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CHAPTER VIII.

THE PRESS OF SENECA COUNTY.

A GOOD newspaper is something which is above all price, when the quality of its goodness springs from editorial principle rather than from managerial cupidity. 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 without. Half a century has glided into the past, since the first newspaper was issued in this county. With the growth of the

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county the press has kept pace, until now one daily newspaper, and several weekly journals are supported directly by the people; while the daily press of Toledo, Chicago and Cincinnati meets with a very liberal patronage. In the following historical review, the writer confines himself to a brief notice of the establishment and progress of the local newspapers, leaving the personal history to be treated on by the writers of the last part of this volume.

TIFFIN NEWSPAPERS.

The pioneer newspaper was the Seneca Patriot, printed August 4, 1832, by J. H. Brown, and edited by Elisha Brown. The press used on this occasion was taken beyond the Alleghenies to Washington, Penn., about the year 1800, by James Colerick; thence to several localities in Virginia and Ohio by J. P. McArdle, who located his office at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, in 1816, and published the Register. On the establishment of a printing office at Clinton, Ohio, this itinerant press was present, next it appears at Norwalk, then at Sandusky City, afterward at Tifn, finally settling at Toledo. It appears that the Brown Brothers purchased McArdle's office at Norwalk, established an office at Sandusky' and in 1832 moved to Tiffin with their printing outfit. The Browns made an effort to conciliate all political parties, but failed in this impracticable scheme, so that November 17, 1832, the Patriot surrendered to the Jackson Party, the Whigs and anti-Masons withdrew their support, the editor of the Patriot retired to Cincinnati where he died, N. Y. Magill taking his place November 30, 1833. J. H. Brown remained a little while until the office passed into the charge of Magill, who managed it until the spring of 1834, when Abel Rawson purchased the printing business for his brother-Alonzo Rawson.

The Independent Chronicle and Seneca Advertiser, issued on the ruins of the Patriot April 26, 1834, was printed by Alonzo Rawson and edited by Abel Rawson. This journal was conducted on independent principles for a short time, but for the greater part of its two years' existence it advocated Whig principles, and brewed another storm which ended in its sale in November, 1835.

The Tiffin Gazette and Seneca Advertiser was projected by Josiah F. Reed, November 25, 1835, and within a short time claimed Democratic support in Sandusky County as well as in Seneca. It reached its nineteenth number April 16, 1836, and continued regular publication until the close of February, 1838, when Luther A. Hall purchased the office and abolished all its Democratic symbols, retaining the name Tiffin Gazette and Seneca Advertiser alone.

The Tiffin Gazette, an ultra-Whig newspaper, was established in February, 1838, by Luther A. Hall and Joseph Howard. Commercially it was the successor of the Gazette and Advertiser, but from a journalistic stand-point it differed very widely from its parent. As Hall abolished all signs of Democracy in the office, so Howard attacked the old title, dropping the name Seneca Advertiser. April 7, 1838, Joseph Howard, who succeeded Mr. Reed as editor of the Gazette, retired. S. A. Griswold, the- new editor and proprietor, took charge the same day. Under the new management it received a thorough support.

The list of delinquent tax-payers for the year ending September 19, 1838, occupied seven columns of the Tiffin Gazette. This occasioned a delay in issuing the paper, and brought forth a request from the editor that the readers of the Gazette would not cry, because the paper had at length got a good advertisement. The paper continued to be regularly issued (except for four weeks in September and October, 1839,) until September, 1842, when it ceased publication.

