William Truslow Newman

Born on June 23, 1843, near Knoxville, Tennessee, Newman read law to enter the bar in 1866. He was a Captain[1] in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, from 1861 to 1865. During the war, he was taken prisoner in battle at Johnson's Ferry. Shortly afterwards, he was released in exchange. He returned to fight and lost his right arm in the Battle of Jonesborough.[2] He was in private practice in Atlanta, Georgia from 1866 to 1871. He was the city attorney of Atlanta from 1871 to 1883, thereafter returning to private practice until 1886.[3]

Newman received a recess appointment from President Grover Cleveland on August 13, 1886, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia vacated by Judge Henry Kent McCay. He was nominated to the same position by President Cleveland on December 9, 1886. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 13, 1887, and received his commission the same day. On or about July 31, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson certified Newman involuntarily as disabled in accordance with the act of February 25, 1919, 40 Stat. 1156, which entitled the President to appoint an additional judge for the court and provided that no successor to the judge certified as disabled be appointed.[4] Samuel Hale Sibley was appointed to the additional seat.[4] Newman's service terminated on February 14, 1920, due to his death in Atlanta.[3]

• William Truslow Newman at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.