Early Life
Monk Eastman's background is a subject of debate. City records show, as documented by crime authors such as Patrick Downey, Ron Arons, and Rose Keefe, that Monk was born Edward Eastman in 1875 in the rowdy Corlear's Hook section of lower Manhattan to Samuel Eastman, a Civil War vet and wallpaper-hanger, and his wife Mary Parks. By the time Monk was five, his father had abandoned the family. Mary moved with her children to her father George Parks' home on the upper east side.
According to the 1880 United States Census, 5-year-old Edward Eastman was living on East Seventy-Fifth St., in Manhattan. He and his family lived with his grandfather George Parks, age 68, who then worked in a dry goods store. George was born in New York, as were both his parents. In addition to Edward, the Eastman family included Mary Eastman, age 35; and daughters Lizzie, age 10; Ida, age 8; and Francine age 3. Everyone was born in New York with the exception of Lizzie, who was born in California. Both George Parks and his daughter Mary Eastman were recorded as having been divorced.
In the 1870 US census, Mary Eastman was living on Cannon St. in the Lower East Side of Manhattan with Samuel Eastman, age 40, born in New York and working as a paper hanger. Living with them were their children Lizzie and Willie, age 3, born in New York. Willie likely died young, as he was not listed with the family in 1880. In the 1860 census, Samuel Eastman was living in Manhattan in the household of Thomas McSpedon, from a prominent old NYC family. Thomas' firm McSpedon & Baker, Pine Street, NYC, was the official NYC printers. McSpedon served as an Alderman in NYC and Fire Marshall for NYC during the mid 19th century. Eastman worked as a paper hanger.
In the 1900 census, Mary Eastman lived in Queens on Curtis Ave. with her daughters Elizabeth and Francine and their families. Edward Eastman was not listed in any additional censuses after 1880 (the 1890 records were lost in a fire at the National Archives.)
Monk's first documented arrest didn't occur until after his grandfather had died. At some point Parks helped his grandson set up a pet shop on Broome Street. For years after being known as a gangster, Eastman listed "bird seller" as his legitimate occupation on government forms. At some point he returned to the lower east side and became involved with the many gangs of the area.
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