The Carman and Miller private cemeteries are two adjacent plots located in South Haven, NY, roughly 2500 feet south of Montauk Highway, surrounded by land of the former Carmans River (Robinson) duck farm, now owned by Suffolk County. The Miller plot is approximately 40 feet by 30 feet, and the Carman plot is immediately to its south, and is approximately 40 feet by 70 feet. The Miller plot contains only two extant stones; the Carman plot contains nine.

The Carman cemetery contains nine gravestones, including Samuel Carman, Sr. and Samual Carman, Jr. Samual Carman, Sr., then their children, were proprietors of the mills, farms and merchant establishments of late 18th and early 19th century South Haven. The family eventually owned much of the land on the west bank of the Carman's River, originally known as the Connecticut River.

The Miller site is less certain. The Miller family was also prominent in South Haven in the early 19th century, but the relationship of the two individuals whose gravestones are found in the burying ground to other Miller family members has not been determined.

Personal visits.
Town of Brookhaven Cemetery Listing Marty Van Lith and Faith McCutchen, Friends of Wertheim

The two sites are in fair to poor condition, and receive little official maintenance. They are subject to deteriation due to age and neglect. The site is somewhat subject to vandalism. The Town of Brookhaven, which has a legal responsibility to maintain the cemetery under New York State law, is not conducting any maintenance. Suffolk County, within whose bounds the sites are contained, also appears not to be providing any maintenance.

This is clearly an endangered historic cemetery, important to the heritage of the Town of Brookhaven and Suffolk County.   Without immediate care it may be totally destroyed before another generation arrives.

While community attitudes are favorabvle to historic preservation, many of the small local family cemeteries are deteriorating due to neglect.

John Deitz

A more comprehensive description of the Carman and Miller cemeteries may be found in the Cemeteries section of the Hamlet People Database. Click on above.  This site includes a listing of the gravestones in the cemeteries, and links to their personal histories.