A tragedy which shocked and saddened relatives and friends of Sharon, Aneta and surrounding area, was the accidental death by poisoning of John Newlands, Sr., and his son, John Jr., in May of 1902.
John Jr., had come by boat from Cullen, Scotland to Port Huron, Michigan in May of 1893 and from there, came to Sharon, North Dakota. His father joined him later on. John Jr., claimed and established a homestead, five miles West of Sharon and 1/2 mile North West 1/2 of Section 25 Lenora Township Griggs County. They built a shanty on the land and since gophers were a serious problem, they planned to put out poisonous bait.
That morning they had a mixture of oats, water and strychnine cooking on the stove. They went out to do their chores, and without their knowledge some of the liquid had boiled over and spilled into a pail of drinking water, which was setting on the floor in front of the stove. They made oatmeal for their breakfast, using this water.
A nephew, George Simpson, Sr., who lived about 1/2 mile across the field from them didn't see any activity on the farm, so he drove over and found the door locked. Looking in the window, he saw his Uncle was dead, so he broke down the door and found his cousin dying in great agony. John Sr., died May 6, 1902 and John Jr., on May 7, 1902. Both were buried at Silent Hill Cemetery in Aneta.
A daughter of John Newlands Sr. (Mary) was notified in Cullen, Scotland. She and her husband, James McDonald came by boat with their son and daughter (John and Agnes) to take over the homestead in August 1902. John and Agnes were 5 and 3 years of age at that time. It was a very rough, hard voyage. James farmed the land and built onto the shack. A daughter Mary-Belle was born there.
They lived there until 1917, when they sold out and moved to Lake Worth, Florida where James worked as a carpenter and commercial fisherman. In 1930 they moved back to Sharon to stay with Agnes and her husband, Leo J. Long to assist with the farm work for some time.
Their son John then rented a farm near Sharon and they made their home with him to help with the farm work and housework until the three of them and Mary-Belle moved into Sharon to reside. On May 29, 1939 Mrs. (Mary) McDonald passed away of a stroke and three months later on August 31, 1939 her husband James died of a heart attack. John the son died unexpectedly of a heart attack on April 13, 1956. All three are buried at Sharon Cemetery. Surviving are Agnes (Mrs. Leo J. Long) and Mary-Belle (Mrs. Leonard S. Walzak).
Direct descendants are Andrew L. Long (son of Agnes and Leo J. Long) and a daughter Maribel (Mrs. Parnell Osto). Maribel and Parnell have four children - Mrs. Myron (Peggy) Brager - Robert, Julie Marie and Perry.
Peggy and Myron have a daughter, Julie Michelle who was born in Fairbanks, Alaska on April 12, 1974. She is a great, great, great granddaughter of John and Mary Newlands, Sr., Mary (Simpson) Newlands died August 1894 in Cullen, Scotland before her husband John Sr., came as a pioneer to North Dakota.
Leo J. Long passed away of a heart attack on February 22, 1974.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 345