History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 45

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 923

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What is believed to be the oldest copy of the paper in existence is No. 12 of the Olive Branch, dated October 26, 1817, and which is in the possession of the Union-Herald.

Mr. Doane retired from the paper February 9, 1819, and an announcement was made that it would, in the future, be conducted by Joseph Olds and William B. Thrall, the last named

being the editor. The motto placed at the head of the paper at this time was: "I was born as free as Caesar; so were you." Shortly after Mr. Thrall became connected with the paper, he was taken sick and his wife dying, he was compelled, for a time, to sever his con- nection with the paper, and April 16, 1819, an interest was transferred to Silas S. Geohegan, a practical printer. After an absence of six months, Mr. Thrall returned much improved in health, and devoted himself closely to the duty of editing the paper. He filled the place with ability, and the journal had a number of years of prosperous life.

On August 12, 1826, the paper was en- larged to a "super-royal" sheet, equal in size to the National Intelligencer during the War of i812, and its name was changed to the Olive Branch and Pickaway Herald. In 1830 the paper appeared in an entirely new dress and the title again underwent a change, this time coming out as the Circleville Herald and Olive Branch; and on June 30, 1832, the "Olive Branch" was dropped and the paper was known simply as the Herald:

About this time appeared a rival, the Ohio Observer, which was the nucleus about which grew the Democrat and Watchman. It was established by Messrs. Bentley, Hedges, Bran- nan, Fry, Pike, Keffer, Boyle and Brainard.

In May, 1834, the proprietors of the Herald leased a moiety of the property to Jason Case, and the publication was continued under the name formerly standing at its head, and by Thrall and Case.

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On May 13, 1837, S. R. Dolbee, then fore- man in the office of the State printer in Colum- bus, purchased an interest in the paper, and it was enlarged at this time and vied with the best journals in the State in mechanical execu- tion. New presses and material were pur- chased, and the office was better supplied than ever before. Mr. Thrall was elected that year to the General Assembly but continued writ- ing for the paper. Mr. Dolbee left after one year's connection with the paper and removed to Illinois. He was succeeded by Jason Case; the firm name was made Jason Case & Com- pany, and Mr. Thrall retained his position as editor. The latter remained in the partnership until 1843, when he sold out to H. H. War- ren, who continued in the firm for one year; then Mr. Thrall again became the owner of the paper.

In July, 1843, W. D. Bailey became inter- ested in the publication and was succeeded not long after by John Hanna. He continued in connection with Mr. Thrall and alone until he associated with himself T. C. Jones. Still later the firm became Hanna & McFarland and in 1848, M. W. Doddridge & McFarland. On April 30, 1852, the paper appeared with the single name of A. McFarland at the head of its columns. On February 25, 1853, he gave place to Gamaliel Scott, who edited the journal for one year and was succeeded by William Bremigan, who conducted the paper alone until December 3, 1858, when F. A. B. Simkins be- came his associate.

Bremigan disposed of the property in 1860 to John E. Ray, and in July of the same year it was announced that after that time the Herald would be published by Mr. Bremigan and Sam- uel W. McCulloch, "but owing to the fact that certain arrangements between the parties in- terested had not been perfected," it was stated a week or two later that the proprietorship re- mained unchanged.

On May 25, 1860, the flag was hoisted for Lincoln and Hamlin. In January, 1861, Brem- igan became the owner of the paper and the following February took as an associate W. D. McPherson. The death of Mr. Bremigan was announced in the Herald August 23, 1861.

Mr. Bremigan's widow, Mrs. Jemima Bremi- gan, is yet living, her home being in San Jose. California. Mr. Bremigan had had control of the publication with the exception of one year from 1854 until his death, after which John A. Lutz, as his personal representative, edited it until September 20th, when W. H. P. Denny, of Dayton, Ohio, purchased it and assumed immediate control.

