Biography:

Dr. John Hare Newton was born in Guelph, Ontario on the 3rd of November, 1844.  Dr. Newton’s father Edwin Newton was an accountant and his mother was the former Elizabeth Norris.  He had an older sister named Elizabeth Ann Newton who died in infancy and a younger brother named George James Newton who was born in Guelph on the 17th of May, 1847.

Dr. Newton graduated M.B. from The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in 1867.  Further, he graduated M.D. from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in 1868.  Dr. Newton joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 1st of October, 1873.

According to the 1871 census, Dr. Newton was living with Dr. George Orton and his family in Fergus, Ontario (Wellington County).  Dr. Newton was listed as a physician.

Dr. Newton married Helen Thomson on the 18th of September, 1877 in Port Stanley, Ontario.  Mrs. Newton was born in Port Stanley on the 1st of September, 1855.  She was the 7th of 8 children born to Robert Thomson and the former Eliza Smith. Her father was a merchant in Port Stanley and her siblings were; William, Joseph, Agnes, Mary, Elizabeth, Catharine and Phyllis.

Dr. Newton was listed on the 1878 tax assessment roll as being a tenant on W. Colborne Street in Port Stanley.  According to the 1879 Voters Record, Dr. Newton was a tenant on N. Bridge Street in Port Stanley.  It is possible that his medical practice and his residence were located at the intersection of Colborne Street and Bridge Street.

Dr. and Mrs. Newton had 3 sons born to them in Port Stanley.  Edwin William Newton was born on the 31st of July, 1878, George Thornton Newton was born on the 24th of March, 1880 (he died of diabetes on the 15th of August, 1896 – see note below) and Frederick Woodcock Newton was born on the 24th of July, 1881.

Shortly after the birth of their son Frederick, Dr. and Mrs. Newton moved their family to Tilbury.  Dr. Newton was a member of the Masonic Lodge.

Dr. Newton died of typhoid fever in Tilbury East Twp (Chatham-Kent) on the 25th of September, 1883.  Dr. Newton was buried at a cemetery in Guelph.

Mrs. Newton moved to Ridgetown with her sons and she was living there in 1891.  According to the 1901 census, Mrs. Newton lived in London, Ontario with her sons Edwin and Frederick.  Mrs. Newton died on the 29th of December, 1902.  At the time of her death, she resided at 16 Cartwright Street in London.  Mrs. Newton was buried at Woodland Cemetery beside her son George Thornton Newton.

Note: Dr. Frederick Banting with the assistance of a medical student named Charles Best discovered insulin to treat diabetes in 1921.  

Mrs. Newton’s parents were buried at the Union Cemetery in Elgin County.  Their tombstones and Mrs. Newton’s are pictured below.