I.
Establishing Proof
In April, 2002, I reported on a Minick family living in Gloucester County, NJ in 1880. I had
several good reasons for believing this to be ‘our family’:
1. The 18-year old John Minick enumerated in this household is the correct age to be my
great-grandfather.
2. The head of this household is a Charles Minick. We know from John Joseph Minnick’s
marriage record that this was the correct name of his father.
3. Several census records from later in John’s life noted that he or his parents had ties to
New Jersey.
4. There were no other likely John Minnick candidates in the 1880 U.S. Census.
Proof was needed, though.
We know from John’s 1892 marriage record - to Elizabeth Lynch of Queens, Long Island - that
his parents’ names were Charles Minick and Catherine Sutton. To determine that the Gloucester,
NJ family was the correct family, I therefore needed to find a single document that showed this
particular Charles Minick along with a wife named Catherine and his son John, all together in one
household.
This was a challenge, though. My Charles Minick ‘candidate’ was still single in 1860, living with
his parents in Camden, NJ. By 1870, he was widowed and remarried, back living with his parents
and grandparents in Gloucester, NJ, with two children to his name. If I had the correct family,
Catherine must have entered and left the picture between these two federal census dates.
After 11 months of searching, I found her! In 1865, she was living with our candidate family in
the city of Camden, NJ:

Charles and Catherine Minick are listed with two children, John and Charles, all in one
household
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Nearby are Charles’ parents, John and Harriet Minick.
This mid-decade NJ state census provides no age, occupation or other personal details; it was
strictly a head count. But that didn’t make it any less exciting. I now know this is the correct
family, and am free to begin ordering documents that will fill in the details of their lives.
II.
The Minick Family in the 1800's - A Working Chronology
Notes and Observations:

Spelling of the family name varied tremendously in 19th century records, but MINICK appears to
be the most standard spelling used by the family. In this chronology, I record the surname as it
was spelled in the various source documents.

The below chronology reveals a small, close-knit family unit through the latter half of the 1800’s.
Charles Henry Minick spent his entire life alternately living with his parents or directly next door
to them. His own children joined in this pattern- in 1870, 1880 and 1900, at least one of them was
living with their father and grandparents. Three generations in a single household. They moved
multiple times, but always together.

Known facts are listed in normal font. Probable-but-as-yet-unconfirmed information is noted in
italics, as are questions/observations.
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ca 1816-1819: John G. Minick is born somewhere in Pennsylvania. He is my ggg-grandfather.
1816-1840: I only have sketchy information for the first 20-25 years of John’s life. By 1830, his parents
had probably moved the family from Pennsylvania to Upper Penn Neck, NJ. He may have two sisters and
one brother.
1838: By 1838, John has married a young New Jersey gal named Harriet (maiden name not yet known).
Harriet was born November 6, 1821, exact birthplace not yet known.
Nov 13 1838: Harriet gives birth to a son named Charles Henry. This will be her only child (for the 1900
census, she confirms she is the mother of only 1 child, who is still living).
1840: John, Harriet and family are probably living in the township of Mansfield, Burlington County, NJ.
1850: This is the first U.S. census to list all family members individually. The family is living in the
township of Mansfield, Burlington County, NJ. Household details:
John Mink, age 31, landlord, born PA
Harriet Mink, age 24, born NJ
Charles Mink, age 10, born NJ
My gg-grandfather, future father of John Joseph Minnick
1860: The family has moved to the city of Trenton, Mercer County, NJ. John lists the personal value of his
household at $100.00, but lists no personal real estate. Household details:
John Minick, age 42, laborer, born PA
Harriet Minick, age 38, born NJ
Charles Minick, age 21, moulder, born PA Conflict: Other censuses consistently say born NJ.
Daniel Finsley, age 7, attending school, born PA
Who is this??
Lydia Gleason, age 64, born NJ
Who is this?? Harriet’s mother?
