Seaman family papers
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The Seaman family papers (1752-1838) principally concern merchant John Seaman and Willet Seaman, though several other Seaman family members are also represented. The bulk of the collection consists of deeds and other documents concerning land transactions.
Biographical note
There are many branches of the Seaman family on Long Island and in the New York area extending back to the 1600s. One of the principal Seamans in this collection is a John Seaman, but it is not immediately clear which of many John Seamans this is. Other Seamans in the collection also have names in common with other Seamans. The researcher is directed to the library catalog to identify genealogical works that might help in this regard.
The collection itself was donated by the heirs of Mary Jackson Seaman Albert. According to the note accompanying the collection, Mary Albert was born in Brooklyn on January 8, 1815. She was the daughter of John Seaman and Mary M. Hicks, both of Brooklyn, at least later in their lives. The papers in the collection indicate that John was a merchant in New York City at least until about 1815.
Arrangement
The collection is organized with deeds and other land documents first, followed by correspondence and other document forms. The land documents are arranged by location.
The collection is no longer in its original order as presented by the donor. The material was originally presented in two "bundles" with documents numbered from 1 to 43. An inventory supplied by the donor listed the items and their relationship. Likely in the mid 2000s, the documents were re-arranged from their sequential order to the present arrangement. Nonetheless, the original sequential numbers are still noted on the documents themselves and in this finding aid. A copy of the original inventory is in the accession file.
Scope and Contents
The Seaman family papers (1752-1838) principally concern merchant John Seaman and Willet Seaman, though several other Seaman family members are also represented. The bulk of the collection consists of deeds and other documents concerning land transactions. Several of these deeds relate to land in North Hempstead, Long Island, acquired to establish a manufactory for woolen goods, circa 1816. Other legal documents related to this business are also in the collection, such as partnership agreements and an insurance policy. An indenture for an apprentice from the Overseers of the Poor of Brooklyn and an enslaved African American's bill of sale for John Seaman's purchase also relate to the manufactory, known as Seaman and Cock (the Cock referring to partners John Cock and Townsend Cock). Other land transactions concern Seaman properties or interests on Long Island, New York City, other New York State counties, and other states. Other documents include John Seaman's will, Seaman's conditions for the eventual manumission of the enslaved person he purchased, and correspondence from Willet Seaman supporting quarantine laws to prevent the spread of yellow fever.
Subjects
Families
Genres
Topics
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
The materials in this collection are in the public domain. While many items at the Center for Brooklyn History are unrestricted, we do not own reproduction rights to all materials. Be aware of the several kinds of rights that might apply: copyright, licensing and trademarks. The researcher assumes all responsibility for copyright questions.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Seaman family papers, 1974.005, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Grace Albert on behalf of the heirs of Mary Jackson Seaman Albert, September 1930.
Other Finding Aids
A copy of the item-level inventory provided by the collection donor is in the accession file and available to researchers upon request.
About this Guide
Processing Information
The collection was placed in its current arrangement likely in the mid-2000s. Descriptive information was entered to a collection management system, Archivists' Toolkit, and a finding aid prepared by Larry Weimer in March 2012.
Oppressive descriptive language was remediated from the subject terms, abstract, and scope and contents notes in this finding aid as part of an anti-racist descriptive language audit performed in January 2021. Folder titles were retained to maintain record of descriptive language of collection creators.
This collection was rehoused and the finding aid revised by Dee Bowers in 2024.
Revisions to this Guide
Repository
Series 1: Deeds
Sub-series 1.1: New York City
Item 4, April 1763
Scope and Contents
Deed of sale of land in Ferry Street "in Montgomery Ward" New York City by Thomas Franklin of that city to Willet Seaman of Hempstead.
Item 5, June 2, 1768
Scope and Contents
Deed of sale of land in Ferry Street "in Montgomery Ward" New York City, by John Burling to Obadiah Seaman.
Biographical note
Obadiah and Willet Seaman were brothers.
Source:
- Seaman, Mary T. "The Seaman Family in America," p. 64.
Item 6, May 10, 1784
Scope and Contents
Lease of land and buildings in Montgomery Ward, New York City (for one year) by Abraham Beekman, physician to Willet Seaman, merchant of New York City.
Item 7, May 11, 1784
Scope and Contents
Sale of land and buildings in Montgomery Ward by Abraham Beekman to Willet Seaman.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
This oversize item is written on parchment.
