USA > Alabama > Memorial record of Alabama. A concise account of the state's political, military, professional and industrial progress, together with the personal memoirs of many of its people. Volume II pt 1 > Part 25
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The county of Sumter was organized in 1833 and the county seat located at Livingston. In March, 1836. W. B. Ochiltree and T. K. Thomas began the publication of the Voice of Sumter. Mr. Ochiltree, was a lawyer. He was the father of Tom Ochiltrec, the ex-congressman from Texas. who has gained an inter state and inter national reputation for a peculiar species of harmless romaneing. The elder Ochiltree had none of the infirmities which have made the son famous on two continents. The
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Voice of Sumter supported Hugh L. White for president. as against Martin Van Buren. Subsequently, T. K. Thomas and D. H. Trott, published the paper, and later D. H. Trott alone. In 1531, S. C. Strother published the Sumter Democrat. The date of its foundation is not ascer- tainable. It was subsequently published by Strother and Payne, and later by Strother alone. In 1856. it was conducted by B. Y. Ramsey, who moved to Mississippi. and in 1858 -- 39, by John R. Tompkins, now living in Mobile. In the meantime. date not ascertainable, the Messenger, also a democratic paper, was established, and in 1838-39 was published by J. J. Garratt, now a practicing lawyer in Birmingham. In 1839. the whigs purchased the Messenger and it was published as a Bell & Everett paper in 1860, under the management of Capt. W. A. C. Jones, now clerk of the circuit court of Sumter county.
During the same campaign, 'the Democrat changed hands and was ' edited by William A. May. At the beginning of the war it was conducted by N. E. Thomas, but he soon afterward entered the army, and its publi- cation was suspended. After the war closed, Mr. Thomas published a democratic paper at Butler. in Choctaw county, and during the reconstruc- tionperiod, he was assassinated. The publication of the Messenger was continued until about the close of the war, by Kirkland & Chandler, when it suspended. In the fall of 1865, it was revived, but a few months later it was discontinued. its political utterances not being in accord with the sentiments with a great majority of the white people of Sumter county.
After the surrender of the Confederate army, and cause, the old mater- ial of the Sumter Democrat was transferred to Capt. Benjamin F. Herr, an ex-Confederate soldier from Missouri. who on the 15th day of July, 1865, issued the first number of the Livingston Journal. It was then and is now a staunch democratic paper. Under Capt. Herr's management, the Journal soon occupied a commanding position among the newspapers of Alabama, as it was the best paper that had ever been published in Sumter county. In 1870. he sold the Journal to Messrs. S. H. Sprott. W. R. DeLoach, and R. T. Thornton, who for about a year conducted it under the firm name of R. T. Thornton & Co. Messrs. Sprott and DeLoch then sold their interest to Capt. Herr and the paper was continued without change of firm name. About one year later, Capt. Herr purchased his partner's interest, and continued the publication until the fall of 1884. when he sold the Journal to his son. Frank Herr. In January, 1886, the latter sold the paper to Dr. N. F. Randall who, in July following, employed Capt. Herr to conduct the editorial department. In Febuary, 1891, Dr. Randall disposed of the paper to the Journal Publishing Co., by whom its publication has continued until the present time, with Capt Herr as editor and business manager.
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In March. 1589, the publication of the Sumter County Sun was begun in Livingston, by C. H. Allen, formerly publisher of the Gainesville Mes- senger, and became the organ of the Farmers' Alliance, Janurary 1, 1590,
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the (late) Gainesville Messenger was consolidated with the Sun and the publication is continued by Mr. Allen, under the name of the Sumter County Sun. Newspapers published at Gainesville, Sumter county, were as follows: about the year 1836, William Paschal began the publica- ·tion of the Dispatch. It was succeeded by the Pilot, published by Mont- gomery Carleton. Immediately preceding and during the war, James Hill published the Gainesville Independent. After the surrender, J. D. Cowan published the North Sumter News: in 1575, the Gainesville Dispatch was published by Cowan & Hutton: in 1876, by E. C. Hutton alone. In 1877, the dispatch passed into the hands of W. H. Thompson, who was succeeded by A. D. Hall & Son. In 1880, the Reporter was published by E. C. Meredith. now sheriff of Greene county, who was succeeded by Parham & Rogers in 1882, and they, by Rogers & Winkler, in 1883. They were succeeded in 1884 by George M. Gullett, and he, in 1885, by D. Hall. January. 1886. the paper passed into the hands of C. H. Allen, and the name - was changed to that of the Gainesville Messenger. Its publication was subsequently suspended, and January 1. 1890. the material of the office, having been moved to Livingston, it was consolidated with the Sumter Sun. At York, Sumter county, the publication of the York News was begun, July, 1887, and conducted by L. D. Godfrey. Jr., as editor. Sep- tember, 1888, Capt. J. W. Bryant, now of the Choctaw Herald, took charge and conducted it until July, 1889, when it became the York Times, with Eugene Hale, the boy editor, in control. He was succeeded by J. C. Johnston, who essayed to make the paper an alliance organ, but failed .. He was succeeded by S. E. Hill, he by B. L. Nixon and he by J. W. Bell, who was conducting the paper when the office was destroyed by fire, November, 1992. At this writing, the paper has not been revived.
At Cuba, Sumter county, in April, 1891. the South Sumter Star was established by Mr. Lynn Holmes, who continued its publication until September. 1892, when he sold the paper to J. W. Bell & Co., who removed it to York, and merged it with the York Times, which was destroyed by fire, as noted above.
The first newspaper published in Clarke county was established at Suggsville, by Benjamin MeCary, and the first number was issued the 25th of April. 1836, as the Post. This paper was continued a few years, but about the year 1841 was bought by George D. Megginson and moved to Grove Hill, the county seat. then called Macon. when the name was changed to that of the Macon Banner. In 1846. it was published by W. T. Megginson & Co. The Post and the Banner did not seem to take much interest in politics. In the year 1546, Gideon B. Massey established, at Grove Hill. the Southern Recorder a democratic paper, five columns to the page, a folio, but with wider columns than the usual gauge at the present time. About the first of the year 1-49, the Grove Hill Herald made its appearance, by Derusha Daffin and James T. Figure, who had
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purchased the Southern Recorder from Mr. Massey. They continued the paper until October, 1553, when Mr. Figure died. Mr. James W. Spald- ing became the purchaser of Mr.' Figures interest, and in 1854, Mr. Daffin sold his interest to Rufus L. Perkins, of Mobile. The Herald ceased to exist in the spring of 1856. The men mentioned above are all dead. McCary and Perkins died in Clark county, Ala. : Capt. Massey died in New York a few years ago: Derusha Dathìn died in Minnesota, in 1868; Mr. J. W. Spalding died in Montgomery ten years ago. In Jan- uary, 1856, the Clarke County Democrat was established by Isaac Grant at Grove Hill, and its publication is still continued by the same man, the paper being now in its thirty-seventh volume. In September, 1887, the South Alabamian was begun at Jackson by A. L. McLeod. It is still published in the same place by John S. Graham, Esq. In December. 1887, the Choctaw Enterprise was established by J. F. Meyers and C. W .. Hudson. In a short time, the name was changed to Thomasville News; it was called the Alliance Reporter; then again Thomasville News. It has had many editors and publishers, viz: Doyle & Desha, Poole, Henry Nixon, Rev. F. H. Von Kon. Robert Carter, Nelson C. White and others. Mr. Isaac Grant was a member of the legislature from Clarke county one or more terms, and Mr. McLeod also at one time served the country in a similar capacity.
The first newspaper published in Barbour county was at Irwinton, now Eufaula. It was called the Irwinton Herald. It began early in 1837, but suspended before the close of the year. It advocated the union party. The Herald was succeeded by the Nepenthus. which had but a brief ex- istence and was soon sold out. In 1840. the Champion of Democracy was started, but after an existence of about a year, the office was removed elsewhere. In 1841. the Southern Shield made its appearance. Its editor was Benjamin Gardner. It was devoted to the interest of the whig party. After an existence of almost four years it suspended. In the year 1845, on the 25th of June, the publication of the Eufaula Democrat was commenced by Mr. John Black, and edited by Elward C. Bullock. Esq. It was not long before the Democrat was the popular paper of the town of Eufaula and had a successful career. In 1850, when sectional politics began to be agitated and the muttering thunder of the approaching polit- ical storm was heard in the distance, the proprietor changed the name of Democrat to that of the Spirit of the South. and fearlessly advocated those measures, which it never for a moment forsook. until the sword decided the contest. Then the name was changed to the News, and the publication continued until November. 1876. when it was consolidated with the Eufaula Times. No paper ever published in Alabama exerted more influence within the range of circulation than did the Spirit of the South. Mr. Black, the proprietor, was thoroughly enlisted in the cause to which the paper was devoted, while the editor, E. C. Bullock, stood among the most gifted men in the country. He was handsome in appear-
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ance, a fine lawyer. magnetic speaker. and equal to any opposition and . emergency with his pen. There was not an issue that was not read with avidity by readers in every portion of the state. for it was its mission to prepare the people for secession from the union, a course it did not hesitate to advocate in certain contingencies. There was no position in the gift of the people that Mr. Bullock could not have obtained for he was popular all over the state. He represented Barbour county with great ability in the state senate. At the first sign of war. he gave up newspaper. law practice and everything else and entered the army. He became colonel of a regiment and while on duty was taken sick. He was removed to Montgomery, where he died in 1862, universally lamented. Mr. Black died a few years after the war, leaving behind a spotless name, a legacy for his children.
During 1855-56. Messrs. H. H. Goode and John T. Wagnon established a paper called the Native. It was ably conducted and supported Fillmore' for president. It did not continue publication long after the close of that contest. The Eufaula Express was the name of another newspaper con- ducted by Major Joseph H. Butt. for some years. For about twenty-five years he had resided at Gainesville, Ga., for a great portion of that time interested in the Gainesville Eagle, from which he retired about one year ago. The Eufaula Dispatch was established about January 1, 1866. It existed for about six months, when the material was carried elsewhere. On the 18th day of April, 1869, the Bluff City Times, a weekly paper, was established by Messrs. Post & Williams. Its publication was con- tinued until April 23, 1872. when Capt. J. M. Macon became proprietor and it was changed into a daily and weekly. After many vicissitudes, it was forced to suspend its daily publication about the 1st of February, 1874, and it was finally suspended altogether for several months. Messrs. Shropshire & Brown resurrected and published it until January, 1878, when Messrs. Richard Williams & Co. became the owners and controlled it until the summer of 1879, when they were succeeded by the Eufaula Publishing company. In 1850. Mr. William D. Jelks purchased the outfit and since that time its progress has been upward and its success. under his wise and judicious management phenomenal. The Times and News is now one of the best papers in the state and in a most flourishing condition. It has both a daily and a weekly edition. In 1980. Dr. J. D. Hoyle began the publication. in Eufaula. of the daily and weekly Bulletin. After a fitful career of about three years and a half. it suspended. The Eufaula Daily Mail made its bow in 1982. under management of W. R. Mckenzie & Co. and M. M. Brannon as editor. It suspended and was revived several times-once by Mr. R. D. Shropshire and again by M. M. Brannon. The Times had the field to itself for a year or two, when another venture, the Daily Advertiser, appeared, but only for a brief period, when its light went out. The Times has illustrated the old adage "the survival of the fittest" and bids fair to celebrate its centennial anniversary. In the early
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fifties, a paper was established by Capt. Benj. H. Kieser at Clayton, the county seat of Barbour county, under the name of the Banner. It was a spirited democratic sheet. The late General H. D. Clayton, was at one time its editor. while a number of able lawyers contributed editorial matter to its columns. Capt. Kieser sold out to Mr. John Post, who con- tinued the paper in Eufaula during the war period and soon after the war closed. He published for some years at Troy. Pike county. the Primitive Baptist, a paper popular with that religious denomination. In 1870, Mr. E. R. Quillin commenced the publication of the Clayton Courier and it is still under his management.
The year 1837 witnessed the birth. at Jacksonville, Calhoun county, of the Jacksonville Republican. It was then and is now of the democratic faith. We have no data concerning its early days or as to its internal management. During a long series of years, it was owned and edited by the late J. F. Grant, who in later years was affectionately termed "Father Grant" by the state press. In 1970. he was elected state treasurer on the democratic ticket and was re-nominated in 1872, but the party went down in defeat at that time. He served in the capacity of president of the State Press association for one or more terms. No man more thoroughly enjoyed the confidence of his fellow citizens. He died some years ago honored and respected by the whole state. His mantle fell on his son, L. W. Grant, who, by his ability, has proven himself equal to the task. Under his editorial management the Republican has maintained its high rank, Mr. Grant has served the people of Calhoun county in both branches of the state legislature and made a reputation as a wise legislator. The weekly Hot Blast was established in Anniston, Calhoun county, in the year 1883, by the Woodstock Iron company, Mr. C. H. Williams, editor. The paper was merged into a daily in the spring of 1887, being purchased by the Hot Blast : Publishing company, Mr. James R. Randall, author of "Maryland. My Maryland," becoming editor- in-chief. In 1888, the paperwas sold to W. H. Edmonds & Bro., publishers of the Baltimore Manufacturers Record, W. H. Edmonds being editor. In February, 1890, Milton A. Smith purchased the paper and is still its editor and proprietor.
