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

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NATHANIEL NEWTON (1804-1855)

By Myron L. Newton, Jr.

Nathaniel Newton was born in Vermont on November 1, 1804, the first child of Reuben Newton and Eunice Manley and within a few years of his birth moved with his parents to New York State. Both the Newton Family Bible and the Newton Genealogy compilation by Ermina Newton Leonard confirm his date of birth.

The exact location in Vermont where Nathaniel was born is uncertain and no official records have been found regarding his birth, but one report, not cited, gave the location as Clarendon, Rutland County, New York. Nathaniel’s parents were reportedly married in Dummerston, Vermont in March 1804, and in late 1805 they were in Onondaga County, New York. If Rutland County was the actual birthplace of Nathaniel then his parents must have left Dummerston for Clarendon shortly after their marriage and then left Clarendon for New York soon after Nathaniel’s birth.

The 1810 and 1820 U.S. New York Censuses both enumerate a male of his age in his father’s family in the Town of Marcellus, Onondaga County. In 1824 his parents and other siblings moved to Cattaraugus County, New York, but Nathaniel may have remained in Onondaga.

According to the Rose Hill (a.ka. Thornhill) Baptist Church Records, Nathaniel married Electa Hoxsie on December 27, 1826. Information about her is limited but her parents may have been John B. Hoxsie and Ruhamah Bentley who, like Nathaniel and his parents, lived in Onondaga County. A separate document has been prepared detailing her parentage.

Nathaniel and Electa’s first child, Ruhamah, was born in 1827 or 1828, and Rowland, their second child, was born January 26, 1829. One source indicated that Rowland Newton was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, however a year after his birth Nathaniel and Electa were enumerated in the 1830 U.S. New York Census for the Town of Spafford (formerly Marcellus), Onondaga County. Since Reuben Newton, Nathaniel’s father bought uncultivated and forested land in Cattaraugus County when he moved, it is quite possible Nathaniel and Electa were in Cattaraugus County assisting his Reuben when Rowland was born, but later returned to Onondaga County. No birth records were kept during this time in Cattaraugus County but if Rowland was born there it would have been in the Town of Mansfield where the Reuben Newton farm was located.

The Grantors Index of land record at the Onondaga, New York Court House shows that Electa and Nathaniel Newton sold land in 1834, as did persons with the Hoxsie surname. These transactions may have been in response to the death of Electa’s father who died in 1834 in the Town of Marcellus.

No record has been found to prove that Nathaniel and Electa ever lived in Cattaraugus County, New York, but their residency there, at least for a few years, is highly probable since Nathaniel’s father, Reuben, owned a farm there from the early 1820’s until his death in 1833. It is quite possible that Nathaniel inherited some of his father’s land in Cattaraugus County and later sold it to his brother, Lyman.

The 1840 U.S. Census, which recorded the name of the head-of-household but not of the other family members, enumerated a Nathaniel Newton in the Town of Poland, Chautauqua County, New York. Two adults are listed in the census’ “30 under 40” column and the following children were also counted: Two males “5 under 10”, one male “10 under 15”, and one female “10 under 15”. This would be consistent with the ages of Nathaniel and Electa’s children as noted in later censuses. This is almost certainly the record of our Nathaniel.

Nathaniel Newton and his family moved to Ohio around 1841, and were found in the 1850 U.S. Census for the Town of Freedom, Portage County, Ohio. The birth locations of their five children, as noted in the census, confirmed the time frame that the family moved to Ohio from New York. Their first four children were born in New York and their youngest, James, was born in Ohio around 1842. The census enumerated Nathaniel’s at age 45, born in New York, and employed as a “laborer”, while Electra, age 39, was born in New York. Ruhamah was age 22, Rowland age 21, Russell age 17, Hyman age 15, and James was age eight. Nathaniel’s sister, Eunice Newton King, also lived in Portage County, Ohio, being a resident there since around 1837.

The children of Nathaniel and Electa Hoxie Newton:

All the above children are covered in separate biographies.

Nathaniel’s next move was to Michigan. Numerous land transactions involving Nathaniel are recorded in the Grantors Index for Barry County, Michigan. No record, however, was found describing the purchase of his original homestead, but it must have occurred after 1850 since census information placed him in Ohio that year.

 Nathaniel sold, or transferred, some of his land to his three oldest sons in 1852 and 1853. The property is in the southeastern most section of Maple Grove Township described as the W½ of the SE¼ of Section 36, Town 2, Range 7. Present day maps indicate that this section is bounded by Evart Road on the north, Butler Road on the south, South Clark Road on the west, and Curtis Road (and the County line) on the east.

Poor health possibly prompted Nathaniel to disperse some of his land holdings to his sons, and he must have known his life was growing short when he prepared his final will on November 17, 1854 leaving his remaining property to Electa, who was also his executrix.

Nathaniel died on January 13, 1855, and is buried about a mile northeast of his home in the Quaker Cemetery. His gravestone noted that he died at age 51 years, 2 months, and 13 days. This calculates to a birth date of October 31, 1803, one year and one day earlier than the date recorded in the Newton Family Bible.

After Nathaniel’s death Electa Newton made one final land transaction when on October 1855, she granted land to her son, Hyman H. Newton. This is the last information that could be found on Electa Hoxsie Newton.

It is unknown when Electa died but one report, not cited, stated she died in Newburgh, Ohio. The closest match for this locale would be Newburgh Township in Cuyahoga County, which is probably present day Newburgh Heights. Possibly her son, Rowland, returned to Ohio and his trade as a printer, taking Electa with him. Electa was not found in the 1860 U.S. Census suggesting that she died between 1855 and 1860.

Further discussion on Electa Hoxie Newton's parentage and death can be found in a separate document <click here>.

References:

Barry County, Michigan, Land Records: Libre G; pgs 28, 79; Libre N, p 79; Libre L, pgs 322, 323; Libre P, p 28; Libre 5, p 421. 

Barry County, Michigan, Land Records: Libre 5; pg 421, Last Will and Testament of Nathaniel Newton

Bellevue Village Cemetery inscriptions and records, Bellevue, Eaton County, Michigan; photographs by Myron L. Newton, Jr., September 2006.

Leonard, Ermina Newton. Newton Genealogy. 1915.

Newton, Clarence A. The Lyman Newton Story. 1988.

Newton Family Bible, genealogy collection of Myron L. Newton, Jr.

Personal genealogy papers of Nathaniel Plummer Ward (deceased), received from J. P. Ward, Fortuna, California, August 2003.

Quaker Cemetery inscriptions, Maple Grove Township, Barry County, Michigan; photographs by Myron L. Newton, Jr., June 2006. Maple Grove Township Section 26; 42° 31' 52"N, 85° 06' 38"W.

Rose Hill (Thorn Hill) Baptist Church Records. Marcellus Historical Society, Marcellus, New York.

United States. NARA, College Park, Maryland. Civil War Papers of Rowland H. Newton and Annis N.B. Newton, Certificate 790624.

Ward, Adda Mae. The Ward Family History. 1977.

Myron L. Newton, Jr.

February 2008