B.M. Newcomb wrote:
Story-teller, lecturer, author; graduate of Northfield Seminary; university student; wrote “Glooscap and the Great Chief and Other Stories”, “Indian Legends for Camp Fire Girls”, and with Dr. Partridge, “Story Telling in School and Home”.
B.M. Newcomb wrote:
Mr. Newcomb emigrated with his parents to Illinois when he was thirteen years old, arriving 11 July 1837 at Joliet. For the next three years they resided upon a farm in what is now the town of Franklin, later called Naansay, in Kendall County, about four miles southwest of the village of Plainfield. His parents died in 1840, leaving him an orphan at the age of sixteen. He then moved to Elgin, in Kane County, which continued to be his residence, with the exception of a few short intervals.
Mr. Newcomb was a pioneer in educational work, beginning in 1844 in a brick school house which is probably still standing. From 1851 to 1853 he taught in West Elgin in a frame building, still in existence. In 1854 he opened a private school in the Methodist Church, where he taught for two years. In 1856 he became assistant principal of the Academy. In 1860 he was elected superintendent of Elgin public schools, which position he held until 1866. During this time he was examiner for the northern part of the county. By municipal election in April 1873, he became a member of the board of education, was re-elected in 1874, and served until 1877. He was secretary of the board.
On 2 March 1864, John B. Newcomb was elected a corresponding member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society at a meeting held in Boston. On 4 March 1896, he was elected a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants. He was meteorological observer for the Smithsonian Institution from 1858-1861; city sexton of Elgin cemetery from 1865-1869 and 1885-1889; member of the Association of American Cemetery Superintendents, 1881-1891. He was the author of Genealogical Memoir of the Newcomb Family, 1874. No one, unless he has during a long period of years endeavored to assemble genealogical data with very little material in hand to start with, is able to appreciate the effort of Mr. Newcomb, nor the inestimable service thus rendered to the Newcombs for all time.
B.M. Newcomb wrote:
Mr. Newcomb owned the west half, one hundred and fifty acres, of the farm which was once in the possession of his father, John, and grandfather, Benjamin newcomb, the latter having built the house. He was a school teacher for several years, afterward a farmer; in 1863, 18 May, commissioned justice of the peace; 18 Sept. 1863, major of Second Regt., K.C. of Nova Scotia Militia. He was also a newspaper correspondent; wrote essays and delivered lectures; author of a serie of lectures published in pamphlet form — “How to Win, or the Dignity of Labor”. he was one of the leading men of the town and county in which he resided, Sheffield Mills, Cornwallis.
B.M. Newcomb wrote:
Mr. Newcomb was for a time in company with his father in the commission business, Boston; in 1869 removed to St. Paul, Minn. where he was president of the Union Improvement and Elevator Co.; in 1884 resided Philadelphia; in 1892 retired from business and returned to his old home in Boston, where he became a writer and lecturer on metaphysical subjects. He wrote “All’s Right With the World”, “Discovery of a Lost Trail”, “Principles of Psychic Philosophy”. His wife, Katherine H., wrote “Helps to Right Living”, “Steps Along the Path”. Both Mr. and Mrs. Newcomb engaged in the work of metaphysical healing.
B.M. Newcomb wrote:
Mr. Newcomb attended Ripon Preparatory School and graduated, A.B., from Ripon College, 1896. He was Educational Director, Blackford School of Character Analysis, New York City. In 1904 he made a world tour as correspondent for several publications; editor of “Science of Business Building,” by A.F. Sheldon, 1909-10; managing editor, “The Business Philosopher”, 1910-13; editor, “The Science of Personal Efficiency”, by Harrington Emerson, 1912-13; author of “The Questions of Socratic” series in Business Philosopher, 1909-13. Advertising writer and advisor from 1897 to 1914.
B.M. Newcomb wrote: Jesse S. Newcomb was educated in the public schools of Haverhill and at Atkinson NH. During his youth he made two sea voyages on his father’s vessel. Upon return he devoted attention to farming on the homestead. He learned the trade of shoemaking and established a successful retail shoe business. He devoted considerable attention to and invested in real estate, later in partnership with his brother Simon, under the firm name of J.S. and S. Newcomb. He devoted much time and thought to the welfare and development of his native town; acquired a considerable fortune. He was generous and had the reputation of being a model landlord. He was a republican in politics, and a member of no church, society, or club.
B.M. Newcomb wrote:
Mr. Newcomb is a lawyer; received his collegiate education at Ludington, Mich., 1873-81, after which he entered the law department at Columbian (now George Washington) University and received the degree of LL.B. in 1891, and LL.M. in 1892.
