Preble County, Ohio - Chapter 16: The Press., 1881

Ir would be a difficult task - perhaps an impossible one - to detail all the vicissitudes of the newspaper press in this county. The first attempt to establish the institution was made by Messrs. Blackburn & Daly, in the year 1816. They were young men of some energy and brains, but without capital. Cornelius Vanausdal furnished the means to buy an old style Ramage press (perhaps the only style then known), and type enough for the publication of a small sheet. With these materials was commenced the publication of the Western Telegraph, a weekly publication, on a demi-sheet. It is very doubtful if there is a complete file of that paper in existence at this time. Considering the paucity of mail facilities existing at that time, the isolated situation of the village, and the unsettled condition of the county, the conjecture would not be unreasonable, that the paper itself was of limited interest, and its patronage on the same scale.

The publication did not continue very long under the auspices of Messrs. Blackburn & Daly. Mr. Blackburn's health failed, and he finally died of consumption, and Mr. Daly was unable to continue the publication alone. John A. Daly, esq., was an Irishman by birth, highly educated, and a lawyer by profession. Soon after the failure of his newspaper enterprise he became deranged. For many years he was, literally, a wanderer upon the earth, roaming from place to place, as fancy might direct, occasionally visiting this place. His last appearance here was in the year 1827. His last departure from here was toward the south - it was never known what became of him. He was the elder brother of George W. Daly, so long known in this county as a school teacher.

After the failure of Blackburn & Daly, Mr. C. Vanausdal, who owned the printing materials, continued the publication of the Western Telegraph for some time on his own account. Not being a practical printer, and the income from the publication being vastly below the outgo, and his mercantile affairs requiring all. his time and care, in a few months it was discontinued finally:

In the fall of 1819 Mr. Vanausdal was elected to represent this county in the legislature of Ohio, and at the same time Hon. Samuel Tizzard was elected a representative in the same body from Ross county. While serving in that capacity these two gentlemen formed an acquaintance; and Mr. Tizzard being a practical printer, was induced to visit this place in the spring of 1820, with the view of a location here. The result of his visit was, that he was so well pleased with the prospect, that he purchased the printing office, and during the ensuing summer commenced the publication of the Eaton Weekly Register. It was for several years published on a medium sheet, subsequently being enlarged from time to time, as the patronage and necessities would justify.

The publication of the egzster, under various changes of proprietorship and editorship, has continued to the present time - a period of sixty years, and has always been deemed the leading newspaper of the county. It would probably not be of much interest to the reader of the present day, to note all the changes and transfers of ownership of the Register. It may be proper to say, however, that Mr. Tizzard continued the publication up to the year 1830, and then sold out to Mr. Enoch Edmonson, a young man, printer by trade, from Washington city. Mr. Edmonson conducted the paper a couple of years, and then made a trip to the east, to visit his home and relatives, and on his return west, somewhere in the Alleghany mountains, he was killed by the upsetting of the stage coach.

After the death of Mr. Edmonson the paper changed hands several times, but continued to be published uninterruptedly. During the year 1839 Mr. Tizzard again became its publisher, and so continued up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1844. Succeeding this event, William B. Tizzard became proprietor, by whom the publication was continued for some years, when it passed into the hands of William F. Albright. The next proprietorship was that of Messrs. W. B. Tizzard and Isaac S. Morris, under whose management and control it continued until the year 1874, when it passed into the hands of W. F. Albright and Colonel Robert Williams, under the name of W. F. Albright & Company. At present (1880), it is published by W. F. Albright & Sons. Itis proper, and may be of interest, to say that Mr. Albright has been connected with the Register office as apprentice, journeyman, partner, or proprietor, for about forty years, or more than the average length of human life.

names of those who have from time to time had control of the editorial department of the Register. After the elder Mr. Tizzard, and Mr. Edmonson, General G. D. Hendricks conducted it some time. John Vanausdal, esq., Francis A. Cunningham, esq., and Cornelius Duggins, each successively had control. David Johnson, W. B. Tizzard, John P. Charles, esq., G. W. Thompson, esq., Thomas J. Larsh, esq, Isaac S. Morris, and Colonel Robert Williams, also, for longer or shorter periods, occupied the editorial tripod. In addition to these parties, each of the above named proprietors was to a considerable extent identified with the editorship. `

In the year 1827, the publication of Zhe Star in the West was commenced in the Register office - Samuel Tizzard publisher, Rev. Jonathan Kidwell and Dr. Daniel D. Hall editors. This was a religious paper, published monthly, in the interest, and to propagate the doctrines of Universalism. 'The publication of the Star was continued here, in its original form (eight medium octavo pages), for three or four years, and was then removed to the city of Cincinnati. 'There it was pretty soon consolidated with a similar publication called the Sentinel, and became a weekly paper. It has continued to be published there, with one or two short migrations, to the present time, and has long been considered one of the leading journals of the Universalist denomination.

