USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II > Part 19
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HISTORY OF THE NEWSPAPERS OF LITCHFIELD.
In a series of articles recently published in the Litchfield Daily Union, Mr. Samuel W. Kessinger gives the following history of the newspapers of Litchfield :
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"Litchfield has many newspaper men, a few journalists, and fewer editors. We have many country newspapers, but few country editors. The country editor was the man of education, the "know how" of writing, and a broad conception of politics and current events. His editorial column, no matter how obscure the vicinity in which it was published, teemed with editorials of as great, and frequently greater merit, than of many of the metropolitan papers. Litchfield, in the past, had two real editors. H. A. Coolidge came from Cazenovia, N. Y., and launched the Litchfield Journal. It was Democratic in policy, but as far back as 1850 the Whigs, afterwards Republicans, decided that they must have a mouthpiece. Money was subscribed by enter- prising citizens of Hillsboro, Litchfield and But- ler, and an outfit was purchased. Daniel W. Munu, a Hillsboro lawyer, gave due bills to those who had contributed to the plant, and be- came the first editor of the Illinois Free Press. Hon. E. Southworth, who is still one of our honored citizens, was the Litchfield editor of the Litchfield department in the late fifties, with B. S. Hood as assistant. Within a year Mr. Hood became editor of the department and was identified with the newspaper business from that time up to February 26, 1887, when the writer succeeded him. J. G. Hutchinson of Hills- boro was the publisher and also contributed to the columns of the Free Press. He is said to not only have been a splendid printer, but a fluent and logical writer. At that time there were but two other papers in the county, the Montgomery County Herald of Hillsboro, and the Litchfield Journal.
"During the formation of the Republican party, and afterwards, there was a bitter fac- tional fight among the stockholders of the Free Press. The office was moved to Litchfield in 1861, but after a few months of shortage of cash, to say nothing of cord-wood and pumpkins, it was moved back to Hillsboro. The paper ceased publication in 1862. Mr. Munn entered the army, and Mr. Hutchinson sought new pastures. The year 1862 brought a decisive battle between the Monitor and Merrimac off Hampton Roads. To quote Mr. Hood, "The peace at any price men organized themselves into secret societies known as "Knights of the Golden Circle" and were bold, aggressive and threatening. The pos- sibility of a civil war among the citizens of Illinois and others of the border states was ad- mitted and the result anxiously discussed. The
spring elections of 1863, however, showed a re- action. The violent threats of the Knights of the Golden Circle drove hundreds of the cou- servative men over to the Union party, which was composed of former Republicans and war Democrats. One important factor in this re- actionary movement was the Union League, a secret association organized to fight the Knights of the Goldeu Circle with their own weapons. The first Union League in Moutgomery Couuty was organized in Litchfield just iu time to carry the city election in March, 1863.
"The Union League of Montgomery County was responsible for the establishment of a news- paper to take the place of the Illinois Free Press, which had ceased publication the year be- fore. Daniel V. Munn, now a captain siuce join- ing the army, gave perinission to use the Free Press material. The late Capt. John W. Kitchell of Pana, then a resident of Hillsboro, offered his services as manager of the newspaper, with- out pay, provided he should be guaranteed against financial loss. The proposition was accepted and the members of the several Union Leagues, over the county, sigued such an agree- ment. Then came the trying hour when the baby had to be named. The task finally fell to B. S. Hood, who was to be the Litchfield editor, with the understanding that he was to select some name having nothing in common with Illi- nois Free Press, and it should contain the word "Union." Mr. Hood, remembering the naval vic- tory at Hampton Roads the year before, chose The Union Monitor. The first number was issued May 1, 1863.
"Mr. Hood says: 'The Union Monitor was a success from the start, Union meu thereafter being united and enthusiastic in its support. In the course of a month Mr. Thomas Russell bought the office of Captain Munn, assuming all of the Free Press bills of the latter. Captain Kitchell continued to be editor-in-chief, and was assisted by B. S. Hood. When Mr. Kitchell re- tired, Mr. J. E. Henry, from Greenville, suc- ceeded him.'
"At this point Mr. Hood and P. A. Randall, of this city, who is an oldtime printer, disagreed. H. A. Coolidge had found the newspaper busi- ness unprofitable. As evidence of that fact, he stated in his History of Litchfield, written in 1881, that on several occasions that the total cash taken in from Monday morning to Satur- day night would not exceed the sum of fifty cents. He was a man of splendid education, and
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opened a subscription school in his residence on West Kirkham street, now occupied by T. F. Blankley. There are a number of residents in this city and surrounding towns who attended this school. I know of three, N. Clearwater and Edward Kirkpatrick of this city and J. S. Kess- inger of Raymond. Mr. Hood claims that E. J. C. Alexander came from Greenville and pur. chased the office of Mr. Coolidge in the autumn of 1865. Be that as it may, Mr. Alexander started the Litchfield News, a Republican paper. Shortly afterward he made an arrangement with Mr. Russel by which the News was made a part of the Union Monitor, Mr. Alexander running the office for job printing only. A year or so later Mr. Alexander purchased the Monitor office, and printed two editions of the Union Monitor dated Hillsboro, and the Litchfield News, dated Litchfield. With the exceptions of headings, the editions were exactly alike.
"Mr. Randle challenges my statement that in the past Litchfield has had two real editors. He claims that Mr. Alexander had all of the qualifi- cations to meet the specifications enumerated by me in a previous article. He points to the fact that I did not know him in his prime, but formed his acquaintance after he had passed fifty years of age. In December, 1867, Mr. Alexander changed his politics and sold the Monitor and new office to B. S. Hood, who moved the former to Litchfield, and consolidat- ing offices, changed the name of the Litchfield edition to the Republican Union. In May, 1868, he again changed the name of the Litchfield edition to the Litchfield Union Monitor. The papers passed through all the infantile diseases of country newspapers of those times, to-wit: weekly to semi-weekly and back again, from six to seven and then to eight columns folio and back again, until the 'patent innard' solved the problem and they became dignified six column quarto sheets with the aforesaid 'patent innard.'
"To return to Mr. Alexander ; after selling out to Mr. Hood, he moved to Hillsboro and was soon the editor of a Democratic paper. He be- came so active in politics that in 1872 he was elected to the General Assembly, after which he dropped out of public view until he appeared at Litchfield as editor of a Democratic paper in the fall of 1SS7. He remained but a short while, when he retired to Bond County, where he died on August 9, 1915, at the ripe old age of eighty- six years. I will mention his last newspaper
experience in this city further on in these articles.
"On January 1, 1870, Charles L. Bangs and Edward Gray, came from Carlinville, purchased the Monitor office and continued the several editions. In the fall of that year the Hillsboro edition was discontinued, and in its place was issued the Hillsboro News Letter, an office hav- ing been established in that city with material partly taken from the Monitor office in Litch- field. Mr. Bangs moved to Hillsboro and per- sonally took charge of the News Letter, now the Montgomery News, over which C. W. and C. P. Bliss preside with becoming grace and ease.
"In 1871 Messrs. Kimball and Taylor of Belle- ville, in connection with George B. Litchfield, started the Litchfield Independent. The lure of the printing office towel and the longing for the smell of ink brought H. A. Coolidge back to the editorial chair. Shortly afterward Mr. Gray, who had become the sole owner of the Monitor, sold to the new firm, who dropped the name Independent. The Fithians, William W. and John B. and Edward, became editors and man- agers of the Monitor. A little later Mr. Taylor purchased the interest of Mr. Kimball in the printing office and proceeded to clean house. He discharged the Fithians and installed Edward Feagan, a St. Louis printer and reporter, as editor, manager and foreman. The Monitor, which had appeared as a semi-weekly for some time. now became a weekly. The campaign of 1872 opened with great enthusiasm. Martial music filled the air. General Grant was opposed by Horace Greely for the presidency. The 'Tanner' boys marched in great processions. Mr. Coolidge purchased the Monitor and took as a partner George B. Litchfield, who had been running a job printing office. The Fithian boys, after leaving the Monitor, had started the Litch- field Review. It died a natural death after a few issues and the material was purchased by Messrs. Coolidge and Litchfield, and the town again had but one newspaper and printing office.
