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IONS. II. 
 
 Franklin Society Publications. 
 
 A.PERS 
 
 The Fi-anklin Society of the City <>f Chicago has already published, in beautiful 
 style, on tinted paper, broad margins, limited editions of the following papers : 
 
 I. THE PRINTER: WHAT HE MIGHT RE. Read before the Society 
 
 Oct. 27, 1S69, by James W. Sheahan. 20 pp. Price. 50 cents. 
 
 This paper, with the exception of technical and similar terms, is written in Anglo- 
 S;ixon, and is an unique sample of what may be said in our mother tongue. 
 
 II. EARLY NEWSPAPERS IN ILLINOIS. Read before the Society 
 
 Jan. 20, 1S70, by Henkv R. Bos.s. 4Spp. Price, $1.00. 
 
 Other papers are already prepared, rr in course of preparation, to be read before 
 thf Society, on topics connected with our craft, which will be published in imlforni 
 style with the foregoing. Among the contributions promised are the following : 
 
 •' History of the Press of Lake County, Illinois." 
 
 '* History of Printers' Unions in Chicago." 
 
 •' The Old Booksellers of Chicago." 
 
 *' History of the Religious Press of Illinois." 
 
 As but limited editions of these publications are issued, and no more will be 
 printed, early application should be made in order to secure complete sets. 
 
 Copies of cHch of these publications will be sent, free of postage, on receipt of 
 price. Also, for sale by Marder, Liise & Co., Rounds & James, Western News Co., 
 Callaghan & Cockcroft, Keen & Cooke, S. C. Griggs & Co., Chicago; Joel Munsell 
 Albany, N. Y. Address 
 
 FRANKLIN SOCIETY, 
 
 168 Soni/i Clark Street, Chka^^o. 
 
 Frkatum. — Page 32. second tine, for *' Ferry " read " T 
 
 )F Chicago, 
 
 TyHWERSr 
 
 "erry." 
 
 CHICAGO : 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE FRANKLIN SOCIETY. 
 1S70. 
 
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FRANKLIN SOCIETY PUBLICATIONS. II. 
 
 EARLY NEWSPAPERS 
 
 IN ILLINOIS: 
 
 READ BEFORE THE 
 
 pRANKLiN Society of the C^ty of C^^cago, 
 
 HENRY R. BOSS, 
 
 January 20, 1S70. 
 
 ^ Mr vcjii^ , 
 
 'tJHiVJeRsr 
 
 CHICAGO : 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE FRANKLIN SOCIETY. 
 1S70. 
 
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S70, by the 
 
 Franklin Society of the City of Chicago, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Northern District of 
 
 Illinois. 
 
 c 
 
 ^i 
 
 yM 
 
 A^^ 
 
FRANKLIN SOCIETY. 
 
 Officers for 1870-71. 
 
 President: 
 
 L. B. JAMESON. 
 
 First Vice-President : Second Vice-President : 
 
 JOHN M. FARQ^UHAR. M. S. P. BOND. 
 
 Recording Secretary: 
 
 JOHN CONAHAN. 
 
 Corresponding Secretary; 
 
 SYLVANUS W. FALLIS. 
 
 Financial Secretary: 
 
 HENRY R. BOSS. 
 
 Treasurer: 
 
 A . P . L U S E . 
 
 Managers : 
 
 JAMES W. SHEAHAN, ISAAC VV. HENDERSON, 
 
 FRANK F. BROWNE, V. B. TRUAX, 
 
 THOMAS LUKE McINTOSH, M. A. WOODBURY. 
 
 Librakian: 
 
 A. B. CASE. 
 
 FRANKLIN SOCIETY LIBRARY, 
 168 South Clark St., Second Floor. 
 
 90284 
 
MEMBERS 
 
 Henry R. Boss. 
 A. B. Case. 
 John M. FARqyuAR. 
 E. Colbert. 
 J. S. Thompson. 
 Samuel E. Pinta. 
 Clarence L. Dennett. 
 Chas. W. McCluer. 
 Wm. H. Rand. 
 Sterling P. Rounds. 
 Sydney H. Gay. 
 Hugh A. Murray. 
 L. B. Jameson. 
 Wm, D. Baker. 
 Sylvanus W. Fallis. 
 James H. King. 
 Geo. D. Williston. 
 A. P. Luse. 
 Chas. E. Leonard. 
 Geo. p. Upton. 
 S. V. R. HicKcox. 
 James Cockcroft. 
 Joseph Medill. 
 Francis A. Eastman. 
 Samuel S. Beach. 
 James F. Ballantyne. 
 John Conahan. 
 Alex. Barnet. 
 Wm. Stapleton. 
 Geo. W. McDonald. 
 Wm. Duffell. 
 N. B. Barlow. 
 Franc B. Wilkie. 
 James W. Sheahan. 
 
