Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 28

Author: Kingsbury, Henry D; Deyo, Simeon L., ed
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York, Blake
Number of Pages: 1790

USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892 > Part 28

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a newspaper office as an apprentice when eight years old. Mr. Ira Berry, formerly of The Age, died in Portland in September, 1891, at the great age of ninety years.

Mr. Robinson died in February, 1840, Smith having previously bought another quarter interest from him. During this period was begun at The Age office the publication of a tri-weekly, during the ses- sions of the legislature, reporting the proceedings, and afterward giv- ing the telegraphic news. Later, the Kennebec Journal entered upon the publication of a tri-weekly, on alternate days with The Age, the two forming a daily paper-the first time the citizens of Augusta were favored with such an institution.

At the death of Mr. Robinson, George Melville Weston, son of the late Chief Justice Nathan Weston, became associated with Mr. Smith, and conducted the editorial department of The Age. The paper was conducted by this firm until August 5, 1844, when it was sold to Rich- ard D. Rice, a printer by trade, who afterward rose to the exalted position of justice on the supreme bench. Mr. Rice edited the paper, controlling its politics in the interests of the democratic party, until May, 1848, when he returned to the profession of law, and the paper was purchased by William T. Johnson (who afterward became cashier of the Granite National Bank). He associated himself with Daniel T. Pike, who became its editor. Mr. Pike, who wielded a forceful and facetious pen, now retired from the profession, whose ranks he graced for more than twenty years, is enjoying a green old age in our midst. Messrs. Johnson & Pike conducted the paper until May, 1856, when they were succeeded by Benjamin A. G. and Melville W. Fuller (now the honored chief justice of the United States supreme court), who after a number of years disposed of the establishment to Daniel T. Pike, and he in turn to Elias G. Hedge and others. They sold to Gilman Smith, of Augusta, a journeyman printer, and the old and influential Age, which had so long and so safely sailed the politi- cal seas, died upon his hands during the war of the rebellion,

Upon the ruins of The Age rose the Maine Standard, in 1867, a democratic sheet, published by Thaddeus A. Chick, a well known and accomplished practical printer, and Isaac W. Reed. The paper was sold in 1868, to Eben F. Pillsbury, the noted political leader and pol- ished lawyer, several times the nominee of the democratic party for gov- ernor, though never elected. Mr. Pillsbury, who had formerly edited the Franklin Patriot, at Farmington, edited the Standard, and associ- ated with him was L. B. Brown, of Starks, now of New Hampshire; and at one time, on the editorial force, was Horace M. Jordan, of Westbrook, now of Boston.

The paper was bought in January, 1881, by Manley T. Pike & Co., who dropped its name soon after the purchase, and called it The New Agc, the name which it has since borne. These proprietors published

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the paper two years and a half, when, in July, 1883, it was sold to Harris M. Plaisted and Charles B. Morton. General Plaisted, who had been the democratic governor of Maine the two preceding years, was the political editor, and for some time Charles B. Chick was con- nected with the local department. In December, 1889, Mr. Morton's portion was purchased by a son of the senior proprietor, Frederick W. Plaisted, and the paper has since been published by H. M. Plais- ted & Son. The paper was enlarged and changed to a quarto at the beginning of the 25th volume, March 6, 1891. The New Age has a large and increasing patronage, being the leading democratic paper of cen- tral Maine.

The Maine Farmer grew out of the necessities of the time, and was founded to meet the demands of a more progressive agriculture. Its birth really grew out of the establishment of the Kennebec Agricul- tural Society, in 1832. It was started in Winthrop, January 21, 1833, bearing the name of the Kennebec Farmer, the publishers being Wil- liam Noyes & Co., and the editor Dr. Ezekiel Holmes. It was printed in quarto form, and the size of the printed page was 72 by 82 inches. After eight numbers of the paper had been issued, the name which was first deemed appropriate was adopted, that of the Maine Farmer, adding as the motto for its field of operations, "and journal of the useful arts," devoting itself not only to the interests of the farmer, but also the mechanic. The first four volumes were published in Winthrop, when the paper was moved to Hallowell, but in 1838 was purchased by Marcian Seavy, and moved back to Winthrop. Seavy sold out the next year to Noyes and Benjamin F. Robbins, the latter remaining in the firm but two years. In 1844 Russell Eaton, a former publisher of the Kennebec Journal, purchased the Farmer, moved it to Augusta, changed its form to that of a folio, which it has since re- tained, enlarged the paper, and improved it in every respect. Mr. Eaton made another enlargement in 1847. In 1860 and 1870 other en- largements were made, the last in 1883, representing its present size, 31} by 463 inches.

In 1858, after publishing the paper fourteen years, Mr. Eaton sold out to Joseph A. Homan and James S. Manley, former proprietors of the Gospel Banner. Special attention was now paid to a compilation of the general news, making the Farmer a complete family paper, that department being edited by Mr. Homan. On account of failing health, in 1861, Mr. Manley sold his half interest to William S. Bad- ger, the present senior proprietor and manager of the paper, who has become a veteran in the service, being the oldest newepaper man in continuous service in the state. In 1878 Mr. Homan retired, selling his interest to Joseph H. Manley, the present junior proprietor.

Doctor Holmes continued his position as agricultural editor until February, 1865, at which time Dr. N. T. True, of Bethel, took his

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place, continuing four years. Samuel L. Boardman, now employed on the editorial force of the Kennebec Journal, was agricultural editor of the Farmer from March, 1869, to March, 1879. He had previously served as assistant in this department. Dr. William B. Lapham, the well known historian and necrologist, who had been employed as gen- eral news editor since 1872, became agricultural editor in 1879, which relation he continued until November, 1883, when the charge was as- sumed by Z. A. Gilbert, of Greene, secretary of the board of agricul- ture, who is at this time the agricultural editor. Howard Owen has served as general news editor since 1881, and Dr. G. M. Twitchell has charge of the horse and poultry departments. The paper has for forty years had an extensive circulation, easily maintaining, against all at- tempted competition, its position as the exponent of the interests of the intelligent and progressive farmers of the state. Comparing the paper at the present time with its earlier efforts, shows to a demon- stration the great advances which have been made in the special field of practical thought to which, through all these years, it has devoted itself.

The Cony Student is a monthly periodical, started in Augusta in 1887, and published each year, during the school term, from Septem- ber to June, inclusive, managed and edited by a corps of editors and publishers selected by and from the students in the Cony High School. It is " devoted to the interests of the members of the Cony High School," and contains original essays, poems, sketches, notes. and gossip. It has several times been enlarged, until now it is a cov- ered periodical of twelve pages.

The Home Mission Echo, a monthly paper issued under the auspices of the Woman's American Baptist Home Mission Society, has been issued in Augusta about five years. It ably champions the cause of missions in the home field, and has a circulation of some 9,000 copies. Its editor and publisher is the well known writer, Anna Sargent Hunt.

The Home Farm was started in Augusta by Samuel L. Boardman, November 13, 1880. It was designed as a purely agricultural and home paper. It contained eight pages, five 18-inch columns to the page. In the beginning of volume IV, November 15, 1883, it was en- larged to six columns to a page, making a neat, well made up journal. It was removed to Waterville and the name changed to Eastern Farmer. The first number under the new name appeared September 30, 1887. During the time it was published, Henry A. Hall, Asa R. Boardman, the editor's brother, and George F. Patch were at different times connected with the paper as publishers or business managers. Samuel L. Boardman was chief owner and editor until its discontinu- ance in April, 1888.

A little sheet, called the Musical Monitor, published by R. M. Man-

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sur, was removed from North Vienna to Augusta. It was principally devoted to advertising.

In 1840 there was published in Augusta for a little while, a bright and crisp little temperance paper called The Washingtonian, growing out of the Washingtonian movement that swept like a tidal wave over the country. When the wave subsided the paper died. It was pub- lished at The Age office by Henry Green, a journeyman printer, who had been interested in the reform movement. The articles in the paper were all written by " Washingtonians."

Drew's Rural Intelligencer was a weekly newspaper, devoted to the wants and pleasures of rural life, designed to make home pleasant and happy. It embraced departments in agriculture, horticulture, me- chanic arts, education and general intelligence. It was established and conducted by Rev. William A. Drew, who but a few months' pre- viously had laid down the editorial pen on the Gospel Banner. He was assisted by an able corps of contributors. Mr. Drew had no printing office of his own; the type setting was done at the Kennebec Journal office, and the press work at the office of The Age. It was a four- column quarto of eight pages, enclosed with a tasty border. The paper aimed to devote itself more especially to the interests of the home. It was started January 6, 1855, and continued to be published at Augusta until September, 1857, when it was purchased by R. B. Caldwell, of Gardiner, and removed to that city, Mr. Drew continuing to edit it. It was issued until 1859, when it ceased to exist as a dis- tinctive publication.

