History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 21

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1520

USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 21
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 21

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The Republican Gazette, by Elijah Russell, made its appearance February 5, 1801. The name was after- wards changed to the American Republican Gazette. It was the first paper in Concord to advocate the views of the Jeffersonian Republicans. Mr. Davis, who was associated with Russell in publishing the Gazette, was at the same time publisher of the Dart-

1 The editor acknowledges his indebtedness in the preparation of this chapter to the late Asa McFarland, also to D. F. Secomb, P. B. Cogs- well, H. H. Metcalf and George E. Jenks.

CONCORD.

mouth Gazette, at Hanover, and espoused the Federal side, Russell styling Davis the "elbow-chair editor."

The Concord Gazette, by Hoit & Tuttle, was com- menced July 12, 1806, and discontinued with the thirty-seventh number. Mr. Hoit resided in Concord many years, but finally died in Pembroke, December 24, 1854, aged seventy-one. His body was brought to Concord, and buried in the Old Cemetery, where a monument was erected to his memory by the printers of this city.

June 9, 1807, Jesse C. Tuttle resumed the publica- tion of the Concord Gazette, and continued the paper until after the close of the war with England, in 1815, when it passed into the hands of W. S. Spear, and thence to Spear & Thayer, who continued it until 1819, when it ceased to be published. Mr. Tuttle died in Concord, December 10, 1834, aged fifty-five.

After leaving the Gazette, Mr. Hoit commenced the American Patriot, October 18, 1808, which he pub- lished until April 18, 1809, when Isaac Hill, who, twelve days before, had completed a seven years' apprentice- ship in the office of The Farmers' Cabinet, at Amherst, became its proprietor, and changed the name to New Hampshire Patriot. Walter R. Hill and Jacob B. Moore, brother and brother-in-law of Mr. Hill, were at times associated with him, but Mr. Hill was at all times its controlling spirit. He was a vigorous writer, an earnest Democrat, an honest man, who stamped his character upon the columns of the paper, and made it a power in the State as an exponent of the principles of Jeffersonian Democracy. Its patronage increased and its influence extended until it excelled all other papers in the State, and was recognized throughout the country as one of the ablest advocates of Democratic Republican doctrines.

In March, 1829, he received an appointment in the Treasury Department at Washington, and the paper passed to Horatio Hill & Co., and April 27th, that year, their names appeared as publishers, Dudley S. Pal- mer being editor. July 6, 1829, Cyrus Barton, of Newport, became a member of the firm, and finally the editor. October 6, 1834, Horatio Hill retired, and Colonel Barton became sole proprietor. Novem- ber 21, 1840, Henry H. Carroll became associated with Colonel Barton in the ownership and manage- ment of the Patriot. December 9, 1841, Colonel Barton retired from the establishment, having sold his interest to Nathaniel B. Baker, who, with Mr. Carroll, conducted the paper until November 6, 1845, when Mr. Baker retired, and his associate continued alone in the paper till his death, August 4, 1846. December 3d, same year, William Butterfield became proprietor of the establishment. May 27, 1847, Hill's New Hampshire Patriot was united with the New Hampshire Patriot, and William Butterfield and John M. Hill became the proprietors. May 18, 1853, Mr. Hill retired, leaving Mr. Butterfield as the owner until September 2, 1857, at which time Joseph W. 1

Merriam became associated with him. This arrange- ment continued until August 17, 1859, when Mr. Merriam retired, and Mr. Butterfield was alone until May 6, 1868, when Mr. Hill re-entered the firm, and the firm-name was Butterfield & Hill until February 20, 1873, when Edwin C. Bailey purchased the estab- lishment and continued as proprietor until October, 1878, when it was purchased by the proprietors of The People, and the two papers were united under the name of the People and Patriot.

In March, 1883, upon the death of Charles C. Pearson, who had been the active manager of the establishment, the paper passed to the proprietorship and control of John H. Pearson and Lewis C. Pattee, by whom it was conducted until April 16, 1885, the direct management being in the hands of Mr. Pear- son.

