NEWMAN FAMILY AT THE SAWMILL

Picture courtesy of Deborah S. Nelson, dsnelson@triad.rr.com.

Deborah S. Nelson writes, "The notes on the picture are from my Uncle Paul Newman; He was born in Jan of 1926 and my mother - Helen (babe in arms) was born in May of 1929. In his notes: Dad is Clyde Nevin Newman and Mom is Alice Clara Opel Newman. I would love to hear from any one who might know any of the unknown people in the picture.

Notes on picture-

Paul E. Newman writes, "Your mother and I were born along Route 40 in western Maryland, just east of Grantsville. My birth certificate reads "near Grantsville, Maryland". Grandfather Newman was in the lumber business, he had a sawmill on the east slope of Meadow Mountain. We lived in a house built at the mill, like a farmhouse to a barn. Grandpa lost it all as a result of the 1929 crash...

Back to the Pike: I am attaching a photo taken at Grandfather's sawmill. At this late date I can not identify all the subjects, but for the ones I know:

Standing in the back row, left to right: Dad's younger brother Rowland
Newman; Grandfather Nevin R. Newman;
Grandmother Mary Newman; not sure of the next 2 ladies, the one with the baby, that could be Rowland's wife Geneva; standing on the far right is Dad, and I believe a neighbor who lived across the pike and worked at the sawmill, Charley Warren.

Middle row L - R: Unknown boy, 3 unknown ladies, They remind me a bit of the Opel Clan, but not sure; on the right is Mother holding your Mother, Helen.

Front row L - R: Unknown girl, sister Mildred shading her eyes; brother
Byard, me sitting up a level, and brother Clyde Albert "Fatty".

I can not exactly date the picture, but from the size of your Mother and me, I place it in 1930-31, for the mill was removed and moved in 1932 to the location of the Turners.

Love Uncle Paul"

This is from Paul's oldest sister Betty Chavez, "Later, Daddy [Clyde Nevin Newman] started working for the sawmill and N. R. Newman & Sons. They built a sawmill on the Turner Farm. The Turner Farm was located 2 miles east of Meadow Mountain along US Hwy 40, 6 miles west of Frostburg, MD, and the stone arch bridge is where route 40 crosses over 2 mile run. The location was known as “The Shades of Death”.