Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 66

Author: Haddock, John A. 1823-
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Sherman
Number of Pages: 1094

USA > New York > Jefferson County > Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894 > Part 66

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Clark & Fayel continued in the paper until 1863, when the partnership was dissolved. Indeed, Mr. Clark paid little attention to the paper after taking his seat in Congress in 1861. When Mr. Fayel retired from the paper he took a position in the Postoffice De- partment at Washington, but failing health compelled him to relinquish the same, and he died at Saratoga, where he had gone in the hope of obtaining relief, July 12, 1864, at the age of 39, after a service of twelve years as associate editor of the Journal. The paper

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

then passed into the hands of J. Budlong and Orison L. Haddock. After one year, how- ever, Haddock sold his interest to Budlong, and Budlong sold the same to H. H. Smith, September 16, 1865, and under his manage- ment the Journal was continued most of the time as a semi-weekly until 1867, when it was sold to Solon M. Hazen, and continued by him until it was finally disposed of to the Re- former, May 15, 1868, and the journal was dis- continued. In August 28, 1850, L. Ingalls, A. H. Burdick and L. M. Stowell started the New York Reformer, independent in politics. Mr. Burdick retired from the paper, October 16, 1851, and Mr. Stowell left it March 11, 1858. From this date to August 26, 1858, Mr. Ingalls had no partner. At that time John A. Haddock bought into the concern. March 22, 1860, Beman Brockway was asso- ciated in the conduct of the Reformer. September 27, in the same year, Mr. Had- dock retired from the paper, and Isaac M. Beebee became interested in the same. He remained in the paper until October 10, 1861, when Ingalls & Brockway became the pub- lishers. December 17, 1863, Lafayette J. Bigelow became connected with the paper, and continued his interest therein until his death, which occurred January 13, 1870. On the 1st of June following, Charles R. Skin- ner came into the establishment as a partner, the firm name being Ingalls, Brockway and Skinner. December 12, 1873, Mr. Brockway purchased the interest of Mr. Ingalls, at pub- lic sale, and at private sale the interest of Mr. Skinner, August 1, 1874, since which time the organization has been owned by a stock organization. Mr. Brockway died in 1893.

Besides the foregoing, there have been numerous newspaper ventures in Watertown. Among them may be mentioned the Herald of Salvation, a Universalist semi-monthly maga- zine, by Rev. Pitt Morse, commenced Nov. 30, 1822; first year printed by S. A. Abbey; second, by W. Woodward. It was then united with a magazine in Philadelphia.

The Phare des Lacs (Beacon of the Lakes), commenced in May, 1858, by C. Petit, editor and proprietor, was published several years in Watertown, then removed to Buffalo, and from there to Toledo, where it was discon- tinued.

The Watertown Post was originally started July 16, 1870, by Bragdon & Co. November 2, 1871, Bragdon retired and the firm name was changed to Hanford, Wood & Plumb. In 1872 Mr. Plumb retired from the paper, and was succeeded by J. H. Treadwell. In June, 1874, R. A. Oakes succeeded Tread- well, and the following September the paper was purchased by L. Ingalls, who has since sold it to Mr. Chase, the present successful editor.

In 1883 the Republican was started by Gen. Bradley Winslow, who edited and published it until 1884, when it was merged in the Wa- tertown Post.

The Annals of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, is a monthly magazine of general Catholic literature, and official organ of the

Arch Confraternity of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. It was established in 1877 by the Rev. J. F. Durin, then Superior of the Mis- sionaries of the Sacred Heart, at Watertown, the first number appearing in June, from the printing house of C. E. Holbrook, out of whose hands the typographical part of the work was never taken. Thanks to the skill- ful management of its founder, the small 24 page publication struggled on triumphantly through a host of difficulties until it definitely took its place among permanent Catholic periodicals. The Annals has since remained under the editorship of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, and is now as fine a specimen of magazine-making as one would wish to see, reflecting credit alike on publisher and printer. The main object of the magazine is to promote devotion to the Mother of God, venerated under the title of "Our Lady of the Sacred Heart." It is, however, by no means restricted to devotional artieles, but de- votes most of its pages to wholesome fiction, instructive essays, original poems, accounts of missionary adventures in uncivilized coun- tries, particularly in the South Sea Islands, and other items of news from the world over; also to notes on current literature.

The Watertown Advocate was established in the city of Watertown, February 7, 1884, under the title of Temperance Advocate, and changed to its present name in 1887.

The Advocate originated at a conference of leading prohibitionists, held at the office of Dr. J. D. Huntington, in the fall of 1883, when the necessity for a paper to represent the principles of the Prohibition party in Northern New York was clearly seen and ex- pressed by those present. George E. Satch- well, a graduate of the Watertown High School, and a teacher of experience, was chosen to undertake the task of securing sub- scribers for such a paper. This he success- fully accomplished, becoming its first editor and publisher, and the paper has continued to the present under his management, having appeared regularly every week since its first issue in 1884.

The Advocate has proved a vigorous sup- porter of the principle of Prohibition, but giving its aid to all forms of true temperance effort.

The Watertown Herald came into existence on the 4th of July, 1866, and in keeping with the day on which it was born, it proclaimed independence, and has maintained it ever since. The starting of the Herald was a bold move, and so far as the history of the press of the Empire State is known, it is the only instance where four newspapers were com- bined at once. The Carthage Leader, the Clayton Free Press, the Copenhagen News and the Jefferson County Herald were all purchased and merged into the Watertown Herald. The only notice the subscribers of the various papers had of the change was the announcement in their home journal that the paper had been sold to Jere. Coughlin, and the subscribers would thereafter receive their papers on Saturday, instead of the day of

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THE PRESS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

publication. The next Saturday the Herald appeared, double the size, with the home news, and sold at the same price. Its editor and publisher began his apprenticeship in the Carthage Republican office, on the 17th of March, 1874, and worked through the various stages, from the washing of rollers in a coun- try newspaper office, to the editing of a city daily, before starting in business on his own account. There is a certain dash and fear- lessness about the paper, characteristic of its editor, which makes it a welcome visitor to thousands of homes Geo. P. Rowell & Co's. newspaper guide accords the Herald the larg. est circulation of any paper in Northern New York.

We have not burthened the reader with "all and singular" the many "alleged " newspaper enterprises in Watertown, a few of them too short-lived to have earned scarcely a name, and some of them uncalled for by any rational or sustained demand. Through the whole list we have given, the reader will note that the old Whig and Demo- cratic animus was well maintained until 1846, when the Democrats broke into two factions, the great body of them becoming Free-soilers, and affiliating with such Whigs as had anti- slavery proclivities. These turned their sup- port towards Mr. Ingalls and his Reformer, and, after he lost his interest in that paper, towards the establishment he had founded. His impress upon the reading public of Jeffer- son county has been of longer duration, and of a more permanent character than that of any of the many bright young men who have from time to time been connected with the Water- town newspapers-clearly demonstrating that staying qualities are better than bril- liancy, or even special facility in writing. The influence of others who have remained connected with the Watertown newspapers has been much less marked, but the next 25 years may reveal the name of some one even now in the newspaper harness, who will have achieved wealth and honor in his calling It is a laborious profession, but men who have once been newspaper writers, notwithstand- ing the unpleasant experiences they may have been called upon to endure, feel ever a desire to be back again in the ranks, as old cavalry or artillery horses will prick up their ears and begin to cavort upon hearing a bugle call.

As a striking illustration of the indifference shown by many intelligent people as regards their interest in a proper presentation of their business status in a local history, the author mentions that he forwarded to each news- paper publisher in Jefferson county a request for such a description of his paper as he would like to have appear for the information of posterity. But four of them have made any response, both of the dailies having made no sign. It may be surmised that the men now conducting newspapers in Jefferson county are hardly as ambitious as was that one who carried a bundle of paper on his back from Utica, early in the twenties, rather than miss an edition of his paper.

SACKETS HARBOR.

The first printing office in Sackets Harbor was established by George Camp, who issued the first number of the Sackets Harbor Gazette, March 18, 1817. The following year the title of Advertiser was added, and by that title continued till the close of its third vol- ume, 1820. Subsequently, Matthew Cole, Elisha Camp and others became owners, and changed its name, February 9, 1821, to Jeffer- son Republican.

The Republican was continued for a year or more, when its publication was suspended. In the spring of 1824, Truman Haskall started the Freeman's Advocate, which con- tinued to the close of 1828. These papers advocated Federal principles, and the last was strongly anti-Masonic.

Between this date and 1837, the Sackets Harbor Courier was conducted with consider- able credit by James Howe.

Edward H. Purdy began the publication of the Jefferson County Whig in September, 1837. This continued only one year, though it is pleasantly remembered by the old inhabi- tants. In October, 1838, Edmund M. Luff published the Sackets Harbor Journal, edited by D. N. Burnham for a season, after which Mr. Luff conducted the paper until the spring of 1841.

