children:
- [F] Anna (b.31 Mar 1850 Ontario, Canada)
d.1928 Coral Cemetery, Coral, Maple Valley Township, Montcalm County, Michigan
married Daniel L. SHOOK 8 Nov 1868 at Greenville, Montcalm County, Michigan
- [M] William Henry (b.31 Mar 1850 Ontario, Canada)
d.7 Jan 1925 Wausau, Marathon County, Wisconsin
married Della COPELAND 3 Jan 1878 at Montcalm County, Michigan
- [M] George (b.Apr 1852 Ontario, Canada)
d.1921 Coral Cemetery, Coral, Maple Valley Township, Montcalm County, Michigan
married Sarah A. PLATT 28 Dec 1876 at Montcalm County, Michigan
- [M] Ferdinand (b.May 1853 England)
d.? ?
married Inez DURKEE 24 Mar 1880 at Montcalm County, Michigan
- [M] John Stewart (b.Apr 1856 England)
d.1930 Coral Cemetery, Coral, Maple Valley Township, Montcalm County, Michigan
married Harriet Ellen SILVERHORN 16 Nov 1885 at Montcalm County, Michigan
- [F] Eliza (b.21 Apr 1858 Peterborough, Ontario, Canada)
d.18 Jan 1950 Maple Valley Township, Montcalm County, Michigan
married Oel Eugene JONES 21 Feb 1881 at Greenville, Montcalm County, Michigan
- [M] Arthur (b.Jun 1860 Michigan)
d.1927 Coral Cemetery, Coral, Maple Valley Township, Montcalm County, Michigan
married Eveline HOWE 4 Nov 1886 at Montcalm County, Michigan
- [M] Grant (b.1865 Michigan)
d.1865 Michigan
- [F] Carrie (b.Jan 1867 Michigan)
d.14 Feb 1957 Coral Cemetery, Coral, Maple Valley Township, Montcalm County, Michigan
married Lansing M. TRACY about 1905 at Montcalm County, Michigan
- [M] Edward (b.Aug 1869 Maple Valley Township, Montcalm County, Michigan)
d.1942 Coral Cemetery, Coral, Maple Valley Township, Montcalm County, Michigan
married Myrtle E. CLINGERMAN 8 Oct 1902 at Montcalm County, Michigan
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fact sources and writings about this individual:
Data Sources are: Journal of T. Ferdinand Newell, family notes, US Census, Montcalm County Clerk Records, "Early of Montcalm County Marriages" transcribed by Judy Hardy, Homestead Records from US National Archives, and family headstones.
Thomas Ferdinand Newell was born at Fairweather Green, Bradford, Yorkshire England on 21 Dec 1821. He was the youngest son and one of 12 children of John Newell (1765-1800) and Mary Leach (1782-1855). He had 5 brothers - John T. (1805-1864), William (1807-1857), George Palmer (1810-1886), Alfred (1814-1887), and Henry Frederick (1817-?). He had 6 sisters - Martha (1801-?), Mary Ann (1803-1804), Ann (1809-1809), Caroline (1812-?), Lucy Ann (1819-1848) and Mary Hanna Louise (1825-?). All sources indicate that he went by the name Ferdinand and was sometimes called "Ferd" by his family. Ferdinand's father John served for 25 years in the 1st Kings Dragoon Guards in England. John attained the rank of Quartermaster and received an inscribed silver tea service and tray, as well as a life lease to a cottage at Fairweather Green as reward for bravery in saving the kings payroll from robbers in 1803.
Ferdinand first came to Maple Valley Township, Montcalm County in 1868. However, before arriving in Montcalm County, he was well-traveled and had a varied career. Four of his older brothers also came to North America (all except Henry Frederick). In 1935, at the age of 13, Ferdinand sailed for the first time to North America on the Ship "Henry Leeds". It is unclear if he traveled alone or with one of his brothers, but he spent time with two brothers who were farming in Gull Prairie, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. In the summer of 1836 he carried mail by "indian pony" from Durand to Lansing (and also to Grand Rapids at some time during his teen years in Michigan, according to family notes, crossing the Grand River five times on the trip, including a crossing at Ada where he was ferried across the river by Rix Robinson, early pioneer).
