Allegan County, Michigan - Chapter 20: The Pkess, 1880

Chapter 20: The Pkess

The First Attempt - Allegan County Democrat - Allegan and Barry Eeoord - rts First Issue - A Whig Proprietor and Democratic Publishers - A Venerable Number - Motto, Price, etc. - Two Months getting Paper - Changing Sizes - Printing mixed with Hunting - A. L. Ely - D. C. Henderson - Change to Allegan Record - Politics - Character in 1855 - Owners and Editors - Allegan Journal - Its Modern Appearance - "Our Bow" - Its Politics - An Editor in the Field - An Additional Proprietor - Increase of Size - Successive Writers - Allegan County Democrat (No. 2) - Establishmentin 1857 - Various Changes - The Northwestern Bible and Publishing Company - Changes in 1876 - Allegan County Democratic Association - Adoption of Grreenbaokism - Allegan Democrat - Allegan Tribune - Otsego Courier - Otsego Herald - Allegan County Record - Weekly Union - Plainwell Republic - Plainwell Independent Republic - Lake Shore Commercial Papers - Wayland Papers - Barry County Pioneer - An Active Editor - An Early Number - Its Description - An Extract - Paper stopped in Harvest - Sold to A. A. Knappen - Faltering Democracy - A Rival Sheet - The Pioneer returns to its Founder - Depressing Influences - Successive Proprietors - The End in 1866 - Hastings Republican Banner - Its Establishment in 1856 as the Republican Banner - Opposition to Slavery Extension - Editorial and Proprietary Changes - J. M. Nevins takes Control - His Administration - Name changed to Hastings Banner - Sale to G. M. Dewey - Change to Present Name - The Independent - W. R. Young first Editor - Oflice destroyed by Fire - Hastings Home Journal - Founded as Barry County Democrat- - Change to Present Name - Democratic in Politics - Changes of Ownership - Adopts Greenback Principles - Barry County Sentinel - Barry County Republican - Established as Middlcville Plaindealer - From Republican to Greenback Party, and back - The Blade - Nashville Independent - The News - Marked Success - The Citizen.

The first movement towards the establishment of a newspaper in Allegan County was made at the embryo city of New Rochester, which was laid out at the junction of Pine Creek with the Kalamazoo River, in the township of Otsego. The exact date at which the attempt was made is unknown, but it was probably about 1837, the era when so many promising enterprises had their birth and met their death in swift succession. The arrangements were pushed so far that a building was erected at the village just mentioned, intended for a newspaper oflSce, but the " hard times" which crushed so many other schemes also overwhelmed this one, and the journalistic history of New Rochester came to an end just before the beginning of its first chapter.

The first paper actually established in the county was the Allegan County Democrat, the first number of which was issued at the village of Otsego on the 12th day of April, 1842, by Moses Hawks, editor and publisher.* We have not been able to find a copy of the Democrat, and doubt whether there is one in existence. It is known, however, to have been Democratic in its politics, and, from the brief period of its existence, may be presumed to have suffered from serious financial difficulties. It was doubtless of the same size as its successor, the Allegan and Barry Record, which had four pages, each sixteen inches by twenty, - that is, when a full sheet was issued ; but various exigencies frequently compelled the publishers of those days to issue a half-sheet, or even a still smaller production. The Democrat was only published seven or eight months, when it suspended.

The Allegan And Barry Record

On the suspension of the Democrat, the press and type of the office were purchased by Alexander L. Ely, one of the founders and chief proprietors of the village of Allegan, who removed them to that village, and used them to establish a new paper called the Allegan and Barry Record. The first number of the Record was issued on the 23d day of January, 1843. It was the only newspaper published in the two counties the name of which it bore, and, like most other journals in new places, depended largely for sustenance on the official printing which might be done in the office.

Now, the dispensers of official favors in Michigan in that day were thorough-going Democrats, while Mr. Ely was a decided Whig. He cared, however, more for the interests of the village of Allegan than for those of the Whig party, so he procured a succession of Democrats to publish the paper for him, and it gave a moderate support to the Democracy (though it paid very little attention to politics in any way), which secured for it the coveted official printing.

