Dodge Family History: Family of James Newitt (1869-1952) & his wives: Maggie Meeter (1867-1904) & Rachel Elizabeth Dodge (1887-1977)

Gravestone for Clarence Keith Newitt (1899-1974)

Obituary for Keith Newitt

Gravestone for Bernice Elizabeth Newitt (1902-1982)

Gravestone for Edna (Newitt) Patterson (1908-1999)

Obituary for Edna (Newitt) Patterson

This is something I should have published a long time ago but never did. When I started searching out my family, I never expected to find some of the things that I did. This is one of those things.

In searching for the family of Rachel Elizabeth (Dodge) Newitt, I found out that her husband, James Newitt, was previously married and had two children from his first marriage. James Newitt was first married to a lady named Maggie Meeter. She was born in 1867 in Minnesota and eventually made her way to Colorado. James Newitt & Maggie Meeter married 14 July 1897 in Leadville, Colorado. Their two children were: Clarence Keith Newitt (1899-1974) & Bernice Elizabeth Newitt (1902-1982).

When I started, I knew that Keith & Bernice were part of the family but I couldn't figure out where they fit in. The family records I had found listed them as Rachel's children, but they were born while Rachel was still very young herself. Where did they fit in? Below is the Family Record that my great-grandmother wrote down:

She wrote down what she knew and remembered of my great-grandfather's family, which is what I used to start searching out my family. When I found out that Keith & Bernice were step-children of Rachel (Dodge) Newitt, I was surprised, but I now had my answer.

A little bit about the family of James Newitt. James was born in March of 1869 in England and immigrated to the USA in during the 1880's. He settled in Colorado and married his first wife, Maggie Meteer, in July of 1897. They lived in Leadville, Colorado, where James was a Miner. Maggie Meteer died in 1904 in Leadville, Colorado. She is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Her obituary reads:

'Died - On Thursday morning, February 25, 1904, at Leadville, wife of James Newitt. It is with regret that we chronicle the demise of one of earth's brightest jewels, a favorite of all her associates, with bright sunshine always in her presence. Almost two months ago she was taken down with typhoid fever at her home in Leadville. She was removed to Buena Vista and immediately began to recover. Some two weeks ago she had recovered sufficiently to return to her home, where she suffered a relapse and gradually grew worse until the end came last Thursday.
'On Saturday afternoon the funeral was held from the Methodist church of which she was a member, where a large concourse of friends gathered to witness the last sad rites. For the bereaved ones, we would say, though the dear one had been taken from them, leaving in their hearts a void that time alone can heal, yet they must remember that the God who gave her to them has seen fit in His great wisdom and glory, to take her from them, and it is His will they must serve, and to which they must submit.
'He has taken the dear one to a higher world and at the same time He has called the attention of those who will miss her joyous laughter and loving embraces, to that home which He has prepared for all who will turn and seek Him, whereby they may again behold the daughter, sister and wife in shining robes among Heavenly hosts, and again clasp her in their arms never more to part.
'Mrs. Newitt was born June 19, 1867, at St. Charles, Minnesota, coming to Buena Vista with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. S.H. Meeter in 1888. The ceremony which made her the wife of James Newitt, was performed July 14, 1897. Besides a husband she leaves two small children.'

James & Maggie's children, Keith & Berenice, were both born in Leadville, Colorado. They grew up in Leadville & Buena Vista. Keith joined the US Navy in April of 1917. He served until July of 1920. Afterwards, he moved to California, settling in San Francisco. Keith married twice. His first wife was Mary Ermachenco (1896-1944), who was from Russia. They were married sometime around 1926. After she passed away, Keith married Arlene Christensen (1907-1979) in November 1944. Later in his life, they moved to Oregon, where Keith passed away in 1974. From what I've found, they never had any children. Below are the Census records I've found on Keith Newitt from 1920, 1930 and 1940.

1920 Census - USS Baltimore, Mare Island, California

1930 Census - San Francisco, California

1940 Census - San Francisco, California

Berenice was born in February 1902 (even though her gravestone & military records indicate 1900) in Leadville, Colorado. Berenice began her nursing career working at the Red Cross Hospital in Salida Colorado, where she is listed in the 1920 Census. She joined the US Army as a nurse and was a 2nd Lieutenant, serving from 1921 to 1937. Upon admission to the Army Nurse Corps, Berenice was assigned to Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado (1922). She was later assigned to Letterman General Hospital at the Presidio in San Francisco, Schofield Barracks in Hawaii and Fort Snelling, Minnesota before receiving a medical discharge in San Francisco in 1937 due to severe hearing loss. After her discharge, Berenice moved to Glendale, California and continued her career as a nurse at the Monte Sano Hospital in Los Angeles. From what I've found, Bernice never married. She died in the fall of 1982 in Glendale, California. Below are the 1920, 1930 and 1940 Census Records for Berenice Newitt.

1920 Census - Red Cross Hospital, Salida, Colorado

1930 Census - Schofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii

1940 Census - Glendale, California

James married Rachel Elizabeth Dodge 20 August 1906 in Buena Vista. James & Rachel had three children together: James Francis Newitt (29 Apr 1907 - 4 May 1907), Edna Rae Newitt (20 Nov 1908 - 17 Sep 1999) & Francis Mae Newitt (15 Aug 1910 - 27 Mar 1926). I found James Francis Newitt through the local newspapers, which detailed the birth and death his brief life. He is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Buena Vista, Colorado.

Edna grew up in Buena Vista & in Grand Junction. Edna was also a nurse. Edna started out at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction and then at Pierce County Hospital in Tacoma until she retired. In the 1930 Census, she is listed twice; once with her family and once by herself. She moved to Tacoma, Washington with her family in 1931, where she continued her profession. She also married twice. Her first husband was Frank L. Criswell (1909-1968). They married January 26, 1933 and divorced in 1947. Edna's second husband was Charles Patterson (1907-1968). They married November 6, 1954. Edna never had any children of her own. She passed away in September of 1999 at the age of 90. I remember my grandfather telling me when he found out Edna had passed away. He was surprised and upset when he found out. I remember he always kept in touch with her and had wanted to record her life and the stories she had of growing up in Buena Vista. A lot of what he knew of the family came from her.

Until recently, Frances Mae Newitt has been a mystery to me. She is listed in the 1920 US Census with the rest of the family in Buena Vista, but there was no other record of her anywhere. I recently found her burial on findagrave.com. I also recently obtained her obituary. She was born August 15, 1910 in Buena Vista, Colorado and grew up in Buena Vista and Grand Junction. She died March 27, 1926 at the age of 15. She passed away following an operation to remove her appendix. She died one month before her grandfather, Nathaniel T. Dodge, passed away. She is buried in the Orchard Mesa Municipal Cemetery. Below is the picture of the gravestone and her obituary.

Gravestone for Frances Mae Newitt

Obituary for Frances Mae Newitt; from The Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, March 29, 1926

James Newitt passed away on September 8, 1952 in Tacoma, Washington. His obituary reads: 'James Newitt, born in London, Eng., 85 years ago and a resident of Tacoma for the past 25 years, coming from Colorado, died Monday in his home, 300 So. 9^th St. A mining engineer, he was foreman of the Latermore Chemical Co., a member of St. Leo’s church and belonged to the Woodmen of the World in Colorado and to the local Yeoman’s lodge. Survivors are his wife, Ray; a son, C.K. Newitt of San Francisco; two daughters, Mrs. Edna Criswell of Tacoma and Miss Bernice Newitt of Glendale, and a brother and sister in England. Cassedy & Allen will announce the services.'

2015 Update: I have recently obtained copies of death certificates for Berenice, James Francis, Edna Rae and Frances Mae Newitt. (Keith's won't be available for another 10 years) They are shown below.