USA > Ohio > Hardin County > A twentieth century history of Hardin County, Ohio : a narrative account of its historical progress its people and principal interests, Vol. I > Part 39
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
Then it was that Warner and Atkinson suspended the publieation of their journal and there was no Democratie paper until the spring of 1853. Will Tomlinson, formerly of the Georgetown Standard, eame here, then, and started a new paper April 9, 1853, as sueeessor to the suspended one. He named his paper Nor'wester and battled with it for Demoeraey during the campaign of 1853. As was the case with many early, strug- gling journals, the financial condition of this paper now was anything but flattering. The owners began to look around for someone with means, to whom they might sell their press.
In the fall of 1853, after the close of the campaign, a well-to-do farm- er from Richland county, Ezra Williams, came to visit some friends near Kenton, and, being a devoted Democrat of the old Jacksonian sehool, was approached by some of his Demoeratie friends here and advised to sell his farm, move to Kenton and purchase the Nor'wester offiee and beeome editor and publisher of a Democratic paper. He listened to them and deeided to comply with their advice. He sold his farm and moved to Kenton in August, 1854, and purchased the press. Now, for the first time, a private individual owned the local Demoeratie organ. ITe secured the serviees of Attorney Alexander S. Ramsey as editor. The latter began his duties September 2, 1854, but retired February 24, 1855, when Mr. Williams himself took up the editorial work. He soon moved his plant to a house then standing on the lot now oeeupied by the H. Kaiser Buggy Company's factory on East Columbus, and on April 7, 1855, changed the name to the Western Courier. "E pluribus unum" was adopted as its motto. It was at about this time, or a few months previous, that heavy display heads began to be used by Hardin eounty newspapers on very important news. The first heavy display head in
375
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
the newspaper world had been used on the report of the death of Daniel Webster, in 1852.
There was no important change in the political status of the county in the campaign of 1853 and 1854. But there was soon to be a change that affected politieal newspapers.
The cause of the uncertainty of certain political journals at this time was the considerably complicated condition of politics itself.
For instance, the spring election of 1855 produced some strange developments. During the two preceeding years the disturbing factions previously mentioned had been at work in Hardin. A secret political organization existed in the county known as the "Know Nothing" party. This was auxiliary to the "American" party which had existed in this and other states sinee the defeat of Henry Clay in 1844. This party was made up of old line Whigs and disaffected Democrats. It was an oath- bound secret organization, had "Sam" for its pass word, and a place of meeting to which none was admitted but members, where plans for conducting the elections were laid and candidates selected. The place of meeting was an old brick building on the north side of East Franklin street, seeond house east of Cherry, owned for many years by Lewis Merriman. The house still stands and is used as a residence. The notice to the members that a meeting of the "Know Nothing" party was to be held was given by the liberal distribution along the sidewalks and on the streets of little pieces of paper with the name "Sam" printed on each. Each member seeing these papers knew what they meant, and would be present that night at the meeting place.
There was also, at the same time, another secret organization of persons opposed to the "Know Nothings" or "Native American" party. This opposing party was ehiefly made up of naturalized citizens, recruited principally from the Democratic party and those who had been of the old line Whig party but had become dissatisfied with its "Native American" sentiments. This party was known as "Sacht Nicht" which means "Say Nothing." They had a special place of meeting which was in the South schoolhouse then standing on the lot afterwards occupied by Campbell's cooper shop on South Wayne street. The building was afterwards remodelled and made a part of a new residence now at the southwest corner of Ohio and Wayne streets.
Each of these secret organizations would endorse eertain men in each politieal party for election. and paid little attention to the expres- sions of political organs.
So strong did the "Know Nothings" become that for the year 1855 David Pugh was elected sheriff on a "K. N." ticket. In that year nine offiees were held by Whigs, two by Democrats, and one by a "Know Nothing." Then the Whig party was permanently wiped from the face of things, because some of its leaders had been trying to compromise slavery, when the rank and file of the party were against it. There
376
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
immediately arose the new Republican party to take the place of the Whig, and the great mass of the erstwhile Whigs and others in this county, flocked to the standard of the new "party of freedom for all."
Mr. Williams changed the name of his Democratie organ again in 1856, this time to the Kenton Democrat and Courier. Mr. Ramsey again took charge of the paper editorially and it ran thus until early in 1857, when it, too, ceased to exist. While Mr. Ramsey was in charge of the journal at this time it was moved to the second floor of what was then the Crowley and Dickson block, on the East Side, over the room now occupied by Angsburger's hardware store.
J. S. Robinson had sold the Whig organ to Robert Coulter, May 20, 1853, Mr. Coulter having been associate editor of the paper for ten months previous. This new owner gave the paper a new name, The Hardin County Republican. An entire new dress of type was installed, and Mr. Robinson was retained as editor. James S. Robinson bought the paper back from Coulter on January 20, 1854, and was thenceforth its editor and proprietor for ten years. August 20, 1856, was a day of big exeitement here because of the presence of Van Amberg's eirens on the commons where now stand the former "Champion" buildings-ex- citement also because that day saw the office of the Republican destroyed by fire with all its contents. At the time, the office was sitnated in the second story of a building standing on the south side of West Franklin street four doors west of the Square, where Hayden's bakery now is. New equipment was purchased and on September 12th the paper ap- peared in a new dress, much improved. The new plant was located on the second floor of the "Kinnear" building, middle of the west side of the Square, above where Barr's book store is now. The printing offiee was in this room for two decades.
When the new Republican party was formed, Editor Robinson east the fortunes of his paper with that political organization. Those were, indeed, big days.
In the election of 1856 the new Republicans elected ten of the twelve county offieers, and the Demoerats two; and it was not many months after the election until the Demoeratie paper, which was now being published on the east side of the Square, suspended.
There arose to take its place a new paper, The Hardin County Democrat, and Vol. 1, No. 1 appeared on Saturday, February 21, 1857, and was issued from quarters on the third floor of the bloek on the northeast corner of Franklin and Main streets. The Catholic church services had formerly been held in these quarters before there was a church building. This new paper was owned by J. E. Mumford and edited by Justus C. Stevens. It was thoroughly Demoeratie in politics. It was a 24-column sheet and its price was "$1.50 per annum in advance, or $1.75 if paid during the first three months, but $2.00 at the expiration of that time." Mr. Mumford soon quit this business, later joined the
377
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
Republican party, saw service in the Civil war and rose to the rank of major. Justus Stevens bought the Democrat on August 29, 1857, and he, together with L. T. Hunt, were its editors during one campaign. In the county election of that year eleven Republicans were successful and one Democrat, and soon after the election the Hardin County Democrat temporarily suspended. After lying inactive, from October 17th until December 20th in the year 1857, the plant and paper were bought by C. S. and William Myers, and Stevens and Hunt were employed as editors. Fred M. Childs bought William Myer's interest and on May 8, 1858, the paper was enlarged to a 28-colunm. Soon after that Myers and Childs sold the paper to Stevens and Hunt. They held it from July 12 to August 28, 1858, and then sold it to A. S. Ramsey, who had been mayor of Kenton and was to be several times again. This deal for Mr. Ramsey was made by Archie M. Davis, who for awhile was financially interested. For nearly three years Mr. Ramsey conducted the paper.
In the county election of 1858, the people of the county endorsed the Republican party to the extent of electing the entire Republican ticket, and for the first time since the organization of Hardin county, or for a quarter of a century, one political party now had control of absolutely all the county offices.
In the campaign of 1859 the opposing papers were published, one by Robinson, the other by Ramsey-two imposing figures, both men of great ability. Not much change was caused by the election of 1859. One Democrat was endorsed by the people for county office, and eleven Republicans. Both of the last mentioned publishers and editors remained with their respective papers during the greatest political event the county had yet seen-the election of Abraham Lincoln. In this election four Democrats were elected to county office, leavng the offices divided as follows : Republicans, 7; Democrats, 5. But when the vote was counted on the national ticket old Hardin county was found securely in the Lincoln column.
Before Lincoln was inaugurated, Mr. Ramsey sold the paper to O. B. Happersett, who had previously edited the Urbana Free Press.
He and his brother, J. C. Happersett, now published the paper. When the Civil war broke out the rise in the cost of materials and labor caused a decrease in the size of the paper to a 24-column.
When the rebellious South fired on the stars and stripes at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, and began the war of secession, there were stirring scenes in Kenton. Hardin county people were unmistakably for the Union. Editor Robinson of the Republican, went into the war as Captain Robinson, commanding Company G, Fourth Ohio regiment. He enlisted as a private April 17, 1861, and saw over four years' service. He was elevated to major and became lieutenant colonel of the Eighty- second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and colonel of the regiment, succeeding Colonel Cantwell, who fell in the Second Battle of Bull Run. Colonel
378
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
Robinson was badly wounded in the left shoulder in the battle of Gettys- burg. He was carried to a residence in Gettysburg village and one of his orderlies, Christopher Ushman, tells of the Colonel's hearing the Rebels rush by the house on one of the days of battle, yelling, "We have licked 'em;" and then pass in a few hours again wailing in admission of defeat in this, one of the world's most decisive battles. Colonel Robinson was assigned to command the Third brigade, First division, Second Army Corps, December 12, 1864, was appointed brigadier gen- eral, January 12, 1865, and brevetted a major general on March 13, 1865. After the close of the war, and after serving in many battles he was mustered out August 31, 1865. He was afterwards called by his party and his country to many important positions of publie trust, was sec- retary of state of Ohio, and was twiee eleeted to Congress from his district. Ile died at his Kenton mansion January 14, 1892. Parlee Robinson, a present Kenton business man, is his son.
Editor Robinson's contemporary, Editor Ramsey, of the Democrat, was a strong Union man, and he also entered the army. For a time he was adjutant to Colonel Robinson. He later became lieutenant colonel in the service of his country and assisted in recruiting two full eom- panies in Hardin county for the Twenty-fourth Ohio regiment. He resigned his commission November 16, 1862, and returned to his law practice at Kenton. Hle resigned, not because he opposed the war, but because of some incompatibility between him and his then commanding officer, Colonel B. P. Runkle, commander of the Forty-fifth Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry, and now of Governor Harmon's staff. Colonel Ramsey was a man ponderous of physique. ITis weight was 340 pounds. In later life he built several fine residences here, one of them being the briek structure now owned by the city and used as a city hall. He died in this residenee.
In the Civil war days the people of Hardin, educated to the needs of the times by the publie press, rallied to the eause of "the Union now and forever" with a patriotism not equalled by any neighboring eounty. About 2,000 of the best men of Hardin eounty went into the ranks of the Union army in defense of the flag and the cause of freedom. Party lines were disregarded by the common people in this eounty. There were soldiers and heroes from both parties.
The development of the sentiment for both the preservation of the Union and the destruction of slavery had been slow but sure. "Slow are the steps of freedom, but her feet turn never backward."
All honor to the editorial pens in this county, that, in trying times, wielded mightily for the Union and for freedom !
Though the great Demoeratie party, as a party, blundered some in its course in the Civil war, it did not control the patriotic heart-beats of Hardin county Demoerats, nor prevent expressions of loyalty from many a member of that party in this community.
379
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
When Editor Robinson responded to Lincoln's first call for vol- unteers, he left the Republican paper in charge of his foreman, Stilla Powell, but it soon passed to A. R. Scott, and the latter filled the position of editor until the end of Vol. 17, in the year 1864, when he, too, went into the army.
He was succeeded as editor by Lester T. Hunt. Very soon Mr. Hunt and Charles S. Myers, who had been a lieutenant in the Union army, bought the paper from then Colonel Robinson, and they took charge of the paper September 16, 1864. Mr. Hunt continued as editor and Mr. Myers became associate. Both of these men had previously been Democrats and identified with the Democratie organ, but they joined the Republican party during the war days on "account of the Democratic party's attitude toward the Union and freedom." Mr. Myers is still among the living, being a prominent resident of near Roundhead, Ohio. His brother, William, also went into the war, became a Republican, and is now an employe of the government patent office at Washington.
Hunt and Myers changed the day of issue of the Republican from Friday to Thursday, and the name of the paper again underwent a change July 12, 1866, when it appeared as the Kenton Republican, thus going back to the old title. It came out on this date in an entirely new dress. The old type, which had breathed many a word of eloquence in the ante-bellum days and had recorded death on the battle field of about 196 of Hardin county's bravest men, was now thrown into the "hell box" to be recast for new work in behalf of native land. And, by the way. while the old-fashioned type of both papers here had printed the news of the killing in battle of this number of Hardin county boys, it was also print- ing the news of perhaps 200 dying from the effects of wounds, and sev- eral hundred from diseases of camp.
By mutual consent the partnership of Hunt and Myers was dis- solved on October 24, 1866. Mr. Hunt becoming sole proprietor of the Republican. His paper was now printing "new news with a new outfit."
In foregoing paragraphs the Hardin County Democrat was left in charge of Happersett brothers at the outbreak of the war. This great contest which had dismembered the national Democratic party, left this newspaper property in a somewhat unsettled state. The senior brother, O. B. Happersett, sold out his interest to William H. Munnell, August 8, 1862. The new firm, Munnell & Happersett, enlarged their paper to a 28-column and restored the old, ante-war subscription price.
On December 5th of that year, J. C. Happersett sold his interest to his partner, and thus Mr. Munnell became sole owner and editor. An incident will indicate his leanings. Mr. Munnell went to the Norman schoolhouse in Lynn township to deliver an address in criticism of the federal authorities' conduct of the war. He regretted that Lincoln was in charge of affairs and declared that the "war was a failure and should be abandoned." One of his auditors, Charles Stevenson, a cripple,
380
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
jumped from his seat, knocked the eandle from the table and drove the speaker and others out of the building with his eane.
Mr. Munnell adopted this motto January 16, 1863: "With or with- out offense to friends or foes, I sketch the world exactly as it goes." Although he was in harmony with "The Knights of the Golden Cirele," the organization that was friendly to the southern foes of the Union cause, nevertheless, on August 28th of that year, he plaeed a picture of the flag under his motto in a conspicuous place in the paper.
Mr. Munnell sold his paper on September 4, 1863, to Colonel Pike, editor of the Hillsboro Gazette. Colonel Pike placed O. C. Wheeler, a Delaware (Ohio) student, in charge of the paper as editor and manager. Mr. Wheeler placed the following in his paper as his editorial motto during the famous campaign of 1863: "The Constitution as it is; the Union as it was; Vallandigham and Liberty." Colonel Pike, the Hills- boro (Ohio) editor, may not have felt or correctly judged the pulse of Hardin county Democrats. At any rate there were too many here who did not believe that the Union should or eould remain as it was, "half slave and half free," and they did not believe other declarations of the "Hillsboro doctrine," and when the ballots were counted John Brough, one candidate for governor, had received 621 more IIardin county votes than had Clement Laird Vallandigham, the opposing candidate. Val- landigham was a political enemy of Abraham Lincoln. One loeal authority has said that "this campaign created the most exciting period in the history of the state." Mr. Vallandigham had been an attorney at Dayton, Ohio. He was an exceptionally brilliant man and was, phys- ically, one of the handsomest men ever seen in this eity where he onee visited. His son, Charles, is a Republican and resides at Columbus.
In this Vallandigham campaign S. L. Hoge, who had before been associate editor of the Kenton Demoeratie organ, was a candidate for prosecuting attorney here. Major Hoge, who saw war serviee, afterwards becoming staunchly Republican, was appointed judge advocate during the reconstruction at Columbia, South Carolina, then became Supreme court judge there, afterwards comptroller of the state, and was twiee sent to Congress from John C. Calhoun's old distriet. He later beeame a permanent Kenton eitizen.
The county election in Hardin county in 1863, left the county offiees divided between the parties as follows : Republicans, 9; Demoerats, 3. But the landslide for Lincoln in the next year gave the Republicans eleven county offices and the Demoerats one.
The "disastrous eampaign" of 1863 here resulted in the suspension of Colonel Pike's paper, and for some time there was no Democratic organ. In August, 1864, however, Colonel A. S. Ramsey again bought the Democratic paper and conducted it as editor and proprietor for nearly a year. In April, 1865, the proprietorship passed to Charles L. Zahm, who at once assumed entire eontrol. After running it a year he
381
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
concluded that a change of name for the paper would help some, so in March, 1866, the paper's cognomen appeared as the Democratic Advocate. But a biographer states that "in December of the same year, circum- stances compelled him to sell out." The close of this campaign found the Republicans again in control of all the county offices.