The history of the press in Gardiner is rather an uneventful one, although during the years that have passed quite a large number of journalistic enterprises have been launched on the community, flour- ished for a season, and finally gone the way of all the living. The advent of the newspaper in Gardiner dates back to October 24, 1824, when appeared the first number of the Eastern Chronicle, published and edited by the late Hon. Parker Sheldon, Gardiner's second mayor. January 25, 1827, the Chronicle was merged with the Intelligencer, and Rev. William A. Drew, spoken of elsewhere in these sketches, as- sumed the editorial management. A monthly magazine known as the New England Farmer, and Mechanics' Journal, was also started in 1828, by Mr. Sheldon, and twelve numbers, with plates, were issued. It was edited by Dr. Ezekiel Holmes, afterward of the Maine Farmer. The next journalistic enterprise was the Gardiner Spectator, which began publi- cation in December, 1839, Alonzo Bartlett, editor and proprietor. In July, 1840, Dr. Gideon S. Palmer, a former well known Gardiner phy- sician, who died in Washington, D. C., in December, 1891, assumed the management, but after a brief time was succeeded by his brother, the late Judge William Palmer, and it continued under his manage- ment until September 24, 1841, when it peacefully expired. From its

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ashes, however, arose the Gardiner Ledger, which existed about thirteen months, when that, too, went the way of its predecessor.

In 1842 the now popular Yankee Blade was moved from Waterville to Gardiner, and published by William Mathews and Moses Stevens. It was located there four years, when it was moved to Boston, its present home. The Cold Water Fountain and Washingtonian Journal, published in the interests of the temperance cause, was started June 24, 1844, under the management of the late General George M. At- wood, who was prominent in military circles. He commanded the 24th Regiment, Maine volunteers, and died a few years ago in Boston. He was succeeded in the management of the Fountain by H. W. Jewell & Co., then by H. L. Weston and F. Yates in 1849, who were soon suc- ceeded by Weston & Morrell, and they in January, 1851, by H. K. Morrell and A. M. C. Heath, who in 1853 sold it to Portland parties, and it was moved to that city. The afterward noted humorist, Arte- mus Ward, worked for Morrell & Heath as an apprentice on the Fountain.

Davia's Sling was the suggestive title of a little publication, the first number appearing February 1, 1845. Its mission was to diffuse the peculiar religious views of James A. Clay and Isaac Rowell, but after nine months "life's fitful fever ended." The Star of the East and Eastern Light, by H. W. Jewell, and the Busybody, by Thomas H. Hoskins, were published in 1845-6. The first number of the Incor- rigible appeared July 1, 1848, edited and published by W. E. S. Whitman (Toby Candor), now of Augusta. Only four issues are accounted for, but it was succeeded by a smaller sheet known as the Nettle, which was also short-lived. But this versatile newspaper man has amply demonstrated that as "great oaks from little acorns grow," so great correspondents sometimes spring from small beginnings.

The Gardiner Advertiser made its first appearance February 9, 1850, published by Richard B. Caldwell, father of a former editor of the Kennebec Reporter. After the second number the name was changed to the Kennebec Transcript, and Sedgwick L. Plummer assumed the editorial management. In 1856 Mr. Caldwell purchased Drew's Rural Intelli- gencer, and removing it from Augusta, united the two under the name of the Mainc Rural. Brock & Cheeney, and later Brock & Hacker, pub- lished it. A daily, called the Daily Rural, was issued a few months in 1859, but the offices were burned in 1860, and the papers discontinued. James Burns issued six numbers of a radical political sheet, known as the Despatch, in November and December, 1858. The publication of the Northern Home Journal was commenced January 1, 1854, A. M. C. Heath, editor and proprietor. In 1858 the name of the paper was changed to Gardiner Home Journal. Mr. Heath conducted the paper until August, 1862, when he enlisted in the Sixteenth Maine, and the management of the Journal passed into the hands of H. K. Morrell.

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Mr. Heath, while gallantly fighting with his regiment before Freder- icksburg, December 13, 1862, fell mortally wounded. November 1, 1864, Mr. Morrell became the sole proprietor of the Journal, and con- tinued to control its pages exactly twenty years, when he relinquished editorial cares and sold the office to his son, E. W. Morrell, wlio, as editor and proprietor, still conducts the paper with ability.

