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:)

An Envelope Full of Information! I'm Thrilled!

Yesterday received in the snail mail copies of land sale records and probate filings for my Revolutionary War ancestor, Nehemiah Newan! The RAIMS folks in Canandaigue, NY really came through for me and my $25. Whatta deal! Thanks, RAIMS of Canandaigue, NY.

I can see that Nehemiah Newan sold three parcels of land in the early months of the year he died, 1820. Wonder if he know he wouldn't make it much longer? Now I want to try and plot them out - just curious - to see if they are adjacent. As best I can tell after a quick glance the land seems to be near the center of the old town.

The will names his wife, Mary Newans and two sons, Thomas Newans and Elias Thompson. Who the heck is that?! And MARY? The wife in York, Pennsylvania was Catharine in the petition for widow's pension. Are Mary and Catharine one and the same person? Is it "Mary Catharine" as I recently suspected or are they two different people, "Mary" in New York and "Catharine" in Pennsylvania? I'm thinking they might be two different people.

Plus, the spelling now is Newans, with an "s" at the end. And who is Elias Thompson, for pitty's sake? As a newbie I'm learning real quick from experience that one question answered results in a couple more questions popping up.

As I shared this new info by phone with Mom this morning she commented that you never are "done" researching any given ancestor. There's always more to learn. So you're done when you've had enough, eh Mom?

Family picnic, 1957.

Nehemiah Newan: She Said He Was Dead

OK, so here's what we have so far on my Revolutionary War ancestor, Nehemiah Newan. He was most likely born in England (no proof) and came to the Colonies with General Braddock (no proof). He enlisted and fought in the Revolutionary War, was wounded at Green Springs VA, honorably discharged at the conclusion of the war as a captain and received a Bounty Land Grant in western Pennsylvania in Westmoreland County. Much proof on all that.

He "removed" to Canandaigue, NY in 1796 (by his own statement in his pension application of 1818) and possibly died there in November of 1820. Am waiting on proof of that. (See previous post.)

This morning I happened to read an article in Family Chronicle magazine about scoundrel ancestors, which always tickles my fancy. Scoundrels are the ones I love best because of the interesting story. You know me, I'm all about the stories.

Because I'm really new to this genealogy stuff there is much to learn and sometimes just stumble across a factiod I can really use. Such was information in the scoundrel article.

So when Nehemiah Newan removed to New York he left behind a wife, possibly named Mary Catharine Kipplinger, or just Mary (how she's listed on most family trees) or just Catharine (how she signed her widow's pension application). She stated that her husband, Nehemiah Newan, was killed in the last battle of the war in the Battle of Yorktown and she never saw him again.

Yeah, well, seems right: she probably never did see him again. It's been my working premise that he deserted her their son Thomas and went to New York to a very remote little village on the frontier were soldiers were known to settle.

What I found in Family Chronicles was a tid-bit explaining that deserted wives of that era said they were widows. Good cover story:) The article gave an example of a woman stating that she was a widow in the 1800 census. Makes sense, doesn't it?

1810 Census from Canandaigue, NY listing Nehemiah Newan.

That's him 12 down from the top as

Neh(small h) Newans.

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;)