In the beginning of the year 1840, in the midst of the heated political contest of that year, between the Whig and Democratic parties, an association, or stock company, was organized, a press and type purchased, and the publication of the Eaton Democrat commenced. Many changes of publishers and editors, frequent interruptions of continuity - some longer, some shorter - and various vicissitudes have attended the issue of the Democrat, A short time after the close of the war of the Rebellion, the establishment came into the possession of L. G. Gould, since which time its issue has been uninterrupted. It is printed on a large imperial sheet, has a liberal advertising patronage, and its editorial department is conducted with considerable ability. It.manifests evidence of prosperity and permanence and exerts a fair share of influence upon the business prosperity of the country.

Frequent efforts have been made, from time to time, for the establishment of other newspaper enterprises both here, at the county seat, and at other points in the county, sometimes with evanescent show of success, but usually with feeble and short-lived vitality. "There is at this time, however, a newspaper, published at the. village of Camden, by Mr. E. M. Kennedy, called Zhe Gazette, which gives promise of greater permanency than some of its predecessors. The first number of this paper appeared January 15th, 1880, and was published by E. M. and L. E. Kennedy.

The policy which has ruled in the conduct of the paper, has been that which aimed at the production of a good, newsy local paper, devoted to the interests of

The circulation of the Gazette has been very general throughout the southern part of the county, and reasonably good in all parts of Preble and in adjoining coun- ties. It has a circulation of about six hundred copies. The paper was published every Thursday by E. M. & L. E. Kennedy until July 10, 1880, when L. E. Kennedy retired-from the firm. Since then, the paper has been carried on by E. M. Kennedy. It is an eight-column folio, ready print outside. The 'size of the paper, its advertising patronage, the ability displayed in its editorial department, its mechanical execution, all bear testimony to enterprise in the management, and are the harbingers of stability.

As an interesting historical fact, it may be stated that in the year 1824, an original school arithmetic was printed in the Register office, compiled by John Graham, called "Graham's New Arithmetic," which was the first publication of the kind in America that entirely omitted mention of sterling money, or the English system of computing money by pounds, shillings and pence. This work was the most extensive job of book printing ever done in the county. The letter press was on small pica and long primer type, and the press work done on an old Ramage or screw press, at the rate of two hundred and fifty sheets per hour, with the labor of two men, the forms being inked with old style buckskin balls.

It may be truthfully said, that the patronage extended to the newspaper press, by the citizens of this county, has always been liberal. Not only the home papers have been reasonably well sustained, but a very large number of leading journals of Cincinnati and the eastern cities have always been taken in the county. Our people are distinctly a reading and intelligent people; and it would be difficult to find, anywhere in or out of the State, an equal number of newspapers taken and read by an equal population.

Here we might descant upon the utility and influence of the newspaper press, but it is a hackneyed theme, and we could only repeat what has been a thousand times said before, and in better phrase than we could use. Without intelligence and virtue, no people can become prosperous, or make the best of life. Especially in a Republican form of government is it important that virtue and intelligence should pervade all classes, from the highest to the lowest. Only where ignorance and superstition predominate with the masses, can the arts of the demagogue be successfully wielded. The fathers of the Republic understood this matter thoroughly, and made liberal provision, wherever possible, for the education of the whole people. In the first organic law of our State it is declared that the security of liberty is in the virtue and intelligence of the people, therefore ample provision shall be made by the State for the education of all the youth of the State. The newspaper, dealing as it does with the current events and transactions of to-day, and discussing the questions of present daily moment and importance, affords a truly indispensable medium of enlightenment and knowledge. 'The family or community that enjoys the advantages of a well conducted newspaper, is always far in advance, in point of intelligence and prosperity, of one deprived of such advantage. Besides its superiority as a medium of education, it is the cheapest source of knowledge ever enjoyed press shall descend from the standard of excellence which it at present occupies; and may the time speedily arrive, when the poorest cottage and the grandest mansion shall alike be supplied with the well conducted daily journal.