History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Part 50

Author: Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co.
Number of Pages: 716

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Another venture of 1836 was the Cleveland Liber- alist, the first number of which was issued on the 10th day of September, in that year, by Dr. Samuel Underhill, editor and proprietor. It was a small weekly, and advocated what its editor called free thought, but which most people designated as infidel- ity. There seems to have been a considerable skep-

tical element in Cleveland at an early day, for a place of its size, but there was not enough to support a weekly organ, for the Liberalist expired during the following year.

On the other hand there was a religious organ (Presbyterian) established at Cleveland as early as 1836. It was called the Cleveland Journal, and in 1837 was published by John M. Sterling, Samuel C. Aikin and A. Penfield. Its editor was Rev. O. P. lloyt. A little later it was united with the Ohio Observer, then located at Hudson. The consolidated paper was published at Cleveland, under the name of the Cleveland Observer. In 1840 it was moved back to Hudson, where it resumed the name of Ohio Ob- serrer.

The Daily Commercial Intelligencer was born in 1838; its sponsor being Benjamin Andrews. The only record opposite its infant name is " Died out."

Daring the celebrated Harrison campaign of 1840, a small campaign paper of five columns called The Fre, was published from the 23d of April until after election. It was of course devoted to the cause of Harrison, who was supported by an immense ma- jority of the voters of the Western Reserve. The top of its first page was adorned with a log cabin covered with a "shake" roof, supposed to represent the dwelling of the popular old Indian-fighter.

We believe the shortest-lived of all the many short- lived Cleveland newspapers was one of which even the name is in doubt. A person who is described as a "Quaker Whig," projected a journal in 1840, to be called either the Christian Statesman or the Chris- tian Whig, it is not certain which. A solitary num- ber appeared under one of those names, and that was both the beginning and the end of what was evi- dently intended to be the regenerator of Cuyahoga polities. Almost as brief was the career of the Cleve- land Agitator, a weekly anti-slavery sheet which came into existence in 1840, and went out of existence the same year.

The year 1841 was a remarkably good time for giv- ing birth to newspapers, and a remarkably poor one for keeping them alive. No less than three passed from the eradle to the grave during that single twelve- month, besides two others, the time and term of whose existence is not exactly known. The Daily Morning News was a neutral sheet established in 1841 by George Mortimer Shippen. "Died the same year." The Palladium of Liberty was an anti-slavery weekly edited by the Rev. Mr. Butts. A brief trial demon- strated that sufficient support could not be obtained, and liberty was left without its palladium. "Died the same year." The very peenliar title of The Eagle- Eyed News-Catcher was given by David L. Wood to another venture (daily) of 1841, but though it might eatch the news, it couldn't catch the money; and the Eugle-Eyed soon elosed its piercing orbs in everlast- ing sleep. "Died the same year."

The Daily Morning Mercury, owned and edited by Calvin Hall, was probably established in 1841, and

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certainly departed this life in that eventful year. The Mothers' and Young Ladies' Guide, edited by Mrs. M. M. llerrick, was a monthly publication which had a brief existence about the same period.

Passing to the year 1842, we find the Cleveland Gatherer (weekly) coming into existence under the management of E. B. Fisher, and maintaining itself until 1844, when it was gathered to its predecessors; being rather a long-lived journal for that period.

The first effort to have a newspaper in Cuyahoga county, outside of Cleveland, was at the enterprising village of Chagrin Falls. In 1842, when the village was but eight years old, C. T. Blakeslee and John Brainard (the latter afterwards a professor of chemis- try in Cleveland, and examiner of patents at Wash- ington), undertook to establish a newspaper. They bought a hundred dollars worth of type on credit, and made with their own hands every thing else necessary for their purpose, including the press. The latter was not, perhaps, very beautiful, but it was used for years to print a newspaper. The proprietors called their production the Farmers' and Mechanics' Journal; the first number being issued in August of the year above named,

Immediately afterwards Mr. Blakeslee sold out to Hiram E. Calkins, who, in about eight months, dis- posed of his interest to M. S. Barnes. In the summer of 1844 Brainard and Barnes sold to II. G. Whipple, who undertook to make a Democratic campaign paper of the Journal. His foreman (the late proprietor, Barnes), however, in Whipple's absence, substituted a Whig ticket and editorial. Barnes, of course, was dismissed. lle then bought a press and established a Whig campaign paper. The rival journals both died after election.

