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The Descendants of Reuben Newton (1774 - 1833) and Eunice Manley Newton (1782 - 1836) |
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JESSE NEWTON (1810-1850) and his wife LOUISA PUDDY NEWTON By Myron L. Newton, Jr.
Jesse Newton was the fifth child, and third son, born to Reuben and Eunice Manley Newton. He was born in the Town of Marcellus, Onondaga County, New York on June 9, 1810 and died in the Town of Mansfield, Cattaraugus County, New York on October 2, 1850. Jesse’s life did not receive the documentation as that of his brother, Lyman. The 1879 History of Cattaraugus County mentions only Lyman, out of the eight offspring of Reuben and Eunice Newton. It seems Lyman was to act as the eldest son in place of Nathaniel who, at age 18 or 19, either did not make the trek from Marcellus into the Town of Mansfield, or left shortly after the family’s emigration in 1823 or 1824. To properly write about the life of Jesse Newton, and his descendants, it is first important to understand the Newton farms in Cattaraugus County. The Newton clan settled on 100 wooded acres near Five Points, a crossroads about 5 miles north of the present day village of Little Valley. The County history suggests that perhaps only Reuben and Lyman came first, in 1823, to clear the land. The following year they probably brought the rest of the family, most likely leaving in the spring with an ox cart and driving their livestock over the rutted roads. It should be noted that the area of southwestern New York that the Reuben Newton family acquired was one of the final tracks to be sold by the Holland Land Company. It was also land that was settled by other Marcellus emigrants at about the same time. During the 1820’s the local land agent made it possible for land to be obtained with little or no money down, with only a promissory note to make future installment payments with livestock or farm produce. The brothers Lyman, age 16, and Jesse, age 13, surely were instrumental in helping the 50 year-old Reuben create a workable farm. Short-term cash was probably earned by burning timber to produce “black salts” that was sold and shipped eastward to more populated areas. Reuben’s land was ideal for grazing dairy cattle, and cheese production was of particular importance for the family’s economic well being. Eventually a cheese factory was established on the Newton property at the Five Points crossing. Cloth could also be made using homegrown wool, and maple syrup production also became a cash commodity. Unfortunately, the land of this locale was ill suited for profitable crop production. Their own livestock would quickly consume any hay or grains grown. It was admirable how hard this industrious family had to work to support so many youngsters. It is known that brother Lyman, in the fall of 1830, struck out on his own. For two years he hired himself out, perhaps clearing land, and was able to purchase his own 100 acres near his father’s farm. Jesse, about age 21, must have been instrumental in helping an aging Reuben maintain the original family farm. Even with this effort of Jesse’s it is known that Reuben’s land eventually ended up owned by Lyman and his two sons, Myron and Milton. The History of Cattaraugus County indicates that in 1832 Reuben owned 200 acres and Lyman owned 125 acres. Jesse, being 22 in 1832, is not shown as an owner of land in that record. The only knowledge of land ownership by Jesse was in 1844 when the County land records noted that he was a grantee of land from the Farmers Loan and Trust Company. The 1830 Census does not list either Lyman or Jesse as “head of household” but in the 1840 Census, with Reuben and Eunice deceased, both are recorded as such. In 1850 the census indicates that Lyman owned real estate valued at $4,000. In the whole town only one other individual had land of more value. Jesse, with only a few months to live, was listed with a more modest, but still significant, real estate value of $1500. Other questions arise when studying the 1860 census, taken about 10 years after Jesse’s death. In that year Lyman is shown as a head of household, with a value of $15,000 in real estate. Both his sons, Myron and Milton, are designated as living with their parents. But what happened to Jesse’s land? And where was Jesse’s widow, Louisa, living? Louisa Puddy was probably the daughter of another long time Mansfield resident, James Puddy. In 1832 he owned 110 acres of land in the area. He was also an attendee at the first town meeting, held at Reuben’s home, where he was elected “Overseers of Highways”. Jesse surely was aware of Louisa who was but a few years younger than he. There is, however, some confusion about her exact age. The Newton Genealogy, by Ermina Newton Leonard, documents her being born in England on December 23, 1815. The 1850 census, taken in the summer of that year, records her age as 36 and, reckoning backwards, that would provide a birth year of 1813. One researcher noted that her date of birth was December 28, 1813 and her date of death was July 2, 1894. Also the Newton Genealogy lists her last name as “Purdy”, but this surely is in error. The Newton bible and her grave marker correctly state her name “Puddy”. Unfortunately her headstone is broken and her date of birth in illegible. Jesse Newton and Louisa Puddy’s wedding date is unknown, but it was probably around 1833 since her first child was born in April of 1834. She must have been about 19 at the time and Jesse in his early twenties. The same researcher who provided Louisa’s birth and death dates recorded their marriage as being in 1831. A letter sent to C. Albro Newton in 1953, from the Cattaraugus Historical Society, reveals some interesting facts about Jesse that was gleaned from the 1835 State census. “He had four females in his family. No male but himself. He had 50 acres of improved land, 11 cattle, 7 sheep, 8 hogs, no horse. His family made that year 13 yards of fulled (sic) cloth, 20 yards of flannel, 20 yards of linen”. Some clarification needs to be made about this statement. Fifty acres of improved land, i.e. land cleared or cultivated, would indicate that he actually owned more than that. Also, the survey indicates two more females enumerated than can be accounted for in his immediate family. Jesse’s wife Louisa and daughter Caroline, born April 6, 1834, were definitely two. Perhaps his mother, Eunice, and her youngest daughter (also Eunice,) were integral parts of Jesse’s household. Jesse was 23 when Reuben died in 1833. His mother, Eunice, survived only three more years. For the 14 year period from 1834 until 1848 Jesse and Louisa produced seven children. The Newton Genealogy details their birth dates and reports that all were born in Mansfield.
