Newton, Curubusco

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 274-275, Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.

Hon. Churubusco Newton is a native of St. Helena parish, La., where he was born in 1848, a son of Daniel and Nancy (Wright) Newton. but when the subject of this sketch was an infant he was taken by his parents to Morehouse parish. Daniel Newton was a lawyer of ability and had a large practice in northern Louisiana. He became so well and favorably known that in 1858 he was elected to the lower house of the state legislature and in 1866-7-8 he was a member of the state senate. He was a Douglas democrat.

The family came to this country from England in colonial days and served with the colonists in the Revolutionary war. The member from whom the subject of this sketch descended, located in Virginia. in which state he became prominent.

Churubusco Newton received his education in the State seminary of Learning at Alexandria, La., completing his course in 1869. Immediately after leaving school he studied law with his father, preparatory to entering that profession, and was admitted to the bar before the supreme court in 1870, after which he practiced for a short time independently. He then formed a partnership with Capt. William T. Hall, his brother-in-law, and his father's previous partner. The practice of the firm soon became large and lucrative and ranked second to no law firm in the northern part of the state.

After the death of Captain Hall in 1884, Mr. Newton practiced alone for a short time, but in 1886 formed a partnership with J. T. Cason, who was also his brother-in-law. In 1879 Mr. Newton was elected a member of the senate under the present constitution, in which capacity he served until 1884, when he declined a renomination. He was chairman of the committee on public education and was a member of the judiciary committee. During the time the lottery measure came up Mr. Newton took a very decided stand against it.

Following this and owing to stress of professional business he gave his exclusive attention to this until 1886, when he became a candidate for congress, being chosen over seven aspirants for the office. After a hard fight he was nominated on the third or fourth ballot, and being elected he took his seat as a member of the Fiftieth Congress and was appointed by Speaker Carlyle to the committee on public buildings and grounds and the committee of the eleventh census, of which Sunset S. Cox was chairman.

Mr. Newton, while a member of this body, secured several important appropriations and was very faithful to the interests of his state. He participated in the great tariff debate of 1888, and his speech on the tariff issue was highly received and approved by the democrats of the house and by his constituency. During his term in congress he accomplished more for his district and state than has been achieved by any member accredited from that district since the late Civil war.

Upon the expiration of his term he entered the field for renomination, with full endorsements, but through political maneuvering, a two-thirds rule was adopted and after a session of seven days the old candidates withdrew and C. J. Boatner was nominated.

Since that time Mr. Newton has devoted himself assiduously to the practice of law, his practice having grown to such proportions as to occupy his complete time and attention. He has been a successful financier and has accumulated a comfortable competency and a considerable fortune. He was married in 1879 to Miss Amanda Cason and both are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Socially Mr. Newton is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and the K. of P.