age is listed as 78 in 1865.
(I will add that Charles M. Pines’ entries on these genealogies were very incomplete, so he was obviously not the focus of these trees.)
Before moving onto what I believe is overwhelming evidence that Charles M. Pine is Mary Ann’s brother, I will try to account for this apparent discrepancy with Charles’ parents. It appears that the source of this error may be these entries in the 1865 New York State Census:
— 12 Jun 1865, New York State Census, Castleton NY, p21, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
I have also been unable to definitively identify Julia Soper, the 20 year old niece listed. There is a Julia E. (Oakes) Soper (Nov 1844 to 01 Apr 1910), born in Huntington (in Suffolk County, which corresponds to the census entry), who, despite being the correct age, was married to Ezra Soper in 1867, so in the 1865 census she would not have the name Soper. There is also a Julia Soper in Hempstead who was five years old in the 1850 United States Federal Census, matching the age of this Julia, but this appears to be a coincidence as nothing else suggests that this is the Julia being referenced as a “Niece”. The same 1860 Unites States Federal census in Hempstead shows a number of “Sarah Soper’s” and some of these Sopers may be related to the Pines through marriage, but while this is clearly a common name, and it is possible these two apparent “Sopers” in Castleton are indeed correctly identified, and either distant relations or people otherwise known from Hempstead, that does not explain why they are identified as “Niece” and “Mother” in Castleton, instead of, say, “boarder” as Mark Hartley is.
I have an alternate theory as to what might be happening, although with some noticeable counterpoints which I will also explore. Taking into account all the evidence I have available, I believe the most logical conclusion is that these two census entries in 1865 are referring to relatives of Charles Pine’s wife Elmira Jane (Loper) Pine (1813 to 07 Mar 1890). Elmira’s parents are:
Luther Loper (04 Jun 1780 to 05 Apr 1856), a farmer in the 1850 United States Federal Census in Hempstead, married,
Sarah (Bishop) Loper (Nov 1786 to 06 Jan 1870). Although admittedly, the census entries certainly look more like “S” than “L”, and the surname “Soper” can be found on Staten Island and Hempstead.
All that said, I believe that the apparent “Sarah Soper”, “mother” in the 1865 census above is Sarah Loper, Charles’ mother-in-law, a widow at the time. Sarah apparently began living with Charles and Elmira after Luther’s death in 1856, as Sarah is also accounted for in the 1860 census in the Pine residence on Staten Island, with her name appearing to be “Laper”.
— 15 Jun 1860, United State Federal Census, Castleton NY, p96, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
And, Sarah Loper dies in 1870 at the Pine residence in Staten Island.
LOPER—At West New Brighton, Jan, 6th, at the residence of her son in-law, Charles M Pine, Esq., Mrs. Sarah Loper, widow of Luther Loper, formerly of Hempstead, L. I., AE 83 yrs 2 months. Remains taken to Hempstead for interment.
— Jan 1870, New York Tribune, fultonhistory.com. View largest available size.
LOPER–Jan. 6, at the residence of her son-in-law, Charles M. Pine, West Brighton, Staten Island, Mrs. Sarah Loper, widow of the late Luther Loper, aged 83 years, 1 month and 27 days.
Remains to be taken to Hempstead, L.I., by 10 o’clock train L. I. Railroad on Saturday, Jan. 8.
— 08 Jan 1870, New York Daily Tribune, New York NY, p?, fultonhistory.com. View largest available size.
In other words, if this is not Sarah Loper in the 1865 census, then we need to explain why she isn’t listed as living in the Pine residence at that time.
Sarah’s age is independently specified in her obituaries as “83 yrs 2 months” and “83 years, 1 month and 27 days” which is early Nov 1786. Using this to calculate an expected age at the time of each census, we can compare the ages specified in each relevant census (ancestry.com):
| Census Date | Location | Name Recorded | Age Recorded | Age Expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850-08-19 | Hempstead | Sarah Loper | 64 | 64 |
| 1860-06-15 | Castleton | Sarah L[a?]per | 74 | 74 |
| 1865-06-12 | Castleton | Sarah [S?]oper | 78 | 79 |
Elmira also had a niece, Juliett (Loper) Shepard (06 Jan 1845 to 02 Apr 1911), who is the daughter of Elmira’s brother Erastus Harvey Loper (1813 to 1860). Juliett was 20 when the census was taken in 1865, matching the age of “Julia”. Her obituaries state that “she was married to Mr. Shepard November 28, 1872”, and so would still have the name Loper in 1865.
