Lucas - Newton
Source: Logan, John A. Biographical Review of Cass, Schuyler & Brown Counties, Illinois. Chicago: Biographical Review Publishing Company, 1882, p 155.
Newton Lucas, a resident of Pea Ridge township, was born in what is now Cooperstown Township Dec 11, 1838. His father, D.R. Lucas was one of the pioneers of Brown County, born in Butler County, Ohio March 21, 1810. His father, John Lucas, was born Sept 7, 1760 in Virginia and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He was taken prisoner by the Indiana and by them taken to Kentucky and Ohio. He was pleased with the country and after the close of the war located in Kentucky but failed to secure a good title to his land and lost it, and then went to that part of Ohio now included in Butler County secured a large tract of land in the Miami bottom, improved a farm, residing there until his death June 15, 1836.
His wife's name was Jemima Robbins, who was born November 19, 1768, who died on the home farm, November 22, 1831, aged 63 years. She was the mother of 12 children. Daniel Robbins Lucas was raised in his native county but when a young man went to Indiana and commenced the study of medicine.
In January 1836, he came to Mt. Sterling, Illinois and commenced to practice his profession. He also engaged in teaching and in the mercantile and lumber business. About 1843 he purchased land in Lee Township and resided there the greater part of the time untl his death, which occurred Jan 26, 1884. His wife's name was Sarah Ann Keith to whom he married in 1836; she was born in Hardin County, Kentucky Dec 14, 1817 and died March 22, 1890. She was the mother of 12 chilren; their names are: William, Newton, Martha Ann (now dead) ; Mary E; George W; Henry C (now dead); John H; Ethan A; Helen A (now dead); Daniel W; Benjamin F; James E. Three dead and nine living 7 of whom live in the county, one, BF lives in Colorado; IE lives in Missouri.
Newton received his earlier education in the pioneer schools which were held in the log houses with furniture of the most primitive kind, where the teacher boarded around among the scholars; as soon as he was large enough to manage a yoke of oxen he worked upon the farm. He caught the Pike's Peak fever in the spring of 1860, went across the plains in an ox wagon to the Rocky Mountains, return in July of same year.
He met with an accident Dec 25, 1860 while cutting a tree for firewood; in trying to get out of the way of some falling limbs, the tree struck and crushed his hip, making a cripple of him for life. He was appointed route agent on mail route from Clayton, Illinois to Keokuk, Iowa in 1864 but after two months' service resigned; taught school during the winter of 1862-63 at what is now Fargo in this county; taught at Ashland, Adams County during the winter of 1869-70 remained with his parents until he was married in 1865; then farmed and operated a saw mill until the spring of 1871, when he moved to Scoutland County, Missouri and operated a saw mill for three years; then moved to Memphis, Missouri and went into the hay business with his brother for two years; moved back to Brown County, Illinois engaged in farming and running a sawmill; operated a sawmill on Sangamon River bottom during the winter of 1880-8` moved to Mt. Sterling in the Spring of 1882 and operated a steam thresher, lived there until December 1883; then bought the farm he now lives upon; owns 225 acres; farm is well improved and has good buildings; the house he built himself.
In politics he is a Republican; cast his first ballot for Abraham Lincoln for President; and Richard Yates for governor; has always been a Republican and was a delgate to the Republican State Convention, May 4, 1892. August 29, 1865, he married Barbara Frank, who was born in Davison County, NC Feb 21, 1842 daughter of William and Sarah (Winkler) Frank. Mr. and Mrs. Lucas have 3 children: Minnie S; William D; Ruth R. Minnie is the wife of Henry L. Lee and has two children; they live in Maxwell City, NM.