History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan, Part 55

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Chas. C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1457

USA > Michigan > Washtenaw County > History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan > Part 55

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State Journal,-Continuing its publication under that name. In his introduction the editor says : "The political character of

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the State Journal shall be truly Republican. It will maintain the rights of the States on the one hand, and the integrity of the Union on the other, by seeking to contine both parties to their respective sphere of action." Continuing, the editor remarks : " Our hum- ble efforts shall, at times, be exerted in the cause of equal rights ; of civil and political liberty ; of true Republican principles of the constitution ; in opposition to the ultra doctrines, new-fangled theories and novel interpretations of new-school Democrats, who now occupy the 'chief places in the synagogue.'" Temperance, agriculture, and other useful information were to find a place in the columns of the paper. The modesty and humility of the editor was set forth in the following language : "Good selections will generally be preferred for the columns of the Journal before our own cogitations, emphatically dubbed editorials, which occupy so conspicuous a place in most of the weekly publications of the day, believing as we do in the sentiment we once heard expressed by an editor of twenty years' experience, that ' he could make a better paper with his shears than his pen.'" After eight weeks Mr. Wood's partner retired, and the paper was continued by George W. Wood, who also carried a stock of books and stationery in connec- tion. In April, 1836, the paper was purchased by Dr. F. Drake, who continued in charge for about one year. In March, 1837, Edwin Lawrence became editor and publisher, and proposed to make the paper politically independent. In his salutatory Mr. Lawrence said : " It will require no extraordinary discernment to perceive that a strict adherence to party and an unqualified support of any measure which the policy or interest of partisan leaders may dic- tate, is the utter annihilation of that independence and fear- lessness of character which truth, justice, and the rights of the people ever demand. Such an obsequiousness to party dic- tation may indeed tend to confirm the measures, and give a present transient luster to all the acts of their supporters, but will soon end in a wreck of liberty itself, in which light and trifling things of party may survive, but everything solid and substantial will be lost forever. Were we compelled thus to support indiscriminately any measure which any party might see fit to impose upon us, and shout glory and praise to their authors, while our bosom was burn- ing with shame and indignation, or filled with absolute disgust and abhorrence at the very act we were, in obedience to party discipline, lauding to the skies, we would relinquish forever any and every station that requires for its enjoyment such a sacrifice of freedom for the unsatisfying pleasure of office or power." Mr. Lawrence continued to ably discharge the duties of editor and publisher until May, 1839, when the paper and good will of the office was disposed of to Franklin Sawyer, Jr., who changed the name of the paper to

Michigan State Journal, and continued its publication, making it a distinctive Whig paper. Mr. Sawyer was a talented man and succeeded in making the Journal one of the best papers published

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in the State. In the great campaign of 1840 it advocated the elec- tion of William Henry Harrison to the presidency with great vigor. Mr. Sawyer continued his connection as editor until 1841, but had in the meantime disposed of the office to T. M. Ladd. On the retirement of Mr. Sawyer from editorial labor, Mr. Ladd discharged for a while the duties of both editor and publisher. In March, 1842, Edwin Lawrence again assumed editorial control, though not connected with the publication of the paper. He re- mained in this connection one year, when the publisher resumed the editorial work of the paper. In February, 1844, George Cor. selius took editorial charge and remained until April, 1845. Shortly after this Mr. Ladd disposed of the office to L. C. Goodale and S. B. McCracken, who continued the publication of the Journal. Mr. McCracken disposed of his interest in the spring of 1846, and Mr. Goodale became sole owner.

ANN ARBOR ARGUS.

