History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 70

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor
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The Register did not purport to be a political paper, although it is apparent now that its leaning was in one direction. In 1811 the first political paper os- tensibly such was established by the Federalists, and called the Greensburg Gazette. In 1818 the Demo- crats resolved on having a paper for party purposes, and some of the leaders forming a company, with Frederick A. Wise as manager, purchased the Regis- ter, which, in a new dress, made its appearance in the first week of April, 1819, as The Westmoreland Repub- lican and Farmer's Chronicle.

Frederick A. Wise had been born and brought up. in Greensburg, but at that time was working in Bal- timore at the printing trade, which he had learned. He took charge of the paper with the understand- ing that he was to be the sole manager, and also the owner and manager, on the repayment of the purchase money to the joint-stock company which had bought the Register. Of the paper Mr. Wise continued editor till 1830, when it was sold to Jo- seph Russell, Esq. In 1841, Mr. Russell took in partnership David K. Marchand, Esq., a practical printer ; in April, 1844, Mr. Marchand became sole editor and proprietor, and continued as such until July, 1856, when he sold an interest to Andrew Gra- ham, a farmer of Ligonier Valley, and something of a local politician and office-holder. In 1861, Mr. Gra- ham became sole editor and proprietor. Mr. Graham continued in the management only till Jan. 1, 1862, when James F. Campbell & Co. succeeded Mr. Gra- ham as proprietors of the Republican. Under this management it remained but a short time. In Jan- uary, 1863, James F. Campbell retiring, it became the property of William A. Stokes, Esq., a prominent member of the bar, and an officer for a time in the regular army, but whose tastes followed the profes- sion of the pen rather than that of the sword. Mr. Stokes had contributed very extensively to the paper previously to the time when it passed to Campbell & Co., and had been responsibly connected with it dur- ing the time it was carried on under that manage- ment, he being the "company." He then published the Republican until August, 1864, when he sold it to Mr. W. W. Keenan, then proprietor of the Greensburg Democrat, who combined the two establishments into one.

As the Republican exists in the Westmoreland Demo- crat of to-day, we shall here give the history of the

Democrat prior to the consolidation of those two papers, and then from that time the history of that one which was formed out of both. The first number of

THE GREENSBURG DEMOCRAT

made its appearance November the 18th, 1853.' E. J. Keenan and John Klingensmith, Jr., were editors and proprietors. The paper had been established to rep- resent and give expression to that wing of the Democ- racy which advocated the renomination of William Bigler to the governorship, and which indorsed his administration. This was the second time in the political history of the county that a newspaper had in heated occasions been established as a party organ. As the other two papers which were devoted to the cause of that party-the Argus and the Republican- were at that time opposed to the re-election of Mr. Bigler and were committed to his defeat, and as the paper was established with the object stated, its ad- vent was heralded with many marks of displeasure by the press whose policy it opposed, by great grati- fication by its friends in the faction whose interests it represented, and by the approbation and encourage- ment of the opposition, whose best policy was to give it notoriety. Besides this the gentlemen at the head and back of the paper were well known throughout the county, and had become personally identified with the Democratic party in all local issues and interests.

The salutatory was novel in its way. Under the caption "Liberty of the Press" the editors in this leader struck out in an entirely new vein. The writer, after proclaiming their devotion to the principles of the Democratic party, declared that their course should be independent of all cliques and factions. The editorial and business management of the paper was conducted by E. J. Keenan, Esq. The paper from the first evidenced labor and talent.

Mr. Klingensmith died in 1854, and the paper then passed into the hands, as it had really till that time been under the control, of Mr. Keenan. By him it was published and edited till the commencement of 1857, when William W. Keenan, Esq., brother of E. J. Keenan, became the local editor and manager. In 1857 the style of the management was E. J. Keenan & Bro. In June, 1858, it was purchased by James Keenan & Co., James Keenan then being the osten- sible head of the paper, and his brother representing the company. James Keenan, Esq., was at that time United States consul at the port of Hong Kong, China ; and the paper, so far as its practical manage- ment was concerned, was still conducted by his brothers here, and was the same as it had been before that. James Keenan died in 1862; his brother, E. J. Kee- nan, had entered into the active service of the United

1 Mr. Graham was sister of the late Dr. John Morrison, of Greensburg.

In the prospectus for this paper it was originally called the Westmors- land Democrat, but on account of the smaller gize and neater appearance of the words, and to give more room for the vignette, it was changed to the Greensburg Democrat.

