USA > Indiana > Marshall County > History of Indiana : containing a history of Indiana and biographical sketches of governors and other leading men. Also a statement of the growth and prosperity of Marshall County, together with a personal and family histry of many of its citizens, Vol. II > Part 13
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" James M. Wickizer became associated with Mr. Thompson in the publication of the paper December 28th, 1854, and on the Ist day of February, 1855, became the sole owner. A week later, February 8th, 1855, he sold out to J. L. and E. A. Thompson. After this date the name of Mr. Pomeroy does not appear as editor, and diligent search has failed to discover any reference to his decapitation, or what were the causes that led to it. There is a little inside history, political or otherwise, connected with the rapid changes made about this time, not necessary to repeat here, and which, perhaps, will never be written. The last named proprietors announced: ' Its politics will hereafter be independent.' They published the paper about five weeks and on the 15th of March, 1855, bid good bye to their readers. They said: ‘When we commenced its publication, we had a faint idea of the diffi- culties of publishing a newspaper. We now know that they are many more than we anticipated.'
" William J. Burns again became editor and publisher on the 22d of March, 1855, and continued until July 28th, 1856. On the 15th of November, 1855, his paper contained the following notice: ' The Marshall County Democrat will make its first appearance to-day.'
"July 28th, 1856, John Greer, representing the republican cen- tral committee, purchased the office. The E. A. Thompson associated with J. L. Thompson, if we mistake not, was the wife of W. E. Thompson, and the daughter of John Greer. Mr. Greer representing the republican central committee, perhaps, furnished the money for J. L. and E. A., to pay for the paper in the first place. Mr. Burns being unable to pay for it, Mr. Greer took it off his hands. He secured the assistance of an editor during the campaign, but who he was, he did not state, and he remained subrosa until the paper passed out of Mr. Greer's hands. Ignatius Mattingly purchased the office, and took charge of the editorial department of the paper October 9th, 1856. He changed the name of the paper from the Plymouth Banner to the Marshall County Republican, and issued the first paper as No. 1, Vol. I. Mr. Mattingly was an old hand at the bellows, and conducted it on the red hot principle from the first. Bitter per- sonalities (such as would not be tolerated now-a-days) sprang up between him and the editors of the Democrat, and were in- dulged in for an indefinite length of time, more to the gratifica-
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tion of the writers than their readers. Time, however, hath smoothed the wrinkled front of these newspaper warriors, and having ' clasped hands across the bloody chasm,'
' Not a wave of trouble rolls Across their peaceful breasts!'
" David T. Phillips connected himself with the Republican as local editor, February 10th, 1859, and continued as such until February 16th, 1860. Mr. Phillips was an easy writer, and although a very quiet and amiable gentleman, could dip his pen in gall and dash off a bitter squib with as much ease and facility as any other man who flourished the quill in those days. He now resides in California. William H. H. Mattingly followed Mr. Phillips and continued as local editor until August 2d, 1866, when he became one of the proprietors, He seems to have gone entirely out of the office February 14th. 1867. He made a good local editor, and in after years he took his place among the best writers of the local press of northern Indiana. He published the Rochester Union Spy for several years, and when the spirit moved him to speak, his trumpet issued forth no uncertain sound. John D. Devor was associate editor from June 19th, 1862, to February 25th, 1863. He was the son-in-law of the senior Mattingly, and was an attorney at law. Moses B. Mattingly became one of the proprietors and also local editor, November 8th, 1860, and sold out and enlisted in the Union army July 1, 1861. He was connected with several papers after the close of the war, and was accidentally drowned, years ago, somewhere in Illinois.
"On the 14th day of November, 1867, I. Mattingly announced, 'The infirmities of increasing years added to the fact that our editorial duties together with the business of the office are suf- ficient to require the time and attention of one person, have induced us to retire from the position we have held so long as publisher of the Republican.' Moses B. and William H. H. Mat- tingly became proprietors and publishers, with Mr. Mattingly still retained as editor. They continued as publishers until March 26th, 1868, after which time their names do not appear. June 4th, 1868, I. Mattingly retired, and in doing so introduced D. Porter Pomeroy, who, he said, was not only a practical printer, but a gentleman of culture and refinement, and eminently quali- fied to discharge the responsible duties he had assumed. Mr. Mattingly concluded his valedictory as follows: ‘In conclusion we desire to say that we retire without any feelings of animosity towards any one -towards our political opponents even, we harbor no personal malice. We have endeavored to give those with whom we have had controversies as good as they sent, and if we overpaid any we freely forgive the debt, and hope they will do the same if they think they have overpaid us.'"
