Newton Township (formerly the Newtown Precinct and Newtown Township) is a defunct township that was located in Sussex County, in northwestern New Jersey, in the United States. The township was established as a precinct in 1751, the township is first mentioned in a description of its boundaries in the sessions of the Court of Common Pleas in Morris County. Before the establishment of Sussex County on 8 June 1753, Morris County controlled the sparsely populated areas in the northwestern corner of New Jersey and spanned the territory of three present-day New Jersey counties: Morris, Sussex, and Warren. After ceding territory on several occasions new municipalities were created, Newton Township ceased to exist on 11 April 1864.[1]: p.231
The Newtown Precinct, after some divisions, was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act by the New Jersey General Assembly on 21 February 1798.[1]: p.231