The first publisher placed in possession by Mr. Ely was Augustine W. Adams, an intelligent and well-educated gentleman, who superintended the publication about a year and then returned to Pontiac, the place of his former residence. By the courtesy of Mr. Henderson, of the Allegan Journal, we have been permitted to examine a tattered copy of the Record, - a solitary relic of early journalism in Allegan County. It is No. 46, Volume I., and is dated Dec. 5, 1843. Beoeath the heading, " Allegan and Barry Record," appears the elaborate motto "Devoted to the Maintenance of Democratic Principles in Polities, News, Education, Agriculture, Literature, and Good Morals."

The business notice in the upper left-hand corner declares that the Record will be published for the proprietor by Augustine W. Adams, price two dollars per annum, payable in advance, with the additional statement, - very illustrative of the condition of affairs at that period, - " All kinds of produce received in pay for subscriptions." The price of advertisements was announced at fifty cents per folio for the first insertion, and twenty-five cents for each subsequent one.

just before coming to Allegan County, had occupied the same position in the office of the Detroit Adcertieer. He was connected with the press of the county many years, as will be seen farther on, sergeantat-arms of the Legislature of this Skate in 1845, and died at Plainwell, in 1872.

inches by twenty in dimensions. But the number which we examined was only a half-sheet, and even that was more than sufficient to contain the news, for in truth there was not a solitary article of news in the whole paper. The absence of local news was a characteristic of all the papers of that period, but they usually contained some general and foreign news. The issue in question contained two short editorials, - one on " The Balance of Trade," and one on " A Canal around the Falls of St. Mary," - a full list of the State and county officers, a story of four columns, two columns of legal advertisements, about a column and a half of other advertisements, a few miscellaneous articles, and a political article, copied from the Detroit Free Press, in relation to a contest for the office of representative in the Legislature between Hon. P. J. Littlejohn, of Allegan, and A. C. Parmelee, Esq., of Hastings.

The reason for the issue of a half-sheet, as given in the following paragraph, shows very forcibly the slowness of business proceedings and the difficulties of transportation at that period :

'*Some time in September last we commenced making preparations for procuring a supply of printing-paper, thinking that two months' time would be suflBcient to get it from Ann Arbor to this place. It seems, however, that we were mistaken. We are reduced to the necessity of issuing but a half-sheet this week, but shall endearor to make such arrangements as will secure a supply of paper by the next publication."

Doubtless this was the true reason for the publication of a half-sheet on this occasion, but a half-sheet issue was no uncommon occurrence in the history of the Record. The printers were young apprentices and their pay was poor, while the hunting and fishing in the vicinity were excellent. Consequently, the boys often went fishing and hunting, and as a further consequence there were frequent proclamations of " sickness in the family," " absence of the editor," or other valid reasons for the issue of half a sheet, or even less. Sometimes the journal bearing the lofty title of the Allegan and Barry Record consisted of only a twocolumn slip, containing the legal advertisements. These must be printed, for these brought money, whereas most of the subscriptions were paid, when paid at all, in wheat, oats, potatoes, lumber, or such other articles as the subscribers thought they could spare.

Mr. Adams was succeeded as publisher by a Sir. Bacon, and he, after a short time, by Moses Hawks, the founder of the original Allegan County Democrat. The first editor of the Record was Hovey K. Clarke, (now of Detroit). He was succeeded by Dr. John P. Ely, a brother of the proprietor. Mr. A. L. Ely continued to own the paper until 1846, when he removed to Cedar Falls, Iowa, of which place he was the founder.*

The first apprentices who printed the Record, when they were not hunting, fishing, nor indulging in other recreations of the period, were Boyd Coates and George H. Foster, both since deceased, and Donald C. Henderson, who went to New York in 1847 and obtained a position on the Tribune, becoming one of the assistant editors of that paper.

whole or in part (or at least it was published under his name) until 1857. Mr. E. B. Bassett was the chief editor during all of this period after 1847, though Hon. F. J. Littlejohn was a frequent and valued contributor.

Until 1851 the Allegan and Barry Record was the only journal published in the two counties named in its title. In the fore-part of that year the Barry County Pioneer was established at Hastings. It naturally obtained the subscription, advertisements, and official business of that region, and so the word Barry was dropped from the name of the Record, which became the Allegan Record. It was steadily Democratic in politics, except that in 1848 it supported Van Buren and Adams, the Free Democratic or Free-Soil candidates for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency.

