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378 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY. CHAPTER X. THE PRESS OF ALLEN COUNTY. THE newspaper, when well conducted, is one of the evidences of true advancement. It is to the people a great educator, and when faithful to its mission, forms an exponent of national ideas, a guard against treason from within and treachery from without. Half a century has almost passed into the past, since the first newspaper was issued in this county. With the growth of the county the press has kept pace, until now two daily newspapers and nine weekly journals are supported directly by the people; while the daily press of Cincinnati meets with a very liberal support. In the following historical review, the writer confines himself to a brief notice of the estahlishment and progress of the local newspapers, leaving the personal history to be treated of in the biographical part of this volume. LIMA NEWSPAPERS. The Herald, founded in 1836 by Bennett & Hollister, at Lima, may be considered the pioneer newspaper of Allen County, although it was nothing more than a campaign sheet. After the elections of that year, which resulted in the choice of Martin Van Buren for the Presidency, it ceased publication. A weekly journal thought to be the Owl. was established in 1841 by Thomas Smith, and continued publication until the winter of 1841-42, when he disposed of his office to Milton Gillett and Abelard Guthrie. The Porcupine was first issued in the winter of 1841-42 by Gillett & HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY - 379 Guthrie, who purchased the printing office of Thomas Smith. Guthrie continued the publication of this journal until 1843, when his interests were purchased by George W. Andrews, who issued the Porcupine under a new name. The Argus was launched in 1843 by George W. Andrews, who conducted this paper with marked success until after the elections of 1844, when Matthias H. Nichols acquired control of the office. In 1852 the Argus was purchased by Theo. E. Cunningham and William C. Tompkins. Early in 1854 Mr. Cunningham sold his interests to Thomas M. Robb, who conducted the paper until August 1855, when they sold the office to Poland & Cunningham. The Reporter was founded in 1843 by Hamilton Davidson and Edward Marrott, in the Whig interest. Although it is stated that it existed only three or four years, there is evidence that it was in existence, as late as the fall of 18418, while the job office was continued under various proprietors until 1851 (vide Howe, Hist. Coll. 0. pp. 218-29). The Western Gazette was issued at Lima July 15, 1854, by Sydenham Shaffer and Charles A. Poland, from their office in King's Building. L. Wolfe purchased Poland's interest subsequently, and in 1854 sold his interest to Shaffer. In January 1855 the office was purchased by Messrs. Parmenter. The Gazette was established in 1854, by Sydenham Shaffer, under the title, Western Gazette, who conducted it throughout the political contest of that year. The office was purchased in 1855, by Cornelius and Harvey Parmenter, the former of whom has carried its publication successfully down to the present day. The Daily Gazette, a paper devoted to war news, was issued from the Gazette office April 22, 1861, and continued publication until May 12, 1861. The People's Press was founded some short time before the fall elections of 1855, by Poland and Cunningham, in the interest of the American antislavery party. This paper was simply the Argus, which changed proprietorship and politics, and aided to build up a strong sentiment in favor of the party which it espoused. In 1856, Thomas H. Robb, acquired control of the Press, made it the successor of the Argus politically, and conducted it with marked ability until its sale to John P. 380 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY. Haller, who after a short time, disposed of the office to James H. Berry, who, in 1858, disposed of his interest in the paper to James Mackenzie. The Democrat as the successor of the Democratic Argus, and antislavery People's Press, may be said to be established under its present name in 1858, by James Mackenzie, a son of William Lyon Mackenzie, of Canada Rebellion fame. Previous to his election to the Judgship of the Court of Common Pleas in 1863, he sold the Democrat to David S. Fisher, and he, in turn, disposed of his interest in the office to Capt. Henry B. Kelly, in September, 1874, who conducted the journal with remarkable success, until his recent death at Washington, D. C., where he was attending the Press Convention. Mr. Timmonds, the present editor and proprietor, took charge of the office after the death of Capt. Kelly. The Sun was founded in 1874, by Coe and Medsker, as a Republican Journal. They sold the office to Lockhard; he disposed of his intersts to Hazleton and Junkin, and they, in turn, to John C. Edmiston, who founded the Journal called the Moon. The Moon was established by John S. Edmiston, and continued publication until July, 1877, when he sold his interest in that paper to Charles and W. A. Campbell, who established the Allen County Republican. The Allen County Republican was founded by Messrs. Campbell & Brother, as successor to the Moon, and conducted by them until the close of 1879, when Charles Campbell retired, leaving the Republican in charge of his brother W. A. Campbell. In February, 1880, Charles L. Long and J. L. Long, purchased the office, since which time this enterprise has been attended with marked success. The Daily Republican, now in its third volume, was issued August 15, 1882. It is a twenty-four column folio, well printed and edited. This office is controlled by the Republican Printing Company, with Charles L. Lung, Manager, and J. M. Winder, Secretary. W. L. Porter is a member of this company. The Volksblatt, the pioneer German paper of Allen County, was established by A. Zwanzig, in 1879. Nos. 1, 2 and 3 were issued regularly, but owing to some defect in the management, rather than to want of interest on the part of German readers, it ceased publication. HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY - 381 The Courier, founded by George Feltz, August 30, 1877. is printed in German. This paper is ably edited, and forms the leading German newswaper of the Congressional District. The Democratic Times, established by O. B. Selfridge, Jr., and E. B. Halladay, in November, 1879, is one of the leading weekly papers of this county. The Daily Times was inaugurated, so to speak, October 27, 1884, with O. B. Selfridge, editor. The Times is a four-page evening journal well printed and edited, and newsy. The Times office is well equipped. DELPHOS NEWSPAPERS. Section Ten Budget was first published in 1848, by Benjamin F. Metcalf, who sold the office to Noah Huber in 1850, The Delphos Oracle was founded by Noah Huber in 1850, and conducted by him until his removal to Oregon in 1852, when O. S. Perry took charge of the office. In 1854 S. E. Brown purchased the office. The Northwestern Republican, a new name for the Oracle, was issued by S. E. Brown in 1854, and continued until 1856, when it ceased publication, and with its discontinuance the newspaper press of Delphos ceased for a time. The Delphos Herald was issued May 6, 1869, by D. H. Tolan, of Lima, Ohio. The Herald has been published continuously since that time, increasing always in popularity and circulation, until now the weekly circulation approximates to 1,000 copies, The Herald was independent in politics until 1877, when it espoused the Democratic party, and has since been a faithful exponent of Democratic principles. The Delphos Courant was founded in April, 1877, by E. B. Walkup. In March following E. K. Taylor purchased an interest in the Courant, which he disposed of to H. S. Thomas in January, 1879, and he in turn sold to the orginal proprietor in June, 1880. This paper has been strictly Republican since its establishment. Daily Budget, Rev. John F. Lang and O. J. Ostendorf, editors; issued December 14, 1880, ceased December 21, 1880. Holiday Trumpet, Christmas, 1883-84, was issued from the Herald 382 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY. BLUFFTON NEWSPAPERS. The Bluffton Times was founded by P. R. Bailey in 1871. The same year this paper suspended publication. In 1872 S. B. Davis came to the village and " resurrected" the Times, and published it under the name of the Bluffton Standard. The Bluffton Standard, founded by S. B. Davis and Prof. Clark. Davis purchased Clark's interest in 1873, and continued the publication until early in 1875, when he moved the office to Dunkirk, in Hardin County, where he received a bonus. The Bluffton News was published by N. W. Cunningham, of Lima, in July, 1875, and the first number was issued July 28, that year. He has published it continuously since that time. Now the circulation is about 1,100. The News is strictly independent in politics, newsy, and well edited. Mr. Cunningham is a son of the late Col. James Cunningham. The Gospel Light, founded by Elder J. V. Updike, at Bowling Green, Ohio, in 1883, was published there for one year, when the office was moved to Bluffton. This is a monthly journal, published in the interest of the Church of the Disciples, and printed by N. W. Cunningham, of the News, for Mr. Updike. The circulation is about 600 copies per month. SPENCERVILLE NEWSPAPER, The Spencerville Journal was founded in May, 1878, by J. W. Summersett. Messrs. Smith & Arnold purchased the office and conducted the Journal successfully. Recently H. J. Hamm became interested in the office, vice C. NV. Smith. The circulation is 600 copies weekly. Value of office, $1,500. To each publisher and editor, the compilers tender their sincere thanks for cordial co-operation, particularly to the editor of the Gazette, who placed his old files at their disposal, and to Messrs. Long & Winder, of the Republican, who aided them very materially in obtaining a complete review of modern commercial history from the pages of the Republican as well as from personal reminiscences of the county's progress published in their Journal. |