The Kennebec Reporter was established in 1866, by Giles O. Bailey and James F. Brown. After a few months, Mr. Brown retiring, Rich- ard B. Caldwell purchased his interest. G. O. Bailey & Co., with Mr. Bailey as editor, continued its management until August 10, 1871, when Mr. Bailey sold his interest to his partner. In 1880 William J. Landers became associated with Mr. Caldwell in the management of the paper, and this firm continued its publication until May, 1888, when Mr. Caldwell retired, and the present management, the Reporter Publishing Company, assumed control, Mr. Landers having charge of its columns.

In May, 1889, the Gardiner Daily News sprung into existence, pub- lished by Thomas W. Schurman & Co., with Mr. Schurman in the editorial chair. In the summer of 1891 Mr. Schurman purchased his partner's interest, and is now sole proprietor of the paper.

The history of the press in Waterville dates from May, 1823, when the first issue of the Waterville Intelligencer appeared, published and edited by William Hastings, the pioneer among Waterville journal- ists. The Intelligencer dragged along an uncertain existence until De- cember, 1828, when it became The Watchman, with Hastings continuing as editor and publisher for about one year, when it was suspended for lack of support.

The next attempt in Waterville journalism was made in June, 1831, when John Burleigh began the publication of The Times. It took about two years to demonstrate the failure of The Times venture, when that sheet passed out of existence. Mr. Burleigh, however, was not discouraged, and in 1834 he began the publication of the Waterville Journal, and continued the same for one year. The demise of this paper was followed by a long lapse of time, during which no one was ambitious or courageous enough to again take the field, and until 1842 Waterville was unrepresented by any sheet whatever. In that year Daniel R. Wing and William Mathews started The Watervillo- nian. From that year dated Mr. Wing's almost uninterrupted career as a newspaper man until his death. He was an antiquarian, and his local sketches, frequently published, made a valuable feature of the papers with which he was connected. The fame which Mr. Mathews has since attained in the field of literature needs no comment.

At the close of the first volume of The Watervillonian its name was changed to the Yankee Blade. In 1844 its publishers had become dis- couraged with the lack of support the Blade had been able to secure in

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Waterville, and the paper was transferred to Gardiner, and a little- more than two years after was removed to Boston, where it was finally merged in the Olive Branch.

The Union was the next on the scene in Waterville, its first issue appearing in April, 1847, under the management of C. F. Hathaway, who published The Union about four months, when he induced Eph- raim Maxham, who had enjoyed journalistic experience in Massa- chusetts and New Hampshire, to take charge of the sheet, revised and re-christened as the Eastern Mail. Mr. Maxham was not only a ready and concise writer, who always chose to keep his paper a clean, in- dependent, local journal, but also a practical printer, and under his experienced hands the Eastern Mail began a vigorous growth. Daniel R. Wing became a partner with Mr. Maxham, July 26, 1849, and the- firm of Maxham & Wing from that date played an important part in the history and development of Waterville. The title of the paper was changed to the more distinctive local name of the Waterville Mail, September 4, 1863. Daniel R. Wing, the junior editor, died Decem- ber 2, 1885. Mr. Maxham stood at his post, although stricken down by illness, until January 1, 1886, when the Mail was purchased by Charles G. Wing and Daniel F. Wing, who took the firm name of Wing & Wing.

From the Mail office September 30, 1887, was issued the Eastern Farmer, formerly the Home Farm (begun at Augusta), and Burleigh, Wing & Co. appeared as the name of the new firm. This paper was a financial incubus to the concern. The publication of the Eastern Farmer was continued up to April, 1888, when the paper was discon- tinued, and the remains of its subscription list transferred to the Lewiston Journal. Hall C. Burleigh at the same time retired from the firm, which again appeared as Wing & Wing, publishers of the Mail alone. They introduced many modern improvements in the Mail office and in the paper, making it one of the best local papers in the state from a typographical point of view. They also enlarged it and made it an interesting weekly visitor to all its readers. The junior partner, Daniel F. Wing, died March 21, 1891, and Charles G. Wing continued the publication of the paper until April 17, 1891, when it was purchased by H. C. Prince, of Buckfield, and E. T. Wyman, of Sidney, Me., the present proprietors. Mr. Wyman graduated from Colby University in the class of 1890, and was an editor on the Waterville Sentinel until he went to the Mail. Mr. Prince was also formerly a student at Colby, but left college to go West, where he was in business. for several years.

