Noble County, Ohio - Chapter 14: The County Press, 1887

Chapter 14: The County Press

Growth and Influence of Modern Journalism - Contrast Between Country Papers OF the Past and of the Present - History of the Whig and Republican Papp:r8 IN Noble County - *' The Investigator" Published at Olive in 1851 - !ts Part IN the County Seat Controversy - Description of an Early (-opy - Advertisers AND Items - Changes of Ownership - "The Noble County Patriot " at SaraiisviLLE - 'Thk Christian Harbinger" - "The Republican " and the "Consolidated Repkblican" - "The Noble County Republican" at Caldwell - Successive Owners - Its Present Condition - The "Caldwell Journal," a New Republican Paper Founded in 1883 - Democratic Papers of the County - The Democratic Courier at Sarahsville in 18.51 - Changes in Name and Ownership - Removal to Caldwell - Suspensio:.' - " The Spectator " - " The Citizens' Press" "The Caldwell Press "Its Present Management - "The Noble County Democrat** - Brief Noticf:s of Former Editors.

A S an adjunct of modern civiliza- I found its place as the chronicler of -^"^ tion there is no more potent i local news, the ])rotector and defactor than the ne\vspa])er press. Jn fender of home interests; and reeog nothin^evincing the spirit of progress nizes the fact that its mission and has there been greater advancement that of the great journals of the during the hust half century than in day are totally distinct, separated by American journalism. Fifty years , well-defined lines. This change has ago the country had few newspapers I caused the country papers to be more that eould be considered paying pro])- , liberally patronized, and given them erty ; the metropolitan journals de- , a degree of influence which they voted about as much space to foreign as to domestic news, while country weeklies seemed -to consider that which happened at home as of no importance whatever, and imitated the larger journals in style and con- I 1S51, by Oliver P. Wharton and tents. The telegraj)h and railroads, , Richard 11. Taneyhill. The InrMilussisted by that enterprising spirit (j(it(*/\ though both its proprietors which is insepambly connected with | were Whigs, claimed to be indesuccessful journalistic management, \ ])endent in j)olitics, and devoted itseU* have wrought most gratifying re- | to the all-absorbing (juestion of the suits. The weekly newspaper whose removal of the county seat from support and circulation are confined Saiahsvillcstrongly antagonizingthe to a single county no longer ambi- j Sarahsville interest and advocating tiously apes the city daily. It has I theelectionof the " peoi>le\s"' county ticket, uiJide up from both i)arti(»s. An early copy of the paj)er - No. 12 of the first vohune - has been examined by the writer, and as a brief summary of its contents may be interesting to moih^'n reader's, we present it here.

The hwexihjaiar was a well-printed six-column folio, bearing the motto, ! "Our principles embody the right." j The copy to which reference has been made l>ears the date, ''Olive, Ohio, ' Monday, October 0, 1S51." The , first column of the first page is headed by a cut of a pair of balances I beneath which is the legend, *' justice | knows not friends.'' This column contains an editorial cm the subject, " Is Noble County entitled to separ- I ate re])resentation r' This question , the writer answei*s affirmatively, then ])rocee(ls to <lemolish the argu- ' ments of the Ohio StuUsnuUi which has ex|)ressed a c<mtrary opinion. I The article is a scathing and wellworded arguujent. The r(»maindrr i of the fii*st page (which contains no advertisements) is nuide up of mis ceUaneous S(»lections, including a '* poet*s corner."' A column and a j half of the second page and two col- 1 umns of the last page ar<» occupied I by '' hiws of Ohio," ])assed at the last i session of the general assembly. The second page also contains market reports and an editorial notice, an- , nouncingthe deatli of Dr. David Mc- I (4arry, sen., who is spoken of in the highest tenns. Election day (Octo- | ber 14) was then near at hand and | local politics were evidently the all- I engrossing to])ic. The Itu'estHjator \ denounces the Denupornih' i^ouner \ and the Democratic county officers unsparingly in the editorials and communications which fill the remainder of the secoiul page and nearly a column of the third. The advertising rates were low and the patronage fair. The terms wei'e %\ ])er square of fourteen lines or less for three insertions and twenty-five cents for each subsequent insertion ; a card of four to seven hues, inchuling a copy of the ])aper, one year for ^4; mei'cantile advertisements, not exceeding one-four'th of a column, )Ji8 per year. Among the adver*tisements are S(»veral notices of sherifTs sales, signed by J. C. Schofield, sheriff; Henry AVolf, II. McKee and James McCune, call on the creditor's to s(*ttle; D. McKee makes a similar re(piest and adds the following (juaint I'hymes:

