Representative Anthony New

Anthony New (1747 – March 2, 1833) was an American politician, lawyer, and Revolutionary War militia officer who represented both Virginia and Kentucky in the United States House of Representatives. Born in Gloucester County, Virginia, in 1747, he completed preparatory studies in his native colony before pursuing legal training. After studying law, he was admitted to the bar and began a professional career as an attorney, establishing himself in the legal community of Virginia in the closing years of the colonial era.

During the American Revolutionary War, New served in the Virginia militia, attaining the rank of colonel. His service as a militia officer from 1780 to 1781 placed him among those Virginians who contributed to the war effort in the southern theater during the final phase of the conflict. This early public and military experience helped shape his later political career and provided him with a reputation for leadership at a time when the new nation was forming its political institutions.

New entered national politics in the early years of the federal government. He was elected as an Anti-Administration candidate to the United States House of Representatives in 1792, reflecting opposition to the policies of the Washington administration and alignment with the emerging Jeffersonian Republican movement. He served in Congress from March 4, 1793, to March 3, 1805, during which time he represented Virginia in multiple consecutive terms. Over this twelve-year period, he participated in the legislative process during a formative era in American history, as the young republic addressed issues of federal power, fiscal policy, and foreign relations. His service in Congress during these years contributed to the development of the Democratic-Republican Party and the articulation of its principles in national policy.

After his initial period of congressional service, New moved westward, joining the migration into the trans-Appalachian frontier. He settled in Elkton, in Todd County, Kentucky, where he continued his legal and agricultural pursuits and became a prominent local figure. From his new home in Kentucky, he reentered national politics as the region’s population grew and its representation in Congress expanded, positioning himself as a representative of the interests of his adopted state.

As a member of the Republican Party representing Kentucky—identified in his era as the Democratic-Republican Party—New went on to serve a total of nine terms in the United States House of Representatives over the course of his career. After his earlier Anti-Administration service, he was elected as a Democratic-Republican from Kentucky in 1810, serving from March 4, 1811, to March 3, 1813. He returned again following the elections of 1816, serving from March 4, 1817, to March 3, 1819, and was elected to yet another term in 1820, serving from March 4, 1821, to March 3, 1823. These later periods in Congress coincided with the era of the War of 1812 and its aftermath, the expansion of the western states, and debates over internal improvements and national economic policy. Throughout his nine terms in office, New participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his constituents in both Virginia and Kentucky during a significant period in American political development.

Following the conclusion of his final term in Congress in 1823, New retired from national public life and devoted himself primarily to agricultural pursuits. He resided at his estate, known as “Dunheath,” near Elkton, Kentucky, where he managed his lands and lived as a respected elder statesman of his community. Anthony New died at Dunheath on March 2, 1833. He was interred in the family cemetery on the estate, leaving a legacy as a long-serving legislator who bridged the early Federal period and the westward expansion of the United States through his representation of both an Atlantic seaboard state and a growing western commonwealth.