Stumbling Blindly I Found a Detail

Sometimes it seem that this newbie has to stumble blindly through the forest of information until she finds a detail that otherwise remains overlooked. And so it was yesterday. The thought came to me that it might be good to know more about the village where my Revolutionary War ancestor, Nehemiah Newan, settled in 1796: Canandaigue New York. A google search brought up the usual ... plus one other item at:
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/ontario/cananvillhist.htm

It's a link to a lovely transcription, entitled as follows:

"Canandaigua Village History 

History of Ontario Co, NY, Pub 1878   

Pgs.  101 - 110

Kindly transcribed by Donna Walker Judge & Deborah Spencer"

It was delightful reading so I copied it over and printed it out so I could take the time it deserved. Last evening I read it, thoroughly enjoying every paragraph and was thrilled to find reference to someone who might be my Nehemiah Newan.

EARLY BUSINESS MEN OF CANANDAIGUA 

The business men of the village in 1803 were: THOMPSON & BENJAMIN, watchmakers and jewelers: Elijah MOSEBY, blacksmith; John W. STOUGHTON, tailor; Robert SPENCER, boot-and shoe-maker; Ishmael BRICKLE, barber and hair-dresser; John HALL, saddle-and-harness-maker; James SIBLEY, watchmaker and jeweler; William ANTIS, gunsmith; Samuel ABBY, carpenter and joiner; Augustus Porter & Co., merchants; FREEMAN, ATWATER, and John COCHRANE, tinware; and THOMPSON & BENEDICT, whose business is not noted. In 1804 the business men of the place were increased by the advent of Peter BROWN, cabinet and chair-maker; Little & Hawley, hatters; Jonathan M. BEACH, blacksmith; Nehemiah NEWINGS, brick and stone-mason;

Hmm. That seems pretty close to me. Plus, the little book of Thomas F. Myers' ancestors (see previous blog posts here) mentions that a young Nehemiah Newan in England wanted to be a stone mason but his father thought better of it and purchases a military commission for him. Not that I buy into the Myer book 100%. And not saying that there might not have been a man named Nehemiah Newings.

Unfortunately there seems to be no Nehemiah Newan in the 1800 census but I need to take a much closer look at that as well as the 1810 census.

Know what I did for fun last night? Sat and compared neighbors on the 1810 and 1820 census... with a magnifying glass. Hot dog! Whatta Saturday Night in Genealogy Land!

Site of the Eckhart Mansion, Eckhart Maryland,

Chrissie Myer's grandaughter's in-law's ancestor's home place.
Kinda related, but I just like this picture so here it is,
even thought it's a stretch to relevance;)