USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of Perry County, Pennsylvania, including descriptions of Indians and pioneer life from the time of earliest settlement, sketches of its noted men and women and many professional men > Part 51
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 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123
During practically the whole period of the writer's connection with the newspaper business, during the last decade of the past century, the press of the county was edited by the following: New Bloomfield, People's Advocate and Press, John H. Sheibley ; Perry County Democrat, John A. Magee; Perry County Times, Frank Mortimer: Perry County Freeman, John A. Baker, and later by A. B. Grosh; Newport News, F. A. Fry; Newport Ledger, George Shrom; Liverpool Sun, J. A. Zellers; Duncan- non Record, II. H. Hain. There was a paper at Marysville at times, as stated elsewhere. My colleagues of those days, all men of mature years, are now dead. However, H. E. Sheibley, now edi- tor of the People's Advocate and Press, and James S. Magee, of the Perry County Democrat, were associated with their fathers in those days, and while their names did not appear "at the mast- head," they did much of the real editorial work.
Before the county of Perry was created there were no news- papers published within its borders, the papers from Carlisle, the old county seat, being generally read and patronized. The act of the legislature creating the new county of Perry was signed by the
*To the author this topic is of especial interest, as his connection with the press as correspondent, as editor of one of the county papers and as an occasional contributor to several papers since then, covers the entire period of his activity since his twelfth year, when he became a regular weekly correspondent from his section for the Duncannon Record, then under the management of J. I .. MeCaskey, signing the crude efforts with the suggestive nom de plume, "Juvenile."
.
473
474
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
governor, March 22, 1820, and inside of four months, on July 12, 1820, the first copy of a Perry County newspaper, the Perry For- ester, appeared at the new county seat, Landisburg, its editors and owners being Alexander Magee and H. W. Peterson. In fact, these two men had entered the new county with rival schemes. A notice in the first issue of the new paper substantiates the fact that Alexander Magee, who had been in the printing business in Car- lisle, had proposed publishing a paper to be known as the Gazette, and that H. W. Peterson one known as The Telescope, but that they had pooled their interests and compromised with the name Perry Forester. It follows :
"Those gentlemen, holding subscription papers for the Perry Gasette and The Telescope, issued by Alexander Magee and H. W. Peterson, will please transmit them to this office, as soon as possible; or the names and places of residence of the subscribers they may respectively contain, as H. W. Peterson and Alexander Magee have entered into partnership."
(Signed) EDITORS.
This first paper's cost was $2.50 per annum, but "those who pay six months in advance, every six months, will be charged $2.00." The first issue contained much literary matter, a lengthy introduc- tion, and the following paragraph: "An apology is due our readers for the scanty supply of news in this week's Forester. We have not yet received any papers of any account from which we could make extracts." Another article touched upon the very poor pos- tal facilities, as follows: "We labor under a great inconvenience in this place, on account of the arrival of but one mail a week. We sincerely hope that some proper arrangement will soon be made by the good citizens of Landisburg to receive, at least, two mails a week; and to run a post once a week from this place to Millers- town." In an early copy an article tells of the seat of justice not yet being fixed, and another article tells of the capture of Lewis and Connelly, the robbers, on July 2, at Bellefonte, with the added paragraph: "The above information we have received from a young gentleman of respectable appearance direct from Bellefonte, who passed through Landisburg on Thursday last," thus showing the pioneer method of transmitting important events. The issue of July 26th tells of Lewis' death. A crop report of an early issue says: "The harvest is reported fine ; corn and potatoes are prom- ising well." "Selected Toasts" were a prominent feature of each issue for a time, there probably being a demand for them by the populace else they would not have appeared. Many volumes con- tained much literary material. That the use of liquor was also being combated is proven by the many articles appearing against drunkenness and the fruits of intemperance. The issue of Sep- tember 16, 1820, stated that the proprietors would take wheat, rye, corn, hams, butter, tallow and rags, in payment of subscription.
475
THE PUBLIC PRESS
Francis Gibson, a brother of the future Chief Justice Gibson, writing under the nom de plume of "The Bard of the Vale," fur- nished considerable verse of a rather problematical value, often of a personal nature.
