Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 67

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 67

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During this time he made his first purchase of land in the town of Theresa, N. Y. He then removed with his family to Brooklyn, N. Y., and soon became prominent in busi- ness circles, and took an active part in poli- tics, in 1871 becoming alderman of the 11th ward of Brooklyn. He was also made a director of the Atlantic Avenue Railroad, the East River Savings Bank, and in two or more insurance companies. His health failing, he was compelled to sell out his city interests, re- turning to Jefferson county, where, in the meantime, he had added to his early pur- chases.

Mr. Douglas is a very popular and influ- ential man, often named in connection with the office of representative in Congress. He retains the friends he makes, and their name is legion. He is by far the largest land- owner in Jefferson county, his possessions numbering 3,000 acres of good farming land.

Mr. Douglas and wife have an interesting family, a son and daughter, who share the popularity of the parents.

Daniel Chamberlain Douglas, son of the president of the Standard Company, was born in the city of Brooklyn, N. Y. When he was five years of age his parents moved to New York city, where his studies were pursued until his 14th year, when he went with his family to Stuttgart, Germany, and entered a German institute, remaining about two years. On his return to America he entered Stevens High School, New Jersey, where he studied two years. He then spent three years in Col- gate Academy and Colgate University, at Hamilton, N. Y.

On account of ill-health he was obliged to give up his studies, and from that time till he entered the Watertown Standard office as treasurer, in the spring of 1894, he acted as private secretary to his father, John P. Douglas. He is a young man of much ability, an extensive traveller in this country and in Europe, and has taken advantage of his many opportunities in storing his mind with history and memories of personal ex- periences. His amiability and good looks are his sure passport to public favor.

Charles S. Adams was born April 27, 1863, being the son of George Adams, a merchant of Watertown, and an Englishman by birth, who had attained a merited reputation as a poet of no inconsiderable ability. His mother was Isabella M. (Skinner) Adams, daughter of the late Austin R. Skinner, who conducted a brass foundry at Factory Square, Watertown, for many years, Mr. Adams received his education at Lamon street and in the High School, in this city. Entering the employ of the Daily Times at the age of 14 years, he was a faithful worker in various departments for many years, unbroken except by employ- ment of two years on Rochester papers. He is a practical printer, having a thorough knowledge of the business in all departments. He was agricultural editor of the Times for two years, and later occupied a reportorial position on that paper, having charge of the city department in the absence of the city editor. Twice he has been nominated for chamberlain on the Democratic ticket, in 1888 and in 1893, and in 1893 was appointed deputy postmaster of the city of his birth. He chose to resign the position, however, from political reasons. Upon leaving the post office, he engaged with A. W. Munk and others in the arduous task of organizing a stock company to publish the Daily Standard, and getting the same into operation. It re- quired ability and persistence, and was ac- complished only after months of the severest toil. Meanwhile Mr. Adams was local editor of the Watertown Weekly Post. Upon the Standard being started, March 21, 1894, after he had been one of the leading spirits in securing an Associated Press franchise and selecting the material for that paper, he

THE STANDARD STAFF.

ORLO B. RHODES, Editor,

CHAS. S. ADAMS, City Editor.

JOHN P. DOUGLAS, President Standard Publishing Co.

ANDREW W. MUNK, Com, and Agricultural Editor.

DANIEL C. DOUGLAS, Business Manager.

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THE PRESS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

entered upon the duties of city editor, which position he now holds.

Andrew W. Munk was born in the city of Oswego, March 28, 1850, of German and American pedigree. His parents were Adam and Susan Munk, who came to Oswego from Watertown, He was educated in the public schools of Watertown. At the early age of 16 years he entered the army as a musician, and was educated for such at Governor's Island, New York harbor, belonging to the drum corps at that station. He was finally assigned to the 17th U. S. regular infantry, headquarters at San Antonio, Texas. A battalion of the 17th regiment had a fight at Benham, Texas, and burned half the town. He was discharged at Fort Conscho, Texas, after finishing a three years' campaign.

Returning to Watertown in 1869 he entered the Times and Reformer office, where he re- mained nearly 25 years, completing his trade as a practical printer, mastering every part of the business, both practical and editorial. In 1894 he was one of the two who raised the capital for starting the Daily Standard, a paper that has proved successful from the start. It has filled a place long desired by the people of Watertown. The construction of its mechanism in the news department en- ables it to have a fresh and complete impres- sion for each issue. It marks, by its neat appearance and judicious make-up, a distinct departure in journalism in Watertown. The Standard has come to stay and is worthy the liberal support it is receiving.

ELIJAH J. CLARK.

PERHAPS no man has been longer connected with the press of Jefferson county, and has continuously maintained a residence in that county, than Mr. E. J. Clark. John A. Had- dock is the oldest man now living who has been both a practical printer and an editor in the county-his apprenticeship beginning in 1833; but he has for 30 years been a resi- dent of a distant city. Though not now con- nected with any newspaper, Mr. Clark, from his honorable career, is entitled to mention in connection with the newspaper men of Jeffer- son county. Mr. Ingalls, also a retired veteran editor, has a separate biography on p. 54 of this History.

Mr. Clark was born in Denmark, Lewis county, September 30, 1823. He was the son of Elijah and Elizabeth (Parsons) Clark, who early in the present century settled upon a farm in Denmark, where they resided through life. Twelve children were born to them. Elijah was the eleventh child. Two of the brothers died in infancy, one at the age of 20, the other brothers and sisters lived to marry and have families, but they are all now dead; three, Samuel, Milton and Stephen being resi- dents of Watertown, where they died.

Mr. Clark received his education at the common schools, and at the Institute in Watertown, teaching district schools four winters. In 1844 he went to Adams with J. C. Hatch when he started the publication of the Jefferson County Democrat, and in 1847 bought that establishment and published the paper eight years alone, when he sold it and moved to Watertown in the spring of 1855, and engaged in the milling business with his brother Samuel. The business not proving profitable, he sold his interest to his brother, and in December, 1856, in company with Royal Chamberlain, purchased the Demo- cratic Union printing establishment, which then had a circulation of about 1,200. With- in a year, mostly by Mr. Clark's exertions, the circulation was increased to 3,500. After three years, Mr. Clark bought his partner's interest and continued the publication five

years, when he parted with his newspaper. Jefferson county gave Fremont over 4,400 majority in 1856. During the eight years Mr. Clark had control of the only Democratic paper in the county, the majority was reduced one half, and he flatters himself that this re- sult was aided by his labors. During the war, the publication of weekly newspapers was an unprofitable business. Business men curtailed their advertising, subscribers to weekly papers changed to daily, and the price of printing paper rose from 6 cents a pound to 25 cents. On returning from Vir- ginia, where his business had called him, the business outlook for newspapers was not very promising. and as the oil fever was then raging, Mr. Clark eventually sold his print- ing office at a sacrifice, and went to the oil regions, where he spent a year and a half, but did not "strike oil." In the spring of 1866 he moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., where he spent four years in the insurance business, and was also a partner in the publication of the Democratic paper of that village.

In the spring of 1870 Mr. Clark returned to Watertown, where he has since resided, and engaged in the insurance business, besides having editorial charge of the Daily Despatch and Weekly Re-Union, as during part of the time three papers were published by the Water- town Printing Company. He served three years as assessor of the city of Watertown, to which office he was unexpectedly elected in 1890. Mr. Clark is still engaged in the In- dustrial Building and Loan Association busi- ness.

In June, 1847, Mr. Clark married Jane A .. daughter of David and Anna (Williams) Wright, in Adams. They have two sons, Jay M., civil engineer, residing in Hamilton, Madison county, and George F., assistant cashier of the National Union Bank of Watertown.

Probably no man connected with news- papers in Watertown, with perhaps a single exception, has had a more varied experience than Mr. Clark. He has always been an

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

enterprising and hard-working Democrat, coming to the front in every close contest, as the ablest worker his party has ever known in the county. His labors, as is usual among politicians, has been poorly rewarded. This was the case with Alvin Hunt, the pioneer Democratic editor of the county, as well as with Mr. Ingalls, a life long Republican leader and worker, rewarded officially by one term in the Legislature. Joseph Fayel, of

Theresa, is another illustration of the manner in which partisan leaders are rewarded. But Mr. Clark appears unsoured by the ingrati- tude of his party, upon whose darkening future he is able to see the rainbow of promise well defined. That rainbow is not just now apparent to the average beholder, though it may shine bright enough on the other side of the cloud. J. A. H.

