Hello cousins, I started my genealogy about 38 years ago, my Mother was a Newton, so I started with her family. This was back when there was no computers and no internet, so you had to go to the library to do your research, I had to join a Genealogy Society to help me get started, such as start with what you know and start asking questions, and placing your grandfather in the right place, where you can find them on the census and gather what information it provides for you. If you can, then you travel to the court house and gather as much data as you can and have time far, and trying to find where they may have been buried, this is a great experience and to be able to walk where they once walked. Anyway, I had the pleasure to correspond with Carrie Newton Wright, she was one of the early Newton researchers that I had found working on my direct line which was John Newton. You will find Carrie's genealogy in Historical Southern Families, Vol XXII By Mrs. John Bennett Boddie 1978 page 77, Her lineage starts out with John Newton and has born ca 1750 in Va, married Naomi Mitchell the daughter of Isaac and Sarah (Satterwhite) Mitchell. ( now Carrie had Susan Newton Farrand to do her research for her and they worked together on this family. The genealogy goes on and states that you can find the will of Isaac Mitchell dated Oct 29th 1811 and recorded 1812 in Newberry, S.C., Box 14, pkg.29, est#304 and it mentions wife Sarah a daughter Dorcus Richie, daughter in-law Anna Mitchell, and several grandchildren.Carrie did not mention the grandchildren names, but they were William, Henry and Isaac Newton. There was no Naomi mentioned in the will, which was still living at this time period. Source on Isaac Mitchell's will Newberry Dist, S.C., will send if you don't have it. Names great grandaughter Susan Griffin, Mary Griffen and Frances Griffin. Names grandsons David Crews and Jacob Crews. Names grandsons William Newton, Isaac Newton and Henry Newton. Names grandaughters Polly Langsdale, Sarah Swords, Kezia Mckee and Catherine McKee. Names grandaughters Sarah Humes. Names grandaughters Susannah Mitchell, Jemima Mitchell and Ruth Mitchell. Names great grandson John McKee and great grandaughter Anna Mckee. Names nephews Ezihiah Eastland and John Eastland. Friend James Caldwell. Witness David Boazman, Bartlet Satterwhite and Thomas Eastland. The lineage goes on into the Mitchell family, which right now I don't want to get into, I want to stay focused on the Newton line. Then the book goes into John and Naomi Newton. (now when this genealogy was published in 1978 Carrie Newton Wright had not known about the Travels and Religious Experience that Isaac Newton wrote back in June of 1856, this document if you do not have is a must and very helpful in your research on our John Newton. I will send you a copy of it, if you let me know and send a self addressed envelope or I can scan it for you. Now another important note on this document is the original, said he was the son of John and Mary Newton, and after at least 114 years it became brittle and got torn off, which was at the beginning of the page. Nora Cantrell had the original. I have a letter written to Shirley Goreven from Virginia Mcknight, which is very interesting and also a must to have. Mrs. Goreven took over the Newton news letter back in 1981. (I don't think it is being published now). Virginia was helping Miss Annie Lee Boggs who lived in Pendleton, South Carolina with her Newton family. Now back to the Boddie Book which Carrie Newton sent her lineage in to Mrs. Boddie to be published. Here is a written document printed in a book, which you would think is correct, until you find new information, which Carrie did not know that John had married Mary first, evidently Mrs. Farrand did not check the court house records, are have contacted Nora Cantrell. So contrary from the Boddie Book, we have learned that John Newton was married first to Mary Mitchell and 2nd to Naomi, who's maiden name has not been found. We also learned through the DNA project that Larkin Newton was a genetic relative to the other children of John Newton. Naomi and John's children were Larkin, Basil and John. We also learn from Isaac through his religious experience that John and 2nd wife, he led a disagreeable life. Also Carrie had estimated that John Newton was born ca 1750, I think he was born before that and more like 1740's, the reason I think that goes back to Isaac's paper about his Experience written in 1856, that John wanted him to go to Virginia with him as he was afflicted with rheumatism, this was in 1796 which John would only be 46 yrs old, so this makes me think he could have been born much earlier than 1750. In my research I came to a dead end trying to find data on John in Mecklenburg and Lunenburg Counties of Virginia, I haven't been to the court house there, but I do know Merle Newton who has done research there in both counties at the court house and came up with nothing to connect our Newton's to the Newton's there. So are we barking up the wrong tree, are we in the wrong place and is this why we are at a dead end? Merle Newton is a teacher and stated that the information regarding Mecklenburg and Lunrnburg Counties in Va did not seem to ring true, she said she spent many hours in the Virginia Archives. Merle is from Henry Newton who had son Thomas E. Newton. She also states unless we make some unique discoveries she would prefer not to correspond further. Carrie also states that Henry was born in 1771 in Mecklenburg Co, Va, his obituary states he was a native of South Carolina, the dictionary says native means birth or orgin or born in place or country. Also John was in South Carolina by 1771. I would like to discuss the above information and see what you may have found are your thoughts on this data. I think if we pull together we can get passed John and find his father . I know there is data out there saying Henry is the father of our John, but there is no documentation for that, that has been said because there is a Henry in the two counties mentioned above, but John is not mentioned in their family at all. So I need your input on the following information before we continue. 