28 July 2010

Edgar Allen Poe Newcomb

He designed the Frank Pierce Carpenter House at 1800 Elm St, Manchester NH, which is on the National Register of Historical Places, Building  #94000168.  He and his father designed the Portland Savings Bank at 88-89 Exchange St., Portland OR.

B.M. Nedwcomb wrote:

He traveled extensively and was for several years a member of the "Artists' Colony" in Paris where he studied the works of both old and new masters of the art of designing. Among his most important architectural works were: The Carpenter Memorial Library, Manchester NH, First Baptist Church, Haverhill, Mass., the high altar in Albany Cathedral, Albany NY, besides a number of buildings in Honolulu. In addition to his architectural ability, Mr. Newcomb was a writer of some note, having written a number of poems which were set to music, and an opera, "The Maid of Marblehead", which was staged with success.

21 July 2010

Anna Josepha Newcomb (b. 1871)

B.M. Newcomb wrote:

Mrs. Whitney [she married Edward Baldwin Whitney] received her early education in Europe, mainly at Geneva, Switzerland and Berlin, Germany, where she won several honors. In 1885, she returned to Washington and graduated from the McDonald-Ellis School at the head of her class. She also studied at the art Students' League and showed great talent in painting. After her marriage and removal to New York City, she continued her art work there at the Art Students' League.

14 July 2010

William Crocker Newcomb

William Crocker Newcomb, son of Cordial, was born in Tolland, Conn., Oct. 24, 1806, and he died there Feb. 4, 1864. In his younger days he was a school teacher, and he lived on the Willimantic River until 1838, when he removed to the Lord farm. An active and enthusiastic Democrat, he represented the town in the General Assembly in 1842 and 1843, and was senator from the old 20th district in 1859. For many years he was first selectman, and from time to time held various town offices. He married Maria Trumbull Merrick, a daughter of Samuel and Olive (Greenslit) Merrick, of Willington. They had the following children: (1) William Burt, who became a prominent lumber and brick merchant in St. Paul, Minn., where he was associated with the firm of Griggs, Newcomb & Hills, married Emily Brown, and died in St. Paul in 1872; (2) John Mortimer, died in infancy; (3) Trumbull, born Nov. 4, 1833, died in Rockville, Sept. 5, 1881, where he was in business as a hardware merchant; he married Jane E. Keeney, a native of Rockville; (4) Loren.

07 July 2010

Thomas Newcomb (1806-1849)

B.M. Newcomb wrote:

Mr. Newcomb became a merchant's clerk when twelve years old, continuing in that occupation until the age of twenty-two, when he went to sea. He soon became master of a West India schooner; followed the sea for several years. once, when returning from the West Indies his vessel capsized and he was fifteen days on the wreck at sea without food.

In 1832, after acquiring a good education, he commenced the study of law at Amherst N.S., and received his diploma as barrister from Judge Halliburton. in Oct. 1839, in the same vessel with his brother Simon, he moved to Texas and settled at Victoria, then a frontier settlement. Before leaving Nova Scotia, Capt. Newcomb had taken a prominent part in politics and was well known throughout the province. He arrived in what was then the Republic of Texas during hard times, at the close of the struggle with Mexico. He endured many dangers and hardships; acquired a large practice as a lawyer, standing among the first in the country; served a while as district attorney. "He died in the prime of life, with a brilliant prospect for wealth and position before him; he was in every sense one of nature's noblemen -- a man of genius, eloquence and courage."

02 July 2010

Simon Newcomb (1779-1870)

B.M. Newcomb wrote:

Simon Newcomb began his life's career in the stormy days of the Revolution, and the firm decision, stern integrity, and unostentatious dignity of those times seem to have been inherited by him, and were the prominent traits of his character through life. To attempt a sketch of Dr. Newcomb's history would be to write a volume, for he was prominently identified with professional, financial, political and religious life for more than seventy years.

During his infancy, his father moved to Pittsdown, Rensselaer County; he spent most of his days in that vicinity. The longest day of his life he counted as 11 April 1796, which is scarcely surprising, as he has commenced to teach a district school, although not quite seventeen! The school was in Millertown District, now North Pittstown. He spent the proceeds of his summer's labor the next winter for board and clothing while attending school. In the spring he returned to the same place and taught two years.

In February 1798, he listened to powerful discourses by the eccentric Lorenzo Dow and Timothy Dewey, and was so affected by them that he always attributed his attachment to the Christian faith to their evangelical labors. He joined the M.E. Church the following month, and remained an honored member of the church for the rest of his life.

In the spring of 1799 he set out on foot for Alford, Massachusetts. He was disappointed in his business anticipations, changed his plans, and began studying medicine with Dr. John Hurlbert, remaining one year. He studied subsequently with Drs. Nehemiah King, Ezekiel Baker, and David Doolittle, four years in all. He commenced practice in May 1802. Through professional skill, promptness, and an honest endeavor springing from conscientious convictions to do all the good possible, he arose to eminence in his profession and secured a competence for himself and his family.

After his marriage, he lived at Pittstown, a little village one mile northeast of Tomhannock. Through his influence, a minister was secured, a church organized, and a house of worship built.

He was the first postmaster of Tomhannock and at Prospect Hill, now Johnsonville, and held the office twenty-seven years. He was a justice of the peace for twelve years, supervisor three years, U.S. assessor two years. He was for many years school commissioner, trustee, overseer of poor, town clerk, commissioner of deeds, master in chancery, class leader, church trustee, merchant, and farmer. Although occupying numerous situations of trust in political life, he was never charged, even by his opponents, with a dereliction of his official duties.

In 1814, at the invasion of Plattsburgh, he volunteered under col. William Knickerbacker in the brigade company commanded by Gen. Gilbert Eddy.

The father of Dr. Newcomb's second wife was a wealthy and influential citizen of Pittstown. The year following his marriage, he sold his farm at Tomhannock and moved to Prospect Hill, where he purchased a farm and resided for ten years. Afterward he moved to the upper end of Schaghticoke, where he remained for eleven years; from there he returned to Tomhannock, where he lived until 1853, when he moved to Lansingburgh.

Dr. Newcomb had in his possession the family bible of his grandfather, Thomas Newcomb. It was printed in London in 1812 by the assignees of Thomas "Newcome" and Henry Hill, deceased. He also had his grandfather's old account book. His great-grandfather, Simon Newcomb, had one hundred and thrity-nine grandchildren bearing the name of Newcomb; Dr. Newcomb was the last survivor of this large number.

Dr. Newcomb's social qualities, even in advanced years, endeared him to the young as well as to the aged; and all who came in contact with him were made wiser and better by his genial and intelligent conversation. Ever true to his country, his bounty flowed to the deserving but destitute defenders of its liberties, and many cases might be cited of his patriotic devotion and practical benevolence extended to the wounded and suffering soldiers of the War of 1812.

The following extract is taken from an obituary notice which appeared in the New York Christian Advocate.

"In many respects Dr. Newcomb was a remarkable man. First, as to his great age. He lived to within eight years of a century, twenty-two years beyond the time allotted to man in the earthly pilgrimage. He was older than the nation, knew Washington, Franklin, and the elder Adams, and was familiar with the passing events of our national history, from the signing of the Declaration of Independence down to the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation. He retained in a wonderful degree his mental faculties to the last, discussing the live issues of the day in Church and State with the fluency and sagacity of his earlier manhood.

"His Christian career was remarkable in its consistency as well as in its duration. For seventy-two years he sought to magnify that grace which called him into the service of his Divine Master."