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| Milton Birchard Newton and Nola Frances (Neal) Newton This is about two hours after their marriage in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas 1933 _____________________ |
It was stated in a newspaper article that Norman lived near McAllen where his family had an orange orchard. That is partially true. But, the fully fleshed out picture would be that Norman was born during the early stages of the beginning of World War II.
My father (and his) thought that he could serve the Cause by joining up and going to the front. The Selective Service people negated his intentions because he was a veteran…but of the 1st Division, 12th Regiment (mounted) of the United States Army.
He was a lesser officer, as a young man, during his service on the frontier (mainly between Brownsville and Rio Grande City) from 1929 through 1934. Horse Cavalry officers were not in heavy demand after the attack on Pearl Harbour.
He was a lesser officer, as a young man, during his service on the frontier (mainly between Brownsville and Rio Grande City) from 1929 through 1934. Horse Cavalry officers were not in heavy demand after the attack on Pearl Harbour.
The officials informed Norman's father that his service would be to keep the plow in the furrow, produce and care for the substantial extensions of citrus orchards in the County of Hidalgo, Texas and also to farm anything open to maintain nutritional foods during the hostilities.
At that time, our father, Milton Birchard Newton, Sr. had his 20 acre farmstead, several score (at any given time) of legal Mexican workers (and a few who 'appeared' mystically), and as many as thirteen tractors deployed or under maintenance, as well as a few older, ornery, draft horses.
The property that he owned, or maintained, and/or cared for amounted up to about 2,500 acres. Much of that was in Valencia orange and pink (becoming red) grapefruit for which the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas was becoming famous. We also did cotton, okra, corn, and tomatoes.
My mother's accounting records showed that during their many years of agri-business…she and my father paid out money orders to 1,300 different Mexican workers…almost all of whom preferred money orders shipped out to Guanajuato and Morelos States…and a few others…and the money always arrived. Almost all of whom, as well, returned to work for the Newtons on multiple occasions.
Sometimes I would accompany my mom to Telegrafos de Mexico in Reynosa to ship the money out, and Norman and/or older brother Milton would accompany their mom…or dad…to that chore on other occasions. It was a different time.
The property that he owned, or maintained, and/or cared for amounted up to about 2,500 acres. Much of that was in Valencia orange and pink (becoming red) grapefruit for which the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas was becoming famous. We also did cotton, okra, corn, and tomatoes.
My mother's accounting records showed that during their many years of agri-business…she and my father paid out money orders to 1,300 different Mexican workers…almost all of whom preferred money orders shipped out to Guanajuato and Morelos States…and a few others…and the money always arrived. Almost all of whom, as well, returned to work for the Newtons on multiple occasions.
Sometimes I would accompany my mom to Telegrafos de Mexico in Reynosa to ship the money out, and Norman and/or older brother Milton would accompany their mom…or dad…to that chore on other occasions. It was a different time.
There are so many lateral stories about this, that many books could be filled with many interesting pages. But to this point…Norman Francis Newton, named for his grandfather…Norman Newton…(a Yankee through and through…two brothers lost to the Confederate forces…one thirty days before and the other 30 days after Gettysburg), began to realise that life was not to be a bowl of cherries.
According to his mother (a Southern girl - from Winchester in southeastern Tennessee, with five Confederates sacrificed on the field of battle…one a great-uncle of Rush Limbaugh), and several of the Mexican workers, Norman had tantrums and became nearly bellicose when he, at the age of three, was not allowed to work on the acreages and orchards. He desperately wanted to participate in the Large Matters affecting his parents during those times of War with the Empire of Japan.
According to his mother (a Southern girl - from Winchester in southeastern Tennessee, with five Confederates sacrificed on the field of battle…one a great-uncle of Rush Limbaugh), and several of the Mexican workers, Norman had tantrums and became nearly bellicose when he, at the age of three, was not allowed to work on the acreages and orchards. He desperately wanted to participate in the Large Matters affecting his parents during those times of War with the Empire of Japan.
