USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I > Part 60
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Sterne Houghton, October 8, 1868, and they were the par- ents of two daughters, Grace and Arabelle.
WILLARD D. MCKINSTRY was born at Fredonia, New York, October 1, 1850. His education was ohtained in the public schools, the Fredonia Academy and the State Normal School. He learned the printing business in the office of the "Fredonia Censor," of which his father was publisher. In 1872 he purchased the "Dunkirk Journal," remaining there until 1884, and removed to Watertown in 1886. He was at first employed as news editor on "The Times," then assistant editor, and at the death of Mr. Brockway became its editor, and filled that position until his death in 1910. He was appointed as the Republican member of the State Civil Service Commission by Gov- ernor Flower, and served one year under Governor Morton's administration, and was again appointed by Governor Whitman.
BEMAN BROCKWAY deserves a place in the history of Chautauqua county, for it was the scene of his first busi- ness venture, his birthplace as a newspaper man, and he loved it all his life. He fought his first battles there; he married and his children were born there; and he always looked haek with pleasure to the ten years he spent in Mayville, winning splendid success while yet almost a boy, and was engaged in newspaper work for fifty-nine ycars, from the time he was nineteen years of age until he died at the age of seventy-eight, not count- ing his term of apprenticeship.
He was born on a farm in the town of Southampton, Mass., April 12, 1815, died in Watertown, N. Y., Deeem- ber 16, 1892. He did not like farming, and when he was fifteen years of age he became an apprentice in the office of the "Northampton Courier." Soon after there came to the same office as apprentices, Willard MeKinstry, afterwards editor of the "Fredonia Censor," and Levi L. Pratt, afterwards editor of the "Fredonia Adver- tiser." These three apprentice boys remained intimately associated all their lives.
His parents moved to Chautauqua county and there he paid them a visit which resulted in his remaining in the county for several years, after a brief interval spent in New York City, whither he went in search of work at his trade. Unsuccessful, he returned to his father's farm in Chautauqua county. Soon afterward he obtained employment on the "Mayville Sentinel," then conducted by Smith, Osborne & Whallon. Judge Osborne, the edi- tor, one of the best of writers, gave the lad good advice and encouraged him to persevere in his attempts at news- paper writing. At the end of the year, Beman Broekway, although but nineteen, became sole proprietor of "The Sentinel," which he made a power in the Democratie poli- ties of Chautauqua county. It gained a large circula- tion under his control, and at the end of ten years he had saved about five thousand dollars, a fortune in those days. In the spring of 1844 he sold "The Sentinel" to John F. Phelps, but edited the paper until the close of the campaign and then began to look about for a new opening. He wanted to see how it would seem to be engaged in a contest in which his party might expect to now and then eleet its nominee. Chautauqua was strongly Whig, and after looking around for a few months, Mr. Brockway bought the "Oswego Palladium," which he pub- lished successfully for eight years and started the daily, which still prospers. He then went to New York and became day editor of "The Tribune" under Horace Greeley, and was one of the distinguished galaxy of writers which made "The Tribune" the most powerful of the newspapers of the nation in the years immediately preceding the Civil War. While here he lost his wife, Elizabeth Allen Warner, whom he had married while in Mayville in 1837, and life in the metropolis became dis-
tasteful to him. He went with the "Barnburner" faction of the Democratic party to create the new Republican party for free speech and free soil, and made vigorous specches for Fremont and Dayton in the campaign of 1856. In 1858 he was elected to the Legislature. He drafted the resolution to submit to the people whether or not the colored people of the State should be allowed the elective franchise. He was also parent of the first registry law. In 1860 he went to Watertown, New York, and purchased an interest in the "Watertown Re- former," and the next year a daily edition under the name of the "Watertown Daily Times" was started as an out- come of the necessity created by war news. In 1864 he advocated the nomination of Reuben E. Fenton for gov- ernor, whom he had known from boyhood, and Governor Fenton appointed him private secretary, which position he filled with eredit until appointed one of the Board of Canal Appraisers. In 1870 he returned to Watertown and resumed his editorial work, in which he continued until his death in 1892. He always referred to his ten years in Chautauqua county as the happiest period of his life, was always interested in its growth and pros- perity, and kept in touch with its people.
