Newton Booth

Newton Booth
11th Governor of California
In office December 8, 1871 – February 27, 1875
Lieutenant	Romualdo Pacheco
Preceded by	Henry Huntly Haight
Succeeded by	Romualdo Pacheco
United States Senator from California
In office 1875–1881
Preceded by	John S. Hager
Succeeded by	John F. Miller
Born	December 30, 1825 Salem, Indiana
Died	July 14, 1892 (aged 66) Sacramento, California
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Asbury University
Profession	Entrepreneur, politician

Newton Booth (December 30, 1825 – July 14, 1892) was an American politician.

Born in Salem, Indiana, he attended the common schools. In 1841, his parents Beebe and Hannah Booth moved from Salem to Terre Haute, Indiana. Newton graduated from Asbury University, later renamed DePauw University, in nearby Greencastle, Indiana. He studied law in Terre Haute and was admitted to the bar in 1850. In the same year he moved to California, where he temporarily engaged in the wholesale grocery business at Sacramento. He made his fortune as a saloon keeper. He returned to Terre Haute in 1857 and engaged in the practice of law with future U.S. Congressman Harvey D. Scott until 1860, when he returned to Sacramento, and again engaged in mercantile pursuits. He was the uncle of author Booth Tarkington, son of his sister Elizabeth Booth, who was raised in Terre Haute.

Booth was elected to the California State Senate in 1862, serving in 1863, and was the eleventh Governor of California from December 8, 1871 to February 27, 1875, when he resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.

Elected as an Anti-Monopolist, he served as a Senator from March 4, 1875, to March 3, 1881; he was not a candidate for reelection in 1880. During his time in the Senate he served as chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Manufacturers and the U.S. Senate Committee on Patents, both during the 45th Congress. In 1876, the Greenback Party nominated him for Vice President of the United States on the ticket with Peter Cooper. However, Booth declined the nomination and Samuel F. Cary replaced him.

After serving in Congress, he returned to his wholesale mercantile business in Sacramento where he died in 1892. He is interred in Old City Cemetery.

References

• Newton Booth Biography at the California State Library

• Newton Booth at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

External links

• Newton Booth at Find A Grave

Political offices
Preceded by Henry Huntly Haight	Governor of California 1871–1875	Succeeded by Romualdo Pacheco
United States Senate
Preceded by John S. Hager	United States Senator (Class 1) from California 1875–1881 Served alongside: Aaron A. Sargent, James T. Farley	Succeeded by John F. Miller