Nevins Serendipity

I had some incredibly great luck recently in the family history research on the Nevins side of the family!

Many years ago while researching in Olean, I came across a notebook in the public library that contained a number of local biographies.  This was among them and I thought I had hit the jackpot.  At the time, I knew almost nothing about Henry Nevins (our maternal great grandfather).  This piece of hand-typed onion paper with a 3 hole punch out of that notebook provided HUGE clues for me to follow and I was ecstatic.

But then I noticed a few discrepancies--especially with dates-- and I have no idea how this Citizens Historical Association got its information.  In particular, I saw that Henry's father John was noted to have been born in Canada (not Ireland as I thought) and that he had lived in the Lockport area as a grocer for some time before he settled in the Ellicottville area.    I have searched all these years since for some kind of evidence that John was born in Kingston Canada and lived in Lockport NY for a time.

And then, almost accidentally, I found it!  New York State conducted a census halfway between the federal census years several times:  1855, 1865, 1875 for example.  I had John Nevins well documented in census and other records from 1860 forward--all in the Ellicottville area.  Until the other night, up popped the NY 1855 census and there was John in Lockport with his MOTHER Mary, sister Catherine and two children that belonged to a brother.  He appeared to be a "grocerman"

This verified what the Citizens Historical Association published and gave me clear evidence that John had at least one brother.  My grandmother claimed there were a bunch of brothers, but I've never found them either.

This monument is in the Holy Cross cemetery in Ellicottville.  Listed on the other side are twins Matty and Christy Nevins who died of diptheria when they were about 6-- great grandfather Henry is their brother.  I've suspected, hoped, wondered, prayed that this Mary might be John's mother.  Now I know it is and I feel like an open book has been closed.  I will presume John's father Henry was dead by the time John found himself in Lockport around 1852.

Some days you are the teflon and some days you are the velcro.  Sometimes things just go smoothly and sometimes they get sticky.  I was TEFLON this same day because I also found John's future wife in 1855 in the city of Rochester--this was a complete surprise.  Julia Fisher, 19, was documented in Rochester in 1855 with her father John, her mother Ann and her brother Christopher.  The image is very hard to read and I can't tell much from it but they are clearly there --ever so close to the Nevins family!  For some reason each family migrated to Ellicottville and that's where history was made starting in 1866 when John and Julia married.

Work hard enough and long enough and sometimes the pieces fall into place.  Ahhhhh.....

Eagle Eyes

A couple of years ago, we had a nice little adventure with my sister Paula searching for eagles on the Cannonsville Reservoir. 

This is telephoto and cropped.  It wasn't as obvious as this but Paula had "an eagle eye" (HAHA).  We took some pictures from afar and then cautiously approached for a better view.  We just barely got settled to gaze at him when he took off in glorious flight!  I was snapping pictures as fast as I could--my camera was not in auto mode for continuous shooting but I didn't dare take the camera away from the eagle to change the setting.  I didn't want to break the spell.  He just glided, soared and generally made his presence known over the river for quite a while.  Jim opened the sunroof so I could pop out and take some shots from that angle.  It was really magnificent and we surely have Paula to thank for her advice and keen eye.

This one was from the sunroof angle as he left our immediate view.  Sail on, big guy!

This adventure brought to mind the Nevins family and their apparent love of the outdoors, hunting and fishing.  There are no end of pictures of them in Canada on these adventures.  It appears that Gammy Nevins did not join them but EVERYONE else seems to be there. 

It seems that Henry (our great grandfather) enjoyed Weenie's company too!

I think this is our Mom Anne Flynn with her mother Paula Flynn Nevins and Henry Nevins in Canada

When I wasn't our hunting eagles with my camera, I was sitting here at the computer continuing my family research.  I was presented with this document I'd never seen.  You know those Ancestry.com commercials where they say they just clicked the shaking leaves and VOILA!  Well, that's exactly what this was.  It was like Ancestry.com had the eagle eye this time.  Henry died in Canada which, of course, must have created a raft of paperwork.  This is one of those.  I found it interesting and thought you might too.

Clare, Sligo, Meath and More

Our Irish ancestry runs deep.  I have nothing to prove or disprove that our ancestors came to this continent escaping famine but it seems logical that there were significant "push and pull factors" (remember that from US History?).  Irish immigrants everywhere faced severe discrimination and I have no doubt the same held true for ours.

Our Irish immigrants were largely farmers or fishermen; livelihoods that depend upon unpredictable Mother Nature and many other factors beyond control.  I imagine that Henry Nevins' father was beyond proud that he became an attorney -- the grandson / son  of an immigrant.

I think I've talked before about our Irish surnames, but haven't talked too much about their Irish homeland.  That's mostly because I don't know too much first hand (yet) but one day I hope to.

My sister recently asked me to answer "in 5 words or less" where our Irish ancestors came from.  That wasn't so easy but here are our great-grands and what I know about where they came from.  Match 'em up on the map.

Patrick Flynn's mother Ellen:  County Clare
Patrick Flynn's mother Barbara came from Munich Germany (we aren't counting her right now)
Henry Nevins' grandfather Henry born Ireland:  his mother Julia born County Meath
Caroline Brown Nevins daughter of English immigrant

William H. Ryan's father Timothy born Ireland (maybe Tipperary)
Kate Bentley Ryan's mother and father born Galway
William Pierce was born in Canada latest in a long line of Canadians (Nova Scotia)
Edith Handran Pierce's mother was born in Sligo

Patrick Flynn worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad; Henry Nevins was a well known lawyer who spawned many more in the same line of work; William H. Ryan worked in various blue collar jobs such as lunch cart keeper; William Pierce was a fisherman.

So I guess the pictures in my head of our family look more like these than those pretty green shamrocks.