George Whitefield Newcomb (1825-1892)
The following biography is (slightly revised) from Bethuel M. Newcomb’s 1923 Andrew Newcomb and His Descendants.
When he was three years old, Mr. Newcomb’s parents moved to Whitestown, Oneida County, New York. He was educated at Whitesborough Academy, Whitestown Seminary and Hamilton College, graduating from the latter in 1849. He taught at three public schools in Whitestown, and in the academy at Sherburne, Chenango County, New York. After leaving college he was principal of Ames Adademy, and elected principal of Utica Academy, Utica, New York in 1851, but after a few weeks of teaching he resigned on account of ill health.
In July 1852 he moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he resided until his death. There he studied law in the office of Mark Skinner and Thomas Hoyne, and was admitted to the bar in February 1853. His business gradually changed into that of loaning money on real estate securities. From small beginnings, by strict integrity and great industry, he controlled hundreds of thousands of dollars, and justly prided himself that no person ever lost through him. His residence was 236 Warren Avenue. After the great fire of October 1871, his place of business was 1944 W. Madison Street.
The accompanying portrait was engraved from a photograph taken in 1873.
Mrs. Newcomb descended, through her mother, from Rev. Thomas Hooker, the first clergyman of Hartford, Connecticut, one of whose descendants has a memorial window in the Episcopal Church of Hartford. She was descended through her father from a captain who served with Washington during the Revolutionary War. When quite young she moved with her parents from Granville, New York, to Columbus, Ohio, and from there to Fremont, Ohio, then to Cincinnati. In the early days of Ohio her father, being a public-spirited citizen, entertained as guests in his home public men and clergymen. In this way she became acquainted with Bishop McIlvaine, who afterwards confirmed her as a member of the Episcopal Church. She was devoted to her religion, had a big heart, a broad mind, and excellent good sense. During the eleven years of her confinement to her home before her death she found a great comfort in her Bible and writings about the Christian faith.