History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/Joshua G. Newbold
JOSHUA G. NEWBOLD, ninth Governor of Iowa, was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, on the 12th of May, 1830. He was reared on a farm, attended the public schools and a few terms at an academy. He taught school several winters, assisting his father on the farm during the summer. When nineteen he began the study of medicine but never became a practicing physician. In 1854 he came to Iowa and engaged in farming in Henry County. When the Civil War began Mr. Newbold raised a company which was attached to the Twenty-fifth Volunteer Infantry and he was commissioned captain. He served three years, a portion of the time as Judge Advocate at Woodville, Alabama. He participated in the battles of Arkansas Post, Lookout Mountain and Sherman's Atlanta campaign. After his return to Henry County, Captain Newbold was elected on the Republican ticket Representative in the House of the Thirteenth General Assembly and was twice reëlected, serving six years. At the Republican State Convention which nominated Kirkwood for a third term as Governor, Captain Newbold was nominated for Lieutenant-Governor and elected. Upon the resignation of Kirkwood to accept the position of United States Senator, Newbold became Governor on the first of February, 1877. He made a good executive but was defeated for the nomination for a full term in the Republican State Convention by John H. Gear.