 LIFE. 
 John Harder. 
 
 ACTIVE. 
 
 George W. Taylor. * 
 V. B. Truax. 
 Edw. Vandenberg. 
 Edw. James. 
 W. L. Fawcette. 
 M. S. P. Bond. 
 V. L. Chandler. 
 R. R. Donnelley. 
 Alex. T. Loyd. 
 James Rattray. 
 W. W. Corbett. 
 Samuel Simons. 
 A. Zeese. 
 A. W. Hahn. 
 G. S. Baldwin. 
 John R. Walsh. 
 Thos. L. McIntosh. 
 Thos. Parker. 
 
 D. E. Peyton. 
 J. N. Clarke. 
 
 Isaac W. Henderson. 
 
 A. N. Kellogg. 
 
 W. F. Carroll. 
 
 J. Manz. 
 
 Chas. A. Andrews. 
 
 A. B. AuER. 
 
 John Waddington. 
 
 E. M. Haines ( Waukegan 
 C. E. Wright. 
 David T. Brock. 
 Frank Keifer. 
 Matthew Hill. 
 Isaac Walker. 
 l. f. connell. 
 Frank C. Whittier 
 
 John M. Wing. 
 A. J. Cox. 
 Samuel G. Prince. 
 Horace White. 
 
 C. F. Sheldon. 
 James H. Goodsell. 
 Th. Gueroult. 
 
 0. s. burdick. 
 
 A. W. Webb. 
 
 B. P. Reynolds. 
 John McDonald. 
 John Collins. 
 A. C. G. Maas. 
 
 D. W. Page. 
 Wm. Bross. 
 Chas. H. Ray. 
 
 1. c. boudreau. 
 Frank F. Browne. 
 John Buckie, Jr. 
 Jeriah Bonham. 
 N. R. Lyman. 
 Geo. M. Darling. 
 Arthur Edwards. 
 Chas. J. Burroughs. 
 John G. Collins. 
 Wm. Pigott. 
 Alfred L. Sewell. 
 
 )P. L. Hanscom. 
 James O. Brayman. 
 Peter Splithoff. 
 John C. Shea. 
 M. A. Woodbury. 
 H. V. Reed. 
 Chas. Muller. 
 
 C ORRESPONDING. 
 Eugene H. Munday, Philadelphia, Pa. R. A. Mears, London, England. 
 Robert S. Menamin, " E. P. W.\lton, Montpelier, Vt. 
 
 Joel Munsell, Albany, N. Y. John W. Southland, London, Eng. 
 
 Alex. Andrews, London, England. 
 
 * Deceased. 
 
PREFATORY. 
 
 ARLY in 1861 the writer essayed to collect the 
 materials for writing the history of the News- 
 paper Press of Illinois, with a view to its pub- 
 lication in book form. The Chicago Historical Society 
 generously allowed free access to its valuable collection 
 of manuscripts, and many friends in different portions of 
 the State promptly responded to the request for informa- 
 tion. In this manner, and by persistent correspondence, 
 a considerable amount of material was gathered, very 
 nearly all of which has, happily, been preserved till now. 
 The breaking out of civil war, calling men to the making, 
 rather than the writing, of history, and the pressure of 
 other avocations, effectually interfered with the proposed 
 work, and the design was abandoned. Now, however, 
 when the formation of the Franklin Society has 
 brought together a class of individuals especially inter- 
 
vi. Prefatory. 
 
 ested in the subject, it seems appropriate to put these 
 memoranda in proper shape to constitute a contribution 
 to the history of the Fourth Estate. 
 
 No one can more fully appreciate or more regret the 
 fragmentary character and incompleteness of this paper 
 than myself; but it is believed that it is far better to 
 preserve these details in this manner than trust any 
 longer to the chances of loss or destruction of the memo- 
 randa gathered here. The fact that we are compelled to 
 speak of so many of the pioneer editors in the past tense, 
 as, " the late Hooper Warren," etc., affords another 
 warning to collect the materials for the history of our 
 craft before all opportunities are lost; and it is fervently 
 hoped that the present effort will prove an additional 
 incentive to some one, more competent, to write a full 
 history of Journalism in Illinois and the United States. 
 
cTNivERarrr 
 
 EARLY NEWSPAPERS. 
 