Among other advertiser's, nearly all of whom ar-e now dead, ar^e J. J. I^irkei", manufactur'er of straw-cutters, Olive; Geoi'ge Windors, blacksmith. Olive; Levi Devolld, tanner, harnessmaker and shoemaker, Centr-e Township; Thomas Stockwell, stonecutter, Olive; Benjamin Headley, boot and shoemaker; G. W. Ander'son, forwarding and commission merchant, Hridgepoi't ; Abner Morris, wagonmaker*, Olive; A. Judd, jr., ])roprietor of I^owell mills ; Mc- Carthv A: Paxton, Sharon, announce tlioir goods for sale at cost, biding about to move west. Hotel cards: John Harlan, I). J. Drake, Summer- Held ; AVdliam Parish, Sharon ; B. Thoria, W. Thorla, Olive. I^awvers : Green cV: Taneyhill, Davis Green of Marietta, and II. H. Taneyhill of Olive; Cochran & Mcintosh, S. W. P. (\)chran and John McI- tosh, Sarahsville ; Jabez Belford, William M. Kidn, Sharon; E. A. Hnitton, Sandisville. Physicians: Dr. J. V. Hopi^ins, Sarahsville; Dr. John Mc- (iarry, Carlisle. A feature, which ha|)|)ily tinds no counterpart in a nuMlern newspaper, was a '^ Hanknote list/' corrected weekly, showing the discounts and values of various State bank-notes. A number of the advertisements are re])eate(l on different pages, doubtless for the* purpose of tilling space. On the whole the paper was much better than tlui average country weekly of that day. In the spring of \H^2 Mr. Taneyhill, sold his interest in the /y^/v.v//- f/ffto?' to Dennis S. Gibbs, who continued its publication in ])artnershij) with Mr. AVharton, for a short time. In August, 1852, we find Oliver P. Wharton and James F. Capell ])ublishing JVie Peoples Organ', in Sarahsville. The chief purpose of the [)aj)er seems to have been to secure the removal of the county seat from Sarahsville. The Onjdn was a live local ])aper for those days. Dr. James F. Capell, the junior editor of the ])aper, was one of the ablest and most gifted men of Noble (Jounty. He was an able and eloquent speaker, and a brilliant and accomplishe<l writer.

Ihe Pe(q>Je\H Organ was succeeded by the NohJe Caimiij Patriot, The latter was started in 1854, mainly through the instrumentality of Samuel McGarry. Its main object se<Mns to have been the advocacy of a vote on the county-seat (juestion. No. 3S of the iii^t volume of the Patriot, dated October 28, 1851, shows that Robert Harkley was its editor, and James Mo watt its publisher. The Patriot was of the same size as the 1)1 vest l(/at(tr, and the issue shown to the writtir contained two j)ages of reading matt(^r and two of advertisem(»nts. The amount of editorial matter was very slight. Among the local advertisers were II. J. Rownd, James Stevens, William Van Meter and S. McCiarry, merchants, Sarahsville ; AVilliam M. Kain, lawyer, Sharon; William C. Okey, lawyer, Sarahsville; O. L. Horton, jeweler, Sarahsville ; U. P. Summers, proprietor of Union Mill, Marion Township. Advertising patrimage was not all that was desired, as is shown by the fact that nearly every advertisement a])pears on both sides of the pa])er.

