John Newton was a surveyor, official and political figure in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

. He served as a member of the 2nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia

2nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia

The 2nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia represented Nova Scotia between December 4, 1759 and 1760, its membership being set in the 1759 Nova Scotia general election.The Assembly sat at the pleasure of the Governor of Nova Scotia, Charles Lawrence...

 and then represented Halifax County in the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia from 1770 to 1772.

He was the son of Hibbert Newton and Hannah Adams, the daughter of John Adams

John Adams (merchant)

John Adams was an American-born Canadian merchant and member of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia.-Biography:Adams was born in Boston in either 1672 or 1673 to John and Avis Adams. Growing up as a petty merchant, Adams joined Sir Charles Hobby's New England regiment, participating in the...

. Newton served as collector of impost and excise at Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

 and as a justice of the peace

Justice of the Peace

A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

. He was married twice: first to Margaret, the daughter of Benjamin Green

Benjamin Green (merchant)

Benjamin Green was a merchant, judge and political figure in Nova Scotia. He served as administrator for Nova Scotia in 1766 and from 1771 to 1772. He was born in Salem Village , the son of the Reverend Joseph Green and Elizabeth Gerrish, and entered business with his brothers in Boston...

, in 1759 and then to Catherine, the daughter of Philip Augustus Knaut

Philip Augustus Knaut

Philip Augustus Knaut was a German-born merchant and political figure in Nova Scotia. He was a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for Lunenburg from 1758 to 1781....

, in 1775. His seat in the assembly was declared vacant in 1772 due to non-attendance.

His brother Henry

Henry Newton (politician)

Henry Newton was a political figure in Nova Scotia. He was a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1758 to 1760....

also served in the assembly.