The publication of this paper under the name of Michigan Argus was commenced Jannary, 1835, by E. P. Gardner, who continued it as the organ of the Democracy of the county until 1840. It was a six-column folio, wide measure, about equal to an ordinary seven- column paper. In the last year mentioned a stock company pur- chased the office and placed it in charge of Orrin Arnold, who ran it for a time, when it sold a half interest, and the paper was con- tinued by Arnold & Powell, the latter remaining but a few months, when he disposed of his interest to a Mr. Smith, the firm name be- ing Arnold & Smith. Soon after the last firm formed a partner- ship, its name was changed to that of Free Democrat. The latter paper continued to exist but a short time, when L. W. Cole and E. P. Gardner, under the firm name of Cole & Gardner, again com- menced the publication of the Argus. The press on which the Argus was printed by Cole & Gardner for several years was made by H. & R. Partridge, and was the first and only iron press ever built in Michigan. The inscription on it read "Manufactured by H. & R. Partridge, for L. W. Cole, Ann Arbor, Mich., February, 1844." "The new series of the Argus began at the time," says Mr. Cole, in a letter to Lorenzo Davis, "with Judicial Reform,' when the present circuit court system was completely set aside. I called it a 'Judicial Revolution,' which it was; and the Argus, from the first issue, fought it until it was wiped out and dead. I suffered some for the course I pursued, but I was amply rewarded for my firmness afterward. The thing that was established was no 'reform ;' it was a senseless revolution. It took some nerve, I confess, to stand the pressure brought to bear upon me, and for sev- eral months my subcription list only numbered about 50. To see about 80 of my own party marching to the polls under the banner of ' Reform,' instigated by Dr. Denton and John Allen, and vote against Judge Felch and the Democratic ticket, gave me seri-

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ous thoughts of the course I was about to take. But good counsel, such as Judges Mundy, Miles, Fletcher, Wilson and others, and my own sense of what should be done, determined me to go ahead, and I did. to the end of the foolish thing. When I sold to E. B. Pond, we were publishing about 1,800 copies."

In reference to Mr. Gardner, who was so long connected with the publication of the Argus, Mr. Cole says, in the same connection. " My partner, Mr. Gardner, whose memory I shall always cherish with the kindliest feelings, you know as much about, almost, as I do. He was the first to sign the Martha Washington pledge in Ann Arbor, and so far as I know, he never in the least deviated from it. He died as he lived-an honest man, a Christian, and one of the best temperance men."

In July, 1854, Cole & Gardner disposed of the Argus to Elihu B. Pond, who remained its sole editor and proprietor for a period of nearly 24 years. Under the management of Mr. Pond, the Argus was recognized as one of the leading Democratic papers in the State. When the rebels committed the first overt act against the Government, in 1861, Mr. Pond, in an able editorial, said: " If the Sonth has been calculating on Northern aid to subvert the Govern- ment and degrade the national flag, it is doubtless now convinced of its mistake. The promptness with which the men of all parties, throughout the whole North, have responded to the Government, must satisfy the Southern fanatics and traitors that Democrats will not enlist with them in a crusade against the Union to reward them for breaking up the Democratic party. Democrats have always stood by their Sonthern brethren and struck manful blows in de- fense of their constitutional rights, but they will never, NEVER, NEVER help them break up the Government and plant an oli- garchy in its stead."

Elihu B. Pond, for so long editor of the Argus, was born in Wil- mington, Essex county, New York, July 15, 1826. He is the son of Jared and Stalira (Bartlet) Pond. In 1832, in company with his parents, he removed to Knox county, Ohio, and in 1835, to Michigan, locating in the village of Branch, then the county-seat of Branch county. In May, 1843, his parents having removed to Cold water, which had then become the county-seat of Branch county, he entered the office of the Coldwater Sentinel and served as an apprentice three years, continuing then in the office as a journeyman printer until the fall of that year, when he started out on his first "tramp," working his way as far south as Cincinnati, Ohio. Return- ing to Michigan in the spring of 1847, he entered the Wesleyan Seminary, now Albion College, at Albion, and "completed " his education in two terms. In May, 1848, he purchased the Cold- water Sentinel, and published that paper six years. The Sentinel, under his editorial control, was the only Democratic paper in Michigan which took a decided stand against the repeal of the Missiouri Compromise and the Kansas- Nebraska Bill, and predicted, as a result of such legislation, the disaster which overtook the

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Democratic party in State and Nation. As already stated Mr. Pond purchased the office of the Michigan Argus in 1854, taking pos- session July 1st. He continued as editor and proprietor until Dec. 31, 1878, save from Oct. 1, 1874, to Dec. 31, 1875, when it was leased to other parties.