 T the outset of our discourse we are compelled 
 to make the statement that no record exists 
 which gives us the date of the first newspaper 
 issued in what is now the great State of IlHnois. Certain 
 it is, that in the year 1814 or 1815 a newspaper — the 
 first in the State — was issued at Kaskaskia, Randolph 
 County, by Matthew Duncan, a brother of the late Gov. 
 Duncan. This paper, it is asserted, was named the 
 Illinois Intelligencer; but the late Robert Blackwell, 
 himself one of the pioneer editors of the State, asserts 
 that it was named the Statesman. On this subject, the 
 late Hooper Warren, a careful and painstaking editor, 
 wrote, under date of March 26, 1861: 
 
 " That paper" (the Intelligc7tccr), " under that title, I believe to 
 be the first regularly issued newspaper in Illinois. None of the first 
 settlers, such as Gov. Edwards, Mr. Cook, Mr. Messinger and dozens 
 of others, who appeared to be intent on telling me all they knew, 
 ever mentioned to me the name of any other paper previous to that. 
 Joseph Charless, who established the Missouri Gazette at St. Louis 
 in 1S07, and who was very communicative to me of his editorial 
 
8 Early JVeivspapers in Illinois. 
 
 experience, never mentioned the name of any other paper in Illinois 
 until iSiS. George Ciuirchill, who came to Illinois the year before I 
 did, says he never heard of any other paper before the Intelligeitcer. 
 W. H. Brown's Herald and Mr. Blackvvell's Statesman, I suspect,, 
 were nothing more than quarter or half-sheet handbills, irregularly 
 issued. Otherwise, the old pioneer settlers heretofore mentioned 
 would have had something to say about them." 
 
 Mr. Warren adds: 
 
 " I think Gov. Reynolds makes a great mistake in regard to 
 Matthew Duncan bringing his j^ress to Illinois in 1S09. That was 
 the year in which the Territorial Government was formed — it being 
 in the first grade, the Governor and Judges making the laws the first 
 three years. When I established myself at Edwardsville, in 1S19, 
 Gov. Edwards would speak to me of his employing Mr. Charless, 
 of the Missouri Gazette, to do public printing, and would compare 
 his prices with mine, as I was then doing it. I also heard Mr. Charless 
 speak of doing Territorial work for Gov. Edwards. So I am led 
 to believe that Matthew Duncan did not bring his press to Illinois until 
 several years after Gov. Edwards came and organized the Territorial 
 Government." 
 
 The Chicago Historical Society's collections contain 
 a file of the Illinois Intelligencer, commencing with 
 Vol. V, No. 8, which was dated Saturday, December 23, 
 1820, and "published by Brown & Berry, Printers for the 
 State." If the paper had been published without inter- 
 ruption from the time of its foundation, this would fix the 
 date of its first issue at November 9, 18 16. As, how- 
 ever, country newspapers were then, even more than 
 now, subject to mischances which prevented their regular 
 appearance, we may take it for granted that the first 
 Illinois newspaper was issued at an earlier date. The 
 late Hon. W. H. Brown, of this city, in a paper read 
 before the Historical Society in i860, asserted it as certain 
 
The Illinois Intelligencer. g 
 
 that in 1814 Matthew Duncan had a press at Kaskaskia, 
 the then seat of government, and issued a weekly news- 
 paper called the Illinois Herald* Mr. Brown adds: 
 
 "Mr. Duncan was a native of Kentucky, and .brought his press 
 and types with him upon his removal to Illinois. It was, apparently, a 
 bold experiment to have entered upon the publication of a newspaper 
 at that early day. In iSio, when the census was taken, there appears 
 to have been but a fraction over 1 2,cxx) inhabitants, and the year pre- 
 ceding the war (181 1) marked by the restless and semi-hostile state 
 of the Indian tribes, and the three years of direct hostilities, must have 
 so deterred immigration that, with the exception of the natural 
 increase, the population of 1815 could hardly have exceeded that of 
 1810. Madison County, on the north and west, was composed of 
 frontier settlements. All the population of the Territory was south 
 of the township line of 5 north of the third principal meridian, running 
 east to the Ohio and Wabash rivers. Kaskaskia and Belleville were 
 the principal towns on the western side of the State, the former con- 
 taining a population (two-thirds of whom were native French) of 
 from six to eight hundred, and the latter about two hundred ; and 
 Shawneetown, on the Ohio river, with rather a larger population, then 
 the county town of St. Clair. The settlements were altogether confined 
 to the timbered land skirting the various water-courses, leaving large 
 intervening prairies wholly unoccupied. Our early inhabitants, like 
 all pioneers, were not a reading population — indeed, quite too large 
 a proportion of them could not read at all — and, as there were scarcely 
 any mail facilities, very little, if any, profit could have been anticipated 
 from the publication of a weekly newspaper. In 1820, the list of the 
 subscribers to the Intellig'encer, which succeeded the Herald, did not 
 exceed five hundred, and it is therefore reasonable to suppose that 
 Mr. Duncan's list did not exceed three hundred. The Herald was 
 