JOHN F. PHELPS was born in Reading, Schuyler county, New York, February 27, 1810. Both his paternal and maternal ancestors were of English origin. His par- ents settled in Ripley in 1827. He went to Mayville in July, 1837, as an apprentice to the printer's art, under Beman Brockway, then publisher of the "Mayville Sen- tinel." After serving his apprenticeship, he worked as a journeyman in several different places, taught school for one year, returned to Mayville in 1842, and was em- ployed by Mr. Brockway as a printer and assistant edi- tor until April, 1844, when he purchased the establish- ment, which he successfully conducted until his death, February 2, 1878, ably assisted by his son, Frank C. Phelps, in the editorial management. Two other sons, Walter S. and John O. Phelps, also learned the printer's trade in their father's office. Mr. Phelps did much to advance the business interests of Mayville, and held many positions of trust. He was deeply concerned in the organization of the Union School, and was for years a member of the Board of Education. He served the vil- lage as trustec, a director of the Cross Cut Railroad, sergeant-at-arms of the Assembly in 1854, member of the county war committee during the War between the States, justice of the peace, and county loan commis- sioner. He was a vigorous writer, candid and open in all his transactions, fair and honorable to opponents, true and generous to his friends, a kind and affectionate hus- band, a loving father and a faithful worshiper in the church of his choice.
LEVI L. PRATT .- When Beman Broekway became pro- prietor of the "Mayville Sentinel, the leading Democratie organ in the county, the "Fredonia Censor" was the lead- ing Whig organ and his most bitter rival. For his per- sonal comfort he desired that it should be in friendly hands, and so, when the Winchester Brothers offered it for sale, he induced his fellow apprentice, Willard Mc- Kinstry, who was employed by the Merriam Brothers in Springfield, printing Webster's dietionaries, to come to Chautauqua county and buy it, which was done. Mr. Mckinstry being a Democrat, as was Mr. Brockway, it was not thought expedient in the heated partisanship of that day for a Democrat to edit a Whig paper, so the third apprentice of "Northampton Courier" days, Levi L. Pratt, who was a pronounced Whig, was brought on to do the editorial work on "The Censor." He was editor of that paper seven years, then relinquished his position to accept appointment by President Taylor as postmaster of Fredonia. When the Whig party divided on the Slav-
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ery question, "The Censor" espoused the Free Soil cause, and in 1851 the "Fredonia Advertiser" was started as the organ of the Filmore administration. Mr. Pratt was the editor of that paper for thirteen years. During his life in Fredonia, he also served as village trustee, and was a member of the board in 1869 when the Normal School was erected. He went from Fredonia to the "Water- town Times" and died in Watertown, in very old age.
COLEMAN E. BISHOP was born at Jamestown, January 2. 1838, son of Elijah Bishop and wife, who were among the early settlers. He entered upon journalism before he reached his majority, becoming editor of the "Jamestown Journal," and later the first editor of the "Jamestown Evening Journal." After several years with that news- paper he went to Oil City and founded "The Derrick." He also founded "The Chautauqua Countryside" at Jamestown, a magazine in advocacy of progressive forms of education, and at one time he edited the "Buffalo Ex- press." Later he was editor of the "Merchants' Review" at New York, leaving that to become editor of the pic- torial "Weekly Judge." Almost from the beginning of Chautauqua Assembly, he was associated with that great educational movement. For a number of summers he was editor of the "Chautauqua Assembly Daily Her- ald," contributed many articles to "The Chautauquan" and compiled the popular historical work, "Pictures From English History," which was part of the regular course of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle in 1883. For two years he resided at Rapid City, South Dakota, where he was engaged in correspondence for eastern journals. He moved to Washington in 1888, and was associated with Hon. Frank W. Palmer, Public Printer, and remained in the Government Printing Office for six years. Few have equaled him in versatility, and by most he was regarded as a genius. Mr. Bishop died at Hyde- town, Penn., November 14, 1896.
THE JAMESTOWN JOURNAL began its career as a small four-page weekly, established by Adolphus Fletcher, in 1826. Jamestown was then an insignificant village hid away in a wilderness with a saw mill or two, a grist mill or two, a few small factories and a few rude dwelling houses. The county itself was but sparsely settled, the entire population being less than 20,000, and there was little to justify the journalistic venture save perhaps the demand for a newspaper in Southern Chautauqua, and the deep-seated conviction of the founder that James- town offered possibilities for future growth. The paper was founded during the period of the Anti-Masonic agi- tation, and of all the newspapers of the State of New York it is safe to say none were more vigorous or effec- tive in their opposition to this ancient craft.