Sub-series 1.2: Long Island
Item 1, August 31, 1752
Scope and Contents
Deed of sale of land in Westbury, Long Island, by Nathaniel Seaman to his son Samuel Seaman.
Item 2, December 18, 1753
Scope and Contents
Deed of sale of land in Hempstead by Samuel Langdon Jr. of Rockway to Samuel Seaman "near Westbury."
Item 3, January 25, 1755
Scope and Contents
Deed of sale of land "on Hempstead plains and in the Marshes and Beaches on the south side of the necks within the pattent [sic] of Hempstead" by Jacob Seaman to Samuel Seaman, both of Oyster Bay.
Biographical note
Jacob and Samuel Seaman were brothers.
Source:
- Seaman, Mary T. "The Seaman Family in America," p. 43.
Item 35, October 15, 1812
Scope and Contents
Survey of tract of land at the head and on the west side of Hempstead Harbor by James Hegeman for Daniel Hoogland.
Item 34, October 21, 1812
Scope and Contents
Agreement about "premises [at the head and on the west of Hempstead Harbor] between John Cock and Townsend Cock on the first part and Daniel Hoogland on the second part. The Cock men had given Daniel Hoogland two promissory notes for this property, each note for $2875, which had been endorsed by J. & W. Seaman and Company.
Item 36, March 3, 1814
Scope and Contents
Deed from Daniel Hoogland and wife to John Seaman and others.
Item 37, March 5, 1814
Scope and Contents
Indenture from Daniel Hoogland and wife to John Seaman and others.
Sub-series 1.3: Greene County, NY
Item 15, March 10, 1804
Scope and Contents
Bond for land in Athens, Seth Hamilton to John Van Loon.
Item 16, September 17, 1814
Scope and Contents
Deed, Seth Hamilton to Benjamin R. Seaman. "Recorded in the clerk's office in the county of Greene in Liber E of Deeds, pp. 273-275. March 28, 1815."
Item 18, October 27, 1814
Scope and Contents
Articles of agreement between John Seaman and Valentine Seaman of the first part and Seth Hamilton of the county of Greene of the second part regarding the issue of a writ about a lot of land in Athens.
Item 17, December 30, 1814
Scope and Contents
Sheriff's deed for Seth Hamilton's place at Athens.
Sub-series 1.4: Washington County, NY
Item 19, April 28, 1803
Scope and Contents
Deed of sale of land in Queensbury, Washington County, New York by Enos Curtis to Edward Martindale of Lenox, Massachusetts.
Item 20, September 30, 1803
Scope and Contents
Edward Martindale, of Lenox. "Deed of Mill..." below Glen Falls [New York] to Henry C. Martindale.
Item 21, June 26, 1804
Scope and Contents
Deed of sale of Mill below Glen Falls by Edward Martindale to Henry C. Martindale.
Item 9: Columbia County, NY deed, January 21, 1799
Scope and Contents
Deed of sale of land by Elishama James and Betsey his wife, of Canaan, Columbia County, "merchant" to Caleb Jarrett of the same place.
Item 12: Rensselear County, NY deed, January 1798
Scope and Contents
Lucy Galpin of Lansingburgh to Robert Bowne, merchant of New York. Release to him of a lot of land in Lansingburgh.
Sub-series 1.5: Connecticut
Item 14, October 15, 1802
Scope and Contents
Willet Seaman and Sons. Deed to Michael Godwin, of New Hartford, Connecticut for "certain pieces or parcels of land in New Hartford."
Item 11, August 14, 1810
Scope and Contents
Release and quit claim (for land in Saugatuck, Fairfield County, Connecticut [first mortgaged to Willet Seaman and sons]) by Samuel Pearsall of Fairfield, administrator of the estate of John S. Pearsall of Fairfield, deceased.
Sub-series 1.6: Massachusetts
Item 8, June 22, 1791
Scope and Contents
Deed of sale of land and buildings in Lenox, Massachusetts by Amos Smith to Jabez Brown of Woodbury. This land and buildings finally came into the possession of Willet Seaman, July 2, 1799.
Item 10, 1807-1808, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Copy of the deed of sale of land by Willet Seaman, John Seaman, and Valentine Seaman, "all of New York City, merchants (executors of the estate of their father)" to Jeremiah Lawrence "of Washington, in the county of Berkshire" Massachusetts.
Item 13: Vermont deed, October 21, 1817
Scope and Contents
Deed for lands in Pawlet sold by Elijah Brown of Pawlet to John, Willet, and Benjamin Seaman.
