USA > Michigan > St Clair County > St. Clair County, Michigan, its history and its people; a narrative account of its historical progress and its principal interests, Vol. I > Part 35
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July 1, 1895, Franklin Moore sold the Republican to Hannibal Allen Hopkins, who was its publisher until January, 1903, when he leased the office to Charles C. Parker. In January, 1906, Mr. Hopkins again took charge of the paper and published it until the following September, when it was leased to Elmer J. Ottaway, who continued the Republican as a politically independent paper until the end of December, 1909. January 1, 1910, George H. Pond took charge of the Republican as lessee, and has continued to publish it since as a Republican paper, Mr. Hopkins retaining ownership of the office. Except while leased to Mr. Ottaway, the Republican has supported the political party for which it was named from its first issue.
THE "ST. CLAIR COUNTY PRESS."
The St. Clair County Press (weekly) was established at St. Clair in 1900 by a Mr. Taylor. After a few months it fell into the hands of George Wildren, who continued its publication until August, 1901, when Frank Schrepferman and Charles R. Roberts took it in charge, and after a few months bought the outfit. The Press proved a financial sueeess and in February, 1905, the office was moved to the ground floor of the Moore building, which has since been its home. In 1907 Mr. Schrepfer- man retired, and since that time Charles R. Roberts has been both editor and publisher of the paper. In politics the Press is independent, the aim of the publisher being to make it a local paper acceptable to all classes of citizens.
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THE "PORT HURON PRESS"
The Port Huron Press ( weekly ) was established by James J. Scarritt in September, 1858. Mr. Scarritt died some years later, and Henry C. Buffington succeeded him in the ownership and management of the paper. In polities it was Republican. For a short period during the war a small daily sheet was issued-the first daily newspaper published in St. Clair county.
In 1866 George W. Howe, who had learned the printer's trade at Lapeer during his youthful days and had served in the army, asso- ciated with Mr. Burnett under the firm name of Burnett & Howe, pur- chased the Press of Mr. Buffington, who thereafter engaged in the news- paper business at Dowagiac, Michigan. After a few months Mr. Howe retired and Burnett Brothers became owners and editors of the paper.
In 1868 Major Nathan S. Boynton, associated with Marcus Young, who also had served in the army during the war, purchased the Press and made it an influential factor in the Republican politics of the county, opposing the controlling faction of the party. This led to the estab- lishment, of the Times in 1869, and in the summer of 1870 the Times Company purchased the Press establishment and discontinued the paper.
THE "PORT HURON TIMES"
The Port Huron Weekly Times was the direct outgrowth of a fac- tional contest between Republicans of Port Huron, and to a limited ex- tent of the county at large, Major Nathan S. Boynton, who was then the publisher of the Press, being the leader upon one side, and the aggressor, with John P. Sanborn, collector of customs, General William Hartsuff, postmaster, and most Republican city and county officials, and their friends, upon the other. Major Boynton sought to oust Mr. Sanborn from the collectorship and secure the office for himself, and at the same time to become the acknowledged leader of the Republican party in the county. His use of the Press to forward his political ambitions led to a determination on the part of his opponents to have a paper that would represent their side, and the assumed interests of the Republican party at large in the county.
The Port Huron Times Company was organized in the spring of 1869, its capital stock being $6,000, with the following stockholders: James W. Sanborn, John P. Sanborn, IIenry Howard, John Johnston, W. B. Hibbard, Fred L. Wells, Edgar White, James H. White, John S. Botsford, James HI. Stone, Alexander Crawford, Gage Inslee, O. L. Jenks, William Hartsuff, J. M. Hubbard. H. A. Batchelor, James Beard, A. H. Fish, D. B. Harrington, D. N. Runnels, William Wastell, G. E. Brockway, J. W. Thomson, M. Walker, J. Byron Hull, G. K. Nairn, C. F. Harrington, H. Hunt, W. R. Mulford. J. P. Haynes, W. E. Peache, Aaron Smith, H. Williams, E. M. Cady, W. W. Campfield, H. Traver, E. G. Spalding. J. W. Thomson, Jr., G. E. Twiss, II. MeMorran, J. J. Hoyt, W. B. Morse, S. D. Pace. C. M. Stockwell, Geo. W. Howe. H. G. Barnum, John MeNeill, E. W. Harris.
James H. Stone, who had been for a year or two on the editorial
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staff of the Detroit Advertiser and Tribune, was engaged as editor and business manager of the new paper, which began publication as a weekly. June 25, 1869. The first power press ever brought to St. Clair county was a part of the mechanical outfit of the office.
From the outset there was sharp rivalry between the Times and the Press, and during the summer of 1870 Major Boynton sold the Press establishment to the Times Company, and the paper was merged into the Times, losing its name and identity. About the same time Mr. Stone became one of the owners of the Kalamazoo Telegraph. Kalamazoo being his boyhood home, and in September. 1870. he resigned as editor and manager of the Times.
Mr. Stone's successor was Loren A. Sherman, who resigned the state and news editorship of the Detroit Post to accept the position. Born in the township of Bennington, Wyoming county, New York, March 14, 1844, after serving for a year in the First Michigan Infantry when eighteen years of age, Mr. Sherman began his newspaper career in the business office of the Adrian Daily Expositor, at the age of nineteen years, and before he was twenty-one became editor of the paper. When the Detroit Post was established. in the spring of 1866, he organized its state correspondence department and became its state and news editor. Six months later he was appointed managing editor of the paper by General Carl Schurz, its editor-in-chief. The next year General Schurz severed his connection with the Post, and a few months afterward Mr. Sherman was succeeded as managing editor of the paper by William Stocking, and resumed his former position of state and news editor, which he held until taking the management of the Times and removing to Port Huron.
In the spring of 1871 Mr. Sherman started a tri-weekly edition of the Times, and changed the weekly from a four page to an eight page sheet. The first number of the Tri-Weekly Times was issued March 4. 1871. March 23. 1872. the Daily Times was established and the Tri- Weekly discontinued : and from that time until it was merged with the Daily Herald, January 1, 1910, the Daily Times appeared regularly every evening. Sundays and four legal holidays yearly excepted. without missing an issue. For some years previous to its sale the Weekly Times was issued in two sections, Tuesdays and Fridays, and under Fred W. Sherman's management its name was changed to the Twice-a-Week Times. The circulation of the two editions steadily increased during all the years they were published.
Having sold his interest in the Kalamazoo Telegraph, James H. Stone returned to Port Huron with the opening of the year 1875, and became associated with Mr. Sherman in the management of the Times, remain- ing until the spring of 1878. when he accepted the position of manager of the Detroit Post and Tribune and removed to that city.
A few years later Mr. Sherman purchased from its original holders or their assigns all the stock of the Times Company, which he reorgan- ized, and thereafter. until July 1, 1907, he was the sole owner of the paper.
In the early days of the Times. Gil R. Osmun, afterward connected with the editorial departments of Saginaw and Detroit papers, and see-
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retary of state of Michigan for four years, was city editor of the Times for three years. James Bartle Parker occupied a similar posi- tion from 1881 to 1886. He was succeeded by George A. Ashpole, who entered the Times office as a printer in 1874 and had been foreman of its composing room for several years. Mr. Ashpole continued eity editor of the paper for more than twenty years, thereafter becoming its adver- tising manager, a position he now holds on the Times-Herald, making his term of continuous service with the Times and its successor thirty- seven years.
Frederick W. Sherman, born in Detroit February 3, 1867, was em- ployed in the business and editorial departments of the Times from his youth up, and for many years was its business manager. July 1, 1907, he purchased from his father a controlling interest in the common stock of the company and assumed the entire management of the paper, Loren A. Sherman retaining a large financial interest in the establish- ment and continuing to write for the editorial columns of the paper, at his option. In December, 1909, Fred W. Sherman sold his interest in the Times to Elmer J. Ottaway and Louis A. Weil, and the following August removed to Santa Barbara, Cal., and there took charge of the Independ- ent (daily ) which he had purchased the previous May.
Throughout all its career, the Times supported Republican principles and candidates, and was a potent factor in winning St. Clair county from Democratic control and making it one of the strongest Republican counties of Michigan. As between factions of the Republican party, it opposed Pingreeism, not considering Mr. Pingree, as mayor of Detroit and governor of Michigan, a consistent and sincere reformer; but other- wise it was always on the progressive side.
When the Times was started its office was located upstairs in what was then the east section of the Merchants Exchange Block, Water street. Afterwards, for several years, it occupied all the floors of the next section west of the same building, Still later the office was re- moved to the Sanborn building opposite the Federal building on Water street, where it remained until the fall of 1894, when it occupied the newly constructed Sherman building opposite the foot of Sixth street, jointly with the Riverside Printing Co. There it remained until the Times was consolidated with the Herald, January 1, 1910.
