Adair County, Missouri - Chapter 13: The County Press, 1911

A sketch of journalism in Adair County would, if adequately written, go back to the time when the first newspaper was established in the county. Indeed it would go back further than that and give some account of what newspapers printed outside of the county circulated in the county prior to the founding of a paper in the county. But that mrt of the task cannot be accomplished, and what little is said on the early history of newspapers in the county must be fragmentary. This is largely due to the fact that no complete files of the earliest papers have come down to us, and of some of these papers not a single issue, :ts far as known, now exists. As a matter of fact no newspaper ever published in the county, save the North Missouri Register which was published from 1870 to 1879, has a complete file of its issues. Care- It-vwss in preserving the files or destructive fires have been responsible for the incompleteness of the files. The historical value of the newspaper in spite of its inaccuracies of various sorts, is not realized generally until we desire to look up some matter which we know will be set forth in a newspaper especially if it is of early date. Adair County's history will not be as fully written as it ought to be, especially in the latr fifties and earlv sixties, because of the loss of the earlv newspaper

Tradition has it that in February, 1843, a printer by the name of Benjamin Davis came to Kirksville and opened up a job printing office. He got out such things as posters and hand-bills, among which were some posters advertising the sale of town lots in Kirksville. He undertook, however, no newspaper.

It appears that the Kirksville Enterprise was the first paper published in the county. It seems to have been started in 1856 or thereaUmts. In other words, the county had been settling up for twentyfive years or more and had been organized about fifteen years before a -ingle newspaper was established. This means that during these years the early settlers read practically nothing, for the probabilities are that very few newspapers published outside the county circulated among them. The Enterprise is said to have been started as a campaign pap< r in behalf of Buchanan during his campaign for the Presidency. It was not intended to become a permanent publication, but it succeeded so well it was continued after the campaign. L. F. Walden is *aid to have been the first editor and publisher. This publication changed hands frequently during its short career and was finally merged with the Democrat about 1859.

The Democrat was founded some time in October, 1S58 by Foster and Stone, with J. D. Foster as editor. Wm. B. Harmless in an article published in the North Missouri Register for January 0, 1876, mentionhaving an issue of the Democrat for December 23, 1858, before him. and says it was Vol. I, No. 15. This fixes the time when the paper was established with considerable certainty at about October, 18oS. It is not known just when this paper and the Enterprise were merged, but it is believed it was done by E. M. C. Morelock in 1859. Morelock had bought the Enterprise from Charles Jones, and later the Democrat from Foster and Stone. When the war broke out the Democrat \va> the only paper in the county as far as is known; that the only paper in the county should be Democratic in politics at that time was in k<*e|>- ing with conditions, as the county was largely Democratic up to th<- outbreak of the war.

On August 17, 1861, the Third Iowa Regiment came into Kirk>- ville running down Confederate recruits. Many who had taken a prominent part in the agitation of the Confederate cause fled the town, among whom was Major Morelock, the editor of the Democrat. The Iowa Regiment took charge of his paper and got out a special edition on August 23, 1861. As far as is known this was the last issue of the Democrat, and for many years the county was without any paper at all. Several years after this event, Mr. H. F. Millan of Kirksville, came int<» possession of a copy of this Iowa Regiment edition of the Democrat, and he sent it to the Historical Department of Iowa at Des Moin»'*. This copy is being carefully preserved there. Further details concerning this have been mentioned already in the chapter on the Civil War.

The first Republican paper in the county was established by Kerl Bradley some time in August, 1864. It bore the name of the Patriot. On November 23, 1865, it passed into the hands of W. G. KernodK and after one more issue its name was changed to that of the Weekly Kirksville Journal. Kernodle associated himself with J. H. Myers and E. S. Darlington in founding the Journal. The first issue of thipaper was published on December 2, 1865. At that time then was considerable feeling over the question as to whether the State should disfranchise the ex-Confederates and their sympathizers. The Journal supported the Radical Republican Party which favored di- franchiscment. In April, 1866, W. M. Gill bought out Kernodle's interest; in the fall of that year John A. Pickler bought out Darlington. In June. 1868, Pickler and Gill were still the editors. On January 21, 1ST 1 , Pickler retired and Gill continued to conduct the paper until he *>M it to S. M. Pickler on July 3, 1873. At the time when Gill assumed sole proprietorship in 1871 the paper was increased in size and the name changed to the Dollar Journal. S. M. Pickler made several changes in the name, calling it for a while Weekly Journal, then Weekly Kirksville Journal, and finally Kirksville Journal, which name has been retained continuously from that time to the present.