(As will be seen, there are variations of the spelling of her name including “Juliet” and “Juliette”, but “Juliett” appears to be correct based on surviving letters.)
However, this may be somewhat obscured by two of Juliett’s obituaries, that agree that “her early life was spent in New York City, and following the death of her father in 1860, the family moved to this place [Huntington].” Although, I would point out the vagueness of the relative time reference as well as the phrase “the family”. Also note that in the census “Julia” gives her birthplace as Suffolk County, and Farmingdale overlaps the Suffolk County border.
OBITUARY.
Mrs. Juliette Loper Shepard.
After an invalidism of several years Mrs. Juliette Loper Shepard, wife of Charles E. Shepard, editor of this paper, peacefully slept her life away Sunday morning at 9:30 o’clock. She died from paralysis, having had several shocks previous to the one Friday morning, which finally terminated in her death. Mrs. Shepard was born in Farmingdale, L. I. January 6, 1845, being the daughter of Erastus H. and Caroline Loper. Her early life was spent in New York City, and following the death of her father in 1860 the family moved to this place. She was married to Mr. Shepard November 28, 1872, and three children were born to them. George, the only son, died in childhood, and the other two survive, They are: Caroline, wife of Raymond S. Spears of Little Falls, N. Y., and Jessie L., an instructress in an institution for the blind in New York City. Mrs. Shepard also leaves two sisters, Mrs. William Sinell of Spring Valley, N. Y.; Mrs. Walter E. Bryant of this village, and two brothers, Edward H. Loper and William H. Loper, also of Huntington.
Early in life Mrs. Shepard united with the First Presbyterian Church and later, upon the inception of the Central Presbyterian Church, joined that organization. There are very few members, if any, who have been as devoted to the work of the church as Mrs. Shepard. As long as her health permitted she was a faithful attendant upon its services, and when she was unable to go her thoughts were centered upon the things of God’s house. Being enthusiastic upon the subject of missions, she was many years secretary and treasurer of the Ladies’ Missionary Society of the Central Presbyterian Church. Even up to the day of her death she was formulating plans along missionary lines. Her heart went out to the poor and many a local family will miss her little acts of kindness which she did without show or ostentation.
She was for many years a member of Dorcas Circle of King’s Daughters of this village, which sent a large number of gifts to the miners in Michigan and to the sick in hospitals and tenements, and she continuously sent supplies to city missions. She was also for many years an active worker for temperance in the ranks of the W. C. T. U, and a member of Ketewamoke Chapter, D. A. R.
The funeral services were held at the Central Presbyterian Church Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock, the Rev. Samuel H. Seem being in charge. The interment was in the Huntington Rural Cemetery.
H. A. B.
Mrs. Raymond S. Spears and two sons, Charles and John of Little Falls, N. Y., have been spending the week at the Shepard home on West Neck avenue, having been called here by the illness and death of Mrs. Spears’ mother.
— 07 Apr 1911, The Long Islander, Huntington NY, p4, nyshistoricnewspapers.org. View largest available size.
OBITUARY.
JULIETTE LOPER SHEPARD.
Juliette Loper Shepard, wife of Charles E. Shepard, editor of the Huntington Long Islander, and a member of the Brooklyn Eagle’s reportorial staff, died on Sunday at her home in that village. Her death terminated a long period of failing health, and ended a serious illness of some days. Mrs. Shepard was born at Farmingdale on January 6, 1845, and was the daughter of Erastus H. and Caroline Loper. Her childhood was spent in the City of New York and in 1860, following the death of her father, the family removed to Huntington. She was married to Mr. Shepard on November 28, 1872. Three children were born to them, of whom two survive, a son haying died in childhood. The surviving children are Caroline, wife of Raymond S. Spears of Little Falls, N. Y., and Jessie L. Shepard, an instructress in the Institution for the Blind, in Manhattan. Mrs. Shepard in early life became a member of the First Presbyterian Church and later was one of the first members of the Central Church of Huntington. She was active in the work of that organization, and was prominent in connection with the Woman’s Home and Foreign Missionary Society, of which she was for a long period secretary, She had a wide acquaintance, and was highly regarded. Funeral services were held from the Central Church on Tuesday afternoon.
