James Newman West Flamborough Township, Wentworth County, Ontario

James Newman was born in Manningford Abbots, Wiltshire, England, ca 1813, and died in West Flamborough Township, Wentworth County, Ontario, on the 22nd of February, 1884. He is buried in the Old Hopkins Cemetery, on the south side of the Old York Road, Dundas (the ravine is about 100 yards east of the Old Guelph Road). The cemetery is also called the Grove Cemetery. The Newman stone is still there, but the other Hopkins stones have been gathered and placed in a pyramid-like wall. The whole cemetery has been cleaned up considerably since I first found it among weeds and grasses and lilaacs in the early 1980's.

The family when they arrived in Canada lived firstly in Townsend Township, Norfolk County, Ontario (see 1851 and 1861 censuses).

I believe there is a possible link back to John Newman and Sarah Norris of Manningford Abbots, Wiltshire, England (possibly James' grandparents). I have found no direct links to substantiate this - but one clue is that a daughter of James Newman and Ann Hayes is Sarah N. Newman (as per the 1851 Census of Norfolk County, Ontario). I believe that the Sarah N. may be a reference to her being named after James Newman's grandmother: Sarah Norris. (The Sarah N. reference could be a reference to an Aunt Sarah who also had the 'Norris' middle-name, after her mother.)

James was married to Ann Hayes (born 10 May, 1818, Manningford Abbots, Wiltshire, England) who died on 11 November, 1905. She too is buried in the Old Hopkins Cemetery - the last interment before it fell into disuse and became quite overgrown, the stones broken and scattered. In her later years Ann Hayes was known as 'blind Grandma' and was remembered by my aunt, Hazel Almas, whom I talked to shortly before her death.

James Newman was a Baptist (cf. 1881 Census where Ann is listed as 'Church of England' and the children all: Cdn Methodist).

James Newman
Death Date: 22 Feb 1884
Death Location: Wentworth
Estimated birth year: abt 1812
Birth Location: England

The children of James Newman and Ann Hayes were:

1. Jane Newman - born August 1843, England; died 4 October 1874; buried in Old Hopkins Cemetery; married David Almas (1840-1867)

2. James Henry Newman - born Ontario (cf 1881 Census) 16 July, 1854; died in West Flamborough, 16 March 1908; married Isabella Elliot (1856-1939).

3. Sarah N. (Norris?) Newman - born Ontario, ca 1855. She was 6 in 1861 Census of Norfolk Co., Townsend Twp; 30 in 1881 Census of Wentworth North (b 1851?) She is listed as a Methodist.

4. Avis Madilda Newman - born 16 July, 1860, Townsend Township, Norfolk County. ON; died 21 June, 1935; buried St. Matthew's (Aldershot), Burlington, ON; marred William Stewart Harmer. In the 1861 Census of Norfolk County, she is living with her parents in Townsend Township. She is age 20 in the 1881 Census and 30 in the 1891 Census.

5. Henry Newman - born abt 1863, Townsend Township, Norfolk County, ON.

1841 Census of Wiltshire

 

Censuses of Norfolk County, Ontario

1851

James Newman farmer b. England Episcopalian 38
Ann Newman b. England Episcopalian 34
Jane Newman b England Episcopalian 8
Ann Newman b. England Episopalian 6
Sarah Newman b. Canada Episcopalian 3

1861

James Newman 49 b 1812 England
Ann Newman 44 b 1817 England
Jane Newman 17 b 1844 England
( where is Ann?)
S.. N. Newman (this is Sarah N.) 11 b 1850 Canada West
J. Henry 6 b 1855 Canada West
M. Elizabeth 4 b 1857
Eva 1 b 1860

1871

James Newman 58 b 1813 England
Ann Newman 54 b 1817 England
Sarah Newman 22 b 1849 ON
James Newman 16 b 1855 ON
Mary Newman 13 b 1959 ON
Eavis Newman 10 b 1861 ON
Henry Newman 8 8 b 1863 ON

 

See Newman Family; Almas Family; Harmer Family