{"id":462,"date":"2018-07-16T14:35:46","date_gmt":"2018-07-16T19:35:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/?page_id=462"},"modified":"2026-01-07T15:48:25","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T21:48:25","slug":"matthew-t-newsome","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/matthew-t-newsome\/","title":{"rendered":"Matthew T. Newsom"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Matthew T. Newsom (Claiborne County)<\/h2>\n<p><strong>State House:<\/strong> 1870-1871<\/p>\n<p><strong>Born:<\/strong> c. 1816 in North Carolina<\/p>\n<p>Newsom appears on the 1860 census as a free man of color in Quincy, Illinois. He was appointed to serve as justice of the peace in Claiborne County in 1869. Listed on the 1870 census in Claiborne, occupation &#8220;Miss State Legislature,&#8221; with wife and daughter, both named Rozetta. His daughter (who had been born while Newsom lived in Michigan) married a George Townsend in 1875, and his wife is listed alone on the 1880 census.<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;A native of North Carolina, Newsom attended the Mississippi black convention of 1865 and the first Republican state convention in 1867, where he proposed that the party commit itself to land confiscation. He represented Claiborne County in the constitutional convention of 1868 and in the state House of Representatives, 1870-71, and he also served as a district judge.&#8221;<\/em><br \/>\n(Eric Foner,\u00a0<em>Freedom\u2019s Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders during Reconstruction<\/em>, 1993)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Links:<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/digital.library.cornell.edu\/catalog\/may852402\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Arguments, pro and con, on the call for a National Emigration Convention, to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, August, 1854<\/a>\u00a0&#8211; pamphlet compiled by M. T. Newsom<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5208\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5208\" style=\"width: 592px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5208\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/newsom.png\" alt=\"Signature of Matthew T. Newsom\" width=\"592\" height=\"109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/newsom.png 592w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/newsom-300x55.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 592px) 100vw, 592px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5208\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Signature of Matthew T. Newsom from an 1871 petition to Governor Alcorn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5823\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5823\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/matthew-t-newsome\/the_cleveland_leader_1859_08_10_2\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5823\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-5823\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/The_Cleveland_Leader_1859_08_10_2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Cleveland Leader, August 10, 1859\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/The_Cleveland_Leader_1859_08_10_2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/The_Cleveland_Leader_1859_08_10_2-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5823\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cleveland Leader, August 10, 1859<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5825\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5825\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/matthew-t-newsome\/the_vicksburg_herald_1864_11_29_page_2\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5825\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-5825\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/The_Vicksburg_Herald_1864_11_29_Page_2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Vicksburg Herald, November 29, 1864\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/The_Vicksburg_Herald_1864_11_29_Page_2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/The_Vicksburg_Herald_1864_11_29_Page_2-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5825\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vicksburg Herald, November 29, 1864<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2036\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2036\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/matthew-t-newsome\/convention-3\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2036 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/convention-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/convention-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/convention-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2036\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Weekly Democrat, September 21, 1867<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1912\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1912\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/henry-mayson\/mayson15\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1912 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/mayson15-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/mayson15-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/mayson15-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1912\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vicksburg Daily Times, February 5, 1868<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2040\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2040\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/matthew-t-newsome\/newsom3\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2040 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/newsom3-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/newsom3-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/newsom3-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2040\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tri-Weekly Clarion, June 17, 1869<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1281\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1281\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/william-gray\/gray9\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1281 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/gray9-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/gray9-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/gray9-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1281\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Weekly Mississippi Pilot, April 30, 1870<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2042\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2042\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/matthew-t-newsome\/census\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2042 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/census-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/census-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/census-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2042\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Weekly Mississippi Pilot, May 7, 1870<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1608\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1608\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/merrimon-howard\/railroad\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1608 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/railroad-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/railroad-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/railroad-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1608\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Semi-Weekly Clarion, September 23, 1870<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2038\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2038\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/matthew-t-newsome\/newsom2\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2038 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/newsom2-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/newsom2-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/newsom2-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2038\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clarion-Ledger, October 6, 1870<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5821\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5821\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/matthew-t-newsome\/newsom712\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5821\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-5821\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/newsom712-150x150.png\" alt=\"Semi-Weekly Clarion, September 22, 1871\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/newsom712-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/newsom712-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5821\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Semi-Weekly Clarion, September 22, 1871<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5819\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5819\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/matthew-t-newsome\/newsom71\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5819\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-5819\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/newsom71-150x150.png\" alt=\"Semi-Weekly Clarion, October 3, 1871\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/newsom71-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/newsom71-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5819\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Semi-Weekly Clarion, October 3, 1871<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5816\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5816\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/matthew-t-newsome\/newsomparty\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5816\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-5816\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/newsomparty-150x150.png\" alt=\"Vicksburg Daily Times, October 19, 1871\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/newsomparty-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/newsomparty-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5816\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vicksburg Daily Times, October 19, 1871<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Matthew T. Newsom (Claiborne County) State House: 1870-1871 Born: c. 1816 in North Carolina Newsom appears on the 1860 census as a free man of color in Quincy, Illinois. He was appointed to serve as justice of the peace in Claiborne County in 1869. Listed on the 1870 census in Claiborne, occupation &#8220;Miss State Legislature,&#8221; &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/matthew-t-newsome\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Matthew T. Newsom&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":53,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-462","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/462","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=462"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/462\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5827,"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/462\/revisions\/5827"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/53"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}