Indiana County in 1817

Indiana County in 1817
Indiana County in 1817

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

James Fleming and his wife Nancy Clawson of Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania

James and Nancy Clawson were my third great grandparents.  They lived in Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania and had the following children:

1.  Eliza Jane Fleming (born about 1820-died between 1870 and 1880) married James C. Householder (1815-).  
2.  James Fleming (1824-1898) married Jane Fulton (1834-1913).
3.  Charlotte Fleming (5 June 1825-2 September 1892) married John Johnson (1822-1916)
4.  Eli G. Fleming (born about 1827-died 9 June 1896) married Mary Elizabeth Bradford (1829-1911) and Sally D. Hoover (1856-1900).  See previous blog post on Eli G. Fleming.
5.William G. Fleming (born 27 June 1829)-30 October 1908 married Nancy Davis, daughter of Nancy Clawson Fleming's second husband.
6. Nancy Jane Fleming (July 1832-3 July 1910) married Joseph T.  Gordon (1831-1875) and died in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas.
7.  Evaline born date est. 1835- death after 6 February 1844

James Fleming received his land from his father, John Fleming, on 1 May 1799.  The following summary is a history of this land.

A warrant was surveyed for John Mechlin on 18 March 1789 in pursuance of a warrant dated 6 September 1785.  It contained 456 and 3/4 acres and was situated on Black Legs Creek joining lands of Samuel Dixon and an improvement known by the name of Campbell's Improvement.  This land was later patented on 27 January 1854 to John Barclay, 220 acres and 84 perches; Archibald Coleman, 23 acres and 144 perches; and James and William Fleming, 209 acres.

John Fleming purchased this warrant from John Mechlin on 8 April 1790 and later sold/transferred this property to his sons Alexander, James, and William.  Alexander sold his property to Alexander Barclay.  William Fleming left his property to his sons, James and William, in his will.  William's sons, James and William,  later sold their property to John Barclay.

John Fleming's son, James Fleming, sold 24 acres to Archibald Coleman in 1840.  He died in 1844 and left his property to his sons, James, William, and Eli.  Eli sold his interest to his brothers, James and William who patented their property in 1854.  James Fleming, Jr. died in 1898 and his property was sold to pay his debts but William's property remained in his family. 


The following survey shows this land that James Fleming and his brother, William Fleming, patented in 1854.

 
James Fleming wrote his will on 6 February 1844 and it was probated on 16 February 1844.  His will mentions his wife Nancy and the children listed above. 

Nancy Clawson Fleming married a neighbor, David Davis (1785-1855), sometime between 1844 and 1850 when she appears with him in the census along with her son, Wm. Fleming, and her daughter, Nancy J. Fleming in Black Lick Township, Indiana County.

David Davis 65 Farmer
Nancy Davis 52
James Davis 27
Nancy Davis 19
Wm. Fleming 21
Nancy J. Fleming 18
James Wineman 9


James and Nancy Fleming's son, William Fleming, later married Nancy Davis, a daughter of David Davis.  David Davis died 31 January 1855.  His will mentions his wife, Nancy Davis, and his step daughter, Nancy Jane Fleming.

Nancy appears in the 1860 census with her granddaughter, Nancy J. Householder in Black Lick Township, Indiana County.

Nancy Davis 60
Nancy J. Hausholder 12
Nancy J. Householder was Nancy Davis' granddaughter, the daughter of James Householder and her daughter Eliza Fleming.


Nancy Clawson Fleming Davis died sometime between 16 December 1862 when her will was written and 23 January 1863 when it was probated.  She probably died close to the time it was probated.  Her will names her son, James Fleming, and her daughter, Nancy Jane Gordon.  It also mentions the following granddaughters: Nancy Jane Flemming; Letitia Charlot Householder; Nancy Jane Johnston; Anna Lena Flemming; and Nancy Jane Householder.

Her will states she is is the widow of David Davis.  Her bequests to her granddaughters provide the surnames of the men her daughters married.  Her granddaughter, Nancy Jane Flemming, was the daughter of her son, James Fleming.  Her granddaughters, Nancy Jane and Letitia Charlot Householder, were the daughters of her daughter, Eliza and her husband, James C. Householder.  Her granddaughter, Nancy Jane Johnston, was the daughter of her daughter Charlotte and her husband, John Johnston.  Her granddaughter, Anna Lena Flemming, was the daughter of her son, William Fleming and Nancy Davis, a daughter of David Davis.


There are not many wills written by women in this time period.  She left bequests to some of her older granddaughters rather than her grandsons.  Perhaps she was an early feminist.