In the issue of April 14, 1824, over nine hundred pieces of un- seated lands were advertised. Evidently the facilities of the pub- lishers were somewhat limited, as in certain issues the type used in publishing the text varies from six point to twenty-four point. The use of words at that time were not especially complimentary on occasions, more especially so between gentlemen of the press, and some of them would not be appropriate in a volume such as this. On one occasion a rival was referred to as "something like a polecat in a menagerie-more offensive than formidable." In the issue of January 1, 1823, appears a "Carrier's Address," two · columns in length, and asks for "a fip or two." The issue of June 23, 1834, appears with column rules inverted, in mourning over the death of the illustrious General Lafayette, who had died on May 20th, but news of which had just reached America. Andrew Jackson's "Truth is mighty and will prevail," was long carried at the Forester's masthead. Mr. Magee was the ancestor of the pres- ent Magee family, who edit and publish the Perry County Demo- crat, the successor of the Perry Forester, and the papers have been issued by the Magees since, excepting for about two decades. They have been a power in Democratic politics and have held many of- fices, the crowning one being when the late John A. Magee served his congressional district in the popular branch of the United States Congress. Mr. Peterson later edited a paper in Lebanon County. He then removed to Gault, upper Canada, where he died later, having in the meantime been a probate judge. The name of this first paper seems, looking down the years, singularly appro- priate, for was not the county then still almost a vast forest? It was at first a four-column, four-page paper. Mr. Peterson retired January 13, 1821, and Mr. Magee on January 26th increased it to a five-column paper.
When the county seat was finally located at New Bloomfield Mr. Magee made arrangements to follow, and April 9, 1829, the Forester appeared from there. He published the Forester until March 1, 1832, when he sold it to David A. Reed, who edited it until February 14, 1835, when he sold it to Dr. Jonas Ickes, Peleg Sturtevant becoming the editor. It was published by them until February 13, 1836, when, according to tradition, it was discon- tinued. That statement, however, seems doubtful, although it has appeared in many volumes and historical articles, for on February 16, 1837, the Democrat refers contemptuously to an editorial which appeared in the Forester the preceding week, accusing the junior · or nominal editor of hiding behind Messrs. Porter & Gangewer.
476
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Later, on May 4, 1837, the Democrat says that "We have just been informed that William M. Porter, Esq., has this day sold the printing office of the Perry Forester to Mr. Allen M. Gangewer. It appears to be the fate of that office to change hands semi- annually." References are also made in the Democrat's columns during August and September, 1837, to the Forester, and as late as May 3d, and August 23, 1838, and in July, 1839. Another evi- (lence that the last issue was not that of February 13, 1836, is that not a word of its discontinuance appeared in that issue. Neither did any such notice appear in the following issue of the Democrat, which would have been the case had it absorbed the Forester. The actual date of its passing, is however, obscure. That it no longer existed in 1844 is proven by an article in the Freeman telling of the death of David A Reed, which states that he "was once editor of the Forester, formerly published in this place."
The Liverpool Mercury, called after a paper in Liverpool, Eng- land, of the same name, was the second paper to be established in Perry County. It was started by John Huggins, of a then promi- nent family in eastern Perry County. It was started July 1, 1831. and was a five-column, four-page paper. The subscription price was $2 per year. In June, 1836, it was moved to New Bloomfield, and published by James B. Cooper, who then owned it, as The Mercury and Perry Intelligencer. He sold to Stroop & Sample, who merged it with the Perry County Democrat.
George Stroop and James E. Sample, on October 7, 1836, started the publication of The Mercury and Perry County Democrat, a five-column, four-page paper. In December of the same year it was made a six-column paper. Sample retired November 16, 1837, and from Stroop, who was an associate judge of the county at one time, in January, 1854, it passed to his son, George Stroop, and John A. Magee, a son of the early proprietor of the Forester. In 1858 Stroop sold his interest to Magee, whose son, James S. Magee, is the present owner. John A. Magee was connected with it until his death, on November 18, 1903. In 1867 it had become a seven-column paper, and in 1871 added another column. Its title had early changed to The Perry County Democrat.
The Perry Freeman, later changed to the Perry County Free- man, was a product of the slavery agitation, as its name implies, and was established by the late John A. Baker, June 21, 1839. In politics it was Whig, and later, like the Whigs, it became Repub- lican. It was started as a six-column folio, and later added a column. On June 19, 1854. the Freeman appeared in a new dress, typographically, and began publishing local news. In fact, up until about that period all of the papers were devoted mostly to literary articles and to politics. John A. Baker was a remarkable man of wide knowledge, and it was through him that the late noted editor,
477
THE PUBLIC PRESS
Alexander McClure, of the Philadelphia Times, became interested in newspaper work. While learning the tanning trade at New Bloomfield McClure used to while away his leisure time in the Freeman office, and when the Republicans wanted to start a new paper at Mifflintown, Judge Baker recommended him. He be- came one of a quartet of the most noted editors in America and a power in politics. (See sketch of his life elsewhere in this book.)
