Week 14 (Apr. 1-7, 2020): Water   Our ancestors traveled by water, built towns near water, and powered machines with water. 

I never realized what a big part water played in the lives of my Western Pennsylvania ancestors until recently.  I've been trying to tighten up some loose ends and am adding background (some of it from these articles.) 

My ancestral Van Eman line: 

George Van Eman

Nicholas Van Eman m. Mary Wilson

Nicholas Van Eman II m. Catherine Riddle

Catherine Van Eman m. Adam Morrow

George Van Eman Morrow m. Margaret McConahy

Sierra Nevada Morrow m. James Preston Book

Margaret Annetta Book m. Valentine Edward Mohney

Donald Edward Mohney m. Nettie Lynda Lindbeck

Donna Evalyn Mohney

One of the first ancestors who relied upon water was Nicholas Van Eman II. 

Nicholas Vanemon II was born March 30, 1767 and died April 24, 1832.  He married Catherine Riddle on April 11, 1793.  He and his first wife left Washington County, Pa around 1800 to settle in New Castle, Lawrence County, PA.  In his father's will, Nicholas was given the land his parents lived on, " I give and bequeath unto my son Nicholas that tract of land on which I now live that at the death of his mother, he shall enjoy the same to his own proper use and benefit together with 10 half johannas to pay the consideration money for deed and land "

He bought 100 acres of land and rebuilt the old John Elliot gristmill.  The land was located on the west bank of the Neshannock River in New Castle (about the present North Street.).   Elliot, in the "insturment of Writting" (i.e. Deed) states that: 

"Whereas I, William Elliott, now of Mercer County in Pennsylvania, did in the last of Spring or first part of the summer in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred Verbally sell to Nicholas Vaniman a lot of Ground situate on the Shenango River (or Creek) and bounded on said River or Creek to the Westward, Newcastle Town on the East and was & is adjoining Cornelius Hendrickson on the Lower side and the same year (to wit) the twenty first day of July in the said year One thousand eight hundred I the said William Elliott made & signed an Instrument of Wrighting which was intended by me to Operate as a legal conveyance of all my right in the Law and in Equity of in and to said Lot for the use benefit and Interest of said Nicholas Vanemon His heirs & assigns and said Nicholas Vaneman since he has the right to said Lot has sold & transferred by an Instrument in Writing the Right to said Lot of Ground together with all rights and Advantages appertaining thereto to Thomas Holidy."  This deed wasn't filed legally until 5 November 1810. and probably was only for a small lot if it only sold for 17 dollars.

A tragic incident is connected with Vaneman's misfortune that is worth preserving. The miller whom Vaneman employed to run his mill, a man named Crane, was naturally a little anxious about the property.  Being on the ground on the day when the great ice flood came tumbling and rolling down the creek, he was standing near the old-fashioned tub wheel, and peering into the mill to see what damage had been done, when a sudden rush of ice made everything crack around him. Eagerly bending forward and pointing with his finger toward the impending wreck, he exclaimed, "The old mill is all gone to h__l!"  In his excitement he lost his balance and fell into the wheel, which was in rapid motion, and was killed. His body was soon after recovered and laid out in one corner of the the mill, which after all the apparent danger, was only injured to a small extent.  After his remains were laid out, a watch-dog was placed inside as a guard, the mill was locked and the corpse left until the next morning. 

It is said that Vaneman would on no account consent to have the dead body in his dwelling, which is why it was left in the mill.  Vaneman was a member of the Presbyterian Church and perhaps he objected to Crane's use of profane words. Crane had no relations to bury his body or take charge of his property Crane, it appears, had no relatives, at least not in this portion of the country, and so all that he possessed was buried with him. This consisted of the clothes he wore, a pocket knife, a pipe and tobacco, and a few pieces of silver amounting to between one and two dollars. His remains were placed in a rough box of oaken boards, and buried on the summit of Shaw's hill. There was no burial ground at the spot chosen, but as the only burial place was on the west side of the Shenango, and unapproachable by reason of the flood (there being then no bridges over the stream), his remains were interred in the most suitable place they could find, under the circumstances. The place has no stone to mark it and the locality is known to very few persons. This incident occurred, probably, in 1807.   Seth Rigby who lived more than seventy years sough of town was of the opinion that Crane's body had been exhumed later by some youths who were desirous of obtaining the money buried with him.

Nicholas Vaneman left New Castle in 1808 or 1809, selling the mill, water-power, and land to James Gillespie. He moved to Wayne Township about 1808/9 (near Chewton), where he  put up a new mill on Mill Run or Big Run   Nicholas Vaneman of Mercer County purchased 400 acres of land from Thomas Beard of Beaver County on Sept. 24, 1805 for $700.

The property was on the east side of Big Beaver "creek", about one mile above the mouth of the Connoquenessin' Creek, adjoining the lands of Moses McCullum, James McCrearer, and Thomas Beard.

The mills were frame, and  the grist-mill had one run of "Country Stone".   His wheel was 18 feet in diameter and "overshot'.  He evidently didn't plan well, for moving down the stream further, he could have had a fall of 30 or 40 feet.  He operated the mill until one of his sons took over.  It did a fair "corn cracking business", but was never a very good mill.  The land was "Academy Land" and was originally settled by Lewis Kirkendall.  (Academy Lands were 5000 acres granted to the trustees of Washington Academy in 1787, the sale of which was to become part of the funding of Washington and Jefferson College.)  

A pair of "Laurel Hill Stones" with just enough machinery to set them in motion was all there was to it. At first there was nothing to grind but corn, and no bolting cloth was necessary. The only sieve in town, or within several miles,  was one Jesse DuShane had made of a deerskin, and perforated with a hot iron. This was frequently borrowed and often went the rounds of the neighborhood, sometimes going several miles away. Soon the settlers began to raise wheat, and Mr. Vaneman introduced a rude belt. It was operated by a turning a crank by hand. The miller carried the grist up a pair of stairs and put it into a hopper from which it ran to the bolt below, and thus became flour and bran in the process."

The North Sewickley Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania Tax List in 1815 shows Nicholas with 300 acres 1 horse  2 cows 1 grist mill 1 saw mill  post of Proffit.

Tax records of 1827 show that he owned 310 acres of land, 2 horses, 3 cows, a gristmill, and a sawmill. 

About 1809, his wife Catherine passed away.  He and Catherine had 8 children.  He married 2nd. Margaret Catherine Lusk and had 8 more children.

A couple of other ancestors also made use of the water in supporting their families. 

But I'll save them for later!

Donna E. Mohney