How long the l*atrlot survival is not definitely known, John Stevens and William M. Kain (better known as Marcus Kain) converted it into a religious paj)er, published weekly, and styled the Christhm Ifarhlnger,\\\\\c[\ was short lived and unprofitable.

In 1S5(I Dennis S. Gibbs and A. B. Clark, with J. C. Schofield manager, established the livpnhlleaii at Sarahsville, the first political journal of the then newly-formed party in the county. Shortly after, this pai)er was merged with the Chrlntlai, liar- lAiujer^ the new ])aj)er being styled the (Jonmlidated livpuhVtcan and issued under tlie management of Randall Eoss and William II. Pbipps. About a year later, Ross became sole owner of the paper, moving it to Caldwell. lie conducted it until 1859, when John L. Shaw l)ecame part owner, and the name of the paper was changed to the Noble County liepnhlU'iDi^ which it still bears. Ross retired from the firm in 18(10, an<l Shaw continued sole editor and proprietor until 18()r) - his editorial career of seven yeai^s being much longer than that of any of his predecessors. The paper remained of the siime size, and there was no perceptible improvement in its style and contents. Little attentiim was given to local news, and oltentimes the edito rial notes were fcnv and brief. March 20, ISf)*), Mr. Shaw published his valedictory a<ldress, introducing Charles 11. (iofxlrich, the new proprietor. Col. Wilbert \\. Tetei-s was at once taken into partnei-ship by (loodrich, and the IkcpKhJlran was published under the joint management of Goodrich 6z> Teters.

In July, ISr^O, John W. Bell and Wallace II. Cooley suc(*eede<l Goodrich ic Teters as editors and proprietors. In November, 1870, Bell retired, and Mr. Cooley became sole owner of the liepuhHran. He enlarged the ])aper to seven columns, introduced more local niatter, improved its ap])ea ranee and added irreatlv to its value. Bv untiring effort he raised the subscription list from 480 names to a living patronage, and made a paying property of i a newspaper which hml encountere<l , innumerable vicissitudes and bank- 1 rupted many of its former owners. He is still at the helm doing earnest 1 work for the Republican party and I striving for the interest and welfare I of the i)eople of Noble County. The licjfithUntu^ by successive enlarge- [ nients, luis grown to a nine-column . folio, and its sul)scribers number over j 1,500. The pa|>er has had a con- I tinual existence since the year in I which Noble (-ounty was formed. I Mr. Cooley's long and successful I career as editor and proprietor of the IicjHthllrciit entitles him to an I exceptionally high rank as a success [ ful newspaper man. I Wallace II. Cooley was born in Fayette (>)unty, Pennsylvania, in 1844. At the age of thirteen he began learning the printer's trade, and in the spring of 18.*>0, at the age of fifteen, he came to Caldwell and l)egan work for John L. Shaw in the office of the Iifpnhliran, In the spring of 1801 he enlisted in the Twenty-lifthOhioVolunteer Infantry, in which regiment he served thi*ee years. Enlisting in llanc(x;k's Veterans at the expiration of this term, he served until the close of the war. In IS^WJ he returned to Caldwell where he was principally engjiged in working at his trade until ls(;0 when he became connected with the management of the Itejyuhliean. In 1872 he was married to Miss Miranda E. Reed, of Noble C\)unty. They have two children living and three (l<H;eased. Mr.(\)<)lev hasalways voted the Republican ticket. Hebelongs to the Masons, the Odd Fel-

The Caldwell Jonrnal wjis established in 1883 and its tii^t number issued on the 23d of August by Frank M. Martin, editor and proprietor. It is a Ilepublican paper, and ably supl>orts the principles of its ])arty. It has had an unusually successful career, all things considered, and is now on a permanent and prosperous basis, with a circulation of about 1,000. In size the Journal is a sixcolumn quarto. April 1, 1880, Mr. Martin sold a half interest to J. F. Knouff, and the ]m[)er was conducted l)y Martin ife Knouff until December of the same year when Mr. Martin again became sole proprietor. The Joxirmil is well edite<l, and some of its editorials on current to[)ics bear the impress of deep thought and of a high order of talent.