"This did not last long, however, for a year later Mr. Litchfield. seceded, taking his ma- terial, and started the Litchfield Democrat, with Robert S. Young as editor. The Litchfield Dem- ocrat, in time, became the Prairie City Advocate, and had many editors, among them being Charles Tobin, Suddeth and Millner, Frank Shutt, Judson & Roberts, W. A. Judson, James Cox and E. J. C. Alexander. Mr. Alexander took
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
charge of the Advocate in the fall of 1887, and remained but a few months, meeting with in- different success. In the early spring of 1888 Fred C. Beeman, who was a local Democratic politician of well known ability, discovered that he owned a Democratic paper and he could se- cure the delinquent tax list, which was a rare and juicy sweetmeat in those days. The plant was easily acquired, as will be explained later. Mr. Beeman changed the name of the paper to the Litchfield Herald. In November of that year Mr. Beeman sold the paper to R. P. Boul- ton of Troy, Mo., and then began a rapid shift- ing of scenery, the firm changing to Boulton & Parrett, Boulton & Cornelius, Boulton & Wilson, Boulton & Kelly and back again to R. P. Boul- ton. In 1890 Mr. Boulton started the daily Her- ald, now consolidated with the News Herald. Mr. Stanley Cline succeeded Mr. Boulton as editor, and remained at his post until the consolidation of the Daily News and the Daily Herald in the fall of 1906.
"In January, 1887, Frank MI. Roberts arrived from Jerseyville with a Washington hand press and a pocket full of type, and launched the Litchfield Daily News. It too had editors and editors. Mr. Roberts in less than three years bade the town farewell, leaving, it was rumored, under cover of darkness. His wife, Clara Roberts, edited the paper for awhile, and then sold out to James H. Cox. After a few years Mr. Cox leased the paper to E. Joe and D. Walter Potts, who called the paper the Daily Reveille. It did not succeed any better under the new name, and Mr. Cox again became editor and restored the former name. In 1896 he sold the paper to Charles Murphy, who came here from Iowa. A few months later Murphy formed a partnership with J. M. Weber, who brought the Raymond Register to Litchfield in the deal. In 1878 B. S. Hood and Charles A. Walker bought the Monitor of H. A. Cooledge and the latter retired permanently from business in this city. He secured a position in the gov- ernment printing office at Washington, where he served as proofreader until the election of Grover Cleveland in 1884, when he was given leave of absence. He spent the years of that administration in this city, and returned to Washington with the incoming of President Harrison in 1889, and retained his position until his death in December, 1894. Mr. Hood soon purchased the interest of Mr. Walker. During the campaign of 1880 he published Litchfield's
first daily, returning to the weekly when the campaign was over. In 1881 he brought the first power press to Litchfield, a Coventry Camp- bell, which was considered a marvel in its day. John G. Campbell became his partner at this time. In 1883 Mr. Campbell leased Mr. Hood's interest and continued the business for a short time when Charles Hood, son of B. S. Hood, who had been foreman of the office, became a part- ner. They continued the business until Decem- ber, 1885, when they took all of the presses and type of any value and moved to Welling- ton, Kas., where they started the Wellington Monitor. B. S. Hood again assumed control of the destinies of the Litchfield Monitor, and with the wornout material, and a second- hand press, sat down to wait for a pur- chaser. On Monday, December 27, 1886, the writer came to Litchfield to spend the holidays with relatives. He called on Mr. Hood and learned that the paper was for sale. I couldn't buy a sandwich, but later in the day, learned that the paper was for lease. I formed the ac- quaintance of William J. Warden, the foreman. He was a Democrat but a good printer, and we agreed that we would lease the plant and that I should be editor and Mr. Warden the foreman and business manager. Mr. Warden was sup- porting a family and I was single. We put in a new job press and a considerable amount of new type. Our advertising grew, but by November of that year the books showed that Mr. Warden had eaten his share of the new equipment. I bought him out and he departed for Los Angeles, Cal., where I understand he is doing a thriving job printing business. As previously stated, Mr. Boulton started the Daily Herald early in April, 1890. That made two dailies. Parm Randall, who had been running a job office for years, broke into the field with the Daily Republican. That made three dailies. I could not conscientiously remain in the weekly field alone, so within three weeks' time the Morning Monitor entered the field, making four daily papers in a town of 6,000 inhabitants. Randall quit after a hundred issues. I con- tinued for four years, and returned to the weekly field. Litchfield now had three weekly and two daily newspapers, which was more than the editors could stand, to say nothing of the town. In 1902 the Daily News, J. M. Weber, proprietor, myself, the Monitor, both Republi- can, were consolidated with Mr. Weber as man-
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ager and myself as editor. The sheriff got that outfit in 1906.
"I must go backward. In 1SS2, a few enter- prising citizens, who were not satisfied with the editorial management of the Monitor, organized a stock company and started the Litchfield Courier. They employed James Stanley as editor, and, by the way, Stanley was some editor. He peeved Dr. William Barefoot, alder- man from the third ward, who was chairman of the committee on public buildings and grounds, about ruining the trees in the city park by topping them to such an extent, that the Doctor, who wasn't much bigger than a pint of soap, challenged him to fight a duel. Stanley chose brick bats at a distance of 200 yards, and the sanguine battle was averted. The backers of the Courier became afflicted with that 'tired feeling' by 1885, and the plant finally passed into the hands of Frank Shutt, publisher of the Advocate. In the early spring of 1901 Trainer and Drake came here from Blue Mound, this state, and launched the Morning Press. At the end of 100 days Mr. Drake eloped with the typewriter (machine if you please), and the paper ceased publication. The following spring Mr. Trainer, owner of the outfit, made arrange- ments with Robert E. Lee and C. O. Richards of this city to relaunch the Morning Press. The boys went to work with a vim. They met J. Stanley Cline on the street one night and asked him if he wanted a job. Stanley wanted any- thing he could lay his hands on and took it and immediately started upon a newspaper career which lasted for some time. The Press died again. Lee took what money there was on hand, and Dick Richards took the material. In 1903 a company composed of R. P. Boulton, Charles Woodruff, C. O. Richard, S. O. Harvel, E. E. Burson, and the late J. W. Cline purchased the Herald from Mr. Boulton. Mr. Woodruff became the manager and Jim Cline the editor. In 1906 after the sheriff was mean enough to grab the News and Monitor, Mr. Burson and others con- solidated the News, Monitor and Herald, and for about a week there was but one newspaper in Litchfield. At the end of that week I started the Illinois Free Press. It was published until July 1, 1914, when, having no plant, and no over- head expense, it quit the field until times are more auspicious.
"Harold C. Kessinger was raised in a news- paper office. He served as carrier of the last Daily Monitor which was started in May, 1902,
a few weeks prior to the consolidation of that paper with the Daily News. He also was a carrier on the Daily News, and afterwards the local editor. On January 19, 1909, he became editor and manager of the Illinois Free Press and held that position until his permanent loca- tion in Aurora, Ill., when S. W. Kessinger again assumed editorial control on February 1, 1912. The last newspaper to enter the field in Litch- field was the Litchfield Daily Union, making its bow to the public November 4, 1913. C. O. Richards, an oldtime printer and one who has frequently been mentioned in these papers, is foreman, and John J. Murray, who entered the profession when the sheriff had the News and the Monitor, as city editor of those publications as editor."
At the present time the Daily News-Herald and the Daily Union give to Litchfield the local news, fully, fairly and faithfully.
We now notice briefly the newspapers of the other towns of the county. -
..
NOKOMIS.
The Free Press-Gazette found its origin in the consolidation of the Free Press and the Gazette. The Gazette was established in 1871 by Picket & White, who received a bonus of $500 from the citizens at the time. In the fall of 1872, D. H. Zepp and Reverend Smoyer, a then local Presbyterian minister, acquired the plant from James Bone, who had taken posses- sion of it on the foreclosure of a mortgage. In 1873, D. H. Zepp became sole owner and in 1875 he sold it to D. F. White, one of the founders, who shortly afterwards sold out to Hiram Graden. In 1878 E. M. Hulbert began the publi- cation of an advertising sheet, bearing the title of the Free Press. The two publications were shortly afterwards consolidated and published under the name of the Free Press-Gazette by E. M. Hulbert and Hiram Graden. After a short time the firm of Hulbert & Graden agreed to dis- agree and the Free Press-Gazette was taken over by Mr. Hulbert and published by him until December, 18SS, at which time he sold a half interest in the plant, which embraced the Free Press-Gazette and Deutsche Amerikaner. a Ger- man publication founded in December, 1880, by Mr. Hulbert, to Joseph W. Wild, who in April, 1881, had accepted a position as printer and editor with Mr. Hulbert of the Deutsche Ameri- kaner. The Free Press-Gazette office has the
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
distinction of having installed the first power press in the county, in the fall of 1880, a Coven- try Campbell. In 1880 Hiram Graden estab- lished the Atlas which was consolidated the following year with the Free Press-Gazette, and lost its identity, Adam Rodecker being the editor. In 1893 Mr. Hulbert sold his interest to G. E. Whitten, in 1897 Whitten sold to E. Frank Draper and in July, 1901, Draper sold to G. Henry Webster, who with Mr. Wild, under the firm name of Wild & Webster, are the present publishers. The Free Press-Gazette is a model newspaper for local needs, in a rapidly growing little city, edited and published by energetic men and receiving a creditable support. The Free Press-Gazette for the past thirty-five years has been strictly independent in politics. In April, 1890, J. M. Weber started the Nokomis Journal which, after a battle for existence of a little over four years with various owners, failed to appear and the subscription list was consoli- dated with that of the Free Press-Gazette and the plant moved to Raymond by Cornelins & Chapman. The Dentsche Amerikaner above spoken of was discontinued by Wild & Webster in September, 1913, and the subscription list merged with that of the Free Press-Gazette.
