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Newton County Attourney, David McMahon
- Jonnie Miller
On January 10, 1866, David McMahon was appointed Newton County's first County Attorney. The County Attorney was needed to…" advise and see that proceedings in court conformed to legal standards." Judge McMahon's appointment was revoked six months later because…"there was no accounting for such an appointment during the Reconstruction period." (Glimpses of Newton).
David was born in 1806. His father, Reverend Friend McMahon, Sr. was considered a pioneer settler of Newton and was a local Methodist preacher. His mother was Margaret Cox McMahon.
Judge McMahon followed in his father's footsteps and became a Methodist preacher. He was also a lawyer and served as Judge for 17 years. He served as a Commissioner and Justice of Peace as well. Judge McMahon was married four times! His grave marker indicates he was 67 years old when he died.
David McMahon established the church called Wilson Chapel which is part of the J.M. Pierce Survey. It was one of Newton County's four churches in 1857 (Newton Nuggets). The church was named in honor of Rev. Francis Wilson -but that's another story. The Wilson Chapel Cemetery is located in the Woods Community at the intersection of County Roads 4002 and 4004. (Cemeteries of Newton County, Texas 2005).