USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 44
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 44
USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 44
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It was largely through the "Boston Gazette" that the idea of free- dom from England was sold to the colonists, by such writers as Samuel Adams, James Otis, Joseph Warren, Josiah Quincy, Samuel Cooper, and John Adams. The "Massachusetts Gazette" and "Boston News- Letter," published by Robert Draper, who introduced the Royal Arms into the head to indicate its official character, was employed by the .Loyalists as their organ. The "News-Letter" was published by Richard Draper until his death in 1774 and continued to be the organ of the Tories. It was carried on by Richard Draper's widow for a time and later by John Howe. It was the only paper printed in Boston during the occupation of the city by the British. A few weeks before the
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British evacuated Boston it went out of existence, after having been published seventy-two years.
Shortly before the Revolution the "Massachusetts Spy" was pub- lished by Zachariah Fowle and Isaiah Thomas. Fowle withdrew in November, 1770, and Thomas made the paper almost as outspoken in behalf of the colonists' cause as the "Boston Gazette." Both were compelled by the authorities to suspend about the time of the Battle of Lexington, but tlie "Spy" resumed publication in Worcester and the "Gazette" in Watertown. When hostilities began in 1775, there were thirty-seven newspapers in the eleven colonies and fourteen of them were in the four New England colonies, five of them in Boston. This fact, as well as many others given in this chapter, are given in "Main Cur- rents in the History of American Journalism" by Willard Grosvenor Bleyer, Ph.D., published in 1927.
The early newspapers deserve much credit for their contributions to the spirit of unity and instruction to the colonists which led to the successful prosecution of the Revolutionary War for liberty. There was only one newspaper published for every 70,000 freemen. During the war the shortage of paper made getting out a paper exceedingly difficult.
Thomas Paine was an influential newspaper writer during the Revo- lution and it is well to remember that that newspaper man, as early as 1775, came out, not only for independence for the colonies but for the abolition of slavery. This surely entitles him to be remembered by the American people with gratitude rather than by what Theodore Roosevelt called him, "a dirty little atheist." Indeed his contribution in the "Pennsylvania Journal," in 1775, does not sound especially athe- istic, as he said :
I hesitate not for a moment to believe, that the Almighty will finally separate America from Britain-call it Independency or what you will-if it is the cause of God and humanity, it will go on .- And when the Almighty shall have blest us, and made us a people, dependent only upon him, then may our first grati- tude be shown, by an act of continental legislation, which shall put a stop to the importation of Negroes for sale, soften the hard fate of those already here, and in time procure their freedom.
Thomas Paine's famous writing "Common Sense," his famous "Crisis," "one after another, caused Samuel Adams to declare that they "undoubtedly awakened the public mind, and led the people loudly to call for a declaration of independence."
The first illustration which appeared in an American newspaper was a wood cut of a new flag to be used by the United Kingdom of England and Scotland. This appeared in the "Boston News-Letter" of January 19-26, 1707-8.
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Postmaster Campbell, its publisher, was superseded in the Boston postmastership in 1719 by William Brooker, who wanted to get control of the "News-Letter," but Campbell would not relinquish it. So Brooker started a rival paper, the "Boston Gazette," and hired James Franklin, older brother of Benjamin Franklin, to do the printing. Campbell kept on with his "News-Letter" three years, and then turned it over to Bartholomew Green, who had been the printer. The "Ga- zette" first appeared December 21, 1719 and, after Brooker, four other postmasters had it as a side issue. It was as dull and uninteresting as the "News-Letter" and, like the first, "Published by Authority."
Franklin's "Wicked Paper" Landed Him in Jail-James Franklin lost the printing of the "Gazette," through one of the successive changes in postmasters, and was persuaded by three men who were at odds with the influential Puritan leaders in Boston, to start a newspaper representing more liberal ideas. This was the "New England Cour- ant." Its appearance August 7, 1721, started something decidedly new in Boston and in America. Benjamin Franklin, in his autobiography, says his brother James "had some ingenious men among his friends, who amus'd themselves by writing little pieces for this paper." The "Courant" printed essays, verses and letters and was a paper avowedly in opposition to the recognized leaders in the colony. The first issue declared the "Courant" as a fortnightly paper but in its issue August 28-September 4, 1721, the second from the press, Franklin explained that "at the desire of several Gentlemen in. Town, this Paper is to be published weekly." There were two other papers in Boston and a fourth one in the colonies, the "American Weekly Mercury," published in Philadelphia.
Of course the new editor had to take a crack at one of the rival editors early in the game, to make things brotherly and interesting, after the manner of newspapers in the good old days. John Campbell had made an attack on him and Franklin's reply, August 14-21, 1721, was a few lines of verse addressed to Campbell:
We need not tell you where you're flat and dull; Your Works declare, 'tis in your empty skull. In reading, hearing, writing, and Pains taking, You set your Reader's Head's and Hearts on aking.
From a file of the "Courant," it appears that John Checkley, an Episcopalian, who had been forbidden by the authorities two years before to publish a religious tract, was the editor. In the third issue Checkley stated "the chief design" of the paper was "to oppose the doubtful and dangerous Practice of inoculating the Small Pox."
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Boston physicians with one exception, were said to be opposed to inocu- lation and three of its opponents wrote articles against it which the "Courant" published.
Rival factions, quarrelling principally over inoculation, waged a journalistic battle, the "Boston Gazette" being used by those who were in favor of inoculation and the "Courant" by the opponents. Per- sonalities were indulged in and Checkley printed an article which charged Rev. Thomas Walter of Roxbury, a grandson of Rev. Increase Mather, with immorality and drinking to excess. Franklin expressed regret in the next issue that this article had been printed and announced that he had "changed his author" (editor.)
Rev. Increase Mather gave "Advice to the Publick" in the "Boston Gazette," in which he said : "I that have known what New-England was from the Beginning, cannot but be troubled to see the Degeneracy of this place. I can well remember when the Civil Government could have taken an effectual Course to suppress such a Cursed Libel! which if it be not done I am afraid that some Awful Judgment will come upon this Land, and that the Wrath of GOD will arise and there will be no Remedy.
"I cannot but pity poor Franklin, who tho' but a Young Man, it may be Speedily he must appear before the Judgment Seat of GOD, and what answer will he give for printing things so vile and abominable? And I cannot but Advise the Supporters of this "Courant" to consider the consequences of being Partakers in other Men's Sins, and no more Countenance such a Wicked Paper."
Mather Byles, another grandson of Rev. Increase Mather, printed a letter in the "Gazette" reflecting on the "Courant," and Franklin, in his reply, referred to him as "a young scribbling Collegian, who has just Learning enough to make a Fool of himself." The Mather family had been in the habit of having its own way in affairs in general in Boston and vicinity and "young Franklin" disturbed the family im- mensely.
One morning in March, 1722, James Franklin found on the floor in his print-shop a communication which had evidently been thrust under the door. It was signed Silence Dogood, was humorous but straight- forward in its statements, and found a place in the "Courant" which caused the people of the colony to arise in considerable inquisitive ex- citement as to the identity of the author. This was from the pen of the sixteen-year old apprentice, Benjamin Franklin. James Franklin was evidently ignorant of the identity of the writer at first but every two weeks for six months these communications appeared, and were among the best features.
If an announcement in the "Courant" were correct, two women were admitted to its staff early in its career and gave the "Courant" the
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distinction of being the first American newspaper to have women in its editorial department.
The "Courant" criticized the government for laxity in suppressing pirates on the coast and for this offense Franklin spent a month in prison.
Six months later he published an essay on hypocrites and other ar- ticles which gave offense and a committee was appointed from the Council and House to consider his case. The Council ordered his ar- rest, after the committee had recommended he be "strictly forbidden to print or publish the 'New England Courant' or any Pamphlet or Paper of the Like Nature, except it be first supervised by the Secre- tary of this Province."
In the next issue James Franklin announced that following such a course would cause him so much inconvenience he had "intirely dropt the Undertaking." He had substituted the name of Benjamin Franklin for his own as publisher, and Benjamin, the seventeen-year old ap- prentice, printed a characteristic editorial in the first issue which bore his name as publisher. It stated that: "The main design of this Weekly Paper will be to entertain the Town with the most comical and diverting Incidents of Humane Life, which in so large a Place as Boston, will not fail of a universal Exemplification."
Benjamin Franklin did not remain long with the "Courant" or with his brother. He ran away, first to New York, then to Philadelphia. He became editor and publisher of the "Pennsylvania Gazette." James Franklin continued with the "Courant" until 1726, when he moved to Newport, Rhode Island, and, in 1732, started the "Rhode Island Ga- zette," the first paper in that colony.
One of the successors to the "New England Courant" was the "New England Weekly Journal," published by Samuel Kneeland, who had been the printer of the "Boston Gazette" but lost it through a change in postmasters. Soon there were newspapers in New York and else- where in the country and they began to take on more or less individuality, rather than being copies of the English papers. To the extent that they showed originality, they had trouble with the authorities but in those days it was almost impossible to live without violating some law made for the colonists, so the newspaper publishers enjoyed no special distinction. The physical handicaps and small income were discouraging. The wooden hand-presses and type had to be imported from England. Only one or two pages could be printed at a time. The ink was rubbed over the forms by hand. Each sheet was placed on the type by hand and, after an impression, was removed by hand. About one hundred and twenty-five papers, printed on both sides, could be run off in an hour.
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Advertisements appeared in the early newspapers and hardly an issue appeared without an advertisement of slaves for sale or of some run- away slave to be returned to his master. The "Boston Gazette" con- tained an advertisement which read: "Good Red Herring and Fine Negroes, to be sold by Jacon Royall, Merchant, in Boston."
Examining the files of the old newspapers, one comes to the con- clusion that things were not so far different in former days. Very early the appeal in behalf of remedies of all kinds was made through the advertising columns, even as today, excepting the present-day craze for reducing systems, and "cures." The "Boston Gazette" in Decem- ber, 1727, advertised :
"To be sold, an Excellent Medicine, which cures the Cholick, Dry Belly-ack, Loss of Limbs, Fevers and Agues, Asthma, Coughs, and all sorts of Obstructions, Rheumatism, Sickness at the Stomach, Surfeits by Immoderate Eating and Drinking, Weakness, Trembling of the Heart, want of Appetite, Gravel, Melancholy and Jaundice, and is ex- cellent for the Gout; Which is now Publish'd at the desire of several Persons of Note (who have been wonderfully reliev'd by it) .... " Of course, in these days, new names have been given but the ad- vertiser went as far as he could.
There were amusements advertised, and again it appears there is nothing new under the sun, as one of the Boston weeklies let it be known that there was "to be seen at the Grey Hound Tavern in Roxbury, a Wild Creature, which was caught in the woods about 80 miles to the westward of this town, called a Cattamount, it has a Tail like a Lyon, its Leggs are Like a Bears, its Claws like an Eagle, its Eyes like a Tyger, its Countenance is a mixture of every Thing that is Fierce and Savage, he is exceedingly Ravenous and de- vours all sorts of Creatures that he can come near; its Agility is sur- prizing, it will leap 30 Foot at one jump; notwithstanding it is but three Months old. Whoever inclines to see this creature may come to the Place aforesaid, paying a Shilling each, shall be welcome for their Money."
The show game soon came into popularity and Salem was one of the towns in which these shows seem to have been very popular, perhaps because the hanging of witches and other unpopular people had declined and something was needed to satisfy the jaded appetites of the Puri- tans who flourished in that historic burg.
Massachusetts has always been the nursery for good newspaper men and, if this was a history of the wider area, it would be interesting as well as consistent to show how the list has included conspicuous examples in every generation. Benjamin H. Day, who launched the "New York Sun" of September 3, 1833, was a Massachusetts boy who
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learned his trade on the "Springfield Republican." Frederic Hudson, who joined James Gordon Bennett in getting out the "New York Herald" in its early days and remained with it thirty years, was a Massachusetts boy, recognized by his contemporaries as the outstand- ing managing editor of his day. New York has received from Boston brilliant newspaper men, many of whom were earlier employed on the county or small town weeklies or dailies; several of them from Nor- folk, Plymouth or Barnstable counties. There are today on several metropolitan newspapers in New York, Chicago, Washington and in other cities from the Atlantic to the Pacific men and women doing some of the cleverest work whose earlier days were spent on the staff of the "Brockton Enterprise," "Brockton Times," "Old Colony Memorial," "Middleborough Gazette," "Quincy Ledger" or one or more of the Cape Cod weeklies. There are also newspaper men and women from the three counties who have taken up authorship and magazine writing with good success, and, equally important, there are in Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties news-writers and editors who have remained in this vicinity, instead of seeking other fields, and have done and are doing as brilliant and important journalistic work as is being done anywhere.
