Ezra Ayres Carman – Brigadier General, United States Army

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Biography And Photo Courtesy of the Carman Family Website:

Ezra Ayres Carman was Lieutenant Colonel of the 7th Regiment of New Jersey Volunteers during the Civil War.  He volunteered at Newark, New Jersey on 3 September 1861, and was honorably discharged at Newark on 8 July 1862 (This discharge was to accommodate his taking command of another Regiment ).  He was wounded in the line of duty at Williamsburg, Virginia on 5 May 1862 by a gunshot wound to his right arm in action.  He also served as Colonel of the 13th Regiment of New Jersey Volunteers from 5 August 1862 to 5 June 1865. He was later promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.

“Carman, Ezra Ayres. NJ. NJ. Lt. Col. 7 NJ Inf. 19 Sept 1861; Col. 13 NJ inf. 8 July 1862; bvt brig gen vols. 13 Mar 1865 for gal and mer ser dur the war; hon must out 8 June 1865” – Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States.

“A Historical address on the Carman Family by General Ezra Ayers Carman of the Agricultural Department, Washington, DC, was the principle oration. The gentleman is a pleasant easy speaker”, says the newspaper account, “and also knows how to tell a joke. He was heartily applauded throughout his remarks….” – The Carman Family Reunion of 1881, published in the Long Island Forum, August 1981, Charles Pearsall Carman.

As noted above, he was an active member of the ‘Carman Association’ and key-note speaker for the reunion held in Hempstead.  He was actively writing a genealogical book of his own on the Carman Family, which was never completed.  He sent many letters out across the County (and to Canada) requesting information and Family Group Sheets to be filled out.  Many responded, and his vast bank of information was borrowed on more than one occasion by William Stillwell Carman in preparing his manuscripts.  Ezra’s genealogical work documentation is unparalleled by any one else in the Carman family.

Ezra Ayes Carman was Chief Clerk of the United States Department of Agriculture from 1877 to 1885 (during which time he mailed out most of his genealogical letters on Government stationary – probably one reason most people responded to him!. He served on the Anteitam Battlefield Board from 1894 to 1898 and he is acknowledged as probably the leading authority on that battle .  In 1905 he was appointed chairman of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Commission.

General Carman was living with his son, L.D. Carman, at 1351 Q Street NW, Washington DC, at the time of his death. His son was a medical examiner in the U.S. Pension Bureau and signed his death certificate. Ezra Ayres Carman died of Pneumonia. His wife, Ada, was living in Los Angeles at the time taking care of her blind brother.

General Ezra Ayres Carman is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Nat Arch Cert. No. 695625 for pensioner Ada S., widow of Ezra A. Carman

Declaration for Original Invalid Pension: State of New Jersey, Hudson Co. On this 22nd day of April 1875, appeared Ezra A. Carman, a resident of Jersey City in the state of New Jersey, aged 41 years, declares he was a Lieutenant Colonel of the 7th Regt of New Jersey Volunteers. That he volunteered at Newark, on or about the 3rd day of September 1861, and was honorably discharged at Newark on the 8th day of July 1862.

(Note: this must have been a discharge to take command of the other Regt., as later info indicates.)

While in service in the line of his duty at Williamsburg, VA, on 5th of May 1862, he received gunshot wound of right arm in action. And further that subsequent to his discharge from the service in which his disability occurred, he served as  Colonel 13th Regt NJ Vols. from August 5, 1862 to June 5, 1865, and that he has not otherwise been in the military.  Document is witnessed by William A. Brown and Robert McCague, Jr., residents of Hudson County, NJ.  Affidavit 4 Aug 1880, from John J. H. Love, MD, Surgeon of the 13th Regt NJ Vol. from the time of its
muster on 25 Aug 1862 until his discharge on 3 Jan 1864. Says that he knew Ezra, saw him daily, and Ezra was not suffering any loss of hearing. During his time, the regiment was in campaigns in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Dr. Love was at time of deposition a resident in Montclair, Essex Co., NJ. Affidavit from George H. Farrier, a merchant in Jersey City, Hudson Co., NJ: 13 Nov 1880 Says that he has known Ezra A. Carman since 1870, saw him daily, and has always known him to be partially deaf.

(Note: Ezra A. Carman’s original pension certificate No. 141349; but the file is under the widow’s pension.)

Transcript of Ezra Carman’s death certificate from Washington DC.

He died 25 Dec 1909, aged 75 years, 9 months, and 27 days. His occupation at time of death was: Chairman, Chickamauga Park Commission. Birthplace of deceased: Middlesex Co., NJ (same shown as birthplace of Father and Mother) Duration of residence in DC: 32 years Place of Death: 1351 Q St. NW (Note: his son’s address. His son, L. D., was an MD and signed his father’s death certificate.)
Cause of death: Pneumonia Buried: Arlington Cemetery, 29 Dec 1909.

