Was born in Greenfield, October 18th, 1782. He was graduated at Dartmouth College, in 1807, and was a classmate of George Ticknor and Sylvanus Thayer. He commenced the study of the law with Judge Newcomb, of Greenfield, and finished his studies in the office of Hon. Elijah H. Mills, of Northampton, in 1810.
Mr. Newton then removed to Worcester, and formed a co-partnership in law with Hon. Francis Blake, which continued till April, 1814. He was selected by the citizens of Worcester, in 1814, to deliver an oration on the fourth of July. This oration was published, and accelerated his rising fame. Soon after, he was appointed County Attorney, which office he held for ten years, when he resigned the position. In 1825 he formed a co-partnership in law with William Lincoln. His talents and capacity were appreciated by his fellow citizens, and he was elected to the House of Representatives in Massachusetts, in the years of 1829, 1830, and 1831, and a State Senator in 1834. He had great equanimity of character, and never lost or gained a case but the result was precisely what he expected. Hence he was perfectly satisfied with the result of every case. He was honest, confiding and capable. He became a member of this society in October, 1816, and remained an active member for forty-seven years, when his health became poor and he withdrew. He was long a member and officer in the American Antiquarian Society. He died in Worcester, February 4th, 1868. Major Newton married a sister of the late Governor Lincoln, and was a resident in Worcester for more than half a century. He was honored with important and responsible positions in the military, legislative, and executive departments of the government of the State; all the duties pertaining to these offices he discharged with ability and fidelity, and to the entire satisfaction of his constituents.
SAMUEL M. BURNSIDE.
His ancestors were Scots. He was a son of Thomas Burnside, and was born in Northumberland, New Hampshire, July 18th, 1783. His education was at the common schools in New Hampshire, except nine months at an academy, preparatory to his entering Dartmouth College.
After he was graduated from college, in 1805, he took charge of a Female Academy in Andover, Mass., for two years. He read law with Hon. Artemas Ward, so long Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. He was admitted to practice in 1810, commenced the practice of the law in the Spring of 1810, in the town of Westborough, in this County, and removed to Worcester in the autumn of the same year. He married the daughter of Judge Foster of Brookfield.
Mr. Burnside was a well read lawyer, and it is no disparagement to any lawyer of the Worcester Bar to say that none excelled him in his extensive knowledge of the law. He was also well posted in theology, and took a deep interest in our public schools. He was trustee in Leicester Academy, and for many years was a member of the School Committee of Worcester, a member of the American Antiquarian Society, and one of the Council of said Society at the time of his death. He delivered an able address before the schools of Worcester in 1826, and represented the town in the Legislature the same year. In 1831 he was selected by the citizens of Worcester to deliver an oration on the fourth of July, which was considered a very able production. He was admitted to this society in January, 1817, and remained an active member for thirty-three years. He died in Worcester, July 25th, 1850, much respected by a large circle of friends.
Mr. Burnside was a good classical scholar, an upright and honored citizen, and a kind christian gentleman.
REUBEN WHEELER
Was a member of this society from 1817 to 1822. He came from Rutland, where he was born, to Worcester, to execute the purposes of certain members of the Fire Society, who had become convinced that the business of tanning was very profitable. They raised thirty thousand dollars to put into the business—Mr. Wheeler was superintendent and manager—a large yard was built on Market street, the largest in the county—Mr. Wheeler built a spacious house on the corner of Main and Thomas streets, and business went on swimmingly for five or six years, Mr. Wheeler always assuring the proprietors that the business was very profitable. Some of the proprietors having had no dividends for several years, succeeded in raising a committee to investigate the affairs of the company, when it turned out that the concern was bankrupt. It was a South Sea bubble on a small scale. Wheeler left town, and the tannery rotted down. "Sic transit gloria mundi."