DANIEL NEWTON" (Marshall5 Obediah4, Thomas3 John2, Richard1), son of Marshall and Eunice (Taylor) Newton of Shrewsbury, Mass., was born there March 13, 1752. He died at Shoreham, Vt, February 24, 1834, aged 80.
He married in Worcester, Mass., February 19, 1792, T. R., Elizabeth, Betsey Morse, daughter of Isaac5 and Ruth (---) Morse* of Worcester, Leicester, Mass., and Newfane, Vt.
Mrs. Newton survived her husband. They were buried at Shoreham, Vt., and have gravestones with inscriptions.
Before the War of the Revolution. in 1773 or '74, Daniel Newton was sent, with others, to commence the settlement of Shoreham, Vt., on the lands granted to his father. At the beginning of the war they buried their tools and returned to Shrewsbury. After the war he dug out his tools and went on with his work. He married his cousin, who shared with him the hardships of pioneers. But they lived to enjoy the results of their labors, in the fruitful fields, and civilizing influences about them. He was active in promoting town improvements, establishing schools, building roads, erecting public buildings. He was forward in founding the Academy of Shoreham. which was incorporated in 1811 and named for him. He was a man of influence, and a Christian. He was administrator of his father's estate, and as such on October 16, 1783, presented a claim against the town of £10 with interest for eighteen years, which was allowed.
He was a soldier of the Revolution. When Ethan Allen's party came through the town in May, 1775, he was surveying lands for the town and chopping on his land. He set his ax against a tree and joined the party, and was left with Seth Warner on the Vermont side, so did not assist in the taking of Fort Ticonderoga, but was with Warner at the capture of Crown Point. He first joined the American Army, as a servant to Gen. Artemas Ward (a neighbor and a relative, his grandmother being Record Ward), in Philadelphia. He served through the war. On the rolls his name appears : "Daniel Newton. Shrewsbury, resided in and enlisted for Shrewsbury; men raised to serve in Continental Army for 6th Worcester County regiment as returned by Capt. Asa Rice. Also, joined Capt. Ward's Company, Col. Wesson's regiment, term three years. Mustered June 7, 1777. also other services. Continental Army pay accounts for service from May 28, 1777, to Sept. 21, 1779. Reported discharged."
When he returned to Shoreham, Vt, seven years after he left there, he found his ax where he had left it. He took it up ; the blade fell from the helve, cutting him on the ankle. He died at an advanced age, leaving no children.
