EZEKIEL S. NEWMAN, a real-estate dealer of El Paso and a member of one of the pioneer families of the city, several of whom have been prominent in its business enterprises, was born in Spencer county, Kentucky, May 19, 1842, a son of E. R. and Rebecca (Carrico) Newman. In his childhood he went with his parents to Missouri, the family settling in Carroll county, which was one of the rich river counties. Both the father and the mother died during the youth of their son Ezekiel, who a little later in life went to Lexington, in Lafayette county, Missouri, where he spent several years and thoroughly acquainted himself with merchandising in his brother H. L.‘s store. He had attended school at Carrollton and at St. Louis, Missouri, and he remained at Lexington until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when he enlisted in the Confederate army as a member of Captain Morland’s Company, Bledsoe’s Battalion of the Trans-Mississippi department under command of General Sterling Price. He participated in the fierce and bitter warfare that waged in southwestern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas, taking part in several important battles and skirmishes, among the most important of which were the battles of Springfield, Carthage, Wilson’s Creek and Pea Ridge. A little later, while stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, his health became very seriously impaired and he had to leave the army, but on account of the changed conditions at his old home he never returned there to live.
After a short time spent in Leavenworth, Kansas, Mr. Newman made an overland trip to the far west, going to Salt Lake City and thence to the territory of Montana, being among its earliest settlers. He arrived there early in the year of 1864, visiting Virginia City in that spring, and he was the witness of many of the stirring events which have made the history of that section memorable. He spent some time in the new west and afterward passed a few years in St. Louis, whence he came in October, 1881, to El Paso, which has since been his home, although he has spent several years in foreign travel. His business connections in this city have been largely in the line of real estate, operating in partnership with his brothers and others. He was at one time a member of the firm of Newman & Russell, afterward of Newman & Coles, while later the Newman-Austin Investment Company was organized and has since been succeeded by the Newman Investment Company, the partners in his firm being Ezekiel S. Newman and his son, Charles M. Since 1882 the Newman family have been very largely interested in some of the most extensive and important real-estate transactions in El Paso, and at the preset time they are manipulating Highland Park property, which constitutes an excellent residence sub-division in the northeast section of the city. Of this they are part owners and the exclusive sale representatives. In addition to this they have large general real estate business interests elsewhere. George Thomas Newman, a brother of our subject, has for many years been interested in real estate and other business interests of El Paso and was the pioneer of the family here. Another brother, Henry L. Newman, has for many years been a prominent figure in El Paso business life as a pioneer and real-estate dealer, having been president of the Lowdon National Bank, the East El Paso Town Company and a participant in other numerous projects of note. The family have t hus been among the foremost in El Paso’s growth and business development, and like his brother, Ezekiel S. Newman possesses keen discrimination, marked business sagacity and untiring enterprise—qualities which have gained him prominence as a representative of the business life of this city.
Mr. Newman was married to Miss Fannie Morris, a native of Mason county, Kentucky, and a lady of superior educational and other attainments. She was a sister of Mrs. C. R. Morehead and Mrs. H. L. Newman of El Paso. She died in Los Angeles, California, but her remains were brought back to this city for interment. There was a son and a daughter of this marriage: Charles M., who is his father’s associate in business, and Mrs. Myra Mapel, of this city.
In community affairs Mr. Newman has taken a deep and helpful interest and through his business operations and in other ways has contributed in large measure to the substantial growth and prosperity of El Paso. For eight years he was a member of the board of health, and he has withheld his active co-operation from no movement calculated to benefit the city or secure its advancement along material, social and intellectual lines. He has himself gained that culture and knowledge which only travel can bring, for he has spent much time in visiting other parts of the globe, devoting several years to foreign trips. For quite a long while he was in the mining business in South Africa, and he has traveled extensively through European countries. Later he visited China, Japan and the Philippine Islands, making quite a thorough investigation of our recently acquired colonial possessions there with a view to possible investment. He has also traveled extensively in Mexico, and has a mind enriched and broadened by the his experiences in foreign lands and stored with many interesting reminiscences of his trips abroad.
Source: B. B. Paddock, History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906), Vol. II, pp. 548-549.