— 07 Apr 1911, The Suffolk County News, Sayville NY, p4, nyshistoricnewspapers.org. View largest available size.
To further support my theory, consider how similarly the name “Loper” when handwritten, even by Sarah Bishop herself, might easily be misinterpreted as “Soper”:
— 29 Apr 1856, Last Will and Testament of Luther Loper, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
Subsequent to my initial investigation, I have been in contact with Martha Deed, Juliett’s great granddaughter, who possesses many letters to Juliett that she has transcribed and made available.
My maternal grandmother, Jessie Louise Shepard, was the daughter of Charles E Shepard, editor and publisher of The Long Islander weekly newspaper (and – yes – there are Walt Whitman connections which I explored for Huntington Historical Society in honore of WW’s 200th birthday – another story). Jessie’s own mother, Juliette Loper Shepard (1st cousin of C Theodore Pine) died ca 1910 – and M Amanda Hillyer moved in and looked after Charles, who apparently was not good at looking after himself.
— 31 Oct 2023, Martha Deed, personal correspondence.
The transcriptions provided by Martha Deed appear to corroborate that Sarah Bishop Loper lived at the Pine residence in Staten Island during the 1860’s (presumably following husband Luther’s death in 1856), and that Juliett appears to have also made had a number of visits to the Pine residence in the 1860’s and into the early 1870’s.
Dear Charlie
According to promise I write you but dear it is not much trouble either. I got my feet warm at home at the risk of burning my face and clothes up. the boat came in a few minutes after you left me but did not go back to the island again till 11 o’clock, so I had a whole hour to wait – but it did not seem very long I got a paper to read which took up the time when I go here instead of ringing the bell I walked right into the sitting room supposing I should find Auntie there but there was no one in the room so I concluded I would sit down and make myself comfortable and surprise them when they came in but after awhile no one coming in so I took off my things and went out to find you may rest assured they were surprised to see me. I did not get to bed very early after all but I rested well after I did it seemed quite a long day getting up so early. . . .
My Address is West New Brighton Staten Island Care C. M. Pine
New York Jan 20 [1872 ‒ Sent c/o Pine in New Brighton, Staten Island. Related to other letters in series]
— Juliett Loper correspondence with Charles E Shepard, References to Juliett’s Staten Island Relatives, compiled by Martha Deed. Provided by Martha deed and used with permission.
Juliett’s visits. Certainly, there were many visits, and I am interested that she was included in a Census at the Pine residence. I am not aware of extended stays, but I am aware that family members tended to have visits of several days at least when they visited family, partly, I think, because of transportation issues. There is, I think, particularly in Juliett and Charles’s wedding prep correspondence, a suggestion of longish visits, but I am not aware of a visit lasting weeks or months. It doesn’t mean it never happened. I don’t, for example, have any correspondence for Juliett prior to 1862. There was quite a tragedy in her family. Her family was living in Manhattan Ward 11, District 8 when her father died. That district is on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Juliett was 15 when he died. She was the oldest of 5 children. The youngest was only a year old. I wonder if you found any references to her father’s death. His name was Erastus Loper. Aunty (Almira or Elmira) Pine was his sister and that may have brought Juliett close to her aunt and to the Pine household on Staten Island. Her mother was a Conklin from Huntington, and I have assumed that it was her father’s death that took her mother, now raising 5 children alone, back to Huntington. But none of this history is well-documented by me at this point.
— 13 Nov 2023, Martha Deed, personal correspondence.
More transcriptions of Juliett Loper’s letters are available in the Staten Island section: Milton Loper’s Civil War Letters. Continued correspondence with Jacqueline Igliozzi, Samuel M. Pine’s great-great-great granddaughter, has also corroborated details in the following genealogy.
I now present the true genealogical data for this section of the Pine family tree, which I will show documentary evidence for further below, starting with Charles’ and Mary Ann’s grandparents:
Reuben Pine (1757 to 1827), married,
Jerusha (Mills) Pine (16 Feb 1754 to 18 Nov 1846). Jerusha does not appear to be descended from Timothy Mills, although she may be a more distant relation under George Mills. If so, this would make Mary Ann a Mills by birth as well as by marriage.
