Ralph Geoffrey Newman (3 November 1911 – 23 July 1998) was an American writer and well known Abraham Lincoln scholar. He owned the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois, and hosted a monthly gathering known as the Civil War Round Table."RALPH G. NEWMAN, 1911-1998", Civil War History, March 1st, 1999 He was an expert in Civil War-related manuscripts.
He played minor league second base for Tucson and Wichita.Memorial to Ralph G. Newman by John Y. SimonTranscript of interview by Brian Alexander , 1972, University of Illinois at Springfield, Norris L. Brookens Library, Archives/Special Collections
Newman also was an appraiser who evaluated the papers of six United States presidents: Hoover, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon.Ralph Newman, owner of Lincoln bookstore, obituary, Chicago Sun-Times, July 24, 1998, by Michael Gillis
Newman was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 1975 on charges of preparing a false affidavit that helped Richard Nixon obtain an illegal tax break on papers he donatedPaying for Nixon's Taxes, TIME, March 03, 1975 and was convicted in November 1975.Abstract of Newman / Nixon CBS News broadcast from the Vanderbilt Television News Archive
Family Ralph Newman married Estelle Hoffman and they had two daughters, Maxine Newman Brandenburg and Carol Newman Parry. He later remarried, to actress Patricia Lyons. His stepson is NPR host Scott Simon.
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