Ahner Hazeltine, Sr., and other lawyers in the vil- lage, assisted in the preparation of editorial matter, and to a more or less degree influenced its policy on political matters, the paper being a staunch advocate of the prin- ciples and policies of the Whig party and a consistent supporter of the doctrine of protection to American industries. From the very beginning, the paper was an influential factor in the moulding of the public sentiment of the community, and with a satisfactory subscription list it proved a fairly prosperous venture for the founder.
The Fletcher family owned the paper for twenty years, J. Warren Fletcher, son of the founder, assuming con- trol after his father. In 1848 Frank W. Palmer pur- chased the paper. Mr. Palmer had learned the trade of printer in "The Journal" office, had grown up so to speak with the paper and as he was a vigorous writer he proved a capable successor to the Fletchers. Associated with Mr. Palmer from time to time were F. P. Bailey, E. P. Upham and S. C. Green, and under the capable direction of these gentlemen the paper became the lead- ing Whig organ of Chautauqua county.
Mr. Palmer had control of the paper for ten years. Subsequently he held important editorial position in Chi- cago and other cities, was postmaster of Chicago, and during Harrison's administration he was appointed United States Public Printer.
C. D. Sackett and Coleman E. Bishop took charge of "The Journal" after Mr. Palmer left. This was in 1858. At this time the ominous mutterings of the approaching Civil War could not be disregarded, and "The Journal" from the very beginning insisted that there could be no compromise with treason, that those who raised their hands against the government must be sternly repressed, and that the Union must be preserved at all hazards. This was in line with the policy of Mr. Palmer, who in 1856 supported John C. Fremont, and who at the con- clusion of that memorable campaign declared unflinch- ingly that he had nothing to retract, and that the prin- ciples he had advocated were right and would eventually prevail. During the exciting campaign of 1860 "The Journal" was an ardent supporter of Lincoln, and it is to he regretted that space will not permit the reproduction of the leading article the week following the election when it was known that Lincoln had won. During the war, "The Journal" did much to keep warm the patriot- ism of the county and to maintain the principles of the Republican party, and during no time in its history per- haps has its columns been perused with greater eagerness by its readers.
Mr. Sackett, who was originally associated with Mr. Bishop, died during the war. After his death, Mr. Bishop associated himself with his brother Prentice, who enlisted in the army, was wounded, and died in 1865. In 1866 Mr. Bishop formed a partnership with A. M. Clark. In the summer of 1868 he sold his interest to Mr. Clark, re- taining his position as editor for a time. The paper was enlarged in 1867 and again in 1868, when it was made a six-column eight-page paper.
An important epoch in the history of the paper occurred in 1870, or to be exact, January I of that year, when Mr. Clark commenced the publication of the "Daily Journal." The daily was a small four-page paper, and soon after starting it Mr. Clark associated with himself David H. Waite, who subsequently became sole proprietor, retain- ing the property until May, 1876, when he went West, served a term as governor of Colorado, attracting con- siderable attention by his vigorous utterances and radical policies.
The paper was purchased by John A. Hall May 20, 1876. The property consisted of a four-page daily, an eight-page weekly, and mechanical equipment in anything but a first-class condition. The establishment was located in the building now owned and occupied by the Union Trust Company on Main street. The present prosperity of "The Journal" dates from the time of the purchase by Mr. Hall, who brought to the paper keen business acumen and enterprise, a thorough familiarity with politics, and an uncompromising devotion to the cause of truth. He was, moreover, a graceful and forceful writer, an excel- lent judge of human nature, and a kindly dispositioned gentleman who believed that the best results could be accomplished by impersonal journalism, and who through- out his career discussed measures instead of men; prin- ciples instead of persons. That this policy proved profit- able in a financial sense is evident from the fact that soon after assuming control of the paper it was neces- sary to seek larger quarters to meet the demands of the steadily increasing business.
In 1878 the present site on West Second street was purchased and a brick building three stories in height was erected, the paper enlarged and otherwise improved. The rapid growth of the city and county and consequent in- crease in circulation soon rendered these quarters too
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cramped, and again in 1892 the capacity of the plant was doubled by the erection of a three-story block on the adjoining lot, all of which is now occupied by the various departments of the business. In 1907 the company ac- quired the former Democrat building adjoining its prop- erty on the east, tore down the existing structure, and erected a four-story and basement fireproof addition to its former buildings, and now occupies the greater part of all three buildings.