Reuben and Jerusha’s son Nicholas is Mary Ann’s father:
Nicholas Ludlow Pine (? to 03 Sep 1828), a veteran of the War of 1812, married,
Rhoda (Seaman) Pine (24 May 1786 to 26 Sep 1859).
325. Samuel Seaman (Solomon,4 Solomon,3 Solomon,2 Captain John1), resident Hempstead, L. I.; born 1741; died December 11, 1837, aged ninety-six years; married Abigail Hall. (She was born 1757; died February 9, 1838, aged eighty-one years.) His will was proved January 15, 1838; her will proved April 6, 1838. They had eight children :—
581. Elizabeth Seaman, born December 24, 1770; married at Hempstead, L. I., December 10, 1796, Jacob Smith.
+582. Benjamin Seaman, born May 22, 1773; died March 22, 1832; married at Hempstead, March 27, 1798, Mary Ann Pine.
583. Mary Seaman, born September 23, 1776; married August 27, 1796, at Huntington, L. I., Whitehead Raynor.
584. Jane Seaman, born October 15, 1779; married at Huntington, L. I., February 24, 1798, Thomas Rushmore.
+585. Jarvis Seaman, born February 12, 1782; died June 29, 1858; married at Hempstead, L. I., January 28, 1809, Mary Smith.
586. Rhoda Seaman, born May 24, 1786; married January 30, 1804, Nicholas Pine.
587. Abigail Seaman, born August 21, 1790; married at Hempstead, L. I., January 28, 1810, John Carman.
588. Sarah Seaman, born March 23, 1793; married February 11, 1812, Samuel Snedeker.
— 1928, The Seaman family in America as descended from Captain John Seaman of Hempstead, Long Island by Mary Thomas Seaman, p110, archive.org. Emphasis added.View largest available size.
Read more about the Seaman family in the section on Captain John Seaman further below.
And Nicholas and Rhoda’s children are:
- Lois Almy (Pine) Snedeker (1805? to 07 Nov 1890) married William Snedeker (sometimes spelled “Snediker”) in 1831 in South Hempstead. Their children include Livingston Snedeker (May 1836 to 10 Aug 1906). William was also involved in the dry goods business in Manhattan, and later, in Staten Island, where he moved the family. More can be learned about them in that section.
1828.
Jan. 4. Lois Almy Pine.
— 1922, History and Vital Records of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church of Hempstead, Long Island, New York, Contributed by John Dean Fish, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53, p392, Google Books. View largest available size.
1831.
…July 21. William Snediker to Lois A. Pine.
— 1922, History and Vital Records of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church of Hempstead, Long Island, New York, Contributed by John Dean Fish, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53, p248, Google Books. View largest available size.
- Abigail “Abby” Seaman (Pine) Higbie (15 Feb 1805 to 05 May 1877), spelled “Abby” in the Church records and on her tombstone, but “Abbey” is also used. Both Emily and Edward Mills appear to be mentioned in the Last Will and Testament of Abby’s husband Henry Higbie (? to 30 Oct 1881), dated 21 Oct 1881. In the 1850 United States Federal Census in Hempstead, Henry is listed as a farmer. Abby and Henry were married in 1852 in South Hempstead.
RECORD OF BAPTISMS.
1805.
Sept. 8.
Abiathar Skidmore.
Hannah Higbie.
Jacob Smith, born Dec. 24, son of Elias Pine & Mahum Smith.
Richard Bedell, with his wife Mary Smith.
Rhodie Seaman, wife of Nicholas Pine.
Rosattie, born Dec. 28, 1804, of Richard Bedell and Mary Smith.
Abby, born Feb. 15, of Nicholas Pine and Rhodie Seaman.
John Adrian, born Feb. 3, of James Burtis and Merrium Southard.
Johanna, born Nov. 28, of Joseph Smith and Phoebe Vanderveer.
Joseph, born Feb. 24, 1803, Thomas Smith, born Nov. 8, 1804, of Steven Dorlon and Ann Smith.
— 1922, History and Vital Records of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church of Hempstead, Long Island, New York, Contributed by John Dean Fish, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53, p388, Google Books. Emphasis added.View largest available size.
Jerusha Pine (? to 31 Aug 1860) presumably named for her grandmother Jerusha (Mills) Pine listed above.
Charles Mills Pine (1812 to 08 Oct 1897), approximately 16 years old when his father died. Professionally, Charles went by “Charles M. Pine” or “C. M. Pine”. At least two independent sources confirm that Charles’ middle name is “Mills”. Read more about Charles’ life and family in the Staten Island section.
