The inventor of the well known medical preparations widely known as “Newton’s Bitters,” “Newton’s Pills,” &c, and sold extensively for many years throughout New England and New York, died here in Norwich in January, 1856, seventy-three years of age.
Doctor Newton was a thoroughly educated physician, though not in general practice of his profession, and was much respected as a man and a citizen. Besides his medicines, which were valuable, he invented and built a church organ, which was placed in the old first church and was there used for many years. 1 He was gifted with rare mechanical skill, which he exhibited in many ways to the benefit of man-kind. His name and memory deserve this passing word.
Doctor Newton held many town offices, and in 1814 represented the town in the general assembly.
He was a prominent member of the Congregational church, of which he was one of the deacons for about twenty-five years, beginning in 1812. He was a soldier of the Revolution, and the last of those soldiers to die in Norwich.
- At a town meeting held at Norwich, March 25, 1814, it was “Voted that the town willing to have an organ put into the meeting house.”[↩]