Thomas County GaArchives News.....W. F. NEWTON, KILLED WHEN AUTO TURNED OVER NEAR OCHLOCKNEE RIVER EARLY TODAY February 16 1922 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Winnette Stinson gnw@rose.net June 3, 2003, 3:41 pm Microfilm in the Thomasville Public Library of the Daily Times Enterprise DAILY TIMES ENTERPRISE THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA THURSDAY AFTERNOON FEBRUARY 16, 1922 W. F. NEWTON, KILLED WHEN AUTO TURNED OVER NEAR OCHLOCKNEE RIVER EARLY TODAY Prominent Citizen of Dothan, Ala., Retired Wholesale Grocer, With Wife Driving Home From Florida, Met Sudden Death When Car Hit Rut and Pinned Him and His Wife Underneath, Mrs. Newton Having Miraculous Escape From Death - Passersby Removed Them From Wreckage. -Body Sent to Dothan. Mr. W. F. Newton, a prominent whole- sale grover of Dothan, Ala.,was instantly killed when his car over turned this morning at about ten o'clock on the Lone Star Trail, near the Ochlocknee river. His wife riding with him, was pinioned underneath the car, but miraculous escaped with only slight injuries. Evidences Indicate Car Was Running Rapidly All evidences indicate that Mr. Newton was driving his large chandler car very rap- idly toward Cairo, when he turned to the right of the road to avoid a washed out place, immediately east of the river. He swerved the car too close to the ditch and as he attempted to bring it back into the center of the road, the front wheel buckled and crumpled and the car was completely overturned. It lay perpend- icularly across the road when cars coming toward town and going from Thomasville go to the scene. Cairo Men First On The Scene Mr. R. S. Burch, Mr. George Singletary and Messrs. R. L. Nickelson and O. G. Russell, of Cairo, all go there at about the same time, and immediately made plans to right the car. With the assistance of parties driving by in a wagon, the managed to get Mrs. Newton from under the wreckage, and to remove the body of Mr. Newton, who had been instantly killed. Mrs. Newton Only Slightly Injured Mr. Newton was struck on the side of the head with a heavy section of the car and his head was crushed sufficiently to cause immediate death. Mrs. Newton appeared to be injured and was brought to town and taken to the City Hospital, where her wounds were examined and it was ascertained that she was injured but slightly, but was suffering from shock and grief. The body of Mr. Newton was brought to Herring undertaking establishment and prepared for burial. On Way To His Home Wires were sent to Mr. Charles Newton Grocery Company, to the effect that his father had been killed and Mr. Newton caught the train at once and came to Thomasville this afternoon. Mr. Newton had retired from the business for several years and had been visiting a nephew, Dr. J. Powell, at West Palm Beach. He was said to have started his jouney this morning from Live Oak and was headed for Dothan intending to make the trip home in four hours, if possible. Car Damaged But Little The car was brought to the city under its own power this morning, and is at the Ford garage. It was not damaged as much as might have been expec- ted, the top windshield, and steering wheel being demolished and other breaks of a trivial character being noted. It was one of the largest Chandler cars made and was compartively new. Local Mason Meet Sons on Arrival Messrs. C. L. and W. F. Newton , Jr. with Mr. Farmer came to Thomasville on the afternoon train and went immediately to the Hospital where their mother was taken. They have made arrangements to take the body home early tomorrow morning. These gentl- emen were met by a committee of the local Knights Templar and the Shrine Club and offered every courtesy possible. Mr. Newton was one of the most prominent business men in Southeast Alabama. He was the head of the Newton Grocery company, a wholesale concern, for some years, and later gave up the business to his three sons, who are now in charge. He was a very able and earnest worker for the upbuilding of Dothan, possessed rare business acumen and was generaly beloved in the entire community. Affiliated with the Knights Templars and Shriners of that section, he was prominent in these orders and other fraternal activities. He was sixty-five years of age. The funeral services will occur tomorrow morning from the residence in Dothan. ----------------------------- This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 4.9 Kb 1920 Houston Co. AL ed 141 sheet 7a 146 William F. Newton 63 AL AL Ga head retired Allice 53 Ga Ga Ga wife Frank 24 Al Al Ga son Dunnelly? J. 21 Al Al Ga son Sam Dennis 50 AL Al Al lodger Nelson Trawick 24 Al Al Al lodger 1930 Houston Co. AL ed8 sheet 1 Dothan 23 Charlie L. Newton 41 Al Al Al head broker groceries Annie H. 35 Al Al Al wife Mary A. 15 Al Al Al dau Annie H. 12 Al Al Al dau Louisa 8 Al Al Al dau Jeanne 6 Al Al Al dau Charles 3 Al Al Al son Alice 65 Al Al Al mother widow Ga Death Index William F. Newton, Sr. Death Date: 16 Feb 1922 Age: Gender: Residence: County of Death: Thomas Certificate: 5058-D