To conclude the story of early journalism at Chagrin Falls, the next year M. P. Doolittle and HI. E. Calkins started a paper named the Spirit of Free- dom, which expired the same autumn. Afterwards a publication called Labour was carried on by the " Labouring Men's Association." The undertaking, however, proved more laborious than profitable, and was given up; Mr. and Mrs. E. Il. Sanford becoming the owners of the press. In January, 1850, Mrs. Sanford began the publication of a monthly, especi- ally intended for women, called True Kindred. At the end of five months this was changed to the Independent Politician (weekly) edited by Mr. San- ford. Ere long this, too, was discontinued, and thenceforth there were no more journalistic efforts at Chagrin Falls until the founding of the Chagrin Exponent, as narrated farther on.

To return to Cleveland-in 1843 the Second Advent- ist was established by some of the believers in Father Miller, who was prophesying the end of the world in April, 1844, and who had quite a considerable follow- ing in Cleveland. The publisher was T. HI. Smead. This could not, in the nature of things, have been expected to be a permanent accession to journalism. Its only inspiration was the near approach of death,

and when the world failed to ignite at the appointed time, the newspaper had nothing left to live for.

The Ohio American was established in 1844; being the earliest of the journals which, after various changes and consoldiations, became the present Leader.

At that time, also, a paper called the Declaration of Independence began its career-with T. H. Smead as publisher and Quintus F. Atkins as editor. It was strongly anti-slavery, and supported Birney, the abolition candidate for the presidency. It suspended after the close of the campaign.

In 1845 the Cleveland Weekly Times was established by Peter Baxter, with Horace Steele as editor. It was merged in the Plain Dealer in 1848. The Ohio Univeralist and Literary Companion (weekly), a small craft with a top-heavy title, was also launched on the journalistic stream in 1845, under the guid- ance of C. W. Hudson, publisher, and George H. Emerson, editor; only to be stranded about 1847. The True Democrat was established at Olmstead Falls in 1847. (See sketch of the Leader.)

For two or three years after 1845 there seems to have been an abatement of the mania for starting newspapers, but in 1848 it broke out again, as danger- ous as ever. One of the new issues of that year was only intended for temporary use, and doubtless ful- filled its purposes. This was the Reserve Battery, a Taylor campaign (weekly), published by J. A. Harris from the 20th of July until after election. The vignette represented Gen. Taylor directing the firing of a battery of artillery at a group of enemies, among whom Gen. Cass is the most prominent who throws up his hands and protests against the " noise and confusion " which prevails.

The Spirit of Freedom was founded in that year by certain gentlemen who are vaguely designated as " Law Reformers," but it had not enough flesh and blood enough for this practical world, and it fled to brighter climes after a very brief sojourn. The Northern Ohio Medical Examiner (monthly), born the same year, represented another leading profession, but it, too, soon passed away.

The Temple of Honor was the organ of the order of Sons of Temperance, and though we cannot as- certain the exact dates, yet it was probably founded about 1850, and died after a year or two of high- minded but poorly fed existence. The Spirit of the Lakes was a journal of the same period published by the Western Seaman's Friend Society (Rev. R. H. Leonard, editor), for the benefit of the sailors on the lakes, which performed its beneficent labor nearly six years. In its latter days it was known as the Spirit of the Lakes and Boutmen's Reporter; having absorbed another journal started with the same object. Perhaps the weight of the title sunk it.

Another new journal of 1850 was the Family Visitor (weekly), the first number of which was is- sued on the 3d of January in that year, under the supervision of J. P. Kirtland, S. St. John and O. H.

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Knapp. As its name implied, it was intended especi- ally for the home cirele, and was really a very desir- able paper. Every number contained illustrated ar- ticles on natural history, usually contributed by Pro- fessor Kirtland or Charles Whittlesey, Esq. On the 9th of May in the same year, it appeared with the heading "published at Cleveland and Hudson." The publication of this useful journal was continued until 1858, when it went down under the stress of "hard times."

The principal contribution of the year 1852 to the list of ephemeral publications was the ( leveland Com- mercial, a neutral weekly, founded by Hine and Cul- laton. It subsequently passed into the hands of II. M. Addison, advocating the cause of morality, edu- cation, temperance and equal rights for four years, and then ceased to exist-perhaps because those vir- tues had become so well established that a special champion was no longer necessary.

Mr. Addison seems to have had a remarkable pro- clivity and facility for establishing newspapers, for the records show that in 1852 he founded two, both devoted to temperance. Probably, however, the first, the American AAdvertiser, merely changed its name, assuming the name of the Harpoon, under which fe- rocious title it struck terror into the whales of evil at a dollar a year for about four years, when it lost its hold and sank to rise no more.

The School Boy was for a short period edited by the students of the high school and published by F. O. McGillienddy; closing its career in 1855 or 1856. The Golden Rule, a religious, temperance, anti-sla- very, anti-tobacco monthly, published by D. M. Ide and edited by D. F. Newton, flourished for three or four years and was moved to Mansfield about 1856.

The Daily and Weekly Forest City set out on the career of journalism as an advocate of "Free Soil " principles in 1852, but, was nnited with the True Democrat the next year, as stated in the sketch of the Leader.

The Innals of Science was a semi-monthly sheet, published by Hamilton S. Smith, which had a brief existenee sometime between 1852 and 1855. The American Magazine, a Homeopathie and Hydropathie monthly, has a similar history, but lasted somewhat longer, dying about 1856. The New American May- azine, of which B. K. Maltby was the editor, was a monthly devoted to the interests of education, and its period of existence corresponded quite closely with that of its Homoo-hydropathie contemporary.

The Cleveland Commercial Gazette, devoted entirely to market reports and other commercial matter, was founded by E. Cowles & Co., the proprietors of the Leader, in 1856, and was continued until 1868.

The second German newspaper in Cleveland was the Germania, which was established in 1856, and had a prosperous career for nearly twenty years, but finally disappeared in 1875. The Spiritual Universe, which began its career in 1857, enjoyed a year or so of delicate existence, and then departed to the spirit

world. The Daily Review, published by Spear, Den- nison & Morrison, and edited by Il. H. Johnson, was born in 1857 and lasted till the first years of the war.

The Buckeye Democrat sprang into existence in 1859, and dropped out of existence in 1860, though its place was taken by the National Dem-erat, which was established by C. B. Flood in 1860 and departed this life in 1860. A publication founded in 1859 which attained somewhat more of permanence, was the Wool Growers' Reporter, a monthly founded by Andrew Meader, and devoted as its name implies to tha wool raising interest. Afterwards its scope was widened to embrace the wool-manufacturing interest, its name being changed to the Wool Grower and Man- ufurturer. Under this title it endured till the close of the war.

The year 1859 and the forepart of 1860 were espe- cially distinguished by an outbreak of new publica- tions. There were the Agitator, a temperance and anti-slavery publication, of which Mrs. IL. F. M. Brown was editor and proprietor, and which hardly lasted through the last named year; the Analyst, of J. A. Spencer & Co., which barely survived the next one; Dodge's Literary Museum, issued by the cele- brated Ossian E. Dodge, which lived about two years; and the Vanguard, a skeptical weekly which owned the triple editorship of William Denton, Alfred Cridge and Anna Denton Cridge, but which went to the rear after a very brief conflict with the dangers of Cleveland journalism. Of more solid character, but of scarcely more tenacity of life was the Western Law Monthly of Hayden, King and Elwell, which em- braced the names of Hon. R. P. Ranney as snper- vising editor of the code department, and of J. J. Elwell and M. A. King as assistant editors. It closed its career in 1860. Most fragile of all was the Daily Dispatch, published by an association of printers, which saw but four brief moons of 1860 wax and wane ere the chilly hand of death was laid upon its infant brow.

The Cleaner, a literary weekly which was set on foot in the beginning of 1861, closed its career within a year. In fact, the war, which broke out in 1861, though it increased the demand for news, and doubt- less increased the prosperity of the well-established journals devoted principally to the news, seemed to have a very depressing effeet on the ambition of ad- ventures into the journalistic field, and so far, as we can learn, not a single new periodical (unless we ex- cept Brainard's Musical World) was established in Cleveland during the continuance of the rebellion. Not only that, but the old ones of the class of the Analyst, the Literary Museum, ete., dropped off until in 1863 there were only the Herald, Plain Dealer, Leader, Ohio Farmer, Waechter um Erie, Germania, Wool Grower and Manufacturer, and the German religious papers.

After the war the business of newspaper founding began to revive; the first of the new set being the Ger- man Democrat, which appeared in 1865. This, how-

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ever, found the field fully occupied, and retired in the course of a year.