Frank M. Martin, the founder of the paper, was born in Warren County, Illinois, June 28, 1859, but came to Noble County when five years old. lie leiirned the printing business in the office of the Noble County JiejnihUean, He was foreman in the office of the Woodsfield Gazette four yeiirs and edited that paper one year. In 1883 he came to Caldwell and started the Journal . Mr. Martin was married in 1885 to Miss Kate Mooney, of Woodsfield, Ohio, and is the father of one child, Edmund M.

Noble County with its Democratic majority of about one thousand, in 1851 offered an encouraging field for a Democratic newspaper. Therefore the county had not long been estab 14 * lished before the Democratic Courier made its appearance, published at Sarahsville. The first number was issued in May, 1851. William II. Gill and Robert Leech* were the publishers and proprietoi*s. The Courier was a typical country paper of that day - a six-column folio, not always neatly printed but always containing a large number of typographical errors. In addition to its political teachings it took a firm stand in favor of the retention of the county seat at Sarahsville.

Gill & Leech soon sold the Courier to Samuel McGarry and William Tracy, who were its publishers in the latter part of 1852, Mr. McGarry being the editor. About this time Charles Otis became the editor for a short time.

A copy of the Couriir ihiieiX August 23, 1S52, has been examined by the writer. This is the twelfth number of the second volume. The paper bears the motto, "The Right is always Expedient." The price was $1.50 per year. The first page is mainly made up'of miscellaneous selections, including three poems. An original contribution, amounting to half a column, describes alleged spiritual manifestations in a Sarahsville household. There are no advertisements on either the first or the second page. Nearly two columns of "Laws of Ohio" are found on the second page. At the head of the editorial column are the names of Samuel McGarry, editor; General Frank

Pierce and William R. King, Democratic candidates for president and vice-president, and the candidates for j)residentinl electors. A call for a Democratic county convention is published, signed by J. M. Stone, Elias Kackley and Samuel McCiarrv. The editorial comments are few in number but well-worded. Among the political articles are selections relating to Franklin Pierce andJames K. Polk. A tribute to the UKMuorv of Henry Frazier, <leceiise(l, is publishiMl by members of the Noble County bar. A short article recounts . a meeting at Point Pleasant, August i 20, for the |)ur|)ose of organizing a company to build a plank road from Sarahsville to Point Pleasant and thence to (^ambridw. The meetinir adjourned to meet at Sarahsville August 30. The report is signed by Charles Otis, president, and C. J. Albright and George Pi own, secre- j taries. Two ordmances of the town | of Carlisle are published, both for j the suppression of intemperance, I signed by GeorgeW. Shacklee, nuiyor, and R. II. Cnin, recorder. An obituary of Joseph Salladay is published, copied from the Organ, the rival pa- ])er of Sarahsville. Four columns of the thinl pjige are made u]i of advertisements. Jesse Ivl. Stone, of Moble County, and William Okey, of Monroe County, are announced as candidat(»s for Congress, sul)ject to the action of the district convention ; John K. Hooher, Jonathan R. Baker, James W.Shankland, Eliab Matheny, Frederick Roach, J. L. Pevan and Adam Weimer are announced as candidates for assessor in various parts of the county. K. P. Morrison, cabinetmaker, Sarahsville; Joseph II. Hunter, wagonmaker, Mount Ephraim ; D. W. Patterson, John Fowler, II. J. Rownd and John P. Ileaton, merchants, of Sarahsville; P. M. Leland, merchant, Jackson Township; Ilendershot A: Co., merchants, Williamsburg; Pool it Baird, tanners, Sarahsville; William Tracy, "Tnicy House," Sarahsville ; Joseph Johnson, jeweler, Sarahsville; i^emmax tfe Franklin, merchants. Freedom; Isaac Q. Morris, merchant, Mount Ephraim; Charles Otis, Wm. C. Okey, Pelford it Parrish, E. A. Brattan, Samuel W. P. Cochran and Daniel Pettay, lawyers, Sarahsville; and J. Y. Hopkins, J. F. Ca])ell and Samuel McCiarry, physicians, Samhsville, <are among the local advertisers. Half of the fourth page is occupied by "I^ws of Ohio," and the remainder by advertisements.

