Siskiyou
County
Biographies
LESTER SMITH NEWTON
The
county of Siskiyou is fortunate in having at the head of its school system a
man of the ability and character of Lester Smith Newton, who has served as
county superintendent for the past six years, rendering effective and
appreciated service. Mr. Newton was born
on the 3rd of January, 1878, at Barron, Barron County, Wisconsin,
and is a son of D. L. and Frances (Smith) Newton. The father, who had worked in sawmills in
Wisconsin during his early years, came to California in June, 1900, and located
in Hornbrook, where he established a livery business, which he successfully
conducted to the time of his death, which occurred in 1909. To him and his wife were born five sons, all
of whom are living, as follows: L. H.,
was is engaged in the sawmill business at Happy Camp; C. P., who is a
paperhanger and house decorating contractor at Oakland, California; Morton E.,
who is employed in the shoe department of a large store in Santa Barbara, this
state; Glenn D., who is engaged in the real estate business in Oakland, and
Lester S. Lester S. Newton
attended the grade schools of Wisconsin and the high school at Ashland, Oregon;
and, having decided to devote his life to the profession of teaching, he
entered the State Normal School at Ashland, Oregon. He completed his normal work in the State
Teachers’ College at Chico, California, from which he was graduated in
1901. During the following two years he
taught school in Siskiyou County, after which he taught in Portland, Oregon,
for seven years. He was then appointed
to a position in the city engineer’s office, where he served until 1918. Coming then to Hornbrook, California, he
managed a hotel for two and a half years, after which he went to Ashland,
Oregon, where he engaged in ranching for a year and a half. He lost money at that business and then took
charge of the stage route from Hornbrook to Happy Camp, which he conducted for
two years. He then received the
appointment as supervisor of grammar schools in Siskiyou County, which position
he held for twenty-seven months. On
March 1, 1924, he was elected superintendent of schools for Siskiyou County and
was reelected in 1930 by a greatly increased majority, a reward in a measure
for having conducted a clean and honorable campaign. He is a man of high ideals in both
educational and civic matters, has proven an able and successful educator, and
stands deservedly high in public esteem.
In
1909 Mr. Newton was united in marriage to Miss Edith Frances McCrary, whose
father Robert McCrary, was a miner at Hamburg, and died at the age of
forty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Newton
are the parents of two children, Edwin, who is at home, and Dorothy, who is the
cashier at the Broadway Theater in Yreka.
Mr. Newton supports the Republican Party and is a member of the Masonic
order, belonging to the lodge, chapter and council of the York Rite at
Yreka. Hunting and fishing are his
favorite outdoor sports.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 2 Pages 452-455. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Siskiyou County
Biographies