Windham

NEWTON, William S.

Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, pp 285-286

William S. NEWTON, of Brattleboro [Windham County, Vermont], was born 26 June 
1822 in Marlboro [Windham County, Vermont], son of William and Betsey 
(HARRIS) NEWTON. He was of the seventh generation on the line of descent 
from England. Cotton NEWTON, his grandfather, was a soldier in the 
Revolutionary War, and was at the battle of Stillwater. William S. NEWTON's 
educational training was obtained at the common schools and at the Brattleboro 
Academy, and when seventeen years of age he left the farm upon which he was 
born, to take his first step in active business life, being employed as clerk 
in the store of Jesse CONE at the center of the town, which was then located 
on the present site of the meeting house. Subsequently he came to 
Brattleboro, where he obtained a similar position in the store of Gardner C. 
HALL, in whose service he remained for two years. Again he returned to the 
place of his nativity, but in 1852 accepted a position in the employment of 
the Vermont & Massachusetts Railroad Company, at Brattleboro; from thence he 
transferred his services to the post office under the administration of 
Samuel DUTTON.

In March 1859 he formed a corpartnership with Nathaniel CHENEY and engaged in 
the grocery business. This connection was dissolved in July afterwards and 
he continued the trade at the old stand until 01 December 1887. He was 
elected town clerk 03 March 1863, and justice of the peace at the September 
Freemen's meeting afterwards; elected a trustee of the Vermont Savings Bank 
in January 1882, and vice president in January 1891. In all of these he has 
given universal satisfaction. Gifted with a keen sense of the ridiculous, no 
one more appreciates the comic side of life. His religious preference is the 
Congregational faith. On 30 March 1838 Mr. [William S.] NEWTON was married 
to Lucinda W. HARRIS, daughter of David W. and Salome (WHEELER) GOODRICH, of 
Chesterfield [Cheshire County], New Hampshire.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly