Logan County, Illinois - Chapter 8: The Press, 1886

Chapter 8: The Press

Improvements in Journalism and Increase in its Power. - Early Papers in Logan CouNTr. - Papers at Lincoln, Atlanta and Mt. Pulaski. - Journals now Published. - Sketches of the Editors.

In the development ot modern civilization there is no more potent factor than the newspaper, and, at the same time, there has been no greater progress in anything for fifty years past than in American journalism. Fifty years ago the country had few newspapers that could be considered paying property. The metropolitan journals devoted 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 papers in style and contents. The telegraph and railroads, assisted by that enterprising spirit which is inseparably connected with successful journalistic management, liave wrought most gratifying results. Local news has become the main feature of weekly country newspapers, and all journals of the better class are foremost in advancing the best interests of the localities from which their support comes.

In Logan County, journalism has kept pace in the march of improvement with other professions and industries. The wide circulation of these papers at present published, and the large number of outside papers that are taken here, afford the best possible evidence that the people are intelligent, enterprising and progressive. In Lincoln alone 150 copies of outside dailj' papers are distributed every day by tlie news-dealer, and many come by mail direct to subscribers.

Although many able writers have been emploj^ed upon the county press in former years, without disparagement to any of them, it can safely be asserted that the journals of the county, taken as a whole, were never better conducted than at present. The editors are gentlemen who understand their business thor-

Lincoln

The oldest paper in the city is the Lincoln Herald. It has had continuous existence since its establishment Jan. 1, 1856. It was founded by Moudy & Fuller, who, in 1856, sold to Joseph Reed. He conducted it one year and sold to a joint stock company of twelve persons. These employed O. C. Dake to edit the paper, and under his management it was conducted until 1860, when A. B. McKenzie purchased a controlling interest in the paper. He at once associated with himself Henry Sturges, who remained until October, 1861, when he went to the army. Mr. McKenzie continued the paper until 1863, when he sold to Joseph C. "Webster, former Circuit Clerk, and the first Mayor of Lincoln. In January, 1866, he sold to Andrew McGalliard. Mr. McGalliard kept the Herald until Jan. 1, 1873 - seven years, when, being elected Circuit Clerk, he sold to Smitii & Mills. This firm continued the publication of the Herald until 1877, when Albion Smith retired, leaving Mr. Mills sole owner. It represents the interests of the Eepublican party, and is an ably conducted paper. It is published on Thursday, at $2 per year. It has been a sixcolumn quarto since July 27, 1876. Before that date it was an eight-column folio. The present building occupied by the Herald was erected in 1883, with especial reference to its use as a newspaper office. Before moving into this, it was located opposite the Lincoln House, on Broadway, for nearly eight years. The job printing department connected with the oflice is operated under lease by A. H. "Wiltz. This arrangement has been in force since Jan. 1, 1883.

This paper absorbed the Logan County Demoorat, established almost as early as the Herald, by a stock company, who managed it until about 1864, when it was sold to Samuel Johnson, who changed the name to the Logan County Courier, and as such was purchased by Joseph C. Webster when owning the Herald, and by whom it was merged into the latter paper. In 1867 the /SwieswiaTi was established by Thomas J. Sharp, who conducted it several yeirs. In May, 1873, the Journal was founded by Wallace Nail, who in December sold to R. B. Forrest. About the same time Samuel Reed purchased the Statesman, and he and Mr. Forrest formed a partnership, uniting the papers, thereby forming the

Lincoln Times. In December, 1875, AVallace Nail and brother Lemuel purcliased the paper. They published it four years, and then sold to T. H. Stokes, who assumed control Jan. 1, 1880, and h«s since remained sole owner. He has been assisted by J. "R. Sedgwick as local editor since May, 1884. The Times is a Democratic paper, issued on Thursdays, at $1.50 per year. In size it is a six-column quarto. The office is located on Kickapoo street, opposite the court-house.

In February, 1874, Sharp's Weekly Statesman was founded by Thomas J. Sharp. He managed it until November, 1875, when he associated with himself Colonel W. D. Wyatt. They started the daily Statesman in connection with it. In April, 1876, Mrs. Anna Wyatt became owner, the name changed to daily N'ews, and Colonel Wyatt remained as editor until Augnst, when the office was leased to Samuel Reed, who conducted it till March 17,

1877, when it was purchased by Joseph B. Bates, who changed the name to the Republican, and made it a weekly. This was purchased by Mr. Mills, of the Herald, Feb. 4, 1879. The Intelligencer was established in June, 1866, by Henry Sturges. In 1869, the paper was discontinued and the office removed to Winchester, Scott County, where a paper was published by D. L. Ambrose, for some time a resident of Mt. Pulaski. The Logan County Bee was established in 1877 by George L. Shoals, then editor of the Atlanta Argus. This died a natural death in about six months.

