Joseph S. Eastaman (1836-1910) was born at sea and died in Somerville, Massachusetts. He was a sea captain who was based out of New Orleans, Louisiana, and later out of Chelsea, Massachusetts. In 1884, after losing his ship at Valparaiso, Chile, he returned to Boston penniless and to find his wife, Mary F. Eastaman, seriously ill. Eastaman took Primary class instruction with Mary Baker Eddy in December 1884 and afterwards healed his wife. He then devoted his life to Christian Science healing and was a practitioner listed in the directory of The Christian Science Journal from 1885 until his passing. He was one of the four people named as The Christian Science Board of Directors under the Deed of Trust dated September 1, 1892. He was also one of the First Members of The Mother Church, later known as "Executive Members," who were the original members when the church was formed on September 23, 1892. There were twelve original First Members. In March 1893, at the request of Eddy, he resigned from the Board of Directors after which he devoted himself to his Christian Science healing practice.

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