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States in the army ; and William W. Keenan hecame entire and sole manager and editor of the paper.

Probably no local paper in this section of the State rose with the same rapidity or attracted so much at- tention, both from friends and from opponents, as did the Democrat under the practical management of E. J. Keenan. It had many characteristics which are inci- dent to a successful newspaper. It was zealous in its friendship and bitter in its enmity. The editor was assailed in every place of attack by his political oppo- nents,-in the courts, in the press, even in the church. But opposition is one of the very cesentials of a suc- cessful party newspaper .. The reputation of a politi- cal organ is established, and the paper is fixed on a permanent basis only when it is denounced by the opposition and attacked from all sides.

Some of the articles which appeared in the Demo- crat at that time have in the virulence of their attack perhaps been never paralleled in the history of our provincial press. The article denouncing William A. Cook for his alleged renegading from the Democratic to the opposition party (at that time the Know-Noth- ing organization), and for his acceptance of the candi- dacy of an office on the ticket, was one of the most caustic and bitter personal and political attacks prob- ably ever printed on the page of any newspaper in the whole State. It, however, resulted in a libel suit, which of course gave the more prominence to the paper. The editor was mulcted in six and a fourth cents damages and the costs of the suit.

But the most unique issue was that of July 18, 1859. The second page of this number was almost entirely filled with wood-cuts and double-leaded matter, resembling very much the " broadsides" of an earlier day. This matter was arranged in the ordi- nary columns, and was headed "Cameron & Co.'s Combined Circus, Menagerie, and Diorama." It was a political utterance, and in it all the prominent poli- ticians of the party in opposition, either national, State, or county, were caricatured, travestied, or bur- lesqued. It was a highly sensational article, but there were many who questioned the opportuneness of the brochure, and it is more than probable that the editor, both in person and in estate, suffered from the bitter- ness engendered by this effusion, and which ceased not to be effectively felt until long after.

Edward J. Keenan had barely reached his majority when he assumed the entire control of the Democrat. He had a peculiarity of expression on paper, so that his articles were, to one conversant with his style, readily distinguishable. He used good English, went right to the point, and although he sometimes pro- fessed the pathetic, yet a vein of humor is readily discerned running through all his productions. He was a master of the art of ridicule. In his manner he was companionable, and spared no effort to be agreeable. He therefore had many friends. He was open-hearted, forgiving, and generous beyond all belief, pitied all phases of suffering and misery, and

Do one ever appealed to him for charity in vain. Within certain limits it may be truly said that he fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and ministered to those who were sick and in prison. Physically he was weakly, and he bore in his body the seeds of disease. After his return from the army be devoted himself to the practice of the law. For a short period it is true he gave some of his attention to a new paper called the Democratic Times, but this attention was only su- pervisory. Under an accumulation of diseases ho died, Friday, June 1, 1877.'

It was announced in the Democrat of July the 12th, 1862, that the interest of James Keenan in the estab- lishment had been purchased. by Alexander Allison, a practical printer, who had been connected with the office, and that the publication of the Demooret would thenceforward be conducted under the style of William W. Keenan & Alexander Allison. It was also announced that the editorial department would remain as before. So that the publishers or editors of. the paper were of those who had been connected in one capacity or another with it from shortly after its establishment. Alexander Allison retired March 6, 1868, having disposed of his interest to William W. Keenan.

THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT.

