March 18, 2007

 

This biographical sketch was published in 1889 in the Biographical Souvenir of Texas.   I have done my best to type it exactly as originally written.  The only changes are the addition of footnotes which I have added for clarification and the correction of unintentional errors.  Additionally I added a note at the end of the original written sketch to include the children of Charles Samuel and Elizabeth Newton.

 

It is my hope the reader will find this brief biographical sketch to be interesting as well as informative about one of the early day settlers of Valley View.

 

Best Regards,   Norman L. Newton

 

 

C. S. Newton

(Biographical Sketch)

 

            [1]C. S. Newton, a resident of [2]Valley View, and a farmer of Cooke county, was born in [3]Tahlequah, the capital of the Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, and with the exception of the first ten years of his life, which were spent there, has lived always in Texas, and mostly in Dallas and Cooke counties, His parents were natives of New England, and were themselves descendants of the “old Pilgrim fathers” stock.  His father, Charles Gordon Newton, was [4]born in New Haven, Connecticut, learned the trade of a carriage maker there, [5]married and moved to the Southwest at an early day, settling at Tahlequah, in the Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits for some years.  On leaving there he moved to Texas and located at Cedar

Springs, in Dallas county, from which place, after a residence of four years, he moved to Austin.  There he lost his wife and soon retuned to Dallas county where he lived till his death.  He owned considerable land in that county and had farming done, but was himself mostly occupied with his trade as carriage maker.  His factory was in active operation during the war and a great deal of the work turned out there was used by the government, Confederate service, for which he never received payment.  Mr. Newton died in the fifty-sixth year of his age, January 9, 1872.

 

            The mother of the subject of this sketch bore the maiden name of [6]Mary H. Bristol; was also a native of New Haven, Connecticut.  She died in [7]August, this State, March 5, 1852, and was [8]buried there.

 

            The [9]children of Charles G. and Mary H. Newton are – Charles S., Mary Alice, William F. and Jane Eliza.  After the death of his first wife, Mr. Newton [10]married again, his second wife being Adeline L., daughter of Abner Keen, a native of Indiana and an early settler of Dallas county, Texas.  To this union were born five children, as follows – Luella, Ava Nora, Frank, Lelia and Kent.

 

            Charles S. Newton, the subject of this brief biographical notice, was, as stated, born in Tahlequah, in the Indian Territory, and first saw the light August 11, 1838.  He began to learn the carriage maker’s trade under his father when a boy and was so engaged at the opening of the late war.  He enlisted at the outset in the Confederate service, as a member of the [11]Douglas battery.  He spent the winter of 1862-63 in Arkansas, and in the following spring joined General Price, and began his first duty on the field at the battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas.  His command was soon ordered beyond the Mississippi river, and, joining the Army of the Tennessee at Corinth, he served in all the campaigns and took part in all the engagements that followed from that on to Atlanta and Hood’s return in Tennessee.  He was captured on the raid to Nashville, but effected his escape, made his way to Columbus, Mississippi, where he received a ninety days’ furlough and walked from there home, to Dallas, Texas, a distance of six hundred miles.  Before the expiration of his furlough and while on his [12]return to join his command he received the news of the surrender.

 

            Settling down in Dallas county after the war Mr. Newton married April 22, 1866, [13]Kentucky A., daughter of Isom Thomas, of Barren county, Kentucky, then of Dallas county, Texas.  This lady died November 12, 1867, leaving [14]one child, [15]Edward C.   Mr. Newton [16]married August 9, 1869, [17]Mary E., daughter of [18]R. D. Jones, of Dallas county.  He began farming in Dallas county and continued there at that until 1872, when he moved to Valley View, Cooke county, where he purchased land and opened a farm and also in connection with his brother, William F. Newton, built a [19]mill and cotton gin, which they ran successfully for several [20]years.  More recently Mr. Newton has given his attention exclusively to farming and stock raising.  He is now introducing improved strains of blood horses and cattle, and, with the start he has, promises in a few years to effect a decided change for the better in the stock on his premises and in his neighborhood.  He is fond of good stock and knows it when he sees it.  He is also in active sympathy with all movements looking to the betterment of the condition of agriculture, being a strong Alliance man; he is also a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church in which he is ruling elder and is a Master Mason.

