Biography of William J. Newton - Craighead Co, AR *********************************************************** Submitted by: Unknown < > Date: 26 Sep 1998 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas. Goodspeed Publishers, 1889. page 348 Rev. William J. Newton, one of the leading citizens of Buffalo Island, was born on the place where he now lives, March 3, 1849, and is the son of John Newton, who was born in Tennessee, and reared near Nashville. To better his fortune, he came to Arkansas in 1841, and here married Catherine Lamb, the mother of our immediate subject. The father died in 1857. William J. attained his majority on the Island where he had always lived, and served for seven months in the Confederate ranks. He lost his right limb in New Madrid, Mo., in 1865. In September, 1880, he and Martha L. Towers were married. She was a native of Arkansas, born on Crowley's Ridge, this county. The fruits of this union have been six children: Minerva A., Bertha, Charles J., Gertrude, William J. and John R. Mr. Newton has a farm of 200 acres, with 124 under cultivation, is an energetic man and has cleared all but eight acres of this himself. In 1874 he professed religion, in 1876 was licensed to preach, and in 1880 was ordained a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. At first he had charge of a circuit for two years, 1880 to 1882; but since that time has been stationed, and has labored zealously in the cause of Christ, doing much good throughout this section. By his kindness to the poor, and generosity to his fellow-men, as well as by his fervent piety, he has attained an enviable popularity.