In 1876 Frederick P. Hall entered the business office of the paper, the father turning over to the son the manage- ment of this department. In 1880 he became a full part- ner, and the business was conducted under the firm name of John A. Hall & Son. The senior member of the firm died in 1886, and subsequent to that date the Journal Printing Company was organized, consisting of the estate of John A. Hall, Frederick P. Hall, Frederick W. Hyde and Walter B. Armitage. After the death of Mr. Armitage, his interest and that of the estate of John A. Hall was purchased by Messrs. Hall and Hyde. In 1801 Edwin A. Bradshaw became a partner, and on January 1. 1ยบ01, the establishment became incorporated as the Journal Printing Company, and James A. Clary and William S. Bailey becoming stockholders and direc- tors with Messrs. Hall, Hyde and Bradshaw. Mr. Bailey retired in 1809, to take charge of the publication interests of the Chautauqua Institution.
During the past twenty-five years "The Journal" has witnessed the rise and fall of many competitors. Some of them it has absorbed-first and most important, the "Daily Democrat" in 1879, and later in 1892 the "Weekly Democrat" with the plant of that establishment, at which time the "Weekly Journal" was made a semi-weekly.
A number of dailies have succumhed in the past fifteen years, but it has never been the policy of "The Journal" to lay a straw in the way of its neighbors, but to deserve support entirely on its merits. It has constantly added to its plant until it is one of the hest equipped newspapers of its class in the United States.
JOHN A. HALL was horn in Wardshoro, Vermont, De- cember 27, 1813, and died at his home in Jamestown, Jan- uary 20, 1886, aged seventy-two years. His father, Samuel Hall, removed to Chantanona county and settled in the town of Busti, upon land which he cleared for a farm, and which has ever since remained in the posses- sion of his descendants. John A. Hall was one of seven children, his hrothers and sisters being Samuel Davis Hall, Elora Hall Aylesworth, Deborah Hall Sears, Edson Hall. Chapin Hall and James Monroe Hall. When John A. Hall was sixteen years of age, he left the farm to seek a livelihood for himself, going to Warren, Pennsyl- vania, where he remained twenty years engaged in mer- cantile pursuits. During ten years of this period he was postmaster of Warren. About 1840, his parents having reached an age when they felt the need of the care and companionship of a son. he severed his connection with Warren enterprises and removed with his family back upon the homestead. This act was one of purest filial devotion, as in leaving Warren, where he had flattering business prospects, he abandoned nearly in its heginning a career which promised rich returns in influence and wealth, for the life of a farmer with its sluggish recom- pense for toil and expended energy. But he took the step willingly, and it was a source of increasing consolation to him in his later years that through his efforts the latter portion of the earthly pilgrimage of his parents was relieved of care, anxiety and toil.
During the Rebellion, Mr. Hall spent four winters in Washington, District of Columbia, as clerk of the Com- mittee on Claims. Here, the duties of his official posi- tion did not prevent him from giving much of his time
and attention to Union soldiers, especially those from Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania, and many a sick or wounded volunteer has received from him comfort and substantial aid.
In 1872 he removed his family to Jamestown where he continued to reside until his death. In 1872 and 18-3 he was associated with B. F. Lounsbery in the wholesale and retail grocery business under the firm name of Lounsbery & Hall. On May 20th, 1876, he purchased "The Journal." daily and weekly, from Davis I. Waite, conducting it in his own name until July, 1880, when he admitted his youngest son, Frederick P. Hall, to an equal ownership in the establishment under the firm name of John A. Hall & Son, which continued until his death.
Though denied a liberal education in his youth, by extensive and judicious reading Mr. Hall acquired a large fund of general and valuable information. He traveled much in the east, south and west in his later years, and was a close observer of localities, men and cu toms. During his residence in Washington he wrote much for Jamestown newspapers over the nom de paume of "Paul Pry," his communications gaining a wide reputation for their accuracy and the information they displayed, and for their bright and unconventional style. He always read and observed with a purpose, and his written or spoken expressions were never known to be ambiguous. They were clear and direct, like the nature of their author.
