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Newell was born in [[North Carolina]] and educated at La Grange College in [[Alabama]]. With his brother, Thomas M. Newell, he entered business at what is now the ghost town of Grand Gulf in [[Mississippi]]. In 1834, the Newell brothers relocated to Tensas Parish, where Newell made a fortune from the profits of his cotton plantation made possibe from [[Slavery|slave]] labor. He married the former Celia Ann Dorsey (born 1815), and the couple had six children.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-n/|title=Newell, Edward D.|publisher=The Louisiana Historical Association: ''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography''|accessdate=December 23, 2020}}</ref>

Newell was born in [[North Carolina]] and educated at La Grange College in [[Alabama]]. With his brother, Thomas M. Newell, he entered business at what is now the ghost town of Grand Gulf in [[Mississippi]]. In 1834, the Newell brothers relocated to Tensas Parish, where Newell made a fortune from the profits of his cotton plantation made possibe from [[Slavery|slave]] labor. He married the former Celia Ann Dorsey (born 1815), and the couple had six children.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-n/|title=Newell, Edward D.|publisher=The Louisiana Historical Association: ''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography''|accessdate=December 23, 2020}}</ref>

Edward and Thomas Newell settled in the area of northern Tensas Parish known as Newell's Ridge. Together they created the Newell Cotton Press. He purchased some 30,000 acres of public land, a part of his Cypress Plantation. With other investors, and with money he made from keeping people as slaves and forcing them to do all his work, Newell purchased a printing press n 1852 to establish the weekly newspaper, ''The Tensas Gazette,''<ref name=bio/>  which is still published in St. Joseph, the Tensas Parish seat of government

Edward and Thomas Newell settled in the area of northern Tensas Parish known as Newell's Ridge. Together they created the Newell Cotton Press. He purchased some 30,000 acres of public land, a part of his Cypress Plantation.

With other investors, and the profits from his plantation, he purchased a printing press in 1852 to establish the weekly [[newspaper]], ''The Tensas Gazette,''<ref name=bio/>  which is still published in St. Joseph, the Tensas Parish seat of government

Newell was active in the [[Democratic Party]]. He was a member and president of the Tensas Parish Police Jury. He was a member in 1861 of the [[secession]] convention and advocated the withdrawal of Louisiana from the union of states.<ref name=bio/>

Newell was active in the [[Democratic Party]]. He was a member and president of the Tensas Parish Police Jury. He was a member in 1861 of the [[secession]] convention and advocated the withdrawal of Louisiana from the union of states.<ref name=bio/>