Biographical history of Page County, Iowa, containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state; engravings of prominent citizens of Page County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families; and a concise history of the county, the cities, and the townships, Part 30

Author: Lewis and Dunbar, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis & Dunbar
Number of Pages: 946

USA > Iowa > Page County > Biographical history of Page County, Iowa, containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state; engravings of prominent citizens of Page County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families; and a concise history of the county, the cities, and the townships > Part 30

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Charles Johnson, William T. Jones, James Junkins, Newton D. Kelley, Carl Lindell, Willis McClelland, Robert McKissick, Geo. W. Middaugh, William H. Mooney, John W. Owens, Peyton N. Parker,

Rob't W. Polsley, died, Jacob Rotlı, John W. Scholes, Joshua Schutts, Eugene W. Squires,

Miles L, Storrs,

Archibald Study,

Fred'ck J. Flanagan, Win. A. Greenwood,

312

HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

Francis M. Study, Alvah Strong,

Edwin A. Swattman,

John C. M. Thomas,

William P. Swiggett, Isaac Tippin, died,

James R. Tippin, John L. Tippin,

Smith P. Tuttle,

Mart. E. Thomas, died,

Robert G. Tippin,

Philo R. Wagor,

Joshua J. Wilson.

Alex. Valentine, died, John M. Williams,

COMPANY I.

Captains-Jacob Butler, John P. Murphy, Henry H. Ribble.

First Lieutenants - Henry H. Ribble, Francis L. Cramer, Emory Peck.

Second Lieutenants-Francis L. Cramer, Emory Peck, Francis A. McDonald.

Sergeants-Emory Peck (1st), James H. Bangs, William D. Stallard (P. M. S.,) Francis A. McDonald, William C. Floyd, James H. Bangs, Jasper Dye, George W. Ames, Gilbert C. Lyons, John B. Thompson, killed, Jolın Sellmer, Henry C. Harshbarger, Chatfield H. Butler, Thomas B. Hatch, Will- iam D. Stallard, Isaac Lewis.

Musician-William Stringley. Privates-

Benjamin F. Bates, Joseph A. Braddy, Daniel Branson, Henry Chandler, Robinson C. Erwin, George Fisher, John W. Glover,

Richard Boatman,

Chatfield H. Butler, Garnet D. Carter,

Jasper Dye,

Robert A. Ferrens, John C. Gill, Jac'b Grantzback, died, Samuel Guthrie,

David C. Gray,

Thomas B. Hatch, John Hiles, Franklin Huffman, Martin B. Jackson, Francis B. Lytle, John Sellmer, died, Jno. W. Skinner, died, Erastus A. Smith, William D. Stallard, William Stingley, Thomas J. Swingle, Henry B. Tindall,

Isaac C. Ware, Jacob Weaver, William J. Woods.

FIFTH IOWA CAVALRY.

(Formerly "Curtis Horse," Nebraska Volunteers.)

COMPANY C.

Captains-J. Morris Young, Charles A. B. Langdon.

First Lieutenant-Chas. A. B. Langdon. Second Lieutenant-Chas. A. B.Langdon. Sergeant-Thomas B. Whitehill. Corporals-John Caskey, Samuel S. Har- vey, Thomas J. Bull.

Privates-

Gilbert P. Britt, Chr'n Brunner, killed,

Thomas J. Bull, Sampson Caskey,

Lewis Lown, died, Stiles Malone,

William McCevry, Jno. Allen McClaman,

J. M. Michael, died, William H. Murphy,

Marcellus Pringan, John Toner.

FIRST IOWA CAVALRY. COMPANY A.

Private-Abraham Wilson.

COMPANY M.

Private-James B. Kempton.

UNASSIGNED.

Privates-Benjamin F. Martin, Willis C. Smith, Ishmael S. Wilson.

FIRST IOWA BATTERY.

Privates-David Edmonds, James C. Iker.

FOURTH IOWA CAVALRY.

COMPANY A.

Captain-J. Marshall Rush.

Second Lieutenant-Samuel P. Kelley. Commissary Sergeant-John H. Dame- wood.

Corporals-J. Lee Marsh, James Mounts, William E. Jackson (bugler).

Privates-Charles A. Glasgow, David A. Patch, F. A. Damewood, Doran T. Hunt, Francis M. Callicotte.

Hen'y C. Harshbarger, Jeremiah Howard, L. C. Jackson, killed, William King, John W. Pangburn, Benjamin Shepherd,

313

Loveland Puok Library,

HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY.

COMPANY K.

Captain-Joseph Cramer, promoted Major.

First Lieutenant -- Albert R. Anderson, promoted to Major.

Second Lieutenant-James T. Chittenden, died.

First Sergeant -- Thos. H. Cramer, killed. Fifth Sergeant-Robert R. Moreledge. Second Corporal-Thomas J. Jack. Fourth Corporal-Henry W. Trustle. Eighth Corporal-John J. Pierce, died.

Eighth Corporal-John A. Mills. Privates-

Isaac M. Beims, George R. Black, died,

Silas Chase, Amos Cunning,

William Cozad, James H. Dunn,

William C. Dow, Isaac Dinwiddie, died, John W. Friend, died,

John Ewing, Jacob Gaddis, died,

Samuel Hutton,

Leven Johnson, Beattie E. Johnson, drowned,

Benjamin Gibbs, Ed S. Hunt, died, Daniel Jacobs, William A. Kinkade, James B. Meek,

William Pierce, Irad Richardson,

Jno. R. Runnells, died, B. F. Swattınan, died,

Benjamin L. St. Clair, Nelson C. Storrs, James L. Shoemaker, William H. Sly, D. A. Thayer,

Wm. H. Willoughby, Walter S. Bodwell, R. W. Duncan, killed, Andrew W. Bratton, George Gibbs, William O. McCord, Eli D. Robinson, Leopard Sanders, W. P. Wilkinson, Samuel D. Wagor, Alexander Busey, Hezekiah Cozad, Pleasant M. Harris, A. L. Larsh,

William A. Kempton, William A. Phifer, Clark T. Smitlı, George A. Tuttle, William A. Wright, John Arbuckle, William Cunning, John W. Davis, Zachariah Johnson, Alfred Wilkinson.

FIFTH IOWA CAVALRY.

COMPANY C.

Captain-John Morris Young, promoted to Major, and finally to Colonel.

Second Lieutenant-C. A. B. Langdon, promoted to Major.

Fifth Sergeant-Jolin Casky, died.

Third Corporal-Samuel S. Harry. Fourth Corporal-John Toner.

Eighth Corporal-Thomas J. Bull.

Privates-

Gilbert P. Britt, C. Brenner, killed,

S. Casky, died in prison, Louis Loun, died,

Stiles Malone, died, Wm. M. Murphy, died,

William McCrary, John McLarnon,

Allen McLarnon, John McMichael, died,

Marcellus Pruyne.

EIGHTH IOWA CAVALRY.

COMPANY A.

Captain-George W. Burns.

Second Lieutenant -- Charles Linderinan.

Sergeants-Robert M. Rawlings, John Kinkade, William W. Russells, Isaac T. Feltch, James B. Short, Joseph Haskens, dead.

Corporals -- Charles C. McDonald, Peter H. Seay, Joseph B. Chamberlain, died in prison, William H. Beigler, Aug. J. Martin, Lewis T. Sınitlı.

Miscellaneous-Francis M. Riggins, bu- gler; Henry Dorsey, farrier; James A. Hughes, saddler; Henry Clabaugh, wagoner. Privates-

Thomas H. Butler, John Benbau,

Lewis Akin, Wm. L. Bagley,

Charles Britt, Robert M. Benbau,

Willson H. Brown, Barclay I. Benbau,

James L. Berry

George W. Babcock,

Joseph R. Berry, Francis Carlin,

John R. Delaney, John H. Drace,

Hiram Davison, Jolın Edinonson, died,

William Y. Ewing

David M. Fruits,

Joseph Van Gundy,

314

HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

Henry B. M. Friar, died, William Fislier, John S. Goudie, Isaac Griffith, died, L. H. R. Hutton, N. Hollingsworth, died Pleasant M. Hall, H. H. Handorf, Henry Loranz, Nathan Helmick, Asa Jackson, Wm. M. McClellan, John N. Miller,

Joseph Mulkins, Lewis H. Miller,

Jackson Plummer, William A. Rector, Oliver P. Stafford,

Julius F. Pendergraft, J. Q. A. Roberts, died, John P. Reynolds, Ambrose C. Stouder, George W. Scoles,

Henry H. Snodderly, R. W. Soward, died, Henry D. Taylor,

Robert L. Veach, Evan Wilson,

TWENTY-THIRD IOWA INFANTRY ..

COMPANY F.

Captain-Washington Rawlings. Second Lieutenant-Isaac H. Walker.

Sergeants-Plimpton E. Green, Newton C. Ridenour, Albert Van Eaton, David H. Scidmore.

Corporals-Wm. M. Burkey, John W. Root, Lyman B. McAlpin, Win. P. Piter, man, James W. Pruyn, John A. Jackson- John Stewart, Daniel Polsley.

Samuel H. Baker (wagoner), Benj. T. Graham (musician). Privates- John Akin, H. B. Baldwin,

David W. Betchel, Abner S. Boggs, William K. Burns, Andrew Bryson,

Chancy E. Carpenter, George S. Cavender, Robert A. Cavender, Amos Cunning, W. H.Cunning, killed, James Denton, John Drace Silas O. Drewry,

Ellis Edmonds, died, Wilk. B. T. Edmonds, Isaac Edmonds, died, Warren Fergus, Daniel S. Fleenor, John W. V. Ginther, David S. Goff, died, Lewis Harrill, Wm. H. Irwin, died, Amasa Inscho, Samuel H. Glasgow, John S. Grow, died, Willliam Irwin, James Irwin,

Elias A. Jones, died, Alexander Johnson,

J. P. Kridelbaugh Jasper Long,

Anson D. Long, George T. Loy,

Evan Mattice, Franklin Loy, died,

Wolf Miller,

J. R. Massa, G. W. Newsome, Abner N. Newman,

Willis A. Pendergraft, Isaac Miller,

Thomas Pierce, T. F. Pendergraft, died

Elisha Preo, died, Isaac P. Pricket, died,

Benj. H. Reasoner, Hamilton Roth,

Homer Shepherd

Isaac N. Shepherd,

Robert B. Smith

John Snodderly,

W. G. R. Snodderly, Jas. S. Williams, died, Geo. C. Cleaver, died, W. R. Barnum, killed, Christian C. Berry, Alex. Cunning, died, Dorvill Chamberlain, Samuel E. Edenfield, Robert L. Edwards, Wm. C. Floyd,

Finley S. Gregg, Cyrus W. Hendricks,

Owen Irvin, died,

David Leighton,

Frank Kridelbaugh, John Love,

J. D. Litzenburg, died, Frederic Mayerhoof, S. P. Macomber, died, Wm. Margerum,

Aug. H. Polsley, died, Thomas J. Ray, died, Chancy L. Wall, died, Andrew J. Walker.

TWENTY-NINTH IOWA INFANTRY.

COMPANY K.

Second Lieutenant-Allen J. Chantry. Privates-D. A. Thompson, Wm. Anderson.

COMPANY F.

Captain-Charles B. Shoemaker.

Second Lieutenant, Isaac Damewood. Privates- John W. Duncan, William Glasgow,

Alex. Duncan, Alva Inscho,

Wm. Ridgely, Alfred Madden,

Allen M. Campbell, James H. Davis,

Solomon McAlpin.

SEVENTEENTH IOWA INFANTRY.

COMPANY G.

Privates-Stephen Reasoner, Geo. Woods, died, Jeremiah Young.