A typewritten letter from L. D. Carman (quoted in full):

“In pension claim of Ada S. Carman as widow of Ezra A. Carman, Lieut. Col. 7th NJ Vol. Inf., and Col. 13th NJ Vol. Inf.:
L. D. Carman, being duly sworn deposes and says that he is 49 years of age and is the identical Louis Dale Carman named in family record here with as born Sept 5, 1860, that he is a medical examiner in the Bureau of Pensions and that his address in 1351 Q St. N. W., Washington, D. C. That the attached exhibits A., B., and C. are true copies of part of the family record running back several hundred years, now in the possession of affiant and the originals were compiled by the said Ezra A. Carman about 1872.  That his father, the said Ezra A. Carman, according to family history, met his first wife, Louisa Salmon, while a student at the Western Military Institute, Drennon Springs, Ky. This fact is related to account for his marriages in Kentucky and Indiana, states of which he never was a legal resident. That affiant has always understood that the said Louisa Salmon, after whom he was named, died in childbed seven days after the birth of his half-brother John. That affiant saw her grave in 1883 when he attended the funeral of his grandfather, John Salmon at Jeffersonville, Ind. And there is no public record of her death and no
cemetery record. Affiant’s father, the said Ezra A. Carman and his wife, Ada Salmon, affiant’s mother always lived in amicable relations and were never legally separated. But at the date of the last illness of the said Ezra A. Carman, affiant’s mother was in Los Angeles, Cal, assisting in the care of affiant’s brother, Francis J., who became totally blind in 1906 and who then was and is now in business in Los Angeles, and this great family sorrow and affliction was the reason for her absence from Washington. When telegraphed of the serious illness of the said Ezra A. Carman, tho not in good health herself, she immediately started for Washington and was present at the funeral.  That affiant has no financial interest in this claim as the claimant is not dependent upon him for support.” Signed: L. D. Carman, 20 Jan 1910

EXHIBIT A (mentioned in the letter from L. D. Carman)

Family Record – CARMAN
Melancthon Freeman CARMAN, 10th child of Phineas CARMAN and Huldah AYERS.
Born 1 Feb 1807 at New Brunswick, NJ
Married 10 April 1833 by Rev. H. W. Hune at Metuchen, NJ to Ann Maria AYERS, daughter of Ezra
AYERS and Jane LOTT
Children:
Ezra Ayers Carman, b. 27 Feb 1834, m. (1) Louisa SALMON, 20 Aug 1856, m. (2) Ada SALMON, 22
Nov 1859
Charles Bloomfield Carman, b. 28 Feb 1836
Sarah Theresa Carman, b. 10 Mar 1839, m. Thorne P. SHERWOOD, 10 Nov 1863
James Lebbeus Carman, b. 20 Nov 1841, m. Florence DICKINSON
Henry Clay Carman, b. 4 Sep 1844, m. Augusta WOODRUFF
Theodore Frelighuysen Carman, b. 4 Sep 1844 (twins), m. Louisa OSBORN George Ellis Carman, b. 31
Aug 1849
William Carman, b. 31 Aug 1849 (another set of twins), m. Mary BRYSON

EXHIBIT B:
Family Record – CARMAN
Eyra Ayers CARMAN, eldest child of Melancthon F. CARMAN and Ann Maria AYERS Born near Oak
Tree, Middlesex County NJ, 27 Feb 1834
Married (1) Louisa SALMON at Cave House, Hart County, KY, 20 Aug 1856 Their only child: John
CARMAN, b. at Jeffersonville, Ind., 5 Aug 1857, and died at Newark, NJ of scarlet fever 15 Jan 1860, and was buried at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery at Newark, NJ, 17 Jan 1860
Louisa Salmon, eldest daughter of John SALMON and Wilhemina NEEF, was born at Louisville, KY, 6 Nov 1828, married 20 Aug 1856,k and died at Jeffersonville, Ind. 12 Aug 1857, and is buried there.
Married (2) Ada SALMON, youngest daughter of John SALMON and Wilhemina NEEF.
She was born at New Harmony, Ind, 1 Nov 1839, and married at Jeffersonville, Ind. by Rev. James Runcie, 22 Nov 1859.
Children:
Louis Dale Carman, MD, b. 5 Sep 1860, Newark, NJ
Ada Carman, b. 31 Aug, 1863, Newark, NJ
Ezra Carman, b. 16 June 1866, Newark, NJ, d. 11 June 1867
Francis J. Carman, b. 20 June 1868, Bergen, NJ
John S. Carman, b. 19 July 1870, Bergen, NJ

EXHIBIT C:

Family Record – SALMON
John SALMON, third child of John SALMON and Elizabeth Ann BORRETT, born in parish Bishopgate, London, 24 Jan 1797 Baptized at St. Botolphs, Bishopgate, 30 April 1797 Came to America April 1818
Married Wilhemina NEEF at Cincinnati, OH, Nov 1827
Children:
Louisa Salmon, b. 6 Nov 1828, KY, m. Ezra A. CARMAN, 20 Aug 1856, d. 12 Aug 1857 Josephine Salmon, b. 6 Apr 1832, Ind., m. Stapleton DENSFORD
Julia Salmon, b. 10 Aug 1835, New Harmony, Ind., m. James G. CALDWELL Ada Salmon, b. 1 Nov 1839, New Harmony, Ind. m. Ezra A. CARMAN, 22 Nov 1859

Lastly, a note that Ada S. Carman was dropped from the pension rolls due to death on 22 July 1916. Her address at that time was 903 Grattan St., Los Angeles, CA

GENERAL EZRA AYRES CARMAN

WASHINGTON, December 25, 1909 – General Ezra Ayres Carman, since 1905 Chairman of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga Park Commission and previously a member of the Antietam Battlefield Board, died at his home here today, aged 75.  He served throughout the Civil War, being made at its close a brevet Brigadier General.

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