Captain John Seaman1,2,3,4
M, b. 4 August 1615, d. before 20 March 1695
| Father | John Seaman b. c 1593 |
| Mother | Anne Hicks |
John was born on Tuesday, 4 August 1615 in County Essex, England. From oral tradition, it has been told that John was serving an apprenticeship under a carpenter when his master decided to emigrate to America. He was given the choice of going back to live with his father & stepmother or continuing his apprenticeship in America. An apprenticeship usually lasted about seven years. Accordinly, John chose to come to America. In April 1630, John left from London aboard one of the ten vessels of the Winthrop fleet, bounded for New England. There were nine hundred passengers aboard. They arrived at the Boston Harbor in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.. John eventually became one of the sixty-two original signers of the Hempstead compact of land where he became an influencial and effective leader in the new settlement. By 1686, John was a Quaker. John married Elizabeth (?) circa 1644 in Charlestown, Washington County, Rhode Island. John's wife, Elizabeth, died before 1655 in Town of Hempstead, Long Island, New Netherlands, leaving him a widower. John married Martha Moore, daughter of Thomas Moore and Martha Yonges, circa 1655 in Town of Hempstead, Long Island, New Netherlands. John made his will on 5 August 1694 at the Town of Hempstead, Queens County, Long Island, New York.
In the name of God, Amen. I, John Seaman the elder, of Hempstead, in Queens County, upon Long Island, alias Nassau, being weake and infirm in body, and knowing that it appertaineth to every man to set in order all worldly concerns, so yt after decease no suite, trouble, or calamity may ensue. And being well advised with the great and weighty work I am now about, do make and declare this my last will and testament. I leave to my oldest son John a certain lot of 22 acres, of which he is now in possession, and where he now lives; also another lot of 20 acres of meadow upon the neck called the Great Neck, being astward and within the bounds of said town of Hempstead. I leave to my 5 sons Jonathan, Benjamin, Solomon, Thomas and Samuel, 400 acres of land according to a Patent, granted by Governor Richard Nicolls, lying at a place commonly known and called by the name of Jerusalem, within the bounds of Hempstead, to be equally divided between them. Also a certain neck of meadow lying eastward from said town of Hempstead called in ye Indian tongue Ruskatux Neck. Bounded east by the Oyster Bay line, and upon Hempstead west, and to be equally divided. I leave to my 3 sons, John, Nathaniel, and Richard, the remainder of my meadow, whereof one half is already confirmed to my son in law, Nathaniel Pearsall, with four or five acres of upland for his convenience of yardidge, for wintering his cattle. Which said meadow is situate upon a neck called by the name of the Half Neck, or in the Indian tongue Muskachim. I leave to my eight sons, John, Jonathan, Benjamin, Solomon, Thomas, Samuel, Nathaniel and Richard, all the upland lying and situate upon Ruskatux Neck, as also upon the neck called Half Neck, except the four or five acres confirmed to my son in law, Nathaniel Pearsall. I leave to my sons Nathaniel, and Richard, my lot of meadow at a neck called Stricklands Neck, as also a parcel of meadow lying upon New Bridge Neck. I also give them 150 acres of upland situated and lying at a place commonly called Success, by virtue of an order from the Town. Also a certain parcel of land, being 316 acres, lying at or near the Harbor head, so called, being already confirmed to my said two sons by deed of gift. I give all my rights in the undivided lands in Hempstead to my 8 sons. I leave to my wife Martha a certain house lot adjoining to the land of James Pine, being three acres, during her life, and then to my two sons, Nathaniel and Richard. I also leave them the remainder of my house lots, and the pasture and the field at the eastward of the town called the Holly. I leave to my wife Martha one half of the dwelling house for life and then to my son Richard, and the other half to my son Nathaniel. I leave to my wife one third of the movables, and to my two sons Nathaniel and Richard the other two thirds. I leave to my daughter Mary Pearsall two cows. I leave to my wife six acres of meadow at the Hay Bridge during her life and then to my sons Richard and Nathaniel. I leave two thirds of my remaining live stocks to my five daughters, Mary Pearsall, Hannah Carman, Martha Pearsall, Sarah Mott, and Deborah Kirk, and to my daughter Elizabeth Jackson 20 shillings. I leave to my sons Richard and Nathaniel all my armes except my large gun, which shall be for the use of all my sons. Makes wife Martha and sons Benjamin and Thomas executors, and "my friends Thomas Powell and John Townsend, Sr., overseers." Dated August 5, 1694. Witnesses, John Smith, John Carle, George Fowler.5
John departed this life before 20 March 1695 in Hempstead Town, Queens County, Long Island, New York. His will was probated on 20 March 1695. Benjamin Fletcher was Governor, etc. To all to whom these may come. Know ye that at New York the 20 of March, 1694/5, the last will of John Seaman was proved and his sons Benjamin and Thomas were confirmed as executors.
