USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume II > Part 38
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In 1880,. Dr. Klinckhardt and Dr. F. Reder were at New Athens; Drs. A. P. Coulter, J. G. Guthrie and W. O. Wilcox at Marissa, where Dr. Henry Finger had died; Dr. Miles Hughes at Lenzburg; Drs. C. Hixon, H. Bechthold, D. C. Dunn and James McGeehan at O'Fallon ; Dr. W. M. Carter at East Carondelet; Dr. W. H. Renois at Cahokia; Drs. F. A. Hamilton, R. F. Cunningham, F. W. Lytle, A. Berger, C. N. Andrews and A. S. Griffith at Lebanon; and Drs. J. H. Hewitt and J. A. Close were at Summerfield.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
JOURNALISM.
FIRST HALF CENTURY OF NEWSPAPER HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY-EARLY PAPERS AND THEIR FOUNDERS - SOME QUAINT, OLD-FASHIONED AD- VERTISEMENTS - NEWSPAPERS OF BELLEVILLE, EAST ST. LOUIS, LEBANON, MASCOUTAH, NEW ATHENS AND MARISSA-THE MEN WHO ESTAB- LISHED, EDITED AND PRINTED THEM-LONG LIST OF MEN WHO LED IN PUBLIC OPINION DURING THE LAST CENTURY.
Before the pioneer newspaper was estab- lished in St. Clair County the people there
S.R. Weinberger.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
read the "Missouri Gazette" (later known as "Missouri Republican"), which was established in St. Louis in 1808. As far as information is available, from old records and the mem- ory of the oldest inhabitants, the first news- paper published in St. Clair County, was the "Western News."1 This was published by Dr. Joseph Green, in Belleville, and appeared for the first time, in the winter of 1827-28. It was a small sheet of nondescript character. Nom- inally it was a weekly; really it was issued only occasionally.
"The Pioneer," a five-column single sheet, was the second newspaper, and the first reli- gious paper in the county. Its advent was heralded by a prospectus issued in Decem- ber, 1828; and its first issue appeared April 25, 1829. It was printed at Rock Springs, the seat of Rock Springs Seminary, by Rev. Thomas P. Green, a Baptist minister, who brought a hand-press and type from Cape Girardeau, Mo., and was edited by Rev. John Mason Peck, the founder and head of the Seminary. Mr. Green, a practical printer, was assisted by his two sons, also printers. In the fall of 1829, Green sold the office to Mr. Peck; and June 14, 1830, Ashford Smith took charge of the printing, but Dr. Peck continued as editor. In 1836 Peck and Smith formed a partnership and moved the paper to Upper Alton, where they enlarged it to a six-column folio and pub- lished it under the name of the "Western Pioneer and Baptist Banner."
In 1833, Robert K. Fleming, editor and pub- lisher of the "Kaskaskia Recorder," moved his printing office to Belleville, and about De- cember 20, began to publish the "St. Clair Gazette." However, he had many trials and tribulations incident to the publishing of a newspaper in early days; a lack of funds often interrupted the publication. Later, he changed the name of the paper to the "St. Clair Mercury."
The first number of the "Representative and Gazette," a large-sized folio, was issued
in May, 1838, by E. S. Cropley, editor and publisher. It was liberally patronized by Belleville people. This paper frequently con- tained advertisements, unique and interesting, most of which recall the names of men prom- inent or conspicuous in those days. An ad- vertisement, dated Kaskaskia, July 27, 1838, informs the public that "Col. J. L. D. Morrison has permanently located in the practice of his profession." The professional card of Koer- ner & Shields, lawyers, appeared and Lyman Trumbull and John Reynolds announced that they had formed a partnership for law prac- tice, September 6, 1838. James Affleck adver- tised "a new cabinet shop," with an under- taking department. Thomas Kimber, another cabinet-maker, informed the public that he had "an old cabinet shop" and would "attend to all business in his line from the cradle to the grave." In connection with his business he had "a chair factory, carried on by old and experienced hands," and "bed-posts on hand for sale at all times." George Eckert & Co., advertised a new cabinet warehouse; Engel- mann & Hassel advertised "a new family gro- cery store opposite Rev. J. West's; Theodore Krafft, "store goods for sale at the corner store, south of the public square," consisting of "a complete assortment of domestic goods, cloths, cassinetts, blankets, heavy linens, lin- seys, shoes, boots, hats, caps, family grocer- ies, hardware, queensware, crockery, ropes, buckets and woodenware;" A. & E. Hilden- brandt, a watchmaker's and jeweler's shop at which they sold "watches, jewelry, silverware and 'fancy goods' generally." The following unique notice appeared under the heading:
"SIGNS OF THE TIMES."
"I prophesy that we are going to have a powerful revival of religion in Belleville, as some well disposed person, from an extreme love of the precious word, I suppose, has stolen my Bible, which was lying on a small stand in my front room. I do desire, yea, I earnestly request, the individual who has it to return it. I would also exhort the individual to study well that portion in it which says, "Thou shalt not steal." It is not for the value of the book as a book, although its price is far above rubies, that I desire to have it again, for I can soon get another. But it is a large family Bible and was presented to my wife by her mother, and in it are recorded their births,
1"At this distant day it is nearly, if not quite, impossible to get reliable and correct information regarding the first newspaper of this county. No files or old copies can be found in the possession of the older inhabitants, nor in the archives or among the records of the State Historical Society."- Brink, 1880.
Hinchcliffs, himself an editor as well as a law- yer, for some years publisher of a paper in Belle- ville and St. Louis, put the "Western News" at the beginning of a history of the press of Belle- ville, which was a part of a "Historical Review of the City of Belleville," written by him in 1870.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
deaths, etc. On this account I value it as a precious relic. N. GREEN.
"Belleville, Jan. 23, 1839."
"P. S. If the individual will return the family record, I will say no more about the Bible, only hoping that good use may be made of it. N. G."
November 17, 1839, Hilgard & Wolf an- nounced:
"The subscribers will pay cash for any quan- tity of corn, rye or barley, if delivered at their distillery in Belleville, at the rate of 33 1-3 cents for corn, 62 1-2 cents for rye and 75 cents for barley."
The "Representative and Gazette" published the delinquent tax list for lands in Randolph and Monroe Counties, which occupied almost four columns of its space. Among its news items was the following in relation to an al- leged probable marriage between the late Queen of England and a son of Louis Phillippe, then King of the French: "It is now insisted that Victoria is to marry the Duke of Ne- mours, a proposition being before the Privy Council to permit her to do so." Here is an- other paragraph, headed "The End of the World: A man named Miller has been deliv- ering lectures lately in Vermont, the subject of which is to show that the world will come to an end in 1843." This notice was given a conspicuous position :
"NOTICE."
"Was committed to the jail of Perry County, Illinois, on the 22d day of December, 1838, Two Negroes, supposed to be runaway slaves, viz:
"A man about 55 or 60 years old, says his name is Nathaniel, and that he belongs to Thomas Berryman, of Muhlenburgh County, Ky., and ran away from Blackman Berryman, near Mine Lamotte, Mo. Nathaniel is very black, about five feet six or seven inches high, had on, when committed, an old gray cassinett coat, old yellow jeans pantaloons, white hat and shoes very much worn, and had also in his possession an old rifle gun.
"Also a tall black woman, supposed to be about 45 years old; says her name is Patsey and the wife of Nathaniel, and ran away with him; had on a blue calico dress, black hat and shoes, all very much worn.
"Any person claiming said Negroes is re- quested to come forward, prove his property,
pay charges, and take them away, or they will be dealt with as required by law. Mat. Jones, Sheriff of Perry County, Illinois, Pinckneyville, December 24, 1838. 19-6t Pr. Fee, $3."
A noteworthy extract editorial, dated February 2, 1839, is the following, on the subject of "Thoughts on the Present Con- dition of Parties in This State":
"The present condition of parties in our State opens a fair field for philosophic speculation. The numerical strength is nearly equal, their efficient means of operating upon public opinion are nearly equal; and with party scales so nice- ly balanced, it will follow as certainly as the light of day succeeds the darkness of the night, that the party which relies alone on intrigue and political management will be defeated, and that the one which trusts to the immutable principles of justice, honesty and equal rights will prove successful."
Although the "Representative" was ably con- ducted and was seemingly well patronized, it failed late in 1839. The "Belleville Advocate" was the first permanent newspaper in St. Clair County. The first issue came from the press March 27, 1840, and it is flourishing today. James L. Boyd and John T. C. Clark were its original editors and publishers. It was printed in a building on the corner of Main and High Streets, and appeared every Saturday morn- ing. In form, it was a five-column folio, and twelve lines were declared to be a square of advertising space. Its subscription price was $2 a year. Somewhat singular, and to the point, was the following announcement: "Advertise- ments of personal altercations will invariably be charged $2 per square for first insertion, and $1 for each continuous insertion, payment to be made invariably in advance." Hence, a man would have had to be angry to impru- dence or rich to indifference, or both, to have engaged in a discussion in that paper of a personal difference with another. Practically this stipulation was wisely prohibitive. The editors, in their prospectus, said to the public: "The Advocate will be conducted on pure Dem- ocratic principles, both editors being Demo- crats of the Old School of Jeffersonian politics, differing from the monopolizing Hamiltonian Autocracy in their whole political creed." The paper supported Martin Van Buren for Presi- dent and Lyman Trumbull for member of the State Legislature. Soon after the first issue,
1
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Mr. Clark retired from the "Advocate," leav- ing Mr. Boyd alone in the work until the win- ter of 1841-42, when the paper passed into the hands of Philip B. Fouke. Later, it was taken in hand by Robert K. Fleming, the founder and publisher of the old "Gazette and Mercury." Mr. Fleming was one of the pioneer printers of Belleville. He was born in Erie County, Pa., and learned the printer's trade in Pitts- burg. He came West early in life and worked in St. Louis. Later, he established a paper at Kaskaskia, where he married Miss Leland, from Massachusetts. They had five sons and two daughters. In 1833, he moved to Belleville, where he died in 1874. All of his sons became printers, and were at some time connected with newspapers of St. Clair County. Edward H. Fleming, son of Robert K. Fleming, managed the office until 1849, when he went to Califor- nia to hunt gold, leaving the paper in charge of his brother, William K. Fleming. The lat- - ter, in the summer of 1849, began to publish the "Daily Belleville Advocate," the first daily pa- per in St. Clair County. While William K. Fleming managed the "Advocate," Jehu Baker was editor. By many, Mr. Baker is regarded as having been the ablest editor ever employed oli the Belleville press. June 29, 1850, Fleming sold the "Advocate" to John W. Merritt, father of General Wesley Merritt, who later moved to Salem, Ill., and still later was editor of the "State Register" at Springfield, Ill. Late in the summer of 1851, Merritt sold the paper to Judge Nathaniel Niles.
In 1851, Edward H. Fleming came back from California and began the publication of the "Belleville Sun." After thirty-six numbers were issued, it was consolidated with the "Ad- vocate," a business partnership having been formed by Mr. Fleming and Judge Niles under the name of Fleming and Niles, with Niles as editor, and Fleming as foreman. In October, 1852, these men bought the "Illinois Independ- ent" and consolidated it with the "Advocate." July 19, 1854, James S. Coulter bought the in- terest of Judge Niles, who retired from jour- nalism for a while. Judge Niles was an editor of unusual ability, though his strength lay rather in magazine work than in country news- paper work, and he gave the "Advocate" a high standing among the papers of Illinois.
The first number of the "Daily Belleville Ad- vocate" was issued September 1, 1854. It was
a five-column folio, edited by James S. Coul- ter, an Irishman, a man of wit and sarcasm, as the objects of his comment knew well enough. November 14, 1855, Mr. Fleming, on account of poor health, retired from the Ad- vocate, disposing of his interest to J. S. Coulter, who edited and managed the paper until June 11, 1856, when Judge Niles again became editor and proprietor. July 1, 1856, Edward Schiller bought a half-interest in the office, which he retained until December 3, 1856. From then until May, 1857, Judge Niles published the paper, when the office was sold to Collins Van Cleve and T. C. Weeden. In 1854 the Advocate announced itself as a Free-Soil paper. July 10, 1857, its form became eight-column folios, and it took on the dignity of a larger and ornate heading. The heading soon lost some of its magnitude, and with decided improvement to the appearance of the paper, if we may judge by comment. One contemporary referred to it as "the Advocate's flounced heading.' February 10, 1860, the paper was sold to E. J. Montague, formerly of the "Chester Herald." In Septem- ber, 1860, while the County Fair was being held, the "Advocate" published the first daily Fair Journal-the "St. Clair County Fair- Ground Journal." January 25, 1861, the "News Letter," published in Mascoutah, was consoli- dated with the "Advocate," and its editor, Alex- ander G. Hawes, became associate editor of the consolidated paper. The paper was then called the "Weekly Belleville Advocate and News Let- ter." February 8, 1861, the paper again came under the control of Collins Van Cleve. Hawes retired in May. On June 1, 1861, F. M. Hawes became editor, and in August bought the paper. In October, the word "Weekly" was dropped, leaving the name the "Belleville Advocate," the "News Letter" part of the heading having dis- appeared some time before. In December, 1862, G. F. Kimball became manager of the paper and assisted Mr. Hawes in editing it.
November 27, 1863, Mr. Kimball bought the entire office, books of account and all, for $1,000. On January 1, 1867, he sold a one- tenth interest to F. M. Taylor; and, under their joint management, its business greatly in- creased. Besides publishing the "Advocate," they printed auxiliary sheets for a number of newspapers in Southern Illinois; published the "Nashville Journal," "Sparta Plaindealer," "Mt. Vernon News," "Collinsville Argus" and "Litch-
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
field Monitor," and did much book-printing for patrons in St. Louis and elsewhere. All went well until 1872. Then Mr. Kimball changed his political views, the two men could not agree and the firm dissolved, Mr. Taylor buying the presses, material and building. Mr. Kimball went to Danville, Ill., to be editor of the "News," and from there to Decatur, where he organized several newspapers. In the sum- mer of 1879, he came back to Belleville, and for a while was interested in the publication of the "Republican." In November, he issued the first number of the "Weekly Times" and in Feb- ruary, 1880, launched the "Daily Times." Both papers suspended publication in May, 1880. For a short time in the summer of 1880, he edited the "Advocate," and in October of that year he moved to Sedalia, Mo., to edit and pub- lish the "Daily News" of that city.
In 1872, when Mr. Taylor bought the Advo- cate plant, he organized and incorporated the Western Printing Company, in which the chief stockholders were Mrs. F. M. Taylor, Charles W. Thomas, E. L. Thomas, John Woods and F. M. Taylor. Eventually Mrs. Taylor bought the shares held by the Thomases, and later, the shares held by Woods. May 8, 1880, Mr. Taylor retired from the business, and the of- fice was closed. June 4, 1880, J. H. Thomas bought the presses and material, and resumed the publication of the "Advocate," with G. F. Kimball as editor. Mr. Kimball, however, soon retired, leaving Mr. Thomas as both editor and publisher. The "Advocate" had undergone many changes in form and proprietorship. It was for years the leading Democratic paper in Southern Illinois; and later, one of the fore- most organs of the Republican party in its congressional district. It had had as editors and contributors many leading and distin- guished men of Illinois. In all its career it had held an enviable prestige in and beyond its own neighborhood.
The "Spirit of '76" was a campaign paper run in the interests of Harrison and Tyler, the Whig candidates for President and Vice-Presi- dent during the campaign of 1840. It was first issued in July, 1840, and soon passed out of existence. The type and presses became the property of J. R. Cannon, who published a Whig paper supporting Harrison, and after his election supporting his administration. After the death of Cannon, Charles Sargent bought
the press and material, and published an in- dependent paper, of which Elam Rust was ed- itor. Under this management, the paper fre- quently became very personal in discussing the character of different citizens, sometimes with unpleasant results. "Some in this neighbor- hood," wrote Hinchcliffe in 1870, "still remem- ber the publication of a paragraph in Sargent's paper, charging upon James M. Reynolds, who was then County Clerk, improprieties in con- nection with the management of his office. Mr. Reynolds was very sensitive and averse to newspaper squabbles. The remarks made in that paper and repeated by others operated painfully upon his mind and feelings and, in conjunction with other troubles and difficul- ties, so unmanned him that he took his own life by shooting himself." Rust later moved to Decatur and established a paper there.
BELLEVILLE POST AND ZEITUNG .- The first Ger- man newspaper published in Illinois was "Der Freiheitsbote für Illinois," published in Belle- ville, but printed in St. Louis. It appeared in the year 1840 during the Van Buren-Harrison campaign. The publisher was Theodore En- gelmann, who in 1844 sold the publication to Bartholomeus Hauck, who suspended publica- tion and moved the printery to Quincy, Ill., and there issued a paper under the name of the "Quincy Beobachter." At the close of the 'forties Mr. Hauck returned to Belleville, where, in partnership with Mr. Engelmann, he again launched a German paper, known as the "Belleville Zeitung." The first issue appeared January 11, 1849. The "Zeitung" was a five- column quarto, and one of the original copies is still on exhibition in the Belleville Public Library. This number contains the message of Governor Augustus C. French to the State Legislature of that year, and deals with the new State Constitution, which had just been adopted. The late Lieut .- Gov. Gustav Koerner, then an attorney at Belleville, was an enthu- siastic supporter of the "Zeitung," and its prin- cipal editorial writer. On August 23, 1849, the paper was enlarged about one-third, and up to 1850 it dealt exclusively with national is-
sues. In the spring of that year a local col- umn was introduced. On May 11, 1850, Belle- ville had its first city election, with the fol- lowing result: Mayor-Theodore Krafft; Al- dermen-John R. Nolan, Peter Wilding, Franz Staltz and D. W. Hopkins. In July, 1852, Mr.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Engelmann sold his interest to Mr. Hauck, who became sole owner. On March 4, 1853, Franz Grimm, who was a writer from Germany, was appointed editor and remained from July of that year until December, 1853, when he re- moved to Memphis, Tenn., and there founded the first German paper in that State. On De- cember 29, 1853, Mr. Hauck began the issue of a daily edition, but the undertaking failed. On January 26, 1854, Herrmann Fiedler took charge of the editorial department, being suc- ceeded by Hannibal Seylern and Dr. F. Menzel, and in 1856 Franz Grimm again resumed the editorship.