Ere long the newspaper nursery was again in full bloom. Besides a number of journals which have survived to the present time, and of which separate sketches are subsequently given, there were the Chris- tiun Standard, established by the Christian Publish- ing Association in 1866, with Rev. Isaac Errett as editor, which lasted but two years; the Ohio Culti- vater (monthly), published at the office of the Ohio Farmer for a brief period beginning in 1860; the Temperance Era (weekly), of which J. A. Spencer was the editor, which appeared in 1870 and disap- peared within a year; the Ohio Spiritualist (weekly). which was first put forth by the American Spiritualist Publishing Company in 1870, and which maintained itself for three years.

Passing on to 1871, we find the Printing Gazette, (monthly, ) coming to life in that year, and departing from life in the next. In 1872 the Prohibition Era of A. T. Proctor took the place of Mr. Spencer's Temperance Era, and lasted four years; the New Era of E. C. Parker & Co. was begun, but never became an old era; and the Real Estate Recorder of 11. S. Herr also entered the field, to be crowded out within a twelve-month. It was succeeded by the Real Estate Journal of J. N. Bebout, which survived until 1877. Of more tenacions papers established during that year, were the Pokrok of F. B. Zdrubek, the first Bohemian paper in the city, which was pub- lished until 1878; the Mechunies' and Blacksmiths' Journal of John Fehrenbatch, which also lasted until 1878, and the Coopers' Journal of M. A. Foran, which had a somewhat briefer existence.

It will be borne in mind all the while that we are now giving only obituary notices of the deceased; the living newspapers will be found further on.

Proceeding to the spring of 1873, one learns for the first time of the existence of Cleveland's Illustrated Bazaar, a gay occupant of the field which withered under the frost of the succeeding winter: of the House and Garden of G. E. Blakelee, which lived two years, part of the time nuder the management of M. J. Lawrence; of the Cleveland Hygiena, published by Dr. Libby for three years; of the Oberlin New Era, by the same proprietor, which could not live one year in this uncongenial atmosphere; of the Cleveland Pulpit, edited by E. B. Raffensperger, from which eame the sound of good tidings for less than two years.

By the light of another year (1874) we look upon the fleeting forms of the Cleveland Sontagblatt (Sun- day paper), edited by Julius Kurzer; of the Cross and Crown, edited by Lawrence W. Tatum, which sur- vived but a twelvemonth; of the Columbia, edited by Joseph Killian, which survived until the close of the year last past: of the Celtic Inder, edited by the Rev. Dr. Quinn; of the Linndale Enterprise, of Wm. W. Robinson, which was too enterprising to live more than a twelvemonth; of Our Youth which reached the

end of its days ere three hundred and sixty-five of them were numbered, and of the Trio which attained but a little longer life-only seven new papers, all told. The fact that this was the climax of the hard times accounts for there not being a larger number.

The Cuyahoga County Blade, published at New- burg by L. A. Woodward; the Household Treasure of Waite and Meyel; and the Irish National Magazine of W. J. Nicholson, were the contributions of 1875 to the list of Cleveland periodicals. The first suspended publication in a year, its place being taken by the Democratic Sunday Blade which expired a twelve- month later; while the second and third were wrecked in 1876.

"Come like shadows, so depart." Five more en- tered the lists in 1876 (possibly some of them in the latter part of '25); the Indicator, published by S. W. Crowell & Co .; the Little Ones at Home, by M. A. Beebe; the Maria Hilf, of which J. II. Renfert was the editor; the Pictorial World, managed by E. J. Farmer; and the Delnicke Liste (Workingmen's News). The first, third and fourth disappeared the following year, while the second and fifth lasted a twelvemonth longer.

The only new venture recorded in 1872 was the Sunday Post, which was absorbed in the Voice the following year. The journalistic adventures of 1878, which have already come to an end, include the Household Gem and Pleasure and Profit. The West Side Sentinel (not the present Sentinel) and the Lon- tern, have come and gone during the present year. So also has the State, an anti-Catholie sheet, which began life about the first of February and closed in June.

We have thus very briefly summarized the departed periodicals of Cleveland. Possibly a few of them may have escaped our attention, but this could hardly be avoided under the circumstances. We presume our readers will be satisfied with the number of those whose births and deaths have been thus recorded. We now proceed to submit sketches of those which are still upon earth, and most of which seem likely to make that their habitation for many years to come.