SHORT-LIVED PORT IIURON PAPERS
During the presidential campaign of 1872, after the nomination of Horace Greeley by the liberal Republicans and Democrats, James Talbot & Sons, publishers of the Commercial, issued a campaign paper called "The Old White Hat."
The Saturday Morning Journal was started in 1873 by Thomas L. Kilets and Oscar Morse. Mr. Kilets purchased Mr. Morse's interest in the paper in March, 1874, and continued its publication until June, 1875, when he sold it to Milo Marsh and Jedediah Spalding, who had previously published the Greenback Dollar. Under Mr. Kilet's man- agement the Journal had been independent in politics. Its new owners renamed it the Port Huron Journal, making it the successor of the Vol. I-19
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Greenback Dollar and an organ of the Greenback party. Its publication was suspended after a year or two.
In the year 1876 Mr. Kilets established the Mail, which was published for a year and then discontinued. This ended his newspaper ventures, and since that time he has confined his efforts to the job printing business.
The Michigan Manual records a paper called the Farmer's Visitor, published in Port Huron in 1875. It had disappeared two years later. In 1879. according to the same authority, but five papers were published in St. Clair county : the Port Huron Times, daily and weekly ; the Port Huron Commercial, Wednesdays and Sundays; the Port Huron Call, tri-weekly, representing the National political party; the Saturday Morning Journal, Port Huron; and the St. Clair Republican, weekly.
In 1881, the Journal was credited with daily and weekly editions and the Call had become a semi-weekly. Two years later both papers had disappeared from the list.
The Daily Telegraph was started in Port Huron in the fall of 1882, with a weekly edition, and was continued until 1885 or 1886, when it was discontinued without a successor. Henry Little was the chief pro- moter of the enterprise, and it was understood to be financed by capi- talists of St. Clair city. It was independent in politics. B. H. Williams & Sons were the publishers during the latter part of its career.
In 1883 a second Port Huron Mail made its appearance, its publi- cation day being Saturday and its politics independent. After 1885 it was discontinued.
The Port Huron Tribune (weekly) was published by Albert H. Finn from 1883 to 1888, when it was consolidated with the Sunday Com- mercial.
The New Era was a venture on behalf of the National political party, in 1887. Two years later it had disappeared.
The Western Farm and Home was published in Port Huron by L. H. Krause, in 1891. It was an agricultural journal, issued weekly. After- ward Mr. Krause turned it over to the Riverside Printing Company, together with the Grange Visitor, a monthly paper representing the Patrons of Industry, and the German Herold. The German Herold was afterward transferred to other parties, the other two papers being dis- continued.
In 1895, the Daily News, an adjunct of the Detroit Evening News, made its appearance in Port Huron. Subsequently the paper was sold to David R. Waters, and early in the year 1897 it was discontinued.
In 1899 the Port Huron Republican, a semi-weekly paper, Republican in politics, entered upon a brief career, with Charles J. Seely as pub- lisher. In 1903 it had been hyphenated with the Port Huron Sun, and before 1905 the consolidated paper had disappeared from the field.
The Labor Leader, a weekly, issued Thursdays, was a venture of 1893. It was short lived.
The Port Huron Sentinel was established as an organ of Port Huron Democrats, in April, 1905. The Port Huron Sentinel Company was its publisher, with Charles Wellman as president, William Springer vice- president, and E. E. Stockwell secretary. Thomas Wellman was ed1- torial writer for the paper. In January, 1907, the Sentinel was taken
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over by Robert Watson, E. F. Percival and A. E. Stevenson, who were its sponsors until near the elose of 1908, when it was turned over to Edwin Mason, who had been its editor and manager for some time pre- viously. A month later the paper was discontinued.
The Tattler and the Student were names of high school publications that have appeared in Port Huron at different times.
A paper called the Resorter has been published in Port Huron dur- ing the resort season for several years.
MARINE CITY PAPERS
In the month of January, 1874, the Gazette, Marine City's first news- paper, so far as there is any record, began weekly publication, with Mr. Bissell as publisher.
The Marine City Reporter succeeded the Gazette, its first issue bear- ing date of December 15, 1877. Del C. Huntoon and Calvin A. Blood were its sponsors. Afterward it was published by William N. Miller. and still later by F. Callahan. Since January, 1884, the Reporter has been published by Frank Sutton, who had Joseph Patterson for a part- ner for a few months only after the purchase of the office. A paper called the Post was published for a few months by H. D. Cottrell, and absorbed by the Reporter in 1908. Mr. Sutton is a Republican in poli- ties, and the Reporter has been consistently Republican throughout its entire career.
The Marine City Magnet, an independent weekly, was published Thursdays from 1887 to 1900.
The Marine City Globe, a Republican weekly, issued Saturdays, has a record of publication from 1897 to 1907.
A paper called the Weekly Greeting was published for a time in 1905 and 1906.
The Marine City News (weekly) was established May 7, 1903, by T. J. Wreath and George W. Guyor, who are still its publishers. It has been Republican in polities from the outset, and has had no change of name. Its publication day is Thursday.
CAPAC NEWSPAPERS
Capac's first newspaper was the Argus (weekly), established in 1879 by Joseph E. Soults. In 1882 the office was removed to Fort Gratiot, where Mr. Soults became associated with A. H. Finn in the publication of the Sun.
In 1882, Charles A. Bacon established the Capac Bugle (weekly) and published it for three years or more.
The Capac Journal (weekly) was established in 1887 and has been published regularly ever since. It is Republican in politics. Published by the Journal Publishing Company, Noble Hunter editor.
BROCKWAY CENTRE AND YALE
The first newspaper published at Broekway Centre, afterward Yale, was the Expositor (weekly), the initial number bearing date of May
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18, 1882; Del T. Sutton proprietor. It has since been published reg- ularly, the paper having been owned for many years by James A. Menzies. In politics the Expositor is Republican. Called at first the Brockway Centre Expositor, when Broekway Centre became the city of Yale its name was changed to the Yale Expositor.
The Yale Democrat was published from 1890 to 1894.
The Yale Hustler appeared in 1899 or earlier and was continued for three years or more.
The Yale Record (weekly) has been published since 1897. George W. Allen is its editor and publisher.
MEMPHIS JOURNALISM
E. H. Beach started the first paper published in Memphis and ealled it the Memphis Bug. After running about two years it died, and was followed, first by the Banner and then by the Memphis Tribune (weekly), which was started in 1882 by A. H. Patterson, who previously had been publisher of the Almont Herald. It was discontinued after a few years. In 1887 A. G. Taylor published the Memphis Record for about six months.
The Memphis Bee has been published weekly sinee December, 1893, and is independent in politics. Dwight E. Blackmer is its present editor and publisher. Friday is its day of publication.
ALGONAC NEWSPAPERS
The Eastern Breeze, Algonae's first paper, is recorded in the Michi- gan Manual for 1893, but had disappeared in 1895.
The Times-Courier appeared in 1903, and is now the Algonac Courier, published Fridays, by Charles C. Parker, formerly publisher of the St. Clair Republican. It is Republican in politics.
"FORT GRATIOT SUN"
The Fort Gratiot Enterprise. an independent weekly, published Saturdays, appeared in 1880, Burkholder Brothers publishers. The office was sold to William Berry and occupied a building that was burned in 1881. In December of that year the Fort Gratiot Sun (weekly ) succeeded the Enterprise, with Albert H. Finn as its editor. In 1882 the Capac Argus was merged into the Sun, and Joseph E. Soults became associated with Mr. Finn in its publication, soon after- ward purchasing his interest. Mr. Soults was succeeded as owner and publisher of the Sun by Edward Williams, who was identified with it until 1901 or 1902, when it was discontinued. After Fort Gratiot city was consolidated with Port Huron the paper became the Port Huron Sun.
THE "POSTMASTER EVERYWHERE" AND ITS PUBLISHER
Hannibal Allen Hopkins, owner of the St. Clair Republican office, and both owner and publisher of the Postmaster Everywhere, left the
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Michigan Agricultural College in his sophomore year to become a page in the state senate during the session of 1889. During the session of 1891 he was clerk of the committee on state affairs, and press elerk of the legislatures of 1893, 1895 and 1897. Mr. Hopkins located at St. Clair in 1895, when he purchased the Republican, coming there from Washington, D. C., where he had been doing newspaper work. He was appointed postmaster of St. Clair February 25, 1898, and is now serving his fourth term. For eleven years he has been secretary of the Michigan Press Association and of the Michigan Association of Postmasters, and for eight years, since its organization, he has been seeretary of the Na- tional Association of Postmasters, Offices of the Second and Third Classes. Mr. Hopkins married Pamelia, daughter of Congressman Justin R. Whiting, at Washington, April 30, 1895, and has two children.