In February, 1856, the "Belleville Volksblatt" was founded, which was, in the following month, consolidated with the "Belleville Zei- tung," through the instrumentality of Friedrich Krupp, then owner of the "Zeitung." Mr. Grimm as editor was succeeded by Ludwig Sei- bold, Edward Lindemann and Dr. C. Neubert. In the campaign of 1872 the "Zeitung" sup- ported Horace Greeley for President. On Feb- ruary 22, 1873, Sebastian Fietsam became pub- lisher, and consolidated with the "Zeitung" the "Illinois Republikaner." June 18, 1874, by the purchase of a half-interest by George Sem- melroth, the firm became Fietsam & Semmel- roth. For the next few years its editors were: Heinrich E. Mueller, Bernhardt Hartmann, Eu- gene Seeger, Capt. G. Rentchler and L. W. Habercom. On August 19, 1876, the publishers again began the issue of a daily edition, which met with better success than its predecessors. In October, 1877, Messrs. Fietsam and Semmel- roth bought out the "Stern des Westens" to suspend its publication, and Mr. Habercom was succeeded as editor by Curt Heinfelden, who at the same time bought Mr. Fietsam's interest. "Der Stern," which succeeded the "Stern des Westens," was also bought up by Messrs. Heinfelden & Semmelroth, and its pub- lication suspended. Mr. Franz F. Metchan (now living at Kansas City, Mo.), about the same time bought an interest. The title of the paper then was "Belleville Zeitung und Stern." The firm of Heinfelden, Semmelroth & Metchan, which controlled the publication from 1881, was dissolved on March 15, 1886, owing to po- litical differences. Mr. Heinfelden remained owner of the "Zeitung," while Mr. Metchan re- moved to Leavenworth, Kans., and Mr. Semmel- roth took charge of the "Belleville Post," which
had been founded on the 27th of August, 1884. Owing to failing health, Mr. Heinfelden was succeeded as editor by Max Gronefeld, who had been its city editor. C. Angelroth, August von Lengerke and William F. Dose were wri- ters immediately following. On December 14, 1891, Fred W. Kraft and Fred J. Kern bought the "Zeitung" (the name "und Stern" having in the meantime been dropped), and assumed charge, with Carl Brandt as editor, and on January 17, 1893, Gen. William C. Kueffner and George Semmelroth succeeded in completing a deal for the purchase of the "Zeitung," which was consolidated the day following with the "Post" under the name "Belleviller Post and Zeitung," which name it bears today. Max Gronefeld was its editor. General Kueffner died on March 18, 1893. Mr. Semmelroth be- came sole proprietor, and during the following month had the business incorporated under the name "Belleville Post and Zeitung Pub- lishing Company," he remaining the principal stockholder and business manager. The ed- itors from that time were: F. J. Staufenbiel, A. W. Fischer, Otto Steuernagel, Rudolph Krue- ger, Waldemar Kloess. This position since Oc- tober 6, 1903, has been entrusted to Jacob J. Gimmersheimer, who for many years had been its city editor. He is assisted by August Sem- melroth as reporter. Since the death of George Semmelroth, which occurred on December 9, 1895, his eldest son, Herman Semmelroth, has been its business manager.
In 1845, Louis P. Pensoneau began the pub- lication of the "St. Clair Banner." In 1847, however, he sold to D. W. Gelwicks and Louis Tramble, who changed the name of the paper to the "Belleville Times," and on January 12, 1849, it was sold to Harvey & Walker. To that time, the "Times" had stood for Democratic principles, but under the new management it became a Whig paper and a supporter of the administration of President Taylor. It now became known as the "Illinois Republican." Harvey & Walker were its editors and pub- lishers until October, 1852, when Judge Na- thaniel Niles bought the paper and consoli- dated it with the "Advocate."
The "Illinois Advocate" was established in Lebanon, and the first number was dated Jan- uary 18, 1848. Intended as the organ of Meth. odism in Illinois, it was edited and published under the auspices of McKendree College. Rev.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Davis Goheen and Benjamin Hypes constituted the publishing committee; President E. Went- worth was editor, and A. W. Cummings, S. Mattison, W. Goodfellow and S. M. E. Go- heen assistant editors. At first it was a four- column folio, later a six-column folio. It took up matters of general intelligence, literature, science, morality, religion and local, foreign and miscellaneous news. In 1852, the office was closed for lack of patronage. In 1855, Col- lins Van Cleve bought the material, added to it, and began to publish the "Lebanon Gem." In 1856, he took the subscription list to Belle- ville (where he was interested in the publica- tion of the "Advocate"), and from these sent the paper to its old subscribers in Lebanon, until their subscription had run out. Between 1856 and 1860, there was no paper published in Lebanon.
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