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No man living ever labored more faithfully and earnestly for the advancement of the interests of his party than did Mr. Mat- tingly, during the twelve years he was engaged as editor and publisher of the Republican. In political matters he had a happy faculty of making the worse appear the better on the republican side of the question, and when speaking of the democracy, he never failed to produce the most damaging facts, carefully avoid- ing the publication of anything it ever did for the benefit of the people. He published the best republican paper north of the Wabash river, and is entitled to more consideration from his party than he ever'received. He established the Bourbon Mirror about fourteen years ago, and is still engaged in its publication. John S. Bender became associated in the editorial manage- ment of the Republican August 13, 1868. April 1, 1869, D. T. Pomeroy left the paper, and left nothing on record to show whither he went or how he fared. Mr. Bender then became sole proprietor, and continued its publication until July 1, 1866. Mr. Bender had too many irons in the fire to give the editorial depart- ment very much attention, and having no practical knowledge of the printing business, the receipts of the office barely paid the expenses. Charles F. Belangee and William M. Nichols pur- chased the office from Mr. Bender July 8, 1869, and secured the services of D. T. Phillips as associate editor. Mr. Belangee died September 16, 1869. He was a young man, only twenty-two years of age, moral and upright, and having energy and some ability, had a bright and promising future just opening before him. The entire management of the office fell upon Mr. Nichols upon the death of Mr. Belangee. D. T. Phillips severed his editorial con- nection with the paper November 10, 1870, and H. L. Phillips be- came associated with Mr. Nichols as one of the publishers. March 23, 1871, Mr. Nichols bade good-bye to his readers, and the office was left to the management of H. L. Phillips. He continued its publication until April 20, 1871, when the press and material reverted to John S. Bender. John Millikan became as- sociated with Mr. Bender in the management of the paper July 27, 1871. January 4, 1872, Mr. Bender sold the office to Mr. Millikan, and bade the dear reader an affectionate farewell. Mr. Millikan changed the paper from a folio to a quarto, and continued it in that form until he disposed of it to Hon. Jasper Packard, June 17, 1875, when the form of the paper was again changed to a folio. Mr. Packard being a resident of La Porte, and editor of the La Porte Chronicle, Mr. W. W. Smith became connected with the Republican as business manager and local editor. Mr. Smith was a young man, about twenty-five, six feet three in his shoes, a printer, convivial in his habits and intercourse, of mod- erate ability, and during his stay among us was looked upon by his associates, to use a slang phrase, as a "bully good boy." His
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head fell into the editorial waste-basket October 1, 1875, upon the purchase by Mr. Packard of the Mail and Magnet. At this date the Mail and Magnet (of which we shall speak in another place) was merged into The Marshall County Republicaa, and Mr. Howard Brooke, editor of the Mail and Magnet, became mana- ger and local editor. Upon the consolidation of the two papers, the Republican was enlarged to a nine-column folio. During a portion of Mr. Packard's editorial career, Mr. Henry D. Stevens was connected with the paper. On the 28th of December, 1876, David E. Caldwell purchased the paper, and continued its publi- cation until February 21, 1878, when he disposed of it to J. W. Siders and Walter L. Piper, both of Illinois. Mr. Piper left the paper October 10, 1878, and was succeeded by Howard Brooke. Mr. Brooke retired in October, 1879, and was succeeded by his brother, Mr. Ed. S. Brooke. Mr. Siders and Mr. Ed. S. Brooke continued to publish the Republican as partners, until July 18, 1890, when Mr. Siders disposed of his interest to Mr. Brooke, his former partner, and Mr. William Hendricks, who are publishing the paper at the present writing.
The Marshall County Democrat was established by Thomas McDonald and H. B. Dickson, and the first number of the paper was issued November 15, 1855, with the senior proprietor as edi- tor. The office was situated in the building now occupied as a residence by J. D. McLaren, Esq. The building had formerly been occupied as a carriage house, and was built by Mr. Wheeler who owned the lot on which it stood. The material for the office was purchased in Cincinnati, and transported in wagons from Peru, our then nearest railroad station. Mr. Dickson having only a money interest in the paper, transferred it to T. McDon- ald not long after the paper was started. November 13, 1856, A. C. Thompson and Platt McDonald leased the office and pub- lished the paper with T. McDonald as editor, until November 12, 1857. Daniel McDonald became local editor February 5, 1857, and continued as such until November 12, 1857. At this date pater familias disposed of the office by giving it to his sons, Daniel, Platt and John McDonald. John was a minor at that time, and D. & P. McDonald became accountable to him for his interest, and commenced the publication of the paper in the name of McDonald & Bro., with M. A. O. Packard as editor. Novem- ber 26, 1857, upon retiring from the editorial chair, Mr. McDon- ald said: "With an entire democratic government-with the wounds of 'bleeding Kansas' healed, and the people about to make their own government; with success everywhere of the principles we have advocated; with the worst financial crashes past, and the current of trade setting in, in our favor; with uni- versal peace and unbounded prosperity around us, we shall leave our patrons and readers to the care of younger heads and more
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ready hands, and hope their 'bairns bairn' may see no check to our nation's onward movement, nor clouds overshadow the bright- ness around us."
The paper was ensmalled to six columns, and was published in that form until June, 1858. Mr. Packard retired June 3, 1858. The paper up to that time had never paid expenses, and the new proprietors having no other means of support were compelled to cut off all expenses and run it themselves or go under.
McDonald & Bro. ended their connection with the paper Au- gust 11, 1859. After casting up their accounts, they found their interest in the Democrat had been swallowed up in debts con- tracted in publishing the paper. William J. Burns purchased the effects, and being unable to pay for it, transferred it to A. C. Thompson, January 26, 1860. No paper was published from De- cember 1, 1859, until January 26, 1860. Mr. Thompson changed the name from the Marshall County Democrat to the Plymouth Weekly Democrat, No. I, Vol. I, and said: "We make our hasty bow and consider ourselves in." April 11, 1861, he sold it to T. and P. McDonald, and in his valedictory the spirit moved him to soliloquize as follows: "Coming events are casting their shad- ows before, and the country stands amazed, confounded and par- alyzed. God only knows what is in store for us; but whatever it may be, it is certainly of such a nature that it will puzzle the brain and grieve the heart of all philanthropists and patriots. May the God of our fathers save us from the horrors of civil war."
April 18, 1861, the paper appeared with T. and P. McDonald, proprietors, Platt McDonald, editor, and John McDonald, local editor. During the fourteen months following, the war excite- ment was at its highest pitch, and the editor-in-chief found it a difficult matter to criticise any of the war measures of the admin- istration, without incurring the displeasure of some of the truly loyal, and running the chances of having his office demolished. He was the recipient of several anonymous communications through the postoffice, and one placed under his door, and one on the stairway leading to his office, one night after he had gone to bed, all of which contained warnings of the wrath to come. He was not easily frightened, and knowing that they were the fulminations of men who were too cowardly to confront him face to face, he pursued the even tenor of his way, and continued un- molested until he sold out to D. E. Vanvalkenburgh, July 17, 1862. John G. Osborne became associated with the paper as editor-in- chief, the proprietor acting as local. Mr. Osborne left the paper November 13, 1862, and Mr. Vanvalkenburgh became editor and proprietor. The war excitement was still raging with unabated fury; martial law, or what was about the same thing, had been declared in Indiana; drafting into the army had become what
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was declared to be a necessary war measure, and a public man, and an editor especially, hardly knew whether his soul was his own or not. In April, 1863, General Milo B. Hascall, command- ing the military district of Indiana, issued "order No. 9," vir- tually taking away the freedom of the press, and subjecting the people to military rule. Ed. Van. gave the order the benefit of his circulation, and commented on the author in the following language: " Brig. Gen. Hascall is a donkey, an unmitigated, un- qualified donkey, and his bray is loud, long and harmless; merely offensive to the ear; merely tends to create a temporary irrita- tion!"
For this little piece of indiscretion, a dozen soldiers, under command of a captain, pounced in upon the young man about 4 o'clock one morning, a few days after the article was published. He was sleeping in the bed room in the back part of Wheeler's bank, and he was ordered to arise. He did not stand upon the order of going, but went at once, knowing that resistance would only make matters worse. He was taken to Indianapolis and con- fined in Camp Morton a day or two, and had the pleasure of meet- ing Gen. Hascall. He was taken from thence to Cincinnati and ushered into the presence of Maj. Gen. Burnside, who, after read- ing the article, inquired: "Why did you call Gen. Hascall a don- key?" To which Ed. replied: " Because he is a donkey!" The general admonished him to never call Gen. Hascall a donkey again, and gave him permission to go hence without delay, fully discharged and acquitted. Mr. Vanvalkenburgh continued as editor until October 22, 1863, when he disposed of the office to John G. Osborne, who controlled it until May 9, 1865, when he sold it to S. L. Harvey, but still remained on the paper as one of the editors. Mr. Harvey raised the price on advertising and job work fully fifty per cent., and was the first publisher who made anything beyond a living out of it. He established it on a paying basis, and left it in a prosperous condition, financially. He sold it to John McDonald, October 31, 1867, who ran it alone until July 2, 1868, when failing health compelled him to quit the business. He sold out to Michael W. Downey, A. C. Thompson and D. E. Vanvalkenburgh, and the paper was edited by them- selves and others who felt inclined to write for it. Ed. Vanvalk- enburgh took charge of it March 25, 1869, and so continued until December 2, 1869, when Platt McDonald again purchased an interest, and the new firm kept it going until June 12, 1873, when Mr. McDonald made the following announcement:
"Our connection with the Democrat, editorially and proprietary, ceases to-day. Let not the suddenness with which an editorial light has been snuffed shock your ·nerves, dear reader, for the thing has been done before and may be done again. We go with no grumblings and few complaints, conscious of having labored
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with good intentions toward our fellow man, and in turn of being the recipient of kind treatment from all with whom our business has brought us in contact. We bequeath whatever of good name we have to our family; our fortune to our creditors, and our pen- cil, scissors and paste pot to our successor."
Mr. Vanvalkenburgh continued to edit and publish the paper until October 9, 1873, when he sold an interest in the office to William Geddes. Messrs. Vanvalkenburgh & Geddes continued the publication until the 2d day of July, 1874, when Platt McDonald again purchased the interest of D. E. Vanvalken- burgh. Mr. Vanvalkenburgh then retired from the editorial chair and became a private citizen. Upon the, consummation of this change, Platt McDonald became editor, and Mr. Geddes as- sumed the management of the mechanical department. This arrangement continued until May 27, 1874, when Mr. Geddes sold his interest to Mr. McDonald and went to Fort Wayne to take charge of the job department of the Fort Wayne Gazette. Mr. Geddes was an excellent job printer, a rapid typo, and thor- oughly understood the multifarious duties connected with coun- try newspaper printing. The printing business having increased rapidly, it became necessary to purchase a cylinder press, engine, boiler and fixtures, and additional material. Mr. McDonald sold one-half interest in the office to Daniel McDonald, August I, 1875, since which time the paper has been conducted by the proprietors under the firm name of McDonald & Brother. Sep- tember 23, 1875, the following announcement was made:
Steam Printing .- " This issue of the Democrat is printed on a cylinder press, with steam power -the first newspaper ever printed in the county with the best and latest improved ma- chinery. Our new steam engine, manufactured expressly for us by W. J. Adams, machinist, of this city, was put in position last Saturday, and on Monday the first side of the Democrat was printed. To say that we are proud of this new addition to our printing facilities is to draw it mild; in fact, all who have seen it or heard of it, are proud that our city contains an estab- lishment alike creditable to the proprietors and the people who support it. Tne engine is of six horse power, neatly and hon- estly made, and is capable of driving as many presses as we will probably have use for some time to come. We are not only proud of the engine as an instrument for good, but because it is a product of our city, and is unsurpassed by those manufactured elsewhere. There are connected with the publication of the Democrat at this time: Platt McDonald and Daniel McDonald, proprietors; Arthur T. Metcalf, Daniel B. Langenbaugh, Mark Tuttle, Arthur Underwood, Elmer H. Dunham, John N. Milice, compositors; Frank D. Lamson, Thomas Whitmore and Peter Kruyer, general work; G. M. Myers, extra work, and twelve 9-B.