The war having begun, the paper was de- voted to the national cause and hence the adop- tion of the name indicating its true character. On the advice of leading Republicans, its title was changed to that of the Circleville Union, and in April, 1870, the name was changed again, this time being Circleville Herald and Union, which name it bore until January I, 1877, when the present name, Circleville Union-Herald, was adopted, of which change Editor Marfield made the following marriage announcement : "The Herald and Union have been courting these many years and to-day we celebrate their nuptials. Excuse the seeming selfishness, but 'here's to the health of the Union-Herald; may it live long and prosper. The compositor will 'set 'em up.'"

After the purchase of the paper by Mr. Denny, he published it for four years and at the expiration of that period sold it to Col. P. C. Hays. On April 16, 1869, E. Z. Hays bought it and conducted it until March 1, 1872. About this time the paper suffered a decline in patronage and influence, and at the latter date was sold to B. F. Thomas and E. B. Fletcher, who conducted it under the name of Thomas & Fletcher, Mr. Thomas being the editor. The last named was a man of consid- erable ability and started upon his work with good promise of success and prosperity, but died October 17th of the same year, and the paper was conducted by disinterested parties for his family for the next 12 months.

Alfred Williams, a man of thorough edu- cation and great talent, bought the publica- tion March 14, 1873, and sold it July 3, 1874, to Seneca W. Ely and William Leuthstrom. Mr. Ely had formerly been one of the editors of the Scioto Gazette, of Chillicothe, and was one of the pioneer editors of Ohio. Ely &

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Leuthstrom continued to publish .the paper until December 1, 1875, when it became the property of Samuel Marfield, Jr., who was editor and proprietor when he sold the plant to Harry E. Lutz, April 3, 1884.

On January 1, 1890, W. R. Duvall pur- chased a half interest of Mr. Lutz. In Septem- ber of the same year he became sole owner, and in three months doubled the subscription list.

The placidity of the paper was broken May 25, 1894, and with the appearance of the crocus and modest violet came a shy, little offspring, the Daily Union-Herald. Though not among the "antiquities," fostered and cherished by its parent, 77 years old, it grew and soon became a recognized necessity in many homes. With the advent of the daily, the weekly was en- larged from a seven-column, eight-page paper to a six-column, 12-page publication, and the day of issue changed from Friday to Thurs- day.

The first of March, 1898, Mr. Duvall took an advance step in newspaperdom in inaugurat- ing the "strictly cash in advance" system, and the price of the Weekly Union-Herald was re- duced from $1.50 a year to $1. This cash in advance policy has been rigidly adhered to ever since and has been productive of good re- sults both to publisher and patrons; and it is believed that this is the only country weekly in Central or Southern Ohio which pursues this plan.

Mr. Duvall was sole owner of the paper until January, 1900, when D. L. Sollenberger purchased a half interest, which he conveyed back to Mr. Duvall in May of the same year. On August 10, 1900, Alex. G. Anderson bought a half interest in the Union-Herald, which was sold back to Mr. Duvall October 28, 1901, and he continued to be the sole pro- prietor until August 15, 1902, when the plant was purchased by a joint stock company com- posed of the following: Festus Walters, Charles Dresbach, Howard Jones, Charles H. May, H. P. Folsom, Delano Marfield and Earl W. Mauck, the corporation being known as the Scioto Valley Publishing Company. A little less than half of the stock was owned by Mr. Mauck, and he was made editor and manager,

which positions he filled until January 26, 1903, when he sold his stock to C. C. Chappelear, who on February 1, 1904, bought all the stock of the company and on April 28th dissolved the corporation, since which time he has been the sole owner, and the editor of the paper from the time of Mr. Mauck's retirement.

For nearly 90 years the Weekly Union- Herald has made its regular visits to thousands of homes, and in all that time, covering over 4,600 issues, the paper has failed but once to make its appearance on the fixed day of publi- cation and that was May 27, 1870, when the office was moved, more than 36 years ago.