1.We need to Establish that Mary and Naomi are not the same person as some people have recorded. Naomi died in Mo, and we can get into that later. 2. We need to discuss John's birth. 3. We need to discuss the birth of the Children of John, where were they born, Va or S.C. 4. And your thoughts on the Henry who has been stated to be John's father. Please feel free to disagree or give your opinion, that's what it's all about, we all want to get our family tree right. 1. Source for Mary Mitchell being John Newton's 1st wife. The Religious Experience Of Issac Newton, written in 1856. Isaac Mitchell's will: 2. Source that Naomi is 2nd wife of John Newton, Edgefield County, S.C., estate papers in apartment 43 package 1785 the estate papers of John Newton on 11 March 1799 Naomi Newton, Amos Richardson and R. Wilson were made administrators of John Newton's estate, Naomi made her mark and the others signed. March 11, 1799 four men were ordered that all or at least three of them inventory the estate within 90 days. This was completed on 1st of June 1799. The sale took place Oct 1st 1799 by William Johnston, crier. Neomy Nuten was the only family member to purchase at the sale. She purchased among other items, a mare, flax wheel and cards and sow. The most expensive item sold was a hogshead of tobacco for 40 pounds sterling. The entire estate sold for about 139 pounds sterling. ( Gordon Parks found this at the archives in South Carolina). Note that Henry and William were not at the sale and we know they were still in South Carolina in 1799, Isaac was in Caroline Co, Va at that time period. Was there friction going on? 3. Source for John's birth being 1750 is just a guess, we really can't come up with his correct birth date, I just figure with his rheumatism he would be much older than 46 if born ca 1750. Also Giles Newton who is related some way or another through DNA was born in the 1740's, and they could have been brothers, now that is just guessing about brothers, so don't jump and print that undocumented statement, it's just something we need to look into, but Giles Newton was also in Caroline County, Va at one time period. This County is where Isaac Newton the son of John met and married his wife Sarah Spicer, is this where our John went to in Va he talks about in the Religious Experience of Isaac. He states in this document that he left Isaac with his brother to take care of him, so sad he didn't mention brothers name, who evidently still lived in Virginia in 1798. Wonder why he went to Virginia in the first place? Was it to take care of business are to just visit his brother, wish Isaac would have gone into more detail as to why they went. 4. Source for William and Henry's birth place. We know that their brother Isaac stated he was born in South Carolina, from his writting of 1856. If any of you know about William where he was born speak up, we need that data. But on Henry we find the following: The obituary from the Southern Christian Advocate issue Nov 22, 1855. Henry Newton was a native of South Carolina, Newberry Dist was born April 1777 and died Monday at five o'clock in the evening of the same day, July 23, 1855. There is more to this obituary, if you need it let me know. The dictionary says native means birth place or orgin one was born. So with that document I will say he was born in South Carolina not Virginia. Source: John Newton was in Newberry Dist S.C. by 1771. Laurens and Newberry Counties South Carolina, Saluda and Little River Settlements 1749-1775. Memorial by William Ellis 100 acres, 150 acres north side of Saludy all sides vacant land. Survey 8 May 1771 granted 18 May 1771. Signed 20 June 1771 by John Newton. John Dooley, s.s. (have map of this survey). Source: Newberry County, S.C., Deed Abstracts. Personally appeared Isaac Mitchell Sr. before Jacob Roberts Brown, Esquire, and made oath that in 1771 John Newton purchased of William Ellis 100acres on the north side of Little River, granted to John Dooley and conveyed by said Dooley to William Ellis, and that he was one of the witnesses to the said titles and that in 1781 a party of the Torys or British Aderents came to his this deponants plantation and then and there burnt his house and destroyed all the said titles, and that the said titles were only probated and not recorded, dated 20 Oct 1795. Isaac Mitchell Sr. Recorded 2 Jan 1796 Survey for Isaac Davenport4 Feb 1772 bounded by John Stephens and John Newton. I believe this is the earliest I have found for John Newton in South Carolina. There are other deed abstracts pertaining to John, but after 1771, we can talk about later. It wouldn't suprise me if John married Mary Mitchell in South Carolina. I believe that the above information should keep us busy and discusing for awhile. Please post to this forum, where everyone can see everyone's responce, that way we will be able to come up with a conclusion on our family. There may be family members who will disagree, on some data, and thats ok, we are here to try and get data right, on John Newton line. Gay Nix 1526 W. Hull st Denison, Texas 75020 Phone: 903-465-7964 Gay Nix warpaint1128@sbcglobal.net