HORACE E. SHEIBLEY, Editor of "The Advocate and Press."
The Freeman was purchased by W. H. Sponsler, December 1, 1894, and was sold to Alexander Blaine Grosh, January 19, 1895. On October 4, 1905, it was sold to and merged with the People's Advocate and Press.
The first issue of the People's Advocate and Perry County Democratic Press went to press in New Bloomfield, June 29, 1853, with the late John H. Sheibley as editor. Its start was the result of friction between two factions of the Democratic party, and it was started by stock subscriptions of the one faction. It was a
478
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
seven-column folio. When the American party was a vital factor in 1854 this paper supported it, and did so until 1856. During the interim the Missouri Compromise had been repealed, and a mighty force arose throughout the land, and organized the Republican party. Its principles became the Advocate's principles, and so re- main until this day, no one guarding them more sacredly than did the Sheibleys, father and sons. Of course the lengthy name soon changed to the present day title, the People's Advocate and Press. It was increased to eight columns in 1866. A disastrous fire in 1873 burned the plant, ruining the type and machinery. A. B. Anderson, one of the projectors, in the earlier years was much in- terested in its editorial output. It was during only a few years that the paper was a stock concern, John H. Sheibley early pur- chasing the other interests. He owned and controlled it until his death, December 1, 1900, since which time it has remained the property of his sons, William B. and Horace E. Sheibley, the latter being the editor and manager. He was reared amid the surround- ings of a printing office, and is a graduate of Franklin and Mar- shall College. Horace E. Sheibley is now dean of the newspaper publishers of the county. The Advocate has the distinction of having had an employee on its rolls longer than almost any paper in the state. With a lapse of a single year the late James P. Laird was connected with that paper for forty-five years, mostly in the capacity of foreman.
Frank Mortimer was a merchant in New Bloomfield as early as 1865, and two years later, in 1867, started a little monthly adver- tising sheet. Along with his advertising he ran some local news. It was popular and a demand for more frequent publication caused him to make it a weekly in 1869, the price being one dollar per year. It attained a very large circulation at one time. It was neutral in politics. He conducted his paper and his mercantile business jointly until 1889, and then sold the latter and de- voted his entire time to the paper. On August 1, 1904, he sold the paper to William C. Lebo, who had learned the trade with him, and who is still the publisher. Mr. Lebo continued the paper neutral in so far as regular political parties were concerned, but made it a strong supporter of temperance and a foe of the liquor traffic. The Times was the first Perry County paper to have a power press.
During the Lincoln campaign, in the fall of 1860, a publication appeared at New Bloomfield known as The Test. The name of no editor or proprietor appears. It started during the first week of August and, according to the Advocate of November 21, 1860, The Test, the Breckenridge paper, lately put out in New Bloom- field, has been discontinued."
479
THE PUBLIC PRESS
During the "early eighties" of last century another paper was published at the county seat. It was established by Chas. W. Rhinesmith, and was known as The Enterprise.
As stated above, the second paper to be started in Perry County was at Liverpool, and its title was the Liverpool Mercury and Peo- ples' Advertiser. Its editor and owner was John Huggins. It first was a five-column folio, the pages being twelve by sixteen inches in size. Its first issue appeared July 1, 1831, and it was
JAMES S. MAGEE. Editor of "The Perry County Democrat," and U. S. Internal Revenue Collector for the Middle District of Penna. (1913-1921).
WM. C. LEBO. Editor of "The Perry County Times," and Leading Temperance Advocate.
published at Liverpool until June, 1836, when it was sold to James B. Cooper and removed to New Bloomfield, later being merged with the Perry County Democrat. The prospectus proposing its publication was dated May 26, 1831, and its beginning, five weeks later, signifies a patronage.
The Liverpool Sun was established in 1881, by Rev. S. E. Her- ring, its initial issue being typographically as neat as any paper. Rev. Herring's editorial life was short, as he sold the paper to J. A. Zellers in July, 1882, and Mr. Zellers conducted it long and ably, until his death, which occurred January 13, 1912. On the following April Ist, George M. Deckard purchased the plant and conducted it until September, 1921, when it was purchased by David S. and George R. Fry, of Newport, at whose plant it is now printed.