It has seen Circleville grow from an unpre- tentious village to a thriving city and has made some improvements itself. From four pages, II by 17 inches, it has developed with the pass- ing of the years, and now it has 12 pages, 15 by 22 inches. From 16 columns it has widened to 72 columns. From 748 square inches it has increased to 3.960-more than five times as many inches. While the price of the Olive Branch was $2 a year, the Union-Herald is only $1.

Many changes have been made in the me- chanical department and the office to-day is one of the best equipped country offices in Ohio.

The paper is printed on an Optimus press and there are two Gordon job presses, a folder and mailing machine. Each press and the folder is operated by its own electric motor.

The subscription lists of both daily and weekly are robust and healthy, and the ad- vertising patronage is excellent and conse- quently the business is very prosperous.

It is a singular fact that the Circleville Postoffice seems to have been regarded as an adjunct of the Union-Herald. Of its editors the following have been postmaster : William . B. Thrall, W. H. P. Denny, Alfred Williams, B. F. Thomas, Samuel Marfield, Jr., Harry E. Lutz, W. R. Duvall and C. C. Chappelear.

It is worthy of remark that while the Union-Herald in the last 43 years has had 13 editors, the Democrat and Watchman has had but one -- Aaron R. Van Cleaf.

Politically the paper has always been Whig

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or Republican and has at all times been a stanch advocate and supporter of the principles and policies of those parties.

Its influence began when James Monroe was President of the United States and when the country was new. It has been a part of the history of the country ever since, and has seen the whole country blossom like a rose and the blessings of God showered upon us as a people as upon no other. That it has left its impress upon the community can not be doubted. Where its influence will end who can say?

RELIGIOUS TELESCOPE.

The Religious Telescope, the first church paper of the denomination known as United Brethren in Christ, was established in Circle- ville in 1834. On the 12th of April of that year, Rev. John Russell, Jonathan Dreisbach and George Dreisbach, by authority of the General Conference of the church, bought a printing press and material for the proposed newspaper, which were brought to Circleville, and also bought a lot and two houses for the use of the plant. The first number of the Re- ligious Telescope was printed and published, December 16, 1834, the office then being lo- cated at the corner of North Main (now North Court) street and High street. It was a me- dium sized folio, and published monthly. Rev. William Rhinehart, the editor, was a man of more than ordinary ministerial talent, and the paper was made a vigorous exponent of the tenets of the United Brethren Church. After the erection of the first United Brethren Church on East Main street, Circleville, in 1839, the presses, type and fixtures of the Telescope were moved to the basement room of the church, which had been aranged for the purpose, and the same year Rev. William Hanby succeeded Mr. Rhinehart, as editor. In 1843 the circula- tion of the Telescope was 2,000, which had in- creased, in 1845, to 3,000. During the latter year, Rev. David Edwards became the editor. The church books and other literature were also printed at the office. In June, 1853, the Tele- scope printing concern was moved to Dayton.

Ohio, where a location for the printing and publishing house was purchased at the corner of Fourth and Main streets, in the central part of the city, where the business expanded to such an extent that, in 1904, a new pub- lishing house was erected at a cost of $315,- 000. Of the force employed in the Telescope office just preceding the removal to Dayton, only two are now living-Orsamus E. Niles and Reuben P. Dresbach, both of Circleville.

CIRCLEVILLE DEMOCRAT AND WATCHMAN.

The sketch of this paper, given in Will- iams' "History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties," published in 1880, having been pre- pared by the editor of the paper then and now, part is reproduced in this work, with neces- sary changes and additions.

