Newman Harvey was my 4th great-grandfather. He was born about 1777 in Rhode Island and arrived in Virgil, New York, between 1820 and 1821. He was counted on the census there in 1825. When Virgil was divided in 1845, his land fell in the newly formed town of Lapeer. (See map).
Following are some notes I've gathered about the other Harvey's who lived in the region:
In 1825, Newman Harvey lived in Virgil. A man named Elias Harvey lived nearby.
In January of 1830, Newman Harvey received land from Joel and Polly Harvey. It was Lot 67 in Virgil (now Lapeer). (Deed #Q-221).
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 and Amasa, Bethuel, and Walter lived in Solon.
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.” (See also Smith's 1885 "History of Cortland County", p. 507).
There is also a William L. Harvey (1823-1901) and his wife, Amy A. Moon (1829-1903), buried at Lower Cincinnatus Cemetery in Cincinnatus.
In Festal gathering of the early settlers and present inhabitants of the town of Virgil, Cortland County, N.Y., by Nathan Bouton, 1878, on page 25, Uriah Harvey is listed among the men who enlisted in the War of 1812.
In Ancestors of Florence Julia Brown, and some of their descendants, by Walter LeRoy Brown and M. Theta Hakes Brown, 1940, on page 17, the author reports that Vinna Brown, daughter of Daniel Brown who was born in 1844, married Newman Harvey. Was he our Newman Harvey?
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