The Newton Families of Greene County, Missouri

This gentleman was born in the State of Delaware, July 26, 1826, and came to St. Louis, Mo., in 1838. In 1849 he crossed the great plains to California, leaving St. Louis in March and reaching California in the following September. The train he was with took the first merchandise to Salt Lake. In 1851 he returned to St. Louis, and in 1854 he re-crossed to California and freighted goods for John Howe, with a large wagon train. He returned to St. Louis Januarys, 1855, and upon the 5th of October, 1855, again started to California, going by way of the Isthmus of Panama. He came back to St. Louis in 1856, where he remained until 1868, when he came to Springfield, and brought his family the year following. He was engaged in the general merchandise business until 1872, and then embarked in the general produce trade, which he still carries on. He was elected to the city council in 1869, from the fourth ward, upon the Democratic ticket. He has always taken an active part in the building up of the city, and was a leading spirit in the erection of the opera house. He was married in September, 1856, to Miss Minerva C. Ault. They were best with five children, all sons, three of whom are now living. Mr. Newton is a Royal Arch Chapter Mason, St. John's Commandery, No. 20. His father died when he was but an infant, and his mother died in St. Louis soon after her removal to that city. Mr. Newton is one of the staunch business men of Springfield, and has done much to advance her commercial interests.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

LEWIS A. NEWTON.

This gentleman is the son of Henry W. and Mary (Coleman) Newton, and was born June 16th, 1832, in Caroline county, Virginia. He was reared upon the farm, and attended Richmond College for three years. After completing his education he returned to the farm and lived there until 1859, when he moved to Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, where he taught school two terms, and then went to Owensburg, Kentucky. He returned to Lavyrenceburg soon after, and upon the 30th of September, 1860, was married to Miss Eliza V., daughter of Edwin Martin. Their union was best with nine children, four boys and five girls. He came to Springfield, Missouri, in October, 1860, but soon went to Cassville, Barry county, and followed his profession of teaching. In the spring of 1862 he returned to Springfield, and accepted the position of first clerk in the quartermaster's department, which position he held until November, 1865. In January, 1866, he went with Captain R. B. Owens to Port Riley, Kansas, and took charge of the abstract department. In November, 1866, he came back to Springfield, Missouri, and engaged in prosecuting claims against the government. He was elected upon the Democratic ticket to the office of county collector, in 1874, and served two years. In 1869 he was city assessor, and a member of the council in 1871, and has been a member of the school board as one of the directors. Mr. Newton is a Mason, and he and his wife are members of the Baptist church. His father died in 1852 and his mother in 1876. They had seven children, four boys and three girls, of whom Lewis A. is the oldest.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

EDWARD F. NEWTON.

Why is it that railway magnates, presidents of banks and heads of great enterprises who must perforce do business in cities, almost all try to have.homes on farms in the country, where they develop soils, plant crops and breed animals? It is because there is wearisome monotony in piled up brick and stone. There is confusion in crowded streets and changing trolley cars and hot smoky railways. These things man has made, and they are needful, but they are not life, much as the farm boy may imagine them to be. It is the dream of millions of country bred boys to get established in some city, but after they have tried urban life a few years and see the many objectionable phases of it. they begin to have other dreams — of returning to the farm, where there is more freedom, better health and greater happiness. Edward F. Newton, well known farmer and breeder of live stock of Franklin township, Greene county, has been wise enough to establish himself in the country.

Mr. Newton was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, March 2, 18(14. He is a son of Hiram and Caroline ( Kite) Newton. The father was born in Massachusetts, from which state he came with his parents to Bowling Green, Kentucky, when young and there spent the rest of his life, engaged principally at the carpenter's trade, his death occurring in 1865, when about fifty-two years of age. Politically, he was a Democrat. He owned valuable property in Bowling Green. His wife was born in Warren county, Kentucky, and her death occurred also in the year 1865, when forty-four years of age. To these parents fourteen children were born, named as follows: Richard. James. John. Hiram, Jr., are all deceased: George lives at Beaver Dam. Kentucky; Andrew Jackson and Silas are both deceased: Edward I". of this sketch; Mary. Fanny, and Eliza are deceased; the next child died in infancy: the two youngest, twins, also died in infancy.

Edward F. Newton was reared by his sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Mel Vary, with whom he came to Greene county, Missouri, when a child, the family locating near Ebenezer, and bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres on which our subject remained until lie was twenty-two years of age. He received a common school education.

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- of railroad land, later took up other railroad land. He devoted his active life to general farming.

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Mr. Newton moved to his present farm in 1N85, after his first marriage. He has prospered through his close application, sound judgment and honest dealings, and he is now owner of one of the choice farms of the township, consisting of two hundred and fifty-three acres, of well improved and productive land, all under cultivation, but ten acres in timber. He built his present substantial residence, also outbuildings, in 1904. In 191 2 he built a modern breeding barn, thirty-two by forty feet, with box stalls and other conveniences found only on up-to-date farms. In connection with general farming he makes a specialty of breeding live stock and owns some fine animals which are greatly admired by all. At present he has three jacks and two stallions — Black Eagle. Blue John and Silver Song, Skelix and Young Roman. Black Eagle is a tine black jack with meal points, fourteen and one-half hands high, heavy bodied, high beaded, large flat heavy honey. He was sired by old Ratter, a large breeder, well known in the southern part of Polk county. Black Eagle's dam was a mammoth bennett, stood fifteen hands high. Eagle's sire and dam were both high bred animals, making Black Eagle a well-bred jack. Blue John is a blue jack, fifteen hands high, jack measure, and is well known throughout Greene county to all breeders. His colts are heavy-boned, with good heads, and always make big fine mules that never fail to top the market. Silver Song is a fine black jack, weighing about one thousand pounds, and is fourteen and three-quarters hands high; he is sired by Big Eagle, dam. Lady M. Skelix is a dark bay stallion, fifteen and one-half hands high, black points, weighing" eleven hundred pounds. His sire is Kiosk, Xo. 21359, Vol- I2> page 88. Trotting record, 2:31, sire of five trotters in the list; chestnut, star, one white hind foot; sixteen hands high; weight over twelve hundred pounds; sire, Kremlin, -2:o7;l, trotting; champion of the world in 1892. Dam, Elista, 2:20; dam of Elison. 2:17, trotting; second dam Green Mountain Maid; dam of nine 2:30 trotters. Young Roman is a draft stallion, eight years old in 1915, sixteen and one-half hands high, weight seventeen hundred pounds. He is three-fourths Percheron, has fine style and action, is an extra well made horse with large heavy hone. He is an entirely black stallion. Young Roman was sired by Roman Prince, an imported and thoroughbred Percheron. He weighed two thousand pounds and was as fine a breeder as the southwest has ever afforded. His dam is a large black mare, one-half Percheron, and weighs fifteen hundred pounds.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.