It then passed into the hands of the New Hamp- shire Democratic Press Company, by whom it is now published.

The People, mentioned above, was established here June 10, 1868, by John H. and Charles C. Pearson, under the firm-name of Charles C. Pearson & Co.

The New Hampshire Magazine, probably the first magazine published in this State, was commenced June, 1793, in Concord, and discontinued the follow- ing November. It was a small octavo, each number containing sixty-four pages. Rev. Martin Ruter, then a resident of Canterbury, is said to have been the editor.

Hill's New Hampshire Patriot was commenced August 14, 1840, and conducted with the zeal and ability so obvious in the New Hampshire Patriot during the entire period that journal was in charge of its founder, Hon. Isaac Hill. In May, 1847, Hill's New Hampshire Patriot was united with the New Hampshire Patriot.

The Farmers' Monthly Visitor, commenced by Isaac Hill, January 15, 1839, and conducted by that gentle- man several years, was an interesting and useful pub- lication, in pamphlet form. Its publication in Con- cord ceased with the number for December, 1849, when it was transferred to Manchester.

The New Hampshire Courier was commenced by Palmer & Odlin, December 14, 1832,-Dudley S. Palmer, editor. August 8, 1834, it appeared as the Courier and Inquirer, printed and published by Odlin & Chadwick,-D. S. Palmer, editor. This paper was continued under various proprietors until May, 1842, when it was discontinued; but was revived October 4, 1844, by Augustus C. Blodgett, who had heen for a time one of the proprietors of the New Hampshire Statesman. January 9, 1846, the Courier was united with the Concord Gazette, a journal then recently commenced by Charles F. Low. The connection of Mr. Low with the paper ceased October 21, 1846, and thenceforth, until its union with the Independent Democrat, May 6, 1847, Mr. Blodgett managed the paper.

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

The New Hampshire Observer was commenced in Concord, January 4, 1819, by George Hough, and was then entitled Concord Observer. March 25, 1822, it passed into the hands of John W. Shepard, who changed its name to New Hampshire Repository. Rev. John M. Putnam succeeded Mr. Shepard, changing the name of the paper to New Hampshire Observer. July 12, 1827, Mr. Putnam sold out to Tobias H. Miller, of Portsmouth, and the paper was transferred to that town. It was printed there and at Portland, Me., under several publishers and editors, until May, 1831, when Edmund S. Chadwick purchased a half- interest in the paper and returned it to its birth-place. Jnne 11, 1831, ex-Governor David L. Morrill became half-owner. August 4, 1833, Charles H. Little pur- chased the interest of Governor Morrill, and the Observer was published by Chadwick & Little until February 6, 1835, when, Mr. Little having died, Rev. David Kimball became associated with Mr. Chad- wick, who retired March 25, 1836. January 4, 1839, the name was changed to Christian Panoply. Jan- uary 1, 1841, the paper became the property of David Kimball and Henry Wood, Congregational clergymen, and the name was changed to Congrega- tional Journal. After several changes, during which Rev. Benjamin P. Stone and Benning W. Sanborn were proprietors, December 25, 1862, its subscribers were transferred to The Congregationalist and Boston Recorder. Mr. Stone afterwards issued a small monthly publication, and continued it two years, with the title Christian Reporter.

The first number of the Abolitionist, published by D. D. Fisk and E. G. Eastman, appeared January 24, 1835. After four numbers it was published by Albe Cady, George Storrs, George Kent and Amos Wood, and issued as the Herald of Freedom, the first number being dated March 7, 1835. Joseph Horace Kimball became editor and Elbridge G. Chase printer. The connection of Mr. Kimball with the Herald continned until disease forbade his longer continuance. His valedictory appeared March 24, 1838, and he died on the 11th of the following April. N. P. Rogers then assumed the editorial management, and remained in that position until, in 1844, a misunderstanding arose between him and the managers of the New Hamp- shire Anti-Slavery Society, in regard to the property in the concern, which resulted in the appointment of Parker Pillsbury as editor and Jacob H. Ela publish- ing agent. Their first paper appeared December 20, 1844, and this arrangement continued about one year. In the mean time Mr. Rogers started another herald of freedom, with a prefix,-The Herald of Freedom. In this sheet he sustained his side of the controversy. This paper he continued until near the time of his death, which took place October 16, 1846.

August 13, 1841, the first number of the People's Advocate made its appearance,-Alanson St. Clair, publishing agent; G. J. L. Colby and A. St. Clair, editors. This was the organ of the political anti-

slavery party in New Hampshire, and in those years met small encouragement. It seems to have been printed some time in Hanover, by J. E. Hood; for in the report of the Liberty Party State Convention, held June 5, 1844, it was stated that Mr. Hood had received no compensation, and was liable for debts contracted by former publishers to the amount of three hundred dollars. Nearly two hundred dollars was contributed at that meeting to discharge this liability. The paper was probably discontinued in January, 1844. A little sheet-the Family Visitor- was commenced at Hanover by Mr. Hood, February 7, 1844, and continued a short time in its place. Mr. Hood also started the Granite Freeman, a political anti-slavery paper, June 20, 1844, and continued the same until May 1, 1847, when it was united with the Independent Democrat.

The New Hampshire Statesman 1 was founded by Luther Roby, who moved from Amherst, N. H., to Concord, and became its printer and publisher. Amos A. Parker, in practice of law at Epping, was engaged to conduct it. The first number bears date Concord, January 6, 1823. Mr. Roby published the paper until June, 1823, when his connection with it ceased. He continued many years in the business of book-printing, until he abandoned it and engaged in developing the granite quarrying interest in Concord, in which he was the pioneer. In the later years of his life he engaged in the manufacture of glasswares in Lyndeborough, N. H. He returned to Concord, where he died February 22, 1883. He was born January 8, 1801.

June 1, 1823, the Statesman became the property of Amos A. Parker, its conductor during the five months of its infancy.

June 1, 1824, George Hough commenced and puh- lished the Concord Register, which was edited by George Kimball. Mr. Parker, October 17, 1825, tranferred the Statesman property to George Kimball, to which he united the "list" of the Register, and continued the publication of a paper under the united name of the New Hampshire Statesman and Concord Register, the first publication bearing date October 22, 1825. Mr. Parker still lives, and resides in Glas- tonbury, Conn., at the age of eighty-nine.

December 3, 1825, Thomas G. Wells, publisher of the Amherst Herald, purchased an interest in the Statesman and Register, to which he united the sub- scription list of the Herald, and the paper was pub- lished by Kimball & Wells. Febrnary 11, 1826, Mr. Wells sold his interest in the paper to Asa McFar- land and Moses G. Atwood, and the publishers were Kimball, McFarland & Atwood. July 29, 1826, Mr. Kimball disposed of his newspaper property to George Kent, and the publishers were Kent, McFarland & Atwood. July 28, 1827, Mr. Atwood conveyed his interest in the paper to Kent & McFarland, who con-

1 By George E. Jenks.

CONCORD.

tinned its publication nntil May 21, 1831, on which date a paper called the New Hampshire Journal, established September 11, 1826, by Henry E. & Jacob B. Moore, was consolidated with the Statesman and Register. These papers, united, assumed the title of The New Hampshire Statesman and State Jour- nal, and became the property of Asa McFarland aud George W. Ela, who were its publishers until Janu- ary 1, 1834. The paper bore this title for twenty years. George Kent died at New Bedford, Mass., November 8, 1884, in the eighty-ninth year of his age.

