Thomas Newton 1820 - 1904

NEWTON, EPPERLY

Posted By: Phyllis Hazen (email)
Date: 1/1/2018 at 07:56:10

The Muscatine Journal
Monday, 25 January 1904, page 5

OLD TIMER DIES

Thomas Newton, Who Arrived in Muscatine in 1850, Expires.

DESCENDENT OF SIR ISAAC.
Man with Forefathers Who Fought in the Revolutionary War, and Who Had But $1.50. When He Reached Muscatine, Succumbs to Infirmities.

Fifty-three years ago November 11, 1903, Thomas Newton, who died at his home near Nichols, (Ia.) Tuesday, January 12, crossed the Mississippi river at Muscatine, and began a residence in the state of Iowa that has been profitable to hundreds of residents. With a dollar and a half in his pocket, Mr. Newton, who was a descendent of the great Sir Isaac Newton, settled in the Hawkeye state, and here lived a life that has been interesting and unusual to scores of people with whom he has come in contact.
His obituary.
A short sketch of his life will be of interest to his friends in this and adjoining counties. It follows:
Thomas Newton died at his home four miles south of Nichols, (Ia.) Tuesday morning, January 12, 1904, from a complication of diseases. He was born April 20, 1820 in Wayne county, Indiana. Married Vila Epperly March 5, 1846, who died June 26, 1891.
Of the eight children born to them, the following six are still living and were at his bedside when he passed away; Philander, Waldo, Webster, Ida, Thompson and Japtha. Philander, Waldo and Ida lived with their father, Webster and Thompson on adjoining farms, and Jeptha was called back by his father’s illness from Atkinson, Neb.
His grandchildren and Webster’s three sons, Thompson’s one son and Jeptha’s one daughter. Thompson lost one son in its infancy.
Mr. Newton was one of the old settlers and at the time of his death enjoyed the distinction of which no other man in Pike township could boast, namely: He held a deed to some land he had purchased in Indiana from the government and the deed was signed by Andrew Jackson, President of the United States. He had lived on the farm where he died since in 1852. He also took a pardonable pride in the fact that his grandfather was a soldier in the revolutionary war and that he was a descendent of the great natural philosopher, Sir Isaac Newton.
The subject of this sketch emigrated to Iowa in the fall of 1850, crossed the river at Muscatine November 11, having brought his family and worldy goods in a covered wagon and would be a marvel to behold if it could be seen today. This was drawn by a four horse team.
At that time his pocketbook contained one dollar and a half, but of the wealth of kindness, generosity, hospitality, that made it possible for people of such slender means to seek and find new homes in the far west, Mr. Newton possessed and abundance and to a marked degree.
Mr. Newton lived a short time in Seventy-Six township, afterwards moving to Cedar township and from there to his present farm, where he died. His friends will miss his kindly greetings and his cordial invitation to “come in and take a chair” and they will miss helpful and entertaining talks for his wonderful memory had stored up much that he had read and experienced in his long life time.
Truly a vacancy will be felt in the places that have known him but which will know him no more.
The funeral was held from the home on Thursday, January 14, conducted by G. C. Baumgartel, of Cone. Interment in the Watkins cemetery.