1861: The Civil War breaks out. I believe Charles takes his moulder (iron working) skills and moves to
New York, probably to manufacture munitions or war ships for the Union cause. While in New York, I
believe he meets a young woman named Catherine Sutton, and marries her there. All this is theory, am
currently seeking proof. More on this at another time.
1862: Charles and Catherine Minick have a son, John Joseph (my g-grandfather), born April 18 in New
York during war time.
1863-1864: Charles and Catherine have a second son, whom they name Charles (we’ll call him Charles
Jr.). He also was born in New York during the Civil War years.
1865: The Civil War ends, and Charles moves his growing family back to New Jersey, to be close to his
parents. This time we find them living in the city of Camden, Camden County, NJ. Charles and Catherine
are living separately, but close to Charles’ parents. Household details:
Household #1:
John Minick
Harriet Minick
Household #2:
Charles Minick
Catharine A. Minick
John Minick
Charles Minick
The Catherine I was looking for!
The earliest record so far for John Joseph Minnick, my gg-grandfather.
October 8, 1865: Charles and Catherine have a third son, whom they name William, born in NJ.
Oct 1865 – Jul 1868: Catherine dies during this time period. Possibly while giving birth to William?
Jul 18 1868: Charles remarries, at a parsonage in the south ward of Camden, NJ. His bride is a 17-year old
named Mehetabel Vandegriff.
Jul 1868 – Sep 1870: Mehetabel does not last long, poor young thing. She too dies.
1870: A twice-widowed Charles returns to living with his parents. Grandma Harriet, no doubt, assists with
raising his young motherless sons. The family is still living in the city of Camden, Camden County, NJ.
Household details:
John Minnic, age 54, wharf builder, born PA
Harriet Minnic, age 47, born NJ
Charles Minnic, age 32, laborer, born PA
Charles Minnic, age 7, born New York
William Minnic, age 4, born NJ
Twice widowed by this time
This census record brings up one big question: Where is 8-year old John Joseph Minnick? Did the census
taker just fail to record him, or is he living elsewhere? We may never know.
Sep 3 1870: Charles remarries for a third time, to a 23-year old Alice Yargo. I believe she was working as a
servant in a Camden house until her marriage to Charles.
ca 1872: Charles and Alice have a daughter, whom they name Harriet (named after her grandmother). She
is a step-sister to John Joseph Minnick, my g-grandfather.
1880: The family has moved yet again, this time to Greenwich, Gloucester County, NJ. The two
generations are back to living as separate but neighboring households. Details:
Household #1:
John J. Minnick, head of household, age 62, laborer, born PA
Harriet Minnick, wife, age 58, born PA
William G. Minnick, grandson, age 13, born NJ
Earlier records show middle initial as G.
Household #2 (next door):
Charles H. Minnick, head of household, age 40, laborer, born PA
Alice Minnick, wife, age 30, born NJ
John Minnick, son, age 18, born NJ
Harriet Minnick, age 8, born NJ
Observations:
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It’s a relief to see John again, as he went missing for the 1870 census.
His brother Charles is no longer with the family, but I think I found him. He is 16 years old,
working on a farm in Woolwich , a neighboring town in Gloucester County.
This is the first time we see the family surname spelled MINNICK, as we know it today.
Aug 14, 1882: An aging John Minick (Sr.) drafts his last will and testament. He leaves all his earthly
possessions to his spouse Harriet, except for $1.00 to his son Charles Henry. I’m pretty certain this is not
meant as an insult. It’s probably just a standard inclusion in a will, to prove his son was not accidentally
omitted.
Feb 20, 1887: John Joseph Minick is now living in Laurel Hill, Newtown Queens, NY, and marries
Elizabeth Mary Lynch (my g-grandmother) at St. Raphael’s Church. Laurel Hill is rapidly growing as a
manufacturing district for metropolitan New York.
1892: John Joseph Minick and his young family are recorded in the New York state census, living in Laurel
Hill, Newtown, Queens. Household details:
John Minochs, age 28, foreman
Elizabeth Minochs, age 22
Morris Minochs, age 3
Melvina Minochs, age 1
And listed almost next door is William Minochs, age 25, laborer. This is John Joseph’s brother, no
doubt.
