River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-01-14
OBITUARY
WILLIAM Mason NRwcoMB

\ L
ward at four o'clock, Monday
morning, January II, after a brief
illness. He went to his work in
he store the day before Christ
mas as usual. On Christmas day
he became i'll, and the debility
natural to his old age, prevented
his rallying. His mind was clear
to the very last and his character
istic thoughtfuiness was shown by
his repeated assertion in the last
ew days, I am comforta BILE. 1t
is all right"
William Mason Newcomb was
born in Orange County, Vermont,
september s, 1876, SO that he died
in his seth year. He received his
scholarship education in Andover
Academy, Andover, Mass. He
| then studied medicine for two
years, and thru all his life he
maintained an unimpaired and I'M
diminished interest in all matters
of scientific import. He was an in
telligent reader up to the day Of
his final illness. The writer
delighted in visiting him in his
store to discuss with
him the latest conclusions of
science or philosophy, because he
had rare way Of Illuminating the
dark or mysterious facts of nature
that was at once enlightening and
ientertaining. One was royalty en-
tertained by half hours CONVEX
3ation with him whether in his
place of business or over the gar
den fence at five o'clock in the
morning. At such time he once
remarked to me, "FIowers like to
have their friends visit them. since
they always find ways to make
them more cOmforta ble."
Mr.. Newcomb possessed many
traits that often reminded one of
J IN Bur ows in his love Of nature
and his fondness for being in the
open air and working with plants.
Much of the beauty of the Green4I
wood Cemetery. where he now
quietly sleeps. is due to his gift
Of landscape gardening.
In 1854, Mr. Newcomb got the
gold fever and went to California,
and for three years was there en-
gagged in gold mining. On his re-
turn to the east in 1857, he
settled upon a farm in Clifton, |
Pierce County. Wis. On July 81
1857, he was married to Miss Mar
tina Currier, who now survives
him. The quiet and simple tastes |
of Mrs. Newcomb and her hus-
band are shown in this little in
cident SO characteristic of this |
noble couple. One morning fifty |
years after their marriage, a |
neighbor woman said to Mrs. New
comb over the garden fence "This |
is our tenth anniversary" Mrs"
Newcomb quietly remarked ut is
our fiftieth and we are keeping
still about it and not telling our
friends" There were four child
rem born of this marriage, two
sons who survive their father
and two daughters who died in
infancy. The sons are Oril w.
Newcomb Of River Falls Wis. and
Orie G.. Newcomb of Bowesmount,
N. D.
In 1888, Mr.. NeWcomb moved his
family to new farm in Sphinx Co.,
S. ID. But he returned to River
Falls in 1890. He then became sup
erintendent of Greenwood Genet
airy and remained in this capacity
until 1902 when he entered the fur
niture business with his son in
River Falls.
The writer lived next door to
Mr.. Newcomb for several years
and he learned to love and esteem
him as one of the rarest men of
our age. Mr.. Newcomb in his long
life of SO years, never said an I'M
kind word to any human being. He
~ ~ AAoO oil OhCAAAJj III II oCC4hC0
impossible either to envy or re-
sist his manifest kindness. He
was always an optimist and felt
most kindly toward all fellow
creatures. Once while the writer
expressed surprise that he could
endure SO patiently the thought
lessness of some of his fellow
townsmen, he remarked II think
that 1 am somewhat like. an old
aunt of mine who said that she'd
'ruther each one would do as he
ruther'" That remark shows his
broad charity with which, as
mantle. he covered all the short
comings of his associates. He was
the kindest and most patient man
I have ever known. Yet this char
ity and patience are not the result