The rapid western expansion in the 1820s and 1830s often complicates genealogical research. A name disappears in New York, and now appears in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, or Missouri. Is it the same person?
One example of this is the families of Reuben and Simeon Campbell who are enumerated in the 1810 census for Ovid, Seneca, New York.
How Reuben and Simeon are related is still unknown, but it is assumed they were cousins. Both were born in New Jersey. Reuben relocated with his father to the Wallkill area of New York (current Montgomery, Orange County) in about 1765. He first appears in the records of the local store in 1768 purchasing sugar and molasses and picking up items for his brother, Jonathan, to whom he may have been apprenticed as a blacksmith. He is confirmed to be the son of Samuel Campbell in a will of 1773.
His name first appears with Simeon's in 1775 when they both sign the Articles of Association in New Paltz. We know Simeon to be born in 1754 from his enlistment in 1776. Reuben is guessed to be a bit older, perhaps born in 1745. Reuben moved again with many of his brothers to the western part of Ulster County. His farm in Mamakating neighbored that of Simeon in the 1799 tax assessment roll. In 1802, Reuben and his son Thomas appear on the tax assessment roll for Ovid, Cayuga County. Simeon soon appears in Ovid in the 1810 census.
Pages 19 and 20 of the 1810 census for Ovid contain many surnames that are interwoven with Reuben and Simeon Campbell: King, Leonard, Russell, Ludlow, Conklin, Garrett.
The changes to this area of Ovid are apparent in the 1820 census. Reuben and Thomas are missing. Simeon's close neighbor, Benedict Russell has left a 26-44yo widow, Abigail. [Could this be his daughter?]. Simeon has gained a new neighbor, widow Lydia King (26-44) with small children. [Could this be another daughter?] His close neighbor, Silas Ludlow, has been replaced by his son, Samuel Ludlow, husband of Hannah Campbell (Simeon's daughter). There is no older member of the household, suggesting the death of Silas. Further down the page appears Jeremiah King, husband of another daughter of Simeon, Sarah.
It is not until the 1850 census that we pick up on the trail of Thomas, son of Reuben. We discover that between 1810 and 1820 he moved to Ohio with his wife, Hanna, and children, Phoebe, Reuben, and Elizabeth. They are enumerated in the 1820 census of Darke County, Ohio. In 1824, Ohio marriage records show Betsy (Elizabeth) married Marvin Chapman in Darke County.
Albert Nevius relocated at about the same time if not as a group with Thomas. Albert's daughter, Eleanor, and Thomas' son, Reuben, marry in 1827 in Ohio.
The 1830 census for Montgomery, Indiana shows a Thomas Campbell with a household of six. The ages for Thomas and Hanna agree with birthdates in later records. They are living next to Reuben Campbell [presumably their son].
The 1840 census for Fountain, Indiana (a county bordering the west of Montgomery County and just east of Danville, IL) shows a Thomas household of two people. The ages are correct for Thomas, now 63, and Hanna. Their neighbor is Cornelius Reeson (Ryerson) who is married to daughter, Phoebe. Another neighbor is Boyington Chatman (Chapman, Marvin's brother) Their daughter, Betsy Chapman, is living in the neighboring county of Montgomery, Indiana.
It is not until the 1850 census, when names of each individual in the household are enumerated along with exact ages and birthplaces, that we can put this all together. The 1850 census for Crawford, Missouri shows a 73 year-old T Campbell born in NY; living w 70 year-old H Campbell(F) born in NJ with 19 year-old R Rison [Believed to be Orilla Ryerson, their 19yo granddaughter(F) b in IN.] They are living next to M(arvin) Chapman 53 born in PA [presumably their son-in-law]. Marvin is living with B(etsy) Chapman(F) 42 b NY [presumed to be Elizabeth their daughter] The birthplaces of the Chapman children suggest they were living in Ohio in 1828, IN from 1831 to 1840, IL in 1841, and MO from 1844.
What became of Reuben? In 1810 he is guessed to have been about 65yo living in the household of Thomas. He does not appear in the household of Thomas in 1820. I suppose he could be in the household of an unknown daughter. One possibility is that he is the second male older than 45 living in the Simeon Campbell household in 1820?
This proof of a father-son relationship between Reuben and Thomas is not totally bulletproof. Even the proof that this Reuben in Ovid is the same Reuben mentioned in Samuel Campbell's will of 1773 could be questioned. The knock-out punch was delivered by the YDNA of a living descendant of Reuben, son of Thomas. That YDNA matched that of descendants of other sons of Samuel who were also mentioned in the will of 1773.
