29 September 2009

Mary Ann Meeting (b. 1829)

Mary Ann Meeting (b.  6 Nov 1829) married George Henry Newcomb (b.  9 Aug 1831, BMN #652).  B.M. Newcomb said she died in January 1909, but she was listed with her daughter's family in th 1910 census.

26 September 2009

Horatio Dalton Newcomb (1809-1874)

This biography is from B.M. Newcomb's book:

At the age of twenty-one, Horatio D. Newcomb left home and went to Louisville, Ky., where he continued to reside. Was for many years a wholesale grocer, of the firm of H.D. Newcomb and Brothers. The brothers were Warren and Francis; the firm was dissolved during the war, Warren going to New York city, Francis remaining with the firm until he died. Mr. Newcomb was president of the Cannelton, Ind., cotton mills, of which he owned the largest share. His reported income, 1867, $61,316.00; also president of Western Financial Corporation, Galt House Co., Louisville and Nasvhille R.R., and director of Texas and Pacific R.R. his portrait on steel (in group of seven persons) may be found in Richard H. Collins' History of Kentucky, published in 1874.

This one is from America's Successful Men of Affairs: An Encyclopedia of Contemporaneous Biography, published in 1896:

Horatio D. Newcomb is remembered as one of the most enterprising of the residents of Louisville, being largely engaged in Southern trade, the operation of steamboats on the rivers, the management of a large possession in land and, as president of the corporation, in the direction of The Louisville & Nashville Railroad.

And this one is from Biographical Encyclopedia of Kentucky of the Dead and Living Men of the Nineteenth Century, 1878:

Newcomb, Horatio Dalton, merchant and manufacturer, son of Dalton Newcomb, a distinguished farmer of Massachusetts, was born August 10, 1809, at Bernardston, near Springfield, Massachusetts. He received a good practical education, and, after working on his father's farm for a time, he taught school in his native state, but, being dissatisfied with his prospects in that direction, took the agency for a book, and traveled through several of the states, finally locating at Louisville, Kentucky, in 1832. He engaged, for a while, as clerk in a small business house; afterwards, in various mercantile enterprises, but which he accumulated some means; entered the commission house of E.E. Webb; was soon after admitted to partnership, and began a career of remarkable mercantile success. In 1837, he went into the liquor business; and subsequently established a large grocery trade, with his brother, Warren Newcomb, under the style of H.D. Newcomb & Bro., becoming one of the largest grocery establishments in the West. In 1863, his brother retired from the business, and a few years afterwards died in New York, a millionaire. The house soon became Newcomb, Buchannan & Co., devoting themselves entirely to operations in whisky. In 1850, after the projection of the Cannelton Cotton Mills, at Cannelton, Indiana, by J.C. Ford, Hamilton Smith, and others, when the enterprise was on the eve of a failure, he came forward with a large secured capital, placing the establishment on a sure foundation, and, though his commercial interests were valuable, a great part of his fortune was made in connection with the Cannelton Mills. In 1856, in connection with his brother, Dwight Newcomb, he leased the Cannelton Coal Mines, form which he retired after several years' successful operation, In 1871, having amassed a large fortune in the legitimate channels of trade, he abandoned active commercial pursuits for his own interests, and devoted himself, with great energy, to the cause of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and was its most influential and substantial friend. He took large stock in the road; worked hard for its success, loaning his own credit for the establishment of that of the company; for sixteen years was one of its directors; at the death of Hon. James Guthrie, in 1859, became its president; as such carried the road through its financial embarrassments; and, for some time, bore the financial burdens of the company. Mainly through his great business ability and inexhaustible resources, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad was made the most successful and powerful railroad enterprise in the South. While actively engaged in business pursuits, he never lost sight of the interests of the city. After the burning of the Galt House, through his instrumentality, chiefly, the present magnificent hotel was built. He was one of the organizers of the Louisville Board of Trade, and was its first president; erected some of the finest buildings, and was variously concerned in most movements of importance to the city of Louisville. He was a man of marked peculiarities, as well as marked talents. He was a clear-sighted financier, steady and self-confident rather than aggressive, at all times conservative and safe; was valued among his acquaintances for his liberality and kindness of disposition; his tastes were always upward, and, although not ostentatious in his patronage, he was concerned in all art and public improvements; possessed of extraordinary gifts, he had few equals in the business world, and the withdrawal of such great resources as he possessed was a loss to his adopted city. He died of apoplexy, at his house in Louisville, in 1874, and probably left behind him no enemies, for he was a man singularly without malice. Mr. Newcomb was twice married; first, in 1838, to Miss Cornelia W. Read. The only remaining child of this marriage is H. Victor Newcomb, of Louisville, Vice-President of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. In 1872, he was married to Miss Mary C. Smith, eldest daughter of John B. Smith, of Louisville, a lady who has ever been distinguished for her beauty of person, and brilliancy of mind and manners.