Observations:
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
Wow – did the census taker ever mess up the family name.
Per my family update dated 10/22/02, Melvina died in 1892, and Morris died in 1897.
Jan 22, 1894: John Minick dies.
Mar 28, 1900: As executrix, Harriet signs her husband’s will, with an X mark (indicating she cannot write)
1900: By this time, Charles Henry Minick has lost his third wife, Alice. He is still living in Greenwich
Township, Gloucester County, but has moved back in with his widowed mother. Details:
Hariett Minick, age 78, head of house, widowed, born New Jersey. Can read/write **, owns home
William Minick, age 34, grandson, single, born New Jersey. Can read/write, laborer.
Charles Minick, age 61, son, widowed, born New Jersey. Can read/write, laborer.
Observations:
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Harriet clearly cannot write, given her X mark signature on her husband’s will. But perhaps she is
unwilling to disclose her illiteracy to a census taker.
We know that John Joseph Minnick by this time is married, living in Brooklyn.
At this point, I lose track of John Joseph’s brother Charles Jr.
I also lose track of John Joseph’s step-sister, Harriet.
Post-1900: I am currently seeking the deaths of Harriet and her son Charles Henry. I believe I’ve found her
son William Minick in 1920 and 1930. He appears to have never married, lodging with various families. In
1920, he was a river boatman in Philadelphia. In 1930, he was a steam railroad conductor in Middlesex
County, NJ. And of course, I’ve reported extensively on her son John Joseph Minnick during the 1900’s.
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III.
Documentation
Documents obtained, used to draft the above chronology:
1850: John Minick and family, township of Mansfield, Burlington, NJ
1860: US Census: John Minick and family, 4th Ward, city of Trenton, Mercer, NJ
1865: NJ state census: John and Harriet Minick, S. Ward, city of Camden, Camden, NJ
1865: NJ state census: Charles and Catherine Minick and family, S. Ward, city of Camden, Camden, NJ
1868: Marriage record, Charles Minick and Mehetabel Vandegriff , S. Ward, city of Camden, Camden, NJ
1870: Marriage record, Charles Minick and Alice Yargo, 1 st Ward, city of Camden, Camden, NJ
1880: US Census: John Minick and family; Charles Minick and family, town of Greenwich, Gloucester, NJ
1887: Marriage of John Minick and Elizabeth Mary Lynch, St. Raphael’s Church, LI City, Queens, NY
1880: US Census: Charles Minick (Jr.), farm worker, town of Woolwich, Gloucester, NJ
1892: NY state census: John ‘Minochs’ and family, Laurel Hill, Newtown, Queens, NY
1894: Transcription of John G. Minicks will, written in 1882, executed in 1894.
1900: US Census: Harriet Minick, w/son Charles & grandson William, town of Greenwich, Gloucester, NJ
1920: US Census: William Minick, city of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
1930: US Census: William Minick, city of South Amboy, Middlesex, NJ
Documents I’m in process of seeking/obtaining:
1840: US Census, John Minick and family
1860-1862: Marriage of Charles Henry Minick and Catherine Sutton (probably NY)
1862-1864: NY births of first two children of Charles Henry Minick: John Joseph and Charles Henry
1861-1865: Possible Civil War employment by Charles Henry Minnick at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
1850-1880: Property ownership records for John G. Minick in Camden County
1865-1868: Death of Catherine Minick
1868-1870: Death of Mehetabel Vandegriff
1870-1900: Death of Alice Yargo
1870-1910:: Property ownership records for John G. Minick in Gloucester County
1894: Death record for John G. Minick (Jan 22, 1894)
1894: Original will and associated probate documents, John G. Minick
1894: Obituary search for John G. Minick
1894: Cemetery search for John G. Minick
1900-1909: Death of Harriet Minick
1900-1909: Death of Charles Henry Minick
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