JAMES PEARSALL
Greetings to all, whether Pearsalls, members of allied families, or friends of history.
I was born in Woodmere, New York March 24, l939 and lived the first nine years of my life at l28 Combs Avenue in a house built on land purchased by my grandfather from Alexander Combs. Charlie and Grace Frost lived next door to us when I was growing up. My brother is Fred Pearsall, born in Lynbrook, New York July 5, l927. Our parents were Fred Carman Pearsall (l897-l973) and Isabella Hughes Bottomley Pearsall (l903-l9 8). Mother was born in Kilkwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland. She was one of twelve, all of whom lived to adulthood. Our father Fred was an identical twin, his brother being
Frank Sherman Pearsall of Wodmere, who was married to Margaret Clark and had one daughter, Frances. Our grandfather and grandmother were Alanson Hegerman Pearsall (Lanny)(l863-l944) and Evelyn Carman Pearsall(Aunt Evie)(l872-l967).

Grandpop was a baymen for many years, working out of Woodmere dock. Grandma was a Carman from Woodmere, one of several children of William Latham Carman and his second wife Frances Rebecca Albro Carman. Others in that family were Robert, George, William, (who married Alfaretta Brower) Fred and Hettie, (who married Arthur S. Holland.) Both of my Carman great-grandpar ents are buried in Trinity Cemetery in Hewlett. My brother Fred has been a volunteer fireman most of his life, in Woodmere and later in Lynbrook. He is now living in Florida. My grandfather Pearsall had two sisters; Hannah, married Daniel Longworth from Hewlett, and Ellen (Aunt Ellie), married Henry Fox Brower from Woodmere. My father's older sister was Elsie Evelyn Pearsall, born l896. She married, first, Frank DeGroot, dentist, and many years later married, second, Theodore Bedell of Freeport,New York, former Comptroller of Nassau County. My father's younger sister, Helen, born l906, married Charlie Rollberg from Inwood and had one daughter, Barbara, who married Howard Wilson, also from Inwood. They now live in Tucson, AZ. His mother, Bertha, taught school for many years in Inwood. After Charlie Rollberg's untimely passing around l930 at a young age, my aunt married Bill Kirk from Inwood, well known in fraternal (Masons, Odd Fellows, Shrine) and firematic circles for many years. Bill Kirk was the superin tendant of the Firemen's Home at Hudson, New York from about l954 to l968. They had one son, William Allan Kirk, now of upstate New York. The Kirk family is well known in Inwood. There were four brothers: William, Andrew, Robert and George. The last three all became Nassau County policemen. My uncle Bill Kirk worked for the Weights and Measures Department of Nassau County before going to the Firemen's Home.

My grandfather Alanson Pearsall's father was Henry Sylic Pearsall. His father was Oliver Denton Pearsall. Both are buried in Rockville Cemetery in Lynbrook, with their names on one large stone. My grandfather Pearsall's mother's name was Sarah E. McCloughan. Her sister, Ellen, married to Thomas Johnson of Woodmere, a Union Army veteran of the Civil war. (New York Mounted Rifles and the New York Provisional Cavalry).

I would be glad to communicate with anyone reading these lines if you have an interest in the Pearsall family and/or Long Island local history.

Friends,there is much to learn and much to reserve. Who will do it if you and I don't? Best wishes to all, Jim Pearsall, East Millstone, NJ.

My E-mail:Jim Pearsall

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Edited by Linda Pearsall Harvey
Updated December 13, 2007