Edward D. Newell
| Edward Drumgould Newell, I | |
Louisiana State Senator
from Tensas Parish | |
| In office 1857–1861 | |
| Born | February 22, 1810 North Carolina, USA |
|---|---|
| Died | June 10, 1888 (aged 78) Place of death missing |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse(s) | Celia Ann Dorsey Newell |
| Children | Six children, including: John D. Newell |
| Residence | Tensas Parish, Louisiana |
| Alma mater | La Grange College of Alabama |
| Occupation | Planter; Politician (Newellton, Louisiana, is named in his honor). |
Edward Drumgould Newell, I (February 22, 1810 – June 10, 1888), was a pioneer planter in Tensas Parish in northeastern Louisiana. The town of Newellton in northern Tensas Parish was named in his honor by his son, John D. Newell.
Newell was born in North Carolina and educated at La Grange College in Alabama. With his brother, Thomas M. Newell, he entered business at what is now the ghost town of Grand Gulf in Mississippi. In 1834, the Newell brothers relocated to Tensas Parish, where Newell made a fortune from the profits of his cotton plantation made possibe from slave labor. He married the former Celia Ann Dorsey (born 1815), and the couple had six children.[1]
Edward and Thomas Newell settled in the area of northern Tensas Parish known as Newell's Ridge. Together they created the Newell Cotton Press. He purchased some 30,000 acres of public land, a part of his Cypress Plantation. With other investors, and the profits from his plantation, he purchased a printing press in 1852 to establish the weekly newspaper, The Tensas Gazette,[1] which is still published in St. Joseph, the Tensas Parish seat of government
Newell was active in the Democratic Party. He was a member and president of the Tensas Parish Police Jury. He was a member in 1861 of the secession convention and advocated the withdrawal of Louisiana from the union of states.[1]
The historic Newell Cemetery near Newellton is named in his honor.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Newell, Edward D.. The Louisiana Historical Association: A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography. Retrieved on December 23, 2020.