The Descendants of Reuben Newton (1774 - 1833) and Eunice Manley Newton (1782 - 1836)

ELSA (or ELSIE) NEWTON (1809 – ?2)

By Myron L. Newton, Jr.

   Elsa Newton appears in the “BIRTHS” section of the old Newton Bible with a birth date of March 24, 1809. A written list of births of the Reuben Newton family, probably taken from the Newton Bible and transcribed in later years by a family member, recorded our subject as Elsie.

   The book, Newton Genealogy by Ermina Newton Leonard also lists the children of Reuben Eunice Newton, although the source of her data is unreferenced and it is unknown when this data was accumulated or assembled.  This document lists an Elsey Tisdale with a birth date of March 24, 1814, a date that is possibly in error. The question that arises is, “Where did the Tisdale name come from?” Is it possible that Elsa married a person named Tisdale?  An old photograph handed down through the Newton family and taken in Hannibal, Missouri is labeled “Harman J. Tisdale - distant cousin”.

   An Otis Tisdale was enumerated next to Reuben Newton in the 1830 U. S. Census for the Town of Cecilius, Cattaraugus County, New York. One female, in the “of 20 and under 30” column, lived in this household and would fit Elsa’s age in that year. No female was listed in that column for the Reuben Newton household. Two other Tisdale’s, Rufus and Simeon, were found in nearby Little Valley

   The 1840 U. S. Census for Illinois recorded an Otis Tisdale living in Manchester, Boone County. In his household was a female between the age of 20 and 30. If Elsa was in this household she should have been in the 30 - 40 column.

   Otis Tisdale was enumerated in the 1850 U. S. Census for Beloit, Rock County, Wisconsin, but his wife’s name was “Lori”. Her recorded age of 42, however, and would match Elsa’s age. Living with them were two daughters.

   The 1860 U.S. enumerated Otis and "Lois", without their daughters, in the town of Manchester, Boone County, Illinois.

   “Olis” Tisdale was found in the 1870 U. S. Census living in the household of H. J. Tisdale in Hannibal, Marion County, Missouri. H. J. is probably the person in the photograph found in the Newton artifacts. If “Otis” was the father, or uncle, of H. J. then his wife had probably died between 1860 and 1870, possibly in Boone County, Iowa

   A search on Ancestry.com noted that an Otis Tisdale died in St. Joseph, Missouri on 29 September, 1875.

Myron L. Newton, Jr

April 2008