Person:Reuben Newton (3)

REUBEN MYRON NEWTON (1889 – 1969) By C. Albro Newton (edited and updated by Myron L. Newton, Jr., January 2011)

 The time was early May of 1889. Both Myron L. and Martha Newton were expecting – would the new one be a boy or a girl? They had but one girl, Ida, and she had been gone from the household for 11 years. They could use another girl to play with their six year-old Sophronia, commonly referred to as “Fronia”, who was placed in their custody after her parents (who were Myron’s brother and Martha’s sister) died. On the other hand, it would be good to have another boy. After all, their last boy, Clarence, had lived for only two months. That was in 1882.
 Martha was 45 years old in May of 1889. This might be her last chance. She would be happy either way – boy or girl. On May 15, 1889, it happened. A son was born. They named him Reuben Myron Newton. He would be their last child. Fronia would have a playmate and a life-long best friend.
 Reuben would be part farm boy and part village boy until his father died in 1907. Besides Mansfield Township and Little Valley, he lived in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania around 1891-1893 while his brother, Hugh, attended the Sugar Grove Seminary; and Cattaraugus Village, New York where Reuben attended high school. Reuben was age 11 when the 1900 U.S. Federal Census was enumerated but he did not appear with his parents on the family farm in the Town of Mansfield, Cattaraugus, New York. A photo from about that time pictured him with other students in front of the old Sodum School house, just down the down the road from the family farm, so his whereabouts when the 1900 census was enumerated is a mystery. 
 By 1907 Reuben and his mother, Martha, would live in the big Lyman Newton house in Mansfield that was willed to her by Lyman. They would be joined by Reuben’s brother Hugh, his wife Lena, and 5-year-old C. Albro. 1907 and 1908 passed as Hugh and Reuben farmed the 100 acres. Although Hugh’s family left in 1908, Reuben continued to run the old farm. It was hard work but it would callous his hands for even more hard work ahead.
 The 1910 U.S. Federal Census enumerated Reuben with his mother, Martha, and cousin, Fronia, in the Town of Mansfield on what was then called Kahler Hill Road but is now Sodum Road. Martha, age 65, was the head of the family and listed as a dairy farmer. Reuben, age 20, was a farm laborer on the “home” farm. Fronia, age 26, was a public school teacher. A “cousin”, presumably of Martha’s, also lived with them and worked on the farm.
 Immediately south of the Newton farm was the Herbert James Smith farm that was originally the homestead of Herbert’s father, Harlan. There resided Florence Eva Smith whose mother, Mary (Schumacher) Smith, had died in 1902. Florence was born January 19, 1892, in the Town of Mansfield. She attended high school in Dunkirk during her Junior year but graduated from Little Valley High School in 1910. Florence was twenty and a teacher at the nearby Toad Hollow school when her father died in April 1912. It is not known if Reuben and Florence had previously courted, but the death of Herbert Smith was instrumental in their decision to pool resources and ease their individual burdens.
 On June 26, 1912, Reuben Myron Newton and Florence Eva Smith were married in Little Valley, New York. According to the ceremonial wedding certificate the marriage was performed by the Rev. Jesse B. Felt, pastor of the Congregational Church, and witnessed by his wife. They chose the Smith farm as a home and continuous heritage of the land. It was hilly, the soil thin on the hilltops, but it was theirs. Meanwhile Reuben left the adjacent Newton farm. With his mother well established in a Little Valley apartment, the Newton 100 acres was put on the market. It was acquired in the fall of 1914 by William (Bill) Hart. A 1916 plat map of the Town of Mansfield shows the 100 acres owned by “Will” Hart. This same map shows the former Herbert Smith property owned by Mrs. R. M. Newton (at approximate coordinates: 42.28791, -78.78832), thus indicating that the Smith family placed the title placed in Florence’s name only and not jointly with Reuben.
 The newlyweds soon became young parents when Irene Mary was born on June 30, 1914. With Florence tending to the baby, farm work for Reuben was heavier. Soon Irene would be big enough to carry a pail of milk from the barn to the milk house. But the price of milk was as low as ten cents per hundred pounds. The farm definitely needed to be subsidized. There were no government subsidies in those days. So, in the summer of 1922, Florence went to summer school in Buffalo to update her teaching certificate. Then fate stepped in again. Florence registered a very high blood pressure and was under a doctor’s care – no more teaching and less heavy farm work. Irene was in school all day. Reuben hired a man for the heavy farm work and he worked in a Little Valley grocery store.
 On June 6, 1917, Reuben filled out the required World War I registration card, which noted he was age 28, married with one child, medium height and slender build, and had black hair. He listed his address simply as Little Valley, which may have been his mailing post office, but indicated he was a self-employed farmer in Mansfield. 
 The 1920 U.S. Census enumerated Reuben, Florence and five year-old Irene on the farm in the Town of Mansfield. It was noted that 30 year-old Reuben and 27 year-old Florence owned their own farm. In 1928 Reuben bought his first auto, a 1926 roadster. He could drive to Little Valley and take Irene to high school. The 1930 U.S. Census indicated he continued to be a dairy farmer in the Town of Mansfield although he may also have been working in Little Valley.
 Florence Eva Newton died at the family home on July 10, 1940. After the at-home funeral service she was interred in the Newton family plot of the Little Valley Rural Cemetery. At the time of Florence’s death Reuben was working full time in the grocery business in Little Valley. The date is unknown but sometime after the death of Florence the original Smith farm passed out of the family.