Some Plymouth County Newspapers-The oldest Plymouth County newspaper, the "Old Colony Memorial," has been published continu- ously in Plymouth since May 4, 1822, when it was established by Allen Danforth. Mr. Danforth conducted the paper until 1836, and then devoted himself exclusively to financial institutions. In 1829 he was elected treasurer of the Plymouth Savings Bank, then the Plym- outh Institution for Savings, and served in that capacity forty-three years, until his death.
North Bridgewater (now Brockton) had a newspaper in 1835, pub- lished by George H. Brown, which was called the "Bridgewater Patriot and Old Colony Gazette." The plant was removed later to East Bridgewater. The next venture was the "Old Colony Reporter," which made its appearance in 1848, with Bartlett & Stetson as publishers, and this paper continued until 1851. The "North Bridgewater Ga- zette" made its initial bow in that year. The first editor and pub- lisher was George Phinney, who sold the paper to Augustus T. Jones. Under Mr. Jones the "Gazette" became a regular town institution and continued until the growth of Brockton became sufficient to sup- port a daily paper, when the "Gazette" appeared every afternoon in- stead of once a week. Many newspaper men, who afterwards attained prominence, had their first schooling on the "Gazette."
Among them was George W. R. Hill, at present, and for some forty
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years past, connected with the "Boot and Shoe Recorder," one of the leading trade magazines devoted to the great shoe industry in the world. Mr. Hill has left his impress upon the public as an actor, newspaper reporter, editor and manager through many years, for such a young- looking and active man. He has won and deserved well of public support and regard and has always been a real newspaper man.
Beginning with Mr. Hill, not because he is the oldest of the news- paper fraternity still chronicling the daily haps and mishaps of life, but because he was early associated with one of the papers of early origin, it is harder to write than of those whose lives have been written and with the mark of "30" attached to their record. It is al- ways harder to tell a man to his face that he is a good fellow and pronounce a well-deserved encomium in his living presence. Except in a few instances, where circumstances seem to make it especially ap- propriate or unavoidable, it is the intention to allow those still in harness to go on their way making and recording history, without our comment.
In North Bridgewater, under date of October 27, 1848, appeared Volume 1, Number 1, of the "Old Colony Reporter and North Bridgewater Union" "devoted to politics, education, agriculture, tem- perance, morals, local and general intelligence." Another explanatory line on the front page stated "Eternal hostility to the perpetuation or extension of human slavery on God's free soil." It announced that it would be "Published every Friday morning by Bartlett & Stetson, one door north of the Post Office." That its mission and convictions might be clearly set forth it carried conspicuously its choice for president, Martin Van Buren; vice-president, Charles Francis Adams, of Massa- chusetts, and the line: "Will be devoted politically to the dissemina- tion and defense of the principles and measures of the Free Soil Party." The leading editorial in the first issue was on Martin Van Buren. Although the first page bore the date of October 27, the date on the second page was November 3, 1849, with the following explanation : "To our great disappointment and regret, we have found it impossible to issue the first number of this paper at the time indicated on the first page. An unexpected delay in procuring a printer, as also in obtaining various necessary articles, has led to this unpleasant postponement."
This paper continued the out-spoken organ of the anti-slavery so- cieties during the early years of the decade previous to the Civil War, and a file of the paper contains much interesting information of that period which was set forth in becoming journalistic manner. A typi- cal advertisement in an issue of June 22, 1849, announced an anti- slavery convention to take place at Island Grove, Abington, July 4, under auspices of the Old Colony and Massachusetts Anti-Slavery
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Societies, the speakers announced being William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, P. Pillsbury, Theodore Parker Brown, the box-man, and several others. These are names of men greatly revered today but considered by most self-styled "best citizens" of those days as general disturbers or impractical visionaries.
