John Stoughton Newberry
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John Stoughton Newberry (November 18, 1826 – January 2, 1887) was an American
industrialist A business magnate, also known as a tycoon, is a person who has achieved immense wealth through the ownership of multiple lines of enterprise. The term characteristically refers to a powerful entrepreneur or investor who controls, through per ...
and politician. He served as the first
provost marshal Provost marshal is a title given to a person in charge of a group of Military Police (MP). The title originated with an older term for MPs, '' provosts'', from the Old French ''prévost'' (Modern French ''prévôt''). While a provost marshal i ...
for the State of Michigan and as a U.S. Representative from the
state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...
of
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
.


Early life

Newberry was born in
Waterville, New York Waterville (called ''Ska-na-wis'', "''long swamp''" by the Haudenosaunee) is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. According to the 2010 census, its population was 1,583. History Long the traditional territory of the Iroquoian-s ...
, the son of Elihu Newberry and Rhoda (Phelps) Newberry. He moved with his parents to Michigan when a child, residing in
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
,
Ann Arbor Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...
, and
Romeo Romeo Montague () is the male protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. The son of Lord Montague and his wife, Lady Montague, he secretly loves and marries Juliet, a member of the rival House of Capulet, through a priest ...
. He completed preparatory studies at Romeo Academy and graduated from the
University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
in 1848 as head of his class. Under the influence of his uncle, Oliver Newberry, he spent two years in civil engineering working with the
Michigan Central Railroad The Michigan Central Railroad (reporting mark MC) was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan, and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in ...
building the line from Kalamazoo to New Buffalo. Then he takes a year off traveling mostly by steamboat throughout the Midwest including the Great Lakes, The Ohio, Missouri and Mississippi rivers. While traveling, he is shocked by the number of boat accidents due to the lack of established standards and regulations. Consequently there are a number of expensive, extensive and complicated liability suits. Upon his return Newberry abandons any more immediate railroad work in favor of studying maritime law in the Detroit law offices of Emmons and Van Dyke. In no time he becomes the acknowledged Midwestern maritime expert, publishing Reports of Admiralty Cases in the Several District Courts of the United States. Newberry wins his first important case, defending Captain Sam Ward, owner of the Ogdenburg, in his case against the Atlantic. He proves himself as the paramount admiralty law litigator in the Midwest and establishes his own law practice in Detroit. While in Buffalo on legal matters, he meets Harriet Newell Robinson, whom he weds in 1856. A son, Harrie, is born the same year. Tragically, ten days later, his wife of less than a year dies. He moved to a downtown hotel and played with the Detroit Base Ball Club for a short time. Three years later while on business in Cleveland, Newberry meets Helen Parmelee Handy, the daughter of prominent banker, Truman Handy. Marrying in 1859, they return to Detroit. Two sons, Truman Handy and John Stoughton Jr., and one daughter, Helen Hall, are born to that union.


Career

He published the first volume of
admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong *Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Traf ...
reports of decisions of cases arising on western lakes and rivers. In the early 1860s, Newberry joined the railroad car manufacturing firm of Dean and Eaton, renaming it Newberry, Dean and Eaton Manufacturing Co. When
James McMillan James (or Jim or Jimmy) McMillan or MacMillan may refer to: Sportspeople * James McMillan (footballer, born c. 1866) (c. 1866–?), played for Sunderland * James McMillan (footballer, born 1869) (1869–1937), played for Scotland,Everton and St ...
joined the firm in 1864, the company was reorganized as the
Michigan Car Company The Michigan Car Company was a railroad rolling stock manufacturer located in Detroit, Michigan. The Michigan Car Company was organized in 1864 by John S. Newberry (b. 1826) and James McMillan (b. 1838) in order to manufacture railroad cars for ...
. With McMillan, Newberry also established the
Detroit Car Wheel Company Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at the ...
. He was appointed the first provost marshal for the State of Michigan by U.S. President
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...
in 1862 with the rank of captain of Cavalry. Newberry resigned in 1864 and engaged in several large manufacturing and railroad enterprises. Newberry was elected as a
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
candidate to the
46th United States Congress The 46th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1879 ...
, serving
Michigan's 1st congressional district Michigan's 1st congressional district is a United States congressional district containing the entire Upper Peninsula of Michigan and 16 counties of Northern Michigan in the Lower Peninsula. The district is currently represented by Republican J ...
from March 4, 1879, to March 3, 1881. He declined to be a candidate for reelection in 1880. He served as director of The Detroit and Cleveland Steam Company,
Detroit, Bay City and Alpena Railroad The Detroit and Mackinac Railway , informally known as the "Turtle Line", was a railroad in the northeastern part of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The railroad had its main offices and shops in Tawas City with its main line ...
and the Detroit National Bank.


Death and legacy

Newberry died in Detroit on January 2, 1887, and was interred in Elmwood Cemetery. His funeral was the occasion for many tributes, but the one offered by his old Romeo friend and university classmate was probably the best. Judge J. Logan Chipman eulogized, "With Mr. Newberry, as with all great men, there was indomitable will, energy, the great iron power that characterized his whole life." His estate was worth approximately $4.5 million, with investments in more than fifty different companies. To charitable organizations, he left $650,000. The village of
Newberry, Michigan Newberry is a village and county seat of Luce County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The village is located within McMillan Township and is the only incorporated community in Luce County. The population was 1,519 at the 2010 census. Newberry is ...
, is named after Newberry, as a consequence of the congressman's business interest in the
Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette Railroad The Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette Railroad was a land grant railroad that was built and operated briefly (1881–1886) in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. Incorporated in 1879, the -long railroad began operations in 1881. It w ...
. Several streets within the Village were named after members of Newberry's family. An impressive Romanesque building was built from native fieldstone on the campus of the
University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
between 1888 and 1891. Nearly half of the building's cost was covered by a gift from Helen H. Newberry, and in recognition the building was named
Newberry Hall The Kelsey Museum of Archaeology is a museum of archaeology located on the University of Michigan central campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the United States. The museum is a unit of the University of Michigan's University of Michigan College of Lit ...
in honor of her husband. The landmark Newberry Memorial Organ was constructed in his honor at
Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...
, where his son Truman graduated in 1885.


Family life

Newberry was the nephew of Walter Loomis Newberry and Oliver Newberry. Newberry was married in 1855 to Harriet N. Robinson. She died the following year, 10 days after giving birth to their son Harrie R. Newberry. On October 6, 1859, he married Helen P. Handy, the daughter of Truman P. Handy, a well-known financier and banker in Cleveland. They had three children,
Truman Handy Newberry Truman Handy Newberry (November 5, 1864 – October 3, 1945) was an American businessman and political figure. He served as the Secretary of Navy between 1908 and 1909. He was a Republican U.S. Senator from Michigan between 1919 and 1922. Bio ...
, John S. Newberry and Helen H. Newberry. His daughter was married to Henry Bourne Joy, President of the
Packard Motor Car Company Packard or Packard Motor Car Company was an American luxury automobile company located in Detroit, Michigan. The first Packard automobiles were produced in 1899, and the last Packards were built in South Bend, Indiana in 1958. One of the "Thr ...
.


References


External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Newberry, John Stoughton 1826 births 1887 deaths People from Waterville, New York University of Michigan alumni Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan 19th-century American politicians