Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 310] a respected agriculturist of New Castle, residing on his farm which is situated within the present city limits, was born in the city June 6, 1849, and is a son of Alexander Newell, and grandson of Archibald Newell, who was a native of County Down, Ireland, where he lived and reared his family of seven children, who were named as follows: Ellen (McKibben); Peggy (Gordon); Archibald, Jr.; William; Thomas; Alexander; and Mary, deceased.
Our subject's father came to this country at the age of seventeen years; he landed in Philadelphia, and from there went to Huntingdon, Pa., where he remained a few days. He then recrossed the seas to his own beloved isle, the home of many dear friends, and married Sarah McNealy, with whom he returned to Huntingdon, which continued to be his place of residence a number of years. He then moved to Mahoningtown, Lawrence County, and a few years later settled at New Castle, where he died in 1861, aged fifty-two years. While a resident of the borough of Mahoningtown, he was engaged in the mercantile business, and just previous to coming to New Castle he accepted the position of collector for the old canal, giving his business over to one of his brothers and moving to New Castle to assume the duties of his new position. He was appointed postmaster under Buchanan's administration, but was forced to resign from that office six months previous to the expiration of his term, because of poor health, and did not subsequently regain his health. His life companion survived him thirty years, dying in 1891, aged eighty years. In their religious sympathies and inclinations they favored the Presbyterian Church. Nine children as follows were born to them: Mary (Hill); George, deceased; Elizabeth (Frisby); Emma (Leslie); William; Susan; Alexander, our subject; James; and Jennie (Coffey).
Our subject was reared and educated in the city of New Castle; for a trade and an occupation he took up the trade of mill brick laying, and followed the same until 1892, supporting himself well, and managing to lay up each year a snug sum of money. In 1892, he bought a farm, which was at that time without the city limits, but is now located within, because of the city's extension; it furnishes beautiful building lots on Pittsburg Street, which his own residence faces, and those in search of a nice location for a home are attracted much by its many advantages.
Mr. Newell was joined in the holy bonds of matrimony in 1875 to Eliza Campbell, daughter of Robert and Drusilla Campbell of Scott township, Lawrence County. Our subject's children are: Percy; Clarence; John; Frank; William; Sarah D.; and Robert A. Mr. Newell has always been a firm believer in the Jacksonian Democratic principles, and is found without fail in the councils of his party. The family as a whole favor the United Presbyterian Church, and may be found among its regular worshippers.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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Updated: 24 May 2001