January 1, 1834, Mr. MeFarland sold his interest in the Statesman and Journal to George W. Ela, who became sole proprietor and publisher from said date to May 5, 1838. Mr. Ela then entered into a part- nership with John W. Flanders, which existed nntil July 11, 1840, when Mr. Ela again became sole pub- lisher to Angust 14, 1841. From August 14, 1841, to May 1, 1842, the Statesman and Journal was published by George W. & Jacob Hart Ela. From May 6 to June 25, 1842, the names of George W. Ela and Augustus C. Blodgett appeared as its publishers. From July 1, 1842, to April 14, 1843, the names of George W. Ela, Augustus C. Blodgett and John P. Osgood appeared upon the paper as its publishers. From the last date, for three numbers, no names ap- peared on the paper as publishers. From May 5, 1843, to February 23, 1844, the names of John P. Osgood and Frank S. West appeared as publishers and A. C. Blodgett as editor. From March 1 to July 18, 1844, the firm-name of Blodgett & Osgood appeared as publishers. Mr. Ela is understood to have retained an interest in the paper from April, 1843, to July 19, 1844, when it was by him conveyed to George W. Odlin & Co. Mr. Ela, now at the age of seventy-seven, is an active business man, and holds a residence in Concord.

The firm of George O. Odlin & Co. (John C. Wil- son and John R. Osgood being the company) began the publication of the Statesman July 26, 1844, and continued it until July 4, 1851. Mr. Osgood remained one of the firm about three years. Asa McFarland was its political editor to July, 1850, and correspond- ent, while making a five months' trip in Europe, to January, 1851.

In July, 1851, Asa McFarland and George E. Jenks (firm of MeFarland & Jenks, book and job printers) purchased the Statesman and assumed its publication under the title as above, -Asa McFar- land, editor. The first publication under said pro- prietors bears date of July 12, 1851. Jannary 1, 1858, Henry MeFarland became associated with the said firm. Jannary 1, 1868, Asa McFarland retired from the editorship of the paper, and January, 1869, the name was changed to The Republican Statesman. Jannary 1, 1870, Rossiter Johnson purchased Asa McFarland's interest in the establishment, and the paper continued to be published under the firm-name of McFarland & Jenks, to October 1, 1871.

The paper was then purchased by a corporation known as the "Republican Press Association," who consolidated with it the weekly Independent Demo- crat ; the saine purchase included the Concord Daily Monitor. The weekly issue of the paper from the press of this corporation has, since October 1, 1871, borne the title of the Independent Statesman. Rossiter Jolinson, P. B. Cogswell, George G. Fogg, William E. Stevens, Allan M. Jenks and Edward N. Pearson have been members of its editorial corps since Octo- ber, 1871, and Edward A. Jenks has been its business manager.

Of those the longest identified with the Statesman, Asa McFarland was the veteran. His publication of the paper dates from February 11, 1826, to January 1, 1834, and from July, 1851, to January 1, 1868,- about twenty-five years. To this term of service may be added six years as political editor and correspon- dent while the paper was published by George O. Odlin & Co. After retiring from active service, he was a frequent contributor to the columns of the Statesman to the time of his death, December 13, 1879, in the seventy-sixth year of his age.

George E. Jenks was for more than twenty years a publisher of the Statesman, and Henry McFarland fourteen years. George W. Ela was a proprietor of the Statesman thirteen years, and George O. Odlin and John C. Wilson each seven years.

Of the men who have, at various times, been en- gaged in the earlier publication of the Statesman, there are living, A.D. 1885, Amos A. Parker, now of Glastonbury, Conn., aged about eighty-nine; George W. Ela, Concord, seventy-seven; and George O. Od- lin, Union Grove, Ill.

The Statesman came into existence after the decease of the Federal party, and espoused the canse of Levi Woodbury as an independent candidate for Governor against Samnel Dinsmoor. Mr. Woodbury was snc- cessful against his rival. Subsequently it supported the Whig party, and became the leading exponent of its principles; and later, an effective supporter of the Republican party, when it came into existence in 1856 from the wreck of the old Whig and Free-Soil parties, and since.

