The Penn's Grove record., 1917-10-26
some POLITICAL HISTORY Personal Mention S0CQ NOIS
Newells In Public Service A
Hundred Years

Some political history of Penns Grove
and Salem County may be of interest
to the many new citizens i'm Penns
Grove and Upper Penns Neck. The in
dependent voting of the old residents
during the past hundred years in
County affairs may help Others to bet
ter judge as to the selection of their
candidates for office.
Salem County has a normal Repub-
lican majority of from 300 to 400. 1t
is made largely of the Quaker element
in Warrington and Pilesgrove town
ships. They were the original ADOLF
ZIONIST sect in America. Large settle
ments of colored people are in these
townships. The population of a few
free negroes was added to by runaway
slaves from Delaware. They received
protection from the Friends and furn-
ished cheap labor in return. While
the colored men mostly voted the Re-
publican ticket and now numbering
probably 400 or 500 their addition did
not increase the Republican majority
very much. The County had a small
Wing majority before the Republican
party, whose mission for which it was
organized has ended.
Upper Penns Neck township which
included Penns Grove until 1894. had
a Democratic majority from 125 to
$50, when the voters were farmers,
fishermen, merchants and dependents,
before the introduction of corporation
influences. A Democratic majority
from 60 to 100 continued until last
year. \ separate borough government
was organized for Penns Grove in 1894.
The Democratic majority varied from
20 to 40. There have been four Demo-
cratic mayor who have served 10
years. Three Republican mayors serv-
ed IA years. The council has had a
Republican majority oftener than a
Democratic majority because the Dem
ocrats have been liberal voters and
there have been more ambitious Re-
publicans who desired the local offices
as stepping stones to others.
While the Count has a normal Re
publican majority and previous a Wing
majority yet many Democrats nave
been elected when men of merit were
candidates, The name of Newell is on
record of holding office for nearly a
hundred years.
James Newell, the Democratic AN
didate for Assembly is a name known
to the voters for a hundred years. In
1919 James Newell was elected County
NAHN 81 Itit y NdiS. II lou At
was elected a member o. the Legisla-
tive Council. lie was not only a leader
in public affairs in Lower Penns Neck
and the County, but the most noted
local Methodist preacher in the County.
excepting Benjamin Abbott.
In 1871 Robert Newell, a son of
James Newell, was elected to the Legis-
lative Council; in 1913. sheriff, and in
1859, County Clerk. In 1887 he was APP
pointed a Lay Judge of the County
Court, Robert Newell married Naomi
Summerill, a granddaughter of Thomas
Carney, of Carney Point
In 1850 Charles B. Newell, another
son of James Newell, was elected to
the Legislature. In 1887 William
Newell. another son of James Newell,
broke a long succession of Republican
victories by being elected to the AS
sembly and was elected Senator in
1888. and later appointed a Lay Judge.
In 1867 John Summerill Newell, son
of Robert Newell, was elected to the
Legislature in the strong Republican
district.
Grover Cleveland. who was elected
President in 1884, appointed Robert
Newell, Jr.. a brother to James Newell,
the candidate for Assembly, o be
Postmaster in Salem for -four years.
In 1890. James Newell, son of Robert
Newell. the present candidate for As
sembly was elected Sheriff. In 1889
he was elected Chosen Freebooter from
the township of Warrington which has
200 Republican majority and nearly as
many colored voters as whites. Only a
man with a kindly, friendly mind, with
out partisan guile, could have been
eIanfAA nv his nnaI-ap apd ooloea1
neighbors. In 1901 he was director of
the Board of Freeholders.
In 1899 Robert Newell Vanneman, a
nephew to former Sheriff Jas. Newell
was elected Sheriff when the Republic
can candidate for Clerk got 1914. He
is the present treasurer of the Repub-
lican City of Salem.
When the Democrats present a man
for the Legislature, not only for honors,
but to make laws, a man whom a Re-
publican county elected to administer
laws. and has a record showing he did
so with efficiency, such a candidate is
worthy of the support of range
who recently moved into the county
and know little but party labels. His
grandfather. father, two uncles and a
brother, helped make laws In the past
and were found to efficiently admins
ter them. No Democratic family has
been similarly honored in the Wing
and Republican County of Salem. When
Newells were presented for office in
Salem County, Wing and Republican
voters considered something more than
party labels, or they would never have
been elected during the past 100 years.
New voters here may profit by the
past. -
Plummer For Surrogate