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local correspondents; in all, twenty-three persons who assist regu- larly in the publication of the paper. In addition to a large amount of job work, the following publications are printed and the work all done at the Democrat office: The Restitution, a six column folio weekly; the Sunshine, a Sunday-school paper, twenty-four column quarto monthly; the Farmers' Monthly, four column octavo monthly. The presses and fixtures, engine, boiler, type, furniture, and appurtenances and good will of the office is considered reasonably worth $9,000."
On the 22nd of February, 1876, at the solicitation of the super- intendent of public instruction of Indiana, the proprietors issued a mammoth double page edition, which afterward came to be known as the Centennial Democrat. It contained the most com- plete history of the county that had been written prior to that time. It was illustrated with cuts of the court house, public school building, and engine house of Plymouth; portraits of Thomas McDonald and Ignatius Mattingly, and a fine map of the county. A personal letter to the proprietors from the super- intendent of public instruction, to whom copies of all papers in the state published on that date, had been sent, stated that the Centennial Democrat was the handsomest among them all. The paper was issued at a loss to the proprietors over receipts, of about $200.
October 1, 1877, Platt McDonald sold his interest in the paper to Daniel McDonald, who became sole proprietor. The office was at once put into a complete state of repairs and a grand recep- tion given on November 28th, following. The following copy of the invitation circular will give the reader an idea of the charac- ter of the reception:
Grand Reception. " The Plymouth Democrat Steam Printing establishment will be thrown open to the public on Wednesday evening, November 28, from 7 to 9 o'clock P. M. The steam cyl- inder press, capable of making thirty impressions per minute, will be in operation, papers will be folded and mailed as they come from the press, showing the manner of pasting the printed mailing slips on the papers by machinery. In the composing room, the job press will be in operation and compositors will be setting and distributing type, etc. Everything pertaining to the mechanical department of the office will be fully shown and ex- plained. The office throughout, from the editorial room to the press room below, has been thoroughly painted, renovated and repaired. It is supplied with over 150 kinds of type, and is pro- vided with everything else to make it a first-class printing office in every respect," etc.
The reception was a grand success. The issue of the Demo- crat the day following contained the following in regard to it: "Notwithstanding the snow and wind storm that prevailed dur-
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ing the evening, fully 1,000 people honored the invitation extended to all to take a bird's eye view of the Democrat Steam Printing establishment in full operation. About 1,700 copies of the Resti- tution, a publication issued from this office, were printed on our steam cylinder press and were all folded and mailed between 7 and 9:30 P. M. Arthur Underwood, the foreman of the compos- ing and press room, printed a circular in five different colors at one impression, keeping the little jobber busy during the even- ing. The job was perfectly executed and the operation gave de- light to all who witnessed it. All the employes were busy, doing their work faithfully and well, and everything connected with the office was explained as fully as could be done under the cir- cumstances. We believe all went away satisfied with their visit."
Daniel McDonald sold the office on January 1, 1879, to Hon. Henry A. Peed, of Shoals, Ind. On the retirement of Mr. McDonald, the employes of the office - eight in number -pre- sented him with an elegant gold headed cane, suitably engraved, as a mark of esteem. On the 10th day of March, 1881, Mr. D. McDonald re-purchased or took back the office from Mr. Peed, and has been editor of the paper ever since. For the past few years the Democrat has been published by D. McDonald & Co., the company being Mr. Louis McDonald, son of D. McDonald, a young man of ability and sound democracy. He is the general business manager of the paper, and also does a good portion of the editorial work on the Democrat.
The Mail and Magnet .- This is the title of a paper the first issue of which was published on the -day of-, 1874. The proprietors were Cliffe M. Brooke and A. B. Clark. It was started as an independent paper with republican proclivities. The editors were both young men just merging into manhood, and the paper was run on the Young America high pressure principle. Mr. Clark severed his connection with the paper a few months after the first number was printed, leaving the entire management in the hands of Mr. Brooke. During the political campaign of 1874 it became the organ of the grangers, who had nominated a people's ticket and succeeded in inveigling the re- publican party into endorsing its candidates. Its columns were thrown open to any who wished to advocate the dogmas of the people's party, and during the entire campaign its columns teemed with abuse and vilification of many of the best men in the county. The election not resulting favorably to the cause it had espoused, it soon began to show signs of weakening, and early in the spring of 1875 it was purchased by Howard Brooke, who, having experience as a practical printer, and being a gen- tleman of respectability, infused a better spirit into the paper, and under his management it became an average county publi- cation, and was continued by him as such until he sold it to Jas-
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