315

HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

FOURTH MISSOURI CAVALRY.

COMPANY G (Militia.)

Privates-Joseph Smith, James N. Don- nell, James Shoaf.

COMPANY C.

Privates-

James H. Brown, Oren R. Strong,

Wilson H. Brown, Oscar E. Woods,

Thomas Cunningham, Harlan P. Dow;

ELEVENTH MISSOURI CAVALRY.

COMPANY C.

Captain-Charles W. Pace.

First Lieutenant-Jolın Buckingham.

First Sergeant-Charles S. Hinman.

First Sergeant-Harland Scarlett. Privates --

John Barnes, John A. Busey,

George Goodman,

Harvey C. Hall,

Jolın Jeff Hill,

William Laughry,

Jonah Reed, John J. Thomas, died,

John Vanhouten.

TWENTY-FIFTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.

COMPANY H.

Charles H. Page.

COMPANY K.

Captain-George H. Rumbaugh. Privates-

Joseph M. Thomas, George Hammond,

Benj. R. Tanner,

Harvey C. Hall,

David Morgan, Daniel M. Stillians,

Marcus L. Brown, Isaac W. Blake,

John Buckingham, Jos. A. Buckingham,

John F. Buckingham, George Court,

John T. Callicote,

Delvin Patrick,

Wm. R. Callicotte,

N. L. Davis,

Thomas M. Goodman, Robert Holliday, died, Wm. C. Hurst, David Harris, Miles Holland, Ed. M. Pace,

George Hill,

Lindon Holliday,

Zadoc Luellen,

Samuel Mosley,

John Morgan, Jolın N. Moore,

Robert Miller,

Henry B. McAlpin,

Joseph Robbins, James N. Penick,

Jolın Sears, killed,

Frank G. Sayres,

Wm. Hankins,

James B. Thomas,

John Potter.

FIFTEENTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY. COMPANY K. Private-H. A. Huston.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

Soldier, halt! No need to ask you to sur- render. Rest! See a white flag approaches Appomattox Court House: a dispatch is handed to General Ulysses S. Grant. Read:

Headquarters Army of North Virginia, April 9, 1865.

GENERAL :- I received your letter of this date, containing the terms of the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, as pro- posed by you. As they are about the same as those expressed in your letter of the 8th instant, they are accepted.

[Signed] ROBERT E. LEE, General.

Johnston surrendered April 24, to General W. T. Sherman. The last gun was tired May 3, 1865, and Jnne 2, 1865, General U. S. Grant issued his farewell order to the late defenders of the Republic:

Soldiers of the Army of the United States :- Your marches, sieges and battles, in distance, duration, resolution, and bril- liancy of results, dim the luster of the world's past military achievements, and will be the patriotic precedents in defense of lib- erty and the right in all time to come. In obedience to your country's call, you left your homes and families and volunteered in its defense. Victory lias crowned your valor and secured the purpose of your patriotic hearts, and with the gratitude of your coun- trymen, and the highest honors a great free nation can accord, and you will soon be per- mitted to return to your homes and families, conscious of having discharged the highest dnty of American citizens.

James McGlinney,

Alfred S. Moore,

316

HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

While the army from Page County was . yet in the field wearing the blue, there was a proclamation issued by Governor W. M. Stone, of Iowa, to the effect that he would present to the county that would furnish the most in contributions towards the support of families of soldiers, a silk banner worth $100. It is needless to say that Page County re- ceived the banner and with it the title, justly won, "The Banner County of the State."

Out of the FIVE HUNDRED AND TWELVE soldiers who wore the Union blue from Page County, fifty-eight died of wounds or diseases and thirteen were killed outright on battle fields-a total of seventy-one!

