Newton Willard Utley

Newton Willard Utley was born to William Washington Utley and Sarah Ann Holland on May 12, 1860. The Utley's were farmer's in Marshall County, Kentucky.[1] He attended the local one-room schoolhouse,[3] and later worked as a schoolteacher for about four years in Marshall, Hickman, and Fulton counties. He moved to Nashville, Tennessee and enrolled in Vanderbilt University, where he graduated with a Graduate of Theology Degree in 1887. After graduating, he continued to attend the university for another year, doing post-graduate work in sciences and modern languages. He married Sarah S. Childers on July 9, 1890, the couple had three children, Newton Willard Jr., Francis W., and Merill Holland.[1][2]

Utley was a missionary in Japan with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. While in Japan, he established the Kwansei Gakuin University in Kobe, Japan.[2] He would continue to live in Japan, until, Utley's health began to fail, compelling him to return to Kentucky. In 1893, he returned to Japan, traveling across Southern Japan, establishing mission stations along the way. In 1896, his health failed once more, and he returned to Kentucky.[1]

After returning from Japan, Utley moved to Eddyville, Kentucky, where he opened a Law Practice.[3] In 1897, he was admitted to the Kentucky Bar Association, which he served as vice-president of for several years. Utley was a prominent banker in Lyon County. He served as vice-president of the Citizens bank in Kuttawa, Kentucky, and director of the First State Bank in Eddyville.[1]

In late 1928, Utley traveled to Florida, seeking treatment for his failing health. He returned to Kentucky six months later. After his return from Florida, his health would continue to decline over the next six weeks, until his death from myocarditis on May 24, 1929.[4] He was buried in the Eddyville cemetery in Eddyville.[5]