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The Descendants of Reuben Newton (1774 - 1833) and Eunice Manley Newton (1782 - 1836) |
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LYMAN NEWTON (1807 – 1892) By C. Albro Newton
Lyman Newton was born June 11, 1807 at Truxton, Cortland County, New York. His father was Reuben Newton, son of James Newton and Rachel Greeley and his mother was Eunice Manley Newton, daughter of Jessie Manley and Eunice Holmes Manley. Reuben and Eunice had paused on their ox-cart migration from Vermont because of the birth of their son, Lyman. He continued on the trip with his mother, father and brother, Nathaniel, age 3, and his sister, Betsy, age 2. Lyman's life, until he was about 15, was in or near Marcellus, Onondaga County, New York. About 1822 or 1823, the entire Reuben Newton family pushed across western New York toward their future home. In 1823, the ox-cart, parents and children pushed into the thickly wooded hills of the Township of Mansfield, Cattaraugus County, New York (maybe only seven children because Nathaniel may have remained in Marcellus). The early Mansfield period (1823 to say 1826) must have been marked by rugged living, family cooperation and hard work. This was the school-in-the-woods for Lyman. The success of the reticent, determined Lyman had best be told verbatim as shown in the 1879 History of Cattaraugus County. There is more the county history did not include... let us say the year is 1833 -Reuben, father of eight children, had just died. It is the tenth anniversary of the settlement of Reuben's family in the town of Mansfield. Nathaniel, now 29, is in Marcellus. Betsy, Lyman's older sister is 32. Where is she? Where are Elsa (24) and Eunice (22), Jesse (23) and Daniel (17) and Sally C., age 12? It is highly probable that all of the children (except Nathaniel and possibly Jesse) have drifted west--and Ohio was “west” in those days. Lyman, married only three years in 1833, was clearing his own 100 acres, but he did not have to stick by his father (Reuben) any more. He, too, might drift west like the others. Maybe -that western land was more level and more fertile. If this be true, he could lay aside his axe and, with his wife Sarah D., go “out west” and about 1833, they did. First born to Lyman and Sarah D. was, Milton on September 27, 1834, at Ridgeville, Ohio. About two years later, Lyman, Sarah and Milton returned to their land in the big hills of Mansfield. Their only other child, Myron, was born in Mansfield on June 15, 1836. What motivated Lyman to return to the land that he owned, we will never know. But he did return, pick up his axe and go to work. As his sons grew older, all three men would develop a spread worthy of a full page in Cattaraugus County History. Lyman designed a house for Milton, for Myron, and a big house for himself and fine barns - and all of this came true. Where would Lyman's descendants be today (1988) if Lyman had sold off his Mansfield property and bought many acres in the west? Did Lyman make a good choice? And, finally, what did happen to his brothers and sisters? Lyman's wife, Sarah D. Kidney Newton, died on May 2, 1879 in the town of Mansfield. Just days before Lyman's death, he executed a new will. He left everything to Myron's wife, Martha Benson Newton. She also administered the estate. Lyman died on February 26, 1892 in Mansfield. (Note: Lyman and Sarah Newton are buried in the Little Valley Rural Cemetery, Little Valley, New York – mln,jr.) There is a little more to the Lyman story than indicated in the History of Cattaraugus County (note: a transcript of Lyman’s story from this book follows this biography). How could Lyman market that much fluid milk? How about winter feed and manpower? From talks with Hubert (grandson of Lyman) and the personal observations of C. Albro, a more adequate picture of the large dairy emerges. Actually there were three Newton home sites. One was known as Lyman's house. His elder son, Milton, lived at the “White Place”. His younger son, Myron, lived at the “Red Place”. All three sites had good frame houses and excellent barns. In no way could any one of those barns be capable of milking or winter feeding 80 cows. Apparently, the Newton dairy farming was a three-family cooperative. So far as marketing is concerned, there was a good solution. A cheese factory was built on Newton land at Five Points. The Newtons and others had short hauls for their dairy milk output. The cheddar had to be aged. It would not spoil on the long haul to the market place. Albro clearly remembers the trips to the cheese factory in the years 1907-8. Horse drawn rigs would line up to dump their large cylindrical cans of milk at the receiving dock, they would move along a few feet and the cheese by-product called whey was dumped into their cans and away the farmers would drive with whey for their calves and pigs. How the cheddar got to market is a story Hubert told frequently - it goes something like this, “Grandpa Lyman would haul a wagon load of cheese all the way to Buffalo. The shortest route was through the Indian Reservation. He would give them cheese and bring presents to them from the big city. He also brought back bolts of cloth and other items to sell to the folks back in Mansfield.” As the years passed, the Newton manpower dwindled - Milton died in 1888, Myron moved to Little Valley and Lyman aged. As the century drew to a close, the golden age of Newton farming in Mansfield had declined. By 1910, it was all over. Whether by careful planning or otherwise, the tradition of large families was certainly broken by Lyman and Sarah D. Their contribution to the Newton farmers of Mansfield Township was only two: Milton and Myron. We do not know exactly where Lyman and Sarah lived prior to building the fine five bedroom house. It was built prior to Lyman's death in 1892. His wife had died May 2, 1877. So Lyman willed the house to Martha L. Newton (wife of Myron). The aforementioned Lyman house was watered by an excellent spring that was slightly uphill. It seems logical that Lyman's and Sarah D's house (their first one) had been located with reference to this spring. Possibly, therefore, Lyman's first house was situated fairly close to his final residence.
