USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 37
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Haverhill Newspapers-Chase's "History of Haverhill" (good author- ity), says the first newspaper in Haverhill was the Guardian of Free- dom, which first made its appearance September 6, 1793. From that date on down the years, various men had control of this and other news- papers. It is not the province of this chapter to go into the details of all these changes, further than to say that Haverhill has never been entire- ly without a local newspaper since the birth of the one already named. The narrative continues in substance to relate that in 1824 Nathan Bur- rill sold his printing establishment, the Herald-Gazette, to one Isaac R. Howe, who edited and published the paper until October, 1826, when he engaged the services of A. W. Thayer to assist. Congressman John Varnum was once a partner in the paper with Mr. Howe. These men were law partners and connected by marriage ties. In February, 1827, Mr. Thayer bought the establishment and changed the name of the paper to the Essex Gazette. He was a practical printer and a former fore- man of the same paper for a time. He remained in Haverhill from October, 1826, to July, 1835. He was what today would be called a "live wire" in any community. According to historian Chase, he was the first man to advocate total abstinence from intoxicating liquors, and the sec- ond in the world, in a newspaper, to so declare himself. In Haverhill there were at that date twenty-nine places where liquor could be bought by the drink; within five years he so changed public opinion that there was only one secret place where it might be obtained. Mr. and Mrs. Thayer took deep interest in the schooling of the farmer lad, John G. Whittier, and who was connected with the Gazette from July, 1830, to December, 4th, 1836. For many years Dr. Jeremiah Spofford, of Grove- land, was in a way associated with the management of this paper and was an interesting writer.
In July, 1834, Rev. Thomas G. Farnsworth established the Essex Banner and Haverhill Advertiser as a Democratic weekly paper. Eben H. Safford soon connected himself with this paper. William Taggart was connected with it from 1838 to 1843, when Safford took full con- trol and continued until his death in December, 1887, after which it was edited by his daughter for a time.
January 1, 1859, Z. E. Stone began to publish the Tri-weekly Pub-
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lisher, an independent paper. The same year the Essex County Dem- ocrat was started by D. P. Bodfish and A. L. Kimball.
It appears that in 1861, Haverhill had four newspapers, with an aggregate of four thousand copies in circulation. These were the Ga- zette, the Banner, Tri-weekly Publisher, and Essex County Democrat. The last named was of short duration; the Tri-weekly Publisher survived until 1878, when its list and good will was sold to the Bulletin. Another early paper was the Merrimac Intelligencer; it went down in 1818. Nathaniel Greene established the Essex Patriot in 1818, published it three years, and sold out.
The first daily newspaper in Haverhill was the Daily Bulletin, established by A. J. Hoyt & Co., July 1, 1871. The following January the Weekly Bulletin was issued; in September, 1875, the property was owned by Mitchell & Hoyt. The Tri-weekly Publisher was merged with the Weekly Bulletin in 1877-78. In 1887 this paper had a circulation daily of 2,500 and of the weekly issue 3,000. Politically, it was always Republican.
The Haverhill Evening Gazette is the only daily published in the city, and is one of the oldest publications in New England; it occupies a three-story office building on Merrimac street, with its model mechan- ical plant on Merrill's Court. It is published every day except Sunday and legal holidays. Its sworn circulation is (or was a year or two since) 13,500 copies. It is published by a corporation, with Robert L. Wright as treasurer and publisher. It was built up by the late John B. Wright, father of Robert L., who was among the best known writers and editors in the State. The Gazette has ever been an independent publication, not owned or controlled by political parties. To make plain this position as an independent paper, it has for many years carried the following at the head of its editorial columns: "The Gazette is a fighter-it aims to be a real friend of the common people and believes in the masses more than in the classes. It espouses every deserving cause and cares nothing for so-called party obligations if the people be the gainer by advocating an independent policy."
The Sunday Record was established by Lewis R. Hovey at No. 4 Main street, in 1903, in partnership with Dennis A. Long, of Lowell. Soon after, Mr. Long sold his interest, and the concern was incorporated by the Record Publishing Company. It moved to 108 Merrimack street, 15 West street, and 24 Locust street. It is the only Sunday paper in its territory, and has been a success from the beginning. Politically, it is independent. Its job department is extensive and modern in all its appointments-"Anything from a calling-card to a newspaper" being its slogan.
Newspapers of Newburyport-The first newspaper established in Newburyport was the Essex Journal and Merrimac Packet, by Thomas & Tinges. The first number was dated December 4, 1774,
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and in June, 1775, its name was changed to that of the Essex Journal, or the Massachusetts and New Hampshire General Advertiser, which was indeed some name, or at least would be so looked upon today.
The Imperial Herald, a Federal paper, was started in 1793, and was the parent of the Herald of a much later date. The first number was pulled from the hand-press May 17, 1793, and consisted of four pages of four columns each, the price being nine shillings per year. It was published in Market Square, each Saturday afternoon. The two proprietors were Edward M. Blunt and Howard S. Robinson. Decem- ber, 1794, it became a semi-weekly, and continued such until June, 1879, when it again became a weekly paper. In October, 1797, it was changed to the Political Gazette, under ownership of William Barrett. The Gazette and Herald were merged into the Newburyport Herald and Country Gazette. About 1801 the Herald and American Intelligencer were merged as the Herald, under Allen & Stickney. Mr. Allen was chief proprietor until 1834. About that date his office was burned, with many other buildings. Until December, 1811, Mr. Allen occupied tem- porary quarters at Brown's Wharf, but at that time he moved the office of the Herald to the place where it stood so many years.
June 1, 1832, Mr. Allen started a daily paper, and two years later he sold to Joseph B. Morse and William H. Brewster, who conducted it until January 1, 1854, when the Daily Evening Union, then five years old, was united with the Herald, and at the same time William H. Huse became a partner in the business. Arthur L. Huse and Caleb B. Huse, with George J. L. Colby, were associated with the paper until early in the eighties. In 1880 a Daily Evening Herald was started, and also the weekly was issued, too. The Daily Herald, at six dollars per year, was the first daily newspaper in Massachusetts outside of Boston.
The Merrimac Valley Visitor was established in 1872, published every Saturday by Colby & Coombs, and remained a permanent fixture, while other papers went out of business.
The Daily News of Newburyport was established in January, 1887, by Fred E. Smith. Its proprietors have been Messrs. Smith, James H. Higgins, E. E. Hicken, N. D. Rodigrass, J. E. Mannix, forming the News Publishing Company, (Incorporated). The News is published every evening except Sunday; it is a Republican paper and has seven columns to the page. The office in which this paper is printed has all modern equipment, including five linotypes, Cox duplex press, while the job de- partment produces a general run of book and job work. The paper circulates in Newburyport, Newbury, Amesbury, West Newbury, Salis- bury, Merrimac, Georgetown, Ipswich and Byfield. The News succeed- ed to the Daily Germ, and afterwards purchased the Newburyport Her- ald. The proprietors of the paper own their own building, which is valued at about $10,000.
Amesbury Newspapers-The Chronicle was the first paper printed
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in Amesbury. It was established in 1832, by Nayson & Caldwell. A year later, Mr. Caldwell assumed full control, and called his paper the Evening Chronicle, but in 1834 it was known as the Morning Courier. In 1837 it was changed to the News and Courier, C. E. Patten, editor, with Caldwell & Whitman publishers. In 1839 Caldwell again had full control of the paper and called it the Evening Transcript. In 1840 it was sold to Robert Rich, and he sold to Joseph M. Pettingill, who had charge until 1845, when he formed a partnership with Joseph E. Hood, and the paper was continued and known as the Essex Transcript. It was made the organ for the old Liberty party in Essex county. In 1848 Mr. Pettingill sold his interests to Daniel F. Morrill, who continued the paper one year as the Villager. In 1849 W. H. B. Currier assumed control of the paper and continued to conduct it for thirty years. In 1833 he sold to J. M. and I. J. Potter, who continued it as the Amesbury and Salisbury Villager.
In 1880 a second paper was founded in Amesbury by J. B. Rogers, called the Weekly News, but soon changed to the Amesbury News, of which later mention is made in this chapter.
The Amesbury Daily News was established in 1888, its first issue being dated May 5th. It was founded by J. M. and I. J. Potter, both of whom subsequently died, and the paper was purchased March 1, 1902, by Edwin J. Graves and Thomas F. Coffin, who have since conducted it in the name of the Amesbury Publishing Company. The first name The Daily, was changed in 1893 to The Amesbury Daily News. In reality, this paper was the outgrowth of the old Weekly Villager, a well-known paper in Massachusetts for many years. It was this paper to which John G. Whittier, the poet, contributed for nearly a score of years; at one time he wrote the political editorials. Politically, the News is independent Republican. It circulates mostly in Amesbury, Merrimac, Salisbury, Hamilton, Kensington, Newton, Hampton Falls, Hampton, New Hampshire. This paper is well equipped with machin- ery, including linotypes, cylinder presses, etc. The job department keeps pace with modern demands.
