Tazewell County, Illinois - Chapter 15: The Press, 1879

Chapter 15: The Press

The printing-press is everywhere recognized as one of the most important factors in shaping and moulding the character and destiny of communities, and, perhaps, among the least appreciated by the people called upon to sustain it. Printing presses are continually at work in many towns of this county preparing the news aud general information to be circulated in almost every home in the county, and then almost every train that crosses the borders of the county carries the newspapers fresh from the press. Contrast this state of affairs with that of half century ago when the pioneer came to found homes. They had no local weekly, no steam-engine to bring in foreign papers, yet damp from the press, but, instead, the mail boy at long intervals would bring a paper or two, some religious paper or Eastern journal, into the neighoorhood. This supplied all the news for the entire settlement.

At the present there are nine regular publications in this county. During the year from the time the first paper was struck off till 1879, the newspaper enterprises have been numerous, and the number of editors counted by the score. Among the gentlemen who drove the quill for these publications, were some talented, graphic and cultured writers, some of whom wielded a salutary influence in the county, while others won reputations not enviable. The editorial staff of the various papers represent pleasant, forcible and pointed writers and advocate their various theories, principles and political views with much ability and effect.

Pekin Times

The Times is one of the leading journals of Central Illinois, and, indeed, takes rank with the larger and more prosperous papers of the Northwest. It is uncompromisingly Democrat in politics. In its management is displayed considerable enterprise, tact, energy, and superior business ability. Its editorials are able, and its local columns are generally full, well arranged, and embrace all the happenings of the city, and, indeed, of the entire county. Its list of regular correspondents in various parts of the county contribute well-prepared articles of the news of their district each week. The

Editor Pehin Times

Times' office is furnished with the best material and presses, and for mechanical execution, the work turned from it will compare favorably with that of the largest printing establishments in the West. The foreman and men of this department are fine executors of the art. The general office is provided with a library, and the sanctum sa)ictorum, the place where ye editor sits in his easy chair, is not only finely fitted and furnished, but elegantly so, and for an equal we must go to some of the largest establishments in the State. The Pekin Times is the oldest paper in the county, and we labored quite assiduously for weeks to get its early history, and only partially succeeded. In 1850, the only newspaper published in the county was the Tazewell County Mirror. It was published by John Smith, who at present resides at Princeton, where he is publishing a paper. It was Whig in politics. In the fall of 1850, a Democratic paper, the Pekin Weekly Reveille, was started by James Shoaf and E. S. Rogers. The former subsequently won great reputation as a newspaper man, at Decatur. He died some years ago. The latter was a lawyer, and at present lives at Omaha, Neb. They sold to J. C. Thompson in 1851. He was a young lawyer from Ohio, went to Kansas, in 1854, and died. He published the Reveille until the winter of 1853 and '54, when he sold to Merrill C. Young, who, also, in the fall of 1854, bought the Mirror, and consolidated them, and called it the Pekin Weekly Plaindealer. This paper was published by Young & Underwood. It was independent or neutral in politics, with Democratic tendencies. These gentlemen ran it till the fall of 1856, when Young was elected Circuit Clerk and Underwood moved to Charleston, 111., where he is own running a paper. During the winter of 1856 Young sold to Thos. J. Pickett. He had published the Palladium here in 1840, and in 1838 the first paper was started by Jesse Nason. Pickett turned the Plaindealer into the Register, a paper whicih enjoyed a long and varied run. It was independent with Republican tendencies. In the spring of 1858, about the time the Lincoln and Douglas Senatorial campaign began, John McDonald bought it and published it as a Democratic paper. He ran it till 1868, when Wm. T. Meads bought it and conducted it till 1872. B. C. AUensworth then went in partnership with him. Then John Mounts went in with AUensworth. He now publishes the Havana Democrat. They ran the Register a while, then AUensworth drew out and Mounts ran it until it failed, when it fell into the hands of Wm. P. AUensworth. It did not appear for a while in 1873, when a man named Wilkes got hold of it and ran it till Oct., '73. Then \V. T. Dowdall and J. B. Irwin, of Peoria, became its possessors, when it was christened the Pekin Times. Irwin soon bought Dowdall out, and by untiring energy and rare business tact, built up a larger circulation than it ever enjoyed before. In July, 1877, Geo. E. Schaumleffle purchased a third interest of the paper, and the firm name is now J. B. Irwin & Co.

Joseph B. Irwin was born in Circlevillo, Ohio, Oct. 11, 1849. His parents, John E. and Catharine (Tobias) Irwin, were natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. Irwin passed his boyhood days in his native town and attended the common schools and Circleville Academy, where he received a good education. In January, 1872, he was united in marriage with Inez M. Fifee. They have had born to them two children, neither of whom are now living. Before leaving the Buckeye State Mr. Irwin held the position of City Clerk of Portsmouth for one year, and since residing in Pekin has been School Inspector for three years. He came from Portsmouth, O., to Peoria and engaged in the printing business on the Peoria Democrat. In 1873 he came to Pekin and in company with W. T. Dowdall, of Peoria, purchased the effects of the Pekin Register of W. P. Aliensworth and started the Pekin Times. When he first issued the Times there was no subscription list, the paper had changed hands often, its reputation was gone and everything was discouraging, but by much hard work, perseverance and both business and editorial ability he has placed the Times on a solid financial basis, and as a news and literary production ranks among the leading weeklies of the Northwest. We give his portrait in this volume.

George E. Schaumleffle, junior member of the firm of J. B. Irwin & Co., and the literary man of the' Times, was born in Pekin, 111., March 1, 1854. His parents are P. and Lizzie (Volk) Shaumleffle, the former a native of Bavaria, the latter of Hess Darmstadt, Germany. George attended the public schools of Pekin and at sixteen entered the printing office, the best of all schools. July 28, 1877, he bought an interest of the Times and since has conducted its columns with marked ability. During the two years preceeding he was local editor of this paper. As a writer Mr. S. is forcible and pleasing. His editorials show him to have a thorough knowledge of the great questions of the day ; his local squibs are full of life and often smack with a high order of humor. He is young, a hard worker and close student, and we predict for him a bright future should his editorial career continue until he reaches the prime of

A paper in the hands and under the control of men of such business ability, tact, foresight and able writers, as J. B. Irwin and George E. Schaumleffle, is sure to be a success.

The history of the Republican and its predecessors dates back to some time in the year 1836, but the destruction of the files, which contained a succinct compilation of its history, were destroyed by fire, May 9, 1875, therefore, all that can be given is what the biographers have been able to secure through individual recollections up to the year 1863, to-wit : In the month of October, 1848, the Tazewell Mirror was purchased from John S. Lawrence by John Smith, now of Princeton, 111, In 1850 Smith sold to Bernard Bailey, but repurchased the Mirror in 1851 in company with Adam Henderson. Henderson remained a member of the firm but six months, when John Smith became sole publisher and proprietor. In 1855 Smith moved the material of the office to Toulon, Stark county. Thomas Pickett, after the removal of Smith, procured a comjilete outfit and revived the paper but called it the Tazewell County Mirror.

In 1860, at the commencement of the famous Lincoln and Douglas campaign for the Presidency, the Republican party had no organ in Pekin. The leaders here foresaw a fierce contest would be made between the two great political parties of the nation and desired the principles of their party to be set forth to this people. Accordingly, John Smith, the same gentleman who published the 3Hrror, came back to Pekin, bought out the Mirror and started the Bepuhlican. A paper which has wielded influence and power for its party principles that has been felt throughout Central Illinois. Some of the ablest writers known to the State have conducted its columns. Smith ran the Republican till 1862. Shortly before this Hezekiah Naylor and O. White started the Patriot, which had a short unsuccessful run, when it failed, and in 1862 Hart Montgomery went in with Naylor and bought the Republican from Smith. They published it until Wm. W. Sellers got a hold ot it, in 1863 or '64. He made it a red-hot Republican organ and one of the best papers published in the Northwest. He was a shrewd able writer and could turn the English language into a two-edged sword Avhen in a wordy conflict with an opj)oncnt. He conducted it until his death, which occurred Dec. 15, 1872. It was then conducted by his administrators for a short time, when Jacob P. Riblett and Wm. H. Bates purchased it. They conducted it jointly for three months when Bates withdrew. In 1874, D. W. Lusk bought Riblett out and remained its proprietor until Nov. 3, 1876, when Bates again became its owner. He remained at the helm until Feb. 14, 1879, when Joseph B. Bates, of the Lincoln, 111., Bejmblican, purchased it, and is its present editor and proprietor. Mr. Bates is a man of more than ordinary ability, and thoroughly understands the management of a paper, to make it a real family journal. His locals are fresh, short, and to the point; his editorials prove him to be thoroughly versed in the civil, political and domestic economy of our times and country. As a party advocate, he is temperate, yet forcible and convincing, and will wield an influence in the county that will be felt and recognized.

W. A. Wildhack, city editor, is a son of one of the early pioneers and prominent men of this county, John Wildhack. He is a wideawake, able young man, a just and graphic writer, and the columns under his management arc full, interesting and gives credit to both himself and the paper,

The Washington Herald

The Washington Herald was established in July, 1868, by Thomas Handsaker, its present editor and proprietor, and is one of the best local and family newspapers in Central Illinois. In addition to the newspaper department, it has a most excellent book and job printing department. At one time in Mr. H's career he could have bought every article of printing material in the county for the small sum of $500. To-day he is the publisher of one of the foremost of the nine newspapers published in the county. Washington had a newspaper as far back as 1853. Mr. A. A. Couch, in connection with Albert Parker, both gentlemen from Peoria, started the Washington Investigator, which, after a life of two years, succumbed, like thousands of others, to the inevitable. For ten years the town was without a paper, when an adventurer came in with type and press, and issued a paper, the name of which is now forgotten, canvassed the country thoroughly, received many advance subscriptions, after which, like the Turk, " he silently folded his tent and quietly stole away" in the night, leaving a huge obstacle in the way of any one who might come after him to surmount. Notwithstanding the above tacts, and being almost a stranger^ to the business community of AVashington, Mr. H. came on with his printing material, and went to work, asking no aid of any one, and no pay ibr work until it was finished, and that, too, satisfactorily, and by constant and indefatigable labor, he has established The Herald Printing House on a firm, paying basis, and has^ the confidence of the business men of the city, and the farmers of the entire surrounding country. Mr. H. is progressive in his nature, and is adding to his establishment the new and latest styles of type for the convenience of his numerous customers as his means will permit, or the business justify, and on July 1st, 1879, the commencement of the twelfth volume"' of the Herald, if life and health are spared to him, his paper will ai)pear in an entire new dress. The Herald has always been noted and has become popular from the simple reason that its chief aim has been to protect and build up the business of the town, and although its columns are open to advertisers from all sections, it never solicits advertising away from home, knowing that the business men of Washington can do as well by their patrons as those of other places, and much preferring that they should do the business of this section. This fact alone, should induce the business portion of Washington to give all their advertising and printing to the Herald, wliich has always stood manfully by them in the past and expects to in the future.

Thomas Handsaker. - The founder and at present the editor and publisher of the Washington Herald, and the oldest resident printer in Tazewell Co., was born in the city of Derby, England, Feb. 2, 1837, and emigrated with his parents 'to the United States in 1844, arriving in Alton, 111., in June of that year. In the fall of 1846 he entered as an apprentice on the Alton Daily Telegmph, then edited and published by the late Judge Bailache, in which office he worked a little over two years, but the labor proving too heavy for his physical ability, he was given an honorable discharge and a new position secured him by his employers upon a paper about to be started in Carlinville, 111. At the age of 12 years he went to Carlinville, unpacked and laid the type in the cases and set up the Washington hand-press and had it in readiness for work one week before the foreman, N. J. Howe, of Lockport, New York, but then engaged upon the St. Louis Republican, arrived to take charge of the office. Hon, Jeff L. Dugger was the editor and proprietor of the paper, which, by the way, was called the jNIacoupin Statesman, and upon the arrival of the foreman, he found the first number of the paper set up, proved and corrected, all ready to go to press, and all this mechanical work had been done by Handsaker, who was known by the cognomen of the "Boy Printer," and to this day he feels a just pride in the fact that he laid the first office and set the first type that was ever set in "the State of Macoupin, " and refers to ex-Governor Jno. M. Palmer, then a leading lawyer in Carlinville, for the correctness of this assertion. Serving out his time upon the Statesman, he went to Sj^ringfield, where he worked one winter upon the State printing, and from there found himself 'next in Chicago, where he worked for Long John Wentworth, on blank work ; Langdon & Rounds, book and job printers; and was for a time, in the Democratic Press job room. In September, 1 852, he arrived in Pekin, Tazewell county, Illinois, on his way to New Orleans, but being prevailed upon by N. J. Howe, his former foreman and chum in Carlinville, whom he found foreman of the Pekin Weekly Plaindealer, Merill C. Young, editor and publisher, he went to work, and remained until the winter, when he went to Peoria, and during the Crimean war was an attache of the Peoria Morning News, and for several months he occupied the position of foreman. He again went to Chicago, where he was engaged in the Democratic Press job rooms when the Pres=, and Chicago Tribune were consolidated, and being thrown out of a job, he took himself to Cincinnati, where he got cases on the Cincinnati Gazette before he had been in the city an hour. Giving up working on a morning paper, he secured a permanent i^osition in the book office of ^Nloon, Wildstack, Keys & Overend, tlie largest book ])ublishing house in the West at that time, which posjtion he held for several months. In all his wanderings he did not forget the " Prairie State, " and which, no doubt, contained more than one object of attraction of more than ordinary magnetic power, so lie found himself, in August, 1855, foreman of the Atlanta (Logan county, Illinois) Forum, edited and published by Samuel B. Dugger, Esq. While engaged in this office he married Miss Aminda A. Clifton, in Pekin, October 4, 1855, and remained on the Forum until the spring of 1856, when he returned again to Pekin. In the fall of 1856, he again took cases in Peoria, where he remained until the late John McDonald started the Tazewell Register, in Pekin, when he accompanied him, and occupied the position of foreman for eight years. In July, 1868, Mr. H., came to Washington and built up the Washington Herald upon the ashes of two defunct predecessors, and nothwithstanding the head-shaking and croakings about being able to make a paper pay, he still lives, and has as good a lease of life and prospect of an honorable and glorious future as many of his younger cotemporaries Mr. H., can truthfully be said to be a self-made man, having secured the limited education which he possesses while making the necessaries of life. His preceptors in the "Art Preservative" have all passed away, while the larger part of his companions and fellowworkmen of his youth have succumbed to the ravages of time, or are scattered and lost - but not forgotten. The limited space allotted to this sketch must necessarilly cut out some reminiscences that might be interesting to the general reader, but we must close with one, which is nothing more nor less than that during Mr. H's., career as a printer, Tazewell county has seen the day when he could have been the possessor of every bit of printing material and the publisher of the only paper if he had only possessed shekels enough to figure $500. What a change twenty years has made in the printing business in this county, which has now within its borders nine weekly newspapers, which cost at least $25,000 to establish.

Delavan Adveetiser

This has the honor of being the first paper started in Delavan. The first issue was submitted to public gaze in 1868, C. R. Fisk being its publisher. It was independent in its political expressions. This journal received a severe blow in December, 1869, when Mr. Fisk died. Its publication ceased for a time, but ere long the present editor and publisher, Mr. Jno. Culbertson, became its possessor, and since which time it has, notwithstanding its ups oud downs, assumed an enviable position among the local newspapers of Central Illinois. Mr. Culbertson took charge of it in April, 1870, and during the memorable Presidential campaign of 1872, it was the only straight Democratic paper published in the State. It then supported Charles O'Connor for President, and with considerable energy and ability. Since under its present management, it has been conducted on straight Democratic principles.

The Advertiser is an eight column folio, neatly printed, ably edited and a good circulation. Its advertising department is well sustained by the business men of Delavan, which, we might remark, shows them to be sagacious, wide-awake business men, and also is the best of evidence that the Advertiser is appreciated by the better class of the community.

M. (Beavers) Culbertson. He was united in marriage with Miss Sarah E. Morris, on the 31st of October, 1861. The union has been blessed with five children, three of whom are now living - Celia B., Ella A., and Sarah A. Mr. Culbertson enjoyed only the advantages of a common school education, yet he has taken advantage of the practical schooling received in the printing office. He learned the trade of printing in the office of the Zanesville Aurora, and then worked for about six years in the Cincinnati Commercial office. After leaving that office, he engaged in farming, and then embarked in the mercantile business, in Muskingum Co., O., where he remained until 1870, when he came to Delavan and bought the Advertiser, which he has established on a paying basis, with a fair prospect for the future.

The Minier News

The Minier News was established in September, 1875, by Geo. L. Shoals, its publisher and proprietor. Mr. Horace Crihfield has been its local editor, with the exception of a few weeks, since the first issue. The News is an eight-page, forty-column paper, neutral in politics, and devoted largely to local interests. It is published every Saturday morning, at |1.50 a year, and has a good circulation.

Horace Crihfield, the local editor of the News, was born at Atlanta, Logan Co., 111., May 13, 1856. He attended the common and high schools of his native town, at which, together with the printing office, he has acquired a good education. He is a plain, pleasing, yet forcible writer, and conducts his department of the News with satisfaction to the public. He was united with Emily C. Arnold, in marriage, Oct, 2, 1878. Politically, Mr. C. stands upon the Republican platform.

Delavan Times

The Delavan Times first greeted its readers Sept. 5, 1874. This publication is a happy illustration of the success ever attending pluck and editorial ability. Its editor, Mr. Joe Reed, started the concern largely on " wind." He had no means, and but little influence. By dint of persistent effi)rt, he establislied sufficient credit to get together some material and issue a paper. Tlie first number reached but one bona fide subscriber. Mr. Reed worked off his edition and waited for patronage. It failed to come, and continued discouragements seemed to doom the enterprise to an early death. After waiting for a few weeks he put the subscri]ition price down to a nominal figure on three month's subscription, and inaugurated a fearless, pithy and outspoken editorial tone, which has characterized the policy of the Times ever since. From that day the paper has been a pronounced success, and noted fi)r its pungent editorial comments on matters of local and public interest. Politically the Times is Independent Republican. It is by no means a party paper, and sometimes opposes Republican candidates. It is opposed to liquor license, but is neither bound or influenced by any temperance organization, and is strongly in favor of individual freedom, as applied to the use of ardent spirits. In short, the Times is a don't-care-a-cent kind of a sheet, and favors or opposes men and measures with a supreme disregard of financial or other results. It is now liberally patronized, has a handsome circulation, a Avell-stocked oflice, and free from incumbrance. Its proprietor is the editor, who is assisted by correspondents and reporters unknown to the public. Mr. Reed is a young married man, intelligent and red-headed. He has lots of enemies and lots of friends, but seeks not the latter, and cares nothing for the former.

Tazewell Independent

The first number of this excellent paper, which is published at Washington, appeared Friday, Nov. 24, 1876. It was founded by its present editor, H. A. Pallister, and George N. Bondurant. These gentlemen had considerable experience in the world, practical knowledge of the art, and possessed more than ordinary ability, which, backed by energy and moral tone, gave this journal an impetus, from the start, such as few papers have enjoyed. We do not mean to convey the idea, however, that it has not had obstacles to surmount ; the various difficulties incident to the establishment of a new enterprise, especially that of the newspaper, has attended it, but with strong faith in ultimate success, its editors struggled on and succeeded, even in so short a time, in placing it upon a firm foundation. On the 16th of March, 1877, H. A. Pallister purchased Mr. Bondurant's interest in the paper, and remained sole editor. At present it is owned by Mr. Pallister and E. E. Heiple. The latter bought an interest in the concern at the beginning of the present volume, which was Nov. 21, 1878. At that time the publication day was changed from Friday to Thursday. Mr. Pallister, however, has sole editorial management. It is strictly non-partisan and unsectarian in its principles, thus not binding its editor to party or sect, but leaving him free to endorse and impartially advocate such measures as are of greatest public weal. Price, per year, $1.50.

H. A. Pallister was born in Liverpool, Eng., May 19, 1843. He attended the common schools of that country, and was apprenticed to learn the "art preservative." For seven years he served in the job office of the Leeds Mercury, a journal published at Leeds, Yorkshire, Eng., and one of the largest and most widely circulated dailies in the north of England. At the close of his apprenticeship, desiring to embark in life in the New World, he crossed the ocean, and, after a safe voyage, landed in New York city. He remained in that metropolis for a year, during which time he worked at his trade. Desiring to further cultivate his mind, he entered Bethany

College, Bethany, AVest Ya., one of the best institutions of learning in our country. At that time it had a corps of professors second to no other college in the United States. Here he spent three vears, taking a regular classical course. At the close of his term at Bethany, he returned to his native country on a visit. After spending four months amid the scenes of his boyhood-life, he came back to this country, when he was married, in Guernsey Co., O. Not long after this important event of his life he was ordained a minister of the Christian Church, and began earnestly laboring to save the souls of his fellow men. His first charge in his new profession was at McArthur, O., where three years were spent proclaiming the Gospel, which was attended with great success. He next located at Canton, O., then at Wheeling, W. Ya. From there he was called to the Christian Church at Mackinaw, this county. After laboring in that portion of the Lord's vineyard for about eighteen months, and very acceptably to the entire community, he came to AVashiugton, where he changed the pulpit for the editorial chair, which he fills with ability. As a Avriter he is clear, lucid and forcible, and as a citizen we believe he holds the respect and esteem of all who know him.

Legal Tender

The first number of the Legal Tender appeared on Dec. 20, 1877, and was a perfect surprise to almost every body. It was a sevencolumn folio, and was published in the interests of the Greenback Labor party. It was started by B. S. Heath & Co., with B. S. Heath as editor and manager, and J. H, Randall as associate editor. Both of these gentlemen were easy vigorous writers, and handled the subject of financial refi)rm with a zeal and energy beyond comparison. The paper quickly attained a reputation as one of the leading organs of the Greenback Labor party in the United States, and its subscription list and advertising patronage assumed quite liealthy proportions. But Col. Heath, notwithstanding his abilitv as an editor, was a failure as a business manager, and could not make both ends meet, and on July 17, 1878, he shook the dust of Pekin from his feet, and the Legal Tender passed into the hands of Frank M. Cassel and James Yogan, under the firm name of Casscl & Yogan. From this time the paper gradually declined, as neither Cassel or Yogan were familiar to the business or editorial management of a newspaper. On December 18, 1878, Yogan retired from the paper, and it was conducted by Cassel alone until Feb. 1, 1879, when James Whitfield joined hands with Cassel, under the firm name of Cassel tt Whitfield, and the Legal Tender once more assumed the appearance of a newspaper, and again became popular. On the 1st of May, 1879, Frank M. Cassel retired, and the paper passed into the hands of Whitfield Bros., James and Herbert, who now control it. It is one of the best papers published in Tazewell county, and is eagerly sought after by the reading public. Its

James Whitfield, the senior member of the firm, was born in Staifordshire, England, June 27, 1855, and came to this country with his parents and brother in 1870, and first embarked in the printing business under that old Republican champion, W. W. Sellers, publisher of the Tazewell County Republican, in 1870, and continued in the employ of that paper, except at short intervals, until he took hold of the Legal Tender. He was for several years city editor of the Tazewell Republican, and regarded as an able and forcible writer ; energetic, and ever on the alert for items of interest for his department. His brother and partner, Herbert, is nearly two years younger, and is also a practical printer of many years experience, and considered a good writer.

The Whitfield Bros, have also a job printing establishment in connection with the paper, and the work they turn out is second to none in Central Illinois.

Freie Presse

No less than five different German weekly newspapers have, at different times and at short intervals, been established here, none of which withstood the storms of adversity and the trials incident to the hard pathway of newspaper existence more than from six months to two years. The causes for these repeated disasters may perhaps be justly ascribed to the German public as well as to the respective publishers, the former perhaps forget that the mission of the press is to instruct the people, and not to he forced by the people into principles against a better conviction of right - while the latter may also have erred, in forgetting tiiat it is also the mission of the press to follow public sentiment rather than to attempt to drive the masses. Another fault of the former German publishers, who have failed in their attempts to establish a German press in this county, was that they were in part exiles and refugees, who had fled from the iron-rule of a Monarch across the ocean. They were men of learning and excellent abilities in other vocations ; men who hated despotism and oppression, but who, in a measure at least, misconceived the American ideas of liberty and equality ; they no doubt lacked that " Help yourself" qualification which is so essential, especially in the succes- -ful management of a newspaper.

The first German paper was established in 1852 by L. Reitzenstine, and was called Der Wachteram Illinois. It existed only about six months. The next was started by Koeber & Lohman in 1854. The name of this we could not ascertain. It afterwards passed into the hands of Mr. Lugans, but lived only a short time. The next German weekly was started by Julius Myerpefer, in the fall of 1867, called the Freie Presse. It was printed in Peoria and was in reality only an anxilliary to a German daily published there. In the spring of 1868 it passed into the hands of Mr. Luntz, but survived only a few months. In the spring of 1870 Theo. Falk established Dcr Indipendent, which, for a time, flourished, but after a very brief period of prosperity passed into the hands of Henry Fuss, but soon followed the way of its predecessors.

This brings us down to the period when the present popular German paper, the Freie Presse, first made its appearance. We might state right here, that unlike those that have gone before it, the Freie Presse has continued to grow in standing, ]>opularity and real merit since its incipieucy. Its editor, John W. Hotfman, has labored assiduously and with ability to make it what the large, intellectual and cultured German element of the county demand - a first-class literary, newsy journal. His earnest labors have been appreciated to a very great extent, and the paper can now boast of a larger circulation than any of its predecessors. The paper made its bow to the public June 15, 1876, as a seven-column folio. The impression made on the minds of its German friends and the business men was so favorable that in order to have space for all matter and advertisements it was enlarged to eight columns the very next issue. The mechanical work of the paper is in every way in keeping with the age of fine printing.

John W. Hoffman, the editor of the Freie Presse and City Clerk of Pekin, was born in Dayton, O., Jan. 18, 1846. He is the sou of John and Maria M. (Kock) Hoffman, native Germans. John attended the common schools and then entered Hamlin University, Red Wing, Minn., and then took a commercial course at Chicago. In that city he embarked in mercantile business, which after a time he exchanged for the position of reporter on the Evening Journal and subsequently for a German commercial paper. In April, 1876, came to Pekin and established the Presse as an independent political paper. His personal poj)ularity led his friends to have him run for the office of City Clerk at the last election and he won a victory over his opponent. June 7, 1870, he was married to Emeline Wehrli, daughter of Rudolph Wehrli, an old and respected citizen of Chicago. They have three children - Ada Louisa, born March 2, 1871 ; Charles "a., May 8, '73, and Florence Gertrude, July 27, 76. We give the portrait of Mr. H. in this volume.