For four years, Reuben and Irene had a house in Toad Hollow. The next four years they owned a home in Little Valley. During this time Irene attended nursing school in Buffalo, New York and in 1942 began her nursing career at Brooks Hospital in Dunkirk, New York. When Irene’s cousin and close friend, Mabel Conklin, died in 1948 Reuben and Irene purchased her home at 50 Fern Avenue in Salamanca. Reuben continued working at various grocery stores in Little Valley until 1958. Over the years he was employed by Baisch and Armstrong Grocery, William Timme Grocery, Johnson’s Grocery, Stoll’s Grocery and the Howard Franklin Grocery. His retirement years were spent there in Salamanca. Irene came when she could. During the week, Reuben with the comfort of his dog, Trixie, relaxed. He didn’t have to struggle for survival.

 There was tranquility in the back yard shade of 50 Fern Avenue. Even the street name suggested a cool forest glade. The evergreens reached skyward. The slim branches of the white birches fanned the air in a gentle breeze. Reuben and Trixie just relaxed. If they wished, the back door was nearby and the ground was level, they could go in. Within a few steps was the huge, soft easy chair and a few more steps, the bedroom. The comfort and peace of retirement was plentiful. The very last Newton farmer of Mansfield had found his living peace. He did not have to recall the hard work years behind.
 Through the years, it was probably brother Hugh who most frequently visited Reuben. When Reuben was troubled with appendicitis, it was Hugh who drove him to Gowanda for a successful operation.
 In visits to Uncle Reuben’s farm, C. Albro Newton, aka C.A.N., was always fascinated by the beautiful beam work in the barn. All beams were neatly hewn and well fitted together with wooden pins. The framing was unusual because the barn site was on the side of a hill.
 C.A.N. recalls visiting Reuben with both with his parents and brother Myron II. Years later, C.A.N. and Margaret, his first wife, visited the farm. After 1950, the visitations were more frequent. Several times, C.A.N. and his second wife, Mae, visited Fern Avenue – at one time with their daughter, Nancy, and her husband, Del, and at another time with son, Albro Mott Newton, and his wife Leora. Reuben and Irene visited C.A.N. and Mae in Knoxville and they took a trip into the Smokies together.
 There seemed to be an aura of nostalgia around Hugh, Reuben and C. Albro. Perhaps one example will illustrate. It was just before Christmas of 1915 or 1916. Hugh and C. A. wanted a Christmas tree from the old farm in Mansfield. They drove the 30 miles on snowy roads to Reuben’s farm. Then, with Reuben, they waded through snow to the woodland side of both the old Newton hundred acres and Reuben’s place – finally, a hemlock was found. The happy trio waded back to the farm. Hugh and his son had their tree.
 C. Albro remembers his Uncle Reuben as being a quiet, orderly man. He didn’t talk much but showed a good sense of humor. He was relaxed. Aunt Florence was more extroverted. She was jolly and seemed more at ease when she did talk.
 When Reuben died at the Salamanca District Hospital on February 23, 1969, Irene was at his bedside. At least one-hundred people visited the funeral home in Little Valley where his body rested. Many of the names recorded in his memory book were old friends and neighbors from the Town of Mansfield and Little Valley. Reuben was buried at 11 a.m. on February 25, 1969, next to Florence in Little Valley Rural Cemetery 

Obituary of Reuben M. Newton

Reuben M. Newton seventy nine of Salamanca, died February 23, 1969 in Salamanca District Hospital. Born in the Town of Mansfield May 15, 1889, he was the son of Myron and Martha Benson Newton. He was a retired dairy farmer, and had also worked at the Baisch & Armstrong Grocery, the William Timme Grocer, Johnson S Grocer, Stoll’s Grocery and the Howard Franklin Grocer, all of Little Valley. He retired in 1958. His wife, the former Florence Smith, died in 1940. Surviving are a daughter, Miss Irene Newton of Dunkirk and nieces and nephews. Funeral services were conducted Tuesday at 11 a. m. in the Van Rensselaer Funeral Home by the Rev. William Blume, pastor of the United Church of Christ. Bearers were Howard Franklin, Fred Steinbroner, Dick Easton, Ernest Hutchinson, Jr., Gus Fisher, and Charles Whitmer. Burial was in Little Valley Rural Cemetery.

References:

     1900 U. S. New York Census, Cattaraugus County, Mansfield Township, ED 52, p. 2A
     1910 U. S. New York Census, Cattaraugus County, Mansfield Township, ED 71, p. 9A & 9B

1920 U. S. New York Census, Cattaraugus County, Town of Mansfield, ED 72, p. 3B 1930 U. S. New York Census, Cattaraugus County, Town of Mansfield, ED 5-34, p. 4B

     Martha Conklin diary, handwritten, not published. Excepts by Irene Newton.
        Now in the possession of Myron L. Newton, Jr

     Personal recollections of C. Albro Newton, nephew of Reuben Myron Newton

Obituary of Reuben M. Newton, unknown paper and date

     Photos, Irene M. Newton Collection, now in possession of Myron L. Newton, Jr.
     Photos, Myron L. Newton Collection.

WWI Draft Registration Card, Reuben Myron Newton.

Myron L. Newton, Jr. January 14, 2011 www.myronnewton.com