Sept 16 - Newton City, Museum and Genealogy Library

When Gary’s ancestors first arrived here from Ohio they lived in Newton City, north of Wichita. This was a wild and wooly town along the Chisholm trail and route of the Atchison, Topeka and Sante Fe Railroad. We have seen posters in the museums advertising good farming land to the farmers who might move to the area and populate the railroad right of ways. This, we believe, is what attracted Gary’s great grandparents. They had been farmers in Ohio and reflected their profession here to be farmers as well.

This day during our research (I say “our” but you know Gary is doing his part by sitting patiently reading his adventure novel), we discovered the following tidbits:

Shortly after his arrival in 1880, great grandfather, Allen Frederick Stocker, helped to form a new school district near Newton City.

In 1900, Orrin’s brother Zellan was newly married and living on Elm Street in Newton City. We drove by the house and took pictures. He also disclosed he was a stenographer…which in those days was an acceptable male profession.

The 1905 City Directory for Newton City, listed Orrin’s brother George as a “fireman” with the Atchison, Topeka and Sante Fe Railroad. We have later census records in 1910 which show him as a railroad engineer. That same directory surprised us in listing Orrin in 1905 working already as a “lineman” for the Newton Telephone Company.

Most interesting part of the day was just driving the “main” streets of Newton City, seeing the old railroad station and historical buildings where ancestors would have lived and shopped and visited. This is much easier to do in a town that has remained relatively small like this. They have also done a very nice job of renovation and renewal to capitalize on their history and heritage.

I wonder what will I ever do for excitement once we leave these sites with family historical significance?