In 1882, he entered the railroad service with Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, as clerk in general offices; was with the Interstate Commerce Commission 1888-95; chief transportation section, division statistics, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1895-99; expert chief, division of Agriculture, U.S. Census, 1899-1901; editor “Railway World”, 1901-02; lecturer on Statistics, Columbian University, 1896-1901; on counsel for Philadelphia and Reading Coal & Iron Co. before Anthracite Coal Strike Commission, 1902-03, and was employed by Commission on Interstate Commerce of U.S. Senate to digest testimony taken by the Commission prior to enactment of Hepburn Law and report on points not covered by testimony; senior member of law firm, Newcomb & Frey, 1907-22; General Solicitor for the Delaware and Hudson Co. 1922-; fellow A.A.A.S., Am. Statis. Assn., Royal Statis. Soc.; member Am. Soc. Internat. Law, Am. Econ. Assn., Am. Acad. Polit. and Social Science, Am. Polit. Science Assn.
Mr. Newcomb was the author of “Railway Economics”, 1898, “The Postal Deficit”, 1900; also many articles on legal questions, railways, trusts, public ownership, labor problems, civil service, etc., in leading magazines and reviews.
From <i>Colonial Families in the U.S.</i>:
Harry Turner Newcomb was educated at Ludington, Mich.; graduate of the Law Dept. Columbian Univ. 1891 LL.M.; with Chi. Mi. & St. Paul R.R. 1882; Interstate Commerce commission 1888-95; U.S. Dept. Agriculture 1895-99; Expert Chief Div. of Agriculture U.S. Census 1899-1901; Editor “Railway World” 1901-02; lecturer on Statistics, Columbina Univ. 1896-1901; Counsel for Phila. & Reading Coal Co. before Anthracite Coal Strike commission 1902-03; Fellow (formerly V.P. Sect. Social Econ. Science) A.A.A.S.; Fellow Am. Statist. Soc., Royal Statist. Soc.; member Council Am. Econ. Assn., Am. Acad. Polit. and Social Science.
From Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham Counties Connecticut (Chicago IL, J.H. Beers & Co., 1903):
FRANK TURNER NEWCOMB, who is a man of prominence and influence in both financial and political circles, was born Nov. 21, 1861, in Tolland, Conn., where the family had lived for several generations.
Cordial Newcomb, the great-grandfather of Frank T., was born in Tolland, and was a life-long farmer. His reputation as a man of an exacting conscience survives in the tradition that under no consideration would he accept more than twelve cents a dozen for his eggs. In 1824, 1826, and in 1835, he was a member of the General Assembly, and for many years was a selectman in the town. He married Mary Deming, and by her had the following family: William C., Eliza, Albert, Charles, Laura, Ralph, Samuel, and Henry.
William Crocker Newcomb, son of Cordial, was born in Tolland, Conn., Oct. 24, 1806, and he died there Feb. 4, 1864. In his younger days he was a school teacher, and he lived on the Willimantic river until 1838, when he removed to the Lord farm. An active and enthusiastic Democrat, he represented the town in the General Assembly in 1842 and 1843, and was senator from the old 20th district in 1859. For many years he was first selectman, and from time to time held various town offices. In 1807 [sic] he married Maria Trumbull Merrick, a daughter of Samuel and Olive (Greenslit) Merrick, of Willington. They had the following children: (1) William Burt, who became a prominent lumber and brick merchant in St. Paul, Minn., where he was associated with the firm of Griggs, Newcomb & Hills, married Emily Brown, and died in St. Paul in 1872; (2) John Mortimer, died in infancy; (3) Trumbull, born Nov. 4, 1833, died in Rockville, Sept. 5, 1881, where he was in business as a hardware merchant; he married Jane E. Keeney, a native of Rockville; (4) Loren is mentioned below.
Loren Newcomb, son of William Crocker and father of Frank Turner, was born June 5, 1836. He acquired his education in the district school, and remained on the homestead farm until the spring of 1865, when he settled on the old Paulk homestead, located about a mile and a half south of the Centre, and there he lived until the spring of 1901. The farm contained 144 acres, and Mr. Newcomb carried on in connection with his general farming, a dairy establishment, selling his milk during that time to the Vernon Creamery. Mr. Newcomb is a Democrat and cast his first vote for Stephen A. Douglas in 1860, but he is not a silver Democrat. He has served on the board of selectmen three years, and was assessor several terms. For one term he was on the board of relief, for two years held the office of constable, and he has also been justice of the peace and collector of taxes. In 1868 and again in 1883 he was a representative in the General Assembly, serving on the Prison committee in both terms. He was also a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1902. On March 5, 1857, Mr. Newcomb was married to Anna Turner, who was born Aug. 7, 1838, a daughter of Orrin and Lydia (Edgerton) Turner, of North Coventry. They were parents of three children: Frank Burt, born Aug. 18, 1858, died Feb. 7, 1860; Frank Turner and Anna T., born Sept. 10, 1867. Mr. Newcomb and his family attend the Congregational Church.