William Tracy soon l)ecame sole proprietor and continued the publication of the ]>aper with Benjamin F. Spriggs as editor until some time in 1855, when Wdliam M. Kain, then a Sarahsville lawyer, succeeded to the management of the office and the editorship of the paper.

In 1857 the Democratic CovHer passed into the hands of William II. Ijams, who changed the name to the Democratic Star, In 1858 the paper followed the county seat to Caldwell and under the management of Louis Baker and James H. Odell became the Nohle County Democrat, After the ]>residential campaign of 180O the paper suspended publication; but in the following year it was revived

The Cjounty Press

In 1803, the Democrats of the county, feeling desirous of representiition by a local organ, persuaded Kobert Hutchinson to purchase the material of the Woodsfield Herald, with which he start e<l the Demfh cratic Newn in Caldwell. Soon after Nathaniel Capell became his associate, but the business proved unprofitable and publication was sus])ended. Robert J. Smith was the next proprietor and the paper was continued by him until some tinie in the year 1S65. Then Cyrus McGlashan and William Clymer took hold of the business. Clymer retired shortly after, but McGlashan stuck to it bravely and kept the paper going under the name of the Noble County Newx until 1869, when lie turned it over to William A. Wallace. The latter moved the office to Summerfield, published a few numbers of a paper called the Cottage VU-}tm\ and then quit, for financial reasons, in 1871 Cyrus McGlashan bought back the material and started the Weel'ly Spectator in Caldwell. It was a small paper, iK)orly printed and poorly patronized.

In 1873 the pai^er passed into the hands of John M. Amos and Frederick W. Moore, who changed its name to the Citizens Press^ improved its appearance and secured a better patronage. In March 1874, Moore sold his interest on account of failing health, and John M. Amos became sole pro'prietor. Under his e<litorship the paper was well conducted and pros{)erous. In A])ril 1S84, Mr. Amos sold out to A. P. Jennings & Son, who changed the name to the Caldwell Presn and are the present proprietors.

Mr. D. A. Jennings, editor and manager of the PrenH^ assumed his present ])osition May 1, 1884. lie moved the office to its present location, and changed the form of the pa|)er from an eight-column folio to a six-column quarto. In January, 1880, he discarded the "])atent" side, thus giving space for more local matter than was formerly ])ossible. The PreHH is edited with ability and always contains a large amount of original matter, both of local and general interest. An interesting feature of the paper is its educational department, in which the interests of teacher's and schools are ably and candidly discussed. The Prei^s is constantly improving. Its circulation is now 1,500, and it is by far the most successful Democratic newspaper ever published in Noble County.

D. A. Jennings was born in Noble County, June 22, 1855. After attending the common and normal schools, he entered Adrian College, Michigan, from which he graduated at the age of twenty-one, receiving two degrees - bachelor of arts and bachelor of science - on the same day, an honor never before conferred upon any student of the instituti(m. lie next traveled and studied in Europe for about two \^ears. After returning to his native county, he went west, and in 1880 edited the Indi'pendent of Castle Rock, Colo- rado, for one year. During that time lie was admitted to the bar of Denver, Colomdo. lie afterwards taught school for some time, but was compelled to abandon that ])rofession on account of failing health. Since 1884 he has edited the Prexs and practiced law in ("aldwell. Mr. Jennings wasmarrie<l in 1880, at Uoulder, Col., to Miss Bell Zora King, of Castle Kock. They have one child - Myra.