THE TIMES STAFF.

W. D. MCKINSTRY, editorial writer of the Watertown Daily Times and Semi-Weekly Times and Reformer, was born in Fredonia, Chautauqua county, Oct. 1, 1850. His father, W. Mckinstry, is proprietor of the Fredonia Censor, now in its 75th volume, and with which he has been connected over 50 years. The subject of this sketch has therefore been connected with newspapers since his earliest recollection. In 1872 he purchased the Jour- nal, of Dunkirk, N. Y., a Republican weekly paper, which he conducted for 11 years. Selling that property he came to Watertown as news editor on the Times, in 1886, and soon after was assistant editor under Beman Brockway. On the death of Mr Brockway in December, 1892, Mckinstry became editor, and at this writing occupies that position.

Charles E. Cole is the city editor of the Watertown Daily Times and secretary of the Brockway Sons' Co., publishers. He was born in the province of Ontario in 1861. He was bereft of his father in infancy, and his mother died at her parents' home in Albion, this State, when he was but 6 years old. After a long period of separation from the other four children of the orphaned family, during which he received some school- ing and paid for it in work of various kinds, he was started by his brother, the late William H. Cole, at the printer's trade, progressing from the case to the position of counting room assistant and latterly to editorial work. He has served on the Utica Observer as re- porter and on the Auburn Bulletin as telegraph editor. Since 1887 he has held his present position on the Times.

Mr. H. A. Brockway, treasurer of the Brockway Sons Company, is the sole remain- ing newspaper representative of the family of that name, which has, for over three decades, been closely and most prominently related to the management and control of the Watertown Daily Times and Semi-Weekly Reformer.

Mr. Brockway was born in Brooklyn in 1854, was educated in the schools of Water- town, held a position as clerk in the post- office and, twenty years ago, began his newspaper career in the Times counting room, where he has continued ever since, and most of the time as the chief business man of the concern He came into this important position within a short time after entering the office, while yet a very young man, and at a time when, although the volume of

business was much less and the methods necessary to transact were much simpler than now, there were many serious financial prob- lems to be solved, and much wise, patient and persistent work to be done to carry the business through the trying crises of those early years. Mr. Brockway proved himself fully equal to that task, as he has to the increasing responsibilities of later times, and, while still in the prime of manhood, has a record for business sagacity which is a pillar of strength to the Times establishment and the large interests which have become con- nected with that journal.

Charles W. Clare was born in Utica, Sep- tember 4, 1854. He was educated in the city schools and in the old Utica Academy. His father was John H Clare, an Englishman, who came to Utica from Southampton, and who for 33 years was bookkeeper for the for- warding firm of Thorn & Pomeroy. Water- town's postmaster began his newspaper experiences as a carrier of the Utica Daily Observer. When 15 years old he did repor- torial work on the Utica Daily Bee, a newspaper venture launched by Thomas F. Baker, who saw it die on his hands.

Mr. Clare's father died when he was 17 years of age, compelling him to leave school. He took his father's place as bookkeeper for Thorn & Pomeroy and held that position for several years until something better was offered in the office of the Utica Sunday Tribune. Afterward he had something to do with the business end of the Utica Daily Republican. Thirteen years ago he came to Watertown, and in company with D. T. Kelly bought the Watertown Morning Dis- patch and Weekly Re-Union. The concern had been losing money for a long time, and after running the paper for a year it became evident to the new proprietors that the field for a morning paper in Watertown was too limited, and the daily was dropped. Kelly sold his interest in the office to Clare, who has since conducted the paper alone. Under his management it has grown and prospered and earned a building of its own instead of being a losing investment, as it had always been to former proprietors.

The Re-Union has always supported the regular Democratic nominees and upheld the declarations of State and national platforms. This conservative course has made a host of

THE JOURNALISTS OF WATERTOWN.

