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NEWELL STURTEVANT was born in Maine, February 17, 1844, and died March 7, 1891. He was for a number of years a resident of Springfield, and wherever he went he made friends who honored him for his reliability in business and his many admirable personal characteristics. He was a son of Albert and Eunice (Hight) Sturtevant, who were natives of Maine, born near Augusta. The father was a merchant, carrying on business in the way for a number of years. In the family were seven sons, all now deceased, but one daughter survives, Mrs. Anna S. Wells, who is a widow and resides in New York.

Newell Sturtevant was educated in Maine, completing his course by graduation in the college at Kent Hill. He afterward went to Massachusetts and when a young man served in the Signal corps in a Massachusetts Regiment. It was his desire in early life to enter mercantile circles and when he had completed his college course he secured a position with the wholesale woolen house of Gawtry & Company of New York. Later he became associated with the firm of Talbot, Wilmarth & Company, on Franklin street, in Boston. There he worked his way steadily upward, his business ability, enterprise and diligence winning him recognition and promotion. For many years he represented that house upon the road and was one of their ablest traveling salesmen, doing a business that made his services very valuable to the house. Ultimately he became the junior partner in the enterprise and was thus serving at the time of his demise. He had also extended the field of his business connection and in partnership with his brother William was the owner of a lumber yard. His death was such a shock to his brother that the latter died shortly afterward.

On the 7th of May, 1874, in Springfield, Illinois, Newell Sturtevant was united in marriage to Miss Helen Strickland, who was born in that city, July 16, 1847. They became the parents of one son, Edward Lewis, who was born May 26, 1881, and is a graduate of the high school of Springfield. He is now employed as cashier of the Ridgely Bank and makes him home with his mother. Mr. and Mrs. Sturtevant resided in New York and Boston for a few years after their marriage. Mr. Sturtevant being engaged in the lumber business with his brother William in the latter city for four years. He then returned with his wife to Springfield, this city having always been her home. He was liberal in his religious views and gave his political support to the Republican party. In manner courteous, approachable and genial, he won friends wherever he went and was honored in business circles for his trust-worthiness and was esteemed by all who knew him for his social, friendly nature.

Mrs. Sturtevant is a daughter of George Strickland, who was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, March 29, 1812. He was married in Northampton, that state, May 30, 1836, to Sarah Little, a sister of Thomas S. Little and Mrs. Sophia Phelps, of Springfield. She was born November 21, 1814, in Northampton, where she was reared and married, and in Springfield the parents of Mrs. Sturtevant celebrated their golden wedding. They became residents of this city in August, 1837, arriving in pioneer times and living to see the city develop from a small village. They were very devoted to each other and theirs was a most happy married life. In religious faith they were strict Presbyterians and took a very active part in church work. Mr. Strickland was a cabinet maker and carpenter by trade and followed the former pursuit in Springfield when work was largely done by hand. He passed away July 14, 1887, in his seventy-fifth year, and so deeply was his death felt by his wife, that she could not endure the mental strain thus imposed and died on the 10th of October, of the same year, at the age of seventy-three.

Mr. and Mrs. Strickland were the parents of six children. Five were born in Springfield and two died in infancy. The eldest, E. P. Strickland, was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, May 14, 1837, and was reared in Springfield. He enlisted in April, 1861, at the first call for seventy-five thousand men, joining company I, Seventh Illinois Infantry, and was commissioned first lieutenant on the organization of the company. After the capture of Vicksburg he became captain on the resignation of Captain B. Ferguson and the regiment did provost duty at Memphis, Tennessee. Later the command was sent on an expedition and he was taken prisoner in June, 1864, at the battle of Guntown. When incarcerated at Charleston, South Carolina, he with other Union prisoners, was placed by the Rebel authorities under the guns of the Union army, to protect the city, it being believed that the Union forces would not fire on their own troops. From Charleston he was afterward taken to Columbia, South Carolina, where he managed to make his escape and with his first lieutenant traveled for thirty-five days, covering the distance of between four and five hundred miles on foot, to Knoxville, Tennessee, during all of which time they saw not a single white man, nor did they wish to. They traveled at night and subsisted on what they could obtain from the negroes. They arrived at Knoxville, December 31, 1864, and were then sent to Louisville, where they were granted a furlough. After a visit home Captain Strickland rejoined his regiment and was with it at the capture of Mobile, following which he was brevetted major. He served until the fall of 1865, when he was honorably discharged and paid off at Camp Butler, Springfield. He now resides with his sister, Mrs. Sturtevant.

Sarah S. Strickland, the second of the family, born in Springfield, September 12, 1842, was married October 4, 1859, to Jesse D. Lloyd, also a native of this city. He enlisted in 1861 in the Eleventh Missouri Infantry, was commissioned first lieutenant at the organization of the company and was afterward promoted to captain. He served until the end of the Rebellion and died April 10, 1865, leaving a widow and two children. Winfield Scott Strickland is western manager for the large woolen house of Van Ingen & Company, of New York, with headquarters at Chicago. He married Elizabeth Uhl, of Boston, and while they were on their wedding tour in St. Louis, six months later, her death occurred. Frank M., the youngest of the Lloyd family, is in the government printing department at Washington, D.C. He married Miss Nichols, of Sangamon county, Illinois, and they had three children. Mrs. Sturtevant is the fourth member of her father's family. Thomas S., the fifth, born in Springfield, October 14, 1853, died and left a widow and daughter, Helen.

In her girlhood days Mrs. Sturtevant attended private schools of Springfield and was also a student in the high school. Since her husband's death she has made her home in her native city and lives with her brother and son in her attractive home at No. 917 South Eighth Street. She has spent the greater part of her life in this city and has many friends.