Samuel Mills Pine (26 Nov 1814 to 14 Mar 1880), 13 years old when his father died. “His middle name ‘Mills’ is in honor of his paternal grandmother, Jerusha Mills (married to Rheuben Pine).” (11 Nov 2023, Jacqueline Igliozzi, personal correspondence.) Samuel was a carriage maker.
1836.
…Sept. 1. Samuel M. Pine to Frances Gildersleeve.
— 1922, History and Vital Records of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church of Hempstead, Long Island, New York, Contributed by John Dean Fish, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53, p251, Google Books. Emphasis added.View largest available size.
- Mary Ann (Pine) Mills (08 Feb 1819 to 28 Dec 1895), nine years old when her father died.
…Record of Baptisms
…1830. …April 2. Jerusha Pine.
…1831. …July 2. …Samuel Pine
…1833. …Jan. 26. …Mary Ann Pine
— 1923, History and Vital Records of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church of Hempstead, Long Island, New York, Contributed by John Dean Fish, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 54, p30, Archive.org. View largest available size.
Although some birthdates are missing, the birth order is likely correct based on the following, which is also the clearest documentary evidence linking together Mary Ann, Charles M., and Samuel M., in the will of their father, Nicholas Pine:
— 27 Aug 1829, Last Will and Testament of Nicholas L. Pine, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
— 27 Aug 1829, Last Will and Testament of Nicholas L. Pine, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
— 27 Aug 1829, Last Will and Testament of Nicholas L. Pine, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
Further documentation, identifying and linking Samuel M., Charles M. and Mary Ann Pine:
Mr. Samuel M. Pine, aged 67 years, of Hempstead, father of Mr. A. B. Pine, editor of the L. I. Farmer, died at his residence at Hempstead, of pneumonia. The Sentinel remarks: “By his death our village loses a worthy and upright citizen, the business community a man of strict integrity, the Presbyterian Church one of its most exemplary members, and his family an affectionate and self-denying husband and father.”
— 02 Apr 1880, The Long Islander, Huntington NY, p2, fultonhistory.com. View largest available size.
In his will, Samuel Mills lists “brother Charles M. Pine” as one of the executors:
— 02 Oct 1878, Last Will and Testament of Samuel M. Pine, Hempstead NY. View largest available size.
And one of Charles Pine’s obituaries mentions he “had four sisters all of whom are dead”.
Charles M. Pine, a former resident of this village died at his residence on Richmond Terrace, Port Richmond, on the 8th inst. in his 86th year, Deceased was of a highly respected family and had four sisters all of whom are dead, A son, Alverado R. Pine and a grand son, Orville Pine, survive, Mr. Pine had been engaged in the grocery business in Port Richmond for many years and was highly esteemed there by a large circle of friends, At the funeral services Rev. Alfred H. Demearest officiated and the interment was in Moravian Cemetery.
— 21 Oct 1897, Queens County Sentinel, Hempstead NY, p1, fultonhistory.com. View largest available size.
Read more about Charles M. Pine in The Mills Family in Staten Island NY.
According to Samuel Mills Pine’s entry on findagrave.com :
Son of Nicholas Ludlow Pine and Rhoda Seaman, husband of Frances Gildersleeve and father of Frances Gertrude, Albert "Burt", Mary Elizabeth, Lois Alma, and Nicholas Ludlow Pine.
When Edward Mills married Hannah, an announcement in the Hempstead Sentinel states that Edward is “brother-in-law of the late Samuel M. Pine”.
Mr. E. H. Mills, a former resident of this village, and a brother-in-law of the late Samuel M. Pine, was married December 30th, the bride being Mrs. Hannah Eastman. They are residents of Brookton, Tompkins county, this State.
…
MILLS—EASTMAN—At the bride’s residence in Brookton, Tompkins county, N. Y., Dec. 30th, 1896, by the Rev. W. A. House, Mr. E. H. Mills, formerly of Hempstead, and Mrs Hannah Eastman, both of Brookton.
— 14 Jan 1897, The Sentinel, Hempstead NY, p2, fultonhistory.com. View largest available size.
A portrait of Samuel Mills Pine survives in the family collection of Jacqueline Igliozzi, great-great-great grandaughter of Samuel.