The Noble County Democrat^ a new candidate for po])ular favor, made its ap|>eamnce July 29, 188(», and a])parently has *' come to stay.'' It is edited and published by ('. W. Evans, a young man of energy and enterprise, who is thoroughly familiar with every (le])artment of newspaper work. Its typograi)hical ai)pearance is unexceptionable, while its local page contjtins a large quantity and a great variety of items of interest to ^xavy citizen. The Demorrat is devoted to the interests of Noble County and of the ])arty whose name it bears. It is an eight-column folio, and its subscription ])ricc is one dollar per year. It already has a good circulation, and its patronage is rapidly increasing.

Charles Wesley Evans was born in Harnesville, ()., Nov. 23, 1S55, and is the son of Robert \l, Evans, an old resident of that place, who was born in Sussex County, Va , in 1S12. He (piit school at the age of fourteen and entered the oHice of the Harnesville EnUvpnxd to learn the printers' trade. The Kniirpnne was then under the editoi'ship of (leorge Mc- (^lelland and W. T. Evans, (brother of C. W.), wjus foreman in the office.

After learning his trade, young Evans followed it in . Wheeling, Zanesville, Columbus, and Bellaire, until February, I8S2, when he came to ('aid well and became foreman in the PreHH office, then owned by John M. Amos. lie remained in that |>osition until June 1, ISSO, when he resigned, and in the following month startecl the Democrat,

Mr. Evans was married in 1879 to Miss Ilattie A. Cllne, a native of I Belmont County, Ohio, and has one child - Lulu Estella. Mr. Evans comes of a family of printei's, and his wife is also a practical printer.

llavine: brought the history of Noble County Joumalism down to the year of grace, 1887, the question arises, \vhere are those who withstood the trials and vicissitudes incident to country newspaper work in former years ? Many are still living, and an attempt will be made tos|>ecify their whereabouts, as well as to tell what is known of those that are dead.

William Tracy went west, l>ecame a successful lawyer, and died in Guthrie Centre, Iowa. Oliver P. Wharton became the successful pub lisher of the Rock Island (III.) AdveHm'i\ He is still in the newspai>er business, and is at present located in Youngstown, Ohio. Harrison Gray Otis and Charles Otis were ccmnected with one of the early Noble (/ounty paj)ers for a short time. Charles Otis is now publishing a ]>a])er at I^)s Angeles, Cal.

Missouri, where be was a successful farmer. lie dieil recently. Rev. Kandall Koss was at one time President of Sharon College, in this County. He became president of a similar institution in Lincoln, Mo., and is now dead. Rev. William M. Kain is a Presbyterian minister in Pennsylvania. Ix)uis Baker publisheil the AVheeling Register until recently. He is now publishing a daily paper in St. Paul, Minnesota. George McClellan is now the publisher of an excellent pai)er - the Barnesville Enterprise. Charles II. Goodrich became proprietor of the Woodsfield Denioerat and is now the publisher of the Chronicle^ *iii Troy, Ohio.

W. 11. Ijams is Clerk of Courts at Omaha, Nebraska. J. II. Odell became engaged in the printing business in Columbus, afterwards went west. He committed suicide in

Omaha. Rev. R J. Smith, formerly President of the College at Beverly, Ohio, resides at that place. B. F. Spriggs, now deceased, became a prominent lawyer of Xoble County. Cyrus McGlashan resides at Windsor, Morgan County, and is a teacher. John M. Amos is editor of the Cambridge Jefftrsonidn^ one of the leading Democratic papers of this Congressional district.

D. S. Gibbs, ex- Probate Judge, is a lawyer in Caldwell. John L. Shaw holds a Government office at Wiushington. John W. Bell is a practising lawyer in the same city. Colonel W. B. Teters is at Boulder City, Colo., engaged in mining. William 11. Gill, Robert Leech, W. H. Phipps, James F. and Nathaniel Capell, Robert Hutchinson, J. C. Schofield, George Allen, Fred W. Moore and others, once in the Journalistic ranks in this county, are dead.