Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Wanted: Brick-Layer and Stone Mason, 2 Please

Have been burning the midnight oil on my Revolutionary War ancestor, Nehemiah Newans... well, I'm a morning person so guess that's burning the late afternoon oil for me;) Was wondering what to do next (see last post) and after cruising through and posting to forums decided to recheck my list of things to do.

Was really after hunting down an obit on him so googled around and figured that I'd give GenealogyBank.com a whirl. After getting angry at it -- totally my fault -- figured out how to drill down then search under the right rock. No obit. However, did find an ad in Canandaigua NY in the Western Repository newspaper posted by a Nehemiah Newing looking for hired hands as brick layer and stone mason. See below. His ad is at the very bottom in the left column.

"To BRICK-LAYERS. Two or three Journeymen BRICK-LAYERS, who can also plaister and lay stone, may have constant employ through the season, and liberal wages allowed them -- Apply to NEMEHIAH NEWING. Canandaigua, Aug. 27, 1804.

I've previously posted to this blog about mention of a Nehemiah Newing as listed as a “brick and stone-mason”, in the Early Business Men of  Canandaigue (about 1804 era), "Canandaigua
Village History", History of Ontario Co, NY, Pub 1878.

So of course I checked the 1800 and 1810 census for Nehemiah Newing and came up blank.  The US Census for 1810 shows the following: Nehemiah Newans at Canandaigue. FWM 26 - 44: 1,  FWM over 45 1, FWF 45 Over 1, Number in household over 25: 3, Number in household: 3. (Ancestry.com)

This thread of him being a stone mason is really interesting because it runs through his life. It's stated in the Thomas F. Myers book, "Ancestors of Thomas F. Myers", that Nehemiah Newans as a young man wanted to follow his uncle and be a stone mason but his father thought better of it (below his station in life, what with the brothers being a doctor and lawyer) and bought him a commission in the military. Nehamiah's son, as mentioned as such in his will, Elias Thompson, was listed in the 1850 US Census as a mason. (Ya gotta love that 1850 census!)

So right at the moment and until proven otherwise I'm thinking that Newing and Newans are one and the same guy. You buying this logic or am I nuts? Any thoughts, comments, concerns, true-life stories?


See that! He's looking to hire two or maybe even three guys to work for him! Business was GOOD:)

1 comment:

  1. These are great stories as you find your history . I just finished reading the ones about the drinking men and Moretta Workman . What a life she had as a wife !
    Magda

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