In the name of God, Amen. I, John Seaman the elder, of Hempstead, in Queens County, upon Long Island, alias Nassau, being weake and infirm in body, and knowing that it appertaineth to every man to set in order all worldly concerns, so yt after decease no suite, trouble, or calamity may ensue. And being well advised with the great and weighty work I am now about, do make and declare this my last will and testament. I leave to my oldest son John a certain lot of 22 acres, of which he is now in possession, and where he now lives; also another lot of 20 acres of meadow upon the neck called the Great Neck, being astward and within the bounds of said town of Hempstead. I leave to my 5 sons Jonathan, Benjamin, Solomon, Thomas and Samuel, 400 acres of land according to a Patent, granted by Governor Richard Nicolls, lying at a place commonly known and called by the name of Jerusalem, within the bounds of Hempstead, to be equally divided between them. Also a certain neck of meadow lying eastward from said town of Hempstead called in ye Indian tongue Ruskatux Neck. Bounded east by the Oyster Bay line, and upon Hempstead west, and to be equally divided. I leave to my 3 sons, John, Nathaniel, and Richard, the remainder of my meadow, whereof one half is already confirmed to my son in law, Nathaniel Pearsall, with four or five acres of upland for his convenience of yardidge, for wintering his cattle. Which said meadow is situate upon a neck called by the name of the Half Neck, or in the Indian tongue Muskachim. I leave to my eight sons, John, Jonathan, Benjamin, Solomon, Thomas, Samuel, Nathaniel and Richard, all the upland lying and situate upon Ruskatux Neck, as also upon the neck called Half Neck, except the four or five acres confirmed to my son in law, Nathaniel Pearsall. I leave to my sons Nathaniel, and Richard, my lot of meadow at a neck called Stricklands Neck, as also a parcel of meadow lying upon New Bridge Neck. I also give them 150 acres of upland situated and lying at a place commonly called Success, by virtue of an order from the Town. Also a certain parcel of land, being 316 acres, lying at or near the Harbor head, so called, being already confirmed to my said two sons by deed of gift. I give all my rights in the undivided lands in Hempstead to my 8 sons. I leave to my wife Martha a certain house lot adjoining to the land of James Pine, being three acres, during her life, and then to my two sons, Nathaniel and Richard. I also leave them the remainder of my house lots, and the pasture and the field at the eastward of the town called the Holly. I leave to my wife Martha one half of the dwelling house for life and then to my son Richard, and the other half to my son Nathaniel. I leave to my wife one third of the movables, and to my two sons Nathaniel and Richard the other two thirds. I leave to my daughter Mary Pearsall two cows. I leave to my wife six acres of meadow at the Hay Bridge during her life and then to my sons Richard and Nathaniel. I leave two thirds of my remaining live stocks to my five daughters, Mary Pearsall, Hannah Carman, Martha Pearsall, Sarah Mott, and Deborah Kirk, and to my daughter Elizabeth Jackson 20 shillings. I leave to my sons Richard and Nathaniel all my armes except my large gun, which shall be for the use of all my sons. Makes wife Martha and sons Benjamin and Thomas executors, and "my friends Thomas Powell and John Townsend, Sr., overseers." Dated August 5, 1694. Witnesses, John Smith, John Carle, George Fowler.5
John departed this life before 20 March 1695 in Hempstead Town, Queens County, Long Island, New York. His will was probated on 20 March 1695. Benjamin Fletcher was Governor, etc. To all to whom these may come. Know ye that at New York the 20 of March, 1694/5, the last will of John Seaman was proved and his sons Benjamin and Thomas were confirmed as executors.
Family 1 | Elizabeth (?) d. b 1655 |
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Family 2 | Martha Moore b. b 21 Oct 1639, d. a 31 Aug 1698 |
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Citations
- [S117] Mary Thomas Seaman, The Seaman Family of America, pages 21-30.
- [S7] Esq., of Washington, D.C. Herbert F. Smith, John Strickland of Long Island and His Sons-In-Law.
- [S5] Charles B. Moore, The Genealogical & Biographical Sketch of Capt. John Seaman, of Hempstead, L.I.
- [S33] Mrs. Mary Powell [Seaman] Bunker, Long Island Genealogies. Families of Albertson, Andrews, Bedell, Birdsall, ... Willets, Williams, Willis, Wright, & other families. Being kindred descendants of Thomas Powell of Bethpage, L.I., 1688, page 134.
- [S30] New York Historical Society, Collections of the New York Historical Society Abstract of Wills, page 249.