In March, 1835, he was united in marriage to Emily Perry. To this union were born seven children-Mrs. Marian E. Clapsadel : Ann E. Hall ; Edward L. Hall, of Jamestown; Henri Hall, deceased; John A. Hall, Jr., of Boulder, Colorado; Irene A. Hall, and1 Frederick P. Hall, of Jamestown. It was with his family that Mr. Hall found his chief pleasure, and in his home the true nobility and purity of his nature were best seen.
Alr. Hall was never a seeker after public office. Though strongly urged many times to seek political pre- ferment, and while believing it the duty of no American citizen to shirk responsibilities, he never put himself for- ward as a candidate for trusts at the disposal of the peo- ple. For the years 1850, ISno and 18;I he served the town of Busti faithfully and ably on the board of super- visors of Chautauqua county. AAt the time of his death he was serving his second term on the Board of Educa- tion of Jamestown, and had, besides, fille 1 a number of minor offices -- trusts which he never betrayed. He was president of the New York State Press Association in 1881, the year it met in Jamestown. With extreme fidel- ity he performed the responsible and trying duties of administrator of various estates. His sense of honor was of such high order and his integrity so uncom- promising that the breath of suspicion ever passed him by. He believed firmly in the broad rights and active duties of American citizenship, and was interested in all public movements which promised good results. In the course of an extended article, prepared at the time of the death of Mr. Hall, Daniel H. Post, who for five years was a member of the staff of "The Journal," wrote as follows :
* He made his paper a clean. dignified, * outspoken advocate of whatever is of good report. He * established the old Journal on a firm foundation finan- cially and kept it abreast of the growth of the place. It is not yet a city newspaper and he could not have made it one if he had tried -- We are yet out of the channels of telegraphic facilities, that would make this possible-but it is known as one of the most en- terprising and successful of its class. As citizen and editor he was always public spirited and sagacious to see, and to aid in whatever would advance the local growth and prosperity. He was also an example of the class-now becoming more numerous-which is known as "independent journalists." How far he
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realized his ideal of independence in journalistic work, I do not know, but it is a fact that he was known to the profession-and possibly more thoroughly appre- ciated by it than by his home constituency in this re- spect as one of the editors of his state who believed principle superior to party policy, and who was not afraid to antagonize his party if he deemed it in the wrong. To his position in this regard frequent testi- mony has been borne by some of the most influential papers of the state.
The following tribute, written by P. K. Shankland, its editor, appeared in the "Jamestown Standard" :
No man who has lived in Chautauqua county de- serves more credit than John A. Hall for the independ- ence and fearlessness of character which he often dis- played in comhatting the unworthy elements of his own party. He had little toleration for those who em- ploy the haser methods in political action, and he dis- played the courage on more than one occasion to severely denounce those who exerted wide influence in his own party, and aroused against himself the hos- tility of some who assumed to be local leaders of his party. This earnest disposition manifested by Mr. Hall to be candid and just in his comments on questions in which his readers were interested, whether they per- tained to measures or men, rendered his writings of force and gave them an influence which was probably not surpassed by that of any citizen, public or private, in the county, during the few years he adorned his editorial station.
The following is taken from the personal recollections of Dr. Gilbert W. Hazeltine in his "Early History of Ellicott" :
John A. Hall's character and deportment from youth up. never failed to commend itself and to command the respect and approbation of all who came in per- sonal contact with him. We sincerely believe that his most controversial editorials, his most scathing articles on morals and on temperance and conduct; the sarcastic sentences in his "Paul Pry" letters from Washington and elsewhere, and his failure to support the candidature of certain men for office. never made for him a pronounced enemy- for they were written and prompted hy the most generous sentiments, with no ill feeling towards individuals, hut with a thorough hatred of vice and wrong methods and wrong doing. His enemies, we may say, dreaded the lash, but bore no ill will to him who so thoroughly and correctly applied It, and no man had truer or more cordial friends and well-wishers in all sections of the country than he. No one was ever injured by an unkind word or deed of his. Mild and respectful in his intercourse with all whom he met-tolerant in his judgments-reasonable in his expectations-easy to he pleased-patient and cheerful to wait the appointed time for his success- content to forego what was denied-he was not a per- son calculated to make enemies, but on the contrary. to win the good will and estecm of all. His enemies, if he had any, were those political "shysters" who could not hend him by either money or influence, to their nefarious purposes. He loved his party, to which he was always true-but he loved truth and honesty far more.
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