Happenings at Home
I remained at the old homestead. I soon found that the title my father had bought was no good. But on account of it being the place where all my relatives had lived and died, I felt at a loss to give it up, and I bought the other claimant's title in order that I might be let alone in the home of my father.
But by and by in the course of time, I learned that even this man did not have a title to the place and I again bought out another claimant. (Newsom goes on to describe how after several years, another claimant to the title came forward and Newsom finally went to court and won,)
In the meantime, I settled up all my father's affairs. The Estate would not near pay out, but I have lived long enough to settle the last claim against my father so that no one can say that they ever lost anything by my father.)
Happiness in living at home with a family
On the 23rd day of November, 1866, I was married to Rachel Ann Landers, the only girl I ever really loved. I would so much like to write something about her here, but she is so good and pure that I feel like I could not find language to express her goodness.
She has made my home happy and filled the vacuum in my heart caused by the loss of near and dear friends.
I remained farming and trafficking in stock until July 1874 when O was elected a justice of the peace, in which capacity I acted until Sept. 1876 when I resigned the office and hired to W.J. McDonald as a clerk, all the time running my far by hired labor.
(Newsom goes on to describe briefly a trip to the Great Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia plus a visit to New York and other eastern cities. He stops in Georgia on his way home but, of various relatives, he only recognizes his sister and states that the old places don't seem familiar at all.)
I returned home and was glad to see my wife and children. Traveling around is good for a few days but the real happenings of a man's life are at home with the wife and babies.
During my life up to this point I had always made a little more money than was necessary to live on. Someone was always ready to borrow it, promising a big interest and the consequences always had been that I lost principal and interest.
(Newsom goes on to describe a loan to W. J. McDonald that culminated with Newsom taking over the grocery business with a partner. The partnership went bad and the business was closed. Newsom bought up the stock and reopened the business in his own name.)
And still I lived on the farm and would come to town every day and go home at night. When I would be on my way home every evening, my heart would long for the association of my family. When Sunday would come, oh how glad I would be I could spend the whole day with my family.
Finally I could stand this no longer, so I firmly resolved to give up my farming interest entirely and depend on my mercantile business entirely for my living...I have not made any money merchandising yet, but I have lived off of it and I have enjoyed myself a great deal better than I ever did before moving to town
Now I am with my family all the time.
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