Thomas Willoughby Newton (1804 - 1853)

Born 18 Jan 1804 in Alexandria, Virginia, United States

Husband of Mary Kelsey (Allen) Newton — married 14 May 1828 (to 1844) in Shelby, Kentucky, United States

Died 22 Sep 1853 at age 49 in Manhattan, New York County, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Lynette Jester [send private message], M Nason [send private message], and Arkansas Project WikiTree [send private message]

Biography

Thomas Newton is a part of Arkansas history. Join: Arkansas Project Discuss: arkansas

Thomas Newton is Notable.

Thomas W. Newton, the son of William Newton (1763-1814) and Jane Stuart (1775-1815), was born 18 January 1804, Alexandria, Virginia, died 22 September 1853, Manhattan, New York.^[1]

Thomas was a Whig member of the United States House of Representatives from the State of Arkansas. ^[2]

Thomas was born in Alexandria, Virginia and attended public schools in Virginia. He moved to Little Rock, Arkansas in 1820. In 1825 he became clerk of the court of Pulaski County, Arkansas and served for four years. In 1829 he moved to Shelby County, Kentucky where he remained for eight years. He returned to Little Rock in 1837 and began working in a bank as a cashier.

In 1844 he ran for a seat in the Arkansas State Senate and was elected as a Whig. He served four years in the Senate. Newton was elected to fill the vacant seat in Congress after Archibald Yell resigned in 1847 to join the Army for the Mexican–American War. This election made Newton the only person ever elected to the U.S. House from Arkansas as a Whig. Newton served in Washington for only a month, and declined to run for a full term. He owned slaves.[1]

Thomas Willoughby Newton died in New York City on September 22, 1853, aged 49, and is buried in the historic Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock. Newton County, Arkansas was named in his honor.

Land Assessment July 1841 "United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1800-c. 1955",^[3]

HIs wife Mary died in 1844 shortly after giving birth, the child lived for a year.

"Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMLY-52Z : 9 March 2021), Thomas W Newton, 14 Feb 1850; citing Marriage, Chicot, Arkansas, United States, county offices, Arkansas; FHL microfilm 977,984.

In 1850 Thomas married Amelia Cordell. She is the wife of record, even tho the census says her name was Mary.

"United States Census, 1850," Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas^[4]

Thos W Newton Male 46 North Carolina

Mary Newton Female 24 Virginia

Joseph M Newton Male 38 South Carolina

John W Newton Male 18 Kentucky

Ann J Newton Female 14 Kentucky

Allen Newton Male 13 Kentucky

Robert C Newton Male 11

Thos N Newton Male 8

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6934674/thomas-willoughby-newton: accessed 29 July 2022), memorial page for Thomas Willoughby Newton (18 Jan 1804–22 Sep 1853), Find a Grave Memorial ID 6934674, citing Mount Holly Cemetery, Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.

Newton County, Arkansas is named in his Honor.

The state legislature created Newton County on December 14, 1842, naming it after U.S. marshal Thomas Willoughby Newton. After beginning his career as a mail carrier and serving as U.S. marshal for Arkansas, Newton was elected to serve in Congress after the resignation of Archibald Yell. John Belleh’s house on Shop Creek was designated the county seat until the designation was given to Jasper in 1843. The county had ten post offices by 1856. TW Newton, US Marshal

Sources

1. ↑ "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6M6-3JF : 3 June 2020), Thomas W. Newton, 22 Sep 1853; citing Death, Manhattan, New York County, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 447,556.
2. ↑ https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/N000077
3. ↑ database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:66HX-CLJJ : 28 January 2022), Thomas W Newton, 1841.
4. ↑ FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M676-SN2 : 20 December 2020), Thos W Newton, Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• [1] The Cabells and Their Kin: A Memorial Volume of History, Biography, and Genealogy Alexander Brown January 1, 1895 Houghton, Mifflin & Company: Parent, Siblings page 287

Also See

Thomas Willoughby Newton

History of the Western District Court