The Little Watchman was the title of a small afternoon daily which first appeared in March, 1885, Milton A. Smith being its publisher. The paper was prosperous from the beginning. It was bought in the fall of 1888 by Messrs. S. F. & J. W. Nunnelee. These gentlemen sold the paper to Mr. A. F. Mckay in 1890. who changed its name to the Eve- ning News. It is still owned and published by Mr. McKay. In January. 1889, soon after the sale of the Evening Watchman, Mr. Milton A. Smith began the publication of the Morning Times. but owing to the purchase of the Hot Blast by its publishers in 1>90. the two were consolidated. the Times ceasing publication. The Weekly Times was established in .1590, and is issued from the office of the Daily Hot Blast. The Tribune, the
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Picayune, the Press, and the Day Book were small rival afte. noon dailies in 1888, 1889, and 1890, but there existence was limited to a few months each. The Alabama Medical and Surgical Age was founded in 1890 by Dr. J. C. LeGrand. its present publisher. It is the only publication of its kind in the state and compares favorably with such journals in large cities. The Justice is a weekly publication. an organ for the negro race. S. H. Block is its publisher. Papers have been publshed at Oxford and Oxanna, both being towns in Calhoun county. The Tribune in Oxanna, began in 1852. and ceased in 1864. The Record was established at Oxford in 1878, but is no longer published. The Voice was in existence there in 1892. The Piedmont Inquirer was established in -1890 and is one of the most interesting weekly papers in the state.
In the year 1837. the Eutaw whig began its career, being the first paper of which we have record that was published in Greene county. It , may be that the Observer was the first issue, as the paper has been pub- lished for many years under the name of the Whig and Advertiser. It has always been conducted with ability and during ante bellumn days was true to its name as a staunch upholder of whig doctrines and whig candidates. Many men of state reputation have at different times been connected with it editorially. It has been under the management of its present editor, Mr. William O. Monroe, for over thirty years. It is now, as it has been since the close of the war, a democratic paper, justly wielding a wide in- fluence. Eutaw supports another weekly paper of decided merit, the Eutaw Mirror. Its editorials are all forcible and pointed, while its news department is carefully handled. It was established in 1879, and is now conducted by Mr. W. T. Callahan.
The Tribune was the name of a paper which was published at LaFay- ette, in Chambers county. as far back as 1843. It was in charge of Gen- eral Patrick H. Brittan, who has been frequently mentioned in preceding pages. He was a native of Virginia and learned the printing trade in Washington city. He went to Columbus, Ga., in 1839, and was connected with the press of that city until 1843. when he established the LaFayette Tribune and remained with it until he moved to Montgomery in 1847 and entered journalism in that city. He was for six years state printer in partnership with Messrs. Thomas De Wolf and M. P. Blue, was quarter- master-general of the state from 1857 to 1859 and secretary of state from 1859 to 1865. He died at his home in Montgomery in March, 1868. During a part of the time from 1813 to 1846, the Tribune was edited by Jolinson J. Hooper. Many papers have been started in Chambers county since 1843. but there is very little record of them. The Clipper was established in 1873, and was published as late as 1850. The Sun, established in 1580 and now edited and published by S. M. Richards, was the only paper pub- lished at La Fayette in 1892.
A paper was published at Dadeville, Tallapoosa county, called the Banner, as early as 1841 or 1842. for during that year, Johnson J. Hooper
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was its editor and attracted a good deal of attention to it by the humorous quality of his writing. A. J. Lowry, the greater part of the time, was the proprietor. At the present time the New Era, by Wilson & Berry and the Voice by Percy Oliver are published at Dadeville. The Outlook was published at Alexander City, Tallapoosa county, in 1892. by J. D. Dickson.
