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Switzerland County

Biography

William Newbold

farmer, Posey Township, was born on the Nanticoke River, Sussex Co., Del., in 1798. He is a son of George and Jane (Richards) Newbold, both natives of the same county. He came with his parents and the rest of the family to Kentucky in 1820, and in 1823 they located in this township and county. His parents moved two years later to Allensville, and then to Williamstown, near Greensburg, returning ten years later to the bottoms, where his father died in 1854, his mother having died in Allensville. After coming into Indiana, our subject taught school one year in the family of Arthur Henry. He then spent a short time in Kentucky, learning surveying and then located in this county permanently. He married Elizabeth Woods, widow of Richard Woods (maiden name Petty), and purchased sixty-six acres of bottom land on which he lived till 1852, where his wife died, and he subsequently rented his farm for a few years and sold the same in 1870. Since 1852 he has resided chiefly with his brother James, trading some on the river. He has always farmed chiefly, but taught school some and traded some on the river, and has been quite successful. He still resides at the home of his brother's widow, his brother having died in 1867-68. James M. Newbold, was born in Deleware in 1812, came to this county with his parents and took a contract soon after with his brother Thomas for rafting poplar logs down to Louisville to Mathew Furgeson who owned the land in the bottoms. He after with his brother purchased 205 acres of the bottom land and continued farming till his death, at which time he owned 300 acres, his brother Thomas having died previously. He married Lucinda Tripp and they reared five children: Thomas, Louisianna, George and Emma, living. William, deceased, died 1867-68. Mr. Newbold is now the oldest man in the county, and in his old days finds himself well provided with the comforts of life. He is well preserved in body and mind for one of his years, and has a large circle of friends which his long life of sobriety and character has gathered around him. He has always doubted the doctrine of "future punishment" and as a consequence has never connected himself with any society which adopted such teaching. He has always aimed to live a life of strict integrity, and has done his best to make others happy with whom he has been associated. He is duly grateful for the kindness of his brother and wife in giving him a home, and is doing his best to show his gratitude.

Source: History of Switzerland County, Indiana 1885. Chicago, Illinois: Weakley, Harraman & Co., 1885
Transcribed by: Sheila Kell