Henry Newcomer, my fourth great grandfather, settled in Washington County, Maryland in 1774, having moved from Lampeter Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His Lampeter, Pennsylvania property was sold in 1775.
His tombstone is inscribed in German, and gives his name as Heinrich Neukomers or Neukomets.
In 2005 his home was still a home. A sign out at the road read “Homeplace Est. 1791”. It is unclear if that is when the house was built, as a realtor listing claimed it was built in 1765. The house at 20518 Beaver Creek Road, Hagerstown, Maryland, is on the south side of Beaver Creek.
Apparently, his mill did not last long as Doub’s Mill occupies the site now, and it was built between 1811 and 1821 by John Funk. John Doub, Sr. bought the mill in 1821. It still stands today and is a home.
Henry and War
In 1776 Henry was fined for refusing to bear arms in the Revolutionary War, according to Daniel Lehman.
Surprisingly, the Daughters of the American Revolution Patriot Index – Centennial Edition, Part 2, page 2136, lists Henry Newcomer as fighting for the rebels. On the DAR web site, Henry Newcomer is listed as serving in 1777 under Captain John Shyrrer (aka John Shearer) in 8th Company, 7th Battalion. Another source, lost now, listed Henry, on page 261-262, serving as a private, in the rebel militia, 8th class in Captain James Walling’s company, 2nd battalion (1776-1777). Both John Shyrrer’s and James Walling’s companies were organized in Pennsylvania.
Note: Henry left Pennsylvania for Maryland in 1774. I cannot sort out the apparent conflict in states, dates and side of the Revolutionary War.
Furthering the confusion, another source has Henry arrested in June of 1781 for participating in a loyalist plot in Frederick County, Maryland. The plot sought to recruit loyalist soldiers for the British Army. He was sentenced to one year in prison. The officer who charged Henry was Captain Christian Orendorff.
Henry was convicted and sent to prison, but freed on 27 January 1783 upon petition of his neighbors and his wife. His fine was also reduced so he could keep his home and mill.
I have yet to straighten out Henry’s role during the Revolutionary War.
Ironically, Christopher Orendorff, likely the son or grandson of Captain Orendorff, built the home that Joshua Newcomer, grandson of Henry Newcomer, owned during the Civil War. The home and mill complex went through several owners before Joshua Newcomer bought the property in 1853. It is now part of the Civil War Antietam National Battlefield.
Henry and Religion
Henry Newcomer was listed as a Mennonite in reference to his participation in efforts to recruit Loyalist soldiers. However, Henry is buried in the Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren cemetery.
So, was Henry the first of my Newcomer ancestors to join the Brethren?
Most likely, Henry’s descendants were the first to join the Brethren. This is based on Henry’s descendants selling part of the farm that Henry willed to his children to the Brethren, and it is reinforced by the history of the Beaver Creek Brethren.
Henry came to Beaver Creek in 1774, and he died in 1795.
The Beaver Creek congregation probably began in 1768; then was incorporated in 1816 under the name “Dunkers”; re-incorporated as the German Baptist Church of Beaver Creek, Funkstown and Long Meadows in 1885; and once again re-incorporated as the Church of the Brethren of Beaver Creek Congregations of the Middle District Maryland in 1912.
What we know is that Elizabeth and Joel Newcomer (Henry’s 4th son) sold the land to the church for the building of the stone church. Then, in 1891, Susan and George Newcomer (Joel’s 4th son) sold the land to the church that is part of the church’s cemetery. It seems clear that these Newcomers were members of the church.
A cautionary note to this possible interpretation is that.
Henry’s brother, Christian Newcomer, also moved around the same time. Christian had become disillusioned with the Mennonites and became a leader of the new denomination, the United Brethren in Christ. It is certainly possible that Henry shared his brother’s disillusionment with the Mennonites, but that is not the same as Henry joining Brethren.
(Please see the Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren’s website for more history:
www.beavercreekcob.org/more/about-us)
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For the details on Henry Newcomer and descendants, please go to my website in RootsMagic.