My ancestor, Newman Harvey, was born about 1777 and arrived in central New York between 1820 and 1821. He was most likely born in Rhode Island, but he was in Massachusetts as early as 1812. He is believed to have left Massachusetts in 1820 or 1821 and moved to Central New York. Click here to learn more about Newman.
There were other Harvey families in the Cortland County area, prior to Newman's arrival. These are listed here for researchers trying to sort through these families. Note: Harvey was the 266th most common surname in the United States in 2010, so there were probably many!
Listed among the early settlers of Cortland are several Harvey’s including Benjamin, Bethuel, Elder, Isaac, John, and a “Mr. Harvey”.
According to the 1820 Census of Cortland, New York, Allen Harvey lived in Truxton.
Amasa Harvey, Bethuel Harvey, and Walter Harvey lived in Solon, Cortland County, in 1820.
A man by the name of Thomas Harvey lived near Freetown as early as 1832. He married Sarah (Cameron) Livingston in 1875. His parents were William Harvey and Sarah Starkey, natives of England who arrived in Freetown about 1832 with their six children. William died in 1862, age 72, and Sarah died in 1852. The following is his obituary found on page 8 of the Cortland Standard, Wednesday, 7 May 1902: “Cincinnatus, May 5 - Mr. Thomas Harvey passed away Sunday morning at about 7 o'clock. Some years ago he was thrown from a load of grain and about a year later he was thrown from a reaper and since that time he has been in poor health and for the past five months he has been in bed most of the time and his faithful wife was his steady attendant caring for him night and day. Mr. Harvey was born in Bedworth, Norwichshire, England. He came to America seventy years ago when but 8 years old with his mother, three brothers and two sisters, his father having come to America the year before to prepare for his family, taking up their residence on the farm which is now owned by Ira Wavle in this place. In England his father's occupation was that of a cooper and his mother was a ribbon weaver. Mr. Thomas Harvey was a carpenter by trade besides being a thrifty farmer. He learned the carpenter's trade when quite young, it then took seven years to accomplish the trade which he has followed more or less all his life. He owns a beautiful farm of 244 acres with good buildings, stock, etc., all fruit of his own hands. He was married to Sarah Jane Cameron of Newark Valley on the 15th day of December 1872, by Rev. Thomas Angell. Mr. Thomas Harvey is the last one of the Wm. Harvey family that came from England.”
There is also a William L. HARVEY (1823-1901) and his wife, Amy A. MOON (1829-1903), buried at Lower Cincinnatus Cemetery in Cincinnatus.
If you can contribute any knowledge about the Harveys of Cortland County, please comment below!
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