. In August, 1864, W. W. Keenan, the proprietor of the Democrat, purchased the Republican from W. H. Stokes, and the two papers were consolidated under the name of the Republican and Democrat, in which E. J. Keenan became again interested. The first number of this consolidation was issued on the 81st of August in that year. The paper continued under the proprietorship of the Messrs. Keenan and under the management of W. W. Keenan, with a

1 Edward J. Keenan died Friday June 1, 1877.

When about sixteen years of age he accompanied his brother, Thomas J. Keenan, then European law agent, on a trip to Europe, and spent some eight months in the British Isles. Of his experienes and observa- tions there he furnished some very interesting sketches. At about eigh- teen he established the Democrat. He served a term as register and ro- corder, having previously conducted the affairs of the office as deputy under his brother, Gen. James Keenan. In the civil war be served as Aret lieutenant of infantry, in the Eleventh Pennsylvania Reserve Veteran Corps, from which he was transferred to the Signal Corps, and advanced to higher position because of his superior ability. During his services in that department be made some suggestions of important improvements which were afterwards adopted. After the war he resumed the practice of the law in Greensburg, and had a large business. Hestood among the foremost in his profession, and was remarkable for his senmen, culture, and humor. He also engaged in oil operations in the oil regions of Penn- sylvania, and amassed considerable wealth. But his generous nature and careless forethought involved him in, so that when the panic came, his relentless creditors having no mercy, he was compelled to sacrifice his real estate to their mercy. On several occasions before his death he acted as chairman of the Democratic County Committee, and for a time was editor of the Times. When Hon. William Wallace was chairman of the Democratic State Committee, he, with the advice and consent of the committee, made Mr. Keenan deputy chairman for the western portion of the State, embracing some twenty or more counties, and gave to him complete control of the campaign therein. Some of his flercest political contests were with the Hon. John Covode, and while politically at dagger's points, they were, it seems, personal friends. H. was married to a daughter of Hon. Joseph H. Kuhns, and at his death left a widow and three children.

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short exception, when he associated with himself James H. Clarke, who had been the local editor of the Republican in 1863. Near the close of 1871, Kline & Co. purchased the Republican and Democrat, and assumed the proprietorship and editorial control of the same on the first day of January, 1872. The firm consisted of Dr. W. J. K. Kline and S. A. Kline, Esq., who at once enlarged the paper from a twenty-eight to a thirty-two-column sheet, and issued the first num- ber on the tenth day of January in a new dress. S. A. Kline disposed of his interest to A. B. Kline, who succeeded him on the 1st of October, 1873, when the style of the firm was changed to Kline & Bro., who are still at this time the editors and proprietors of the establishment. On the 1st of January, 1876, they dropped the word "Republican" as a part of the name, and adopted the title Westmoreland Democrat, which is identical with one of the original names when the word Republican was synonymous with .Democrat.

Under its present management it has kept pace in general and local news with the improvements in journalism, enlarged ats circulation, and has taken a leading part in the political controversies of the day, with such a distinctive apprehension of the varied issues that it has preserved and increased the respect and good will of the Democracy of the county, as well as that of many who are not in sympathy with its political creed.

In Collins & McLeester's Proof-Sheet for 1873, a publication for practical printers, in an account of the various newspapers of the State, Greensburg was re- marked for the journalistic distinction of having odd or contradictory titles for at least three of its then ex- isting newspapers, as witness the Tribune and Herald, the Republican and Democrat, and Frank Cowan's Paper.

THE GREENSBURG GAZETTE.

The Tribune and Herald of to-day traces the history of its press to the Gazette. The Greensburg Gazette, which was established by David McLean as the organ of the Federal party, was the first political paper in the county ostensibly and professionally so. It began its existence in 1811. Mr. McLean was succeeded by Frederick J. Cope, Esq., in 1822.

The first number of the Gazette edited by Mr. Cope was dated Friday, October the 11th, 1822. In closing his editorial duties with that number of the paper, Mr. McLean stated that "notwithstanding he had commenced business under very unfavorable circum- stances, the generosity of his friends had given him all the prosperity he could wish." He had then made arrangements to continue in business at Pittsburgh, and had already moved his family there.

The Gazette of the early day was a four-column sheet, and as such continued till 1823. April 25th of that year (at No. 29, Vol. I., New Series, and Vol. XII., Whole Number 612, regularly) another column was added to the page, making it a five-column paper.

The advertising matter was slowly but certainly in- creasing in extent and in proportion to the contents of the paper. In size the page, as it was set up in type, was eighteen by eleven and a half inches, with a very small margin, not half an inch, around.

