History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 50

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections > Part 50

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).

The press, in general terms, signifying the art of printing, is, after all, the supremest thing genius has given to the world. As we have it in its present nearly perfected form, it is simply the one little idea that started some centuries ago, of making a movable type, rudely carved in wood; but the immeasurable idea was in making each type by itself, and therefore movable. Simple, was it not, but sub- lime? The supremacy of this gift to the human race is manifest more in the fact that since the invention came it has been possible to subvert it to so much and to such hurtful evils. In the hands of ignorance-above all, of learned ignorance- what an engine of evil it could be, and, indeed, it has been made. It is equally the pack-horse of vice as of virtue, ignorance and wisdom.

In 1795 Charles Miner, son of Seth Miner, who had been sent to the new coun- try to look after his land claim in the Connecticut Land Company, wrote back to his brother to come on, and though himself without money, would set him up as a printer. His brother, Asher, brought to Wilkes-Barre a small printing press, a few pounds of type which they had obtained in Philadelphia. In a short time they issued the Herald of the Times, the first printing office and the first newspaper ever published in Luzerne county. A copy of this first paper would now be a rare and valuable relic. They issued the small paper, about the size of a sheet of foolscap paper, a short time, doing all the work with their curious way of inking the forms and their more curious press, and then transferred it to Thomas Wright. Asher Miner had served a seven years' apprenticeship at the trade in the office of the Gazette and Commercial Intelligencer, New London, Conn., and had worked for some time as journeyman in New York.

The Wrights changed the name of the paper to the Wilkes-Barre Gazette and Luzerne Advertiser, the first number dated November 28, 1797. In 1801 it was dis- continued.

Asher Miner, who had worked in the Gazette office, started the Luzerne County Federalist, the initial number bearing date of January 5, 1801. In April, 1802, he associated as a partner his brother, Charles Miner, and in this style published the paper until May, 1804, when Asher relinquished his interest to Charles. The Federalist was printed on a press brought from Norwich on a sled.

Mr. Miner went afterward to where is now Doylestown-it was there then for that matter, but was nothing more than a cross-roads hamlet, containing a dozen dwellings, clustered at the crossing of the Easton and the road from Swede's ford

398

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

to Coryell's ferry. July 7, 1804, he issued the first of the Pennsylvania Corre- spondent and Farmer's Advertiser, which afterward became the Bucks County Intel- ligencer. It proved a success, and Mr. Miner was publisher of it twenty-one years.

September 22, 1806, the Federalist had succeeded so well that the proprietor announced the enlargement of his paper from a "medium to a royal sheet," and also issued a prospectus for "a monthly magazine-literary, moral and agricult- ural." There are no records showing this was ever carried out.

The Historical Record of 1888 gives a notice of two issues of the Susquehanna Democrat, published in Wilkes-Barre, March 15, 1811, and February 15, 1811. The possessor of these papers was in San Francisco, and wanted to sell them.

The late William Penn Miner, by far the best authority on the subject of news- papers in Luzerne county of the olden times, contributed a short article to the His- torical Record, being impelled thereto by a paper that had appeared in another county on the subject, and that contained some errors that Mr. Miner corrected. The substance of his article is that Asher Miner established the Luzerne County Federalist on the first Monday in January, 1801. In October following the word "County " was omitted, and April 26, 1802, it was announced that "this paper will hereafter be published by A. & C. Miner." May 1, 1804, the partnership was dis- solved and Asher Miner removed to Doylestown and established The Correspondent for twenty years, and to this day the Bucks County Intelligencer retains at the head of its column: "Established by Asher Miner in 1804."

The Federalist succeeded the Wilkes-Barre Gazette, owned by Thomas Wright, and published by his second son, Josiah, who announced December 8, 1800, that "a false report had stated that the paper was suspended and was given up in favor of the Federalist." The Wrights and Miners were rival publishers, but evidently adjusted matters in a most satisfactory way as well as sensible, Asher Miner married Mary, the only daughter of Thomas Wright, and Charles Miner married Letitia, only daughter of Josiah Wright. Charles Miner remained sole proprietor of the Federalist until May 12, 1809, when it passed to Sidney Tracy and Steuben Butler. Mr. Miner giving the young men a good "send off" in his valedictory. Mr. Tracy retired September 2, 1810, and Mr. Butler remained a few weeks longer.