Mr. Pond has served the public in various official positions. At Coldwater he was Village Clerk one year, and Director of the school district two years. At Ann Arbor he was School Director from September, 1857 until September, 1859, then Secretary of the School Board to September, 1865, and from January, 1873, to September, 1877, he was President of the School Board. In 1859-'60, he was Alderman from the 4th ward. From January, 1860, to January, 1867, he was clerk of Forest Hill Seminary, and has since that date served the same company as trustee three years, and in January, 1880, was again elected clerk. In November, 1858. he was elected Senator from the 7th Senatorial District ( the northern half of Washtenaw county ), running largely ahead of his ticket, and overcoming a large Republican majority. In 1864 he was elected County Clerk, and served one term. On the organization of the Michigan Press Association, in 1868, he was elected President and re-elected in 1869.

Mr. Pond was united in marriage Nov. 20, 1849, with Mary B. Allen, daughter of Stephen Allen, one of the oldest settlers in Len- awee county, by whom he has had five children-three sons and two daughters. One daughter and two sons survive. Both sons are graduates of the University of Michigan, in the classes of 1879 and 1880.

On the purchase of the office from Mr. Pond, in December, 1878, John N. Bailey, the new proprietor, changed the name of the paper from that of Michigan Argus to that of Ann Arbor Argus; but made no change in its size or in the political principles which it advocated. It is in this year of grace, 1881, advocating the same political principles that it did under the management of E. P. Gardner in the beginning, and for so many years under the able management of Mr. Pond. The present proprietor and editor, Mr. Bailey, is a strong and vigorous writer, and makes no uncertain sound in his political utterances.

John N. Bailey, editor and publisher of the Argus, was born in Adams, Jefferson county, New York, May 13. 1840. While attend. ing the common school of his native State, he conceived the idea of becoming a printer, and at the age of 15 apprenticed himself to the firm of Ingalls & Stowell, editors and publishers of the Reformer, Watertown, New York. When his term expired, he entered Valley Seminary, Fulton, New York, with the view of preparing for college. Teaching district schools in winter and the endeavor by extra study to keep up with his classes for three years, broke down his health and temporarily weakened his eyes, so that by the advice of physicans he was obliged to abandon the cherished ambition of his life. After months of recuperation, in which

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health was partially restored, meantime localizing a daily paper, and working at the case, in Watertown, he was advised to abandon the " art preservative of all arts" for some other pursuit. He accordingly entered into trade at Clayton, New York, following the same for several years. While in Clayton he was married to Miss Sarah J. Esselstyn, in 1865, by whom he has had four children.

The desire to return to his chosen profession as soon as his health would permit, was uppermost in his mind. In 1869, he sold his business and removed to Auburn, New York, where he engaged in the conduct of the press until the autumn of 1878. On the 1st of January, 1879, he became editor and proprietor of the Argus. Po- litically, Mr. Bailey has always been a Democrat; religiously, a member of no Church, being liberal in his views.

Local News and Advertiser .-- A paper bearing this name was established in Ann Arbor in 1857, the first number bearing date July 21. It was a five-column folio, and edited and published by S. B. McCracken. As its name indicates, it was designed as a local and advertising medium. It was well edited and received with favor by the public. On the 25th of August, 1858, it passed into the hands of Lorenzo Davis. While controlled by Mr. McCracken, the paper did not espouse the side of either of the existing parties, but when Mr. Davis became its publisher, it became the advocate of Republican principles. In January, 1859, the News was en- larged to a six-column folio, wide measure, equal to a seven-col- umn folio ordinary size, and its name changed to Ann Arbor Local News. Aug. 28 it was again enlarged, making it an eight-col- umn folio, and name changed to the Michigan State News, with E. A. Burlingame associated with Mr. Davis as publisher. This arrangement continued but about six months, Mr. Burlingame re- tiring and Mr. Davis remaining sole editor and proprietor. On the breaking out of the Rebellion, the News did much good in encourag- ing enlistments and upholding the defenders of the Government. It passed through the hard times of the first two years of civil war, but was forced to suspend just when a brighter era began to dawn.

ANN ARBOR COURIER.

