THE CARMAN LETTERS

The Carman letters come from the descendants of John-1. The actual line: Thomas-7, Thomas-6,John-5, Caleb-4, James-3,Caleb-2, John-1.

LETTER FAMILY TREE

Only the names of those writing letters are given in this extremely abbreviated family tree. They are highlighted in red to make their identities clearer.

FIRST GENERATION

Thomas (1829-1899) m. Phebe Pruden (1837-1897)

SECOND GENERATION

Albert (1861-1946)m.Maude Straight

Elizabeth (1863-1964)

Frank(1867-1894)

Emma(1873-1968)

Charles Ford (1876-1952)m Florence Dice (1882-1958)

There are 189 Carman letters.

The Reverend Thomas C. Carman was the patriarch of the family.

During his 48 years ministry, he served 24 congregations, it then being the custom in the Methodist Church for a minister to change every two years. He married Phebe Pruden in 1860 and had five children.

This picture was taken when he was a young man, probably in his twenties.

57 letters 1857-1891

• 1857 (2) Palisades, N.J.1859 Mullica Hill, N.J.( 20)-These are the courtship letters Thomas wrote to Phebe-they reveal the concept of Victorian romance as one of respect and affection- the highest and noblest kind of friendship. As Thomas says "I pen a few lines expressive of the high regard and pure love I have for you"-A few are more passionate.
  1860(8)Mullica Hill, N.J. the last of the courtship letters
  1863(1) Gloucester City, N.J. To Emma about the birth of his new baby Elizabeth the day before
  1864(9)Gloucester City, N.J. to Phebe, visiting in Rockaway. References to the Civil War, how the price for substitutes has gone up so much that he will have to go into the army
  1869(1)Windsor, N.J. business letter to his nephew Charles
  1882(6)
  1883(7) Manasquan. N.J.
  1886(4) Vincentown, N.J. letters to his son Albert who was first an undergraduate and then an instructor at Princeton.
  1890-1891 May's Landing, N.J. (4 letters)business letters regarding wills of Sarah Iliff and Elizabeth Kitchel

• See OTHERS for letters to Thomas from Dallas, Day, Denys, Flanagan,
  Honeyman, Meserwell, Sherwin, Sullivan. Many of these are about church matters.

Phebe Pruden Carman, his wife. 25 letters 1858-1894

• 1857 (1) to Aunt Mary, very faint writing
  1858(2)Rockaway, N.J. to sister Emma, Cousin Annie
  1859(5) Rockaway, N.J.)one to Emma, four courtship letters to Thomas 1864(1)Gloucester City, N.J. to Emma,references to Civil War and children"Bertie {aged 3} grows and we think improves... . He amuses himself by the hour with his drum and flag and sings "Wally round the fag, boys"
  1868(2)Windsor, N.J. to mother,children, home life,
  1881-1888(5)Manasquam,N.J. 1886-1887(4) Penns Grove, N.J. -all letters to her son Albert who was first a student ,then an instructor at Princeton
  1894(1) Florence,N.J., to Aunt Mary, about the untimely death of son Frank-one of the most poignant in the correspondence.

• See OTHERS for letters to Phebe from her many friends :Amanda (no last name), Burd ( cousin) Crowell, Doland(cousin) Cousin Annie, Cousin Hannah, Knight,Mott, Powers, Sherwin, Smith, White.

Albert Carman, their eldest son, Germany, 74 letters. 1887-1896.Most are written to his parents.
1887(22)1888(16)1889(5)1895(22)1896(7) All of these letters are written from Germany where Albert went to study at the University of Berlin. They give a vivid picture of student life-the pensions, fellow students,amusements, as well as the militarism of German society."Here in Berlin soldiers are everywhere. They stand around as sentinels at various points. They march in squads this way and that way. They brush against you in the street. Their barracks and armories occupy whole blocks. In the parks there are statues of soldiers. In fact, the air is oppressive ".

• 1891-Lafayette, Indiana one letter to his mother. Albert was teaching at Purdue University;the letter tells of his arrival.

• 1897 Champagne,Illinois ,one letter to Aunt Emily Slater. Albert thanks for her letter of sympathy- his mother had died in February, 1897.

See OTHERS for letter to Albert from Sanford, a graduate student whom he knew in Berlin.

Elizabeth Carman,daughter, Manasquan, Vincentown, Moorestown, N.J. 13 letters.1881-1887

• Elizabeth is writing to her brother at Princeton. Her letters to him are long and lively, full of news. She shows a sense of fun and humor. She and Albert were only two years apart in age and obviously had a close relationship.

Emma Carman, daughter, Manasquan, Vincentown, Pennsgrove,N.J. Six letters, 1886-1887

• Emma is only 13 when she writes these letters to her big brother at Princeton. They show her as a bright and active child, observant of the life around her.

Frank ,son, Manasquan, Hacketstown, Vincent town, Asbury Park, Pennsgrove, Philadelphia, 9 letters 1883-1894. Most of the letters are written to his brother, Albert.

• 1883-1885 6 letters from boarding school,Centenary Collegiate Institute, 1886-87 2 letters-details of travel. Frank subsequently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Medical College and received his M.D. He was an intern at Municipal Hospital when in November, 1894 ,he wrote to his sister.Two weeks later he was dead. He had contracted diptheria from one of his patients. He was only 27.

• See OTHERS for letter to Frank from Litchfield, medical student friend.

Charles Ford ,son, Vincentown, N.J. Bethlehem, PA, 2 letters 1886,1897

• 1886(1) Charles Ford is 10 years old writing to his big brother at Princeton.1897 (2)) Charles is at Lehigh College. This is a poignant letter showing anxiety about his mother who was seriously ill.

Charles ,nephew of Thomas Carman,Woodbury,N.J.,one letter 1870arles Carman ,ne

• This is a business letter about sale of property.

Henrietta Carman Pilling sister of Thomas Carman, Philadelphia, Pa, two letters 1849

• These are the happy letters of a newlywed, describing life in a Philadelphia boarding house where she and her new husband are living.

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