Follow up: The Newmans, The First Family of Knoxville's Smoke Eaters

I have been pleasantly pleased by the reception to my recent blog post on the Newmans', The First Family of Knoxville's Smoke Eaters. Interestingly, I came across another photograph of the Newman family thanks to my good friend and first-rate researcher Mark Aubrey. Mark put me on to a run of Sunday Knoxville News Sentinel papers during 1934 in which the paper's editor encouraged Knoxvillians to share old photographs. These Sunday photo albums have yielded a lot of interesting images for my research on Knoxville's Million Dollar Fire and should for anyone interested in old Knoxville history.

One of the photographs shared included the following image (see below) of Park City's volunteer Fire Department, prior to Park City's incorporation as part of greater Knoxville in February 1907. It is rather difficult to pin down the exact date when the image was taken since no date was provided; however, it was likely taken anytime after January 1898 when both David and J.R. Newman were abruptly let go for political reasons, but prior to 1907 (though I would lean towards the date being closer to 1898 more so than 1907). Among these doughty smoke eaters is recently retired Knoxville firemen David Newman (front row seated, second from left), the Newman family patriarch, and his two sons: J.R. Newman is seated next to his father and his brother J.W. Newman, who submitted the photograph to the Sentinel in 1934, is standing second from the right.

Knoxville News Sentinel, April 22, 1934