The following is supposed to be a correct list of

PAGE COUNTY'S FALLEN HEROES. William P. Swiggett, Newton D. Kelley, David Clevenger, Anthony F. Brown,

James E Arnold Robert W. Polsley, Isaac F. Tippin,

William B. Story, Martin E. Thomas, John B. Thompson, John Stillman, Lewis C. Jackson,

Alexander Valentine, Jacob Grandyback,

James T. Chittenden,

John W. Skinner, Thomas H. Cramer, John J. Pierce,

George R. Black, Isaac Dinwiddie,

John Sears,

John W. Friend, Jacob Doddis,

John R. Runnells,

R. W. Duncan, Stiles Malone,

Christian Brenner,

William M. Murphy, John McMichael,

Joseph I. Haskins, John Edmondson,

Jolın B. Chamberlain,

Isaac Griffith,

Noah Hollingsworth, John Q. A. Roberts, Henry B. McFriar, Robert W. Soward, John Stewart, W. H. Cunning,

Ellis Edmonds,

John S. Grow,

Isaac Edmonds,

William H. Irwin,

Elias A. Jones,

David S. Goff,

Elisha Preo,

Franklin Loy,

James S. Williams, William R. Barnum,

Alexander Cumming, Angustus H. Polsley,

Samuel P. Macomber, John D. Litzenburg,

Owen Irwin, George C. Cleaver, Alfred Madden,

Alva Inscho,

Isaac P. Pricket,

Thad. T. Pendergraft,

Chancy L. Wall,

George Woods,

John J. Thomas.

Robert Holliday, Ed. S. Hunt,

Beattie E. Johnson,

Benj. F. Swattman, John Casky,

Sampson Casky, Lewis Loun,

NOTE: Great care has been exercised in compiling the contents of the war chapter, and if mistakes occur it is unavoidable, as proper persons have assisted in correcting all errors found in the Adjutant General's Reports, from which most of the above is taken.

HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

317

GHE NEWSPAPER PRESS.

CHAPTER XVI.

HERE is no instrumentality, not even excepting the pulpit or the bar, which ex- erts such an influence over society as the PRESS of the land. The high-priced and some- times talented minister of the Gospel, on the Sabbathı day preaches to a few hundred people for thirty minutes; but if his thoughts be well chosen and of the higher order, they are reproduced. more than a thousand fold, and are read and talked about by thousands of people. The attorney at the bar makes his eloquent plea before twelve men as jurymen and a few score of lookers on, but the daily journals take the pathetic or sarcastic argu- ments there produced and by means of type send his words, sentences, and paragraphs broadcast to an eager world, who may read them thousands of miles distant. The news- paper is the great civilizing, moving and even christianizing factor of the nineteenth cent- ury. There are but few deeds of either crime or benevolence which men can enact in America to-day, that through the med- ium of the electric wire and printing-press may not be known and read of all men, before the going down of another sun. If one wishes to succeed in business enterprise, he must consult the daily and weekly press; if

one hopes to be well posted in regard to any given line of thought or action he must be the subscriber of a journal (their name is legion) edited especially for his own calling. Every trade, profession, school, science, art and calling, now have their own organ talk- ing and arguing their specialty to the multi- tude through the medium of the press.

To the average citizen none of these pub- lications are sought after more or in reality of so intrinsic value as the " county paper," wherein the local events, together with the general news of the entire globe is found in clear, concise printed form each week. Iowa lias ever been noted for lier excellent news- papers, and indeed the press is an index of the population of any community.

Page County is not wanting in this direc- tion. Indeed she has been well supplied with excellent journals, some of which have obtained a State-wide reputation for their sparkling brilliancy, and are quoted from not unfrequently. The newspapers have done more toward building up commerce, settle- ment and general business and social pros- perity than any ten other causes. What were the soil with all its richness, and the business advantages of this locality, without

318

HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

the local press to tell the glad tidings abroad ? Would the county have been spanned by a net-work of wires and girded by a net-work of steel rails, had it not been for the good work of the press, moulding public opinion ? Would the magnificent court-house and churches been in existence had the local press been silent?

The first attempt at journalism in Page County was the founding of the Page County Herald, the first issue of which bore date, · May 24, 1859. C. B. Shoemaker & Co. were proprietors of this pioneer news sheet, whose forthcoming heralded a new era in the growth of the county. The founders had been running a paper over at Sidney, in Fre- mont County, in 1858, and removed to Clar- inda, the field seeming more favorable. The Herald was a six-column folio-all home print, for that was before patent ready-print or " plates " were even dreamed of. Its poli- tics was Republican. Considering the new- ness of all things in Page County, at that date, this paper was a very newsy and well managed local paper, ever alive to the inter- ests of Clarinda and the entire county. When first established it enjoyed but four-columns of advertisements, and as the whole popula- tion was less than 4,000, the subscription list was very small and profitless to the publishers. April 5, 1861, C. B. Shoemaker purchased his brother's interest and thus became sole proprietor; he continued to publish the Herald until he entered the Union army, in defense of the country he so dearly loved, in September, 1862, as Major of the Twenty- ninth Iowa Infantry. At the close of volume three Mr. Shoemaker congratulated himself as follows, regarding the Herald:

"It has been three years since we com- menced the publication of the Herald at Clarinda, and those three years have been through the mnost wretched times, financially,

that this generation has ever known. And no class of business men have suffered more than the publishers of newspapers. Fully one-half of the local papers of Iowa have failed to make their regular issues, while at least one-fourth have failed entirely. During this time this judicial district has had fifteen papers, but to-day only seven are found 'alive.' It affords us no little pleasure to reflect that we have been able to keep afloat amidst snch general wreck. It has cost us an effort-a great one too: and if the good public will stand by us in the future, as in the past, we expect to keep the Herald afloat. We have lived to see our county furnish more men for the present war than any other connty in Iowa, considering its population. We have lived to see lier one of the most prosperous and highly respected counties of the State, and we have also lived to see her entitled to an independent member in the State legislature. We think we have aided in all these accomplishments, and other ob- jects of equal value we expect to use the influence of the press for, if enabled to con- tinue the publication of the Herald."

Three months after writing the above he entered the army, leaving T. R. Stockton in charge of his paper, who conducted it until 1864, when Mr. Shoemaker sold the office to W. T. Smith, who changed the name to the Southwestern Observer, and published it as such for one year, when it became the prop- erty of Messrs. Horndobler & Aldrich. They had charge one year, when it passed into the hands of Irad Richardson, who changed it back to the Page County Herald.

November 7, 1866, George H. Powers bought a half-interest in the plant, and the following January he purchased Richardson's half, and conducted the paper alone until July 3, 1867, when he sold a half-interest to Colonel W. P. Hepburn. In March, 1868,

319

HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

Colonel Hepburn leased his interest to W. E. Loy for the term of one year. In June, 1869, Mr. Powers purchased Hepburn's interest in the paper, remaining in charge and conduct- ing it ably until April, 1871, when he leased it to Lowry & McIntire, who consolidated the paper with the Republican. [The latter part of January, 1871, Lowry & McIntire estab- lished a journal known as the Republican, several of the party leaders having beconie dissatisfied with the management of the Herald.] The new paper was named from both, and called the Republican and Herald, with James Lowry as its editor. He was more than an average paper man, and very soon his organ became the liveliest sheet in southwestern Iowa. He remained in charge until February, 1872, when George H. Pow- ers again resumed control, and dropped the word Republican from the title of the paper. May 12, 1874, the entire plant was destroyed by fire. The loss was great, but still full of pluck Mr. Powers was soon re-established and doing business on a better basis than ever. In February, 1875, Powers sold to Ralph Robinson, who conducted the paper until October, 1876, when C. B. Shoemaker, its founder, returned and bought the office. He continued to conduct it until his death, October 23, 1877. From that date to March, 1878, it was edited by T. E. Clark, who was an efficient manager and a forcible writer. In March, 1878, J. W. Chaffin bought the plant and assumed control. He enlarged it to a nine-column folio, and changed the name to the Clarinda Herald .. It underwent various changes, during which time J. E. Hill managed and owned a part of it. June 24, 1885, C. A. Lile bought Hill's half- interest, after which the firm was Barker & Lile. This continued until May 1, 1886, when the paper plant and job department were divided,-Lile retaining the paper and

Barker the job business. The following win- ter, and on January 29, 1886, the combined office was totally destroyed by fire.