THE CLEVELAND HERALD.

The oldest newspaper in Cleveland is the Herald, the history of which dates back to 1819. With the exception of a small sheet, started the previous year and published irregularly for a short time, the Herald was the first to occupy the newspaper field in Cleve- land. It was started as a weekly in the year above mentioned, the publishers being Z. Willes & Co., and for some time held the field alone. In the summer of 1836 the first daily newspaper was issued by Mr. Whittlesey, under the name of the Gazette, but on the 22d of March, 1837, it was united with the Herald and published as the Daily Herald and Gazetle, the proprietors being Whittlesey and Inll. Soon after the consolidation Mr. Hull disposed of his interest to Josiah A. Harris, and after awhile Mr. Whittlesey also

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retired and Mr. Harris became sole proprietor of the Herald. At that time the total population of Cleve- land, on both sides of the river, was about six thon- sand, and the business outlook very dark. But the Herald secured a firm hold of the people by its enter- prise, ability and unflagging devotion to principle, characteristics which it has retained throughout its history.

In 1850 a part interest was sold to A. W. Fair- banks, who assumed charge of the publishing depart- ment and added a job office, and in the spring of 1853 George A. Benedict became one of the partners and editors. At the elose of the war of the rebellion Mr. Harris retired from the paper, leaving the owner- ship to Fairbanks, Benedict & Co., Mr. Benedict being the editor-in-chief. In the intervening time between the commencement and close of Mr. Harris' connection with the paper, the Herald had grown from a weak, struggling sheet, to a journal of large cirenlation and commanding influence, and it had prospered so greatly that, instead of being printed on a press it did not own, it was the owner of a large building completely stocked with powerful presses and materials, and employed a large foree. In 1876, Mr. Benedict died, and towards the close of that year his interest in the establishment was purchased by Mr. Fairbanks, who thus became sole owner.

Near the end of 1877 the Herald was sold to Messrs. Richard C. Parsons and Wilham Perry Fogg, and the Herald Publishing Company formed, with Mr. Par- sons as editor-in-chief and Mr. Fogg as president of the company and business manager. With the ad- vent of the new management fresh life was infused into the old and favorite newspaper, and it took its place among the foremost and most widely known journals of the country. Its circulation is large, and its influence great. The Daily Herald is issued morning and evening, there being three regular edi- tions of the evening issne, and there are also tri-weekly and weekly editions with heavy circulations. The staff of editors, reporters, telegraphie correspondents, and paid contributors is large and composed of the best material, no paper of its rank being better appointed in this respect. The politics of the Herald was Whig until the death of that party. It was the first paper in the Union to hoist the name of Fremont for Presi- dent, before his nomination by the first Republican national convention, and since that time has always been an advocate of Republican principles. Under its present management it is noted for its vigorous and able advocacy of true republicanism, its staunch , patriotism, and its fearless criticism of men and , measures, whether in connection with politics or other snbjeets.

THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER.

In 1834 Canfield & Spencer purchased the Cleve- land Advertiser of W. Woodward. They continued -

its publication as a Democratie weekly paper until 1836, when they transformed it into a daily. J. W. and A. N. Gray bought the paper in 1841 and changed its name to the Plain Dealer. J. W. Gray managed the editorial department, and he was not long in making the influence of the Plain Dealer felt in the party. Mr. Gray was a terse, trenchant and witty writer, and there was few more readable papers than his.

From the start it was uncompromisingly Demo- eratie. Politics, however, did not ahsorb all the space, for Mr. Gray had a sharp " nose for news," and especially aimed to make his local chronicles lively and entertaining. The earlier issues of the Plain Dealer were not of course up to the mechanical style that at present distinguishes it; but a copy issued seven years after the Grays assumed control, which lies before the writer, is of goodly size and neat typography, and is well filled with editorial. local, miscellaneous and telegraphic news. We itali- eize the last adjective, because telegrams were far less common in 1848 than they are now.

The Plain Dealer was conspicuous in the Presiden - tial campaigns from 1848 on, especially in 1852 and 1860. In the latter contest it was one of Stephen A. Douglas' principal supporters in his race against Breckenridge, Lincoln and Bell. The editor of the Plain Dealer was a warm personal friend of Mr. Dong- las, and threw his whole soul into his service.

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History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Part 50

Author: Johnson, Crisfield Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co. Number of Pages: 716

Author: Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co.
Number of Pages: 716