America Newton (born Dyer Newton; 1835 – 1917) was one of the original
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
pioneers who helped to found the former mining town of
Julian, California
Julian is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Diego County, California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,502, down from 1,621 at the time of the 2000 census.
Julian is an official California Historical Landmark (No. 412). The Jul ...
, in the
Cuyamaca Mountains
The Cuyamaca Mountains ( Kumeyaay: ''‘Ekwiiyemak''), locally the Cuyamacas, are a mountain range of the Peninsular Ranges System, in San Diego County, southern California. The mountain range runs roughly northwest to southeast. The Laguna Mount ...
east of San Diego. She was among the earliest female African-American settlers in the area.
Newton was a former
slave
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
who provided
laundry
Laundry refers to the washing of clothing and other textiles, and, more broadly, their drying and ironing as well. Laundry has been part of history since humans began to wear clothes, so the methods by which different cultures have dealt with t ...
services in Julian during its
gold rush
A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, New Z ...
days and beyond. She resided in Julian for more than 50 years.
Life
America Newton arrived in Julian in 1872, having come from
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fifth-largest city in Missouri and the county seat of Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson County. Independence is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metro ...
.
Newton owned an
homestead
Homestead may refer to:
*Homestead (buildings), a farmhouse and its adjacent outbuildings; by extension, it can mean any small cluster of houses
* Homestead (unit), a unit of measurement equal to 160 acres
*Homestead principle, a legal concept t ...
near Julian. A
gift shop
A gift shop or souvenir shop is a store primarily selling souvenirs, memorabilia, and other items relating to a particular topic or theme. The items sold often include coffee mugs, stuffed animals, toys, t-shirts, postcards, handmade collect ...
in Julian is named in her memory, as well as a trail located near her cabin.
She died of
pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
in 1917.
Newton operated a laundry service for miners in the town, often delivering the clean clothes herself. Family friend James Cole provided her with the horse and buggy, making her one of the first African-American women to operate a business in the area. She was known for being friendly and talkative.
According to census records, she was married and had a daughter. She went on to outlive her husband.
America Newton died in 1917 and is buried in the Julian Cemetery.
References
External links
Julian Black Historical SocietyJulian Chamber of Commerce
1835 births
1917 deaths
19th-century American slaves
People from Julian, California
19th-century African-American women
Deaths from pneumonia in California
People from Independence, Missouri
African-American history of California
20th-century African-American women
20th-century African-American people
American former slaves
19th-century American businesspeople
{{OldWest-bio-stub