This paper was commenced June 18, 1861, by C. G. Clark and W. D. Wiltsie, under the name of the Peninsular Courier. It was a seven-column folio, Union Republican in politics. In their "Introductory," the editors refer to the fact that nations rise, flour- ish and pass away, and still others come to fill their places; so in the sphere of newspapers, changes are ever going on, new combina- tions are being formed, and new aspirants for public favor appear and receive the approval or disapproval of the reading community. The Courier was placed in the long procession of newspapers that were taking daily or weekly steps towards oblivion. The paper was edited with ability and earnestly supported the Government in all its efforts to suppress the rebellion. In December, 1861, David

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C. Holmes was admitted as a partner and the firm name of Clark, Wiltsie & Co. was adopted. At this time the Courier was consol- idated with the Ypsilanti Herald, and for about two months the paper was published under the double name of Peninsular Courier and Ypsilanti Herald. When the latter name was dropped, the firm was changed to Clark, Wiltsie & Holmes. In the summer of 1862, Mr. Wiltsie and Mr. Holmes entered the service of the United States and the firm was therefore dissolved, Mr. Clark assuming the entire control of the paper as editor and publisher. In 1865 the paper was sold to Dr. A. W. Chase, who continued it until June, 1866, when its form was changed from a seven-column folio to a five column quarto. To its original name of Peninsular Courier that of Family Visitant was added. In November, 1866, John L. Knight became editor, Dr. Chase desiring to be relieved from editorial labor that he might give himself more fully to his fast increasing business as publisher of Dr. Chase's Receipt Book. This relation continued for about six months when Mr. Knight retired. In June, 1867, the paper was enlarged to a six-column quarto, with Allan Campbell in the editorial chair. In January, 1869, the old folio form was resumed and the paper considerably enlarged. A. W. Chase assumed editorial charge, with Chas.G. Clark, Jr., assist- ant. Ill health caused Dr. Chase to relinquish editorial control the following June, and William Wines was given charge. This arrangement continued about two months, when Dr. Chase sold the paper, together with his publishing business, to Rice A. Beal, the issue of the Courier for Sept. 3, 1869, containing the Doctor's vale- dictory and Mr. Beal's salutatory. O. G. Clark, Jr., became editor and continued in that relation until December, when Lorenzo Davis was placed in charge, remaining until April, 1870. when Mr. Beal assumed editorial charge, and has continued to be the responsible editor to the present time. In 1876 the name of the paper was changed from the Peninsular Courier and Family Visitant to the Ann Arbor Courier, a name which localizes it.

Rice A. Beal, the editor of the Courier, is a man of the people. He was born in Macedon, New York, Jan. 19, 1823, and is the son of Emery and Sophronia Beal. At the age of 10 years, with his parents, he removed to Washtenaw county, Michigan, and settled in the town of Lima, where he remained about three years, when he accompanied his parents to Livingston county. Here he grew to man's estate, working with his parents on the farm, toiling early and late, not with the hope of reward, but as an act of duty which he owed to his natural protectors. The common schools of the Territory and young State afforded him all the elementary educa- tion he obtained, with the exception of one year spent in the Albion Academy, in the State of New York. The first money ever earned by Mr. Beal was on a neighbor's farm, where he toiled for fifteen hours per day for the munificent sum of $5 per month. At the age of 21 he began life for himself, without a dollar in his pocket or to

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his credit. Teaching school for a time at $9 per month, he accumu- lated $40, with which he went to Ann Arborand invested in notions and fancy goods, which he peddled through the country. This busi- ness he continued for 18 months, when he had saved enough to open a small store in the village of Pinckney, Livingston county, where he remained one summer, removing then to the village of Howell. in the same county, remaining in the latter place one year. at the expiration of which time he removed to Plainfield, where he remained six years. In 1853, he removed to the village of Dexter, Washtenaw county, where he continued the mercantile business. Possessed of an indomitable will and of an exceedingly hopeful dis- position, with an abundanceof energy, it is no wonder that success crowned his efforts. During the 12 years of his life in the village he was engaged in the mercantile, produce, milling and manufact- uring and banking business, and was acknowledged leader in every enterprise in which he engaged.

In 1865 Mr. Beal, feeling that he had acquired a competency, sold out all his business interests in Dexter, and removed to the city of Ann Arbor, intending to live a retired life. But a man of his active temperament could not live a life of ease and inactivity; therefore, in 1869 he purchased the printing establishment of Dr. A. W. Chase, with all the Doctor's rights in the publication of Dr. Chase's Receipts, and immediately embarked in the publication business, including that of the Peninsular Courier. Having no experience in the business, some of his friends prophesied failure. With him there is no such word as fail. Being a practical busi- ness man, and possessed of an abundance of good, strong common sense, he brought his practical experience and common sense into the business, the result of which is that he has been successful in this new undertaking beyond his most ardent expectations.