Samuel M. Pine
My Grandfather
— Portrait of Samuel Mills Pine digitally photographed by Jacqueline Igliozzi and republished with permission, personal correspondence 01 Feb 2023. View largest available size.
— Portrait of Samuel Mills Pine digitally photographed, colorized by Jacqueline Igliozzi and republished with permission, personal correspondence 01 Feb 2023. View largest available size.
— Portrait of Samuel Mills Pine digitally photographed by Jacqueline Igliozzi and republished with permission, personal correspondence 01 Feb 2023. View largest available size.
— Portrait of Samuel Mills Pine digitally photographed by Jacqueline Igliozzi and republished with permission, personal correspondence 01 Feb 2023. View largest available size.
If I come across any more info, I'll let you know, however, there are no other photos in my possession. I am so grateful to my G Grandfather for labeling all the picutres I have. There is no way I could have identified these people if he hadn't had the foresight to do this so many years ago.
Jacqueline also has several photos of Samuel’s descendants:
— Portrait of Albert Burt Pine (09 Sept 1842 to 13 Mar 1922), son of Samuel Mills Pine, digitally photographed by Jacqueline Igliozzi and republished with permission, personal correspondence 01 Feb 2023. View largest available size.
As for Albert Burt Pine, his middle name is “Burt” in honor of his maternal grandmother, Mary Burt (married to David Gildersleeve).
— 11 Nov 2023, Jacqueline Igliozzi, personal correspondence.
— Portrait of Anna B. Pine (12 Dec 1864 to 20 Feb 1881), digitally photographed by Jacqueline Igliozzi and republished with permission, personal correspondence 01 Feb 2023. View largest available size.
Anna B. Pine Daughter of N. L. Pine Chicago Ill.
— Back of portrait of Anna B. Pine (12 Dec 1864 to 20 Feb 1881), digitally photographed by Jacqueline Igliozzi and republished with permission, personal correspondence 01 Feb 2023. View largest available size.
When Jackie provided me with the photos of Anna, above, she drew my attention to Anna’s surprisingly modern hairstyle. Its unclear if the hair is short or, more likely, just pulled back and out of sight. Compared to similar photographs from the time that I have studied elsewhere in this work, her head is turned at a more pronounced angle, and may be intended to draw the viewer’s eye to her ear and where her visible hair ends.
The 1870’s produced some of the most dramatic hairstyle changes since the sausage curls from two decades earlier. The ringlet curls from the 1860’s lasted a short while, but soon dropped off. A new modern look was taking hold.
New fashions banished the simple pulled back hair style. The current trend was plenty of curled and sculpted hair, piled high on top of the head. Big hair was coming into style.
— 2013, 19th Century Card Photos KwikGuide by Gary W. Clark, p26, phototree.com.
Anna died when she was only 16 years old, so the photograph must have been taken in the final years of her life, and reflects the fashion of the later 1870’s.
A final note: in Luther Loper’s will of 1856, there is mention of Samuel M. Loper of Clarence NY, at one point further specified as Newstead NY, coinciding with when William and Deborah Mills lived in Newstead.
— 08 Apr 1856, Last Will and Testament of Luther Loper, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
— 08 Apr 1856, Last Will and Testament of Luther Loper, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
The Legacy of Captain John Seaman
Mary Ann (Pine) Mills, through her mother Rhoda (Seaman) Pine, is descended from Captain John Seaman, the American progenitor of the Long Island Seaman families and one of the original settlers of Hempstead.
“Once he signed an agreement or pledged his faith he never disclaimed his share of it.”
The Seaman family history is summarized in 1928, The Seaman family in America as descended from Captain John Seaman of Hempstead, Long Island by Mary Thomas Seaman, archive.org. Selections from this work will be cited simply as “Seaman” below.
The Seaman family was originally Danish. In old Norse times the members of families banded together, and sailed the wide seas over in their ships of beauty, getting what they might and holding what they could. On one of their excursions they landed off the eastern coast of England, whipped the natives and held the land. They remained in possession until subdued by the Norman Conqueror, 1066. They passed under the name of “Sea Men” (men of the sea). One of these leaders joined the Crusaders in the Third Crusade, 1187, under Richard Coeur de Lion, gained renown in the Holy Land, and on his return from Jerusalem was knighted by the king and given a Coat-of-Arms and a Crest. This Coat-of-Arms and Crest consists of a shield crossed by wavy bars of azure and gold, emblazoned with a Crescent and surmounted with a Crest, a demi sea horse, arising out of the Crescent. The wavy bars of azure and gold and the sea horse represent the sea or calling of the family. The crescent represents the part taken in the Crusade.
