Person:Catherine Cummins (2)

Catherine was the second child of Daniel Cummins and Christine Angle. She was likely born in Knowlton Township, Sussex County, New Jersey where she was baptized. This is where her parents had grown up and where her 4 grandparents lived. However, census returns indicate that by 1790 her parents had moved across the Delwaware River to Lower Snmithfield Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. It is a possible but less probable that she was born in PA.

She was baptized (S5, S6, S7, S8)in the same church in Knowlton Township, New Jersey where her mother had been baptized.

When she was about 7 years old Catherine accompanied her parents on the long trek from New Jersey to Upper Canada. Her husband was a 17-year-old when he and his family migrated to Upper Canada in 1801.

Catherine was 17 years old when she married the 21-year-old Isaac van Norman in 1805 in Barton Township, before the city of Hamilton was developed. This was before her new husband had yet petitioned for land in Upper Canada.

In 1806 Isaac petitioned for land and was located on the 200 acres of lot 12 Concession 2 (South of Dundas Street) in Nelson Township Halton County. They settled the property and they both lived there for the rest of their lives.

In 1809 they produced proof that they had cleared 5 acres of their land and thus had fulfilled their settlement duties. Consequently in 1810 their deed was awarded to Isaac.

Most genealogies suggest that she had 12 children. However the 1850 obitiary of her son, William, states that he, the eldest, was predeceased by 4 siblings and survived by 6 for a total of only 11 children. This was either erroneous arithmetic or one of the children on the usual lists must be removed.

Her first child, William, was born when she was a 19-year-old: her last, Melissa, when she was 39.

The story of Catherine's burial is not clear. One source suggested (S4) that her body was removed at a later time to Mount Vernon Cemetery. However Mount Vernon cemetery was established on her farm in 1814 with the burial of her infant daughter, Eliza Van Norman. The suggestion that Catherine's remains were first buried elsewhere makes no sense. The Mount Vernon cemetery was not established as a separate legal property until 1837. However this too was long before Catharine’s death in 1852. The story of the moving remains is not credible.

1. ↑ The Christian Guardian
   p. 119 , 5 May 1852.

   "Mrs. Isaac Van Norman died on Middle Rd., Nelson, May 2, 1852"

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 The Christian Guardian
   p. 138, 9 Jun 1852.

   "Mrs. Catherine Van Norman was born in New Jersey in 1788, and died in Nelson twp., May 2, 1852 in her 51st (sic 64th) year."

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Mount Vernon Cemetery transcription
   1989.

   "CATHARINE/ WIFE OF/ ISAAC VAN NORMAN/ and daughter of/ E. (sic D.) & C. CUMMINGS (sic Cummins)/ departed this life/ May 2,1852; in the/ 64th year of her/ AGE." Transcribed 1989 by W.R. Cummins.

4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 History of Mount Vernon Cemetery.

   By H. Langford: Catharine was buried in a "little cemetery on the lake shore near a little church. The church and cemetery are moved, all except Grandmother's grave. For some reason that was left and Uncle Isaac put a nice little monument over her grave."

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 First German and English Congregation
   1788.

   Records of the First German and English Congregation, Knowlton, Warren County.

6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society 3
   123-128, 1918.

   Records of the First German and English Congregation, Knowlton, Warren County.

7.   Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society 3
   179-192, 1918.

   Records of the First German and English Congregation, Knowlton, Warren County.

8.   Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society 4
   88-107, 1919.

   Records of the First German and English Congregation, Knowlton, Warren County.

9. ↑ ^9.0 9.1 Daniel Cummins Family Bible
   >1827.

   "Catharine Cummins born Novr 13th 1788". This bible was written either by Catharine's father, Daniel Cummins, or by his youngest daughter Elizabeth (Betsy) Cummins- Hanes who inherited it. It passed down the generations in that family to Marjory Elizabeth Binkley-Garrick who gave it to W.R. Cummins in 2000.

10. ↑ Census Nelson Halton ON
    p. 66, 1851.

    A. E. VanNorman F Can 34; Isaac VanNorman F US 65; Catherine VanNorman US 60; Catherine VanNorman Can 32; Marshall VanNorman Can 9; Edwin VanNorman Can 6; Eva VanNorman Can 4; Clardon VanNorman Can 3; Elizabeth Bell Can 28; Mary Bell Can 26. All Wesleyan Methodists.