The first daily paper issued in Lincoln was the Experiment, whose first number was dated Jan. 4, 1860. The proprietors were Stephenson & Bowen. They did not find the venture profitable, and in a few months were obliged to suspend. No further attempts were made in that direction for many j'ears. The next daily not already mentioned was the Sentinel, established early iu July, 1878, by Dutcher & Pierce. The latter soon withdrew, and Dutcher conducted it alone several months, until he sold to Albert F. Smith, who liad been publishing the Temperance Bugle at Beardstown. Mr. Smith continued that paper here with the daily until March, 1881, when he discontinued both and removed to Decatur, where he is now publishing the State Journal. Messrs. Wolf & Edmonds started the second daily News in November,

1878. In a lew weeks this was succeeded by the daily Times, before mentioned. The Call was another short-lived daily paper, founded in the last of March, 1879, by McBeth & Hawley. The daily Times, above mentioned, was succeeded tlie July following its establishment by the Leader, with Edmonds Bros as publishers. They issued this sheet daily for fifteen months. In the autumn of 1?,%Q i\\Q Evening Record was started by Mohr Bros., who were succeeded six months later by Miller Bros. A few months more, and in June, 1881, L. C. Schwerdtfeger purciiased the^ Record, changing the name to the Journal. la January, 1882, he established the weekly Tribune, which has since been issued from the same office. Jan. 9, 1883, Mr. Schwerdtfeger leased the property to Messrs. Edmonds & ISTall. The latter withdrew in January, 1885, and in Marcli started the Evening Mail, which was suspended in July following. Mr. Edmonds is now alone in the publication of tlie daily Journal und weekly T?'ibune.

The Illinois Volksfreund was established in February, 1874, by T. J. Siiarp, who employed a German to edit it, but the latter remained only a few weeks. In the early spring Mr. Sharp sold this paper to Messrs. Wolf & Knorr. In October following Mr. Knorr sold his interest to Mr. Wolf, who conducted the paper some two years. After him it passed through two or three different hands, one of whom, named Fisher, changed the name to the Yolkshlatt. Some time in 1876 Mr. Fisher sold to Wallace Nail, who in turn disposed of the paper in the spring of 1877 to C. E. Knorr, sole proprietor and editor since. The Yolkshlatt is politically independent. It is an eight-column folio, issued on Fridays, at $1.50 per year. E. F. L. Rautenberg established another German paper, the Journal, in 1877. It was purchased in October by the proprietors of the Yolkshlatt.

Atlanta

The first paper at this point was the Logan County Forum, established in August, 1855, by S. B. Dugger. It was published a few years, and the enterprise was then abandoned by the proprietor. Afterward one or two other papers were started, but none continued successfully save the Atlanta Argus, which was established in May,' 1869, by Albion Smith. He at first printed it at Bloomington. In 1870 F. B. Mills, present proprietor of the Lincoln Herald, became a partner, and under this management the paper was conducted until the spring of 1873, when they purchased the Lincoln Herald and removed to the county seat, leaving the Argus to be managed by A. W. Briggs, who in July purchased the paper, and conducted it until August, 1874, when be sold to George L. Shoals, and the latter disposed of the office to Horace Crihfield ia November, 1881. la August, 188i, R. C. Crihfield became an equal partner, and the firm name was made Crihfield Brothers. The junior member of the firm now lives at Minier, and has immediate charge of the Minier Nefws which was printed at the Atlanta office for about ten years, until Aug. 1, 1885. Tl'ie gentlemen also own and publish the Wajnesville Record^ Kenney Gazette and McLean Lens^ making in all five papers, located in four counties. The Aryus is a seven-column folio, all printed at home. It is independent, politically. The subscription price is $1.50 per year. Friday is the day of issue.

The Sentinel was the first paper in this village. It was started in July, 1870, by Francis M. Dalton, who was, not long after, succeeded by John Bush. In August, 1871, the name was changed to the Observer, and as such was conducted by Frank Sloan until July, 1873, when it was changed to the Dollar Star, and published by Joel Dunbar, who soon afterward changed the name to the Mt. Pulaski Star and continued it until October, 1876, when it was sold out. Shortly atterward the Mt. Pulaski Citizen was started by the Oonklin brothers, who sold in 1881 to H. C. Suttle. He in September, 1885, disposed of the paper to O. G. Bekemeyer, who had founded the Times in June, 1882. The two papers were now united under the name of the Times- Citizen. It is a Democratic journal, issued on Thursday of each week, at $1.50 per year; in size an eight-column folio.

The Mt. Pulaski Eepublican was established in August, 1884, by T. H. Smedley, who in January, 1885, sold to C. H. Curtis, but repurchased in September, 1885. The Republican is a sixcolumn quarto, issued on Saturdays, at $1.50 per year.

Sketches Of Editors

Otto G. Bekemeyer, owner and editor of the Mt. Pulaski Times- Citizen, is a son of William F. and Emile (Schwarburg) Bekemeyer, natives of Prussia. The former is a wholesale and retail liquor dealer at Springfield, in this State, where Otto was born Sept. 8, 1862. . He graduated from the Springfield High School at the age of sixteen years, having in the meantime learned something of practical journalism. He finished learning the trade, and then reported on diff"erent papers until February, 1882, when he came to Mt. Pulaski. He was in his brother's store until June, when he started the Times. This was consolidated with the Citizen in 1885. Mr. Bekemejer is unmarried.

HoEAOE Crihfield, editor of the Atlanta Argus, and senior member of the firm of Orihtield Brothers, who publish the Atlanta Argus, Minier JVews, Waynesville Record, Kenney Gazette and McLean Lens, is a son of Philip and Sarah (McFarland) Crihfield, natives, respectively, of Ohio and Rhode Island. Philip Crihfield was a photographer by occupation, most of his active life, though his first business here was that of a druggist. He came to Atlanta as soon as the town was projected, and here resided until his death in 1867. He was married in 1855 to Sarah McFarland, whose family came to this neighborhood JSTov. 30, 1838, and were prominent among the pioneers. Of five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Crihfield, three are living - Horace, RobertCory and Martha. The last two, with their mother, reside at' Minier, Tazewell County. The eldest of the three, the subject of this biographical notice, was born May 13, 1856, at Atlanta, which has been his home since - at present writing, thirty years. He received a good elementary education in the public schools, which he attended until nearly eighteen years of age. When nineteen he entered the ^/-^ms office, under Mr. Shoals. In a short time he became editor of the Minier News, which was established by Mr. Shoals, and printed at the Argus office. For a year he spent the greater part of each week at Minier. Since then most of his time has been passed at Atlanta, though his newspaper interests in other towns require much traveling. As stated before in this chapter, he purchased the Argus in November, 1881. Aug. 1, 1885, he admitted his brother into partnership. He was united in marriage Oct. 2, 1878, with Miss Emily C. Arnold, of Atlanta. To them have been born three children - Eoy H., Fay and Philip. Politically Mr. Crihfield is a Republican. Mrs. Crihfield is a member of the Baptist church.

John Edmonds, editor and publisher of the Lincoln daily Journal and weekly Tribune, is a son of Thomas and Catherine (Keefe) Edmonds, natives of the Emerald Isle. They came to America when young, and were married in this country. Mr. Edmonds, Sr., lived in Pennsylvania for some years, and in 1863 came to Lincoln, where he died in 1875. His wife is yet living there. Their union was blessed with three children - John, Cornelius E. and Ella (principal of the Third Ward school of Lincoln). The first named, the eldest of the family, was born Oct. 14, 1854, near West

Iiistoey Of Logan Countf

Chester, Chester Co., Pa. He lived there till 1861, then, for one year, in Winnebago County, this State, next, for a year, in Stei)henson Connty, and then came with liis parents to Lincoln. Here he attended the public schools until seventeen years old. He was next employed at farming and at various other occupations until 1876, when he commenced soliciting for newspapers. He has since devoted himself entirely to journalism. His first independent venture was in 1877, when he established the Indiana. Statesman^ at "West Lebanon. His connection with the Lincoln papers is mentioned previously in this chapter. Born of humble parents, and having experienced none of the hixur}' and advantages which surround many of our American youth, Mr. Edmonds deserves all the more credit for the popularity he has gained and the energy he has displayed in making his papers highlj' successfal as news carriers and advertising media. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order, both lodge and encampment, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America.

Cornelius E. Edmonds, local editor of the Journal and Tribune-, was born April 12, 1857, and lived with his parents until twentytwo years old, attending the public schools of Lincoln. At the age mentioned he went to Texas, where he first edited the Denison daily Herald-News for a few months. Next, at Marshall, Texas, he edited the Messenger, a weekly paper, for a year and a half, at the expiration of which time he purchased a half interest in the ofBee. Keturning to Lincoln after six months more at Marshall, he soon left on a tour which lasted two years. He traveled through many of the Eastern and Southern States, partly for his health, and partly to see and observe. He returned once more to Lincoln in the summer of 1885, and since then he has filled the position of local editor on his brother's papers.