The Press of Peabody-What was known as the Danvers Eagle was published for about one year beginning in 1844. The Danvers Whig, a political sheet, was published during the Presidential campaign of 1844. The Danvers Courier, edited by George R. Carlton, was estab- lished in March, 1845, continuing until September, 1849. The present newspaper of Peabody is the Enterprise, established in 1912, by Frank W. Penniman, who is the present proprietor. It succeeded the Peabody Press. Politically, the Enterprise is independent and its circulation is mostly in Peabody. Its present form is that of a six column quarto, printed on a platen press, the composition being largely by means of an improved linotype. This paper affords the community in which Pea- body is situated all the readable news.
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NEWSPAPERS OF THE COUNTY
Newspapers in Gloucester-For the first two centuries of the exis- tence of Gloucester as a town, its inhabitants depended on newspapers published outside its borders for their knowledge of current events. The Boston News Letter and the Salem Gazette, after their establish- ment, supplied such information of passing events as their columns af- forded. Having a very limited circulation in the town, the few copies received here, after being perused by the original recipients, were dis- tributed among their friends.
The first paper in the town began publication January 1, 1827, as a weekly, being issued every Saturday, and continued as such until 1834, when it was issued as a semi-weekly until 1873, after which it was published weekly until it ceased to be issued in 1876. The first daily paper was issued June 26, 1884. Five weekly and five daily papers have been started since the first paper made its appearance, of which only one daily now remains, besides several others, which had merely an ephermal existence.
The Telegraph was the first paper, the first copy being issued Janu- ary 1, 1827, by William E. P. Rogers, a native of the town, and was pub- lished by him until July 6, 1833, when he sold the paper to Gamaliel Marchant, and removed to Bangor. Mr. Marchant continued as publisher until October 28, 1835, when he disposed of it to Henry Tilden and Edgar Marchant, and also removed to Bangor. The two Marchants were brothers and learned the printer's trade in the Telegraph office. The paper was made a semi-weekly, issued Wednesdays and Saturdays, in 1834, and Mr. Tilden became the sole proprietor, October 12, 1836, con- tinuing it until January 1, 1843, when on account of the death of his wife, he decided to remove from the town, and sold the paper to John S. E. Rogers, who had announced his intention of starting a weekly paper, the Cape Ann Light, to be published Saturdays, on that date. Mr. Rogers continued its publication as a semi-weekly until August 1, 1873, when it was made a weekly paper. It was purchased by Martin V. B. Perley, December 19, 1874, by whom it was published until October 4, 1876, when it was discontinued after an existence of nearly fifty years.
The publication of the Cape Ann Light was begun by Mr. Rogers January 1, 1843, in accordance with his previous plans, being issued on Saturdays as a weekly edition of the Telegraph until August 1, 1873, when the Telegraph became a weekly and it was discontinued.
The early issues of the Telegraph were devoted almost exclusively to miscellany, little attention being paid to local and general news. The first copy was a sheet of four pages of five columns each, of which near- ly one-half was devoted to advertisements. It was commenced as a paper neutral in politics and continued so till 1834, when upon the com- mencement of a vigorous political warfare between the supporters and opponents of President Andrew Jackson's administration, under the name of Democrats and Whigs respectively, it became a strenuous ad-
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vocate of the latter. After its purchase by Mr. Rogers, it became for a time a neutral paper again, but soon espoused the principles of the Whig party, and after the death of that party advocated the principles of the Republican party until it suspended publication. During Mr. Rogers' proprietorship, it devoted more attention to local matters, and became a valuable repository of accounts of local events.
The establishment of a printing press in the town induced an effort for the publication of a religious paper, and the first number of The Christian Neighbour was issued from the office of the Telegraph Novem- ber 7, 1827, its editor being Samuel Worcester. While it did not claim to be a controversial paper, its sectarian bias was in favor of evangelical doctrines, and the first issue contained a review of three sermons preach- ed by the liberal clergymen of the town, Rev. Thomas Jones, Rev. Hosea Hildreth and Rev. Ezra Leonard. A sufficient number of subscribers did not respond to the appeal for its support, however, and no second number was published.