The Progress was established in April, 1895, by J. B. Cole and A. A. Nall. For several months they conducted the business atter which A. J. Eckhoff leased the plant for a short time, withdrawing in favor of Mr. Cole February 19, 1897. Mr. Cole sold the business to W. P. Hag- throp, who a month later took into partnership F. C. Buck. This partnership continued until February, 1902, when Mr. Hagthrop bought his partner's interest and continned as sole pro- prietor until March 5, 1908, when the present management, A. K. Vandeveer, A. E. Vandeveer and Lester K. Vandeveer, under the firm name of A. K. Vandeveer and Sons, bought the plant. When the present owners took over the business the Progress was a six column, four page paper. They immediately made it five column, eight page, later six column, eight page and finally seven column, eight page. The plant has grad- ually been built up by the installation of mod- ern machinery, such as electrically operated presses, linotype, etc., until it is far above the average found in cities the size of Nokomis. The editors are Republican, but above all they endeavor to get out a good, clean, newsy and moral newspaper.
RAYMOND.
The Raymond Independent was issued for the first time June 9, 1881, by Joseph Washington Potts, who continned to edit and publish it till his death'Angust 29, 1912. Mrs. Mary J. Potts, his widow, continues the publication of the paper with their son, Lemuel L. Potts, as the editor and manager. The paper is Democratic in politics, and stands for the right and a square deal for all. A grandson, Harry L. Potts, is the local editor. Joseph W. Potts was a native of Kentucky and, after being engaged in several lines of business activity, he decided to try the newspaper business, and, with his limited cap- ital, founded this paper as above stated. After the brief period of two months his plant was burned down and all he had invested was con- sumed in the devouring fire. Not daunted he ar- ranged with the Morrisonville Times to get ont his paper till new machinery and stock could be purchased and installed. Since that time the paper has steadily progressed and is recognized as an enterprising sheet and is appreciated by the Raymond public.
WITT.
The Witt Press was launched March 10, 1905, by W. P. Hagthrop, who at the time was also the publisher and owner of the Nokomis Prog- ress. In 1908 Mr. Hagthrop sold the Progress to A. K. Vandeveer, and moved to Witt and en- larged the Press plant and has since that time continued to edit and publish the paper. The Press claims to be an independent Democratic paper, and stands for better civic conditions. Mr. Hagthrop has met with splendid success, considering the depressed conditions that oft- times come to mining towns. The paper owns its own building, has a thoroughly equipped plant for a town the size of Witt, and has a bright future before it.
FARMERSVILLE.
The Farmersville Post was established Sep- tember 5, 1902, by John Trainer as editor and Frank Trainer as publisher. Charles S. Betz later purchased the plant and enlarged and im- proved the sheet, changing the name to the Post. Under the management of Mr. Betz the paper was run until September 1, 1914, when the paper and plant was sold to Thaddeus P.
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Dnnn. It is a five column, eight page paper and is newsy and well supported. In its earlier years it was a Democratic paper, but when Mr. Dunn bought it, he declared that the paper would be entirely independent on all political, religious and other controversial topics, confin- ing his activities to the matter of news and. local interest.
COFFEEN.
i In 1890 Frank Bolt established the Enter- prise at Coffeen, but after a few months sold the paper to John W. Whitlock, who in turn sold to Lot Pennington. The latter sold it to O. A. Jewett who changed the name to the Mer- enry and sold it to William H. McCracken and Walter Roberts, the latter subsequently becom- ing sole owner. He changed the name to the Montgomery Democrat, and developed the paper considerably. The paper is a good local sheet and deserves a strong support. Coffeen has had as a town serious reverses in business and the paper suffered in proportion, but we think there is evidence of better times coming to both town and paper. With the opening of the mines now assnred, we believe the tide will take a favor- able turn and Coffeen and its enterprises will take on new life and activity.
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