C. E. Knoer, editor and publisher of the Volksblatt, the only German paper in Logan County, is a son of Karl Gottlob and Johanna Elenora Knorr, natives of Sixony, where both resided till their death. The subject of this notice was born Oct. 28, IBol, at Wiederau, Saxony, where he lived until fourteen years of age. At that age he came to America. He first went to Columbus, Ohio, where a brother was living, and where he remained about one year. He then went to Emporia, Kan., where he had charge of a steam engine for a brother from spring to fall. His next move was to Fort Smith, Ark., where he worked in the office of the Fort Smith Nm Era three years, learning the printer's trade. He was employed for a short time in Little Rock and Lonoke, Ark., and Monnd City, 111., when he was foeman in the office of the Pulaski Patriot from spring to the close of 1873. He then traveled in Arkansas and Kansas a couple of months, and planned to return to the old country. Desiring employment for a few months, until the arrival of some money, he happened to find an opening at Lincoln, which he at once accepted. The fall of 187i he visited Germany, where he enlisted in the army and served three years, returning to Lincoln in November, 1877. Here he has since remained, engaged in the conduct of the Volksblatt. He was married in Germany, Oct. 30, 1877, and has now two boys - Richard E. and Fred 0. The family attend the Evangelical church.

Frank B. Mills, editor and publisher of the Lincoln Herald, is a son of Joseph A. and Margaret H. (Adams) Mills, natives of Ohio. Mr. Mills, Sr., was at different times engaged in merchandising and other occupations. He was in the Ohio Legislature from 1851 to 1853, having been elected as a Whig. In 1853 he removed to Iowa, where, as a Republican, he served one year in the Legislature of that State. He came with his family in 1857 to Atlanta, in this county, where he died in December, 1864. His wife is yet living at Atlanta. Their tjiree children are Cornelia M. (Poak), residing at Osceola, Mo.; Patience E. (Plummer), died at Lincoln in 1867, and Frank B. The last named was born Jan. 10, 184'2, in Clinton County, Ohio, where he lived until eleven years old. He lived with his parents at their different homes until August, 1862, when he enlisted in the Seventeenth Illinois Infantry. He served three years, his regiment being consolidated with the Eighth Illinois Infantry in May, 1864. He was discharged Aug. 22, 1865, at Baton Rouge, La. Returning to Atlanta he was variously employed until 1870, when he look an interest with Albion Smith in the publication of the Atlanta Argus. Jan. 1, 1873, he came to Lincoln, where he has since conducted i\\Q Herald. He was married to Orrilla Humason June 23, 1877, and has a family of three children.

Thomas H. Smedlet, editor and publisher of the Mt. Pulaski Republican, is a son of R. H. and Elizabeth (Rice) Smedley, natives of Illinois. The former followed farming in Morgan County, and died in the army during the late war. Thomas II. was born June 25, 1864, at Waverly, Morgan County, where he lived until thirteen years old. At that age he commenced to learn the printer's trade. He worked at various places until the summer of 1883, when he came to Mt. Pulaski. He was married Sept. 13, 1876, to Miss Minnie Kennedy, of Waverly, and has now two children - Virgie and Gracie. Mrs. Smedley attends the Methodist church.

Thomas H. Stok.es, proprietor and editor of the Lincoln Times, is a son of Benjamin A. and Maria L. (Mulford) Stokes, natives of New Jersey and Ohio. The former followed farming in Warren County, Ohio, during his active life, and is now retired. His son, the subject of this notice, was born March 28, 1848, at Utica, Warren Co., Ohio, in which place and at Kidgeville, in the same county, he lived until twenty years old. He attended the common school of his home, the National Normal School at Lebanon in 1866-'6, and the Antioch College in 1866-'7. He then taught school for one year near home, and in August, 1868, came to Lincoln. He taught for six months in the country here, and was, in 1869-'70, principal of the First Ward school of Lincoln. In July,

1870, he entered the employ of Boyd, Paisley & Co., with whom he remained continuously (except one year with John A. Lutz) until he purchased the Times, Jan. 1, 1880. Mr. Stokes has been for many years prominent in local politics, and in matters of public concern. He was for two years a Director in the Public Library Association, four years Secretary of the Democratic County Committee, three years Secretary of the County Agricultural Society, and is now a Director in the Lincoln Loan and Building Association. During the legislative session of ]885 he was Enrolling and Engrossing Clerk of the House. He was married March 28,

1871, to Mary M. Larison, of Lincoln, and has three children - Mabel, Walter R. and Carroll D. Mrs. Stokes attends the Cliristian church. Mr. Stokes is a member of the Masonic order.