William A. Newell
| William Augustus Newell | |
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| 18th Governor of New Jersey | |
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In office January 20, 1857 – January 17, 1860 |
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| Preceded by | Rodman M. Price |
| Succeeded by | Charles S. Olden |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 2nd district |
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In office March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1851 |
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| Preceded by | George Sykes |
| Succeeded by | Charles Skelton |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 2nd district |
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In office March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1867 |
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| Preceded by | George Middleton |
| Succeeded by | Charles Haight |
| 11th Governor of Washington Territory | |
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In office November 1, 1880 – July 2, 1884 |
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| Preceded by | Elisha P. Ferry |
| Succeeded by | Watson C. Squire |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 5, 1817 Franklin, Ohio |
| Died | August 8, 1901 (aged 83) Allentown, New Jersey |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Joanna Van Deursen |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
William Augustus Newell (September 5, 1817 – August 8, 1901), was an American physician and politician, who was a three-term member of the United States House of Representatives, served as a Republican as the 18th Governor of New Jersey, and as the 11th Governor of the Washington Territory from 1880-1884. He is probably best known for, and was most proud of, the Newell Act, which created the United States Life-Saving Service (a Federal agency that grew out of private and local humanitarian efforts to save the lives of shipwrecked mariners and passengers; which ultimately merged with the Revenue Cutter Service to form the United States Coast Guard in 1915).
Newell was born in Franklin, Ohio. Son of James Newell and Elisa Hankinson. His Grandfather, Hugh Newell came from Ireland in 1704. His parents, from old New Jersey families, moved back to New Jersey when he was aged 2. He Married Joanna VanDeursen from New Brunswick. The marriage produced three sons and a daughter, with one son dying in early childhood. He graduated from Rutgers College in 1836 (An on-campus apartment complex at Cook College, the agricultural school of what is now Rutgers University, is named for him) and from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1839, and began to practice medicine in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township, New Jersey where he lived, and was one of local volunteers for shipwrecks across Barnegat Bay. It was from the frustrating experience of watching a ship full of passengers perish because the volunteers could not reach them that he first thought of creating a life saving service. He later moved to Allentown, New Jersey, which was to be his residence for the rest of his life.
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