Then it was that the late Daniel Flanagan appeared in the local newspaper field. His home had been at Oxford, Ohio, where he had edited a paper in favor of "states' rights." He came here after the close of the war, purchased the Advocate plant of Mr. Zahm for $500 and soon thereafter began the publication of The Kenton Democrat, in "Vol. 1, New Series." His office was at first located in the same quarters where it had been for many years, on the east side of the Square.
In the foregoing account the histories of the newspapers have been sketched contemporaneously with the annals of the activities and sue- cesses of the two leading political parties. This has been done because of the intimate relations between the two. It has been seen that in those early days reverses sustained by a political party in one campaign often meant the death of the party's paper.
Newspapers had been depending largely on political support. Their business was to be first a political organ and the news was more or less a secondary consideration. Too many newspapers hardly knew what it meant to be independent. The first noteworthy independent paper was the New York Herald, established by James Gordon Bennett in 1835. But the independent age in newspaper work had not come to any great extent in the year 1866. However, this year departed leaving the two Kenton newspapers in the hands of able business men as well as skilled publishers and editors. The war had come and gone. Peace was upon the land. People were again settled. Business was more stable. The newspapers were well established. Polities was less disturbing. For these reasons the vicissitudes of politicians did not so largely effect the life and conduct of the press. The same was more true with each year following; and for these reasons the account of political campaigns, essential to the fore part of this history, is now dropped from the narrative as non-essential to the part that follows.
When Daniel Flanagan took charge of the Democratic newspaper he placed this motto below its title: "Equal justice to all, special privileges to none." It was a 28-column paper, issued on Thursday for "$2.00 per year in advance, $3.00 if paid within three months, and $3.50 if not paid until the close of the year." In 1871, Mr. Flanagan gave the paper an entire new outfit of presses, type, etc., and enlarged the paper to a 32-column shect. It made an excellent impression. For nine years Mr. Flanagan conducted the paper and then, on January 1, 1875, he sold it to David S. Fisher for $7,000. His shrewd, business management had brought the paper from a condition of worthlessness to one of the best of its kind in this part of the state at that time.
382
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
Mr. Fisher's offiees were for some time in the third story of what is now the Paulucci block, at the northeast corner of Main and Franklin streets. But he afterwards moved them to his own building on the south side of East Franklin, three doors from Main street. Before eoming here, Mr. Fisher had been the editor of the Allen County Democrat for fifteen years. He changed the name of the local paper to The Hardin County Democrat, thus going back to the title of 1857. Mr. Fisher made his paper 36-column and announced that it would be "a family journal devoted to literature, news, agriculture, and the dissemination of Democratie principles." He continued to publish the paper until 1885.
The year 1868 saw a "wonderful" change at the plant of the Kenton Republican, Editor Hunt having enlarged his paper to a 32- column, a "Campbell" power press was added, which was the first of the kind in this portion of the state. This was a eylinder press, but although known as a power machine, it was for some time operated by a hand- crank.
Mr. Hunt sold a half interest in the property to A. W. Miller, who had previously been connected with the Tiffin Tribune. In January. 1869, at the close of Vol. 23, Mr. Miller bought his partner's half and became sole owner. He enlarged it to a 36-column paper. Mr. IInnt, however, eontinned with Mr. Miller as editor until April 6, 1871, when Mr. Miller took the responsibility of editor-in-chief, Mr. Hunt remaining with the paper as associate editor. In April, 1878, a four-horse power engine was put in to run the presses, this being the first engine to be used in a Kenton printing office. Presses heretofore had been operated by hand. The Republican was owned by Mr. Miller until his death, Feb- uary 17, 1880. While the property was in the hands of his administrator, T. H. Bagley, the paper was conducted by Mr. Hunt. The plant on April 1, 1878 had been moved to rooms on the south side of West Columbus, first door west of Detroit, where the Held store is at present located. Here it ocenpied three small floors, inelnding the basement.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.