Seaman Family
Arms—Barry wavy of six argent and azure, a crescent or.
Crest—A demi-sea-horse salient argent.
Motto—Spectemur agendo (Let us be judged by our actions).
— 1928, The Seaman family in America as descended from Captain John Seaman of Hempstead, Long Island by Mary Thomas Seaman, frontispiece, ancestry.com. View largest available size.
Barry wavy, i.e., composed waved bars or wavey lines Guillim says “They may put us in mind that as in a tempestuous storm, one wave succeeds high above the other in immediate succession, so God has ordained one trouble should succeed another, to keep his chosen in continual exercise, and that His faithful may have manifold experience of His great providence, and Fatherly care in preserving them in all their troubles, giving them a comfortable event, and happy end in all their afflictions.”
In the New Haven Records of 1646 we find that Captain John Seaman (later of Hempstead, Long Island) bore arms with a demi-seahorse for crest.
The Seaman Families coming directly from England included three distinct lines...And those who came from Essex, Old England, to New England, moved through Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York to Long Island, where they settled at Hempstead, and from there spread through almost all regions of what is not the United States of America, and into Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. "Three brothers came over, one went back, and two remained." Of these two who remained one was Captain John Seaman, the pioneer settled on Long Island.
The Progenitor of the Seaman Family on Long Island:
1. Captain John Seaman, was born in Essex, England, between 1603 and 1610, came to America in 1630 with the Winthrop fleet of ten vessels, nine hundred immigrants, and died early in 1695 in Hempstead, Long Island. His will is dated August 5, 1694, and was proved March 20, 1695.
In 1631 and 1632, John Seaman, Thomas Moore, William Cooper, John Underhill and others were co-operating with Captain John Mason, John Winthrop and Sir Richard Saltoustall, in the efforts to effect settlements in New Hampshire and these colonizations efforts not being successful, we next find all of these, a little later on, in Connecticut and Long Island.
They were not Pilgrims, but were a Puritanic section still adhering to the Church of England.
Captain John Seaman and others went from their first landing to Watertown, Massachusetts, which they left to escape the imposition of a tax, which the Massachusetts Bay Colony proposed to levy on all the settlers for the purpose of fortifying Newtown (now Cambridge). From Watertown they went to Wethersfield, Connecticut, where they stayed but a short time, having some dissensions concerning church matters. In 1636 John Seaman owned two acres of land at Wrights Island in Wethersfield.
In the Catalogue of Puritanic settlers of Connecticut we find it recorded: “John Seaman, one of the original purchasers of the town of Stamford, where he settled in 1641. It is supposed he moved from Wethersfield to Stamford.” The settlers at New Haven who had no charter has purchased property in various places, among them being what is now called Stamford, Connecticut, and an arrangement was then made with these discontented settlers of Wethersfield and the settlement at New Haven, by which the Colony from Wethersfield obtained right to settle Stamford, then called Rippowam. The list of these settlers included the name of John Seaman, the purchase price being on hundred bushels of corn, and John Seaman obtained six acres.
“From Roxbury, Massachusetts, he (John Carman) went to Wethersfield, Connecticut, and thence in company with John Seaman whose ancestors were also burned at the stake in England.”
John Seaman owned land in Salem, Mass., in 1643.
In 1646 John Seaman and his brother Caleb are recorded in New Haven, Conn. At this period came the Pequod Indian War, and Captain John Mason was given chief command (as Major) of the Connecticut Troops. To John Seaman he gave command of one of the Companies and John Strickland (who later became his father-in-law) was lieutenant of John Seaman’s company. Hence John Seaman’s title of Captain. The histories of the day record “John Seaman, later of Hempstead, Long Island, bore arms with demi-seahorse for crest.” Another record states that on October 6, 1646, Caleb Seaman was fined 10 shillings for not carrying arms, and on November 3, 1646, “Caleb Seaman desired his fine might be remitted for defect of arms, he going shortly for England. Upon his request it was remitted provided he goe [sic] for England.”