H. A. BROCKWAY.

C. E. COLE.

W. D. MCKINSTRY. .

C. W. CLARE.

L. G. CHASE.

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THE PRESS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

friends for the paper as well as for its editor. He is one of the most genial, agreeable and accommodating men in the city. He is care- ful, methodical and successful in the news- paper business, and displays the same qualities in his official position. Mr. Cleveland never made an appointment in this or any other county that so nearly meets with the unanimous approval of the people.

Mr. Clare has a wife and two interesting children at his pleasant home on Orchard street, whose society is more attractive to him than official honors.

Lloyd G. Chase, editor and publisher of the Watertown Post, was born in Little Falls, Herkimer county, N. Y., December 13, 1850. On the 22nd day of July, 1862, he entered the office of the Herkimer County Journal, which was then published by Mr. Jean R. Stebbins, now president of the Agricultural Insurance

Company. He remained in the employ of Mr. Stebbins until August 8, 1876, when he purchased the Carthage Republican, and published it continuously until January 18, 1892. September 1st, 1892, he purchased the Watertown Post of Hon Lotus Ingalls, Mr. Chase was chairman of the Republican County Committee of Jefferson county in the years 1888 and 1889. He was appointed postmaster of the village of Carthage by President Arthur to succeed Jesse E. Willis, February 15, 1882, and served until May 15, 1886, when he was succeeded by a Democrat. Mr. Chase served three years as Worshipful Master of Carthage Lodge, No. 158, F. & A. M., and the same length of time as High Priest of Carthage Chapter, No. 259, R. A. M. He is at present captain general of Watertown Commandery No. 11, K. T., Oriental Guide of Media Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Watertown.

JERE. COUGHLIN.

THERE are some newspaper men who strike you, on being introduced, as much out of place, resembling merchants or business men more than editors. But once in a great while you strike one who is a newspaper man pure and simple,-in every action, in habits of thought, in general make-up, betraying the "something" that is within. Such a one is Jere. Coughlin, born in Farmersville, On- tario, in 1854. He was fortunate at the begin- ning of his apprenticeship to the "art preserv- ative" in the office of the Carthage Republican, to have attracted the notice of the Hon. Marcus Bickford. From that office, dating back to the forties, came the Coulston boys (Henry and Edmund), the Hon. Charles L. Mac- Arthur, now and for many years editor and proprietor of the Troy Budget, and Major J. A. Haddock, author of this history. From such surroundings have emanated more bright and successful newspaper men than from any other printing office in Jefferson county. Brought up, as he was, under the eye of the able and kind Mr. Bickford, and mixing in readily with the local politicians of progres- sive and wide-awake Carthage, Jere. soon blossomed into an expert printer and news- paper contributor, for his natural genius was of the best, his industry indomitable, his will ever leading him onward and upward.

Yet the road he was forced to travel was not an easy one. He invaded Carthage in 1865, taking a 12-year course in the Union school in four years of actual attendance, coming in during the last few weeks of the term and easily passing the examinations. He worked at anything he could get to do; with Manley Loomis at wagonmaking, then at carpentering and even carried the hod for his brother, who was a mason. He taught school in a country district; worked in the Otter Lake tannery a year at grinding bark; but all this time he was keeping up his studies, pre- paring for a college course, meanwhile

materially assisting to care for his widowed mother, who had a large family. He also took a four-year course in Latin, aided in his recitation by the Catholic priest in charge of the church at Carthage. This last course was taken after he had begun his apprenticeship, which was in March, 1874.

Jere. began writing for the Republican when his apprenticeship was scarcely six months old, and before the second year elapsed he was the local editor. He was afterwards editor of the Northern New Yorker at Carthage, and continued until its consolidation with the Republican, when he became associate editor of the Republican, and so continued until he came to Watertown as political editor of the Daily Times. He thought he saw the necessity for a strong weekly paper, published at the latter part of the week, but he desired a large circulation to start with, and accomplished this by purchas- ing four weekly newspapers and consolidating them. He bought the Carthage Leader. Copenhagen News, Clayton Free Press, and the Jefferson County (Theresa) Herald. Thus the Watertown Herald was launched on the eve of Independence Day in the year of Our Lord, 1886. It has been a financial success from the start, and its editor has come to the front in the journalistic field of Jefferson county. Mr. Coughlin married Marian Mont- gomery, in Carthage, July 18, 1878; they have five children, one girl and four boys. His home is at No. 80 Washington street, Watertown.

