My Genealogy Hound

JOHN A. NEWTON, druggist, West Elizabeth, a son of William and Mary Jane (McElhenny) Newton, was born in West Elizabeth borough in 1850. His father was a native of Baltimore, Md., and when a boy became a sailor and followed the seas until he arrived at maturity. He came here and readily found employment as ship-carpenter. His wife was a descendant of one of the pioneer families of Western Pennsylvania, and to them were born two children — John A. and C. A. William Newton died in 1854; his widow afterward married Louis Jester, and they are now residents of West Elizabeth borough. John A. made his home with his step-grandfather, Willey, until thirteen years of age, when he went to his mother’s home and remained with her until 1873. He married Sarah, daughter of A. W. and Rebecca Bedell, of West Elizabeth, after which he engaged in the drug trade, which he still follows. During the epidemic of scarlet fever which prevailed here in 1880 they lost their first three children—Walter S., Mary E. and Washington O. They now have two children — Ada L. and Emma B.