Bennington

NEWTON, William Dutton

Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont: A Record of the 
Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding 
of a Nation. Carleton, ed. Chicago: Lewis, 1903, pp 364-365 (portrait p 364)

William Dutton NEWTON, prominently and highly useful in the commercial and 
social life of Bennington, is a representative of a class of enterprising and 
progressive sons of Vermont who have come from an old and honored New England 
ancestry. His great grandfather, David NEWTON, was born 25 March 1753 at 
Milford [New Haven County], Connecticut, and married Mary HAZEN, born 11 
September 1754, and a daughter of Joseph HAZEN, of Norwich [New London 
County], Connecticut. They were the parents of sixteen children, and all of 
this unusually large family came to years of maturity; among these was 
Sheldon NEWTON, the grandfather of William Dutton NEWTON. The father died 29 
December 1830, at the ripe age of eighty-six years, and the mother, 24 
September 1823. In "the Old and the New," an occasional magazine published 
in Hartford, Vermont, are some interesting incidents in the history of the 
NEWTON family of which David NEWTON was the founder.

David NEWTON set out a tree whenever a child was born in his family, and 
there are today standing in the dooryard of his former home sixteen stalwart 
birthday trees. Of these children, ten were sons and all were more than six 
feet in height when they attained maturity. David NEWTON made carts, and 
sometimes accepted land in payment, on one occasion receiving a deed to 
thirty acres of land for a cart.

Sheldon NEWTON was born in Middletown [Middlesex County], Connecticut, whence 
he removed to Hartford [Windsor County], Vermont, as one of the pioneer 
settlers of the place. His home was for years in a little log cabin, and as 
he lived a most industrious and frugal life, in course of time his efforts 
and sacrifices were rewarded, and he was enabled to take his place as a 
prosperous farmer and to command all the comforts and even luxuries which the 
conditions of the times would afford. He [Sheldon NEWTON] was twice married, 
his second wife being Nancy WILDER, who bore him three children, all of whom 
are now deceased. The parents were both members of the Congregational 
church, and lived earnest and consistent Christian lives, both passing away 
at about the age of seventy-five years.

John NEWTON, youngest child of the parents last named [Sheldon and Nancy 
NEWTON], was born and reared upon the homestead farm at Hartford [Windsor 
County, Vermont], and acquired his education in the neighborhood schools. He 
was a lifelong farmer, and passed his life industriously and usefully, 
enjoying the esteem and confidence of the entire community. His [John 
NEWTON's] wife was Mary Jane DUTTON, also a native of Hartford, and they 
became the parents of five children, all of whom are now living: William 
Dutton; John, who lives in Utica [Oneida County], New York; and Alla, Carrie, 
and Louis S., all of whom reside in the village where they were born, and all 
maintain their allegiance to the church of their parents. The father [John 
NEWTON] died at the age of seventy-three years, and the mother [Mary Jane] at 
the age of sixty-two years.

William Dutton NEWTON, eldest child in the family, was born 31 August 1850 on 
the homestead farm [Hartford, Windsor County, Vermont]. He obtained is 
education in the neighborhood school, and until his eighteenth year his time 
during working seasons was occupied with farm labors. He then went to 
Rutland [Rutland County, Vermont], where he passed three years in learning 
the trade of machinist. In 1874 he came to Bennington [Bennington County, 
Vermont] and found employment at his trade with Olin SCOTT, with whom he 
remained for two years. For three years afterward he was connected with 
Holden's Mills, where he had charge of the woolen machinery repair work. 
With the savings from his earnings, he purchased a small store and shop, and 
conducted a plumbing business, and this venture proved a most successful one, 
bringing him all the town trade in that line. He at the same time sold 
hardware and built up so large a patronage that it soon became necessary for 
him to remove to a larger building. Three years later the necessity for more 
ample accommodations was so urgent that he erected his present large business 
block, renting a portion of it to Mr. RITCHIE for use as a dry goods store. 
Twelve years later his tenant moved into a building of his own, and Mr. 
NEWTON's entire building now houses a most complete hardware and plumbing 
stock and equipment. Known to be an accomplished mechanic, and keeping in 
stock all goods known in the hardware trade, Mr. NEWTON has been able to 
command the best patronage of the community, and his business has been 
constantly increasing.

On 12 August 1874 Mr. [William Dutton] NEWTON married Miss Mary L. BURTIS, a 
native of Illinois, and a daughter of William and Rachel (HAKES) BURTIS. Her 
father was a carpenter and builder, and passed his last days in Troy 
[Rennsselaer County], New York, where he died at the age of forty-eight 
years. After the death of her mother, the daughter came to Bennington, where 
she met her future husband. Mr. and Mrs. [William Dutton] NEWTON became the 
parents of five children, of whom three survive: Nellie J., who was in 
1901-1902 a teacher of elocution in the School for the Blind at Nashville 
[Davidson County], Tennessee; Frank Burtis NEWTON, who is a student of 
pharmacy in Chester [Windsor County], Vermont; and Lillian. The deceased 
children were: Fred, who died at the age of four and a half years of age; 
and Mabelle, who died at six and a half years. The family occupy a beautiful 
home, built by Mr. NEWTON. All are members of the Methodist church, which 
they actively support in all its lines of effort. Mr. NEWTON affiliates with 
the Republican party, and is a member of the fraternity of Odd Fellows, and 
has occupied all of the chairs in both subordinate lodge and encampment.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly