William A. Newell

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William A. Newell

William Augustus Newell (born September 5, 1817 in Franklin , Ohio , † August 8, 1901 in Allentown , New Jersey ) was an American politician and governor of the state of New Jersey from 1857 to 1860 and between 1880 and 1884 the 11th governor of the Washington Territory .

Early years and political advancement

William Newell attended schools in New Brunswick (New Jersey) and then until 1836 Rutgers College , before he studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania until 1839. He then worked as a doctor in Allentown. Between 1847 and 1851 Newell was a member of the Whigs MP in the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC After his move to the newly formed Republican Party , he was nominated by this in 1856 as a candidate for the upcoming gubernatorial election.

Governor of New Jersey

After his election victory, Newell took up his new office on January 20, 1857. During his tenure, Union County and three other cities were established and water supplies to the cities improved. In those years just before the outbreak of the Civil War , the question of slavery was hotly debated in New Jersey. As a Republican, Newell was an opponent of this institution. He also advocated tax cuts and balanced budgets. The school system also saw some improvements. Newell's tenure as governor of New Jersey ended on January 17, 1860.

Even after his governor's tenure, Newell remained politically active. In 1860 and 1864 he was a delegate to the Republican National Conventions , at each of which Abraham Lincoln was nominated as a presidential candidate. Between 1865 and 1867 he was again a member of the US House of Representatives. After the end of the legislative period he worked as a doctor again. But he also made several unsuccessful attempts to be re- elected to Congress . In 1877 his attempt to become governor of New Jersey again failed. Reasons for his electoral defeat at that time were his disapproval of immigrants in general and a rejected appeal for clemency during his time as governor.

Territorial Governor of Washington

In 1880, Newell was appointed new governor of the Washington Territory by President Rutherford B. Hayes . He held this office between 1880 and 1884. Here, too, he campaigned for a tax cut and the cultural adaptation of the Indians. In 1883, during his tenure, the Northern Pacific Railway established a rail link between Tacoma and the east. At that time, many Chinese came to the area. Which was also used in railway construction. As in other western states such as California , tensions soon arose between the various ethnic groups in Washington, which were to escalate under Newell's successor, Watson C. Squire .

After the end of his governorship in the Washington Territory, Newell served for a year as the federal government's Indian commissioner in the area. He then settled in Olympia , where he worked as a doctor for another 14 years. After the death of his wife, Joanna Van Deursen, with whom he had three children, he returned to Allentown, New Jersey, in 1899 at the age of 82. He died there on August 8, 1901.

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personal data
SURNAME Newell, William A.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Newell, William Augustus (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH September 5, 1817
PLACE OF BIRTH Franklin , Ohio
DATE OF DEATH August 8, 1901
Place of death Allentown , New Jersey