Viewed in almost any light Mr. Coughlin is an unique character. His early life was of the humblest, his early struggles surprisingly harsh and forbidding, but he has worked him- self up to a position where his character and abilities are appreciated. His pen is a little caustic at times, but his efforts have always been to uphold the dignity of labor and the rights of man. His paper is actually an inde- pendent sheet, owing fealty to no earthly

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

EDITOR COUGHLIN AT HIS DESK.

power, and bowing down neither to organized labor nor to the monopolists. His course is a straight one, but he is usually correct, and always in earnest. It should be remembered that he rose by the force of his own merits, not by political "pulls" nor by aid from rich relatives. Through it all he is the same lovable Jere., the idol of his family, and the admiration of his friends.

Mr. Coughlin has introduced many new features into local journalism, his latest being a photo-engraving plant, to illustrate promi- nent men and local events; in fact, to make a feature which few journals out of the great

cities can introduce, because of the expense. He sent his brother to New York to perfect himself in the art, and into his hands he has entrusted this branch of the business.

This, however, is only one of Editor Cough- lin's achievements in the line of progress. His mind is eminently speculative, yet never leading to hap-hazard methods. He examines, reflects, decides, acts-sometimes doing all four in one day-but his successes greatly exceed his failures. One thing is certain, the competitor who is in business with Jere. has everything to fear, for he has a rival most capable and energetic. J. A. H.

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THE PRESS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

GEORGE W. DICKINSON.

GEO. W. DICKINSON, editor of the Carthage Republican, was born in Jerusalem, Yates county, N. Y., November 14, 1847, the son of Nathan and Catherine Dickinson. He was educated in the common schools and at the Penn Yan Academy. He was apprenticed to the "art preservative" in 1863, in the office of the Yates County Chronicle. He gradu- ated from that office into that of the Angelica Reporter, one of the oldest papers in the State, which had been purchased by his brother. Here he remained 12 years, having become a partner with his brother, who pur- chased the Olean Times, and George W. then became sole proprietor of the Reporter, which he removed to Belmont, the county seat. On the death of his brother, Charles F., Mr. Dickinson purchased the Olean Times from

his widow, and ran it in conjunction with the Reporter for several years. In 1877 he re- moved the Reporter to Wellsville. and united it with the Wellsville Times, thus conducting both papers simultaneously. At the expira- tion of one year he sold the Reporter to Enos W. Barnes, thenceforth devoting himself solely to the interests of the Olean Times. This paper he published until 1882. In 1879 he had started the Daily Times, and continued it until 1882, when he sold his newspaper to a stock company, and retired temporarily from journalism.

The several papers he had edited and pub- lished were Republican, and they were im- portant factors in their localities, possessing the entire confidence of that organization. He removed to Lowville, N. Y., about 1883,

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

where he had previously married Miss Mary A. Bickford, niece of the founder of the Carthage Republican, and through her it may be said that the control of the Republican still re- mains a matter of pride and interest to that same family. He remained in Lewis county the succeeding four years, spending one of his winters in Florida, where he had some news- paper experience at St. Augustine.

January 1, 1889, he bought a controlling interest in the Carthage Tribune, then owned by a stock company. He remained connect- ed with that paper for two years, at last parting with his interest to Mr. Kesler, the present proprietor. In January, 1892, he purchased the Republican from Mr. Chase, and has since then been its editor and publisher.

Under Mr. Dickinson's able management he has made the Republican one of the leading newspapers of the county. It is unhesitating-

ly devoted to Carthage, as it has ever been. Mr. Dickinson has an able contemporary in his estimable wife, who has taken charge of the local department, now justly regarded as the most important feature of a country jour- nal, and together they make a newspaper that covers the whole field of usefulness. It is a pleasant thing to say that their efforts are ap- preciated at Carthage, where the people are very intelligent, and have a right to be critical.

Mr. Dickinson is a large man, nearly or quite six feet in height, erect and vigorous, with a fine form, most approachable and sympathetic, inviting confidence by his frank- ness and amiability. He is progressive and very obliging in his business. He has two children, and their home is a typical one, fully rounded out in pictures and books, and everything that can make a country editor happy.

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Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 67

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