Note: The preceding biography was written by C. Albro Newton as part of his 1988 book titled The Lyman Newton Story. Only a few copies were printed and one was placed at the Cattaraugus Historical Museum and Research Center, Machias, New York.
LYMAN NEWTON
A Biographical Sketch published in the History of Cattaraugus Co., New York, published 1879, L. H. Everts, Philadelphia. p 457.
Whose lives are more worthy to be recorded on the pages of history thatn they who came into a country when it was in a wild state, and by manifold exertions overcame every obstacle of success and finally were triumphant at the end? Of this calss the person of whom we write is a living example. He was born in the town of Truxton, Cortland Co., N.Y., June 11, 1807, being the second son and third child of a family of eight children of Reuben and Eunice (Manly {sic}) Newton. His parents were natives of the State of Vermont, his father being born June 17, 1774; his mother July 15, 1782. They removed in an early day to Cortland County, and when our subject was about a year old emigrated to Marcellus, Onondaga Co., N.Y. He was a resident of that county a number of years; but finally, in 1823, he located in the town of Mansfield, Cattaraugus Co., and settled and commenced clearing a farm of one hundred acres, in which he was assisted by his con Lyman. The farm is still in the possession of the last named. Lyman lived upon his father’s farm till the year 1828, when he started in the world for himself by hiring out to work by the month, in which occupation he was engaged for the space of two years. He was married, July 14. 1830, to Sarah D., daughter of Robert and Bethiah Kidney, they being among the early settlers of Mansfield, have removed from Marcellus, Onondaga Co., in 1824. Their daughter was born in the latter town, Dec. 27, 1811. In the fall after his marriage Mr. Newton purchased his first farm, consisting of one hundred acres of wild land, and commenced to clear it; he has followed the business of farming ever since, and at one time kept the largest dairy in the county, milking eighty-five cows. He has increased his worldly possessions by industry, economy, and frugality, so that he is now the owner of eight hundred acres of land, all located in a body in the town of Mansfield. The fruit of his marriage was two sons, - Milton, born Sept. 27, 1834, and Myron L., born June 15, 1836, - both of whom are married, and reside on farms adjoining their father. Politically, Mr. Newton formerly belonged to the old Whig party, but joined the Republican on its organization, and though solicited a number of times to hold public offices has always steadily refused to serve his fellow-citizens in that capacity. Himself and wife were originally members of the First Baptist Church of Mansfield; they still believe in that form of Christian religion; but that church having become extinct they have never connected themselves with any other. The first religious services ever held in the town of Mansfield were at his father’s house. Mr. Newton, now at an advanced age, looks back upon a life spent with a great deal of pleasure. He, in connection with his worthy helpmate, with no other legacy than their hands, have amassed a fortune of which they may be justly proud; they have worked hard, but success has attended their efforts, and we only hope they may be permitted to enjoy for a number of years the fruits of their industry. His parents are both buried in the town; they lived to be over sixty years of age, his father passing away from earth April 21, 1833, and was followed, Aug. 20, 1846, by his worthy partner in life.
note: Eunice Newton’s gravestone indicated she died, at age 54, in 1836. – mln,jr
Myron L. Newton, Jr March 2004
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