The Postmaster Everywhere (monthly) was established by Mr. Hop- kins in January, 1903. In July, 1904, Mr. Hopkins purchased and con- solidated with it the American Postmaster, previously published at Eff- ingham, Ill. The Postmaster Everywhere is the official organ of the National Association of Postmasters (offiees of the first class), the Na- tional Association of Postmasters (offices of the second and third classes), the New England Association of Postmasters, and several state associations.
THE "SUNDAY HERALD"
John Murray, who was a prominent figure in St. Clair county jour- nalism for a quarter of a century, came to Port Huron in 1881, and in 1882 beeame connected with the Sunday Commercial as one of its edi- tors. In 1886, associated with J. Bartle Parker, he established the Sun- day Herald. A few years later Mr. Parker retired and removed from Port Huron, and thereafter Mr. Murray was sole proprietor of the paper, except for a short time when he had W. A. Mustard for a partner, until it was sold to Messrs. Ottaway & Weil, in 1900, and merged into the Daily Herald. As a writer he had a vein of gossipy humor that at- tracted much attention. From April 1, 1895, to the same date of 1899, Mr. Murray was postmaster of Port Huron. He was also once a candi- date for state senator from St. Clair county on the Demoeratie ticket and was defeated by a very small majority. In July, 1901, Mr. Murray purchased Mr. Ottaway's interest in the Daily Herald, and until his death, which occurred May 23, 1907, he was editor-in-chief of that paper.
Mr. Murray was born at St. Mary's, Ont., May 25, 1848, and before coming to Michigan was a school teacher at Tilsonburg, Ont. He mar- ried Miss Nellie Worden soon after loeating in Port Huron. Mrs. Mur- ray is still living, and calls Port Huron her home.
GERMAN JOURNALISM IN PORT HURON
The German Herold, a weekly published Thursdays, made its appear- anee in Port Huron in 1888 or 1889, and continued a somewhat cheek- ered eareer until 1905 or 1906. About 1896 it passed from L. H. Krause to the Riverside Printing Company, and afterward for some years was
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edited by T. G. Naumann. Its last owner was John Eisenhauer, to whom it was transferred by the Republican county committee, into whose hands it had fallen in the course of political promotion. Mr. Eisenhauer con- tinued publication of the paper for about two years, editing it himself, and then discontinued it.
A German paper called the Michigan Deutsche Zeitung was credited to Port Huron in the Michigan Manual from 1893 to 1899. It was pub- lished Thursdays and was independent in politics.
FRATERNAL SOCIETY JOURNALS
The Bee Hive, official organ of the Knights of the Maccabees of the World (monthly), has been published in Port Huron since it was estab- lished, in 1881. Nathan S. Boynton was its first editor. For some years past it has been edited by Ed. L. Young, of Norwalk, Ohio. It is printed and mailed by the Riverside Printing Company.
The Forester (monthly), official organ in the United States of the Independent Order of Foresters, was established in 1907. The Supreme Court of Foresters publisher ; Albert E. Stevenson editor. It is printed and mailed by the Riverside Printing Company.
The Ladies' Review (monthly), official organ of the Ladies of the Maccabees of the World, was established in 1895. Miss Bina M. West has been its editor from its first issue. Printed and mailed by the River- side Printing Company.
The Lady Maccabee (monthly), official organ of the Ladies of the Modern Maccabees, has been published in Port Huron during the past ten years. Mrs. Grace Greenwood Browne, of Harbor Beach, Michigan, is its present editor. It is printed and mailed by the Riverside Printing Company.
The Modern Maccabce, formerly the Michigan Maccabee (monthly ), official organ of the Knights of the Modern Maccabees, was established in Port Huron in 1887, with Nathan S. Boynton as its first editor. For several years past it has been edited by Stephen S. Williams, of Detroit. Its publication in Port Huron continued until December, 1910. In January, 1911, Kable Brothers, of Mt. Morris, Ill., began its publication, by contract with the executive committee of the order.
The Michigan Hibernian, official organ of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Ladies of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, of Michigan, now in its tenth volume, removed its office of publication from Detroit to Port Huron in January, 1911. John C. Lehr is the editor. It is printed by the Riverside Printing Company.
MONTHLY PUBLICATIONS
The International Magazine began publication in Port Huron in December, 1903, the International Publishing Company publishers, and Thomas H. Mills editor. Its subscription price at the outset was ten cents a year. From June, 1904, to November of the same year, John Pierdon was the editor. He was succeeded by Mrs. Maud C. Adams. From November, 1905, until its last issue, June, 1907, Edith Ward Sher-
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