Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-01-15
To WIN CLERK 40
YEARS, DIES At 81
William S. Newton of Brattle-
bOrO Had Married More
Than 1000 Persons.

Brattleboro, Jan 14.--William Sawyer
Newton aged al years. for nearly half
century town clerk OF Brattleboro, died
this morning at 10:45 o'clock
MIR Newton beyond a doubt served the
longest continuous term as town clerk
of any man in vermont During the As
years Of his service he missed attendance
Mt only two town meetings, one few
years after his election, the other the
last year Of his service. Sickness was
tho cause Of his absence on both occa-
siors
Mr. Newton was first elected town
clerk in March, 1855 and was successfully
reelected until March, 1911, when his fail.
ing health obliged him to decline the
customary recollection. lie continued to
use the office Of the clerk at the sugges-
ton and by the vote of the town, until
such time as he became unable to con-
duct even his private business matters
Mr. Newton was born in Marlboro June
&c 1922. and was seco.d Of three
sons of Captain and Kelsey CHarris)
Newton. He was of the seventh gen
Grafton in descent from Richard New
ton, who came from England and set
led in Southboro, Mass, about 1850.
He obtained his education in the
schools of Marlboro and at Brattlc-
boro Academy, where his uncle was
principal
At the age of II he became a clerk
in the grocery store of Jesse Cone in
his native town and later took a sim
liar position i'm the general store of
Gardner G. Hail of Brattleboro. In
hn hoo
office of the Vermont and Massachu-
sets railroad, but a short time later
resigned that position to become clerk
in the Brattleboro postonicc. There
he remained with Samuel Dutton as
postmaster, until 1879, when he re-
signed to enter the grocery business
in company with Nathaniel cheney on
the west side of Main street near
Milestone bridge He later purchased
the interest of his partner and con
Quoted the store until 1887, when he
retired from business life to devote
all his time to his official duties
He was made a justice Of the peace at
the freemcn's meeting following his cleo
ton as town clerk and soon attained the
dignity of the trial justice Of the town
and tried in his time hundreds of cases
some of which were of unusual impor-
lance. 1t was while so continuously act
Ing in that capacity that he fairly earned
the title Of Judge" by which he had beer
universally known. In sentencing re-
spondents he was given to dealing out
much good advice. In this same official
capacity he became the marrying Justice
of the town and when asked in his declln-
Ing years how many marriages he had
performed, he replied: "Hundreds of
them 1t has been estimated by those
In position to know that he has ofRciat-
ed al more than 800 marriage ceremonies.
He was elected a trustee of the Vermont
Savings bank ana in 1891 was made vice
president Of that institution. He was n
whig in politics but voted for Abraham
Lincoln for president and had since that
time been affiliated with the Republican
party. He was a member OF the Center
Congregational Church and of Columbian
Lodge Of Masons.
He married Lucinda Wells Harris,
widow Of Noyes Harris She died jan
nary %, 1903, after an invalldism of A.
years.