Newbern, the second town in size and importance, is situated on the railroad ten miles north from Dyersburg, and has a population of 1,000. The town was founded in 1850 upon the land originally owned and entered by John McLemore, and incorporated in 1858. The corporation was suspended during the late war, and in 1871 was rechartered. The first merchant was John McSpaddin, who opened a general store in 1850, when the town was nothing more than a strip of woods. In 1853 Crawford E. White, H. R. A. McCorkle and Quincy Roach opened stores. McCorkle & Roach sold out to A. & A. G. Harris in 1855, and the latter in turn sold to Cannon & Blake. In 1856 Parks & Light opened a store, and G. B. Tinsley a hotel. The merchants between 1860 and 1870 were Harris & Blake, Parks & Light, R. P. McCrackin, Porter & Son, Wright & Co., Manley & Harrell, Tinsley, Tucker & Co., Holmes, Miller & Co., J. N. Wyatt, and Westbrook & Radford. Between 1870 and 1880: George Parker, Mat Wells, A. F. Dixon, J. N. Wyatt & Co., Westbrook & Radford, Smith & Son, A. G. Harris, Gregory & Dickey, and Hamilton & Cunningham. Of the present J. N. Wyatt, G. W. Gregory, W. A. Stone, A. G. Harris, dry goods; A. F. Dixon, J. I. Jones, Wilkinson Bros., Wilson & Co., dry goods and groceries; Dickey Bros., dry goods, groceries and hardware; Hamilton Bros., general store; Isadore Stone, clothing; M. R. Pace, Wesson & Dickey, Moore & Co., Smith Bros., family groceries; J. R. Dayton, stoves and hardware; Glass & Canthorn, Westbrook & Radford, drugs. Manufactories: G. W. Parker, flour-mill, roller process machinery; McCorkle & Co., chair factory; Porter & Sons, manufacturers of plug tobacco; McCorkle & Co., saw-mill; Polk Harris and James Dunlap, steam cotton-gins; Jesse Williams and Z. T. Wright, cabinet-makers and undertakers; A. R. Pace and William Fields, blacksmiths; Rice & Hurt and Robert Townsend, livery stables; Mr. Gilmore, Mrs. Maxwell, hotels. Physicians: Drs. R. N. Friar, W. E. Johnson, J. R. Westbrook, A. B. Hoskins, Jesse D. Cole, J. S. McCorkle and J. F. Sherrill. J. C. Holt and W. A. Hinson, dentists.

Newbern Lodge, No. 285, F. & A.M., was established in 1877; Newbern Lodge, No. 92, I.O.O.F, was established in 1882; Newbern Encampment, No. 45, was established in 1882.