The contents and make-up of the Gazette dittered not much (mutatis mutandis) from the Register, or from other papers of the day. In the Gazette some story partaking largely of the romantic style of liter- ature then in vogue, under such a heading as "The Pirate's Treasure," "The Count's Secret," "The Mys- tery of Norwood Castle," was usually printed on the last page to the exclusion of other matter. Under the heading "Domestick" was given the local and provincial news.

The politics of the paper was, as we said, opposite to that of the Republican. The Gazette first advocated the election of Jackson to the Presidency. But it must be also remembered that Jackson for a long time was claimed by the Federalists. When Jackson was taken up and supported by the Democratic-Re- publicans it then opposed him.

After the fashion and the usage of the newspaper and other publishing concerns-a fashion traceable to England-the country editors sold books and sta- tionery of ordinary kind at their establishments, and even printed books and pamphlets, and carried on the bookbinding business in connection therewith. At the office of the. country paper, indeed, was the only place to get the current literature of the day. Among the publications which the Gazette in 1824 proposed to put in press was "Divine Breathings; or, = Pious Soul Thirsting after Christ, in one hundred Patheticl. Meditations, &c., to contain 128 pages of 16's. Price, 37} cents, full bound and gilded."

On February the 1st, 1828, the Gazette establish- ment passed out of the hands of Mr. Cope' into those of John Black & Son (Mr. Morrow not being known to the public as connected with the paper), with the

1 Frederick J. Cope, who is still living, was born in Greensburg, Oct. 14, 1801, and is the oldest person living here born in this place. He was the son of William and Elizabeth (Rohrer) Cope, who came from Hagers- town, Md. His grandfather was Caleb Cope, who early settled in Western Maryland, and his great-grandfather was Oliver Cope, who came over with William Penn in 1681, in which year he erected in Chester County his log house, still standing in 1863. The subject of this sketch was born in a house that stood where Baughman's Block now is on Main Street. He learned the printer's trade with David Mo- Lean, then proprietor of the Greensburg Gazette. The latter went to Pittsburgh and purchased the Pittsburgh Gazette (now Commercial Gasette) of John Scull, its founder. Mr. Cope then purchased the Gremsburg Gasette, Aug. 23, 1822, and published it until Sept. 29, 1826. It was & small sheet (demi-paper) of four pages, each of four columns. He on- larged it one column before he sold it to Paul Morrow, then cashier of the bank here. His paper was distributed by the mails and often by carriers. The cost of the raw paper was then much higher than now, and in those times the printers employed were such as could be picked up, and oftentimes of bnt little experience. He traded his printing- office to Paul Morrow for the farm he has since owned, which was patented and owned by John Brownlee before the burning of Hannas- town in 1782. Mr. Cope is one of the oldest printers in the State, but has not worked at the trade for fifty-six years. For the last quarter of a century he has contributed largely to the agricultural and educational press, and the articles thus contributed have given him great celebrity.

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number which commenced the second half of the seventeenth volume. The junior member of this firm was then engaged in learning the printing business in the office, and the management of the office was left to him. The latter end of the name of the paper was dropped, and it was called again merely The Greensburg Gasette.

In 1829, there being then no longer any use for the Federal party, it lost its identity in the anti-Masonic which sprang up like a mushroom. The Gasette then became anti-Masonic.

Mr. Black, Sr., conducted the editorial management, and directed.the course of the Gazette in politics until 1832, when he retiring on account of ill health the editorial management was transferred to his son, William F. Black. The name of the paper was then changed to The Westmoreland Intelligencer. After the death of Mr. Black, Jr., the control of the paper passed into the hands of Reece C. Fleeson, subse- quently and for many years one of the proprietors of the Pittsburgh Dispatch.1 From Fleeson it passed to John Ramsey, upon whose death in 1839 the paper was purchased by John Armstrong, Esq. the father of John Armstrong, Faq., of the Westmoreland bar, and of Col. James Armstrong, both present citizens of Greensburg. For more than ten years Mr. Arm- strong, with the more active and personal superin- tendence of his son, a practical printer, edited and controlled the paper.