The inference is that the Federalist then ceased to be, as December 28, 1810, appeared a prospectus by Miner & Butler of a new paper, The Gleaner and Luzerne Advertiser. The office now consisted of Charles Miner, editor, and Sidney and Steuben Butler, printers; the boys had been apprentices in the Federalist office, where they had learned their trades. January 29, 1813, Butler retired and Mr. Miner continued the publication until June 14, 1816, when Isaac A. Chapman, uncle of Charles Miner, became proprietor. Charles Miner in his last issue stated that he was going to Philadelphia to aid in the publication of the True American, etc. June 6, 1817, Patrick Hepburn joined Mr. Chapman in the publication and in September following became sole proprietor. Charles Miner, after a successful newspaper career elsewhere, returned to his old home in 1832, and two years later came Asher Miner.

Charles Miner was born in Connecticut February 1, 1780, and came to Wilkes- Barre in 1795. where his brother Asher (great-grandfather of the present Asher Miner) established the Luzerne County Federalist. In 1807 Charles Miner was elected to the Pennsylvania legislature, and was re- elected the following year. Charles returned to Wyoming valley in 1832, Asher following in 1834, and they ended their lives on adjoining farms near Wilkes-Barre, now Plains township. His History of Wyoming was published in 1845, and is the standard work on that subject. His death occurred October 26, 1865, at the ripe age of eighty-five. Asher, who was the grandfather of Hon. Charles A. Miner, died March 13, 1841. No stronger or more virile race of men came in the early day to the Wyoming than the Miners. Their descendants are here-worthy sons and daughters of worthy ancestors.

399

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

There is the evidence of the strong family pride and faith in themselves in the history and present existence of Miner's Mills borough. Here is where Archer and Charles retired and settled down on adjoining farms after their long active political and newspaporial careers. They were identified with the place through their kinsman by marriage. Thomas Wright, the first prominent settler in the place, and who, in 1795, built the gristmill that is to-day "Miner's mill," and is one of the largest in the county.

Wilkes-Barre Gazette and Luzerne Advertiser was started by Josiah Wright, November 28, 1797. A long three-column folio. The second issue of the paper is extant, and but three of the pages are printed; the fourth was a blank. It had but three ads. "Lost," by Nathan Beach; "Take notice," by Philip Jackson, of the. firm of Nelson & Jackson, blacksmiths; the last one is by Clark Beebe, notifying that he will " during the winter keep sleighs and horses and carry passengers to and from Easton; leaving Wilkes-Barre every Wednesday."

The Gazette had some encouragement it seems, for December 18, 1798, it had twelve ads. James Morgan advertises John Rodrock as a runaway " an indentured curse, in shape something like a man," etc., and offers one cent reward for the "curse." Amos Fell gives "notice to those indebted;" Jacob Hart is also after "debtors;" William Miller "has spring wheels;" Archibald White, "Ashes wanted;" Thomas Wright, "Saw-mill saws;" Elisha Harding to " debtors;" Thomas Wright, Lumber business;" "Bridge lottery," by Jacob Early, John Barnett, Edward Mott, John Mulholland, Valentine Beidleman and James Hyndshaw.

November 10, 1800, the name of the paper was changed to Wilkes-Barre Gazette and Republican Centinel, by Joseph Wright. May 20, 1800, Thomas Wright retired and Joseph Wright succeeded him.

The Wikes-Barre Leader .- In what is generally referred to as the "Leader Office," a handsome three-story building, are published the Daily Evening Leader, the Sunday Mornin " Leader and the Weekly Union Leader, founded by Joseph K. Bogert and now under the proprietorship and editorship of E. G. Bogert. The Leader is the oldest and one of the best local papers published in the county and the leading and official democratic journal of Luzerne; it is, in fact, one of the leading newspapers of the State. It traces an ancestry directly back to 1828, and indirectly to 1810, in which latter year the first democratic newspaper in Luzerne county was established under the title of the Susquehanna Democrat, by Samuel Maffet, one of the leading citizens of that day, an excellent writer and an energetic man. It was but 11x17 inches in size, but its earnestness in advocacy of the political principles espoused by its editor was not in the least abated by this diminutiveness of propor- tions. For fourteen years Mr. Maffet continued the publication but in 1824 he sold to Sharp D. Lewis and Chester A. Colt. In 1831 Mr. Lewis transferred his interest to Mr Luther Kidder. The next year Mr. Colt sold to Mr. Robert A. Conrad, after- ward mayor of Philadelphia, playwright and distinguished Mason. Changes were frequent now, for within a year Conrad had sold to Kidder, which made the latter sole proprietor, Kidder had sold to James Rafferty and C. Edwards and the latter had sold to Dr. Christel & Co., in whose hands it shortly expired, the material etc. passing to the other then existing democratic organ.

In the meantime (1818) the Wyoming Herald had been established by Steuben Butler; the Republican Farmer (1828), by Mr. Henry Pettebone and Henry Hold, and the Wyoming Republican in Kingston, in 1832. In 1835 the Herald, having meanwhile been owned and edited respectively by Butler and Worthington, Butler and Asher Miner and Eleazer Carey and Robert Turner, was merged with the Wyoming Republican. The Republican in turn, after having been owned by its founder, Mr. Lewis, until 1837, and from then on by Dr. Thomas W. Miner and Miner S. Blackman, was consolidated in 1839 with the Farmer under the proprietor- ship of Mr. S. P. Collings. Mr. Collings had purchased the Farmer from Messrs.

400

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

B. A. Bidlack & Atherholt in 1835, they having bought it of the founders two years previously.

There are many changes here recorded, but it must be remembered that they cover a period of more than a quarter of a century. Mr. Collings, who was a man of brilliant parts continued in control of the Farmer until 1852. In 1845 the Luzerne Democrat had been founded by Col. Levi L. Tate. The democracy of Luzerne was at that time split into factions, one of which was under the leadership of Hon. Andrew Beaumont, while the other followed the direction and fortunes of Hendrick B. Wright. The Democrat was the organ of the latter and the Farmer of the former, and right. merrily or rather bitterly, their battles were waged. In 1852 Franklin Pierce was elected president by the democrats and Col. Wright was elected to congress. Wright had Cullings, who was Beaumont's son-in-law appointed consul to Tanger, in Africa, whereupon the Democrat, which was now owned by Chester Tuttle, and the Farmer were purchased by S. S. Benedict and consolidated under the name of the Luzerne Union. The late Stewart Pearce, in his Annals of Luzerne County, speaks of the Farmer as having been "a thorough democratic paper and, besides the talents of its able editors, it was sustained by the literary and political contributions of several distinguished gentlemen. In its columns may be found articles from the pens of Hon. Andrew Beaumont, Judge Scott, Dr. T. W. Miner and others. Two of its editors became representatives of the United States government in foreign lands and died in the service of their country. Bidlack lies buried in South America and the bones of Collings are beneath the sands of Africa."

In the consolidated paper, Judges Conyngham and Ross and G. M. Hollenback had an interest and J. M. Alexander and J. P. Barger were for a time connected with the paper. In the ensuing year (1853), however, it passed into the hands of Gen. S. S. Winchester, who had been for some time previously publishing the Wyoming Democrat at Tunkhannock. Dr. Thomas W. Miner, who had, as above stated, been with the vigorous Jacksonian sheet, the Wyoming Republican, at Kingston, helped Gen. Winchester to get control of the Union. For two years this proprietorship continued, when Winchester was nominated and elected district attor- ney of the county, defeating Henry M. Hoyt, who had both the whig and know- nothing nominations. Hoyt was governor of the State from 1878 to 1882. Upon assuming the duties of his office Winchester sold to a Mr. Bosee, who came from Chester county. Bosee sold to Edward S. Niebel, of Honesdale, who had been running the Gazette at Pittston, and who associated with himself Jacob Wolder. Bosee died shortly afterward of consumption. Judge Stanley Woodward, then a young man fresh from college was a liberal contributor to the paper, and our older Democrats remember with much pleasure the attractiveness of his style and appeal- ing force of his logic. Then E. B. Chase, afterward district attorney, became the presiding genius in its sanctum, the proprietorship going in 1858 to E. S. Goodrich and in 1859 to Mifflin Hannum. Goodrich afterward became deputy secretary of the commonwealth, Hannum came from Allentown, where he had edited the Demo- crat of that town. He moved the paper from the small wooden building it had occupied on West Market street to the brick on the corner of Butler alley and North Main, which he built and owned, for some years occupied by the Record until 1890, and since by Kern's tailoring establishment, Rosenbluth's wholesale liquor store and the " Jolly Ten Social Club." Hannum had had this building erected for this purpose. He lived on the upper floor with his family and did the business of the publication on the ground floor. Hannum's control covered the period of the war, and the excited passions of that time made his position often an unenviable one. He was, however, a man of fixed and strong convictions and undaunted courage and held up bravely against every storm. In 1865 he sold to Walter H. Hibbs, who came from Philadelphia. In 1869 the paper was removed to the building on the east side of the public square adjoining the Exchange hotel. In 1871 Hibbs took as a partner H. B. Beardslee, of Honesdale. Hibbs shortly after retiring.

