The Salmon family of Long Island

William Salmon, my 9^th great grandfather, was born in Southwold, England in 1610.  On May 21, 1635 by warrant from the Earle of Carlisle he boarded the ship, Matahew of London, and departed London for St Christopher’s Island in the West Indies.  At the time William was 25 years old.  He was listed in “the original lists of Persons of Quality who went from Great Britain to the American Plantations.”

In 1636, William is recorded as a member of a group from Bermuda (referred to as the Summer Isles) that traveled to the Chowan Indian country of North Carolina.  During that expedition, Salmon met Matthew Sinderland, a mariner from Boston.  William Salmon joined Sinderland’s group and they all headed to Long Island.  

Both Matthew Sinderland and William Salmon decided to settle on Long Island. William Salmon acquired a lot in Southold where he built his first home and also a shop where he began operating a blacksmith business.  In 1642, Matthew Sinderland died intestate and childless, and soon thereafter in 1643 William Salmon married Matthew’s widow, Katherine Curtice Sinderland.  William moved to her homestead nearby at Hashamomuck, also on Long Island.

The Sinderland homestead was a valuable tract of land, however Matthew Sinderland did not leave any documentation such as an Indian deed, land grant or any other record of title to the land.   Consequently, William Salmon purchased the land from Chief Paukhamp on February 24, 1645.   In 1649, William sold some of that property to neighbors and retained about 400 acres near his home in the area of Hashamomuck Neck, Long Island.

William and Katherine had 4 children - 3 daughters and 1 son - during their short marriage before Katherine died about 1650.  Our ancestry line is through John Salmon, the son of William Salmon & Katherine Curtice Sinderland Salmon.

Soon after the death of Katherine, and with 4 young children, William Salmon married again.  This time he married Sarah Horton of Southold, and the couple had 2 more children.  William died by 1657 leaving Sarah as a widow with 6 minor children, only 2 of whom were her own.  Shortly thereafter Sarah married again to John Conklin Jr of Southold. 

Following the deaths of both William Salmon and Katherine Curtice Salmon, their children were considered orphans and were sent to live with the Curtice family.  And for several years there were many lawsuits between John Conklin Jr (their stepmother’s new husband) and the Curtice family, primarily about ownership of the desirable Salmon property at Hashamomuck Neck.  It appears that Thomas Curtice of Weathersfield, secured title to the children’s property for them.  However in 1663, the Salmon children’s guardianship was changed to their stepfather, John Conklin Jr.  This document was signed by John Salmon and his sisters, Mary & Sarah Salmon; possibly the third sister died young.

“Whereas our father William Sallman in his life tyme did declare that his brother in law Thomas Curtis of Weathersfield should not have the educacion of any of his children – his long forbearance of looking after us manifested little love to us.  These may signifie to whom it may consern, that we whose names are here under subscribed have made choyce of John Conckline Junr to be our Gardian, haveing experience of his fatherly love to us and hereby declare all other Guardianship by authority of any court to be null.  

Witness the subscripcon of our names, the two and twentyeth day of  february 1663.” 

Signed by John Salmon, Mary (her mark) Salmon & Sara (her mark) Salmon. And witnessed by John Conkelyn Sener, Richard Curtis (his mark), Thomas Osman, and Jacob Conklyne

It is notable that one of William Salmon’s grandsons, also named William Salmon (my 7^th great grandfather), kept a private register of the marriages and deaths of residents of the Town of Southold, and also included a few persons that were also associated with the life and business of the area.  At his death, the register was continued by members of the Salmon family.  This register book of vital statistics covers the period of 1696 through 1811 and has been published, thus creating an extensive accounting of the Salmon line and the Southold area as well.  You can find the Salmon Records at this link  https://newyorkgenealogy.org/suffolk/the-salmon-records.htm if you have an interest.

Our Salmon line moves from Southold, Long Island, with Hannah Salmon, a daughter of William Salmon (the grandson).  Hannah Salmon married John Hempstead of New London in Southold in 1731.  John had evidently met Hannah when he spent a stretch of time on Long Island, possibly learning his trade of blacksmithing.  John & Hannah were first cousins, as their mothers were sisters.  John’s mother was Abigail Bayley, and Hannah’s mother was Hannah Bayley.  After their marriage, John & Hannah made their home in New London; though they often returned to visit family in Long Island. 

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Key individuals:

 

William Salmon  (1610 – 1657)

Catherine Curtice Salmon  (1614 -- ~1650)

John Salmon  (~1646 – 1698)

Sarah Barnes Salmon  (1662 – 1738)

William Salmon  (1684 – 1759)

Hannah Bayley Salmon  (1683 – 1751)

Hannah Salmon Hempstead  (1710 – 1765)

John Hempstead  (1709 – 1779)

 

Notes: 

The Hempstead family has a long history in the New London area of Connecticut.  You can refer to my March 2021 blogpost titled, New London & Joshua Hempstead’s Diary, for more information on several of John Hempstead’s early ancestors.   

 – Jane Scribner McCrary