 * Mr. Blackwell says Matthew Duncan continued the publication of the 
 'pa.'p^r for several years, and in 1816 it was purchased by D. P. Cook, Esq., 
 and in the spring of the same year he (Blackwell) came to the Territory and 
 purchased half of it, and the paper was published by Cook & Blackwell for one 
 or two years, until Mr. Cook was elected Attorney General of the Territory. 
 The firm was changed to Blackwell & Berry in 1818, at which time Mr. Black- 
 well was Territorial Auditor. The printing of the convention of 1818 was 
 executed by them. It is in honor of the above Mr. Cook that Cook County is 
 so named. 
 
lo Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 printed upon a sheet of i8 by 22 inches, and aflbrded to subscribers at 
 $3 per annum if paid in advance, or $4 at the end of the year. The 
 printed matter, with its large type and disphiyed advertisements, con- 
 sisting mainly of legal notices and estray animals, niiglit be easily com- 
 pressed into three or four columns of our modern daily papers. 
 * * * It was before the day of telegrams, railroads, or even stage 
 coaches. The duties of an editor were not onerous. No leaders were 
 expected or required. The readers of the Herald or the Intelligencer 
 were neither fastidious or critical, or at all particular as to the manner 
 of the 'getting up' of the hebdomadal sheet for their weekly repast. 
 As the advertising patronage was limited, and the circulation small, 
 the newspaper itself must have been a losing concern, and even up to 
 1837 — I speak from experience — the newspaper barely paid expenses. 
 The Territorial and State patronage, however, and the liberal price 
 paid for the public printing, not only sustained the office, but aflbrded 
 a fair remuneration for the capital invested." 
 
 Col. Elijah C. Berry, the first of our State Auditors, 
 and also a native of Kentucky,* purchased the office and 
 paper of Mr. Duncan, and, according to Mr. Brown's 
 statement, changed its name to the Illinois Intelli- 
 gencer, and enlarged its size to 20 by 25 inches. This 
 transfer was probably made in October, 1815. The late 
 Daniel P. Cook and Mr. Robert Blackwell had an interest 
 in the paper in 18 17, and in the following year it was 
 jointly owned by Mr. Blackwell and William Berry, a 
 brother of the Auditor. 
 
 The seat of government was removed to Vandalia in 
 1820, and the Intelligencer followed the public offices 
 in their migration. In the winter of 1820, Hon. W. H. 
 Brown purchased the interest of Robert Blackwell in the 
 paper, his salutatory appearing in the issue of Dec. 23. 
 
 * Mr. Berry was publishing The Correspondent, at Louisville, in 1817, and 
 sold out that paper in the fall of the same year. 
 
The First Printing Office. ii 
 
 Mr. Brown's description of the condition of the office 
 at the time of his purchase is of interest to all of us at 
 this time. He says: 
 
 " The material of the office consisted of an old, dilapidated press, 
 nearly similar in- form and construction to that of Franklin now on 
 exhibition at the Patent Office at Washington, but about one size 
 larger. It worked off a form of 20 by 25 inches, or a sheet somewhat 
 larger than is used for octavo book printing. The type, when brought 
 to Kaskaskia, had doubtless performed severe duty in some interior 
 Kentucky office, and was justly entitled to an honorable discharge. 
 There were but two varieties — a respectable font of Small Pica and a 
 small one of Minion. These were used for the newspaper and the 
 laws and journals, oftentimes causing the delay of a partially composed 
 form, until matter from other forms could be distributed.* The printing 
 ink in use was an impromptu work of one of the printers, from oil and 
 lampblack inartistically combined, producing rather a dingy blue than 
 a fair black color. The office was an open log building, one story 
 high, with a roof of clapboai-ds held in place by longitudinal weight- 
 poles. Its ventilation was perfect, except when the thermometer indi- 
 cated severe freezing weather. At such times there was a cessation 
 of business, and the printers became gentlemen of leisure, until, by a 
 prodigal use of fLiel, a general thaw throughout the office took place. 
 In 1S21, very important changes were made. The printing establish- 
 ment was moved into a better building, the old press was laid aside, 
 and the worn-out type sent to the foimdry." 
 