401

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

In 1878 Mr. Beardslee, whose control for several years had been a checkered one, was sold out at the suit of Payne Pettebone and others, and from these, about a year later, or in 1879, the property was purchased by the Leader Publishing company (Messrs. Joseph K. Bogert and George B. Kulp). In July, 1876, the Luzerne Leader had been established at Pittston by E. A. Niven and C. H. Chamberlin. In February, 1877, the stock and good-will of the paper was sold to Messrs. Bogert and Kulp, who organized the Leader Publishing company as above, and removed it to Wilkes-Barre, the office being in the Corn Exchange building, corner South Main and public square. Here and under these auspices it became a prosperous weekly newspaper. When the company bought Mr. Beardslee's plant, the two papers were merged, and on January 17, 1879, the first number of the Union Leader was issued from the old Luzerne Union office on the public square.

October 1, 1879, the first issue of the daily was emitted from the old Public Square building. It was a four page paper, 18x25 inches, five columns to a page, and from the start became popular with the people generally and especially with those of the democratic faith. Several succeeding enlargements were effected, to meet the increasing pressure of advertisers upon its space, the last one made by the present management on May 1, 1888, making its size 26x40 inches, eight columns to the page. In January, 1880, J. K. Bogert purchased Mr. Kulp's interest and became sole proprietor of both daily and weekly. April 1, 1884, the plant was removed to the present building, No. 7 North Main street, which he had designed and constructed with all the necessary belongings of a modern publication office. In July, 1885, J. K. Bogert was appointed postmaster of Wilkes-Barre, and took pos- session of the office on August 1, following, though he continued in charge of the Daily and Weekly Leader properties as editor and sole proprietor until his death on February 3, 1887.

Joseph Kirkendall Bogert was born at New Columbus, Luzerne county, July 16, 1845, and was educated at the New Columbus academy and at the university at Lewisburg, now named Bucknell, of which he was a graduate. He enlisted and served during the war in the signal corps. His first newspaper work was done on the Scranton Times, of which he was the regular Wilkes-Barre representative, and he built up for that paper a considerable circulation in that city. He was a corre- spondent for the Associated Press, for the Philadelphia Times and other papers and was a clerk in the office of the quartersessions court and reading law at the same time. In 1874 he was elected register of wills and clerk of the orphans' court of Luzerne county by a majority of nearly 1,600. He was afterward chairman of the democratic county committee for several terms, chairman of the democratic state committee in 1881, and a delegate to the democratic convention of 1880 at Chicago, which nominated Gen. Hancock, and also in 1884 at that which nominated Mr. Cleveland. In 1886 he was honored with the presidency of the State Editorial association. He was a prominent member of Conyngham Post 97, G. A. R., Lodge 61 F. & A. M. of Wilkes-Barre and other organizations. He was but forty-two years of age when he died. Mr. Bogert was one of the projectors of the Wilkes- Barre board of trade, and was one of its presidents and most active workers.

The Sunday Leader made its initial appearance in November, 1885, and although bearing the name of Leader and issued from the same office and press was a separate publication, with E. F. Bogert and John S. McGroarty as editors and proprietors. The latter, after a few months, retired from the partnership. The daily and weekly publications were under the control of the estate from the death of Joseph K. Bogert until April 1, 1888, when they were purchased with all the appurtenances, including the building and real estate, by Edward Freas Bogert, brother of the deceased and present editor and proprietor of all three. Each has a stronghold upon the affections of the people, and has from the beginning enjoyed a career of uninterrupted prosperity. Since 1876 there have been on the staffs of

402

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

these publications, among others the following well-known writers: C. H. Cham- berlin, Hon. C. Ben Johnson, E. A. Niven, Emanuel K. Bogert, W. H. Zeller, the late Col. W. W. Shore, Theron G. Osborne, John S. McGroarty, Wesley E. Woodruff and A. W. Betterly.

The Wyoming Republican was established in Kingston, in 1832, by S. D. Lewis, and was edited with ability by that gentleman until 1837, when the press and materials were sold to Dr. Thomas W. Miner and removed to Wilkes-Barre. Dr. Miner, in conjunction with Miner S. Blackman, edited and published the Repub- lican until 1839, at which period it was purchased by S. P. Collings, and united with The Republican Farmer. We feel that we hazard nothing in saying that the Republican, from its birth until its death, was one of the best and most ably con- ducted papers in the country, and no one can peruse its old files without lively interest and admiration.

The Republican Farmer was established in Wilkes-Barre by Henry Pettibone and Henry Heald in 1828 and in 1831 Mr. Pettibone sold his interest to J. J. Adam. In 1833 the materials were purchased by B. A. D. Bidlack and Mr. Ather- holt, and in 1835 it became the property of S. P. Collings, who remained its editor and proprietor until 1852, when the establishment passed into the hands of S. S. Benedict, and was merged in The Luzerne Union.

