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The first record of Carsten Jansen occurs under the date of 1656. His name appears in a list of persons who were inhabitants and probably freeholders of Gravesend, Long Island, in that year. (History of Long Island by Benjamin Thompson, V.2 p.177)
The next year Carsten is listed as having ten morgans in tillage, 1657. Gravesend records, Book 3, p.4 of Town Records. A morgan is equivalent to two acres.
It is here recorded that the mother of "Karsten Jansen" was buried on 5 Nov 1665. This seemingly would support the fact the Carsten was born in this country, since it would be unlikely that he would bring his mother to the new country with him. But records have not be found to support this claim. Flatbush Records No.1006, pp.246-247
On 21 Jan 1666 Carsten bought a farm of Direk Jansen De Groot, a cooper, on the south side of the farm of Arent Mosenaer, in Flatbush, L.I. Liber D, p.47 Flatbush Records
On 22 Jan 1666, Carsten sold a house and lot in Flatbush to Jan Jansen Fyn. Liber D, p.51 Flatbush Records
Between 1672 and 1695 he was allotted plots of woodland or meadow or was assessed for the construction of common fences.
He bought a house and lot of Samuel Spicer in 1686, Gravesend Book V, p. 159, which he afterward sold to Jacobus Enams in 1697, Gravesend Book V, p.193
Gravesend, now a part of New York City, was established by Lady Deborah Moody, an English woman and her associates in 1643-45. They fled persecution in Massachusetts and later became Quakers. It "is the most southerly part of Kings County, and includes, within its limits, Coney Island, bordering on the Ocean. It is centrally distant about ten miles from New York City, and is bounded east by Flatbush, south by the Atlantic Ocean and west by New Utrecht, being of a triangular shape, with its base resting on the Ocean ad terminating in a point adjoining the town of Flatbush. The town, being an exception to the other parts of the county, was settled by English people, some of whom were of that despised sect called Quakers, most of them coming from the Colony of Massachusetts, where they had resided for different periods." (Thompson's History of Long Island, V. 2, p.168)
While not much is known about Carsten, it is safe to assume that he was a farmer. He seems to have bought an sold considerable property and was doubtless a man of means.
The baptismal or birth records of the sons, John and Peter, were not found, But Peter is positively identified as Carsten Jansen's son in a conveyance record, under date of 10 Jan 1695-6, Gravsend Book VI, p 154, in which it is recorded that Carsten Jansen, as attorney of his son, Peter, sold two lots of meadows in Gravesend to John Lake. The first part of this deed reads as follows:
These Present Writting witnesseth that I Carsten Johnson Living in towne of Gravesend in Kings County on the Island Nassou in the province New York Doe hereby Absolutly own & acknowledge to have Sold Assigned and Transported by vertue of a power Give to me from my so Peter Carsten two lotts of Medow and being in ye Limits of Gravesend aforesed , viz:. . .
John and Peter were no doubt of age in 1685, as in that year a conveyance record is found in Gravesend Book V, p. 125, in which it is recorded that one William Goulding, of Gravesend, as attorney for Thomas Coddington, conveyed "Twoe Guarden Spotts of land with ye houseing there upon---unto John Carsonsson and Peter Carsonsson of ye same place their heirs Executors Administratours Assigns," etc., "And in Consideration of ye above houseing & land ye said John Carsonsson & Peter Carsonsson are to pay unto ye sd Thomas Coddington or his order, ye summ of fifteene hundred gilders in currant passable Silver money in this Country." This document is dated 25 May 1685. pg.18-19