 Early in the Legislative session of 1822-3, the famous 
 "Convention resolutions" were introduced. Mr. Berry 
 was a member of the Legislature and in favor of the 
 resolutions, and Mr. Brown was opposed to them. This 
 led to a disagreement between the partners, when the last 
 named withdrew from the paper, which then passed into 
 the hands of the pro-slavery party, Robert Blackwell being 
 
 ^ * Hon. Sidney Breese, one of the Siipienie Court Judges of this State, on one 
 occasion, when work was ''crowding" and workmen were scarce in the office 
 where " Breese's Reports " were being printed, phiced a portion of one volume 
 in type, '■ studying" the case till he found tlie sorts required. 
 
12 Early Neivspapers in Illinois. 
 
 associated with Mr. Berry. A year later, the latter failed, 
 and David Blackwell purchased his interest in the paper, 
 and at once turned its batteries against the Conventionists 
 and in favor of free soil. In 1826 or '27, Mr. Brown 
 again became a partner in the paper, which he conducted 
 for about two years, when he made way for the late 
 Judge James Hall. 
 
 In March, 1832, we find the Vandalia Whig and 
 Jllinois Intelligencer, new series — which was, in reality, 
 a continuation of the Intelligencer — by Meinrad Greiner, 
 continued by Greiner & Sherman, and subsequently by 
 S. C. Sherman. 
 
 The removal of the seat of government to Springfield 
 in 1839, and the consequent withdrawal of State patron- 
 age, occasioned the discontinuance of the publication of 
 the Illinois Intelligencer, and, after an existence of 
 twenty-one years, it ceased to live. 
 
 The second newspaper established in Illinois was the 
 Illinois Emigrant, at Shawneetown, Gallatin County, by 
 Henry Eddy and Singleton H. Kimmel, the first number 
 of which was issued in the fall of 18 18. The title was 
 afterward * changed to Illinois Gazette, when Mr. Kim- 
 mel gave place to Judge Hall. At the time of its estab- 
 lishment the celebrated salt springs in that vicinity were 
 in operation, attracting thither a ckss of business men not 
 found in any other part of the State. The Gazette sup- 
 ported the Convention or pro-slavery party. It was 
 printed on a sheet 18 by 22 inches, and in point of typo- 
 
 * Hooper Warren says it was " some years " afterward, while W. H. Brow^ 
 says it is certain that in the year 1820 Hall & Eddy were the editors and 
 proprietors. 
 
The Ed-wardsville Spectator. 13 
 
 graphical execution surpassed its elder neighbor at 
 Kaskaskia. In the fall of 1822 Judge Hall ostensibly 
 withdrew from the paper, though most of its subsequent 
 editorials on the Convention question, during the struggle 
 of 1822-4, were attributed to him. 
 
 The third Illinois newspaper, in point of time, was the 
 Edivardsville Spectator, established by the late Hooper 
 Warren, in May, 18 19, at Edwardsville, Madison County. 
 Mr. Warren published this paper for six years, when he 
 transferred it to Thomas Lippincott, who afterward 
 became a clergyman, and Jeremiah Abbott, a practical 
 printer. These gentlemen continued to publish the 
 Spectator imtil Mr. Lippincott's entrance into the 
 ministry, when it was discontinued. 
 
 Mr. Warren deserves especial mention here, and we 
 take pleasure in quoting the following from one of his 
 cotemporaries : * 
 
 " Mr. Warren was a practical printer, industrious and energetic. 
 He spared no pains to carry out liis original design, and was eminently 
 successful. His paper was decidedly the best of its cotemporaries, 
 and exerted a far greater influence. Under all circumstances, Mr. 
 Warren maintamed an independence of thought and speech, and failed 
 not strongly to impress »ipon his readers his own sentiments of right 
 and duty, however unpalatable or unpopular. He was a strong and 
 ready writer — or rather composer, for it is said that his editorial 
 articles came direct from his mind into his composing-stick — seizing 
 the strong points of an argument and presenting them with great force. 
 From the commencement of the paper, it assumed strong anti-slavery 
 ground, yielding neither to intimidations or brute force, the former very 
 frequent, and the latter used in a few instances where Mr. Warren's 
 stubborn facts could not be controverted or his arguments answered. 
 It pursued the even tenor of its way until the spring of 1823, when it 
 was adopted as the organ of the Anti-Coiiventionists, and considerable 
 
 * Hon. W. II. Brown. 
 