On Mr. Luff retiring from the Journal, Joel Greene became proprietor. The Journal was enlarged under his management. The spirit that had pervaded the previous papers passed away with the new element, and it did not presage success. After his second year as publisher, Joel Greene's interest passed to Calvin Greene, who, in 1843, discontinued the paper.

No paper was afterwards published in Sackets Harbor till O. H. Harris issued the first num- ber of the Sackets Harbor Observer, March 20, 1848, and under that head continued with its Whig proclivities until 1842, when Mr. Harris and John D. Huntington were then associated in the Jefferson Farmer, which was published as a neutral sheet. Mr. Harris re- stored the former title of Sackets Harbor Observer, and with his removal from the village, the newspaper enterprise ended.

ADAMS.

The first paper at Adams was started July 1, 1828, by Theron Parsons, which was called the Censor. It was removed to Watertown after 26 numbers had been issued. The Cen- sor was anti-Masonic, and probably anti- Republican (Democratic). . Abner Morton was the editor. A reasonably perfect file of the Censor, from the time it was commenced at Adams, July 1, 1828, to the time it was sold to Abner Morton, in Watertown, January 5, 1830, has been presented to the Jefferson Historical Society, by Justus Eddy, of Syra- cuse, and handsomely bound for its use. The first issue of the paper under Mr. Morton's management, is "number 70, of volume 2," indicating an unusual way of numbering, as in the regular way the highest number for a weekly issue would be 52, after which the

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volume would change, and the numbers of the issues would begin at 1 again. When the Censor was removed to Watertown, the Anti-Masonic Recorder was discontinued, the Censor taking its place as the organ of the anti-Masonic party. When Abner Morton announced his connection with the Censor, in Watertown, January 5, 1830, there were two papers in the village-the Freeman, (Republi- can), and the Register (anti Republican).

The Censor was published about 5 months (till June 8, 1830), when Enoch Ely Camp was announced as the editor. He is said to have been concerned in the paper from the beginning. He changed its name to the Anti-Masonic Sun. It was afterwards pub- lished 39 weeks by Dr. R. Goodale, com- mencing December 12, 1830, as the Constel- lation, aud subsequently it passed into the hands of Mr. Morton, who called it the Jeffer- son Reporter, and published it from Septem- ber 11, 1832, till January 21, 1834, when he removed to Michigan.

There was no other paper at Adams until 1844, when Josephus C. Hatch, a practical printer, started the Jefferson County Demo- crat, which he continued until 1847, when the paper passed into the hands of E. J. Clark, who continued the publication of the paper 8 years, when he removed to Watertown. After the removal of Mr. Clark, the Democrat came into the hands of Justus Eddy. Mr. Eddy changed the name of the paper to the Jeffer- son County News, and made it independent in politics. It had hitherto been Democratic, belonging to the Free-soil or Barn-burner wing of the party. This was in 1855. Mr. Eddy was the publisher of the paper about eight years. In 1863 D. A. Dwight, an Adams bookseller, was associated with Mr. Eddy. and the paper was continued by them until April, 1865, when it was sold to George C. Bragdon, who changed the name to the Adams Visitor, and was burned out a day or two before his first number was to have been printed. He immediately purchased new type and presses, issued the following week, thus skipping only one number, and con- tinued to publish the paper over three years, when he sold to Babcock & Delong, who con- ducted it till 1868. The next year S. R. Pratt purchased Mr. Babcock's interest, and on the 15th of April, 1869, the form of the paper was changed to eight pages, and the name to Northern Temperance Journal, be- coming the organ of the Good Templars. It was continued as such until October 20, 1870, when Pratt & DeLong changed the name to the Jefferson County Journal, and made it an independent sheet. In 1871 William J. Allen purchased Pratt's interest, and four months later S. W. Hatch bought DeLong's interest, the new firm being Hatch & Allen. The paper was continued by these gentlemen until the health of Mr. Hatch gave out, when he sold his interest to Mr. Allen, who has since been its efficient and gentlemanly conductor. He is now the oldest continuous newspaper editor in Jefferson county, and publishes a model sheet.

CARTHAGE.

On December 19, 1839, the first paper ap- peared in Carthage, the most of the funds being furnished by H. McCollom, then the leading business man of the place. It was named the Carthaginian, and David Johnson was the editor. It was a weekly Whig paper, but principally devoted to the Black River Canal. June 18, 1840, Wm. H. Hough became the editor. It was a six-column folio. C. A. MacArthur of the Troy Budget, and John A. Haddock finished their apprentice- ship in this office.

