Thomas Willoughby Newton

Who was Thomas Willoughby Newton?

Thomas Willoughby Newton was a Whig member of the United States House of Representatives from the State of Arkansas.

Thomas was born in Alexandria, Virginia on 18 January 1804. Newton 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 vacanct seat in Congress after Archibald Yell resigned in 1847 to join the Army for the Mexican-American War. He served in Washingron for only a month, and declined to run for a full term.

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