The Independent Democrat was commenced at Man- chester, May 8, 1845, by Robert C. Wetmore. Subse- quently it was transferred to Concord, where George G. Fogg, State Secretary, engaged in its editorial management, and May 6, 1847, the New Hampshire Courier, published by A. C. Blodgett, and the Granite Freeman, published by J. E. Hood, with their sub- scription lists, were merged with the Independent Democrat, and Mr. Hood became one of the editors and publishers of the consolidated journal, under the name of The Independent Democrat and Freeman. July 29, 1847, Mr. Wetmore retired therefrom, and the paper was published by J. E. Hood & Co. Feb- ruary 22, 1849, Mr. Hood retired from the paper, and James J. Wiggin became a partner, when the paper

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

again assumed the name of The Independent Democrat, and appeared published by Fogg & Wiggin.

Jannary 1, 1852, Cyrus Barton, a former publisher of the New Hampshire Patriot, commenced the publi- cation of a semi-weekly paper, called the State Cap- ital Reporter. May 20, 1853, Amos Hadley became associated with Colonel Barton. A weekly edition of the Reporter was commenced July 16, 1853, and the semi-weekly Reporter was discontinued September 5, 1854. Colonel Barton died February 17, 1855, and Mr. Hadley conducted the establishment until Jan- uary 8, 1857, when the paper was merged in The Independent Democrat, which was thereafter published and edited by George G. Fogg and Amos Hadley.

May 23, 1864, Parsons B. Cogswell and George H. Sturtevant commenced to publish the Concord Daily Monitor. October 14th a weekly edition of the Monitor was published, and continued until January 5, 1867; but January 20, 1867, The Independent Democrat and the Monitor establishments were united, and the Con- cord Daily Monitor and The Independent Democrat were published by the Independent Press Associa- tion until October, 1871, when The Independent Dem- ocrat and Republican Statesman establishments were consolidated. The combined weekly paper appeared under the name of the Independent Statesman, and the daily issue continued under the name of the Concord Daily Monitor. The new business combination was incorporated under the style and title of the "Re- publican Press Association."

Such have been the changes and affiliations of half a century, through which the Independent Statesman came into existence October 6, 1871. From this date there has been no change.

As connected with The Independent Democrat, Inde- pendent Statesman and Daily Monitor, George G. Fogg held a service of twenty-seven years. He died October 5, 1881. P. B. Cogswell's service with these papers has been continuous since May, 1864. Amos Hadley had a ten years' connection with the Reporter and Democrat.

The Independent Democrat was established to pro- mulgate the principles of the Free-Soil party. Sub- sequently, from the consolidation of the opponents of the Democratic organization into the Republican party, in 1856, it gave firm support to the new organ- ization, which embraced the principles of the Free- Soil party. These two leading papers, the Statesman and the Democrat, having accomplished their separate work, are now consolidated in one, to represent the great principles for which the two so long battled, side by side, in the city of Concord. Long may its name be a synonym for the rights of all mankind !

January 5, 1832, the Olive Branch, a small quarto, issued once a week, made its appearance. It hore the name of Jacob Perkins, but was discontinued on the 21st of the following June.

November 21, 1832, Hill & Barton, proprietors of the New Hampshire Patriot, commenced issuing that paper in semi-weekly form, which, after trial of a

year and a half, ceased to appear as a semi-weekly sheet.

The Star in the East and New Hampshire Universalist was first issued on April 12, 1832, by Kimball & Adams. It was conducted by Rev. John G. Adams until August 5, 1837, when it was merged in The Trumpet, a Universalist paper, published in Boston, by Rev. Thomas Whittemore; Rev. Moses Ballon, of Portsmouth, was assistant editor.

