John C. New

John Chalfant New (1831—1906) was a United States banker and lawyer who held a variety of government positions, including Treasurer of the United States from 1875 to 1876.

Biography

John C. New was born on July 6, 1831 in Vernon, Indiana. His father was John Bowman New, son of Jethro New, and his mother was Mariah (Chalfant) New. He was educated at Bethany College, studying law and graduating in 1851.

After college, New worked as a banker, publisher, and lawyer. He married Melissa Beeler in 1854; together the two had a son, Harry Stewart New, born in 1858.

Following the resignation of Horatio C. Newcomb from his seat in the Indiana Senate, New was elected to Newcomb's former seat in 1863.

His first wife died in 1867 and he re-married to Elizabeth R. McRae, and the couple had two children together.

In 1875, President of the United States Ulysses S. Grant nominated New to be Treasurer of the United States and New subsequently held that office from June 30, 1875 to July 1, 1876. In 1880, and again in 1882, he was Chairman of the Indiana Republican Party. He was First Assistant Secretary of the Treasury from 1882 to 1883. He was the U.S. consul general in London from 1889 to 1893.

New died in Indianapolis on June 4, 1906.

References

• John C. New Collection at the Indiana Historical Society
• Biographical History of Eminent and Self-Made Men of the State of Indiana. Volume II. (Ohio: Western Biographical Publishing Company, 1880), pages 269-270.
• Dunn, Jacob Piatt Ed. Indiana and Indianans. Volume I. (Ohio: The American Historical Society, 1919), page 338.
• Shepherd, Rebecca A., Calhoun, Charles W., Shanahan-Shoemaker, Elizabeth, and January, Alan F. A Biographical Directory of the Indiana General Assembly. Volume I. (Indiana: Indiana Historical Bureau, 1980), page 290.