Mosey Lancaster - Notable Nimrod

Moses Lancaster

I come across certain people in my research that stick with me for whatever reason. This guy's reason is definitely his name, and the fact that Kenderdine called him a notable Nimrod, though apparently it meant he was a skillful hunter and not a bumbling idiot. Here's some info on Moses' early life from a book review.

The Following is from Excerpt from a book review on Donna J. Rilling, Making Houses, Crafting Capitalism: Master Builders in Philadelphia, 1790-1850. Review written by James B. McSwain, Department of History, Tuskegee University.

In contrast Moses Lancaster, a Bucks County Quaker, came to Philadelphia in 1802 and quickly advanced to master carpenter using personal contacts and financial resources from the Friends' community. Lancaster repeatedly mortgaged property to obtain cash for new projects or to pay for labor or materials advanced in anticipation of housing sales. He kept certain properties, relying on the income they produced to stay afloat during hard economic times. When possible, Lancaster hired apprentices to lower his wages costs and employed journeymen by the day, by the job, or for a specific task to make their labor efficient. Lancaster bought and sold real estate, sold titles to raise cash, and obtained ground rents to supplement his income. In 1823 he purchased a lumber yard and branched out into the materials side of building, enabling him to cut project costs, swap supplies for labor with other carpenters, and get out from under the constant need for cash to do business. Despite his skills and contacts Lancaster suffered reverses in 1828-30, and retired in 1841 to the countryside where he lived for many years on a modest income from rental properties. When he died in 1879 he was dependent upon the Carpenters' Company for daily needs. Lancaster's life in building makes clear the difficulties many men faced even when they achieved modest success as a master builder. His fortunes showed that many factors such as relationships, economic cycles, the scale of activities, the convergence of career stages and market developments, and diversity of interests, determined whether or not one could advance from apprentice to wealthy master builder in the construction business.

1850 Census

Moses and his wife Susanna had 12 children, the majority of whom lived to adulthood. Later in life, the couple boarded with his daughter Lydia and her husband, the head of the household Dr. Morris P Linton at 35 S. State Street. The residence was formerly part of the old jail when Newtown was the county seat. Linton owned the house from 1844 to his death in 1872, during which time the old Treasury building still stood directly behind it.  

35 S. State Street

By chance, I came across a letter written from Newtown by Moses Lancaster. He's writing to his cousins Nathan and Sarah Harper on December 30th, 1866. He was 3 days away from his 85th birthday, as noted in the postscript. In it, he says a little prayer and describes his declining health. He says that his wife is boarding with Dr. Linton and Lydia, and that he was going to Philadelphia to board for the winter with the intention of going to Plainfield in the summer "if I live". Despite the prayers, Moses notes he has not been to a quaker meeting in many years. In the margin he pens "With all my suffering my nerves are steady"

Moses was remembered by historian Thaddeus S. Kenderdine in his 1915 pamphlet "When Newtown Was the County Seat." The story is about some apprentice boys in the local lockup.

Dissatisfied with their accommodations, in the evening, and being small, 'prentice boy size, they climbed up the chimney, and, as crows, besmirched with soot, they cawed defiance to "Mosey" Lancaster, the chief Burgess, who lived in an adjoining house. As the defender of the honor of the borough, "Mosey" got out his gun, and ordered the boys to their quarters, but they shouted defiance from the chimney top till the small hours, when tired with their skylarking they went down to their donjon-keep. I well remember Moses Lancaster, who was a notable Nimrod, and who up to his ninety years roamed the woods for game. 

When Moses Lancaster died he was the oldest resident of Newtown, at 97.

November 22, 1879 Obituary Newtown Enterprise

The images are from a good family tree for Moses found here.

Notable nimrod or not, he is pretty well-remembered for someone who was born 240 years ago.

Total Nimrod