The Balm of Gilead and Practical Universalist was commenced July, 1842, and continued two years or more,-J. F. Witherell, 'publisher; C. Philbrick, printer. It was a small weekly quarto paper, and advocated the principles of the religious denomina- tion whose name it bore.

On March 1, 1831, Henry E. and John W. Moore commenced the Concord Advertiser, but the paper was soon abandoned, and J. W. Moore, May 10, 1834, commenced a semi-monthly called The Chameleon, but that also was short-lived.

Moses Eastman and Albert G. Chadwick, June 16, 1833, commenced, and published more than a year, a paper styled The Spirit of Enquiry.

The New Hampshire Baptist Register, Rev. Edmund Worth, editor; Eastman, Webster & Co., publishers, was issued here several years before and after the year 1834.

Priestcraft Exposed, a semi-monthly publication, was issued here in 1833, 1834 and 1835 by Hayes & Kimball, a part of which time it was published in an enlarged form as The Expositor.

The Literary Gazette, published weekly by D. D. Fisk, Asa Fowler and Moody Currier, was commenced August 1, 1834, and published about two years. Cyrus P. Bradley was also associated for a time with the paper.

Temperance Herald was the name of a paper pub- lished by the New Hampshire Temperance Society, at Concord, and furnished free one year to every family in the State in 1834 or 1835. E. S. Chadwick continued the publication of the paper one year after the State society relinquished it. Mr. Chadwick also published the White Mountain Torrent, a temperance sheet, about three years prior to July 20, 1846, when it was united with the Massachusetts Temperance Stand- ard, and published in Boston.

The Loco- Motive, a small semi-weekly paper, was commenced May 20, 1842,-John R. French, pub- lisher; George Kent, editor. Ouly about twenty numbers were issued.

The Crusader of Reform, commenced January, 1852, was published about two years by Rev. Daniel Lan- caster.

Rev. Daniel Lancaster and Charles L. Wheeler com- menced, early in 1853, and published a few numbers of a paper bearing the name Northern Indicator.

The Undercurrent, a monthly paper, was commenced November 1, 1848, by Lewis Tower, but was soon discontinued.

CONCORD.

The Democratic Standard was commenced June, 1856, by John B. Palmer, and continued until August, 1861, when, on account of its alleged disloyalty, the office was assailed by a mob, and the printing material destroyed. Its publication was not resumed. Ed- mund Burke, of Newport, was understood to have been a frequent writer for the Standard.

The Monitor, the organ of the Unitarian denomina- tion in New Hampshire, commenced at Dover in 1831, was removed to Concord May 7, 1834. It was conducted until May 6, 1835, by a committee of the Unitarian Ministerial Association. Rev. Moses G. Thomas occupied the editorial chair at that time, and conducted the paper until it was discontinued, prob- ably with the close of Vol. 5, May 20, 1836.

The New Hampshire Phoenix, a temperance sheet, conducted by D. & J. Lancaster, was commenced January 7, 1854. February 10, 1855, E. H. Cheney appeared as editor and proprietor. It was finally united with the Weekly Chronicle, at Portsmouth, and published there by Miller & Gray.

Campaign Papers .- These have been issued by several concerns, especially previous to the establish- ment of daily papers in Concord. These sheets had various titles, of which the following are specimens: Spirit of the Republican Press, from the office of the Patriot, in 1829, D. S. Palmer, editor; The Concord Patriot, by S. O. Dickey, 1835; The Transcript, 1835; The Advocate of Democracy, from the office of Hill's New Hampshire Patriot, 1843, Joseph Kidder, editor ; The True Whig, D. S. Palmer, editor, 1847; The Wil- mot Proviso, 1848, Frank Barr, publisher; the Rough and Ready, 1847-48, True Osgood, publisher; the Concord Tribune, Charles L. Wheeler, publisher; the Voice of the Stockholders, by E. E. Sturtevant, 1855; and the Tough and Steady, to match the Rough and Ready.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 21

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1520

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1520