John Colman facts for kids

John Colman was a sailor who worked for Henry Hudson, a famous explorer. John Colman died on September 6, 1609, during an exploration trip. He was killed by an arrow.

Exploring New Lands

In September 1609, John Colman was part of the crew on Henry Hudson's ship, the Half Moon. This ship had just arrived near what is now New York Harbor. Colman was an experienced sailor and was the second mate on the ship.

The Half Moon was anchored between Coney Island and Sandy Hook. John Colman was in a small rowboat with four other sailors. They were exploring the area around the ship.

A Sad Event

During their exploration, two Lenape canoes approached the rowboat. People from the canoes fired arrows. John Colman was hit in the neck by an arrow and died. Two other sailors were also hurt.

The surviving sailors quickly returned to the Half Moon with Colman's body. This happened on September 7, 1609. John Colman was buried that same day. His burial place is thought to be near Coney Island, Staten Island, Sandy Hook, or Keansburg, New Jersey. The exact spot is not known today, but it was once called Colman's Point.

Remembering John Colman

John Colman's death was written about in the journal of Robert Juet, who was the first mate on the Half Moon. This event is sometimes called the "first recorded death" in the area that later became New York City.

A poet named Thomas Frost wrote a poem about John Colman's death called "The Death of Colman." Here is a part of it:

Then prone he fell within the boat,
A flinthead arrow through his throat
And now full many a stealthy skiff
Shot out into the bay;
And swiftly, sadly, pulled we back
To where the Half Moon lay;
But he was dead our master wept
He smiled, brave heart, as though he slept.

There is also a mural at the Hudson County Courthouse in Jersey City that remembers John Colman.

Some local legends grew from this event. People in the Hudson Highlands area believed that Colman's spirit became a goblin named the Dwerg, Heer of Dunderberg. This goblin was said to wear Dutch clothes and cause storms to sink ships. This legend appears in some writings by Washington Irving.

One idea about why the attack happened is that Colman's group might have gotten too close to a place where Native Americans were making wampum. This might have caused the local people to act to protect their area.

See also

• Penelope Stout