14 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 money was raised to extend its circulation. Mr. Warren entered the 
 contest with alacrity and zeal. He now occupied a position which, of 
 all others, he would have chosen. His whole soul was enlisted in the 
 work. The great principle of universal liberty was the one for which 
 he had ever contended, and he could not for a moment entertain the 
 idea that our fair and beautiful plains should ever be blighted by the 
 curse of slavery. The Spectator was the great engine in the contest, 
 and was found in every settlement."* 
 
 Having given this brief sketch of the first three news- 
 papers established in Illinois, we will now briefly note 
 the memoranda in our possession respecting the local 
 press in various counties in the State, regretting our 
 inability to give them in more extended form. 
 
 ADAMS COUNTY. 
 
 The ^uincy Argus and Bounty Land Register was 
 commenced in 1835, by John H. Pettit & Co. 
 
 * Mr. Warren commenced the Sangamo Spectator, at Springfield, February, 
 1819, which he continued one year. He established the Galena Advertiser and 
 Upper Mississippi Herald, at Galena, under the firm of Newhall, Philleo & Co., 
 in 1829. In 1836 he established the Commercial Advertiser, at Chicago, and con- 
 ducted it for about one year. In 1841, in company with Z. Eastman, he estab- 
 lished the Genius of Liberty, at Lowell, La Salle County, and continued it one 
 year, when the establishment was removed to Chicago and conducted by Mr. 
 Eastman, under the name of the Western Citizen. In 1851, Mr. Warren leased 
 for one year the press and type of the Bureau Advocate, at Princeton, and pub- 
 lished that piiper during the time. From 1852 to 1855, he was associate editor 
 with Mr. Eastman, in Chicago, in the Western Citizen and Free West. Mr. 
 Warren sadly writes: "You will see my editorial experience has been a succes- 
 sion of failures, but most of the pioneer editors can say the same." Yet it is 
 seldom that an editor closes his life with the clear assurance of so deep and 
 enduring influence for good as did Mr. Warren. He died at Mendota, 111., 
 August 22, 1864, on his return home from a visit to Chicago, at the age of 74 
 years. He was born at Walpole, N. H., May 4, 1790, and served his apprentice- 
 ship as a printer in the office of the Rutland (Vt.) Herald. He was buried at 
 Henry, Marshall County, 111., which had for some years been his place of 
 residence, and where his son, John A. Warren, Esq., is now Postmaster. 
 
Cook County. 15 
 
 BUREAU COUNTY. 
 
 George Churchill, Esq., in a communication to the 
 Chicago Historical Society, says that the Bureau Advo- 
 cate — Hooper Warren, editor — was commenced about 
 the year 1848. This establishment, as before noted, was 
 leased by Mr. Warren, in 185 1, for one year, which was 
 his sole connection with it. 
 
 COOK COUNTY. 
 
 We have no disposition to give any extended notice 
 of the press in this county, as it is a subject which of 
 itself would require a lengthy article, which we hope may 
 at an early day be furnished by a member of this Society. 
 We will only append the following: 
 
 The first number of the Chicago Democrat, the first 
 newspaper in Cook County or Northern Illinois, was 
 issued on the 26th of November, 1833, by John Calhoun. 
 Two years later, Mr. Calhoun sold the Democrat to 
 " Long John " Wentworth, who continued its publication 
 without intermission until 1861, when its subscription and 
 advertising lists were transferred to the Daily Tribune, 
 and the Democrat ceased to exist. Mr. Wentworth now 
 finds more congenial employment in the cultivation of the 
 " Summit Farm," having held the helm of a single news- 
 paper for a much longer term than is often the case 
 among the fraternity. 
 
 The Commercial Advertiser was commenced by 
 Hooper Warren, October 11, 1836, who continued it for 
 about a year. 
 
i6 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 The Union Agriculturist and Prairie Farmer — 
 which name was afterward abridged to Prairie Farmer 
 — was commenced January i, 1841. It was at first edited 
 by John S. Wright, next by Wright & Wight, and then 
 by Ambrose Wight. It still holds a prosperous career. 
 
 FAYETTE COUNTY. 
 