The Scioto Watchman was established at Circleville in 1837; the name in a short time was changed to Circleville Watchman. There was a Democratic paper started in Circleville, in April, 1836, called the People's Press, which had a very brief existence. At a meeting of the leading Democrats of the county, held at Cir- cleville, May 27, 1837, it was decided that $1,000 be raised by subscription "for the pur- pose of purchasing a press, to be devoted to the interests of the Democratic party." The amount sufficient was subscribed, in a short time, by the following, then leading citizens and active Democrats: Valentine Keffer, John M. Alkire, Henry N. Hedges, Nelson Frank- lin, Elliott Halstead, Samuel Diffenderfer, James Hurst, T. W. Morris, William Alkire, Thomas J. Winship, William Gill, M. H. Al- kire, James Thompson, John Barnhill, John Albright, James Morris, Jr., Matthias Myers, Philip Zeiger, John Coffman, John Metzger, Benjamin Stout, Henry Morris, Richard Jen- kins, John Bell, Abraham Park, David Rowe, C, Diffenderfer, John Morris, Nathan Perrill, A. L. Perrill, Thomas Duryea, Ezekiel Mor- ris, Moses Morris, Joseph Bonner, D. Kinnear, Samuel Dreisbach, John Irwin, Abraham Halstead and Stephen W. Lindsey. Hon. T. J. Winship was the heaviest subscriber, taking three shares $75. The last survivor of this

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list was Ezekiel Morris, who died in June, 1891.

Nelson Franklin was appointed treasurer of the fund and collected the subscriptions. Henry N. Hedges was selected to purchase the necessary material, press, etc. About the first of August, the first number of the Scioto Watchman was issued. It was a six-column folio and presented a very creditable appear- ance. As no file of the paper, preceding 1842, was left in the office, the only information available when the original sketch was writ- ten, was the recollections of old citizens. For some time the Watchman did not give the name of publishers or editor. It was run by the stockholders, and for a while, how long could not be ascertained, Col. Valentine Keffer, who for many years previous had been con- spicuous and influential in the political affairs of the county, was the business and editorial manager, with various local contributors- Henry N. Hedges, Sr., B. F. Brannan (after- wards of Cincinnati), Charles Fry, (the printer) and others. The association, after a few years, finding that the publication of the paper was a losing business, sold the ma- terial, etc., to Hon. Edson B. Olds, then "com- ing to the front" in politics, and from that time until 1847 the paper experienced numerous changes. In 1842 Samuel Pike, the famous and restless journalist, edited the Watchman, and was succeeded by S. P. Brainard.

On the 9th of August, 1844, the name was changed to Circleville Democrat Guard and Pickaway and Fayette Pilot, and Samuel Pike and L. D. Williard became the editors and publishers. In the following November, Mr. Pike withdrew, Mr. Williard continuing the publication. In August, 1845, Jason Case, who for several years had been connected with the Circleville Herald, was employed to print the paper, and the name of Watchman was re- stored. Mr. Williard retained the editorial management for some months, when he aban- doned the concern, leaving Mr. Case to do the best he could with it, and removed to Washing- ton Court House, Ohio, but his nanie remained at the head of the paper for a year or more" thereafter. In the first part of 1846, William