Later in the same year an effort was made to establish a paper in the interest of the doctrine of Universalism, and the first number of The Liberal Companion was issued, also printed at the Telegraph office, being edited by Rev. Benjamin B. Murray, minister of the Universalist society at Sandy Bay, but this effort was also futile, its publication end- ing with the initial issue.
The espousal of the doctrines of the Whigs by the Telegraph in 1834 resulted in the establishment of a paper in advocacy of the principles of the Democratic party, called the Gloucester Democrat, the first issue of which appeared August 18, 1834. It was edited by Robert Rantoul, Jr., who resided in Gloucester at the time, and was printed and publish- ed by his brother-in-law, Charles W. Woodbury. Being established as a political organ, it paid scant attention to local affairs except as they affected the welfare of the party and its candidates. In September, 1839, it passed into the hands of F. L. Rogers and George W. Parsons, by whom it was continued till February 16, 1838, when it was merged with the Salem Advertiser.
Another Democratic paper, called the Jeffersonian Republican, was started in October, 1838, in the interest of the election of Mr. Rantoul to Congress, but its publication ceased with the defeat of the party at the election in November. It was issued semi-weekly and bore the name of John F. Hall as editor and proprietor.
The second strictly local paper was the Gloucester News and Semi- weekly Messenger, the first copy being issued October 11, 1848, by John J. Piper, who came to Gloucester from Fitchburg as principal of the Town Grammar School. It was published on Tuesday and Friday morn- ings, while the Telegraph was issued on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and the rivalry between the two papers was at times exceedingly keen. It was continued by Mr. Piper until December, 1851, when it was pur-
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chased by Mr. Rogers and merged with the Telegraph, under the title of Telegraph and News.
The next newcomer into the local journalistic field was Procter's Able Sheet, an advertising publication, which was started by Francis and George H. Procter in July, 1853, and was circulated gratuitously, being published monthly to October, 1855. The publication was re- sumed in January, 1856, under the name of Gloucester Advertiser, and issued monthly until June, 1857, when it was changed to a semi- monthly, continuing as such until October 23, 1858, the name being changed to Cape Ann Advertiser, December 5, 1857. On November 5, 1858, the publication was changed to a weekly under the name of the Cape Ann Weekly Advertiser, and continued to be issued as a weekly until June 28, 1901, when it was discontinued as the result of the field be- ing more satisfactorily covered by the Daily Times.
The Advertiser was devoted primarily to local news, being neutral in politics, and established the policy of having special correspondents in the neighboring towns and suburban villages. During the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, it maintained correspondents with practically all the Glou- cester companies which served in the Union armies, thus securing an invaluable record of the experiences and doings of the men who repre- sented Gloucester in the camps and on the battlefields in that great struggle.
Another political paper was issued from the Advertiser office in October and November, 1857, for five weeks in the stormy political cam- paign between Nathaniel P. Banks and Henry J. Gardner for governor of Massachusetts, in the interest of the latter, being published by Story & Harris and edited by Dr. Charles H. Hildreth and Hon. Timothy Davis.
The Cape Ann Bulletin was started as a weekly publication Novem- ber 7, 1877, by John D. Woodbury and David Low, under the firm name of Woodbury, Low & Co., continuing under the same management until January 1, 1878, when the interest of Mr. Low was purchased by Thomas Tresilian, and the name of the firm changed to Woodbury & Co. In July, 1880, Sidney F. Haskell secured an interest in the paper, and the name of the firm was changed to the Bulletin Publishing Company. Mr. Wood- bury withdrew from the company in September, 1883, and the publication was continued by his associates until May 7, 1887, when the name was changed to the Cape Ann Weekly Breeze, being discontinued' on July 9 of the same year.
The first daily newspaper published in Gloucester was the Gloucester Daily News, the first issue of which appeared June 28, 1884, being pub- lished by the News Publishing Company, F. A. Wiggin, editor and man- ager, at one cent per copy. It was continued under this management until August 1, 1885, when the Daily News Company assumed control, with John D. Woodbury as manager, who continued in that position until January 9, 1886, when he resigned and was succeeded by M. Herbert
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Nichols, who had been a reporter on the paper from its start, and who continued as manager until the suspension of the paper February 4, 1886.