The Farmer was a thorough democratic paper, and, besides the talents of its able editors, it was sustained by the literary and political contributions of several distinguished gentlemen. In its columns may be found articles from the pens of Andrew Beaumont, Judge Scott, Dr. T. W. Miner, and others. Two of its editors became representatives of the United States government in foreign lands, and died in the service of their country. Bidlack lies buried in South America, and the bones of Collings are beneath the sands of Africa.

The Luzerne Democrat was published in Wilkes-Barre, in 1845, by L. L. Tate, and was afterward sold to Chester Tuttle. In 1852 it became the property of S. S. Benedict, who changed its name to The Luzerne Union. . In 1854 it passed into the possession of S. S. Winchester. In 1855 Mr. Winchester sold to Mr. Bosea, who shortly after transferred it to Waelder & Neibel. They, in 1858, sold to E. S. Goodrich, who sold, in 1859, to Mifflin Hannum, and he sold, in 1865, to W. H. Hibbs.

The Daily Telegraph, the first daily newspaper in the county, was commenced at Wilkes-Barre, in 1852, by E. Collings and H. Brower. It survived eight weeks and was then sold to M. B. Barnum and W. H. Beaumont, who started The True Democrat in opposition to The Luzerne Union. In 1853 the name was changed to The Democratic Expositor, edited by James Raferty. In 1855 the materials were removed to Scranton, and the Spirit of the Valley was issued by Messrs. Alleger & Adams.

In 1840 The Northern Pennsylvanian was issued at Wilkes-Barre, by W. Bol- ton, and after one year was removed to Tunkhannock.

The Anti-Masonic Advocate was established in Wilkes-Barre by Elijah Worth- ington in 1832. In 1835 the press was sold to Eliphalet Worthington, who pub- lished the paper one year, and sold to J. Foster. In 1838 Mr. Foster sold to Amos Sisty, who changed the name to The Wilkes-Barre Advocate, and for several years edited and published it with distinguished ability, often furnishing its columns with genuine and beautiful poetry from his own pen. "Liberty and union, one and inseparable, now and forever," was his motto; and he adhered to the principle therein expressed with peculiar tenacity until his death. In 1843 the paper passed into the hands of S. D. Lewis, and in 1853 Mr. L. sold to W. P. Miner, who changed the name to The Record of the Times, under which title Mr. M. published one of the best papers in the country.

The Democratic Watchman, a German paper, was established in Wilkes-Barre,

403

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

in 1841, by J. Waelder, and in 1851 it was sold to R. Baur, who is still the editor and proprietor.

The Truth was first issued in Wilkes-Barre, in 1840, by B. C. Denison, and in a few weeks was enlarged to super-royal size and called The Democratic Truth.

The Literary Visitor, royal octavo size, was established in Wilkes-Barre, by Steuben Butler in 1813, and was continued until July, 1815. It was an able liter- ary paper.

The Wasp, a small Paul Pry sheet, was published in Wilkes-Barre, in 1840, by Burdock & Boneset, and edited by Nicholas Nettle.

The People's Grubbing Hoe, a Harrison campaign paper, was issued in 1840 at Wilkes-Barre by A. Sisty, with the following words explanatory of its character: "It digs up the political stumps, the squalid roots, the rotten trees, and will lend its aid in cleaning out all nuisances encumbering the great political farm of the people." It was evanescent, having grubbed the road to the " White House " for Harrison, it was content to say, "Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace."

The first attempt at issuing a daily paper in Wilkes-Barre was made in 1852, by E. B. Collings and Halsey Brower. A small paper called the Daily Telegraph, was started, but survived only a short time, and died for want of patronage. In 1869 Messrs, Hibbs & Linn issued a daily edition of the Luzerne Union, called the Daily Union, but the enterprise did not prove remunerative, and after a few months it was discontinued.

The Anti-Masonic Advocate was established by Elijah Worthington in 1832. In 1838 it was purchased by Amos Sisty, who dropped the anti-masonic title, and it appeared as the Wilkes-Barre Advocate, the organ of the old whig party. Mr. Sisty was a pleasant writer, and its columns were enriched by some choice gems of poetry from his pen. After his death, in 1843, the Advocate passed into the hands of Sharp D. Lewis, and he in 1853 sold it to William P. Miner, a son of Charles Miner. It was published a few years and then ceased.

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.

History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 50

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.) Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1532

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532