23 September 2009

Clara or Nina Idleman (b. 1860)

Nina/Clara Idleman (b. 28 Sep 1860) married Sidney C. Newcomb (b. 18 Apr 1853, BMN #2097).  B.M. Newcomb said that Sidney married Nina Idleman, born 28 Sep 1860 in Morrow Co. OH, daughter of Amos Hosea Idleman and Sarah Hippard. Nina and her parents are listed in the 1880 census, in Jackson OH, just a few addresses away from Sidney and his first wife. However, all census records shows Sidney's wife's name as Clara P. (In the 1880 census, Nina's middle initial is also P.) Florida records show a marriage for Nina C. Newcomb in Hillsborough County in 1927 (groom's name not found). I'm inclinded to think that Nina's middle name (or nickname) was Clara. But where did the P come from?

20 September 2009

Isabel or Elizabeth Hosford (b. 1847)

Isabel Hosford (b. 6 May 1847) married Jefferson Newcomb (b. 9 Aug 1844, BMN #1036).  B.M. Newcomb thought her name was Elizabeth, but census records indicate that it was Isabel.

19 September 2009

Harley Newcomb (1836-1913)

From the biography in B.M. Newcomb's book:

Mr. Newcomb began the study of music at the age of eight years, and had the advantage of both vocal and instrumental instruction in Germany, France and Italy. He began teaching music in 1855, moved to Boston in 1858 and to Washington DC in 1873, devoting his time to the teaching of music in each place.

He composed operas, one of the most worthy of mention being "The Recluse", which was successfully presented in New York City under his own direction. He composed operettas, dramas, librettos and many hymns, and is the author of "Gloria", a book which was used extensively in Sabbath schools.

The last nine years of his life were passed in California, near Los Gatos.

17 September 2009

Samuel Higgins (b. 27 May 1786)

Samuel Higgins married Lucy Holbrook Newcomb (b. 20 Mar 1789). She was the daughter of Lemuel Newcomb (b. 7 Apr 1757, BMN #102).  B.M. Newcomb stated that Samuel died in 1842, but went on to say that his will was dated in 1863 and probated in 1864.

16 September 2009

Ethel Newcomb (1875-1959)

She was a well-know concert pianist in Europe and the U.S. She studied with Theodor Leschetizky, and wrote a memoir of him, published in 1921, Leschetizky as I Knew Him.

From her obituary in the New York Times:

She made her debut in 1903 with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The next year, she played in London with the Queens Hall Orchestra at a concert conducted by Richard Strauss. She became known in Germany and the United States as a soloist and in ensemble, especially in Beethoven programs. Before World War I she returned from Europe and established her studio in the U.S. Students came to her from all over the world.

14 September 2009

Ruby Culver (b. 4 Nov 1789)

Ruby Culver was the wife of  Thaddeus Newcomb (b. 12 Jun 1792, BMN# 408).  B.M. Newcomb thought she died in 1862, but she was alive for the 1870 census.

13 September 2009

Bethuel Merritt Newcomb

B.M. Newcomb is well known to family historians as the author of  Andrew Newcomb and His Descendants, his revision of John Bearse Newcomb's original 1874 "Genealogical memoir".

Here is the autobiography he included in his book:

By reason of the death of his father, when Mr. Newcomb was but four years of age, he was early thrown upon his own resources; obtained his education at the public schools, with a few terms at private institutions. At the age of nineteen he passed a successful examination to teach, and taught a winter term in New Gloucester. Upon expiration of the term, he accepted a position with the firm of Woods & Conant, retail grocers, at Belfast; at the end of two years, Mr. Woods disposed of his interest in the firm and Mr. Newcomb was offered and accepted a position with William B. Swan & Co., wholesale grocers and coal and grain dealers, where he remained six years, advancing continuously to bookkeeper and collector, having full charge of the office.

In the spring of 1876 he resigned his position with the intention of going into business in a western state, but was offered a position with the firm of William Pitcher & Son, dealers in hay, grain and coal, where he remained two years.

Early in 1878, he took a course in mineralogy, metallurgy and assaying, removing to Colorado; was one of the early arrivals at Leadville, where he opened a public assay office in July; later superintended the operation and evelopment of mines near Rosita, Silver Cliff and Breckenridge; in 1884, operated a mine in Sonora, Mexico.

In 1886 he was employed by an eastern syndicate to superintend the operation of a large quicksilver mine in California. His management was so successful that, later, several other mines were purchased and placed under his charge. His improvements in mining, transportation and reduction of ores rendered the properties very remunerative to the stockholders, and he became an acknowledge authority, particularly upon the reduction of quicksilver ores, and was rated high among the successful miners of the Pacific Coast.

In 1916, after thirty years association with this syndicate, and after forty years of active mining life, he resigned and retired in order to attend to personal business matters and the completion of his Revised Edition of the Newcomb Genealogy which he began in 1912.

In the Masonic order, Mr. Newcomb was a member of Timothy Chase lodge, Belfast, Me.; Napa Chapter, R.A.M., Napa, Calif.; Napa Commandery Knights Templar; San Francisco Bodies Scottish Rite 32ยบ, and Islam Temple A.A.O.N. Mystic Shrine; other societies, Society of Mayflower Descendants in the state of California, of which he was historian; society of Colonial Wars; Sons of the American Revolution; past president of State of Maine Assoc. in California; life member of the New England historic Genealogical Society; member of Society for the Preservation of N.E. Antiquities; California Genealogical Soc., and many years an active member of American Mining Congress.

11 September 2009

Henry Allen [Warren] (b. July 1860)

Carrie B. Young (b. 29 Jun 1874, d. 26 Feb 1914) was the daughter of  Oramill Young (1842-1909)  and Carrie A. Newcomb (b. 30 Sep 1854), and the granddaughter of Norton Newcomb (BMN #991). She married a man named Henry.  B.M. Newcomb said that Henry's surname was Warren and that he was the son of Pardon Warren and Lydia Allen. However, after examining the census records, I believe he was the son of Pardon Allen, who lived in Warren MA. His mother's name was Lydia, but I don't know her surname.

08 September 2009

Lucy A. Carter (b. 31 Aug 1861)

Lucy A. Carter was the first wife of  James Wilbur Newcomb (#1435 in B.M. Newcomb).  B.M. Newcomb thought she died in 1899. However, she appeared in the 1900 census with her three children, and in the 1910 census as a divorced woman, living with her son George and her mother, Sarah A. Carter.

Correcting the Newcomb Genealogy

J.B. Newcomb published his Newcomb genealogy in 1874, and B.M. Newcomb published his revised edition in 1923.  Their work serves as the starting point for anyone doing serious research into the Newcomb/e name. A lot has happened since then.  Genealogical research has been revolutionized by the ability to use electronic databases, to share information over the Internet, and to use specialized software to organize our information. JBN and BMN didn't have access to census records or to the thousands of other sources we now take for granted. They certainly didn't have software to assist in finding duplicate and erroneous information.  Now that we have all this information and these tools available to us, we can update, improve and correct their work.

During the years that I have been working on updating and revising the Newcomb genealogy, I've found many entries that are either obviously incorrect or that raise significant questions. Periodically, I upload my gedcom file to Rootsweb/Ancestry, and it includes my notes and corrections. However, since there are over 100,000 names currently in my database, it may not always be easy to find these important changes. So, from time to time, I will be posting some of these corrections on this website, where I hope it will be easier for other researchers to locate them.