The Waterville Sentinel was first published by E. O. Robinson in 1880. It was afterward purchased by J. D. Maxfield, who in turn sold to Otis M. and L. A. Moore, of Augusta, in 1884. In the following year O. M. Moore bought his brother's interest, and sold one-half of

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the paper to A. W. Hall, of Rockland. Mr. Hall's father, Hon. O. G. Hall, now judge of the superior court for Kennebec county, purchased Moore's half in the summer of 1886, since which time the paper has been published by O. G. Hall & Son. The firm has lately beenfknown as the Sentinel Publishing Company.

The Kennebec Democrat was established in Waterville by Benjamin Bunker,* who issued its first number February 2, 1887. It is a nine- column folio. While professedly a democratic sheet, it exercises the privilege of a free lance. The characteristic of the sheet is the origi- nal cuts by the editor, and the peculiar pungency of its political para- graphs. The paper is known as " Ben. Bunker's Democrat."

The first newspaper in Oakland-then known by the name of West Waterville-was started in 1875, bearing the name of the West Waterville Union. The office was well equipped for a general printing business, a newspaper seemed to be needed, and with the right person at the head of affairs at the time, a permanent and substantial living would have been assured. But there was a flippancy and a filthiness about the sheet at first that led everybody to mistrust the future, and the thing died unlamented. This paper was published by Daniel Rowe and Casper Hooper.

In the meantime Mr. I. J. Thayer, a life-long resident of Oakland, was running a small job office, and in 1882 the community was glad- dened by the announcement of Mr. Thayer that he proposed to issue a monthly paper, the Oakland Observer, the name of the town having meanwhile been changed. The sheet was an unassuming one, the size being fifteen by twenty inches. For a time the Observer was ob- served each month, then it would lapse; and when, for instance, the August number reached the firesides of Oakland on Thanksgiving day, its early death would be looked for with an absolute certainty. In March, 1887, the proprietor entered into an arrangement with the proprietor of the Madison Bulletin to print and publish the Observer. which was enlarged to 26 by 40, " patent" outside, and this arrange- ment was continued until June, 1888. During that time there was nothing in the paper but " locals." The paper came regularly to hand, and had a small subscription list. The Bulletin man engaged Mr. J. Wesley Gilman as manager and editor, in June, 1888. Mr. Gilman wielded a graceful and facile pen; and as he had resided in the town for thirty years and been identified with its business interests, he knew, presumably, the wants of the community. In the fall of 1888 the Observer was printed in the county of Kennebec; advertisements were secured and the subscription list increased, and in a larger sense than ever before Oakland had a newspaper which reflected the stability, the

*In 1880 he established the Pine Tree State at Fairfield, and published it for two years, and then bought the Fairfield Journal and conducted it as an inde- pendent paper until 1886 .- [ED.

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prominence, the enterprise of the town. Under this arrangement the Observer continued until 1890, when pressure of other affairs, together with previous engagements, obliged Mr. Gilman to sever his connec- tion with the paper.

About this time Mr. George T. Benson made an arrangement with Mr. E. P. Mayo, of the Fairfield Journal, to print and publish the Oak- land Enterprise. Outside of the local happenings, the " comings and goings," it in no sense represents the people of Oakland, but is, per- haps, better than no paper.

The first newspaper published in Winthrop was the Winthrop Gazette, published by William H. Moody, and started in the spring of 1866. Mr. Moody was at that time principal of Towle Academy, and was afterward mail agent on the Maine Central railroad. He was a graduate of Colby University. After a brief period the paper was re- moved to Mechanic Falls, and its name changed to the Mechanic Falls Herald. After a sickly existence of a few years in its adopted home, the paper died.

The next venture in journalism was the Winthrop Bulletin, pub- lished by W. B. Berry & Son, and first edited by Rev. D. H. Sherman, then principal of Towle Academy. The first issue was dated Septem- ber 19, 1867. The size of the sheet was 21 by 30 inches. Mr. Sher- man's connection with the paper was extremely brief. Shortly after, the elder Berry sold out to his son, and went to Camden, starting the Herald at that place. He died in Massachusetts about two years ago. His son, A. N. Berry, conducted the paper until February, 1869, when he discontinued it. The Bulletin was a good local paper, and never ought to have been allowed to die. Its latest publisher, Mr. A. N. Berry, is now doing a good business in Boston as a label printer, under the firm name of J. N. Allen & Berry.

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Illustrated history of Kennebec County, Maine; 1625-1892, Part 28

Author: Kingsbury, Henry D; Deyo, Simeon L., ed Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York, Blake Number of Pages: 1790

Author: Kingsbury, Henry D; Deyo, Simeon L., ed
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York, Blake
Number of Pages: 1790