Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/79

 NEWTON

NEWTON

NEWTON, John Brockenbrough, coadjutor bishop of Virginia and 174th in succession in the American episcopate, was born at his father's home "Linden," in Westmoreland county, Va., Feb. 7, 1839; son of Willougliby and Mary (Brockenbrough) Newton; grandson of Wil- loughby and Sally Bland (Poythress) Newton and of Judge William Brockenbrougli of the Virginia court of appeals, and his wife, Judith White, daughter of Rev. John White and granddaughter of Carter Braxton, the signer. On his father's side he was descended from Col. Richard Bland of Revolutionary fame, who was the sou of Theo- dorick Bland, one of the earliest settlers in Vir- ginia. His earliest Newton ancestor in America, John Newton, came to Virginia in 1670, and set- tled in Westmoreland county. He was a student at the Episcopal high school near Alexandria, and was graduated at the Medical College of Virginia, M.D., in 1860. He served as assistant and full surgeon in the Confederate States army, 1861-65, and after the close of the war practised his profession in Westmoreland county until 1870, when he determined to enter the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal church. That his family might not suffer, lie continued to practise medi- cine while studying the prescribed course at his home in Westmoi'eland, taking the regular ex- aminations with the class at the Virginia Theo- logical seminary. He was ordained deacon. June 25. 1871, and priest. June 29. 1872, by Bishop Whittle. He was rector of St. John's and St. Paul's churches, South Farnham parish, Tappa- hannock, Essex county, Va., 1871-76; of St. Luke's church, Norfolk, Va.. 1876-84, and of Monumental church, Richmond, Va., 1884-94. He was a dele- gate to the Genei'al convention at Chicago in 1886, at New York in 1889, at Baltimore in 1892, and present as a member of the House of Bishops at ^Minneapolis in 1895. He was elected coadjutor bishop of Virginia, Jan. 31, 1894, and was con- secrated in Monumental church, Richmond, Va., May 16, 1894, by Bishops Whittle, Dudley, Peter- kin. Randolph, Jackson and Capers. The degree of D.D. was conferred on him by Washington and Lee university and by the L^niversity of the South, in 1896. He died in Richmond, Va., May 28. 1897.

NEWTON, John Thomas, naval officer, was born in Alexandria, Va., May 20, 1793. He was appointed to the U.S. navy as a midshipman, Jan. 16, 1809, and served as acting lieutenant of the Hornet in the engagement with the Peacocl-. Feb. 24, 1813. He was promoted lieutenant, July 24, 1813, and first lieutenant of the Hornet during her action with the Penguin, March 23, 1815. He was promoted commander, March 3, 1827; captain. Feb. 9, 1837, and commanded the steamers Fulton and Missouri, and the navvvard VIII. — 5

at Pensacola, Fla., 1848-52. He was flag-officer of the home squadron, 1852-55, which gave him the title of commodore, and commanded the navy yard at Portsmouth. N.H., 1855-57. He died in AVashington, D.C.. July 28, 1857.

NEWTON, Richard, clergyman, was born in Liverpool, England, July 25, 1813; son of Richard and Elizabeth (Cluett) Newton. He immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1823, and settled in Philadelphia, Pa. He was gi-aduated at the University of Pennsylvania, A.B., 1836, A.M., 1839. and at the General Theological semi- nary, New York city, in 1839. He was married July 31, 1834, to Lydia, daughter of Lawrence Greatorex of Philadelphia, Pa. He was ordered deacon in 1839, was rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity, W^est Chester, Pa., 1839; was or- dained priest in 1840, and was rector of St. Paul's church, Philadelphia, 1840-62; of the Church of the Epiphany, Philadelphia, 1862-81. and of the Church of the Covenant, Philadelphia. 1881-87. He traveled in Europe, 1869-70. He was a trustee of the University of Philadelphia. 1869-87, and received the degree of D.D. from Kenyon college in 1851. He contributed extensively to juvenile literature and many of his sermons prepared for children have been translated into French, Ger- man, Arabic and other languages. He is the author of: Rills from the Fountain of Life (1856); The Kim/s Highu-ay (1858); Bible Jewels (1867); Nature's Wonders (1872); The King in His Beauty (1875): Bible Promises (1876); Natural History of the Bible (1877); Covenant Names and Privileges (1880); Leaves from the Tree of Life; Giants and How to Fight Them; The Heath in the Wilderness; Travels in Bible Lands; Heroes of the Early Church; Heroes of the Reformation; The Life of Christ for the Young; Bible Animals. He died at Chestnut Hill. Philadelphia, Pa., 31ay 25, 1887.

NEWTON, Richard Heber, clergyman, was born in Philadelphia. Pa., Oct. 31, 1840; son of the Rev. Richard and Lydia (Greatorex) Newton. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and the Divinity School of the Protestant Episcopal church in Philadelphia, 1857-62; was ordained deacort in 1862; was assistant to his father at St. Paul's. Philadelphia, 1862-63; assistant at the Church of the Epiphany, Philadelphia, 1863-64, and deacon in charge of Trinity church, at Sharon Springs, N.Y., 1864-66. He was married, April 14, 1864, to Mary E., daughter of Charles S. Lewis of Phil- adelphia, Pa. He was ordained priest in 1866 was rector of St. Paul's church. Philadelphia. 1866- 69. and of All Souls church. New York city. 1869-

1902. He became special preacher at Leland Stan- ford university. Cal.. in 1902, but resigned in May,

1903, discouraged in his efforts to harmonize differ- ent creeds. He was charged with heresy as early as