 We have already followed the fortunes of the Illinois 
 Intelligencer, which was removed to Vandalia with the 
 seat of government, in 1820. 
 
 The Illinois Advocate, by John York Sawyer, who 
 had been elected State Printer, was removed from 
 Edwardsville to Vandalia in December, 1832, and its first 
 issue at the latter place appeared on the 5th of January, 
 1833. It was continued till the 4th of April, 1836, when 
 it was succeeded by the Illinois State Register, of 
 which more hereafter. 
 
 The Vandalia Free Press and Illinois Whig, by 
 Colonel Wm. Hodge, was established at Vandalia about 
 the year 1836, and continued several years. 
 
 The Illinois Magazine was started at Vandalia, in 
 December, 1830, and Judge Hall became its editor. 
 Among the contributors to this magazine were Salmon 
 P. (now Chief Justice) Chase and Rev. James H. Perkins, 
 but the editor was the principal writer. In 1833 Judge 
 Hall removed to Cincinnati, where he conducted the 
 Western Monthly until 1837. He died in Cincinnati 
 early in July, 1868. 
 
Franklin County. 17 
 
 FRANKLIN COUNTY. 
 
 The first number of the Benton Standard, a Demo- 
 cratic journal, was issued in December, 1849, but dated 
 January 4, 1850. It was edited by Ira Van Nortwick. 
 In March, 1850, Edward V. Pierce assumed control of the 
 paper, and about the ist of June following associated with 
 him John G. Goessman. In September, 185 1, Mr. Pierce 
 sold his interest in the paper to his partner, though he still 
 continued to write for it. Up to this date the citizens of 
 Benton had owned the press and materials, the publishers 
 paying a yearly rental of $100. Mr. Goessman soon 
 associated with him James Macklin, the partnership con- 
 tinuing a year or two, when Mr. Macklin retired, and Mr. 
 Goessman purchased the materials. He continued the 
 publication of the Standard until his death, in June, 
 1857. Mr. Pierce again became editor and publisher, 
 which place he held until March, 1858, when he sold the 
 office to Hassett & Outten, who changed the name to 
 Benton Plaindealer. Six months later these gentlemen 
 removed the concern to Du Quoin, Perry County, estab- 
 lishing the Du ^uoin Republican, and advocating the 
 election of Mr. Lincoln as United States Senator. 
 
 In the spring of i860, A. & G. Sellers established a 
 Democratic journal entitled the Benton Democrat. On 
 the 29th of August following, they changed their colors, 
 and hoisted the names of Lincoln and Hamlin. When 
 about twenty copies of that issue were printed, " the 
 citizens stopped them issuing any more, and bought them 
 out." The citizens conducted the paper for a few weeks, 
 when it was purchased by G. N. Richards, who continued 
 it as a Democratic journal, without change of title. 
 3 
 
1 8 Early Newspapers in Illitiois. 
 
 FULTON COUNTY. 
 
 The Canton Herald was commenced at Canton, by 
 P. Stone, in January, 1838. 
 
 HANCOCK COUNTY. 
 
 The first number of the Carthagenian, the earliest 
 newspaper in this county, was issued at Carthage, in 
 June, 1836, under the auspices of an association, by 
 Th. Gregg, editor and printer. It was suspended in the 
 spring following, when the materials were removed to 
 Fort Des Moines, Wisconsin Territory (now Montrose, 
 Iowa) . 
 
 In the fall of 1836, a campaign paper, called The 
 Echo, advocating the election of General Harrison, was 
 issued from the office of the Carthagenian. 
 
 In the fall of 1839, the Mormons commenced, at 
 Nauvoo, the famous Times and Seasons, a small octavo 
 monthly, Don Carlos Smith (brother of the Prophet) and 
 Ebenezer Robinson, editors and proprietors. 
 
 In the spring of 1840, David N. White, before and 
 since editor of the Pittsburgh Gazette, commenced, at 
 Warsaw, the publication of the Western World, a Whig 
 paper. Six months afterward it passed into the hands of 
 Thomas C. Sharp, and at the end of the volume was 
 changed to the Warsaw Signal, under which title and 
 editor it continued, with some partnership changes, to the 
 spring of 1847, with the exception of one year (1843), 
 when the office was in the hands of Th. Gregg, who 
 issued the Warsaw Message. 
 
The Mormon Press. 19 
 
 In 1842, William Smith, another brother of the 
 Prophet, issued, at the Times and Seasons office, 
 Nauvoo, a small weekly newspaper, called The Wasp. 
 This was soon after enlarged, and called the Nauvoo 
 Neighbor, by John Taylor, one of the Prophet's 
 Twelve Apostles. 
 