Mclaughlin was engaged as editor, and on May 22d, of that year, was succeeded by Sam- uel Alburtis, who continued until January 15. 1847, when Mr. Case became the sole editor and publisher, continuing to successfully man- age the paper until July 14, 1853, when Or- samus Niles purchased the establishment and assumed entire control. In October, 1853, Mr. Case again formed a connection with the Watchman, as editor, and in February, 1855. retired, the duties of postmaster requiring his attention. In February, 1856, Mr. Niles dis- posed of a half interest in the office to Mr. Case, the firm name being Niles & Case. Mr. Niles, having been elected county auditor, sold his interest to Joseph Gaston of Belmont County, Ohio, in March, 1858. Mr. Case re- mained in partnership with Gaston until July 10, 1858, when his connection with the paper finally ceased. Mr. Gaston continued as editor and proprietor until August 1, 1859, when he sold out to John W. Kees, of Springfield, Ohio. who published the Watchman until June 29. 1862. Mr. Kees was of Southern birth, and after the beginning of the War of the Rebel- lion he frequently criticised in the Watchman the conduct of the war by the Federal adminis- tration, which was brought to the attention of the War Department, and on June 29, 1862, Mr. Kees was arrested and the newspaper sup- pressed by military order. He was taken to the old Capitol Prison at Washington, D. C., held for a short time, and released, as it was evi- dent that he was mentally unbalanced. At the time of his arrest and the suppression, the Watchman was advertised to be sold at judicial sale and on July 2nd . was sold to Dr. Wayne Griswold, the mortgagee. After one week's stoppage the publication of the paper was re- sumed July 11th, the name changed to Circle- ville . Democrat, to avoid military suppression. William Doane was the business manager : Reuben P. Dresbach superintended the typo- graphical and printing department, while Dr. Griswold wrote the political articles. The paper was continued under this management until November 7, 1863, when Aaron R. Van Cleaf .became the owner and editor, in which capaci- ties he has since continued, without partners,

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now nearly 43 years. In June, 1879, the former name, Watchman, was restored, and the paper has since borne the name of Circle- ville Democrat and Watchman.

Of all those connected with the publication of the Watchman up to 1863, Jason Case cov- ered the greater length of time-about 12 years. Mr. Case learned the printer's trade in the Delaware (Ohio) Gazette office, for several years was employed in printing offices in Columbus, for a while was foreman in the the office of the Ohio State Bulletin, and four or five years was foreman of the Ohio State Journal office. In April, 1834, he came from Columbus to Circleville, and entered into part- nership with William B. Thrall in the publica- tion of the Circleville Herald, the partnership existing three years. After the lapse of a year, Mr. Case again became connected with the publication of the Herald, the firm being Jason Case & Company, which terminated in 1843. From 1845 to 1858, with two brief in- tervals, Mr. Case was the publisher or editor of the Watchman-a longer period than any other publisher of the paper, excepting the present editor and proprietor. Mr. Case was postmaster of Circleville eight years, from 1853 to 1861. At the April election in 1861, he was elected mayor of Circleville and re- elected in 1863 and 1865. In 1862 he was elected justice of the peace for Circleville town- ship, serving 15 years, five terms in succession; in 1875 he was again elected mayor, serving one term and in 1878 was again elected justice of the peace, at the end of the term, in 1881, declining re-election, because of failing health. He was also coroner of the county three terms, elected in 1874, 1876 and 1878. In every po- sition he discharged the duties with ability and fidelity and was an excellent magisterial of- ficer. Mr. Case died May 24, 1882, in his 74th year.

Orsamus E. Niles, when he bought the Watchinan in 1853. was employed as foreman in the printing and publishing establishment of the Religious Telescope, mentioned else- where in this chapter. Mr. Niles was born in Windham County, Vermont, and learned the printer's trade in the office of the Brattleboro

Phoenix, which was established in 1834. He came to Ohio when about 18 years; taught school for a while at Quaker Bottom, in Meigs County, and then started out as a journeyman printer, going to Cincinnati, New Orleans and other cities, coming to Columbus in the winter of 1845-46, where he was employed until the adjournment of the Legislature. During the latter year, he came to Circleville on a canal packet, found employment here in the Tele- scope office and soon established his permanent home. He increased the facilities and business of the Watchman office. Mr. Niles was elected county auditor in 1857 and re-elected in 1859, and at the expiration of the term, in 1862, hav- ing previously sold the Watchman, he engaged in farming and for more than 30 years was one of the extensive farmers of the county, growing large quantities of broom corn. In 1863 Mr. Niles was the Democratic candidate for Representative. The vote of the soldiers in the field, at Southern points, defeated him and all of the other Democratic candidates in the county. In 1865 he was tendered the re- nomination but declined. In 1866 he was nom- inated for county commissioner and declined, though his election was certain. He was a member of the city Board of Education from 1861 to 1866, and clerk of the board during the time. Mr. Niles twice represented the 10th Senatorial District in the Decennial State Board of Equalization, elected. in 1870 and 1890, and was one of the foremost members, being especially qualified for the work. Mr. Niles also served as one of the trustees of the City Library and on the Jury Commission, and from 1898 to 1901 was one of the three commissioners of the State Library, appointed by, Governor Bushnell. Mr. Niles has been in the coal business in Circleville for at least a quarter of a century. He is, despite his age, now in his 81st year, active bodily and men- tally, and a very entertaining conversation- alist.