The Cape Ann Evening Breeze, another daily, was first published August 29, 1884, being issued from the Cape Ann Bulletin office, with Sidney F. Haskell and Thomas Tresilian as editors and managers, the name of the company being changed a few years later to the Cape Ann Printing Company, with George R. Bradford as president, and Sidney F. Haskell as treasurer and manager. Like the News, it was originally four pages and sold at one cent per copy ; the number of pages was later increased to eight, and it was the first paper in town to be printed with stereotype plates. It was merged with the Gloucester Daily News, the second publication bearing that name, December 2, 1901.
An attempt to establish a Sunday paper was made by the News Pub- lishing Company in 1884, when the Sunday Call was issued from that office, but the project was unremunerative, and the paper was discon- tinued after a few issues.
The Cape Ann Clipper was started as a weekly paper, February 24, 1887, by M. Herbert Nichols, and was published on Thursdays for ten weeks, the last issue being dated April 28, 1887.
The Gloucester Daily Times was the third venture in the daily news- paper field, and has outlived all its competitors, having had the field to itself without competition since 1909. It was started June 16, 1888, by the Times Newspaper Company, Francis and George H. Procter, editors and managers, and continued under the same management until Decem- ber 1, 1908, when a half interest in the company was purchased by Fred E. Smith and James W. Higgins of Newburyport, the former assuming the position of managing editor, while the latter became business man- ager. It was the first paper to be printed upon a perfecting press. Originally starting with four pages, it now prints eight, ten, twelve and frequently sixteen pages, as the demands of the news and advertising may require.
A second paper under the title of the Gloucester Daily News was started April 23, 1900, by the Gloucester Publishing Company, John J. Flaherty, president; David B. Smith, treasurer; and James R. Pringle, managing editor; and was published under that name till December 2, 1901. It was then consolidated with the Cape Ann Breeze, under the name of the Cape Ann Daily News, and published by the Cape Ann News Company until the spring of 1909, when it passed out of existence. Mr. Pringle retired from the management at the time of the consolidation, which was assumed by Mr. Haskell. The following year Wilmot A. Reed and James R. Jeffrey purchased a controlling interest in the company, and assumed the management of the paper, which they held until 1905, when they disposed of their interest to Leonard Williams and George H. Brewster, by whom the paper was published at the time of its suspen- sion.
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The Gloucester Citizen, a weekly paper, was the last one to enter the field, and was published by Edward T. Millett, the first number being issued March 24, 1916. Its publication continued till April 11, 1918, when the last issue was published.
The Newspapers of Lawrence-According to the historical records, the first printing in the "New City," as Lawrence was called in the early days, was a poster announcing that The Merrimack Courier would ap- pear the following day. This was published by J. F. C. Hayes in Octo- ber, 1846. Others associated with this publication during its existence were John A. Goodwin, Henry A. Cooke, Rev. Henry F. Harrington and Nathaniel Ambrose. It suspended shortly after Lincoln's election in 1860. Such were the beginnings of newspaper journalism in Lawrence. As in most places, the story is one of a struggling devotion to ideals and the cause, with the ultimate survival of the fittest. It is a long step from a weekly paper like the Merrimack Courier of small size and cir- culation to a modern daily, such as The Evening Tribune of today, with its large circulation and extensive advertising patronage, giving its read- ers probably more news matter in a single issue than would the old-time weekly in a three-month period. Nevertheless these weekly publications were the foundation of present day journalism. The progress was slow, but there was a continuous advance, step by step, until at last the more venturesome among the publishers dared to try the experiment of a daily issue.
Following the Merrimack Courier there came in chronological order these publications :
January, 1847-The Weekly Messenger, published by Brown & Becket for about two years. 1847-The Engine, issued by E. R. Wilkins. Only two issues. 1848-The Herald, published by Amos H. Sampson. Short lived. 1848-The Vanguard, brought out by Fabyan & Douglas. This was a Democratic publication, which later became The Sentinel. Under this name it existed until recent years. During its career there were a number of noted writers connected with The Sentinel, among them such men as John K. Tarbox, Abiel Morrison, Jeremiah T. and Edward F. O'Sullivan. 1855-The Lawrence American was published by George W. Sargent and A. S. Bunker. The latter soon retired and the weekly was continued by Mr. Sargent alone. 1856-The Home Review was
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