 |
| Newman history rooted in Pine Street home |
|
| Question: Please continue to tell the history of old homes in Harrison, either those still standing or the ones that have been demolished. |
| Answer: Today's column tells of another historic home that once stood proudly at 612 South Pine Street, but like so many other places, it was torn down "to make a parking lot." |
| Thomas Newman came to Harrison from St. Louis to start a newspaper, and after buying a half block parcel from James Town Hopper, he began construction on his home facing Pine Street in 1869. Floors were made of the best pine and a large fireplace stood at the west end of the long dining room. A cistern and pump were located just outside the kitchen door on one of the porches, and the home had an indoor bathroom. |
| Newman's first newspaper office was just north of the square facing Vine Street. In July of 1870, The Boon County Advocate was published - the first paper between Russellville and Springfield, Missouri. The newspaper's name was changed to The Highlander in 1873, and when Thomas Newman's son, John Robert, took over the operation in 1878, the name was changed once again to The Harrison Times. |
| With the son in charge, Thomas then established The Elixir Bugle in 1883, at a time when Elixir Springs was a fast growing area, gaining a reputation as a health spa. Later, The Lead Hill Bugle was published by Newman. |
| We might add that Thomas Newman once was featured in Ripley's column as "The Walking Editor of the Ozarks" because he walked to Elixir and other areas to conduct his weekly publication business. His death occurred in November 1886 at age 54 - his wife died 21 years later. Both funerals were in the family home at 612 South Pine with burial in Rose Hill Cemetery. |
| The Newman's son, John Robert, served as editor of the local newspaper for many years. Called "Captain" by many, he earned the title after serving in the Spanish American War. His own children learned the musical scales almost before their ABCs and, as a family, performed concerts, marched in parades, and provided music for each worship service at the Methodist Church. |
| To accommodate a growing family, a second floor was added to the Pine Street home as well as more porches, a carriage house, and lots of gingerbread trim. Like other families on Pine who kept a milk cow, the Newman's barn was located on the southeast corner of the large lot, while the Jersey cow had to be pastured in nearby fields. |
| After Captain Newman's death, his four sons took over. Tom, John and Fred ran the Times, while Harry had a career as a college band director in Arkansas and Mississippi. With the deaths of Tom and Fred in the early 1940s, John R. took the helm as editor of the paper. His sister, Agnes, helped with publication, but another sister, Mary, moved to Houston and was not active in the business. |
| John R. married Clyde Greenhaw, and together they were quite a writing team. John R. and Clyde lived in the family home until 1962, but Agnes continued to occupy the house until her death in 1966. Through the years, the old home changed many times. The second floor front rooms had been extended to include the front porch; the upper and lower levels of the south porch were enclosed for apartments; and the stairway was changed from the entrance hall to the dining room. |
| Fred C. Newman, Jr. was the last of the Newmans to own the home. The interior had been redecorated and refurbished, but while standing vacant, it became the target of vandals. The stained glass front door panels and some old electric light fixtures were stolen, and the final blow came when a 1978 hail storm badly damaged the roof, resulting in extensive damage to the interior. At that time, Freddy decided to dismantle the building. If this old home could have talked, don't you know it could have told some wonderful stories? |
| It is impossible to tell the complete story of the Newman family, but thanks to Clyde Greenhaw Newman, visitors at the Heritage Museum can enjoy a collection of pictures she generously shared before her death. |
| We invite you to visit the museum Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Located on the corner of South Cherry Street and Central Avenue, the historic 1912 Harrison High School building has three floors filled with memorabilia from the past. |
| This column appears Fridays in the Harrison Daily Times. Mail questions to Boone County Heritage Museum, P. O. Box 1094, Harrison, AR 72601. Marilyn Smith can be contacted at bchm@alltel.net |
|
|
 |
|
|
