Local History
How Newton County was shaped by timber and oil
Newton County was built on longleaf pine timber and later touched by oil, leaving a landscape and economy shaped by both industries.
Texas created Newton County in 1846 from part of Jasper County. The county was named for John Newton, a soldier in the American Revolution. Early settlers farmed corn and cotton. After the Civil War, the timber industry took over. By the 1920s, industrial logging produced millions of dollars of lumber per year. Major operators cut much of the original longleaf pine forest across the county.
Oil followed. The South Call Oilfield began producing in 1938, adding another layer to the local economy. The county seat moved around in the early years — from a site near Quicksand Creek to Burkeville, then to Newton in 1853, where it has stayed. Today the county remains rural and forested, with pine timber still part of the economy. The Handbook of Texas at TSHA Online covers this history in detail.
Source to confirm: Handbook of Texas — Newton County