William Newton born 23 September 1798 in Chenango Co., NY; died 8 August 1878 in Kirkland Twp., De Kalb Co., IL. He was the son of William Wallace Newton and Lydia Wells. He married (1) Clarissa Fairchild, born Abt. 1802, died 8 Feb. 1828; and (2) Marietta Tuttle Abt. 1828 in ? Chenango Co., NY.

A farmer, William Newton lived in New York and Illinois. On 15 October 1826, William Newton and his first wife wife Clarissa of Bainbridge, Chenango Co., New York, sold to Thomas Newton (his brother) for $250, the 40 acres of land in Lot 44 which was William's dowery from their father William Wallace Newton, dec'd. The deed was signed by William Newton and Clarissa. On 8 February 1828, "Clarrissa, wife of Wm. Newton, died, age 26". She was buried in the North Afton Cemetery in Chenango Co., where a number of other Newtons were laid to rest.

By 1830, William had taken a second wife as evidenced by the deed of 23 November 1830, where he and Marietta sold part of Lot 43 (60 acres) to Benjamin Lyon for $202.50. The deed was signed by Wm. Newton, Marietta Newton, and recorded on 4 July 1840. William's household was enumerated in Bainbridge Twp. in 1840.

In 1846, William Newton and his family migrated to Illinois. On 16 March 1846, William and Mariette Newton of Bainbridge, Chenango Co., New York, sold to Abiah Gilbert for $2000 four parcels of land (acquired in 1826, 1827, 1829, 1832). Wm. Newton and Mariette Newton signed the deed. Their daughter Clarissa died 20 August 1846 and was buried in the Blood's Point Cemetery in Boone County, Illinois.

On 20 February 1847, William Newton of Boone Co., IL purchased land in southern Boone Co. (sec. 36, T43N, R3E) and northern DeKalb Co., IL (sec 6, T42 N, R4E), from Elias and Mary Main. The deed mentioned that the land was owned earlier by David Wingo and Joel D. Whitney. The 1850 Illinois Census Index, shows William Newton as the only head of a family of his surname listed for Boone Co.

When Wayne Earl Stephens moved to Boise in 1957, he contacted relatives there. Great Aunt Agnes (Aiken) Weston told Wayne that she was a granddaughter of Eber Lucas and Fidelia Flavia Newton of Boone and DeKalb Counties in Illinois. Other relatives showed Wayne family keepsakes including a cream-colored, linen sampler embroidered in cross stitch with the words "Fidelia F. Newton AE 13 -- Jan 1844" and two sterling silver casket plates engraved with the birth and death dates of Fidelia's parents, William and Mariette Newton. With this information, it was possible to identify William Newton in Ermina Newton Leonard's book, Newton Genealogy, Descendants of Richard Newton of Sudbury and Marlborough, Massachusetts, 1638.

William's Newton ancestors lived in Massachusetts until John Newton removed his family to Vermont during the Revolutionary War. In 1791, John accompanied his son, William Wallace Newton to Jerico, Tioga County, New York (now Bainbridge Township, Chenango County). In 1847, William and Mariette Newton and their children, migrated from New York to Illinois.

William Newton (1798-1878) was twice listed in the 1915 Newton Genealogy. On page 833, under "Unconnected Newtons" we read: "William Newton, by wife Margaret, had a daughter Rosinah, who married at Flora, Ill., Dec. 25, 1862, James Monroe Humprey, born at Danville, Ohio, Aug. 31, 1840. Had one son and one daughter. He was a soldier in the Civil War -- Captain of Company C, 142nd Illinois Regiment Volunteer Infantry and served through entire period of its service."

And on pages 119-120, William appears as a child of William Wallace Newton: "William (Col.), b. Sept. 29, 1798; Col. of Militia; a farmer of Bainbridge, N.Y.; d. ____, in Ohio; m. (1) _____ Fairchild; m. (2) Mary Tuttle. Had children."

William Newton died in Illinois, not Ohio, and Mary is the shorten form of "Mariette," the name on her headstone, her casket plate, several deeds, and the 1850 census. Her maiden surname appeared in the biographical sketch of their son-in-law "John N. McDowell," although her first name was incorrect. To quote: "He [John N. McDowell] was married in Flora, Boone Co., Ill., to Evaline Newton, who became his wife March 28, 1861. She was born June 20, 1844, in the state of New York, and is the daughter of William and Margaret (Tuttle) Newton..."