Series 2: Other documents
Item 24: Pennsylvania survey map, circa 1790
Scope and Contents
Warrants and surveys of land in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Item 31: Willet Seaman letter, February 8, 1800
Scope and Contents
One letter from Willet Seaman to New York legislator Robert Sands in support of the enactment and enforcement of quarantine laws to prevent contagion from ship-borne yellow fever.
Item 32: Enslaved person bill of sale and conditional manumission agreement, 1815
Scope and Contents
Bill of sale for Robert, known as Bob, an enslaved African-American approximately 30 years of age, dated August 30. In a separate document, dated September 1, the purchaser, John Seaman of New York, agrees to manumit Robert in eight years, but sets out conditions that Robert must observe or else his term of enslavement will be extended. Robert did not sign the document, but it indicates that he has the original. A third document details the names and whereabouts of Robert's mother Sase in Albany and sister Mace in Poughkeepsie with the Livingston family.
Sub-series 2.1: Seaman Brothers Mercantile Firm correspondence
General
Correspondence to John Seaman from debtors and his agents concerning Seaman's attempts to collect monies due him. The Seaman brothers' mercantile firm was successor to Willet Seaman & Sons.
Item 22, February 21, 1814
Scope and Contents
Joseph Buidon at Champlain to John Seaman.
Item 23, November 26, 1810
Scope and Contents
Robert Underwood at "City of Washington" to John Seaman.
Item 25, June 25, 1814
Scope and Contents
John Underwood at Washington to John Seaman.
Item 26, June 1, 1816
Scope and Contents
George Buidon to John Seaman at 296 Pearl Street, New York City.
Item 27, March 23, 1821
Scope and Contents
Hubbard Bartlett at Lee, Massachusetts to John Seaman.
Item 28, June 11, 1821
Scope and Contents
John B. Rust at Pittsfield to John Seaman, Brooklyn.
Sub-series 2.2: Business Records
General
Includes a co-partnership agreement establishing Cocks Byrd and Co., a woolen goods manufactory at Hempstead Harbor in Queens County (now part of Nassau County); two agreements concerning the firm Seaman and Cock (possibly the later name of Cocks Byrd); and an insurance policy from Eagle Fire Company for Seaman and Cock.
Item 38, April 20, 1816
Scope and Contents
Articles of agreement and copartnership for carrying on a woolen factory at the head of Hempstead Harbor, which is to be carried on under the firm of Cock, Byrd, & Co. Signed by John Byrd, John and Townsend Cock, and John, Willet, and Benjamin R. Seaman.
Item 39, November 12, 1816
Scope and Contents
Agreement of C. Roe to "purchase for and on account of Seaman and Cocks a quantity of full blooded Marino wool."
Item 40, July 13, 1818
Scope and Contents
Quit claim - John and Townsend Cock and wife to John Seaman and others. Signed by John, Townsend, and Elizabeth Cock. Sealed and delivered in the presence of Willet Seaman.
Item 41, July 13, 1818
Scope and Contents
Indenture/deed. John and Townsend Cock and wife to John Seaman and others. Queens County clerk's office, Jamaica, June 16, 1819. Recorded the deed and the certificate of acknowledgement, Edward Parker, deputy clerk.
Item 42, March 23, 1816
Scope and Contents
Policy issued by the Eagle Fire Company of New York City insuring Seaman and Cocke, of the Town of North Hempstead, Queens County against loss and damage by fire to the amount of $10,000. For the woolen mill at the head of Hempstead Harbor.
Item 43, July 16, 1818
Scope and Contents
Terms of agreement dissolving the copartnership of the firm of Seaman and Cocks, woolen manufacturers. Signed by John, Willet, and Benjamin R. Seaman, and John and Townsend Cock.
Sub-series 2.3: Other legal documents
General
Includes an indenture by which the Overseers of the Poor of Brooklyn placed an eleven year old boy as an apprentice to John Seaman; a bond between John and Sidney Seaman with Amy Hicks; and John Seaman's will.
Item 29, May 1, 1827
Scope and Contents
Bond of John Seaman and Sidney Seaman to Avery Hicks.
Item 30, October 13, 1838
Scope and Contents
Will of John Seaman, Brooklyn.
Item 33, circa 1820
Scope and Contents
Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Brooklyn to John Seaman. Indenture of John Renwick, aged 11 years and five months for nine years and seven months. Expires February 22, 1829.