We have examined a file of the Record for 1855, which is preserved in the office of the Allegan Journal. It was then a four-page sheet (seven columns to the page), the dimensions of each page being sixteen by twenty-two inches. Hawks & Manson were the publishers, the latter gentleman having purchased a half-interest in May of that year. The editor's name did not appear.

This was at the time when the people of the North were much excited over the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska act the year before, and when the Republican party was in rapid process of formation. The Record, however, staunchly adhered to the Democratic party, and its issue of May 21, 1855, declares that " The Record will, as formerly, be found doing battle against all the isms of the day, and knife to the hilt to anything that opposes Democracy, of which we know but one kind."

The Record of that day still retained the principal characteristics of the old style of typography, with numerous black-letter capitals, such as are still to be seen in English papers. It had very little local and not much general news, although it had progressed so as to give a column of New York correspondence.

Until 1856 the Record was the sole paper published in the county, and after its first struggles were over enjoyed a reasonable amount of prosperity. But in that year the Allegan Journal was established as a Republican organ, and, as the Republican party became largely predominant in the county, that paper naturally took the lion's share of the patronage.

In 1858-60 the Record was owned and edited by William Francis, an accomplished gentleman of English birth, who was the candidate of the Douglas Democrats for Secretary of State of Michigan in 1860, and who still resides in the vicinity of Allegan. He was assisted in his editorial labors by Frederick Lyman.

In the fore-part of 1861, Mr. Francis disposed of the paper to Mr. E. B. Bassett, so long its editor, who continued it for two years more as a thorough-going Democratic organ. But the war had still more increased the strength of the Republican party, and all of Mr. Bassett's efibrts and ability were unable to sustain a Democratic paper in Allegan.

In August, 1862, Mr. Bassett sold the Record to Mr. Henderson, who transferred the material to the Journal office, and the former paper ceased to exist, after a varied life of between nineteen and twenty years.

The Allegan Journal

This paper was established ^n April, 1856, by Donald C. Henderson. The first number was issued on the 30th day of that month, although, owing to the non-arrival of the press in time, it was only a little sheet, ten inches by twelve, printed on one side. The next week, the press having arrived, a handsome paper, twenty-four inches by thirty-six, was issued. The Journal was, in many respects, the pioneer modern-style newspaper of Allegan County, the print having the light, open appearance of th^ present day, in contrast to the old " black letter," while the publication of the news was a more important item than in the Record, and editorial articles were much more frequent. The price of the Journal at that time was one dollar per annum, and the cost of a square of advertising was fifty cents a week, or eight dollars a year.

The second number (the first full-sized one) has not been preserved, but Mr. Henderson's salutatory, entitled " Our Bow," was reprinted in number three. It declares that " The Journal will advocate as best it knows how the principles and policy of the great Republican party of the nation," adding, however, that it will not be exclusively a political paper, but will devote itself largely to the advancement of local interests. It also claimed that it already had a larger circulation than any other paper in Western Michigan, and that subscriptions were pouring iu from every quarter.

The same number contained an editorial on Kansas aflFairs, and another on the approaching Republican National Convention of 1856, in which the editor says: " Our first choice for the Presidency is that veteran champion of Liberty and Reform, William H. Seward, whose name alone is a tower of strength to the Republican cause."

Mr. M. Bates Mills was announced as one of the proprietors of the Journal, but remained connected with it only a short time. Mr. Henderson then carried it on successfully as sole proprietor, publisher, and editor, it being always a strong Republican paper. In August, 1862, he purchased the Allegan Record, as before stated. In the following year ho enlisted as a private in the Third Michigan Cavalry,* transferring the Journal to his brother, Alexander Henderson. The latter gentleman conducted the paper throughout the war. On the conclusion of peace Mr. D. C. Henderson returned, and the Journal was retransferred to him, and he has been its principal editorial writer since that time.

In 1874, Mr. Edwy C. Reid, who had been the local editor of the Journal during the previous two years, became one of the proprietors, and it has since been published by the firm of Henderson & Reid. The local department has been entirely conducted by Mr. Reid. Being a vigorous and able writer and a capable business-manager, Mr. Reid has contributed his full share to the success of the Journal during the past six years.

«- Mr. Henderson is believed to be the only Michigan editor who served in the army as a private. He was appointed a lieutenant in 1864, but declined the position.

The Press

In March, 1876, the Journal was changed to an eightpage sheet, each page having six columns, and the dimensions of the whole being thirty-one inches by forty-four.

The Journal has now just passed its quarter centennial, and is apparently in the full tide of success. Besides Mr. D. C. Henderson and Mr. Reid, its editorial writers have been James D. Henderson, E. J. R. Currey, A. C. Wallin, G. H. House, William B. WilUams, and Gustavus A. Morgan.

From the time of the sale of the Allegan Record to the proprietor of the Journal, no Democratic paper was published in Allegan County until December, 1867. On the 11th day of that month Mr. Freeman D. Austin issued the first number of the Allegan County Democrat, a handsome four-page sheet, twenty-six by forty inches in size. It was owned and conducted by Mr. Austin until his death, in July, 1869.

It was then controlled for a short time by Mr. Oscar Hare, but during the same year passed into the hands of Messrs. Martin T. Ryan and George C. Furber (composing the firm of Ryan & Furber), Mr. Ryan being the editor. These gentlemen carried on the establishment until the summer of 1874, when Mr. W. W. Watklns took the place of Mr. Furber, and the firm assumed the name of the Northwestern Bible and Publishing Company. In the following year Mr. 0. D. Booth purchased an interest, and the proprietors were then incorporated as a stock-company under the same name which had previously been borne by the firm.

In 1876 several changes were made. In March of that year the paper was made an eight-page sheet, its entire dimensions being twenty-nine inches by forty-three. In July, Mr. D. R. Waters became the principal editor of the Democrat, and occupied that position as long as the paper existed. In October, 1876, the Northwestern Bible and Publishing Company was dissolved, and the Democrat became the property of a stock company, composed of about twenty prominent Democrats, known as the Allegan County Democratic Association. Mr. Waters remained the editor.

From this time the Democrat continued to advocate the Democratic principles suggested by its name until the summer of 1878. It then embraced the cause of the Greenback party, though still under the same proprietorship and editorship. It continued in its career until the close of the year 1879, when it was sold to Messrs. Morgan & Bailey, and ceased to exist as a journal. The last number was published on the 31st day of December, 1879.

The Allegan Democrat

THE ALLEGAN DEMOCRAT. Although this paper has the same politics, the same editor, and nearly the same name as the Allegan County Democrat, yet it is an entirely new journal. The material of the Allegan County Democrat was used for the establishment of the Allegan Tribune, while, immediately after the suspension of the former paper, Mr. George Scales, the proprietor of the Plainwell Independent RepuUic, purchased an entirely new outfit and established the Allegan Democrat, at Allegan, the first number of which was issued on the 7th day of January, 1880. It is a bright eight-paged sheet, its dimensions being thirty inches by forty-four. Its editor is Mr. D. R. Waters, who for three years and a half held the same relation to the Allegan County Democrat. Mr. Scales is in charge of the local department. Its politics are " Greenback, with Democratic leanings." Its history is necessarily short, and its future of course cannot be prognosticated, but it is vigorously written, well printed, and full of news. The editors aie able, and it may reasonably be expected that the era of prosperity which has opened before the country since the resumption of specie payments will bring prosperity to this promising journalistic enterprise.

The Allegan Tribune

On the first day of January, 1880, Messrs. E. R. Morgan and Frank W. Bailey (the firm being Morgan & Bailey), having purchased the material and good-will of the Allegan County Democrat, issued at Allegan the first number of a new four-page paper, twenty-four inches by thirty-six, called the Allegan Tribune. It is Republican in politics, having for editor Mr. G. A. Morgan, previously connected with the Otsego Herald and the Allegan Journal. Like its compeers and rivals in Allegan journalism, it is full of news, and especially of local news. In fact, one can hardly imagine a greater contrast than that presented by the papers of forty years ago or more, which scarcely ever mentioned an event occurring in their respective counties, and those of the present day, which chronicle all the most trifling circumstances in the whole region round about.

The Otsego Courier

In the year 1855 the State government of Michigan was in the hands of the newly-formed Republican party, while the only newspaper in Allegan County (the Allegan Record) was of Democratic politics. There was a good chance for a Republican paper to obtain that coveted boon of those days, the State advertising, and accordingly Mr. George A. Fitch, of the Kalamazoo Telegraph, removed a small quantity of type and other material from the office of that paper to Otsego, and established a little journal called the Otsego Courier. It accomplished its object for the time, but on the establishment of the Allegan Journal, in the spring of 1856, the party patronage naturally accrued to it, and the Courier was found to be a non-paying enterprise. The material was accordingly moved back to the Telegraph office, and the Otsego Courier ceased to exist.