Joseph Gaston, of Guernsey County, who succeeded Mr. Niles as editor and proprietor of the Watchman, sold out to John W. Kees, in 1859, and emigrated to Oregon, where it is said, he "struck it rich" and became wealthy.

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John W. Kees, before coming to Circleville, published the Democratic Expositor at Spring- field, Ohio, and in 1858-59 was clerk of the Ohio House of Representatives, then having a Democratic majority. The war pressure and excitement, and his arrest by military or- der, produced partial insanity, followed by total mental derangement and dementia, com- pelling his confinement in the Columbus Insane Asylum, where he died November 25, 1867.

Reuben P. Dresbach is the oldest printer in Circleville, and a veteran in the job printing business in the city. He learned the trade in the Religious Telescope office, beginning in 1848, and from 1853 to 1866, was employed in the Watchman office, since the latter year having a job printing office. He has always been employed at the trade in Circleville, ex- cepting a short time. He was city clerk of Circleville from 1861 to 1898-37 years.

CIRCLEVILLE HERALD.

The Circleville Herald was founded Sep- tember 21, 1870, by Winfield S. McCollister and Ivan Wolfley, both young men, natives of Circleville, fine practical printers, and with advanced ideas of journalism and the true of- fice of the country newspaper. Both had worked in the office of the old Circleville Herald, and that paper, on the death of William Bremigan, having been purchased by Mr. Denny, who changed it to the Circleville Union, it occurred to them to christen their new paper with the abandoned name of the old one. The Circle- ville Herald soon began to be recognized, at home and abroad, as a live local paper, and Mr. McCollister received flattering offers of positions on various metropolitan papers, as well as acknowledged rank for his. paper at

home. In 1873 he bought out his partner, Mr. Wolfley. In February, 1874, his failing health led him to lease the office to John M. Rae, of Circleville, who conducted it with ability until August of that year, when Mr. McCollister again took charge, and remained in harness to the last, failing daily in body, but unquenchably bright in mind, and strong of purpose to the last hour. He died December 9, 1874. His widow, Mrs. Joanna McCollister, daughter of Judge T. N. Howell, retained the paper, as administratrix and guardian of her three chil- dren. It was leased, in May, 1875, to Miss Lillie C. Darst, of Circleville, who edited it until her death, in 1883. In politics, the Herald under Miss Darst was Republican, though never merely partisan. Miss Darst, in addition to her newspaper work, gave to newspapers and leading magazines many poems, which, at the time of her decease, had won for her an enviable place among the liter- ary women of Ohio. Upon the decease of Miss Darst, the paper was purchased by C. W. Murphy and W. C. Darst and was published under the firm name of Murphy & Darst. In 1883, shortly after its purchase_by Murphy & Darst, a daily edition was issued, which has since been continuously published. In 1884 the paper espoused the tenets of Democracy, and since that time has been an advocate of the principles of that party. In 1894 Mr. Murphy disposed of his interest, since which time the paper has been, and is now, successfully pub- lished by W. C. Darst. Since 1902 he has been ably assisted by Charles F. Lowe, a cousin of Mr. McCollister, one of the founders of the paper. The Circleville Herald has hy degrees grown from a five-column folio to its present form, a six-column quarto.

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History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 45

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Number of Pages: 923

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 923