In April, 1843, the paper appeared under the name of the Black River Times, reduced in size, with the same editor. It was only continued a short time.

January 1, 1847, Myron F. Wilson began the publication of the People's Press, a semi- monthly neutral paper. In the third number W. H. Coulston became associate editor, and, in September, L. Jones took charge of it. It was soon discontinued.

In January, 1858, W. R. Merrill and E. R. Cole, who were publishing a paper in Con- stableville, were prevailed upon to bring their press and material to Carthage, and A. W. Allen started the Carthage Standard. W. R. Merrill became proprietor soon after the paper was started, and in a few months it was pub- lished by Merrill & Cole, with Charles T. Hammond as associate editor.

The Standard was succeeded in December, 1858, by the Black River Budget, which was published by Almont Barnes and Alva Wilson. This paper was continued for a little over a year. Mr. Barnes became sole proprietor after it had run eight months.

In the spring of 1860, Marcus Bickford commenced the publication of the Republican, with O. T. Atwood, associate editor. In Sep- tember, 1865, James H. Wilbur became pro- prietor, and Mr. Bickford was retained as editor. In September, 1866, M. M. Williams became a partner, and in 1872 the sole pro- prietor, Mr. Bickford retiring on account of severe and prolonged illness. It was during his administration that the paper was enlarged to its present size, the old hand press dis- carded, and the power press introduced. Mr. Bickford was an able editor, succumbing at last to a very painful disease. January, 1873, S. R. Pratt became proprietor. Mr. Pratt started, in connection with the Re- publican, the Farmers' Journal, as an organ of the State Grange, and sold it to John O'Donnell, of Lowville, in 1876.

In August, 1876, Lloyd G. Chase became proprietor of the Republican, with Jere. Coughlin as associate editor. Mr. Chase is now proprietor of the Watertown Post.

In April, 1875. Durham & Gillett started the Northern New Yorker, and in the fall Wesley Barr became proprietor. In the April following, Jere Coughlin became editor, and continued so until the paper was con- solidated with the Republican.

In 1879 E. D. Bates moved his press and material from Copenhagen, and started the Carthage Democrat. It lasted three months.

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THE PRESS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

In March, 1876, B. G. & C. E. Seamans started the Carthage Leader. In June, of the same year, it was purchased by Jere. Cough- lin, who combined its list with three other papers in starting the Watertown Herald.

In October, 1887, the Carthage Tribune was started by a stock company, with Wm. B. Kesler as editor and business manager. The paper continues, and is prosperous.

THERESA.

The Theresa Chronicle was started in The- resa, January 14, 1848, and continued 28 weeks, published by Elisha Church Burt, brother of Benjamin Burt, of Ox Bow. The press was subsequently removed to Madrid, St. Lawrence county, whence it was taken to Canton. The Chronicle was to a large extent edited by William Fayel, who went from Theresa to Lockport, and was engaged in the conduct of the Lockport Journal something like two years. He then removed to St. Louis and took a position upon the Republican, which he still holds.

When Major Durham started his paper in Carthage, in 1875, he proposed to print an edition for Theresa, to be called the Theresa Journal, and to contain the local doings of that thrifty village. The enterprise, how- ever, was short-lived, and Theresa again found itself without a newspaper of any kind.

In 1881, or thereabouts, W. S. Saunderson, a practical printer, went to Theresa and started a paper, which was called the Theresa Advertiser, and which was continued about two years. The materials were finally brought to Watertown, and were employed in the newspaper commenced by Gen. Bradley Winslow, called the Northern New York Re- publican, and Mr. Saunderson officiated as foreman in the office.

The next effort to give the Theresa people a newspaper was made by Mr. Van Slyke, of the Antwerp Gazette, who dated some copies of his paper at Theresa, calling it the Senti- nel. That arrangement is continued by Mr. Van Slyke's successors.

CAPE VINCENT.

The Cape Vincent Gazette was started by Paul T. Leach, and the first number was dated May 8, 1858. It was succeeded by the Frontier Patriot, May 10, 1865, with P. H. Keenan as editor and proprietor. The Cape Vincent Eagle appeared on the 10th of April, 1872, established by Ames & Hunt. Hunt soon after sold out to his partner, who con- tinued as publisher till the spring of 1877, when Mr. Ames disposed of his paper to Charles B. Wood, who subsequently changed the name to the Democratic Eagle, and has since conducted it with success. It now bears the name of the Cape Vincent Eagle.

CLAYTON.