480
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
There may have been a paper published at Liverpool in the meantime, as the Freeman of December 22, 1853, contains an ac- count of a fire at New Buffalo-the Linton and Drummond homes -- and credits the news item to the Liverpool American.
Newport was the fourth town in the county to have a news- paper established, being preceded by Landisburg, New Bloom- field and Liverpool, and its new publication was not to have a lengthy existence. Samuel Schrack started the Newport Standard September 1, 1841. It was a five-column folio, its pages being 12x18 in size. August 22, 1844, it was removed to New Bloom- field by Michael Kepner, who had purchased it. John D. Crilley
DAVID S. FRY
F. A. FRY. GEORGE R. FRY.
THE FRY FAMILY-FATHER AND SONS.
Publishers of "The Newport News" for Half a Century. David S. Fry is promi- nently connected with County Sunday School Work.
edited it. It was later sold to Rightmeyer & Morgan, and from them passed to Samuel G. Morrison and John A. Magee. It was discon- tinued in 1848, being merged with the Perry County Democrat.
The Newport News was started November 18, 1868, by Harvey Smith and E. T. Williams. Mr. Smith retired January 15, 1869- within its first sixty days-and E. T. Williams had sole control. The issue of December 3, 1869, was still issued under Williams, but a notice appeared saying that it had been sold to C. A. Wright, Esq. It then suspended and, two weeks later, December 18th, ap- peared under the editorship of George Shrom, under whose man- agement it appeared until August 1, 1874. He enlarged it to seven columns. H. B. Zimmerman & Son, according to their salutatory, announce that they purchase the plant from W. H. Minich, who just purchased it from Mr. Shrom, a short time prior, and the News appeared with their names at the helm until December 2, 1876, when James H. Ferguson, of Newport, and Frank A. Fry, of Harrisburg, succeeded them. They remained until November 23. 1877, when J. C. Barrett & Company purchased the plant. The company was composed of J. C. Barrett, J. O. McClintock and
481
THE PUBLIC PRESS
W. R. S. Cook. This firm was then in possession until January 30, 1880, when Mr. Cook and Frank A. Fry became the owners, under the firm name of Cook & Fry. They made an eight-column paper of it. On May 1, 1880, Mr. Fry leased the interest of Mr. Cook and secured entire control. Later purchasing this interest he remained at the head of the plant until his death, October 18, 1918. The paper then became the property of his sons, David S. and George R. Fry. It was made a semi-weekly, January 2, 1914, the only one in the county. Charles Woods English, who retired as foreman of the News in 1921, was connected with that paper for over thirty-eight years, a fine record, having entered the office to learn the printing trade soon after the entry of the late F. A. Fry.
While Millerstown has no weekly publication now, it has been the birthplace of several. January 1, 1857, the first number of the Millerstown Gasette appeared under the hands of Levi Klauser, and was issued as a five-column folio, 12x18 in size. It was pub- lished at Millerstown until April 22, 1858, when it was removed to Newport and the name changed to the Newport Gasette. Here it was continued until September, 1859, by Klauser & Bowman, when it ceased publication.
George Shrom began the publication of the Millerstown Ledger, a seven-column folio, May 1, 1875, and continued it until Novem- ber 25, 1876, when it was removed to Newport, and the name changed to The Ledger. In 1882 it was made an eight-column paper, and the name changed to the Newport Ledger. It was edited by Mr. Shrom until his death, November 14, 1907. His son, Harry K. Shrom, then edited it until his death, August 24, 1908, aged but 33 years, when his sister, Miss Lorena Singer Shrom, who assumed charge, beautifully wrote: "I can only whisper gently to you, my precious and beloved brother, my comrade, chum and friend, Harry Kenower Shrom, has fallen asleep." Miss Shrom edited it a short time, when, for various short periods it was edited by others, and then discontinued.