In April, 1880, B. F. Heiny purchased a half interest from Pickler, ami from that time to the present, with the exception of a period extending from 1891 to 1894, he has had some connection with the paper. A short time after Mr. Heiny had bought an interest, D. S. Hooper purchased the remaining interest of Mr. Pickler. A little later Mr. Hooper disposed of his interest to S. S. McLaughlin. In December, 1886, Heiny and McLaughlin leased the paper to Wm. Gill and F. L. Link, but this arrangement lasted only a short time when Heiny and Mc- Laughlin resumed the management.

On March 15, 1890, the plant was completely destroyed by a fire that swept the south side of the square from the southeast corner up U> near the southwest corner. All the files of the Journal were lost. The :>\v old issues reaching back of the fire, that the paper now has have ta*n picked up here and there since that event. The proprietors set to work to re-establish the paper immediately. Pending the arrival «>! the new equipment arrangements were made for publishing the next few issues in St. Louis. The week after the fire the paper came out on time, hut it contained very little local news. An account of the fire and a few locals were all that the paper contained in the way of news. After three issues the plant had been re-established in temporary quarters and the paper appeared with its usual amount of news.

In October, 1891, Mr. Heiny retired from the paper to become Cashier of the Union Bank, a newly established bank in Kirksville, now the National Bank of Kirksville. W. F. Link and F. L. Link became the proprietors, the former acting as editor and the latter as manager. In April, 1894, F. L. Link sold his interest to W. F. Link.

On April 22, 1897, articles of incorporation were filed for the Journal Printing Company. The firm owning the paper had been known f\v that name since November, 1891, but the paper was not incorporated until 1897. B. F. Heiny has been President of the company since its incorporation and F. L. Link has likewise been Secretary and Business

Manager. The Board of Directors has from time to time employe Rome one to write editorial articles; among those thus employed ha\ been A.N.Seaber and .1. A. Cooler. R. F. Heiny has frequently doi this part of the work himself.

For years the Journal occupied quarters on the second floor of tl building in which the Normal Book Store has long been, but in 19( the company erected the large building it now occupies on McPherx street between Franklin and Elson, and moved into it the first (lav < Januarv, 1900.

The equipment of the Journal has .been its pride all along. Ii 1S79 a two-horse-power steam engine was installed to run the prefl Though it was insignificant as compared with engines such as would b installed now, it was the only one in the county and was somethmi which the paper felt proud of. The pride of the proprietor, S. M. Pick ler, over this improvement was manifested in the imprimatur put oi all things printed in the shop. It read "Kirksville Journal Steafl Print." Since that time the equipment has been steadily improve* itil today it includes a monotype machine, a large two-revolution K)k press and a pony book press. It is said that some of the stockriders sold out their stock at less than par when some expensive malinen- was installed because they feared it would bankrupt the eom- 111 v. But the improvements have proved profitable investments.

The press- work which this company does for other publications lan the Journal is very extensive. Four different monthly publicaons connected with the A. S. ()., and one weekly publication connected ith the Normal School, besides other publications, are printed by this mipany. It has also printed several different books of considerable ze. and has for years printed the catalogues of the A. S. O. and the Xorutl School.

The capital stock when the company was incorporated was $4,750. ; has been increased twice, once to $10,000, and in April, 1910, to 20.000. Its business for 1010 amounted to $24,913.

Much of the success of this establishment has been due to the mans<t. Mr. F. L. Link. He began to learn the trade in the Journal printoffice in 1868, when it was owned by J. A. Pickler and Win. Gill, ince that time he has had some connection with the paper with the Mention of about four years during the nineties. His connection -itii a county paper is therefore longer by far than that of any other owspaper man in the county.

After the suspension of the Democrat, that is the old Democrat, luring the war, there was no Democratic paper in the county until 1807. ^arlv in that year, Ellis & Sons established a paper called the Herald, vhich they managed to run until October, 1870.

Before this venture in journalism succumbed, another had been tartcd, which was called the North Missouri Tribune. The first issue va.> dated August 25, 1870. The editors, Browning and Scovcrn, were trouR Radicals. But their career was short. On September 29, 1870, F. S. Hoag purchased the paper and changed its politics from Radical to Liberal Republicanism. It will be recalled that in the fall election )f 1870 the Liberal Republicans had been victorious in the state over the Radicals, but the Tribune seemed to have had very little influence n affecting the result in Adair County, as this county remained staunchly Radical during that bitter campaign.

Before the year in which the Tribune was established was out, it bad changed hands again. With the issue of December 1, 1870, \V. C. B. Gillespie and a man by the name of Lyda became proprietors, the first acting as editor. The politics were changed to Democratic and the name was changed with the issue of December 8, 1870, to that of \\- Xorth Missouri Register. Mr. Lyda retired from the paper in Augur 1871, but Major Gillespie retained his connection until April. IS?1' For several years during Major Gillespie's connection with this par*,' he conducted another one at Macon also. He was accustomed to vide his time between Kirksville and Macon, and to prepare mater* which was inserted in both papers identically alike. He found it uphill work maintaining a strong Democratic paper in a Republican couih ty, and once or twice he affiliated himself with some third party whi i had been organized in the county. In 1874 he espoused the Peopl* - party cause until late in the campaign, and in 1878 he came very near coming out squarely for the Greenbackers.

When Major Gillespie sold the paper in April, 1879 to Felix La> he reserved the right to use its name and he proceeded to buy in?- Macon Examiner and at once changed its name to the North Missouri Register. This paper he maintained for several years. Mr. Lac^ changed the name of the paper he bought from Major Gillespie : Kirksville to the Kirksville Democrat. He continued his connevtit, with it until March 11, 1880, at which time Dr. A. H. John, a uniq*1 character in the political affairs of the county took charge. On Jul 20, 1882, J. U.Barnard, who had long been a member of the faculty : the State Nor- mal School at Kirksville, bought the paper and in A gust of that year W. L. Chappell became a partner of Mr. Barra-i in publishing the paper. In October, 1883, the latter retired, having sold his interest to his partner. Later Mr. Chappell's brother kmgrr an interest in the paper and still later, at least by March 29, 1SSS. thfirm went by the name of Chappell, Bailey Ar Company.

On March 15, 1895, the plant was destroyed by the same fire thai dest roved the Journal. Fortunately its files from 1882 to 1888 »w saved, but the files from 1879 to 1882, and from 1888 to 1890 were destroyed. The files of the North Missouri Register from 1870 to 1ST4.' were also destroyed in this same fire, but fortunately Major (iille?y> had saved two files, and when he left Kirksville in 1879 took one - them with him to Macon. After his death in 1903, these files which Lhad prized so highly, were donated by his daughters, Mrs. Amnion at i Mrs. Maxon, to the State Normal School at Kirksville.

On September 10, 1891, Chappell and Bailey sold the Deinomt to C. S. Orcutt. who had been editor of the Monticello Journal in Lew- County. The first issue under Mr. Orcut contained a long editors to the Democrats of Adair County urging upon them greater unity action and more harmony of spirit so that victory might be more rep:- fly \Wirs. It will be recalled that the election of 1890 had been a ipilar landslide locally for the Democrats by a happy combination ith the Farmers' Alliance, and it was not yet apparent that such a ictory would not be regularly repeated.

Mr. Orcutt remained in charge of the paper until ill health combed him to retire early in 1903. On February 6, 1903, Dr. W. T. tephenson Ijecame proprietor and editor and remained so until De- ?mber 29, 1905, when the Kirksville Democrat Printing Company <&> organized. This company was composed of R. Minter, editor, and . P. English, manager. Under Dr. Stephenson the name had been aanged to The Democrat. This was now changed back to the Kirkslll*' Democrat. On May 24, 1907, C. Calhoun became editor and iitiA|z;er. Since then frequent changes have been made in the managelent. On January 17, 1908, S. T. Willey assumed the duties of manz**r and has remained so up to the present. Several men have since lat time had charge of the editorial work, among them C. N. Tolman, a>. Ellison and S. T. Willey himself. The present editor is I. H. Hum- Lrey. Meanwhile, the company which owned the paper was incornrateti, this having taken place on October 17, 1908.

The Clraphic was established by Dr. J. M. S wet nam as publisher ml proprietor, and W. M. Gill, who had been formerly connected with he Journal, as editor. It seems as though this second Republican aper in the county was established as the result of a faction in the party fhieh is said to have grown out of a fight for the Kirksville post office, fhe Journal naturally opposed the move to get out another Republican tay-er. ami a petition was circulated among the Republicans protesting gainst it. but all to no avail. Gill continued as editor until December, tel. In June, 1882, Dr. Swot nam leased the paper to W. M. Gill awl Jacob Sands. Sands seems to have been connected with the paper mtil the last of December of that year. In June, 1883, T. E. Sublette turchased the paper from Swetnam and retained Gill as editor until Hareh, 1885, when he assumed control. He has been proprietor and difor from that time to this, and has today the record of having been n fxlitor longer than any one in the county.

The Graphic has been a sort of free lance ever since its establishment. While Republican in principle, it has not hesitated to criticize "lividuai Republicans and to support Democrats at times. It was **^icularly favorable to Folk for Governor in 1904.

street, just off the southeast corner of the square. It remained t! until it was moved in 1910 to West McPherson street, next to the Jc nal Printing Company.

Each of the weekly papers in Kirksville has at some time or nth maintained a daily, but no one kept it up very long. The first to >tai as far as is known, was the Daily Journal. The first issue was on Mi 18, 1875, when S. M. Pickler was editor of the Journal. This ventu did not outlast the year, suspending at Christmas. In 1881-82 the Pail Graphic was issued, and some time in the eighties there was a dail Democrat. It appears that the Daily Journal was revived alxnit th time, hut for how long is not known. It was revived again in 1891 an ran from August 20 to December 30. No one of these efforts was pr«v it able, hence their suspension shortly after their inauguration.

The Daily Express has been the only daily paper in the count; which has proved a success financially so far. It was started some tim in November, 1901, by N. A. Matlick and J. Rice. In a short timctb

:er retired, and then in January, 1905, the paper was sold to the irnal Printing Company. On June 1, 1906,- C. C. Howard, formerly the Brashear News, bought the paper from the Journal and began a ies of improvements which have brought it to what it is at the pres- . In 1907 Walter Ridgway was employed as Business Manager, I in November, 1909 he and E. E. Swain purchased the paper from \ Howard. In March, 1911, Mr. Ridgway announced his retircnt by May 1, having sold his interest to Mr. Swain.

The Thrice-a-Week Echo was established by J. W. Settle in March, )o. As the name suggests it appeared three time a week. After intaining it for two or three years Mr. Settle sold it to S. R. Lloyd,

The town of Brashear has for a long time supported a newspaper of nr sort. The early efforts at establishing a paper were not very XTssful. Several papers were started and very shortly given up. nong them were the Brashear Gazette which was started in 1880, t was very soon suspended because of the litigation among its credos; the Salt River Bugle, which was edited by W. H. Jayne, but just ion is riot known; and the Brashear Citizen, which was founded by

The present paper, the Brashear News, has been a financial sue- !*. It was founded by E. L. Hilbert. the first issue appearing on iijwst 6, 1890. In June, 1897 he disposed of it to M. B. Sherwood, :io in turn sold it to C. C. Howard in July, 1898 The paper was in a ir way of dying out when Mr. Howard took hold of it, but he gave it a w start and considerably expanded it. When he came to Kirksville

The files that have been preserved show that the paper has been wful all along to gather as much county news as possible from all irtsof the county, especially the eastern part. The equipment of the fiee is considerable for so small a place.

Novinger has one newspaper, the Xovinger Record. This was by the Record Printing Company, with Nat L. Johnson as anager. The first issue was March 25, 1904. In 1907 the paper was 'Id to the Novinger Printing Company, which was composed of J. J.

editor. He was shortly followed by George Melvin. In 1909 Eason took charge of the paper and remained with it until Oetol 1910, when F. L. Morrow became editor. The circulation has run times to as high as 1170, but its normal circulation is between 000 : 1000.

For a while in 1900, Mr. Johnson of the Novinger Record, also pi lished a Connelsville paper, but that proved unremunerativc and he was suspended.

Besides the papers that have been mentioned there have been * eral others started and kept going for a while. Many of the*- w political papers pure and simple.

One of these was called the Pell Mell Greenbaeker, edited by C. Kinman who had formerly lived at Edina. As the name sugge-t- 1 paper was an organ of the Greenback party. It was established h-u 1887, but just when it was started and when it quit is not known.

The Farmers' Alliance gave rise to a paper devoted exclusively its purposes, called the Adair County Farmer, and later the Farm- Advocate. It was evidently established in 1892, with J. T. .Miller editor. In March, 1894 it was sold to a stock company, whereup J. Weller Long of Warrcnsburg was made editor. When Mr. Loii£ i tired in September of that year, J. M. McCall acted as editor for an months. Allen Osenbaugh succeeded Mr. McCall and continued li paper until 1898, when he sold the plant to a man who moved it out the county.