The Otsego Herald

THE OTSEGO HERALD. Ten years after the establishment of the Otsego Courier, in the year 1865, Mr. George W. Parks founded the Otsego Herald. It was also a small paper, and its financial course was beset with difficulties, as may be seen by the number of proprietors through whose hands it passed during the four years of its existence. These were in succession, after Mr. Parks, S. M. Hubbard, F. D. & W. F. Austin, G. A. Morgan, Morgan & Hart, P. B. Lines, Geo. Scales, and G. A. Morgan. The Herald closed its career in 1869. The material remained, however, and after the death of the Allegan County Record (noticed below) the Herald was revived three several times between

History Op Allegan And Bakry Counties, Michigan

Just after the suspension of the Otsego Herald, in 18G9, Mr. H. E. J. Clute established in the same oflSce, but with an entirely new outfit of material, a neat little Republican paper called the Allegan County Record. It was published by Mr. Clute alone until September, 1870, when Mr. Edwy C. Reid became a partner with him. The paper was continued until May, 1871, when the prospect of its yielding any profit to the owners became so poor that it was discontinued.

The Weekly Union

The first number of this paper was issued at Otsego on the 2d day of August, 1875, by C. H. Harris and V. V. Campbell. Mr. Campbell retired at the end of a few months, his place being taken by Mr. G. A. Morgan, who remained connected with the paper about a year. Mr. G. E. Johnson then became Mr. Harris' partner, and the paper has since been published by the firm of Harris & Johnson, the former gentleman being the editor. The Union, which was at first a four-page sheet, was enlarged tff eight pages (six columns on a page) in 1878, and now vies in size and appearance with almost any country paper. A part of it, however, is printed outside of the county.

The Plainvvell Express

The first newspaper published in Plainwell was the Plainwell Express, which began its career in the spring of 1868, being owned and edited by the proprietors of the Allegan County Record at Otsego. It was a small independent, four-page paper, and was discontinued at the end of four months.

The Plainwell Republic

This paper was established at Plainwell by Jerome Mitchell in February, 1871. It was a four-page sheet, with six columns on a page. It was independent in politics until the opening of the campaign of 1876, when it advocated the Republican side of the Presidential contest. A Mr. Hickok became a partner of Mr. Mitchell in 1878, and remained so until the absorption of the paper by the Plainwell Independent. The Republic was twice enlarged, having in the latter part of its existence eight columns on each of its four pages.

The Plainwell Independent-Republic

The first number of the Plainwell Independent was issued on the 25th day of May, 1876, George Scales being the editor and proprietor. In June following, Mr, Scales purchased the Plainwell Republic, and the two papers were consolidated under the name of the Plainwell Independent- Republic. Mr. Scales is still the proprietor, and was the editor until the 1st of January, 1880. Since that time Mr. A. C. Roberts has been the editor. The Independent- Republic is a handsome eight-page sheet, with six columns on a page, and is devoted to local interests. It is partially printed out of the county.

The Lake-Shore Commercial

THE LAKE-SHORE COMMERCIAL. This paper was established at Saugatuck by Dr. A. H. Pattee, in July, 1868, under the name of the Savgatuck Commercial, the first number being issued on the 9th day of that month. Dr. Pattee published the paper about a year, also issuing at Douglas, during a part of the same time, a journal called the Douglas Messenger. The latter venture soon collapsed, and even the Commercial was not very profitable. Dr. Pattee disposed of it to a stock company, who installed E. W. Perry as manager. Not long afterward the company sold out to Myron Tarbox, and he in turn transferred the paper to John Wilson and Henry Elmeyer. These gentlemen employed Charles M. Winslow as editor. In 1877, C. F. Wasson & Co. became the proprietors. They were succeeded in January, 1879, by L. E. Woodhull, who is still the proprietor and publisher. The paper now bears the name of the Lake- Shore Commercial.

Wayland Papers

No less than three papers were published in the village of Wayland between 1870 and 1877, but none of them attained much success, and journalism has finally been given up, at least for the present, in that place. The Wayland News was established in 1870 by A. V. Hopkins. It was published by him something less than a year, when he died. The News then passed into the hands of 0. E. White, who conducted it a little over a year, when the enterprise was abandoned.

In 1876, Mr. George L. Miles established the Wayland Courier, of which he was the editor and proprietor. This, too, was unable to stand the storm, and went down at the end of about a year.

This was the earliest newspaper published in Barry County, its first number being issued at Hastings on the 20th day of February, 1851. The proprietor was George A. Smith, who is said to have also been publisher, editor, typo, and devil, - all in one.*

Through the courtesy of Mrs. 0. N. Boltwood, we have been permitted to examine the tenth number of this paper, published on the 25th of April, 1851. It is a four-page sheet, each page having five columns, and being fourteen inches by twenty in size. It announces that the Barry County Pioneer is published every Friday by George A. Smith ; office two doors west of Barlow's, up stairs. Terms, taken at the office or sent by mail, one dollar per year; delivered by carrier in the village, one dollar and a half. One shilling is to be added for every three months during which payment is delayed after subscription. The charge for an advertisement of one square (ten lines or less) is

« We think, however, he must have had the aid of the sulphurous personage last mentioned, for he advertised to deliver the paper by carrier, and it is fair to presume that the duties of that office were discharged by the gentleman from Tartarus, who is known to be a good traveler.

fifty cents for the first insertion, and twenty-five cents for each subsequent one. For a square, one month, one dollar ; three months, two dollars ; one year, six dollars ; for a column, one year, twenty dollars. The number in question contains a six-column story, a column of local editorials, two columns of outside news, five columns of local and legal advertisements, and six columns of prospectuses and other worthless advertisements.

The Pioneer was Democratic in politics, and the number of which we are speaking complains bitterly of treachery on the part of a faction of that party in this locality.

"Our village for a short time past lias presented an uncommon lively appearance. New buildings are going up in various parts of it, and the almost daily arrival of emigrants from the East are conclusive evidences that they will not come amiss. The improvement of the court-house square will add much to the beauty and pleasantness of the place. Our merchants are bestirring themselves for a fresh supply of goods, a vast amount of which, we apprehend, will be sold here during the present season. Judging from the passengers we occasionally see alighting from the stages at 'The Astor House of Michigan,' kept by H, Edgcomb, in this place, they are also alive back north of us, in the vicinity of Grand Rapids or thereabouts."

" We are informed by Constable Tinkler of this village that seven gentlemen, charged with horse-stealing and other criminal offences, were, last week, arrested and lodged in Kalamazoo jail. These, together with the railroad haul, makes out quite a goodly number for one week."

Whether Mr. Smith was possessed of a devil or not, it is certain that during that first year he had no other assistance. He had some farming-land near Hastings, and in the middle of the summer he published a notice that, the editor being called upon to do his harvesting, no paper would be issued until the completion of that work ; and no paper was issued for three weeks. On another occasion the suspension of the Pioneer for a week was excused on the plea of " an increase in the editor's family."

In December, 1851, Mr. Smith sold the paper to Ashman A. Knappen. That gentleman soon slightly enlarged it, making it a six-column sheet, each of its four pages being sixteen inches by twenty. In April, 1853, it was considerably enlarged, the pages thereafter being each eighteen inches by twenty-four. The issue of April 8, 1853 (for a perusal of which we are also indebted to Mrs. Boltwood), announced that this enlargement would take place two weeks from that time. Mr. Knappen was still the editor, and the price had been advanced to one dollar and twentyfive cents per annum. The paper then bore the motto, " Our Country and our Country's Good," and the editor evidently thought that the country's good required a strict repression of intemperance. A man bad just been drowned at Hastings while under the influence of liquor, apropos of which event the Pioneer contained a brief editorial denunciation of the liquor business and an earnest contributed article in favor of the Maine law.

About this time the paper is said to have displayed Whig (perhaps Free-Soil) proclivities, which alienated its Democratic supporters. They accordingly induced its founder, George A. Smith, to establish a rival journal of pronounced

Democratic politics, called the Barry County Review, which took away a large part of the Pioneer s support. A number of the latter sheet, dated Oct. 7, 1853, which we have perused, frequently mentions the Review under the name of the " court-house organ" in very bitter terms. In 1854, Mr. Knappen was obliged to sell his paper to the proprietor of the Review. The latter consolidated the two journals, adopting the original name of the Barry County Pioneer, and retaining the old series of volumes and numbers. An issue of Jan. 17, 1855, with Mr. Smith's name at its head as editor and proprietor, bears the sounding motto :

It also states that the price is one dollar and a half per year if paid in advance, and two dollars per year if paid after six months. It shows evidences of increased prosperity, having seven columns of local and legal advertisements.

The Pioneer continued its career over eleven years more, but the organization and growth of the Republican party, the establishment of a rival newspaper in the interest of that party, and the events of the war, which still more depressed the fortunes of the Democracy, all combined to injure the Democratic champion. In July, 1860, Mr. Smith transferred the paper to F. D. Ackley, who employed C. G. Holbrook as editor. It subsequently passed to George W. Mills, from whom it was agaia acquired by F. D. Ackley, in the summer of 1865. The last-named owner sold the paper to a Mr. Gensler in the spring of 1866. That gentleman conducted the paper through the summer, but with constantly-decreasing hopes, and when the returns from the autumn elections showed an overwhelming Republican victory he abandoned the field in disgust, and the Barry County Pioneer ceased to exist.

The Hastings Republican Banner

In April, 1856, just as the young Republican party was marshaling its forces for its first great conflict, several prominent members of that party in Barry County, including John S. Van Brunt, Harvey N. Sheldon, Norman Bailey, A. W. Bailey, John W. Stebbins, and C. S. Burton, under the firm-name of C. S. Burton & Co., established a newspaper at Hastings, called The Republican Banner, to advocate the principles of that party. It was placed under the charge of C. S. Burton as publisher, and of Norman Bailey as editor, and the first number was issued on the first day of May, in the year just mentioned. It bore quite as hi<'h-sounding a motto as its rival, the Pioneer, the legend reading {apropos of the journal's name), -

It was a four-page sheet, each page having seven columns and being twenty-four by thirty-six inches in size. By the courtesy of Mr. John M. Nevins, we have examined several of the early numbers of the Banner. No. 4 contains an editorial on "Slavery and Slavery Extension," in which stron" ground is taken in favor of the great Republican principle, opposition to the extension of slavery into free territory. The next issue states that the success of the paper equals the highest expectations of the proprietors. In the number issued on the 26th of June there appears for the first time the Republican national ticket : for President, John C. Fremont ; for Vice-President, William L. Dayton.

On the 11th day of December, 1856, the firm-name of the proprietors became R. J. Grant & Co., when George W. Mills appeared as the editor. Several changes in the business management took place during the winter and spring, but Mr. Mills continued to be the editor until July, 1857. On the 18th of that month the firm of J. M. Nevins & Co. (J. M. Nevins and J. S. Van Brunt) took possession as proprietors, and two weeks later Mr. Nevins assumed the chair" as sole editor. This position he occupied nearly nine years, supporting the Republican and national cause with unswerving zeal through all the gloomy petiod of Buchanan's administration and the stormy days of the great rebellion. In May, 1859, the price was reduced from one dollar and a half to one dollar and a quarter per year, and in October, 1861, it was further reduced to one dollar a year.

On the first day of April, 1866, Mr. Nevins, who had become the sole proprietor, sold the Banner to George M. Dewey, who immediately assumed control as editor and proprietor. Mr. Dewey gave the paper the benefit of both the names it had previously borne, calling it The Hastings Republican Banner ; under which name, and under Mr. Dewey's editorial and proprietary management, it has ever since remained. From May 1, 1876, to May 1, 1877, a semi-weekly edition was published ; all the rest of the time the paper has been issued once a week. As under his predecessors, so under Mr. Dewey, the Banner has been at all times a staunch Republican paper, battling with untiring energy against Democracy, Greenbaokism, and all other foes of the Republican cause.

The Independent

In January, 1867, W. Roscoe Young, having obtained possession of the material formerly used to publish The Pioneer, issued the first number of a weekly paper called The Independent, professing to be independent in politics, but leaning decidedly toward Democracy. It was published by Mr. Young until December, 1867, when the office was destroyed by fire, and the career of The Independent came to a sudden end.

