America Newton
America Newton (born Dyer Newton; c. 1835 – 1917)[1] was an African-American pioneer who helped to found the former mining town of Julian, California, in the Cuyamaca Mountains east of San Diego, California, U.S..[2] She was among the earliest female African-American settlers in the area.[3] Newton was a former slave who provided laundry services in Julian during its gold rush days and beyond. She resided in Julian for more than 50 years.
Life
[edit]America Newton arrived in Julian, California in 1872, having come from Independence, Missouri.[4] Newton owned an 80-acre (320,000 m2) homestead near Julian. A gift shop in Julian is named in her memory, as well as a trail located near her cabin.[3] She died of pneumonia in 1917.[4]
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.[3]
According to census records, she was married and had a daughter. She went on to outlive her husband.[5]
Newton died in 1917, and is buried in the Julian Cemetery.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "America Newton (1835-1917)". Find A Grave. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
- ^ The Canyoneers (August 3, 2016). "The mountain forest as it appeared before the 2003 Cedar Fire". San Diego Reader. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Black Pioneers in San Diego 1880 - 1920". San Diego History Center | San Diego, CA | Our City, Our Story. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
- ^ a b LeMenager, Charles R. (20 July 1992). Julian City and Cuyamaca Country: A History and Guide to the Past and Present. Eagle Peak Publishing Company. ISBN 9780961110253 – via Google Books.
- ^ "America Newton – Ava Smithmier". Studies of Black History at the University of San Diego. May 7, 2019. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- ^ Caterino, David M.; Mallios, Seth (20 July 2018). Cemeteries of San Diego County. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738558219 – via Google Books.
External links
[edit]- Julian Black Historical Society Archived 2008-01-07 at the Wayback Machine
- Julian Chamber of Commerce
- The Controversy over the Newton Burial Site
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- 1830s births
- 1917 deaths
- 19th-century African-American businesspeople
- 19th-century African-American women
- 19th-century American businesspeople
- 19th-century American slaves
- 20th-century African-American people
- 20th-century African-American women
- African-American history of California
- American former slaves
- Deaths from pneumonia in California
- People of the California Gold Rush
- People from Julian, California
- People from Independence, Missouri
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