Biography:

Dr. John Byron Newman was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1841. Dr. Newman’s parents John Newman and the former Catherine Yore were farmers.  He came to Canada with his father’s family in 1847.

Dr. Newman graduated M.B. from The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in 1864. He started practicing medicine in Wallaceburg, Ontario in 1865.  According to the 1882 Ontario Medical Record, Dr. Newman joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 5th of June, 1866.  Dr. Newman’s medical practice was listed in Wallaceburg, in the 1866-1867 Kent, Lambton and Essex Counties Directory and Gazetteer.

On some death records in the 1870’s, Dr. J. B. Newman was listed as a Coroner.

In 1874, Wallaceburg was incorporated as a village and the first council was elected in January of 1875.  Dr. Newman sat on the first village council.  Dr. Newman appears in the 1874-1875 Kent County Directory as practicing medicine in Wallaceburg.

Dr. Newman married Catherine Augusta Hutchinson on the 17th of January, 1877 in Wallaceburg.  Mrs. Newman was born in Guelph, Ontario in 1858.  She was the daughter of Captain Charles P. Pilkington Hutchinson and the former Catherine Jones.  According to the 1871 census, Captain and Mrs. Hutchinson lived in Chatham with their 6 children; Catherine Augusta Hutchinson, Maud Charlotte Ann Hutchinson, Charles P.P. Hutchinson, Frederick William Hutchinson, Edith Marie Hutchinson and Bertha Hutchinson. Captain Hutchinson’s occupation was listed as a Notary and a Government Agent.

Dr. and Mrs. Newman were listed on the 1881 census as living in Wallaceburg. Dr. Newman also appears in the 1887 and the 1889 Ontario Business Directory And Gazetteer under the sub-listing of Wallaceburg.  Dr. Newman was listed as a lodger in Chatham on the 1891 census.

Dr. Newman’s name appears  in the 1895 City of Detroit Directory.  His medical office and his home are listed at 313 Jefferson Avenue and his telephone number was 2568.  He is listed in the 1899 City of Detroit Directory with an address of 264 Jefferson Avenue.

Dr. Newman died in Detroit, Michigan in 1929.