History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, 1879.



James Hale Newton

James Hale Newton.



James Hale Newton was born in Hubbardston, Mass., on Jan. 14, 1832. The Newton family in America are descended from Moses Newton, who was born in England, and came to American in A.D. 1700. From Moses Newton to James Hale, we find several generations: (1st) Moses, (2d) James, (3d) Joseph, (4th) Ebenezer, and (5th) James (the father of James Hale) who was born in 1801, and who married Elizabeth Hale, another of the English families which early settled in Massachusetts.

Mr. Newton was educated at Dartmouth College, graduating in 1859. While fitting at Easthampton, and during his college term, he taught various schools during the winter vacations, to assist in meeting his educational expenses. Immediately after graduating he was elected to the principalship of the Thomas Grammar School,—the largest in the city of Worcester, Mass.,—in which position he remained five years. At the end of that time he removed to Holyoke, Mass., and in connection with his brothers, Daniel H. and John C. Newton, and others, organized the Hampden Paper Company (there being then but two small mills in Holyoke). Their capacity was two-tons of collar-paper per day. Mr. Newton acted as business agent and treasurer until 1866, when he disposed of his interest, and in connection with his father-in-law, Calvin Taft, Esq., or Worcester, organized the Franklin Paper Company, with a capacity of three tons per day, running exclusively on book- and colored envelope-paper. Mr. Newton is now engaged in building another fine mill for manufacturing paper, on Dwight Street, between the two levels of the canal, which he expects to complete in 1879, and will increase his production of fine paper to over eight tons per day. In 1872, Mr. Newton was elected one of the directors in the Third National Bank of Springfield, Mass., and has since then held its presidency. The institution now has over three hundred thousand dollars on its deposit account, showing and increase each year over the previous one since its organization. In November, 1863, Mr. Newton married Miss Susan Taft, of Worcester, Mass., and has had four children,—Edward Taft, born Dec. 15, 1864; Frederick Hale, born Feb. 23, 1866; Lila Taft, born Jan. 22, 1868; James Bertram, born Aug. 11, 1876.





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