The Hastings Home Journal

Until the autumn of 1868 the Democracy of Barry County had no organ. At that time a subscription among leading Democrats assisted in the establishment of The Barry County Democrat, a weekly journal, of which W. Roscoe Young was the editor, the first number being issued on the 20th day of October, in that year. In October, 1869, the paper was sold to the firm of Gibson Brothers, who changed its name to The Hastings Home Journal, but carried it on as a Democratic paper until the spring of 1870. Through the State campaign of 1870 they advocated the cause of prohibition. On the 5th November, in that year, they transferred the Journal to Dennis, Aiken & Co., who

In May, 1871, that gentleman's partners sold their interest to Charles B. Wood, the firm-name becoming Wood & Dennis. In September, Mr. Wood sold out to George C. Worth, the firm being then known as Worth & Dennis. In March, 1873, Mr. Worth transferred his interest to W. H. Holmes, when the firm of Dennis & Holmes was formed, which has ever since owned and controlled Tlie Home Journal.

In April, 1878, Philip W. Niskern began the publication of a Greenback organ, which he called The Barry County Sentinel. He issued thirty-one numbers, and then disposed of it to E. E. Smith, who changed its politics to Republican. After an experience of twelve months, which convinced him that the investment was not a desirable one, Mr. Smith sold the good-will and subscription-list of the Sentinel to the proprietor of the Banner.

The original name of this paper was The MiddleviUe Plaindealer. Its first publishers were Marvin & Dunn, and the date of its first issue was April 14, 1870. The Plaindealer was a weekly Republican journal. It flourished a short time under Marvin & Dunn, but after the death of the latter Mr. Marvin sold out (in February, 1871) to P. W. Niskern. At the close of 1871, Mr. Niskern changed the name of the paper to the one given above, - Tlie Barry County Repullican, - and thenceforward conducted it with much success until June, 1876, when he disposed of it to M. F. Jordan and William M. Watkins. In April, 1877, Mr. Watkins sold his interest to Mr. Jordan, who immediately transformed the Repullican into a Greenback organ, and carried it on as such until Jan. 11, 1879. William M. Watkins, his former partner, then repurchased the paper, returned it to the Republican fold, and still conducts it in the interest of the Republican party.

The Blade

Meanwhile, in October, 1878, Mr. F. B. Angier came to MiddleviUe and established a weekly Republican paper called The Blade, thinking to supply the place made vacant by the departure of the older journal from the Republican ranks. It soon became apparent, however, that two papers could not be sustained in MiddleviUe, and in January, 1879, the material of The Blade was purchased by the proprietors of The Repullican, and The Blade itself cea,sed to exist.

The Nashville Independent

The inhabitants of the growing village of Nashville, realizing the advantages to be derived from an enterprising newspaper in promoting the interests of the place, made liberal overtures in the spring of 1872 for the establishment of a weekly publication among them. These offers were accepted by Rev. C. H. Ellis, then' pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Nashville, and William S. O'Brien, a practical printer from Charlotte, Eaton Co. As a result, the Nashville Independent came into existence with a flattering list of cash subscribers and considerable advertising patronage. The paper was not a success, however, and after a struggling existence of half a year it passed

The News

" Report saya that another effort is to be made to establish a newspaper at Nashville, in this county, this time by a gentleman from Lawton. We trust, for the sake of the would-be publisher, the report is not true; for the investment cannot be other than a financial disaster."*

He devoted himself with especial zeal to the compilation of columns of brief and spicy locals, realizing that matter of this character is usually more sought for than carefully prepared editorials of a political or sesthetic character. The following is the result of the venture, given in figures denoting theJ)ond Jide circulation of The News for each succeeding year of its existence: Jan. 1, 1874, 240 copies; Jan. 1,1875, 384; Jan. 1, 1876, 480 ; Jan. 1, 1877, 624; Jan. 1, 1878, 768; Jan. 1, 1879, 960; Jan. 1, 1880, 1248; May 1, 1880, 1560.

From a seven-column folio The News has grown to a sixcolumn quarto (eight pages), and its printing-office is fully equipped with everything needful for such an establishment.

The Citizen

On the 13th of June, 1879, the publication of another paper, called The Citizen, was begun in Nashville by Edwin E. Smith ; but, the field not proving large enough for two journals, the new venture came to an end after a very brief existence.