The first paper published in the town of Clayton was started in May, 1873, by two young men, William D. Clark and George Beden, styled the Clayton Independent. Mr. Beden retired from the partnership after the

first issue, and Mr. Clark continued the busi- ness for two years and then sold to W. H. Rees, a young lawyer, and a native of that place. Mr. Rees ran the paper for about a year, when he sold the plant to Warren W. Ames, of De Ruyter. He soon sold out to George A. Lansing, who did not make a financial success of the business. Mr. Ames again having control of the paper, sold a half interest to Frank D. Rogers, then of Chau- mont. In about a year Frank D. Braun pur- chased the interest of W. W. Ames, and for two years the paper was published by Rogers & Braun. E. C. Rogers, a younger brother of Frank D., purchased the interest of Mr. Braun, and a power press was added. For three years the business was carried on, and a large circulation was secured. In the winter of 1882-83, owing to disagreement in the management, the publication was stopped.

June 26, 1883, the first number of the Clay- ton Standard was issued, with C. E. & F. G. Hocknel as editors and proprietors. In Nov., 1883, C. E. Hocknel purchased the interest of his brother, and two months later changed the name of the paper to On the St. Law- rence. A year later, Ratchford, Phillips & Slate purchased the paper.

On the St. Lawrence, after several muta- tions in ownership, having been originally known as the Clayton Standard, is now edited and managed by F. J. Walsh, under the ownership of the Thousand Islands Publish- ing Company, limited. A weekly paper is issued during the year, and a daily during the season of summer. The daily is a six column folio, and the weekly is a six-column quarto. The advertising rates in the weekly are nearly as high as those of the New York and Philadelphia dailies.

In the spring of 1884 the Clayton Indepen- dent was again started by Frank D. Rogers, but after six months was discontinued.

In the spring of 1885, E. D. & W. M. Vincent began the publication of a seven- column folio, called the Free Press, but it soon suspended publication.

ANTWERP.

The Antwerp Gazette was commenced by James M. Beaman, Jeptember 1, 1873. He sold to James W. Van Slyke, December 24, 1874, who conducted it till December 12, 1888. He then sold to H. M. Bent. Mr. Van Slyke started the Philadelphia Monitor, May 1, 1883, and the Theresa Sentinel, November 1, 1886. Both papers are still published, and issued from the office of the Gazette, which is now published by Duane W Fuller.

BLACK RIVER.

The Black River Herald, weekly, formerly the Croghan News, was established in Black River in May, 1889; proprietor and editor, P. B. Mereness; independent in politics. It is now named the Press.

So far as we know, after much inquiry. the above may be regarded as all and singular the newspapers of Jefferson County.

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY. .

THE STANDARD STAFF.

ORLO B. RHODES, son of Schuyler and Amanda M. (Sherman) Rhodes, was born in Scriba, Oswego county, January 14, 1849. He was reared upon a farm, prepared for college in the Oswego High School, and graduated from Brown University in the class of 1870. The same year he became vice-principal of Hungerford Collegiate Insti- tute, with Prof. A. B. Watkins, principal. He continued in this capacity until 1876, when he became joint principal which posi- tion he held until 1878. He then engaged in teaching in Morgan Park, Ill., and in the fall of 1882 returned to Adams and became prin- cipal of Adams Collegiate Institute. He married Alice G., daughter of Simeon and Mary O. (Rice) Osborne, in 1873, and she died June 5, 1884. He has a daughter, Alice Bertha, born in 1884. Mr. Rhodes is now the chief editorial writer upon the Standard, and is proving himself a success, though, as a general thing, men who have been "school masters " do not make good editorial writers. That class of men worried the lamented Horace Greeley exceedingly by their importunities to be taken upon the editorial staff of the Tribune. Horace had more faith in men like himself, who began first in the practical department of a news- paper, and thence germinated into full-blown writers, and thereby "justified the honors they had gained."

John P. Douglas was born in the town of Brownville, N. Y. He received his early education at district and select schools, and began teaching at the age of 17. When 24 he was elected town superintendent of schools, which office he held three years. In the meantime he engaged in mercantile pur- suits in Limerick, N. Y., but shortly sold out to accept a position with a large wholesale commission house in New York city. About this time he married Miss Henrietta Hughson, daughter of L. P. Hughson, Esq., of Pulaski, N. Y., and for five years resided in Water- town, N. Y.

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Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 66

Author: Haddock, John A. 1823- Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Sherman Number of Pages: 1094

Author: Haddock, John A. 1823-
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Sherman
Number of Pages: 1094