A. T. Armstrong of Newport, was born in Augusta County, Virginia, in 1844. His parents, Archibald and Betty (McCutchan) Armstrong, were natives of the Old Dominion, and the fourth generation born and reared on the same farm. They had nine children. Their father died in 1853, and the subject of this sketch took charge of the home place until 1864, when he entered Company A, First Virginia Cavalry, C. S. A., and served until 1865. From the close of the war until 1867 he again had charge of the farm; he then sold out, moved to Rockbridge County, Virginia, and followed farming there until 1871, when he came to California. On arriving here he first rented land for some four years, and then bought the ranch which he now occupies one mile east of Newport. For several years he carried on general fanning and stock-raising, but recently has turned his attention to dairying.
He was married in 1871 to Miss Mattie Firebaugh, also a native of Virginia, a daughter of David and Margaret Firebaugh. Their four children are: Minnie, now Mrs. Frank Baxter, of Fullerton; Berta, Willie and Fannie.