#johncolman

“The Death of John Colman”

414 Years Ago, Today - (Sunday) September 6th, 1609, Sandy Hook Bay & New York Harbor:

Famed and intrepid explorer Henry Hudson arrived with his ship, the “Half Moon,” arrived off what is now New York several days earlier. Several of his men are out in one of the ship’s boats, exploring the deep waters that we now know as Sandy Hook Bay and the Lower Harbor.

For reasons that will never be known, two canoes full of Lenape Indians arrive, and unleash a hail of arrows upon the sailors. One of them finds its mark, going through the throat of the Half Moon’s 2nd Mate, a man named John Colman. He falls dead into the bottom of the boat as the men furiously row back to the safety of the Half Moon.

The place of his burial – “on the beach” has been lost to history, and there are several candidates as to the location. However, the most plausible location was a spit of sand that was jutting out into these deep waters, adjacent to the Half Moon’s anchorage. It was thus named “Colman’s Point” in his honor. In turn, as the Dutch continued to expand their influence in the area, that spit would come to be known as “Sant Hoek.” We know it today… as Sandy Hook.

Today, we remember John Colman, and warmly reflect on the fact that our beloved Sandy Hook has been intertwined with our nation’s history, literally, since Day One.

And that's pretty awesome.

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