The plant had just removed to new quar- ters when the fire-fiend claimed the whole block in which the Herald was published, including the hotel, which stood where now the Linderman now stands. The Herald was soon "on its feet" and doing a better business than ever. New material, a power cylinder press, with a " Dexter folder," was put in, together with an engine and other ma- chinery, to make a No. 1 printing house. The plant is now (1889) one of Iowa's best, and enjoys a larger circulation than any other county paper in Iowa. In size and form it is now a six-column quarto,-all home print. Its publication day is Wednesday, and its cash subscription price is $1.50 yearly. It is, and always has been, the leading official paper for Page County, and has always been a radi- cal Republican.

The Page County Democrat was the sec- ond newspaper established in this county. Its first issue came from the press full of fresh news items and staunch Democratic doctrines, during the month of August, 1868. It was established by James Arrick, who conducted it until December, when Newton C. Ridenour purchased the office, and at once assumed the editorship of the paper. At first it was a seven-column folio; from that form it took that of a five-columnn quarto, and then was enlarged to an eight-column paper.

It is the only real Democratic paper ever published in Page County, and as such has been a stanch advocate. Running a suc- cessful Democratic paper in the midst of a county whose usual Republican majorities range from six to eight, and sometimes a thousand, is no light task. Especially is this true where its editor is outspoken and fear-

320

HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

less in the defense of his party principles, as this journal editor ever has been.

Aside from politics, a glance at the Demo- crat files leads one to believe that Mr. Rid- enour was a natural born chronicler of local events, and one who ever worked for Page County's best interest. No factor began to have the power and influence in inducing the various railroads to locate their lines through this county, that did the editorial suggestions found in this paper. The beautiful temple of justice, the court-house, the magnificent school buildings and church edifices have all been aided on and made certain by the potent voice of the newspapers of Clarinda, none of which cut a more conspicuous part than did the Democrat. It never gave quarters to "mossbacks," but always encouraged those who sought to build up enterprises.

In its earlier days the Democrat had hard pulling, and but few would ever have sur- vived. The county officials, who were Re- publicans, gave the most of the county print- ing to their own organ, which gave them much financial aid. Mr. Ridenour worked early and late for success, and was quoted from throughout the entire State. Not until the National Democratic party were success - ful in the election of President Cleveland did the editor of the Democrat ever gain a farthing for the advocacy of Democratic principles. Upon the change of administra- tion he was made postmaster at Clarinda. It was operated by Cooper & Ridenour a short time; then Ridenour sold his share to a Mr. Howard, who in turn sold to Robinson. In the spring of 1889 it was changed to a six- column quarto, and run on a Potter power press. Its subscription price is $1.50 a year. Its publication day is Thursday. This is the only Democratic paper ever run in Page County.

The Nodaway Chief, the official organ of

the Greenback party in Page County, was established in August, 1879, by Mr. J. J. Moulton. It was a seven-column folio, and a pronounced, staunch advocate of the politi- cal doctrines its policy espoused. It ran a year or two and fell into the hands of Hill & Hanna, who conducted it about the same length of time, when T. E. Clark purchased Hanna's share; then Clark sold back to Hanna, who also bought Hill's interest in 1883, and on account of poor health he leased to Bailey & Skeed, who conducted it eighteen months, when Hanna died and the plant was managed by Skeed a year, and was purchased by Bailey, May, 1888, and changed to a five- column quarto, and also soon began running it as a Prohibition paper, which has a State circulation. It had been Independent Re- publican ever since 1881. It is now a staunch Prohibition paper, ably conducted.

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Author: Lewis and Dunbar, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis & Dunbar Number of Pages: 946

Author: Lewis and Dunbar, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis & Dunbar
Number of Pages: 946