Ferdinand wrote, "...I was a wild and roving lad. I first left ...for America at the age of 13 and was absent nearly 6 years when I returned home; and I was scarcely 3 months at home, when I enlisted in the British Army and was away nearly 4 years..." According to family notes, Ferdinand served in the British cavalry regiment in stationed in the "Canadian Northwest". In about 1844 his Aunt Annie paid for his early discharge from the British Army. He "...returned home once more; and entered into the Linen Drapery business with [his] brother [Henry Frederick]...". This was "...a great consolation to my Mother, for she naturally thought that I was now settled, and she would have me near her to the end of her days; but how soon her fond hopes were blasted [when] I declared to her my intentions to try America once more."
On Friday "the 30th of June at 1848 at ½ past 6 O'clock A. M." Ferdinand left his "...native town, in company with Mr. Jowett..." en route to America. He traveled to Liverpool by coach where he boarded the American Packet Ship "New York". He kept a diary of this trip to North America, copies of which still exist (the original diary was lost in a house fire at his daughter's home in Maple Valley Township in 1936). Ferdinand took "trade goods" on this crossing, arriving in New York City on 10 Aug 1848. He spent 10 days in New York City, being delayed in securing his trade goods from the customs house. He toured the city and attended Sunday services at local churches, including a "Weslean...Coloured peoples place of worship...well lighted by Gass, the form of it is very similar to our English dissenting chapels." He wrote, "the ladies occupy one side of the Church - the Gents the other. It is a curious sight to a European to behold so many black people together all worshiping the same God as the whites and why should they not be treated the same. They are Human beings not Ourangoutangs and have immortal souls to save the same: I cannot express my feeling when I looked around and saw so may poor black who nearly all had been slaves (yes! bought and sold the same as Cattle) kneel down to pray they seemed to enter into it with their whole hearts and souls...The singing was really charming all the congregation joined in and I joined in with all my might, I soon felt quite at home O! what a delightful effect singing has on me they sing real westgate tunes." One day Ferdinand went hunting with his double barreled gun in Harlem where he "... shot several snipe, and a little before dark a flock of Black Birds flew over my head and I took aim and brought down 4 at one shot." While in the city he also sampled "Ice Cream" for the first time and wrote that "...it is far cooler than common ice whilst eating, it reminded me of a laughable song I sing, called, 'The Man Who Couldn't Get Warm'."
After he was able to obtain his trade goods from the customs house Ferdinand left the city, traveling by steamship up the Hudson River to Albany (arriving 5 days after the fire that burned the city on 17 Aug 1848), and traveled from there by train to visit his brother George in Schenectedy, New York. He then traveled to Otonabee, Ontario to visit his brother Alfred and sell more of his goods. In his last diary entry he wrote "My friend Ben returned home to England shortly afterward but I had met Miss Sarah Stewart and England for a time had lost her charm. Miss Stewart and I were married on Feb 22, 1849 and settled down in our own home. I taught school in this vicinity for some time."
Ferdinand and Sarah lived in Otonabee Township, Peterborough County, Ontario, until about 1852 when they went with their children to Bradford, Yorkshire England - Ferdinand's home town. Sometime between 1856 and April 1858 (after the death of Ferdinand's mother) the family left England and returned to Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. By 1860, Ferdinand had moved again with his family to Richland Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan where he was a farmer with real estate worth $600. According to family notes, the family may have lived for a time between 1860 and 1867 near "Lake, Michigan" (probably Lake, Clare County, but possibly Lake City in Wexford County[?]).
Ferdinand, Sarah and the children settled in Montcalm County in 1868. Ferdinand filed a homestead claim for 80 acres in Section 32, Town 11 North, Range 9 West, on 11 Feb 1868. Their homestead was proved on 25 March 1873. At that time the house was 1 and ½ stories high, 20X34 feet in size, had 2 doors and 6 windows, a shingle roof and board floors, and was "comfortable to live in". They had plowed, fenced, and cultivated about 20 acres of land, and had chopped 15 acres and had 2 small log barns. Ferdinand was involved in founding the Coral Congregational Church in the fall of 1875. Ferdinand and Sarah lived on their farm for the rest of their lives and all their children settled in the area except their oldest son, William Henry Newell, who moved to Wisconsin. Ferdinand died on 5 Aug 1900 and Sarah died on 5 May 1904. Ferdinand and Sarah are buried in the Coral Cemetery in Montcalm County.
Ferdinand and Sarah's granddaughter Mildred (Jones) Buchanan wrote "I was ten when Grandpa died. He always called me little one. He wore a long white beard and was always reading. I think we all got our love of reading from him. I was only 10 when he died and 14 when Grandma died but I remember them so well. Aunt Carrie took care of them and Uncle Eddie did the farm work, so they were never alone"
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