In other words, Norman Francis Newton was given to the notion that he had to contribute…he had to produce…he had to carry his share. He was milking cows when he was four…effectively.
The Mexican workers were puzzled that our father could speak Spanish well, and the first child…Milton Birchard Newton, Jr. could speak Spanish quite well…but not Norman.
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| Milton Birchard Newton, Jr. Ph.d. and his very young daughter, Helen 1972 _____________________________ |
BUT…my father's man for all problems and purposes, Augustin Salinas, a true descendent from Spaniards who colonised the Escandon Period back in the 1750s…especially in places such as Mier and Camargo and Reynosa…was very grumpy about all this. He essentially taught my eldest brother Andalusian Spanish and began on me after the Stork dropped me off in 1947.
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| Governor Alan Shivers As a very young Governor of Texas after untimely death of Beaufort Jester, died in 1949. Shivers was a "boy" of 43 years at that time. He married the daughter of John Shary, the founder of industrial-level farming and citrus and irrigation modernisation. Shivers was a true hero among the Lower Rio Grande Valley farmers. He accompanied Eisenhower to the dedication of Falcon Reservoir in 1953. ________________________ |
So, to make a long story even duller and more pointless, Norman did not learn Spanish, per se. The first brother spoke Spanish like a Huelvan ambassador…I learned it without thinking twice. But Norman…took cover from his "cuidadora" (caretaker / defender) although he still milked three cows each morning before 07:00 hours…at the age of six or seven.
Norman could understand Spanish almost totally. The more complex and elevated and eloquent, the better he understood it. BUT, he simply did not speak when there were peers and other people around.
Norman could understand Spanish almost totally. The more complex and elevated and eloquent, the better he understood it. BUT, he simply did not speak when there were peers and other people around.
During a horrible Winter's norther…and the high winds bearing dust so dense as to appear to the brown fog…Norman swept the front porch, exposed to the north winds…pounding sandy, gritty Texas Panhandle silt through our screens…while he was collecting 52 pounds of dust.
When he was done, he left the front porch pristine as though it had been prepared for a visit by the Queen of England. He was almost 10 years old at that point. Even his teachers at Wilson Elementary and later at David Crockett Elementary, were stunned by his work ethic. His grades varied from middling to excellent…but his ability to work at any project…and his person-to-person skills were off the scale. He could talk to anybody.
During that time, in McAllen, the High School had an unwritten rule, actually imposed by the various students…at McAllen's only secondary school. The rule was that the "Latins" would enter from the west-most entrance to the main school buildings, and the "Anglos" would enter from the large front entrance to the old section.
But...Norman would go out of his way to enter though the Latin Entrance.
Norman taught me, such things as how to part my hair on the wrong side, as he did…how to tuck my baseball leggings up to my knees so that the umpire would think that all low-balls were below the knee…all the important stuff.
During his early years in High School he began to really take an interest in the area of local control politics. He was put up as a candidate for "next-year's" President of the Student Body, of a AAAA-level school (highest possible in those years). The campaign was a crushing blow on the hopes that anyone beyond Norman would be considered for President…if Norman declared…he would be elected. He was elected.
He and the McAllen delegation went to the State Student Body organisation and Norman wowed the people there. He told them about the fact that he, and his little brother, passed out Eisenhower - Nixon stickers and propaganda in front of the United States Post Office on the fourth block of South Main…and on the East side.
Those events took place during the earliest campaign periods of the Eisenhower - Stevenson confrontation during the 1952 national elections. Eisenhower won and a year or so later, came down to celebrate the finishing of the massive Falcon Reservoir, out to the west of McAllen.
Because of this brother, I stumbled into being President of the Teenaged Republicans of America…McAllen chapter…the largest in the Republic of Texas…for two terms…1962 - 1963.