The firm of Bartlett & Stetson, which published the "Old Colony Reporter and North Bridgewater Union," consisted of F. W. Bart- lett, who withdrew from the firm after one year, and Thomas D. Stet- son of Kingston. The latter, after the withdrawal of Mr. Bartlett, associated himself with Rev. William Whiting in the publication of the papers operating from Colonel Edward Southworth's Hall until 1851. In the winter of 1850 and 1851, Dr. Cawdell used the same printing office to get out a few numbers of the "Bay State Clipper," a short-lived sheet. Beginning about the same time and continuing about two years, the young ladies of the Adelphian Academy published the "Adelphian," a literary paper, under the supervision of Messrs. Loomis, principals of the academy.
The "North Bridgewater Gazette" was transferred by Augustus T. Jones, in 1863, to A. M. Bridgman, who was afterwards connected with newspapers in Haverhill and Stoughton and was also for many years legislative reporter at the State House, serving a long list of news- papers in and outside the State. The "Brockton Evening Gazette" was started by Augustus T. Jones in 1881. This was continued by Mr. Bridgman, as well as the weekly issue. The name of the daily was changed April 13, 1891, to the "Daily Despatch," and it was made a one-cent newspaper. After a few months trial at one cent, the price was changed back to two cents and there were changes in the owner- ship until the paper suspended publication May 5, 1894, the name at that time being the "Daily News."
A stock company owned the "Despatch," for a time, under the man- agement of E. K. Dunbar, and it had been issued as a morning paper, called the "Morning Sun," published by L. E. Lounsbury and the Gazette Publishing Company. As the "Daily News," the paper was published for three months by Elmer C. Linfield, who was at the time the publisher of the "Bridgewater Independent," "West Bridgewater Times," "East Bridgewater Star," "Whitman Reporter," "Kingston News" and "Dux- bury Breeze." He also published for a short time daily editions of the Whitman and Bridgewater papers, the "Bridgewater Sun" being the only daily newspaper ever bearing the name of that town. Lacking financial backing to carry on, the daily papers were suspended and Mr. Linfield continued the publication of his list of weeklies several months from a location on Centre Street, in what had previously been called the Little Gem Hotel.
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From that same office a daily paper called the "Brockton Herald," was published eight days by M. F. Roach, formerly of the "Boston Herald." Its first issue was dated August 27, 1894.
George F. Andrews of Plymouth had been successful in weekly newspaper publications in Plymouth, and in 1874 started a weekly paper in Brockton called the "Old Colony Press," which had a brief existence.
Dr. Loring W. Puffer published the "Brockton Eagle," a weekly paper, for a short time, beginning February 20, 1884.
The "Brockton Trades Bulletin" appeared for a short time in 1872, but was not a success. It was issued from a Stoughton office.
G. A. Goodall, a Campello printer, conceived the idea of issuing a paper for free circulation, called the "Campello Press," which he later sold to Augustus T. Jones at the time the latter was publishing the "Gazette." Mr. Goodall also published the "Campello Herald" a short time.
The "Campello Leader" continued sixteen weeks, beginning March 8, 1883. It consisted largely of pictures of local scenes, and cartoons drawn by A. F. Poole, a clever artist, who was its publisher.
The first sporting extra ever issued by a newspaper in Brockton was in 1886 when a paper called "Our Home Club" appeared at the end of a baseball game conducted on the ball grounds at Campello. Andrew E. Randall at that time ran a job printing office in the Old Tavern Building, not far from the ball grounds. There was unusual interest in the local ball games at that period and Mr. Randall con- ceived the plan of furnishing those who attended the game with a full account of it as they were leaving the grounds, a very ambitious piece of work when type was set wholly by hand and there was no telephone at the ball grounds, and most of the facilities which now make such a plan possible were lacking.
Clarence L. Randall, now connected with the real estate and in- surance office of S. F. Packard & Son, as he has been many years, was the reporter for "Our Home Club." At the end of each inning he dropped his copy over the fence into the waiting hand of a good runner, who took it to the office in the Old Tavern Building by ef- ficient footwork. The effort was a success, but "Our Home Club" only appeared once.
In 1888, the "High School Stylus" was a good school paper, with Warren P. Landers editor. J. Frank Davis was an ambitious re- porter on the "Stylus" and, by secreting himself at a rehearsal of the graduating exercises the day before, was able to furnish a report which was available at the close of the graduation, much to the surprise of faculty, parents and the student body.
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