 

(The biographical sketch failed to mention and list the [21]children of the 2nd marriage of Charles S. Newton.) NLN


[1] Charles Samuel Newton

[2] Valley View was established as a community with the establishment of a post office on March 26, 1872.

[3] Some sources say he was born at, Park Hill Mission, Indian Territory, Oklahoma.

[4] Charles Gordon Newton was born September 25, 1816.

[5] Married Mary Hanford Bristol on August 13, 1837, in Connecticut.

[6] Mary Hanford BRISTOL Newton was born November 12, 1818.

[7] Month of August listed is in error.

[8] Austin, Travis county, Texas

[9] Not all children are listed in bio.  They are;

1.        Charles Samuel Newton, born 8/11/1838, died 1/25/1903, buried Valley View Cemetery, Valley View, Cooke County, TX.

2.        Mary Alice Newton (Beeker), born 3/21/1841  died 2/21/1899, buried Valley View Cemetery, Valley View, Cooke County, TX.

3.        William Frederick Newton, born 12/11/1842    died 4/15/1915, buried Fairview Cemetery, Gainesville, Cooke County, TX.

4.        George Ella Newton, born 12/28/1845   died 10/27/1845

5.        Jane Eliza Newton (Bullock), born 4/9/1849  died 4/9/1880, buried Valley View Cemetery, Cooke County, TX.

6.        Julia Augusta Newton, born 12/25/1851  died April, 1852

7.        Julius Augustus Newton, born 12/25/1851  died August, 1852

 

[10] 2nd marriage, April, 1853, Dallas County.

[11] At the outset of the war (1861) this group was organized in Dallas as the First Texas Battery by Captain John J. Good.  Captain Good served as commander until he was wounded.  At this time the battery was called the Good-Douglas Battery for awhile and later after James P. Douglas became the commander it then was referred to as the Douglas Battery.  It was the only Texas artillery unit to serve east of the Mississippi River.  On February 16, 1864, the Confederate Congress offered a vote of thanks to the battery.  The battery was paroled at Mobile, AL, on May 12, 1865.

[12] I believe he was in Arkansas on his return to rejoin his group when he received the news of the surrender.

[13] Kentucky Ann Thomas, born 6/9/1844, died 11/12/1869, Dallas, Dallas County, TX.

[14] One living child is correct.  They had another child earlier, Willie, born 7/29/1867 and died 10/3/1867.

[15] Edward Charles Newton, born 9/11/1869.

[16] Date listed in error.  Should be August 9, 1871.

[17] Mary Elizabeth Jones, born 12/23/1847, Athens, McMinn, TN.  Died 1/23/1924, Dallas, Dallas, TX., buried in Valley View Cemetery, Valley View, Cooke County, TX.

[18] Robert Degge Jones, born 4/9.1812, Maryland.   Died 1/15/1881, Dallas, Dallas, TX.

[19] This was a Grist mill.   Mill Street in Valley View is so named because it led to the Newton Brothers mill.

[20] Approximately 10 years.

[21] Children of Charles Samuel and Mary Elizabeth Newton are;

1.        Harry, born 7/20, 1872  died 8/28/1873

2.        Johnie Beeker, born 10/20/1874   died 5/10/1878, buried in Valley View Cemetery, Valley View, Cooke County, TX.

3.        Merta, born 4/16/1876    died 6/10/1901 during childbirth to a son, Newton Anderson King.  She is buried in the Valley View Cemetery, Valley View, Cooke County, TX.

4.        Carl S., born 2/2/1878    died 3/11/1936, buried in Valley View Cemetery, Valley View, Cooke County, TX.

5.        Clay, born 12/23/1879   died 9/30/1946, buried in Valley View Cemetery, Valley View, Cooke County, TX.

6.        Frank King, born 10/20/1884  died 2/12/1960, buried in Valley View Cemetery, Valley View, Cooke County, TX.

7.        Purl Orland “Jack”, born 3/12/1886   died 12/17/1962

 

Reference Material used for footnote 11;  The Handbook of Texas Online: 

John Jay Good,     http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/GG/fgo8.html

James Postal Douglas,     http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/DD/fdo24.html

 

The Biographical Souvenir of Texas   http://www.rootsweb.com/~txfannin/s.html  (From the Fannie County Website)