Joseph was born on September 17th, 1841 in Richland County, IL to James B. Newsom and Eliza Jane Slaven. He enlisted in the Union Army upon the outbreak of the American Civil War in Richland County's contribution to the war effort. The company's name was: Company "I" 66th Illinois Infantry. He served mainly in the Tennessee theatre of the war and later served with Sherman in his march to the sea and the grand review upon the conclusion of the Civil War in Washington, D.C. Joseph came home to a post-war Illinois, where he had to make a living for himself. On February 6th, 1866, he married the neighbor girl, Emily Ellingsworth. In 1867, their first child was born to Emily and Joseph; they named him Zina B. Again, in November of the next year, 1868,they had another child, Hartly Otis. About 1870, Joseph and family decided to move west. They moved out to Kansas and San Francisco.
Joseph Miller Newsum came to Washington about 1872 or 1873 to settle with his family on a farm outside of Olympia, Washington. His family then consisted of his wife, Emily Ellingsworth Newsum, Zina B. Newsum and Hartly Otis Newsum. In June of 1873, a daughter, Minnie May Newsum was born to Emily and Joseph. However, after three years of being in Washington, Emily died. What Emily died of is not known to me. All of this family except for Hartly Otis Newsum are buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Olympia, Washington.