Henry J. Newton

Henry J. Newton was one of the Founders of the Theosophical Society. According to Josephine Ransom,

HENRY J. NEWTON: a wealthy retired manufacturer. The foremost Spiritualist in New York City, and President of the Society of Spiritualists. President of the Photographic Section of the American Institute. He was a great authority on practical photographic science and was the inventor of the dry-plate method. A man of dauntless moral courage, tenacious of opinions. Elected Treasurer of The Theosophical Society, but withdrew when he found neither H.P.B. nor Felt were going to show him either Adepts or elementals. He retained the Record List of The Society, which he later refused to give up, regarding it as a valuable relic, and was rather inclined to the opinion he had himself formed The Theosophical Society. Passed away 1895.

Mr. Newton was appointed along with H. M. Stevens and Charles Sotheran to a committee instructed to draft a constitution and bylaws for the organization. He was an executor, with Henry Steel Olcott, of the will of Baron de Palm in arranging for his cremation.