Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Newman, Henry 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com March 25, 2006, 5:14 pm

Author: Bio/Gen Record LaSalle/Grundy 1900

Henry Newman

The man whose name appears above has in his busy and useful career 
demonstrated the value of self-reliance. He began life without capital; he 
earned capital and put it to good use. He improved opportunity after 
opportunity as it presented itself and rose from poverty to affluence, from 
obscurity to prominence in the community. He fought a good fight, and he 
fought it gallantly and persistently and won a victory over every obstacle 
that he encountered.

Henry Newman, of Au Sable township, Grundy county, who is numbered among the 
well-known German-American citizens of this county, was born at Hesse-
Darmstadt, Germany, January 6, 1825, a son of John Newman, who was the father 
of three sons and two daughters, of whom Henry is the only one who came to 
America and is the only one now living. His brothers were named Casper and 
Louis Newman. The subject of this notice grew to manhood in his native 
country, and in accordance with the requirements in Germany he served three 
years in the army. His army career was during the troublous times of 1848 and 
1849, in which German history was made with great rapidity.

In 1850 Mr. Newman left his native land for America. Landing at the port of 
New York, he went thence to Buffalo, in the same state, where he remained for 
a time, working at whatever he found to do. From Buffalo he continued his way 
westward, going to Cleveland by way of Lake Erie and thence to Fort Wayne, 
Indiana. There he had a chance to work on the railroad at fifty cents a day 
and board, or seventy-five cents and board himself. He chose the latter 
proposition and remained there until the following spring, when he continued 
his travels westward, with Chicago as his objective point.

That was half a century ago, and Chicago, now a great city, was but a small 
town, over which Mr. Newman says he could have traveled in half a day. But 
Chicago had no attractions for the young man, and he soon made his way out 
into the country and down to the vicinity of his place of settlement. He kept 
at work until he had accumulated money enough to buy some land, and in 1864 he 
settled on his present farm in Grundy county.

In March, 1854, Mr. Newman was married to Miss Rose Anna Magdalena Hirsch, who 
was born in Germany where her father died, and who came to America with her 
mother and sister in 1852. Mr. and Mrs. Newman have had seven children, five 
of whom, named as follows are living:  Mary, George, Henry E., Lizzie Ann, and 
Carrie M. Their children who died were named Adeline and John.

Mr. Newman began life poor and, as has been seen, he purchased his first land 
with money that he earned by manual labor. He now has a fine farm and is one 
of the substantial farmers of Au Sable township. He has an intelligent and 
esteemed family, all members of which are members of the Au Sable Methodist 
Episcopal church, to the support of which and of all its interests he has long 
been a liberal contributor. There is no local movement that in his opinion 
tends to enhance the general welfare that he does not indorse and aid to the 
extent of his ability. His kindliness is apparent to all who know him and more 
than one person has found in him such a “friend in need” as is truly a “friend 
indeed.”

Additional Comments:
Source:  Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County, 
Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p558-559


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