The Fulkerson Family Pages
Solomon Norman
Provided by cousin David Smith, who also descends from the Fulkerson-Norman connection.
Solomon Norman's history is unusual for someone in our family. there have been at least 3 books on the slave plantations of Geneva, NY. Information is sketchy. The experiment failed and all slaves wre freed by 1810. He definitely came to "Geneva as overseer, George Charles' identity as such is probable, but speculative. No records survive on who came with the plantation owners. Solomon is the only ancestor I have known to have arrived after the Revolution.
Solomon Norman was born 3 miles due east of Stockton-upon-Lees in the parish of Linthrop in Cleveland, Yorkshire in 1761. Both Solomon and George Charles worked for a time with one of the Maryland men below before coming to New York with them and their slaves.
"New Settlers with Slaves - Geneva, NY:
Peregrine Fitzhugh, from Maryland,
Henry brothers, from Maryland
Dorsey, from Frederick, MD
John & Jacob Ringer, from Maryland.
Solomon Norman probably came north from Maryland with George Charles as Overseers for Slaves of one of the Southern Settlers. Perhaps George was an overseer for one settler, Solomon for another. George Charles was in Geneva, NY by 1800 and was in the Census. Solomon was there also, as an overseer, though he was not in the census. Geneva at that time had about 20 houses. George Charles apparently died about 1800. By 1803 Solomon Norman had saved up enough to purchase land in Yates County for a farm. In 1806 he married George Charles' eldest daughter Susannah. George had three, what happened to the other two is not yet known to me.
There is an account of only one trip of the 15 or so trips up from Maryland & Virginia. That is for one trip in 1803 from Williambug, VA to Geneva. They left Stafford County, VA [on] Oct 21 1803. The slaves came up the Cumberland Pike to Ithaca, then traveled by boat to Geneva. The owners came up the Hudson, then along the Mohawk, and then cross country. The slaves arrived in Geneva, NY [on] Dec 31 1803. Workers had been sent ahead to prepare cabins. Fields had been cleared already so the farm was ready for them.
Solomon and Susannah had 11 children.
Samuel and Jane lived on or near Caleb's farm along Seneca Lake. He died at the age of 44. They had 7 children: Ellen (1833), Wallace William (1834), Norman (1837), Samuel (1840), Harlan (1842), MONROE D. (1844), Caleb Farley (1849). Wallace, Norman and Caleb served in the Civil War.
