Nathan Newby (abt. 1665 - 1735)

Born about 1665 in Adamstown, County Wexford, Ireland [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Hollowell) Newby — married 13 Dec 1687 in House of Alce Hollowell, Elizabeth River, Virginia

Descendants

Died 3 Feb 1735 at about age 70 in Nansemond, Colony of Virginia

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Nathan was a Friend (Quaker)

Biography

Nathan was born about 1665, probably at Adamstown in County Wexford, Ireland.^[1]family list of William Newby, father of William, Dorothy, Gabriel and Jonathan; citing Leinster QM births, marriages & burials 1650-99 (approx.), Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives. (Since Dorothy (born 1664), Gabriel (1666) and Jonathan (1668) were all born in Adamstowne, County Wexford, it is likely that Nathan was born in the same place.) He is the son of William Newby (confirmed by his marriage record).^[2] On 2nd of 10th Mo. 1684, the following certificate was issued at his request by the Dublin Men's Meeting:

To Friends of Virginia or elsewhere in America To whom this may come. Our dear love Salutes you, desiring all your prosperity in the blessed Truth. Whereas Nathan Newby who has several years lived as a Servant with a friend in this City hath signified that he hath an Intention to remove himself from here into America and desired a certificate from us. These are therefore to Certifie to all whom it may concern that the said Nathan Newby has carried himself honestly and hath been very dutifull to his master the time of his Apprenticeship and Service &c. And also we know nothing to the contrary but that he is Clear from all women in this Country. All of which is Certified at the desire and in the behalf of our mens meeting by your friends in Truth.

Signed by Alex Seton, John Hutchinson, John Newby, William Norris, and Thomas Ashton.^[3]

He is last mentioned in the Dublin meeting records in 1685.^[4] He emigrated to Virginia around this year.

He married Elizabeth Hollowell of Elizabeth River, Virginia, daughter of Alce Hollowell, on 13th of 10th month (December) 1687. Witnesses included William Newby and his wife, Isabel, Gabriel Newby, son of William, and Dorothy, daughter of William Newby, and John Newby.^[2]

In 1692 there was some level of scandal over the death of a Negro supposedly at the hand of Nathan. Apparently the matter dragged on for three months until Nathan wrote an extensive account of what happened 11 Oct 1692.^[5]

Nathan appears in the first annual meeting minutes of Chuckatuck as the recording secretary for the Virginia Yearly Meeting held 21-23 Sep 1702, Isle of Wight, Virginia.^[6]

In 1702 the first surviving record of a session of the Yearly Meeting in Virginia is dated 1702, the seventh month. The representatives to this session were: Samuel Newton, Thomas Page, Richard Ratcliff, Isaac Ricks, Edward Thomas, John Bates, John Woodson, Joseph Pleasants, Nathan Newby, John Small, John Porter, William Scott, Sr., Robert Jordan, Henry Wiggs, John Murdor (Murdaugh), John Jordan, Daniel Sanbourne, Charles Fleming, Robert Hughes, Gerrad Robert Ellyson, Joseph Glaister, Benjamin Small, James Bates, James Jordan, Matthew Jordan, John Pleasants, Thomas Lankford and Samuel Jordan. Daniel Sanbourne acted as clerk and Sarah Sanburn (Sanbourne) signed papers on behalf of our women's meeting and to signify their unity. -^[7]

In the existing Chuckatuck Monthly Meeting records, Nathan appears as a witness on approximately a dozen marriage documents and as witness or signatory on several documents settling legal disputes among the members.