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The Van Burenite journal was established by Joshua Seney, Henry Cronise and Gabriel J. Keen in 1840, as a campaign weekly journal. It was complete in political satire, and lived its full length, dying in the fall of 1841. The salutatory, written by Joshua Seney, is given as follows: " We shall advocate with a becoming zeal, and dignifiedly in manner, the great Democratic Republican principles, as established and taught by Thomas Jefferson. That ours is a government of specified and limited-not general-powers, and ought so to be strictly observed, to attain the ends for which it was established, all must admit. The few and venerable patriots, who, when our government dated its existence, were upon the bright summit of glory, and have lived till this late day, are willing to exclaim that our system of government has eminently exceeded the most sanguine expectations of those who achieved the glorious victory upon which it was established, and became an object, not only of admiration, but of envy and emulation by the world. It is therefore our duty, rendered imperious by the position we occupy as a nation, to preserve for its character as pure and untarnished as the bright and illustrious spirit of liberty, which dictated its existence among its framers, and still serves as a beacon light to the benighted, and a home for the oppressed of mankind, the object for which the blood of our forefathers and heroesand labor of our ages-have been bestowed to obtain. In regard to the present Federal administration, we unhesitatingly declare that we will wage against it and its measures an unyielding opposition.' We would banish from us all prejudice, cast off all party predilection and admonish the American people to view the awful and deplorable condition of our country, brought about by the short Federal predomination of one year, and ask themselves if this is the `change' to which they were invited. The Democracy who, in trying times, have been entreated to rally and rescue our government, must appreciate the present as a crisis equally important, and prepare to restore her from the dominion of an unprincipled and reckless political party, who are now plunging her into debt, disgrace and dishonor, regardless of consequences. We shall endeavor to maintain a courteous but decided position in regard to the principles we intend promulgating, and in discussion have a strict observance for the truth of what shall appear in our paper." * *

The Chasseurs' Own was issued on Thanksgiving day, 1861, by the First Ohio Volunteer Chasseurs, at the front. The names of Seneca County soldiers engaged in editing and printing this newspaper have not been given.

The Sunday Advertiser was issued in May and June, 1861. This was issued from the Advertiser office.

The Seneca Advertiser was first issued by John G. Breslin, May 6, 1842, he having purchased the office of the Van Burenite. Its new press and new type established the paper, which has been carried down to our own times with commercial and political success. In 1854 Mr. Breslin received the nomination for State treasurer, leased the Advertiser to John Flaugher, who conducted the paper until the close of 1855, when W. W. Armstrong took the position of editor and publisher. In 1857 he was sole owner of the office, and published the Advertiser regularly until the close of the winter of 1862-63, when he retired from newspaper work to attend to the duties of Secretary of State, he being elected to that important office in 1862. He subsequently, in April, 1865, became owner of the Plain Dealer, which he sold for $70,000 in December, 1884. Early in 1863 J. M. Myers and Charles Beilharz leased the Advertiser. In 1864 Mr. Myers became sole lessee and subsequently proprietor, conducting the Advertiser with marked ability up to 1884, when he sold to L. A. Brunner & Co., of which company he is still a member. The paper is now edited

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by L. A. Brunner, assisted by Kora F. Briggs. The management is in the hands of John W. Geiger. John M. Myers also devotes some attention to the literary department.

S. A. Grisworld, editor of the Lancaster Gazette, in a letter to the writer, dated May 18, 1885, says: '°I can only state that the printing press referred to was sold by me to Jacob Rosenburg, of Findlay, Ohio, in the spring. of 1843. Rosenburg, with the material of the old Tiffin Gazette, included in my sale to him, started a Democratic paper at Findlay, which, according to my recollection, lived only long enough to enjoy the county printing for a year or two. Later I was informed that the press went to Toledo, at the end of Rosenburg's ownership, and I have somehow got the impression that it has been there preserved in some collection of antique relics. Of its antecedents I have no exact information further than that its owner, immediately prior to that of myself, was Joseph Howard, then a prominent attorney of Tiffin, who purchased it of Messrs. Brown, father and son (Justin Brown was the name of the son). The press was a wooden ° Ramage,' of the very earliest pattern, and if tradition told the truth about it, was one which had been owned and worked by B. Franklin himself. The platen was but half the size of the bed, so that it required two pulls of the `devil's tail' to print one side of a four-page newspaper."

The Star was established May 5, 1869, and the first number issued that day by Elmer White and L. L. Orwig as a journal "Independent on all subjects, neutral on none," with the office in Gross' building. The press and material-were bought from the Unsere Flagge. This was a re-organization of the Tiffin Star, said to be issued for a short time in 1868, by Frank Rader and Elmer White. The office of the Star was purchased in 1873 by Frank Dildine and J. K. Huddle, and conducted by Mr. Huddle successfully, from 1874 forward. In December, 1874, the Tiffin Daily Star, a 3 cent evening paper, was issued from this office. In 1875 this enterprise, this pioneer daily newspaper of Tiffin, ceased to mist, owing to the very limited support offered by the people.

The Seneca County Fair Bulletin, printed in the Advertiser office, was issued in October, 1869. This was a yearly journal, devoted to advertisements and Fair news.

The Whig Standard was issued at Tiffin, by George L. Wharton, November 19, 1845. This was a strict Whig journal, instituted to convert the " Locofocos," who appeared to Mr. Wharton as the very embodiment of political heathenism. In 1848 the editor transferred the Standard to Abraham Laubach, who sold the office to Capt. McKee, one year later. The Standard battled with its Democratic opponent until 1855, when McKee gave his editorial place to W. C. Gray. Wharton's salutatory contained several paragraphs, one of which is as follows: "We shall enter our protest against the Locofoco party, and labor ardently for those principles bequeathed to us by the patriots of the Revolution-the principles of the Whig party; a party whose origin was our country's Revolution, and whose fidelity and patriotism achieved our independence. Upon this broad basis we shall stand, adhering firmly to liberty, despising anarchy and despotism, with an eye single to the interests of our country, feeling assured that upon the integrity of the Whig party rests our destiny as a nation."

The Western Whig Standard was issued (the first number, March 3, 1849), by George L. Wharton, who also published The Northwestern Continent, October 1, 1850.

The Tiffin Tribune, successor to the Whig-Standard, was established by

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W. C. Gray in 1855, and conducted by him until May, 1857, when the office was purchased by H. L. McKee, of The Home Companion, then published at Findlay, Ohio. In 1861 John Robbins bought the office, published the Tribune for four years, and sold it to Abraham Kagy in 1865. About the time the echoes of the Rebellion were dying away the office was purchased by Myers & Miller. O. T. Locke, C. N. Locke and W. G. Blymer purchased the paper in November, 1868, from Myers & Miller, and issued the first number under the new management, November 5, 1868. The Tribune is now the property of Otis T. Locke, by whom it is edited, with H. E. Simon, assistant editor and manager, and Fred L. Wenner, local editor and reporter. Russell L. Knapp, foreman in this office for the past fifteen years, received the Republican nomination of representative in August, 1885.

The Seneca Adler was the first German newspaper published at Tiffin, the first number being issued on April 5, 1848, with William Lang, editor, and John G. Breslin, publisher. The publication of the Adler was suggested by the political necessities of 1848, and the recommendations of the Democratic central committee, addressed by John G. Breslin, William Lang, Richard Williams and Joel W. Wilson, to the German residents of the county. This has been generally known as the pioneer German newspaper of this division of the State; but the general knowledge must be somewhat astray, since a paper printed in German was established twenty-three days previously. The Adler was issued every week for six months, when its political mission ended.

The Northwestern Continent was issued by George L. Wharton, at Tiffin, October 1, 1850. In November, 1850, the names of W. J. Forbes, Charles Warner, A. F. Reed, W. M. McCracken, appear as printers.

The Evening Herald was established by W. H. Koppel, January 9, 1877, and conducted by him up to November, 1880, when he sold the office to the Herald Printing Company, Messrs. J. A. Norton and Henning. Dr. Norton was the editor, with Mr. Henning, business manager, and Mr. Burdette, local editor and solicitor. Mr. Burdette was subsequently local editor and manager. August 6, 1877, the form of the Herald was changed, and the " New Issue " form adopted. In August, 1885, Mr. Burdette resigned, and September 1, Charles Parker assumed charge of the local department of the daily Herald. Mr. Parker learned the printer's trade with the editor of the News several years ago at Port Clinton, Ohio. , Dr. E. B. Hubbard is owner and editor.

T. H. Robbins who published the Tribune in 1863, returned in June, 1865, to establish an abolition paper to be called the Journal. The question of what he was going to abolish was a secret.

The Unsere Flagge was founded by J. M. Zahm in October, 1854, as a Democratic German paper. This continued publication until January, 1867, when it ceased to appear. The office material was sold in 1869 to the ,Star.

Die Tiffin Presse,, a German Democratic journal, carefully edited and well printed, was first issued January 6, 1871, by George Homan, and it has been published continuously since that time by George Homan & Son.

The Tiffin Gazette was founded in April, 1878, by Charles L. Zahm, as a family journal. The publication of this paper was discontinued in 1879.

The Tiffin News was established by D. J. Stalter, in 1880, and the first number issued April 3, that year. Mr. Stalter purchased the printing office of the Tiffin Gazette, from C. L. Zahm, in 1880, introduced a new equipment, and since that year has published a first class weekly newspaper. The editor represented Seneca County in the last Legislature.

The Tiffin Monthly Trade Review was issued from the press of E. R. Good & Bros. in July, 1879. It had a circulation of about 2,000 copies per month; but was discontinued when the Heidelberg Journal was begun.

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The Heidelberg Monthly Journal was first issued, October 1, 1880, by E. R. Good & Bro. at Tiffin. This journal is devoted solely to college matters and literary contributions, and claims a bona fide monthly circulation of 500 copies.

The Tiffin Daily Courier, a morning paper, founded in 1884, was regularly issued by Mr. Mann as editor, for some time, then passed into other hands, and soon after ceased publication.

The Enterprise was established by the Enterprise Printing Company, in 1885.

The Reporter and Advertiser, issued during the annual fair of Seneca County, is published by J. S. York & Co. for free distribution. The issue under notice, that of September, 1882, is good in its mechanical make up and advertising pages.

FOSTORIA NEWSPAPERS.

The Fostoria News was founded in February, 1860, by J. H. Foster, now of Van Wert, and conducted by him until 1866, when, August 13, that year, Julius V. Jones and W. G. Blymer, purchased the office. Within the following year Mr. Jones purchased the entire interest. In August, 1866, the name was changed to Fostoria Review. When, in February, 1860, the first volume of the Fostoria News appeared, its motto was "Peace with all mankind," and its principles "Neutrality in politics." February 22, 1861, the first issue of Volume II, the News announced itself in favor of that party which should stand by the Union and the Constitution, and in 1866 adopted the principles of the Republican party. Mr. Jones sold to E. W. Thomas, in 1868; he sold to Miss L. Foster and Mr. Wilkerson, who in turn sold it to J. V. Jones. Mr. Jones conducted the Review until 1876, when the office was purchased by O. J. and J. P. De Wolfe, and carried on by them until 1883, when J. P. De Wolfe became sole proprietor.

The Observer, an academical paper, was published for a short time at Fostoria. This journal gave place to the College Echo, in 1884, a paper now published in the interest of the College of Music and of the Fostoria Academy.

The Fostoria Democrat was founded July 19, 1875, by Meyer & Baird, in which firm Frank Hays had one-third interest. The Democrat was continued under the original management until May, 1876, when Mr. Hays purchased James B. Baird's interest, and, with R. C. Meyer, conducted the paper until July 22, 1880, when Frank Hays purchased the sole control. The Democrat is a five column quarto, well printed, ably edited, and is one of the leading Democratic papers of northwestern Ohio. The office gives employment to from four to seven hands. The circulation is about 1,100 copies weekly.

ATTICA NEWSPAPERS.

The Attica Journal was first issued April 6, 1876, by C. W . Clough, who, that year, came from Monroeville, Ohio, bringing with him a full equipment for a newspaper office. He sold the office to A. H. Baldsley (now of Findlay), who sold the office to Dr. J. C. Meyers, who, in fact, owned the Journal up to his death, January 18, 1884, C. W. DeBrant being editor and publisher for the greater part of this time. Shortly after Dr. Meyer's death T. B. Walker purchased the office, and conducted the Journal to January 1, 1885, when Dr. H. G. Blaine became editor and proprietor. G. C. Lake, who has been connected with the Journal for seven years past, is local editor, and superintends the printing room.

The Medical Compend, pronounced by Rowell to be the cheapest medical journal in the world, was issued at Attica in January, 1884, and regularly

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every month since that time, by H. G. Blaine, M. D. It claims a monthly circulation ranging from 1,500 to 2,OOO copies, always increasing. The Compend is issued in magazine form.

The Noonday Sun, issued from the Journal office, Attica, March 1, 1885, is a monthly magazine, devoted principally to religious reading; is edited by Rev. W. A. Keesy, of the United Brethren Church.

GREEN SPRING NEWSPAPERS.

The Green Spring Sentinel was issued May 1, 1874, at Green Spring, lay A. D. Ames. This was a weekly newspaper, independent in political matters.

The Green Spring Times was established in 1876 by C. A. Seiders, afterward sold to W. J. Johnson, who sold it to D. S. Caldwell, and subsequently repurchased it. In 1881 the office was purchased by M. F. Van Buskirk, of Mansfield, Ohio. In February, 1884, a partnership was formed between M. F. Van Buskirk and H. J. Ernsborger, the latter also of Mansfield, under the firm name of Van Buskirk & Co. The Times office changed hands in August, 1885, M. F. Van Buskirk selling his interest to D. B. Rowell.

The Mutual Underwiter is edited and published in the Green Spring Times office. It was established in Columbia, Penn., in 1876, subsequently purchased by J. R.. Vernon, of Salem, and lastly by the present publishers. It is devoted to the interest of assessment insurance, and is the only paper of the kind extant. It is the official paper of the cause in Ohio and neighboring States. The New Academy was founded in 1884, edited by Rev. J. S. Axtell, and printed by the publishers of the Times. It is devoted to the interests of modern academic training.

BLOOMVILLE NEWSPAPERS.

The Bloomville Enterprise was founded July 4, 1874, by Robert Lockhart, preacher, who transferred his interest in it to J. N. Lee, in October following. Mr. Lee sold the outfit to D. W. Fisher, in October, 1874.

The Bloomville Banner, founded January 1, 1875, as successor to the Enterprise, by D. W. Fisher,was conducted by various parties for short terms until W. S. Hammaker took the office and published the paper with some regnlarity for about eight months, when he ceased publication.

The Seneca County Record was founded by O. M. Holcomb, in July, 18',8, who purchased the Banner office from W. S. Hammaker.

The Bloomville Record was founded in July, 1878, and the first number issued July 5, that year, by O. M. Holcomb, of Fayette, Ohio, who purchased the old office. The Record is an eight column folio, has a circulation of 700 and is independent in politics.

The Bloomville Daily Record was issued July 4, 1879, from the Record office.

BETTSVILLE NEWSPAPERS.

The Optic was founded December 15, 1882 at Bettsville, by R. M. Scott, who conducted the paper until July 1, 1883, when F. C. Miller, John Miller, H. S. Raff and J. L. Hosler purchased the office.

The Beltsville Enterprise, successor to the Optic, was founded by the purchasers of the last named office and the first number issued July 13, 1883, with J. L. Hosler, editor. This paper has now a circulation of 600. It is a neat four-page paper,. well printed, newsy, and neutral in politics. In October, 1883, Mr. Hosler purchased the interests of his partners in the office.

OTHER PUBLICATIONS.

The first history of Seneca County was published about 1817, by Consul

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W. Butterfield, of Melmore. The names of the supporters of this little book are given in the history of the townships, where such supporters resided.

The second history of the county, written by Judge William Lang, was published in 1880, an excellent work showing much care in its compilation.

There has been a work written by a citizen of the county, which, more than any other literary effort, has made the name of Seneca County familiar throughout the whole country. The author is the son of one of the pioneer lawyers of Tiffin, and is, himself, one of the ablest members of the present bar, and, indeed, one of the most useful members of the United States Congress. The book is titled Seney's Code, and the author is George E. Seney.

The educational papers by Prof. Aaron Schuyler, who in early days was connected with the Seneca County Academy at Republic, have earned for him a high reputation. Prof. Schuyler afterward filled the chair of mathematics at the Baldwin University, Berea, Ohio. P. H. Ryan has compiled a work of the most complete character, which awaits publication. It embraces Algebra and Mathematics.

CONCLUSION.

Many of the printers are gone to that land where there are no "devils." 'Their "ems" have been counted, and like all good typos, they have been rewarded a hundred-fold for their labors. Many of the editors, too, have mingled with their old friends of the composing-room, and already met their brothers in the happy hunting grounds, where there are no weekly quarrels, no criminations or recriminations. The experiences of the journey thither have brought forth this grand result, and looking down on their old confreres of the press, they wonder why it is that civilization has not yet encircled them, or left untaught the lessons of peace and kind words. There are many of the old printers and editors, fortunately, left. They are not without their faults; but such faults are the excesses of their virtues, and incidental to the profession, if not part and parcel of our own times. In the pioneer chapter and in the chapters of this work devoted to personal history and reminiscences, mention is made of a large number of them, and to these the reader is referred. To the whole press of Seneca County the writer is specially indebted for much substantial aid in obtaining material for this volume, and to each of its members he offers his sincere thanks, as history itself owes them thanks.