Captain John Seaman was one of the sixty-two original signers (in Connecticut) of the Hempstead compact of land, and in 1647 we find him settled in Hempstead, Long Island, where he became one of the most prominent men for half a century “and had left such a host of descendants as to be remarkable, genealogically.
The Town Records of Hempstead, Long Island, state:
“It seems probable that in the previous year Captain John Seaman coming from the eastern end of the island, had settled land adjoining what was subsequently the eastern boundary of the Hempstead Purchase, and had secured title to a tract com prising more than twelve thousand acres, which, in 1685, under the Dongan patent, became part of the town of Hempstead.”
From that time on we find his name in many pages of history, recording a life of ceaseless activity in the establishment of this section of America.
“Once he signed an agreement or pledged his faith he never disclaimed his share of it.”
Note that George Mills, the Mills family progenitor in America was also associated with the early history of Hempstead:
No. 1:–GEORGE MILLS, the progenitor of this family of Mills in America, was born in 16[??] in a parish in England, the name of which has not been recovered in this essay, and he came over in or before 1631-1632 (in which year his son Samuel Mills was born in this Country…) George Mills appears first in contemporary records, as a resident of the town of Hempstead, Long Island, in 1656, a town which had been settled in 1644 by some thirty or forty families from Stamford, Connecticut. Evidently, he had joined this settlement between those two years, but coming from what previous place, supposedly in New England, searches made for this account have not discovered. …
— 01 May 1939, A Documentary history of the family of Mills : descended from George Mills of Hempstead and Jamaica by Lewis D. Cook, p1, familysearch.org. View largest available size.
It is clear, from the document dated “November ye 25th 1656”, quoted on page 2 hereof, that GEORGE MILLS was one of the seventeen residents of Hempstead, L.I., who before February 18th. of that year had purchased from the Indians the tract adjacent to be named Jamaica, and later, on “the 10th. of March 1656”, petitioned Governor Pieter Stuyvesant at New Amsterdam for his confirmation to them of this purchase.*
— 01 May 1939, A Documentary history of the family of Mills : descended from George Mills of Hempstead and Jamaica by Lewis D. Cook, p1, familysearch.org. View largest available size.
The Town Records of Hempstead mentioned above, contains the following note on the documentation of the early history of Hempstead:
The earlier volume of records, covering the first ten years of the town’s history, and comprising the entries for the years 1643 to 1653, is unfortunately lost. It was in existence as recently as twenty years ago, and is mentioned by Onderdonk as “The Mouse Eaten Book.”
In 1665 [John Seaman] became Captain of Queens County Troop of Province of New York. October 2, 1665, Captain John Seaman served on a Grand Jury at Hempstead in a charge of witchcraft, "but–let it be recorded to the credit of John Seaman–the accused was not convicted."
Other Research Notes
When the Mills arrived in Mott’s Corners, there was a family with the name Seaman living very close by–if I understand the census entries correctly–in the general vicinity of the upper bridge over Six Mile Creek, where Lounsbery Road begins presently.
—In the death of Jacob Seaman which occurred recently at Brookton, tho town of Caroline loses one of its oldest and most highly esteemed residents. The deceased leaves a wife and one son, Luther W., formerly of this city, but now engaged in the wholesale produce business in Philadelphia.
— 10 Aug 1892, Ithaca Daily Journal, Ithaca NY, p3, nyshistoricnewspapers.org. View largest available size.
Jacob W. Seaman (10 Jul 1826 to 05 Aug 1892), who married Julia A. (Darling) Seaman (unknown to unknown), appears to be descended from an unrelated Seaman family that established themselves in Pennsylvania, beginning with the immigration of “The Founder, Johann Ludwig Seaman”.
Under the head, “List of Foreigners imported in the ship Patience and Margaret from Rotterdam, October 25, 1748, John Govan Captain,” there occurs the name of “Johann Ludwig Seaman, aged 26 years.” It is written in German. From this brief record we learn several important facts respecting our founder. He sailed from Rotterdam, Holland. This was the seaport from which those from the valley of the Rhine or from Switzerland embarked for America. Enterprising Englishmen had thus early established a line of ships, plying between Rotterdam and Philadelphia, which did a flourishing business in the transportation of immigrants.
– 1911, History of the Seaman Family in Pennsylvania with Genealogical Tables by the Rev. George S. Seaman, A.M., p42, familysearch.org.