Frank Turner Newcomb was born in Tolland and received his education in the district school and in the Brookdale Academy, finishing in the Rockville high school. At the age of seventeen he began teaching in the 7th and 9th Districts, which were combined, where he was employed during the winter term of 1878. Then having opportunity to enter the Tolland County National Bank, he left the schoolroom to become the teller of the Bank. This was in 1878, and in 1884, he was made cashier of the Tolland County National Bank, and treasurer of the Savings Bank of Tolland, the two banks being conducted in the same building. Two years later the Tolland County National Bank suspended business, and since that time Mr. Newcomb has continued to be the treasurer of the Savings Bank of Tolland, which was given by the Legislature the privilege of doing a checking business, and is the only one in the State doing business on that basis. Mr. Newcomb has been an official of the bank for twenty-four years, acting first as teller and then as treasurer.
In 1887 Mr. Newcomb purchased the old Elijah Stearns homestead on Tolland Street, and here he has since made his home. The farm buildings and the family residence have been greatly improved, and the acreage increase by purchase, until now Mr. Newcomb owns 293 acres, having at his first purchase only thirty acres, but in 1902 he purchased all the real estate in Tolland formerly owned by Charles Underwood. He started a creamery in the fall of 1898, in connection with his farm, keeping about forty cows and shipping his produce to the Vernon creamery. On his farm is transacted a general farming business of considerable magnitude, and it is said that he raises more corn than any two other men in Tolland; he has the largest herd in this section of the county, having in addition to the cows above mentioned about thirty-five head of other stock. With his family he attends the Congregational Church of Tolland.
Politically Mr. Newcomb is a Democrat, and devoted to Jeffersonian principles as enunciated by that great leader. In 1884 he was appointed a notary public by Thomas M. Waller, Governor of the State. He was appointed county treasurer in 1887 by a board of Republican commissioners and has been re-appointed each time by a like board, with an exception of the year 1895, when the board was Democratic, and he is still holding that position. The same year he was appointed town clerk and treasurer to fill an unexpired term, and he has been elected to that position continuously since that time. He has also acted as school visitor and has been treasurer of the school deposit fund since 1888. He was appointed postmaster of Tolland by President Cleveland, but resigned after a three years’ term on account of pressure of private business. In 1886 and 1887 he represented the town in the State Legislature, where he served on the committee on Banking. Mr. Newcomb has been chairman of the Democratic town committee since he was twenty-two years of age, or since 1883.
On Jan. 27, 1886, Mr. Newcomb was married to Addie L. Millard, a daughter of Milo and Lucy A. (Chapman) Millard, of Mansfield, Conn. They are the parents of the following children: Harry Arthur, born Dec. 8, 1886; Philip Trumbull, born July 3, 1888; Pauline Louise, born May 3, 1891; and Lilla Adelaide, born Nov. 1897.
Mr. Newcomb has been one of the most successful men of Tolland of later years, and he is in every sense self-made.
Reported by B.M. Newcomb and the Trapshooting Hall of Fame:
He started competing in 1901 and became one of the most prominent clay-target shooters in the early part of the 20th century, collecting over 1,000 prizes during his career.
1907, Member of winning team at Pennsylvania state championship; 1910, World’s Championship Cup in Atlantic City; 1914, Indoor Championship, Madison Square Garden; 1915, Clay Target title at the Grand American in Chicago; 1915 and 1918, singles championship at Pennsylvania state tournament; 1917, Canadian National Exhibition champion; 1931 and 1933, doubles championship at state tournament; 1933, Pennsylvania state champion. He held the high state singles averages six times from 1913 to 1922; his 1913 average of .9527 was second in national ranking. Newcomb also led singles averages in the Philadelphia Trapshooting League four years between 1905 and 1915. He was average leader at several tournaments and clubs, including the Pinehurst Midwinter. Eastern Handicap, Westy Hogans, Southern Handicap, Boston Athletic Club, Quaker City GC, Penn Athletic Club and two state shoots. He was active in the Pennsylvania State Sportsmen’s Association and was one of the founders of the Quaker City Gun Club of Philadelphia in 1920.
Newcomb set two world records. In 1914 he broke 494×500 during a three-day tournament in Pittsburgh; and on July 7, 1916, he was part of a record-setting squad of 497×500, one better than the previous record set in 1907.
He was inducted into the Pennsylvania Trapshooting Hall of Fame in 1991, and the National Trapshooting Hall of Fame in 1999.
Newcomb was also a talented basketball player. He was a guard on the Camden Electrics team in the National League, the first organized professional basketball league.
B.M. Newcomb wrote: Soon after his father’s death, Mr. Newcomb went to live with his aunt, Joanna (Newcomb) Jones of Holden ME. He moved to Orrington in 1837; in mercantile business for twenty-five years, following successful lumber business at E. Orrington; in 1861 moved to Brewer, where in partnership with Mr. Robinson he had extensive grocery and ship chandler business under firm name Charles Newcomb and Co. He retired in 1883 and returned to E. Orrington. In 1870 he represented the towns of Orrington and Brewer in Legislature of Maine.