History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois, Part 16

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Illinois > Greene County > History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois > Part 16

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).

PRAIRIE STATE.

A newspaper with the above name was established at Jerseyville, somewhere about the year 1857. A diligent search has failed to discover any of the files of

it, and therefore it is impossible to be exact as to the time. It ran along until the campaign of 1860, between Lincoln, Douglas, Breckenridge and Bell, in the race for the presidency.

Early in 1860 the republicans of Jersey county, forcseeing the gigantic struggle for the presidential office of that event- ful year, formed themselves into an association. They adopted a constitu- tion of which the following is the pre- amble:

"In view of the great issues involved in the approaching presidential election, and believing that the welfare and safety of our common country is in a great measure dependant upon the success of republican principles, and that those principles, if fairly promulgated and understood, will commend themselves to the intelligence and patriotism of every true citizen of this great republie. Yet conscious of the power of the dem- ocratic party, not in its inherent strength, or the truth of its principles, but in the thorough organization and drill of its forces, who, rallying under the shibboleth of democracy, are ready to follow their leaders to the death. And being assured that a thorough and perfeet organization of all the opposi- tion forees is essential to the overthrow of that party in the coming election, and that such an organization can only be effected by associated efforts in every county and election precinct throughout the country. And encouraged by the hope of redeeming our own county from the bondage of democracy and restoring her to the position she once held, a bright spot amid surrounding darkness, we, the undersigned, for the purpose of affecting such an organization at the

128

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

county seat, as a center and rallying point for the whole county, as shall unite all the forces of the opposition, and lead them a solid phalanx to the polls, do form ourselves into an asso- ciation to be called the Republican Club of Jersey county."

This chib numbered among its mem- bers some of the best citizens of the county, and as they were much in need of a newspaper to further their political interests, arrangements were completed by which the trustees of the association -George E. Warren, J. J. Paris, James A. Barr, E. M. Smith and Harley E. Hayes-purchased the Prairie State of Augustus S. Smith, then editor and pro- prietor, for the consideration of $1,625. An agreement was also entered into at that time, with A. C. Clayton, now a resident of St. Louis, Mo., to conduct the paper for the association. The first issue under his management appeared Jan. 20, 1860.

The salutatory of Mr. Clayton was a most excellent one, and would amply repay perusal, but its great length will not permit its insertion in this place.

Mr. Clayton was an able writer, and conducted the paper with success and satisfaction for the association until Jan- uary, 1862, when he retired, and the services of Lambson Williams were se- cured.

After this, the paper had a varied ex- perience until about 1863 or 1864, when it came to an end.

THE JERSEYVILLE EXAMINER.

The Examiner was established in Jer- seyville in 1878, the first issue appear- ing August 14. The material affairs of the office were owned by a stock com-

pany known as the Jerseyville Publish- ing Company, of which William H. Pogue, James A. Barr, Horace N. Belt, William MeBride and Morris R. Locke were stockholders. The paper was a neatly-printed five-column quarto, is- sued Wednesdays, J. Sterling Harper being engaged as editor. The journal was an uncompromising advocate of the temperance cause, and continued as such during its entire existence. In the first issue of the Examiner, the fol- lowing salutatory appears :

" Here we are, in Jerseyville, to work in the temperance cause. We will not task your patience with a lengthy ad- dress, or profess too much; but sim- ply and sincerely state that we desire the good of all, and to that end and for that object propose to write and speak our sentiments on the great questions of the day. The paramount subject is temperance, and in regard to it the peo- ple generally are interested. The pro- hibition of the liquor traffic would be one of the greatest blessings of the age. The Examiner will teach this wholesome doctrine, and endeavor by all honorable means to obtain a hearty endorsement from the people of Jersey county and elsewhere, and especially in the city of Jerseyville do we ask a hearty co-operation. * * %

" We will do the best we can to make the Examiner a welcome visitor in every household, filled with local and general intelligence of a high moral character, and we kindly ask each and all of you to lend us a helping hand in a worthy and noble cause."

With the issue of November 27, the Eraminer was leased by the editor, Mr.

1:29

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

Harper, who continued to publish the paper but two weeks, when he with- drew entirely. A salutatory which ap- peared in the issue of December 11, from the pen of Morris R. Locke, is explanatory, as follows:

" By direction of the Jerseyville Pub- lishing Company, I assume editorial management of the Examiner. I shall hew to the line of prohibition, as an- nounced by that party, believing that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of eure.

" The news of the county and of the day will be given.

"To our friends, I would say, be of good cheer ! To the opposition-' Come with us and we will do you good.'"'

The paper was continued under this management until its consolidation with the Republican, which occurred Sept. 10, 1880.

THE JERSEYVILLE REGISTER.

This journal was established in the early part of November, 1865, by Fred- erick S. Houghawout, editor and pro- prietor. It was a seven-column folio, all printed at home, at a subscription price of two dollars a year. Mr. Hough- awont continued the publication of the Register until the year 1867, when he dis- posed of the paper to L. Williams, fami- liarly known by his friends as " Yank." He afterward removed to Topeka, Kan., and his son, Charles F., leased the office and became its editor and publisher. In October, 1868, the office was adver- tised for sale, and later purchased by Col. G. P. Smith, of the Jacksonville Journal, who established the

JERSEYVILLE REPUBLICAN.

Part of the material which went to form the new paper was removed from

Jacksonville, by Frank M. Roberts, now senior editor of the Republican-Examiner. The material arrived from Jacksonville, on Christmas day, 1868, and on the first day of Jan., 1869, W. H. Edgar assumed editorial control. When the Jackson- ville Journal was disposed of in 1869 to Chapin & Glover, the latter named firm also became proprietors of the Repub- lican.

The Republican, which was an eight- column folio, all printed at home, con- tinued, under the proprietorship of Chapin and Glover, with W. H. Edgar as an editor, until Aug. 25, 1870, when it was disposed of to the latter named gentleman, who then became sole editor and proprietor. The following card which appeared in the issue of the above date, is explanatory:

" With this issue of the Jerseyville Republican, we transfer to Mr. William H. Edgar, who has so long and intelli- gently labored as resident editor, our entire interest in the paper, and take pleasure in commending him anew to the best offices of the people of Jersey county. He has, during his connection with the Republican, evinced an ability which is rarely met with in the editorial room of other than a metropolitan paper, and has succeeded, by his well directed efforts, in securing for the Republican a standing which is most cred- itable, and must redound greatly to the interests of the city of Jerseyville. Having done so much effective work for the city of his adoption, he certainly deserves and has reason to expect the hearty support and generous patronage of his fellow citizens.

" Having become by this transfer an exclusively local enterprise, business

130

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

inen may bestow their favors upon the Republican, knowing that money thus expended will be kept at home, and be used in the upbuilding of Jerseyville." *

Immediately following the above card appears the salutatory of Mr. Edgar, which is appended as follows:

"Having purchased the interest of Chapin and Glover in the Jerseyville Republican, I have with the present number assumed its entire control and ownership, and hope by continued effort to increase the business and usefulness of the paper, and to make it a welcome visitor in many households that it has not as yet reached. With the exper- ience of the past three years before me, I am persuaded that the Republican, with proper industry and economy, may be made one of the best and most influential weeklies in this section of the state; its circulation is to-day much larger than the average circulation of provincial weeklies, and its business patronage has steadily increased during the past year; with this showing 'tis safe to count on continued success. It is my purpose to largely increase the facilities of the office for doing every variety of job work, and to this end I shall, so fast as my means will permit, add to our already well assorted stock, the latest and best styles of job and advertising type, thus hoping to meet every de- mand, and give entire satisfaction to all patrons. It is also my purpose to make the Republican pre-eminently a local paper, i. e., by adding to its list of home contributors, and by increased effort myself to gather into its columns, weekly, all the available county and vi- einity news, and thus hope to make the paper still more valuable as a reliable

news medium. In the past we have labored under many disadvantages, which it is hoped are in a measure oh- viated by this change. The prejudiee (perhaps wholly imaginary) against a foreign ownership (a eirenmstanee which has greatly disturbed our considerate neighbor, at least, in the past,) is re- moved, and the Republican may now be regarded as a strictly home institution, wholly devoted to home interests and enterprise, and as such I do not fear but that it will receive its share of the public patronage and support. *

* Tendering our grateful acknowledg- ments to the patrons of the paper for their kindness, forbearance and lib- eral patronage in the past, I shall hope by increased effort to merit a continu- anee of the same in the future."

The Republican was edited and pub- lished successfully by Mr. Edgar for a number of years. In the issue of Sept. 3, 1880, the following notice of a business change appeared, in reference to the consolidation of the Examiner and Repub- licun, under the caption of

THE REPUBLICAN EXAMINER.

" As already indicated in the Examiner of this city, a consolidation of the two papers, Republican and Examiner, has been effeeted, the first issue under the new management appearing on the 10th inst., under the headline, Republican- Examiner.

" It is the purpose of the proprietors to make the new paper second to none of its character in this section of the state. In polities the paper will be progressively and aggressively republi- can, holding that the continued peace and prosperity of the country depends

131

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

upon a continuence in power of the republican party. Its weekly compila- tion of news, local and general, the proprietors will spare no pains or expense to make full and complete. In a word, it will be the aim of the pub- lishers to furnish a first-class family newspaper, devoted to republican prin- ciples, to the development of home in- terests, to practical temperance, and to elevation of the moral and social stand- ard in our midst.

" The Republican returns thanks to its patrons, in the past, and believing that the combination will make a more efli- cient and satisfactory journal than cither alone could have been, solicits a contin- uance of their patronage and good will."

The first issue of the Republican- Examiner appeared September 10th, as a five-column quarto, in which form it has since continued, Wil- liam H. Edgar and Morris R. Locke acting as editors and proprietors, under the firm name of Edgar & Locke, the latter gentleman having served as editor and proprietor of the Examiner. The following salutatory appeared in the first number of the newly consolidated journal:

"With this issne the Republican-Exam- mer makes its bow to the good people of Jerseyville and Jersey county, not as strangers, but as friends joined to- gether, with the hope that united we may be of greater service to the relig- ious, moral, social and business inter- ests of the city and county. We make no pretentious boasts of what we pro- pose to do, preferring rather to let our work speak for itself in our effort to furnish a first-class family newspaper to our patrons. Politically, the paper

will be unqualifiedly republican, and we shall labor assiduously for the up- building of our party in the county and its continuance in power in the nation. In the other departments of our paper we shall know no one class or sect to the exclusion of any other, but shall en- deavor to treat all classes and all sexes with equal candor and fairness. We thus hope with diligence in business to make our paper a valuable one, and a welcome guest in every household it may enter. With these few plain words we launch the Republican-Eraminer forth on its mission, with malice toward none and charity for all, hoping the paper will prove worthy of an enlarged and generous patronage."

The firm of Edgar & Locke conducted the paper until January 12, 1885, when Mr. Locke retired, and was succeeded by Frank M. Roberts, who some three weeks previous had leased the office, and who, at present, is the senior men- ber of the firm conducting that journal. In the issue of Jan. 16, the following valedictory of Morris R. Locke appeared: "Reluctantly I leave the editorial rooms of the Republican-Examiner, but having sold my undivided one-half interest in the newspaper and job office of the Re- publican-Examiner to Frank M. Roberts, must of necessity make room for him. Mr. Roberts comes to the front with a ripe newspaper experience and a practi- cal knowledge of all the various branch- es of the printers' art. I bespeak for him a cordial welcome. And, in bidding the readers of the Republican-Examiner adieu, I shall always remember their kindly indulgences and pleasant åe- quaintanceship. Before closing this brief ' leave taking,' I want to express

132

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

thus publicly my sense of obligation to the kind, courteous and gentlemanly treatment received at all times and un- der all circumstances from my late part- ner and colleague, Col. Wm. HI. Edgar, who remains editor-in-chief of the Re- publicun-Eruminer."

Immediately below the foregoing ap- peared the following just and worthy comment, upon the retirement of Mr. Locke, by the new firm:

"The faeile pen of Morris R. Locke, Esq., will be missed in the columns of the Republican-Examiner, that gentleman having, as will be noticed elsewhere, dissolved his connection with the paper. As a partner, Mr. Locke has been con- siderate and honorable, seeking by every fair means to do justice to his business associates and deal fairly with the pa- trons of the paper. In leaving, he takes with him the kindliest feelings of those with whom he has been associ- ated, and the assurance of their best wishes for his future success."

In March following, another change oeeurred in the management of the Re- publican-Examiner. William H. Edgar, who had edited the paper sinee its advent in Jerseyville, retiring, and giving place to Will H. Hedley, one of the present proprietors. In the last issue-March 27, 1885-under Mr. Ed- gar's control, he inserted the following adieu to his friends and patrons, as the sad farewell of a parent parting from a child:

"After 16 years continuous service in newspaper work in Jerseyville, I yield to the pressure of other duties and lay down the pen for others, and doubtless worthier hands. To my friends I can say in parting that I reluctantly"break

the tie that has so long bound us to- gether. When I recall the many bitter politieal struggles of the past, the ups and downs of our minority party, the different leaders who have from time to time stood at the head of affairs in Jersey county, and their hearty and cordial co-operation in the effort to up- build the republican party; when I think of this record extending through these many years-the best of my life, I turn from it with the feeling of one whose eherished work is still unfinished, and reluctantly bid farewell to the friends who must carry forward the work in the future, Whether mueh or little has been accomplished in these years, I have here sought to do what I could, not only to advance the interests of the republican party in Jersey county, but to advanee as well the moral, social and material interests of Jerseyville and Jersey county. If mistakes have been made, and doubtless they have, they were of the head and not the heart. To the business men of Jerseyville I shall ever feel profoundly grateful for their lib- eral patronage and support, by reason of which I have been enabled to pass through the panies and 'hard-times' in years past without peeuniary embarass- ment, and prepared always to meet my obligations as they fell due. Such lib- erality is exceptional and prompts me to say what few publishers of provincial papers ean say, that in all these years I have never had to borrow a dollar or ask for an extension, to carry on my business. My successors, Messrs. Rob- erts & Hedley, are in every way worthy the confidence and support of the citi- zens of city, and county. They are young men trained in the republican

133

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

faith and will labor in season and out of season to hold up the republican ban- ner, and being practical newspaper men, they will carry forward the busi- ness of the paper in a practical and workmanlike manner. To these skilled, active and enterprising young men, I leave the Republican-Examiner. with the assurance that they will not only main- tain the present standard of the paper, but will greatly increase its facilities for usefulness in the future."

The present management, on assum- ing editorial control, wrote the follow- ing short but pithy salutatory, a speci- men of Spartan terseness, that should serve as a model to many other young ad- venturers upon the rough and stormy seas of journalism:

"We are not after sealps, but after friends and dollars, and hope by com- ducting a fearless republican paper, and square dealing with all to merit both.

ROBERTS & HEDLEY,

From 7 o'clock a. m., until 9 o'clock p. m., every working day in the year."

Messrs. Roberts and Hedley are both young men of ability and practical ex- perience in the newspaper field, full of push, enterprise and industry, which cannot help but redound to the best interests of not only themselves, but also the town and county in which they reside. The Republican-Examiner, at present, is a neat, five-column quarto, ably edited, and is a spiey local paper.

Frank M. Roberts was born in Lan- caster, Schuyler county, Mo., Aug. 28, 1846, his parents being Thomas and Elizabeth A. (Brown) Roberts. In 1862 the family removed to Jacksonville, Ill., where Frank M. Icarned the printer's trade, in the Journal office. In Febru- ary, 1865, he enlisted in Company K, 154th Illinois volunteer infantry, and served till September, 1865, when he was mustered out at Nashville, Tenn. Returning to Jacksonville, he resumed work at his trade, and continued the same till July, 1868. He then went to Decatur, and had charge of a job print- ing office till December. On the 24th of that month he was at Jerseyville, ar- ranging presses and material prepara- tory to establishing the Jerseyville Re- publican-now the Republican-Examiner- with which office he was connected eight months. The following year he was in Missouri, but did not follow his trade. He, however, longed to again enter a printing office, and thus, in No- vember, 1870, accepted a position in the job rooms of the Springfield, Ill., State Journal. Five months later we find him a shareholder in the Daily Leader, at Bloomington. In July, 1872, he went to Humboldt, Kan., where, during the presidential campaign, he published the Southwest. Afterwards, the paper was moved to Neodesha, Wilson county, Kan., and the name changed to the Free Press. While in Humboldt, on the 22d of December, 1872, Mr. Roberts was united in marriage with Lydia Boyce a daughter of William and Diana Boyce. In March, 1873, he returned to Spring- field, Ill., and again entered the employ of the Stute Journal company. In the fall of 1873, he went to LaPorte county,