The Duncannon Record has been more unfortunate than any paper in the county, by reason of the frequent changes in owner- ship, although several others in their earlier years equaled it. The Record was established during the spring of 1873, by Abner J. Hauck, of Mechanicsburg, over the storeroom long kept by Miss Lydia Fenstermacher, on Market Street. It suspended on April 20, 1874, and then it was taken over by a stock company composed of town merchants, and Horace G. Vines and Sylvester S. Sheller became the publishers, Mr. Sheller remaining about two years. Later Rebecca Sheller (Schiller) became the editress, being suc- ceeded by Clarence J. Passmore. In 1878, Henry J. Lupfer bought a half-interest in the plant, and later the other half. He then .sold a half-interest to Rev. G. W. Crist, and it was operated by
31
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Lupfer & Crist. McCaskey & Barnett purchased it about August 1, 1881, and on March 9, 1883, Mr. Barnett withdrew. J. L. Mc- Caskey developed the plant, putting in a power press and doing a large commercial business. On January 1, 1888, he sold the plant to Snavely Bros., who operated it for three years. On July 1, 1891, it passed to J. L. and H. H. Hain, being published under the firm name of Hain Bros. Some time later J. L. Hain retired, and H. H. Hain remained, editing it for about ten years. During this time the entire equipment was replaced and the paper's policy was based on three principal objects, which the writer saw accom- plished before turning the paper over to his successor. These were
C. B. SMITH. Editor of "The Marysville Journal."
R. M. BARTON. Editor of "The Duncannon Record."
the introduction of a water system and a light system, and the extension of the borough limits so as to include Baskinsville and Carver's Hill, thus giving to the children of those sections the ad- vantages of higher graded schools. Early in 1901 the plant was sold to J. L. L. Bucke, who leased it at various times to J. S. Arnold, John B. Parson, and G. W. Dunkle. In March, 1913, Mr. Bucke sold the plant to William Bender, who had been con- nected with it in every capacity for over two decades, and who was the first native of the town to own it. Mr. Bender, in turn sold to R. M. Barton, the present proprietor, July 1, 1916. Its present proprietor installed the first linotype in the county.
In July, 1891, a prospectus was issued by citizens of Marysville, led by Dr. A. D. VanDyke, Rev. J. David Miller and Frank Stras-
483
THE PUBLIC PRESS
baugh, preparatory to the establishing of a weekly newspaper at that place. The name Marysville Advance was selected, and Elmer S. Mills, then a resident of Millerstown, was secured and became the first editor. The first issue appeared October 15, 1891. It was a four-page, six-column paper. Mr. Mills remained about a year. Others who followed in ownership were LaRoss & Jauss, and D. S. Funk. The Advance was discontinued.
In 1897 Clarence Passmore opened a job office there and began the publication of the Marysville Journal. After a year he sold the office to J. 11. Meck & Co., who operated it until 1912, when it was purchased by C. B. Smith, a native Perry Countian, who still conducts it. A notable feature of Mr. Smith's was the complete weekly directory during the World War, whereby one was enabled to know the address of every local service man and woman, and the contingent to which they belonged.
BIOGRAPHICAL OF NOTED EDITORS.
Alexander Magee, the pioneer editor, was born in Philadelphia, September 20, 1791, his ancestry coming from northern Ireland. He learned printing in Car- lisle, and during the War of 1812 was in Capt. Alexander's army of volunteers. He re- mained in the newspaper busi- ness until 1832, when he en- tered mercantile life. He was once sheriff of the county and was a member of the Constitu- tional Convention of 1837-38.
Within the earliest recollec- tion of the writer John Adams Baker was the dean of the newspaper corps. Ilis very name, "John Adams," echoes back to the early days of the republic, when that name was borne by the second President. John Adams Baker's birth oc- . curred June 5, 1815. Edu- cated in the subscription schools of the period, he be- came a teacher for a few years, JOHN A. BAKER but in 1839 founded the Perry Long Editor of "The Freeman." Known as "Judge" Baker, having been Associate Judge of Perry County. County Freeman. The new county of Perry was then less than two decades old, and the Demo- cratic majority was more than the entire Whig vote. He was a keen, terse writer, and The Freeman was soon recognized as a
484
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
leader in Whig circles. In the Polk-Clay campaign his articles found state-wide circulation. A vacancy in the office of associate judge during the administration of Governor Johnson was filled by his appointment, and it was thus that he became known as Judge Baker. Later the same governor appointed him as prothono- tary, and he was subsequently elected to both these offices. For forty-five years he edited The Freeman, retiring in 1894. He died December 2, 1895. No Perry Countian was more respected and beloved. He was conscientious, and supported everything that was for the betterment of his county.
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.