Newell, Francis

NEWELL

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 16:23:51

FRANCIS NEWELL
born Dec 17, 1834, Mass.

Francis Newell, one of the noted stock-raisers and farmers of this great State, is a descendant of sturdy old New England stock, the family tracing their ancestral line to the early Colonial days in the old Bay State. Francis was born in Palmer, Massachusetts, December 17, 1834, a son of Jacob and Thankful (Fuller) Newell. Of their six children only two are now living: Milton, of Montana, and our subject. Jacob Newell, the father was born in Palmer, Massachusetts, July 4, 1796, and his entire life was spent there, his death occurring in 1869, at the age of seventy-three years. He was a typical New Englander. Shrewd. enterprising and public-spirited, and was recognized as one of the influential men of his day. Grandfather Newell was also a native of Massachusetts, born near Boston in the Colonial times. His father was born in England, and emigrated to this country in an early day, making one of the old Massachusetts Bay Colony, long before the days of the Revolution. The mother of our subject, neé Thankful Fuller, was a native of old Connecticut, descended from one of the early families of that State, and she lived to a great, age dying upon her ninetieth birthday. Francis Newell, the subject of this sketch, attended the schools of his native State during his boyhood days, and worked on the farm until twenty-five years of age, when he started out in life for himself. Coming West he located for a time in Dallas county, Iowa, but soon afterward, being imbued with the spirit of adventure, he went to Colorado, and for four years was a miner in that State, meeting with fair success. In 1865, however, Mr. Newell returned to Iowa, settling in Warren county, which has since been his home. In 1870 he purchased a farm of 105 acres of unbroken prairie land, and he at once set energetically to work to subdue and develop this tract, and, successful from the first, he from time to time added to his original purchase until at the present he owns a splendid farm of 430 acres. The homestead and a portion of the farm is located in Jefferson township, and the remainder lies across the road in Jackson township. For many years Mr. Newell has been recognized as one of the leading stock raisers and feeders of this region. He keeps about 100 head of cattle, his steers of 1895 being a remarkably fine and thrifty lot, and at the present he has about 300 Poland-China hogs. An intelligent man, enterprising and experienced, he adopts the best methods in the care of his stock, the result being a marked success in the business year by year. Mr. Newell raises about 125 acres of corn and other crops in proportion, being assisted by his sons in the carrying on of the diversified work.
March 13, 1871, he was united in marriage to Catherine Haberer, a native of the province of Wurtemberg, Germany. Her father died before her birth, and when a child she came to this country with her mother and the remainder of the family, consisting of seven children, five of whom are now living, namely: Andrew, of Sterling, Illinois; John, of Boone county, Iowa; Christina, wife of Jacob Arnold, also of that county; and Mary, wife of Andrew Dauble, of Omaha. The mother died in 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Newell have seven children: Ira J., John W., Austin F., George L., Asa L., Stella M., and Thankful S. Mr. Newell is in the prime of life, energetic, and capable and one of the substantial successful and popular citizens of Warren county. Source: A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1896, vol.1, p.407