There is one thing that has distinguished Mr. Beal among his fellows, and that is his championship of the poor. Beginning life himself as poor as the poorest, obtaining a competency not by any extraordinary streak of good luck, but by hard, earnest work, he knows what the poor have to suffer, and sympathizes with them in all their troubles, and to the deserving he is always willing to lend a helping hand. In proof of this, it is not necessary to call atten- tion to but one act in his life-the defense of Dr. Rose, in the cele- brated University Defalcation case. In the prosecution of this case Mr. Beal has spent an independent fortune, without hope of reward other than the consciousness of doing a righteous act. Sin- gle-handed and alone, he has fought against wealth, the best hired legal talent in the State, and the vindictive hatred of enemies, and in every stage of the case has come off more than conqueror.

As a politician, Mr. Beal in early life, and up to the beginning of the war of the Rebellion, was a Democrat of the " most strictest sect of the religion." When Southern men undertook, in the name of Democracy, to destroy the Government,he arrayed himself upon the side of the patriots, and became a thorough and consist-

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ent Republican. While always strong in the faith Mr. Beal has never sought public office, though, with his talents he would honor any office that might be bestowed upon him. He was a delegate to the convention that nominated U. S. Grant for the presidency the second term, and also the convention that nominated Ruther- ford B. Hayes to the same office. In 1876 he was made a member of the State Central Committee, and for the greater part of the time has been chairman of the executive committee. In 1880, without solicitation on his part, and after the canvass was nearly over, he was brought forward by his friends for the office of Governor of the State, the highest office in the gift of the people. At the conven- tion, which assembled in Jackson, Aug. 5, 1880, in presenting the name of Mr. Beal, Captain E. P. Allen, of Washtenaw, said :

Mr. Chairman :- On the 27th day of July last, the Republicans in convention for the county of Washtenaw, a convention of 120 delegates, representing 6,000 Republican votes, passed the following resolution:

Resolved, That we earnestly request the delegates to the State Convention to use all hon- orable means first and last to secure the nomination of our fellow citizen, the Hon. Rice A. Beal, for Governor.

We believe that no citizen is more worthy of that high honor, and that none could fill the position with greater ability and be more watchful of the interests of the commonwealth. Mr. Chairman, if you ask who our candidate is I will say that you may take all the virtues, and all the honors and all the good things that have been said by all the speakers in favor of all the candidates and put them together, and that is our candidate. [Applause and cheers.] * * *

* The gentleman whose name is presented here is not a legislator. He is not a lawyer, nor a doctor ; he comes from the people and is of the people. He is one of that class so numerous in the great State of Michigan, who have made it what it is, the grandest State in all this nation. [Applause.] He has worked his own way from comparative poverty to the position that he to-day occupies. [Applause.] * *

He has his faults. If I thought we were going to nominate a man who has no faults, I should vote the Democratic ticket. [Applause and laughter ] The gentle- man whose name I have mentioned in connection with this high office is one who. when he believes that a thing is right, pursues that line to its termination. [Ap- plause.] He is one who, when he believes a thing is wrong, follows that wrong relentlessly to the end. [Renewed applause and cheers.] A man with courage to abide by his convictions; a man who will stand for what he thinks is right though the heavens fall. Such men have enemies. Andrew Jackson had them ; Zachariah Chandler had them ; andany man that ever was fit to be out of an insane or idiotic asy- lum has had them. [Applause.] If nominated, our candidate will be elected; and if elected, he will bring to that high office the most practical common sense of a life of over 40 years spent in active business, during which time he has built up a great establishment and been uniformly and everywhere successful. A man who has twice represented the State of Michigan i i national conventions. Not only this, but the State central committee of the Republican party of Michigan, knowing him as they have, and knowing how necessary it is to have an active business man to con- duct the details of the campaign, have twice placed Mr. Beal in the position of chairman of the executive committee. * * * * * *

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History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan, Part 55

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : Chas. C. Chapman & Co. Number of Pages: 1457

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Chas. C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1457