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- [S15] Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. 1880 U.S. Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sai, NA Film Number T9-0934 Page Number 94A.
- [S49] Long Island Advance (Long Island Advance, 20 Medford Ave, Patchogue, NY), 22 Sep 1960, p. 1.
Eugene Carman's been cutting up lately — two parties and four big cakes.
They were all in observance of the ninetieth birthday of this well-know, well-loved Patchogue man.
He was born at South Haven September 13, 1870, and was less than a year old when The Patchogue Advance was founded September 1, 1871. The Advance has been his favorite community newspaper ever since he learned to read.
Mr. Carman resides with his wife Ada, at 45 Rose Avenue. It was from this home that Mr. Carman "commuted" daily for many years by bicycle to McBride's Drug Store at Patchogue's Four Corners, his place of employment as a pharmacist for 56 years.
Mr. Carman is the son of Robert Carman of South Haven, a farmer who also raised cattle and horses. As a youngster, he was particularly attracted to the horses, and had the early ambition to become a jockey. But his father would hear of none of that!
Young Mr. Carman was a devout member of the Brookhaven-South Haven Presbyterian Church, having started as a lad in Sunday School. He often fished in Carman's River nearby, which was named after his great-grandfather, Samuel, the first settler in the South Haven section of Brookhaven Town. Old records show that Daniel Webster, too, used to spend his leisure time fishing in Carman's River.
After serving an apprenticeship in the pharmacies of Arthur G. Howell of Center of Center Moriches and Frank P. Barber of East hampton, Mr. Carman took a position in the Corner Drug Store, Patchogue, operated by Nelson McBride, in 1888. He received his formal education at Columbia University, where he graduated from the College of Pharmacy.
On Mr. Carman's fiftieth anniversary with McBrides, it was estimated that he had made up the major portion of prescriptions at the drugstore, which numbered at the time 531,869 since its opening. Even then, he was pedaling his bike to work.
Mrs. Carman is no less well-known and well-loved than her husband. The former Ada Margaret Stron, she is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs William H. Strong of Remsenburg. She and Mr. Carman were married in the Remsenburg Presbyterian Church by the Rev. W. S. C. Webster, pastor.
On moving to Patchogue, she joined the Congregational Church of Patchogue. Mrs. Carman, by the way, is one of the oldest members of that church, having joined it more than 65 years ago.
While Mr. Carman engaged in the filling of prescriptions at McBride's and serving for more than 50 years with the Patchogue Fire Department's Euclid Hose Company, Mrs. Carman was no less active. She is past president of the Patchogue Sorosis and enjoyed taking part in many community events.
The parties last week were given by Mr. and Mrs. William Dow and Mr. and Mrs. Hampton Rogers, both of Smithtown. They are relatives of Mrs. Carman.
Aside from the four big cakes, the parties were highlighted by the presentation of a huge basket of fruit, a gift of the Prudential Board of the Congregational Church of Patchogue.
In looking back on his many years of residency in Patchogue, Mr. Carman recalls the fine progress this village has made since the Four Corners section was little more than a country crossroad.
Had it not been for a fall two years ago, which resulted in a broken hip, Mr. Carman would still take great pleasure in walking down to the business district for a chat with long-time friends.
"I was told I'd never walk again after that fall," he said. "But look. I can get around pretty well." He arose from the easy chair where he now spends most of his time and, as Mrs. Carman beamed proudly at her man, he stepped with an easy, spry gait around the living room.
Who knows? Come Summertime, he'll most likely be walking into the village for those chats with his long-time friends again.
A man of fine bearing, as alert as the boy of 14 who was apprenticed those many years ago, Mr. Carman is of pioneer stock, a product of another era that had its early moulding in strong family ties, the church, education and plenty of good, hard work.
- [S15] Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. 1880 U.S. Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sai, Age 9. NA Film Number T9-0934 Page Number 94A.
- [S31] Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D., Census Place: Brookhaven, Suffolk, New York; Roll T623_1165; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 748.
- [S185] Samuel7, Samuel6, online [http://www.carman.net/samuel7,_samuel6.htm ], accessed 18 Oct 2005.
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1870 - Yes, date unknown
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