1 The Intelligencer was yet owned by the widow of William T. Black, but under the management of Mr. Flesson. It professed to be " Demo- cratio anti-Masonic," and in 1834-36 supported, or rather advocated, William H. Harrison for President, and Francis Granger for Vice-Prest- dent. It was printed every Friday on Market Street. The Intelligencer was in sise larger than the Gasette, and the types were bigger. From the Geselle, Friday, April 23, 1824:

"The GASETTE OFFICE and BOOK-BINDERT have been removed to the house lately occupied by Mr. Gallagher as a hatter's shop, between Mr. Brown's and Mr. Mowry's stores, and opposite the Post-Omce, where sub- toribers and others are respectfully requested to call." From the Gesette, July 16, 1824:

" PRINTING. THE EDITOR

Having Procured From NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA, An addition to his former assortment, A Variety of Elegant

PLAIN AND ORNAMENTED TYPES,

He is enabled to execute HAND-BILLS,

PAMPHLETS, CARDS, BLANKS, etc.,

In a superior style at a short notice.

" Book-Binding is neatly and expeditiously executed at the Bindery attached to the Printing-Office.

"Old Books will be substantially rebound at moderate charges.

" A number of Books, long since bound, remain on hand. The Owners are requested to call for them, or they will be sold to pay for the binding."

THE SENTINEL.

It is here necessary to make a digression from the regular line of succession and take up one of the col- lateral branches, so to speak.

In 1840 a new political paper was started in Greene- burg called The Sentinel. John F. Beaver, Esq., a lawyer in practice, was at the head and back of this concern, while Jonathan Bow, a practical printer, a man of ability, and a native of Indians County, was the editor and manager. It was partly a matter of private enterprise, and partly a political speculation. It was not till the campaign of that year that all the discordant elements in opposition to what was called the Democratic-Republican party effectually coalesced and united. Hence there was a struggle for all in opposition to become "organs." In either aspect the Sentinel was not a success, and after a short but vig- orous existence the concern was purchased by Mr. Armstrong, the proprietor of the Westmoreland In- telligencer, and being merged into that paper lost all identity.

In November, 1850, Mr. Armstrong sold the Intel- ligencer to D. W. Shryock, Enq, who had been brought up to the printing business.

When the next phase of opposition in politics took shape, and one of the parties was known as the Dem- ocratic, the other as the Know-Nothing or True American party, the name of the Intelligencer was changed to the American Herald. After the dissolu- tion of the Know-Nothing organization the name of the paper was changed to The Greensburg Herald, and thenceforth became the organ of the Republican party. As such it continued for some years. Its editor and proprietor, Mr. Shryock, in the ascendency of his party was remembered by the administration in power. He was appointed revenue collector for the Twenty-first District at a time when the office was very profitable.

THE TRIBUNE.

The political course of the Herald had, however, in time raised opposition within the party in the county on local questions. The leader in this oppo- sition was James R. McAfee, Esq., at the present time deputy secretary of the Commonwealth. Mr. McAfee was a lawyer at the bar, was a well-known Republican politician, had been superintendent of the common schools, and a member of the Assembly. In 1870 he established The Tribune in opposition to the Herald, and as the organ and the political exponent of the party in the county. The first number made its appearance on the 23d of July of that year.

These two papers were published in opposition to each other for about eighteen months. The prosperity of the Herald was visibly affected by The Tribune, and the editor, in all probability wearied with the cares and activity of a lengthy and laborious profes- sional service, sold his establishment to Messrs. At- kinson and Weddell. These gentlemen were the law partners of Mr. McAfee, and in reality they repre-

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THE PRESS AND LITERATURE.

sented that gentleman as well as themselves. month after the sale and purchase, or in February, 1872, the two papers were consolidated, and' under the style of the

TRIBUNE AND HERALD

were published by McAfee, Atkinson, & Weddell. Upon the retiring of Mr. Weddell, the paper, then the undisputed organ of the Republican party in Westmoreland, was, and has been till this time, con- ducted by Messrs. McAfee & Atkinson.

Mr. Shryock, the gentleman who established the business prosperity of the Herald, was, as we said, a professional printer, a native of Greensburg, and re- sided in the town continuously until he accepted the position of cashier of the National Bank at Mount Pleasant, Pa., when he moved to the business-place of the bank. There he resided until the beginning of the current year (1881), when, upon the establish- ing of the Merchants' and Farmers' National Bank of Greensburg, Pa., he was elected cashier of that bank, which position he at present occupies.

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History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 70

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: