John Bearss Newcomb Papers, 1737-1896

Gift to the Newberry Library

The John Bearss Newcomb Papers are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 1 box at a time (Priority III).

The John Bearss Newcomb Papers are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections.

John Bearss Newcomb Papers, The Newberry Library, Chicago.

Lisa Baldassari, 2000.

Elgin, Illinois educator, businessman, and genealogist.

John Bearss Newcomb was born July 1, 1824 in Fabius, Onondaga County, New York. His family moved to Illinois, near Plainfield in 1837. After the death of his parents in 1840, he moved to Elgin, Illinois. He married Arethusa Gould in 1850.

In 1846, he founded The Select School or Elgin Academy, where he served as teacher and superintendent for approximately 21 years. He was elected as City Sexton in 1864, and was superintendent of the Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin, which he was responsible for establishing.

Over a period of 10 years, he was engaged in compiling genealogical materials regarding the Newcomb Family and published a book on this subject in 1873. To a lesser extent, he also collected information on the Bearss and Connabell Family and historical documents relating to the town of Elgin, Illinois.

Correspondence, personal documents, and genealogical information collected by John Bearss Newcomb, 1737-1896. Includes correspondence between Newcomb family members, originating from Elgin, Illinois and New York State. Topics include the Civil War, topical modes of employment and health. Also contains extensive genealogical evidence of the Newcomb family and to a lesser extent, Bearss and Connabell families.

Papers are organized in the following series:

Title Box Series 1: Newcomb Family Correspondence, 1737-1896 Box 1 Series 2: Newcomb Family Documents, 1820-1895 Box 2 Series 3: Newcomb Family Genealogy, 1861-1873 Boxes 3-4 Series 4: Elgin, Illinois Records, 1840-1896 Box 5 Series 5: Daybooks and Account Ledgers, 1837-1892 Box 6 Series 6: Related Family Genealogy and Civil War Documents, 1818-1872 Box 7

• Names
  • Bluff City Cemetery (Elgin, Ill.).
  • Elgin Academy (Elgin, Ill.).
  • Newcomb, George
  • Newcomb, John Bearss, 1824-1896
• Subject
  • Accounts -- Illinois -- Elgin
  • Cemeteries -- Illinois -- Elgin -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
  • Chicago
  • Civil War
  • Family Papers
  • Genealogical correspondence -- Illinois-Elgin
  • Genealogical correspondence -- New York (State)
  • Manuscripts, American
  • Manuscripts, American -- Illinois -- Chicago
  • Private schools -- Illinois -- Elgin -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
• Geographic CoverageElgin (Ill.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources