Hamilton County, Indiana - Chapter 24: Newspapers of Hamilton County - Instancing the Survival of the, 1915

Chapter 24: Newspapers of Hamilton County - Instancing the Survival of the

If a multiplicity of newspapers can be taken as a criterion of the intelli¬ gence of the citizens in the communities wherein they are published, Hamil¬ ton county must be given a front seat in the front rank of civilization.

Since the date of the first publication which occurred seventy-nine years ago a half hundred or more of these "great moral engines" have made their entrances upon the stage of action, tottered to a fall and then sank into obliv¬ ion. Tt has been a survival of the fittest alb the eighty years, and those that are left today out of the ruck will compare favorably with those of any county in the State.

Noblesville Newspapers

But little is known of the history of the early publications at the county seat aside from the names of the proprietors, the titles and the dates of the entrances and exits of most of them.

The founder of the first paper published in the county seat was L. H. Emmons, a practical printer from the east, who landed in Noblesville in 1836. On January 12th he issued the first copy of The Newspaper , a 'fourpage paper, size of each page twelve by fourteen inches, non-political. It was a fine specimen of typographical art for those early times, but from lack of patronage it gave up the ghost March 22, 1838, and its remains were laid away to rest in the now commodious county seat newspaper graveyard. Sub¬ sequently it was resurrected by F. M. Scott, but it lived but a short time and finally ended its career for all time to come. Three or four years later L. H. Emmons returned to Noblesville and on June 4, 1842, issued the first number of the Little Westerner . Mr. Emmons, a few months later, secured an appointment in the federal service at the national capital, and upon his de¬ parture for that city turned over the control of the paper to Messrs. P. C. Lawzer, J. T. Cox, et al. The year 1845 saw its finish. A few years later F. M. Randall issued the Noblesville News , and in 1854 sold the same to J. R. Gray and J. W. Evans, who changed its name to that of the Hoosier Patriot. Six months later they sold it to H. W. Clark, Sr., who in turn sold it to L. E. Rumrell. The latter sold a half interest to William Hardy. In 1862 Rumrell disposed of his interest to H. W. Clark, and a few months later it- passed into the hands of S. K. Christy, who changed its name to the White River Clipper. January 7, 1869, A. M. Conklin came into possession of the paper, giving it the title of Hamilton County Register. January 7, 1870, R. R. Stephenson commenced the publication of the Nobles ville Com¬ mercial. About a year later he leased his plant to Miles & Bodenhamer, who subsequently bought the Hamilton County Register and consolidated the two plants under the name of the Noblesville Ledger. November 8, 1872, D. K. Taylor purchased the interests of Mr. Mil&. Four years later Mr. Taylor retired from the paper and was succeeded by Mr. Miles, who upon the death of Mr. Bodenhamer, in 1879, came into full possession of the Ledger. In March, 1880, J. B. Cheadle issued the first number of the Republican. Subse¬ quently, the two papers were consolidated under the title of the Republican- Ledger , Cheadle & Stephenson, proprietors. In, the following dozen or so years the paper changed proprietors several times, as follows: Stout and Puntenny succeeding Cheadle & Stephenson, they in turn followed by Stout and Montgomery, Bush and Houck, Bush and Walker, Walker and Craig, Craig and Truitt, finally passing into the hands of Will H. Craig. At the present time the Ledger is a joint stock company, the principal owners of the stock being E. E. and C. S. Neal and Will H. Craig,

In 1873 W. H. Boswell started the Noblesville Democrat , in Noblesville, and sold out to R. M. Isherwood in 1898. The latter's local career was short, and he disposed of his holdings to Hon. James Fippen, of Tipton. He was succeeded by Dawilla Spannuth. The latter was in turn succeeded by a stock company composed of Messrs. James Christian. E. A. Hutchens et al., who changed the politics of the paper to Republican and named it the Enter¬ prise. Subsequently, the plant was purchased by E. E. and C. S. Neal and several months ago was merged with the Ledger.

In April, 1904, Mr. Roney, a banker of Cicero, established the Times , a Democrat in politics, in Noblesville. About four .years later it passed into the hands of H. D. Downey, who was succeeded by R. P. Carpenter, present postmaster of Noblesville. The paper is now owned by Paul Poynter, a well known newspaper man of Sullivan, Indiana.

Among the papers whose existences in the county seat were brief might be mentioned the Tribune , Peed and Martin, proprietors, and the Journal , owned by the late Ex-mayor E. C. Wilson.

Newspapers Of Sheridan

The history of the newspapers of Sheridan dates back thirty-two years, or back to 1882. Several papers have been published at various times, but

The first paper, the Sheridan Argus , was published in 1882 or 1883, when Sheridan had a population of about five hundred people. This paper was edited at different times by Mr. Cox and J. E. Walker in the building across the street from where Deakyne's blacksmith shop now stands. The paper consisted of four pages, which were mainly taken up by ready-print news from Indianapolis and a few local items which generally occupied the front page. The first copy of the Argus was sold for five dollars and was bought by H. E. Davenport. The plant was destroyed by fire in 1889, while owned by Robert Drake.

Another paper, which had previously been published at Kirklin, was moved to Sheridan at this time and edited by the Manloves in the Opera block. While it was situated in Kirklin the paper had been called the Air Line News because it published different papers for various towns along the Monon railroad, but when it was moved to Sheridan the name was changed to the Sheridan Enterprise. Following the Enterprise , Mr. Morrison pub¬ lished a paper for a short time under the name of the Sheridan Standard. He moved his plant away in 1894.

Newspapers were steadily growing in popularity, and in 1894 E. E. Scott published the Sheridan Call , in the building occupied by Jacob Mace's meat market, which was recently destroyed by fire. This paper advocated the cause of the Republican party. During the campaign of 1898 Wesley Cox ran a newspaper in the Opera House block, aiding the Democratic party. At this same time another paper known as the Sheridan Chronicle was pub¬ lished. These, however, lasted only for a few months.

The Enterprise and the Argus were merged into the Sheridan News, which is at present the only local paper and which has an extensive circula¬ tion. The Nezvs- has been edited at various times by Cal. Gault, D. J. Mc- Math, O. H. Moudy, G. W. Scott, Mr. Perry, N. W. Cowgill and its present editor, I. H. McMurtry.

In November, 1912, the Progressive party organized a newspaper called the Hamilton County Progressive , which lasted about a year, ceasing pub¬ lication in December, 1913. This newspaper was run under the editorship of F. T. Kercheval.

Carmel Newspapers

The Carmel newspaper field was not invaded until about twenty-six years ago. when the first number of the Reporter, I. H. Langdon proprietor.

was issued.. It lasted about a month and was followed by the Carmel Signal , issued October 13. 1889, L. J. Patty and L. J. Small, proprietors. Later owners were Ed E. Small, Vem Patty, George Bowen and Hall Small. The paper was discontinued August 10, 1893. Then came the Carmel Register and the Carmel Star, now published under the name of the Carmel Standard, Roberts and Patty, proprietors.

Cicero Newspapers

A. M. Conklin was the pioneer newspaper proprietor of Cicero. He established the New Era in the year 1871. Then followed in quick succes¬ sion the Gazette, Daniel Thorpe, and the Herald, H. J. Briggs. In the late nineties the Nezv Era was revived by R. P. Neal, who was followed by O. H. Smith, the Hinshaw brothers, Frank Gause and Rev. Ervin. The paper then passed into the hands of the Twigg brothers, who gave it the name of the Cicero Tribune. After a somewhat checkered existence of a few years this paper turned up its toes to the daisies, since which time the Cicero newspaper field has been vacant.

Arcadia Newspapers

The Arcadian was the first newspaper to see the light of day in Arcadia, in the year 1887, with Calvin Goss at the helm. For the succeeding dozen or so years, it changed proprietors frequently as follows : Edward Goss, C. W. Lee, Emmet Orr, William Smith, Duval & Brean and Turner & Son. A. R. Groves purchased it from the latter mentioned firm and changed the title of the paper to the Arcadia News. Subsequently, it passed into the hands of the Enterprise Publishing Company, of Noblesville, who moved the plant to the county seat. Arcadia is now without a newspaper.

Atlanta Newspapers

The Atlanta Herald "blew in" in the year 1888 with I. H. Langdon as proprietor. The venture was not a success and, becoming despondent over the fact and possibly other reasons, Mr. Langdon took his own life in May, 1892. Shortly after Langdon's demise, Calvin Goss purchased the plant, but disposed of the same subsequently to a Mr. Guerst. He was succeeded by Smith & Roney, who changed the name of the paper to the Times. In April, 1904, the plant was moved to Noblesville and became the organ of the Democracy of Hamilton county. Atlanta is now without a newspaper.