And yes Virginia, Norman is still a Republican, probably hobnobbing with Saint Peter, at this very moment. They are probably laughing over the fact that our Southern grandfather, Reginald Andrew Neal did not speak to his own daughter (our mother Nola Frances (Neal) Newton) for three years, after he learned that his daughter was supporting a Republican for President. (A true story…)
Almost none of this is of interest to people of reasonable thought process and logic. But, it is of interest to the people who lived through this life.
We truly appreciate questions and inquiries during these moments of sadness and celebration of life and the the passage of life as we know it.
This posting is tinged with sadness, obviously, but we must remember that a small cadre of people decided to make Texas a two-party State a long time ago.
The person who prosecuted the nuts and bolts…the 18 to 24 hour episodes…many hundreds of days, was my brother Norman Francis Newton, Sr.
When he was done, he left the front porch pristine as though it had been prepared for a visit by the Queen of England. He was almost 10 years old at that point. Even his teachers at Wilson Elementary and later at David Crockett Elementary, were stunned by his work ethic. His grades varied from middling to excellent…but his ability to work at any project…and his person-to-person skills were off the scale. He could talk to anybody.
During that time, in McAllen, the High School had an unwritten rule, actually imposed by the various students…at McAllen's only secondary school. The rule was that the "Latins" would enter from the west-most entrance to the main school buildings, and the "Anglos" would enter from the large front entrance to the old section.
But...Norman would go out of his way to enter though the Latin Entrance.
Norman taught me, such things as how to part my hair on the wrong side, as he did…how to tuck my baseball leggings up to my knees so that the umpire would think that all low-balls were below the knee…all the important stuff.
During his early years in High School he began to really take an interest in the area of local control politics. He was put up as a candidate for "next-year's" President of the Student Body, of a AAAA-level school (highest possible in those years). The campaign was a crushing blow on the hopes that anyone beyond Norman would be considered for President…if Norman declared…he would be elected. He was elected.
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| David C. Newton "El Gringo Viejo" with his guard dog Norman said frequently that he wanted to go to the "Quinta Tesoro de la Sierra Madre" pictured in the background. He did take several excursions with us in the 1980s and early 1990s and enjoyed Mexico immensely in those times. ___________________________ |
Those events took place during the earliest campaign periods of the Eisenhower - Stevenson confrontation during the 1952 national elections. Eisenhower won and a year or so later, came down to celebrate the finishing of the massive Falcon Reservoir, out to the west of McAllen.
Because of this brother, I stumbled into being President of the Teenaged Republicans of America…McAllen chapter…the largest in the Republic of Texas…for two terms…1962 - 1963.
And yes Virginia, Norman is still a Republican, probably hobnobbing with Saint Peter, at this very moment. They are probably laughing over the fact that our Southern grandfather, Reginald Andrew Neal did not speak to his own daughter (our mother Nola Frances (Neal) Newton) for three years, after he learned that his daughter was supporting a Republican for President. (A true story…)
Almost none of this is of interest to people of reasonable thought process and logic. But, it is of interest to the people who lived through this life.
We truly appreciate questions and inquiries during these moments of sadness and celebration of life and the the passage of life as we know it.
_______________________________
Below, one can see the "Three Newton Boys" in December of 1963 - David
C hristian (aged 16) the Acolyte, Milton Birchard (aged 27) the Best Man, and on the right, the Groom Norman Francis (aged 21) in front of the old rambling farmstead home that served us so well.
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Posted by David Christian Newton, this day, 13th of February 2020
This posting is tinged with sadness, obviously, but we must remember that a small cadre of people decided to make Texas a two-party State a long time ago.
The person who prosecuted the nuts and bolts…the 18 to 24 hour episodes…many hundreds of days, was my brother Norman Francis Newton, Sr.
We would humbly suggest that a large percentage of the changing of Texas from a Democrat back-water and making Texas a cutting edge political subdivision in the World had much to do with the large name below,
Norman Francis Newton, Sr.
(Que en Paz Descances)
We appreciate your statements and prayers.
DCN
EL GRINGO VIEJO
18 February 2020
Mission, Texas
USA
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