Nathan Newby was Clerk of the Monthly Meeting, at Pagan Creek, Isle of Wight County, Virginia in 1702. “Att a meeting att Chuckatuck, Co of Nansemond,” 9- 8mo 1707, Quakers assembled registered their opinion of Friend Nathan Newby, in these words “to the best of our Judg'mts Nathan Newby, is a man that fears the Lord, we believe his call is to the Ministry, & we desire the Lord to Prosper him, and bee with him, to the end of his daies.”^[8]

A Nathan Newby, either Nathan son of William, or a possible son of this Nathan. removed to North Carolina and obtained a land grant of 125 acres in Perquimans Precinct on 19 Dec 1712.^[9] [Many researchers believe this is Nathan Newby, son of William Newby.] This tract of land was located on a branch of the Perquimans River adjoining properties owned by James Thigpen and Francis Toms. A deed transfer by James Thigpen reads "James Thigpen Sen'r of Perq, for £15 pd by may son James Jun'r, sold Part of Tract, beg’ at Nathan Newbys Corner. 100a, same to me Grt, Aug 16, 1716."^[10]

Loose papers and Minute Books from early Perquimans Court records show that, prior to 1735, a well organized ferry was used between two points of land called Phelps Point [now town of Hertford, North Carolina] and Newbys Point. Nathan Newby supervised the “setting over” of people on Newby’s Point. Jonathan Phelps did the same from Phelps Point and both men received a stipend from the county for this work.

Nathan Newby (or possibly a son named Nathan) married Mary Toms daughter of Francis Tomes, Jr and his wife Margaret Bouge in Perquimans Precinct, North Carolina in 1720.^[11]

In 1735, Nathan Newby, husband of Mary Tomes, wrote his will and named his wife Mary and his four children (all minors):^[12]

Thomas Newby

Francis Newby

Nathan Newby who later married Keziah Pierce

Mary Newby who married John Robinson

He died in 1735 in Perquimans Precinct, North Carolina.

Research Notes

There is an Isle of Wight probate abstract for a Nathan Newby in 1696. Whose probate record is this? Is the Nathan Newby who marries Mary Tomes in 1720 his son?

Sources

1. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FQM1M-1%2F0289&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FBIRTH%2F32029 : accessed 25 March 2020),
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Haverford College; Haverford, Pennsylvania; Minutes, 1684-1717; Collection: Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minutes; Call Number: 1116/167
3. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Migration Records, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMM11K-1%2F0015&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMIG%2F867 : accessed 26 March 2020), certificate of removal for Nathan Newby dated 2d 10mo (Dec) 1684; citing Dublin MM certificates of removals. 1682-1784, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives, Archive reference MM II K12.
4. ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Congregational Records, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.ie/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FMM11A-2%2F0007&parentid=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FCONG%2F163063 : accessed 26 March 2020), in 1685, Nathan Newby appears on list of Friends paying subscriptions toward building of new meeting house; citing Dublin Men’s Meeting Minutes 1684-91, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives, Archive reference MM II A2.
5. ↑ Haverford College, Lower Virginia Monthly Meeting (Chuckatuck) Minutes 1673-1756, transcription 1944 by Douglas Summers Brown, page 123
6. ↑ Haverford College, Lower Virginia Monthly Meeting (Chuckatuck) Minutes 1673-1756, transcription 1944 by Douglas Summers Brown, page 40
7. ↑ Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy: Virginia, p.5. VIRGINIA YEARLY MEETING
8. ↑ Winslow, Ellen Goode Rawlings. History of Perquimans County : as compiled from records found there and elsewhere : abstracts of deeds from 1681 through the Revolution : petitions, divisions and marriages found in Perquimans and adjacent counties : a brief summary of the settling of Perquimans, with the kind and manner of settlers. Baltimore: Regional Pub. Co., 1974.
9. ↑ North Carolina Land Grants. Microfilm publication, 770 rolls. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina.
10. ↑ Winslow, Ellen Goode Rawlings. History of Perquimans County,
11. ↑ North Carolina Yearly Meeting Minutes. Hege Friends Historical Library, Guilford College, Greensboro, North Carolina.
12. ↑ Wills, 1663-1789; Author: North Carolina. Division of Archives and History; Probate Place: North Carolina.

See also:

• Source NCGenweb "Newby" link
• WikiTree profile Newby-82 created through the import of ross20genancestors-children6-22-2011.ged on Jun 22, 2011 by Lamar Ross. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Lamar and others.