134

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

Indiana, and accepted a position as trav- eling agent and correspondent for the Herald, which position he held till Jan- uary, 1874, when he went to Burlington, Iowa, and became superintendent of the Hawkeye job rooms, which were changed to Acres, Blackman & Co., with whom he remained till the winter of 1875. During his stay he introduced many novelties in the job printing business. He next had charge of the Cedar Rapids Republican job office, and in July, 1876, became superintendent of the Western Stock Journal and Farmer. In March, 1877. he established a job office at Oscaloosa, lowa, and commeneed the publication of the Messenger and Appeal, a publication in the interest of the la- bor movement, and continued the same till November, 1879. He then went to Sigourney and took charge of the News. Thence, to Ottumwa, and became fore- man of the Courier job room. Nov. 10, 1881, he returned to Sigourney and ac- cepted the position of superintendent of the News office. March 29, 1882, his wife died. She had given birth to two children, one of whom-Coral F .- is still living. After the death of his wife he went to Chariton, Iowa, and took charge of the Democrat-Leader. July 21, 1881, he went to Santa Fe, N. M., and accepted a position as foreman of the New Mexico Printing and Publishing Company. In June, 1882, he accepted a position in the office of the general manager of the Tertio-centennial Cele- bration Association, and remained till after the exposition, in August. He then took a camp outfit and started out prospecting and mining. He located mines in October, and remained till April, 1884. He was then appointed to

a position in the government printing office, at Washington, which he retained till September, when he returned to Jerseyville. In December, he leased the Republican-Examiner job rooms, and Jan. 9, 1885, he bought Morris R. Locke's half-interest in the paper, and in March assumed editorial charge. April 15, 1885, Mr. Roberts was mar- ried to Clara E. Buffington, a daughter of Dr. J. M. and Frances (Gordon) Buffington. Quite a romance was con- nected with this marriage, of which part will be given here as taken from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. "The bride and groom were betrothed 16 years ago, but owing to the opposition of her parents, the nuptials were not celebrated, and they separated, she knowing nothing of his whereabouts for 13 years. In 1872 he married an- other lady, and in 1882 she died, exact- ing from him the promise that if he married again, it should be to the one to whom he was at first betrothed, if possible. Subsequently, he found her unmarried, and the sequel indicates her fidelity."

Will H. Hedley was born in St. Louis, Mo., August 21, 1859. His parents, James and Mary A. Hedley, are natives of Shetlield, England, having emigrated to America about 1852. The subject of this sketch resided in St. Louis until 1869, when, with his parents, he moved to Chicago, Ill., residing there one year; removing back to St. Louis in 1870. Since 1871 the life's experiences of the above subject have been rather rugged for one so young in years. In 1872 he went to Webster's Grove, Mo., remaining there about 18 months; from thence he re- moved to Barry, Ill., and took up his

135

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

abode with a farmer for about nine months; he then traced his steps back to St. Louis, Mo., and in August, 1875, entered the office of the Central Christian Advocate, for the purpose of learning the printing business. He labored in this capacity abont one year, when he once more engaged in farm life for two years; returning to St. Louis in 1878, and la- bored at the printing business there until July, 1880, when he left the latter place for Barry, Ill., and entered the printing office of S. Fitch, proprietor of the Unicorn, remaining with him until March 8, 1881; at this date he accepted a position with A. Hughes, Griggsville, Ill., publisher of the Press. He remained at the latter named place until Feb. 20, 1884, at which time he departed for St. Louis, Mo., and took a position in the Nixon-Jones, book and job printing es- tablishment, remaining there until Oct. 20, 1884. He then accepted a position in the state printing office of H. W. Rokker, at Springfield, Ill., remaining at that place until March 21, 1885, when he came to Jerseyville, Ill., and pur- chased Col. W. H. Edgar's half interest in the Republican-Examiner, and asso- ciated himself with Frank M. Roberts in publishing the paper above named.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois, Part 16

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Number of Pages: 1150

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical
Number of Pages: 1150