The first paper started in Jefferson county was the Jones Valley Times, 1845, but its editor is unknown to tradition and the paper was without politics and suspended in 1847. In 1849, Dr. Joseph R. Smith. then a leading physician, and Baylis E. Grace, county clerk, bought the material of the Jones Valley Times and started the Central Alabamian. It was neutral in politics and lived but a year. Dr. Smith is still living and is a millionaire at Birmingham. Mr. Grace is also an active man at Birming- ham. Grace's Gap, a noted mountain pass, was named for him when the Indians were still in the country. In 1850, John Cantley, a brilliant writer, ? bought the material of the Alabamian and started the Elyton Herald. which flourished and was the first successful paper of the county. After 1870, when Birmingham was started, the Herald was moved to that place, two miles east. The first mayor of Birmingham, R. H. Henley, bought it, and the name was changed to the Birmingham Sun. Mayor Henley used the Sun to boom the new city and his work on it was admirable in literary style and bright news columns. This Sun was bought by Thomas MeLaughlin and Mr. Matthews, two brilliant and dashing writers, but not business men. They used the same outfit as all their predecessors in the county, and again changed the name to the Jefferson Independent. Mr. Matthews edited the Independent with ability till he sold it to the Observer in 1872. The Observer was published for three years, with Thos. MeLaughlin and Richard Baugh as editors, when it suspended. The first daily attempted in Jefferson was the Sun. Charles E. Cantley was editor. The paper exaggerated the reports during the cholera epidemic aud displeased its readers. It suspended in 1873. After its death. the Independent resumed publication as a weekly. In 1874, F. M. Grace. son of the editor of the second paper published in the county, and Willis Roberts, a man who had learned the newspaper business under Hon. Win. L. Yancey, started the Weekly Iron Age. It was a strong team and the paper flourished. In 1551, the paper was bought by W. C. Garrett, a lawyer, and F. V. Evans, a Georgia newspaper man. The same · year they published the first number of the Daily Age. In 15-2. the Daily Age was incorporated and the Sunday Observer was merged into it. The paper had a hard struggle. and in 1583 F. V. Evans retired, selling his interest to Messrs. J. L. and R. H. Watkins, who, with Garrett. continued the paper. J. L. Watkins being the editor. In 1859 the Age was con- solidated with the Herald as the Age-Herald. In 1883, F. V. Evans started the Sunday Chronicle. The same year, George M. Cruikshank bought a half interest and became editor. In January. 1854. David B. Grace was taken in as a partner. He was the grandson of the editor of
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the second paper of Jefferson county and the son of the founder of the Age. On January 17, 1554, the Evening Chronicle was started and had remarkable success. George MI. Cruikshank was editor. The Chronicle and Age did splendid work in the apbuilding of Birmingham. The paper was sold in 1890 to W. L. Hawley, who at once consolidated it with the News. In 1857, R. N. Rhodes and others raised 860,000 and started the Daily Herald and advertised it as "the richest newspaper corporation of the south." Mr. Rhodes retired from the paper and it was continued under the management of W. P. Pinckard and F. P. O'Brien until 1989, when the Age was consolidated with it, making the Age-Herald The Age-Herald is the leading paper of north Alabama, and since its founda- tion, in 1889, has done splendid service for Birmingham, and the mineral section of the state. F. P. O'Brien, owner of O Brien's opera house and a member of the state legislature. is manager, and Chappell Cory, formerly, of the Montgomery Advertiser. is the brilliant editor. After leaving the Herald, Mr. R. N. Rhodes started the Daily News, an afternoon paper on the co-operative plan. The paper has grown to be one of the leading afternoon papers in the south. The Alabama Christian Advocate. the organ of the Alabama Methodists. is published at Birmingham. Jefferson county has had more than the usual number of weeklies, monthlies and journals which started and died too soon to get a place in history. There were many dailies started. to live from a few days to a few weeks. Many of them had considerabe merit, but died of want while seeking "the long- felt want." There are now, the Sunday Morning Star, the Weekly Ledger and the Labor Advocate. doing prosperous work in the weekly field. The Masonic Guide is a monthly devoted to the interests of the Masonic fraternity. Papers have been published at other points in the county. Bessemer. Pratt Mines and Warrior. all of them with a view largely to advancing the general interest in their towns as places afford- ing great opportunities for investment. The Bessemer, established in 1887, is one of the neatest papers in the south and is well edited. The Advertiser, established in 18-7 at Pratt Mines. and Index at Warrior, in 1888, have always been thoroughly devoted to the interests of those com- munities. The Republican Echo, a colored paper, was established at Bes- semer in 1892. It would not be a complete newspaper article on Jefferson county. which left out the men who have contributed so much to the brightness of the unusually bright papers of this county. John W. DuBose, the author of the Life of William L. Yancey. the style of which is perfect, did work on all the earlier papers of Birmingham. He contri- buted to the columns of the Age and Chronicle. Louis J. Dupre, long a Washington correspondent, did brilliant work on the Age and the News. Carey W. Styles, formerly a leading Georgia journalist, for a short season edited the Herald.
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