We can only guess at how Jesse and Louisa provided for their children. It is possible that in 1833 Jesse became the primary residents and caretakers of Reuben’s original farm. One could also suspect he and Louisa provided for Eunice until her death in 1836. The Newton Genealogy indicates she died in 1846, but her gravestone reads “1836”. The 1840 census, probably taken after August of that year, accurately depicts Jesse’s family. There were three male children under the age of five (Edwin, Truman and Augustine), one female between five and 10 (Caroline), one male between 30 and 40 (Jesse) and one female between 20 and 30 (Louisa). Lyman, Martha, Myron and Milton are also properly listed nearby in their own household. By the time the 1850 census was taken, before Jesse’s death in October, all of his children had been born. The entire family is accounted for in that census indicating no children had died at an early age. Jesse and Louisa, of course, do not appear in the 1860 census for Mansfield since they had died before the census was taken, but two of their children, Edwin or Oril, also fail to appear. The 1860 census for the Town of Mansfield does provide some interesting information about the rest of the Jesse Newton children. Caroline had become the spouse of William Tracy and they lived on a farm valued at $2,500. They are credited with three young children, ages five, two, and 10 months. Surprisingly, some of Caroline’s siblings, namely Truman, Augustine, Reuben and Harlan, live in the same dwelling. It is unknown why Lyman and Sarah Newton didn’t take in some of the orphaned children? The Lyman farm was much larger and their total household numbered only four versus nine for the Tracy’s, but perhaps the Tracy’s needed all the children to run their farm. Over the next decade all of Jesse and Louisa’s offspring left the Town of Mansfield and none of them can be found in the 1870 census for that part of the County. Only Lyman, Myron and Milton can be found and they are listed under individual households, but only Lyman is charged with any real estate, that being worth $40,000. Jesse died on October 2, 1850, a few days shy of his 40th birthday. Both Jesse (see grave stone) and Louisa (see grave stone) are buried with Reuben and Eunice in the small Jersey cemetery a short distance north of the farms. Louisa’s grave stone is hard to read by it does say she was “AGED 78 YRS 5 MS & 21 DAYS”, but she has not been found in any censuses since 1850. Further research will be required on this mystery. What set the stage for westward migration of most of the Jesse Newton clan? And when exactly did the migration to new lands take place? Other biographies will show that most scattered westward, passing through, or settling in Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, North Dakota, and even California. One last word about Jesse is in order. Many unsung heroes shaped the United States. Like his father before him, Jesse received but few words and little notice or praise. But Jesse, like many others, labored and worked hard to provide for his children. For 27 years Jesse toiled on land he perhaps never officially even owned. But in his short life he fathered seven children. Until their deaths, Jesse and Louisa were successful in providing for the product of their marriage. It is obvious their children were not born with “a silver spoon in their mouths”. It was destiny of some of their children, not to inherit land and wealth, but to become part of America’s famous westward expansion. The children of Jesse replicated, two generations later, the nomadic and exciting life of their grandparents, Reuben and Eunice.
LOUISA PUDDY NEWTON (abt 1813 – abt 1892)
Louisa Puddy was probably the daughter of another long time Mansfield resident, James Puddy, a resident of the Town of Mansfield, Cattaraugus County, New York. In 1832 he owned 110 acres of land in the area. He was also attended the first town meeting, held at Reuben Newton’s home, where he was elected “Overseers of Highways”. Reuben Newton’s son, Jesse, was to become Louisa’s husband. There is some confusion about her age. The Newton Genealogy documents her being born in England on December 23, 1815. The birth country has been confirmed by analyzing census information of her children. The 1850 census, taken in the summer of that year, records her age as 36 and reckoning backwards would provide a birth year of 1813. Also, the Newton Genealogy lists her last name as “Purdy”, but this surely is in error. The Newton bible and her grave marker correctly state her name “Puddy”. Unfortunately her headstone is broken and her date of birth in illegible, but her age at death is inscribed as “78 years, 5 months and 21 days”. If the December 23, 1813 and not 1815 is used as a date of birth is used, then date of death would be June 13, 1892. One researcher, in a recently discovered undocumented source, listed her date of birth as December 28, 1813 and her date of death as July 2, 1894. The exact date of her marriage is not known, but it was probably around 1833 since her first child was born in 1834. One confusing fact, though, is that she is not enumerated with her family in the 1830 census. Nor is she listed with the Reuben Newton family, as Jesse was. The same researcher that was noted earlier as providing birth and death dates recorded her marriage as being in 1831. The last census record found, so far, on her is from 1850. This was also the year of Jesse’s death. Where she lived for the next 40-plus years is unknown.
Myron L. Newton, Jr December 2003
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