 In the spring of 1844, dissensions arose among the 
 Latter-Day Saints, and the Nauvoo Expositor, estab- 
 lished for the avowed purpose of exposing the enormities 
 charged upon the Mormon leaders, was issued by William 
 Law, Wilson Law, Robert D. Foster, Charles Foster, 
 Francis M. and Chauncey S. Higbee, and conducted by 
 Sylvester Emmans. Only one number was issued, as the 
 press was declared a nuisance by the City Council, and 
 the materials and press burned and destroyed by the City 
 Marshal, on the loth of May, 1844. It was during the 
 troubles which grew out of this offence that the Prophet 
 Smith lost his life, on the 24th of the following month. 
 
 In the spring of 1846, the Mormons procured the 
 services of a Mr. Matlack, a Gentile, who took charge of 
 the Neighbor office, changed the title to that of the 
 Hancock Eagle, and for a short period published a very 
 able and spirited Democratic paper. The death of 
 Matlack, and the removal of the great body of the Mor- 
 mons, in 1846-7, terminated the career of Mormon papers 
 in Hancock County. 
 
 About this time an Anti-Mormon paper was started, 
 called the New Citizen. The office soon after passed 
 into the hands of James McKee, who published, until 
 1850, the Hancock Patriot. 
 
20 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 In the spring of 1847, the Warsaw Signal again 
 passed into the hands of Mr. Gregg, who continued it as 
 a Whig journal until 1850, when the office was purchased 
 by Mr. McKee, who established in its stead the Warsaw 
 Commercial yournal. This lived about three years. 
 
 In 1 85 1 the Signal was resuscitated by Mr. Gregg, 
 and issued for a year or two, and then passed into the 
 hands of Mr. Sharp, who purchased a new office, and 
 issued a new paper, the Warsaw Weekly Express. The 
 Express underwent various mutations, and was finally 
 discontinued in 1854. 
 
 About this time the Hancock Democrat was com- 
 menced at La Harpe. This was short-lived, and after a 
 few months was transferred to Carthage, where it was 
 conducted by Child & Marrier, and afterward by G. M, 
 Child, as the Carthage Republican. It was at first 
 American, but afterward Democratic, in politics. 
 
 In 1855 W. K. Davison and John F. Howe com- 
 menced, at Warsaw, the Warsaw Weekly Bulletin, 
 Republican in politics, which, in i860, was published 
 both daily and weekly, being the first daily sheet issued 
 in the county. 
 
 About 1849 or 1850, the French Icarian Community 
 settled at Warsaw, and for several years issued a Com- 
 munist sheet, the Popular Tribune, M. Cabet, their 
 leader, being its chief conductor. 
 
 In 1856, Mr. L. S. Grove started a new paper at 
 Augusta, the Augusta Times, which lived about a year. 
 
 In the following spring, the citizens of Plymouth 
 organized a stock company, hired Mr. Gregg as editor, 
 and commenced the Plymouth Locomotive, which sus- 
 pended in 1858. 
 
Jo Daviess County. 21 
 
 During the year i860, there were six newspapers 
 being published in Hancock County — the Warsaw Bul- 
 letin, Carthage Re-publican, Nauvoo Democratic Press, 
 Dallas City Star of Dallas, Hamilton Representative, 
 and Carthage Transcript. On the ist of January, 1861, 
 all save the Bulletin and Republican had suspended. 
 From 1836 to i860 twenty-four publications had been 
 commenced in Hancock County, twenty-two of which 
 had expired. 
 
 Previous to the establishment of newspapers in the 
 county, the journals most widely circulated there were 
 the Bounty Land Register, published at Quincy, by 
 Judge Young, since United States Senator; the Sangamo 
 Journal, now the Illinois State Journal, published at 
 Springfield, by Simeon Francis; and the Missouri 
 Republican. 
 
 JERSEY COUNTY. 
 
 The Back-woodsman, edited by John Russell, of Bluft- 
 dale, was commenced at Grafton, in 1837. Jersey County 
 at that time formed a part of Green County. 
 
 JO DAVIESS COUNTY. 
 
 On the 4th of July, 1828, James Jones issued the first 
 newspaper in Jo Daviess County — which had been 
 organized in 1827, and then included the territory 
 embraced in the present counties of Jo Daviess, Stephen- 
 son, Carroll, Ogle, Lee, Whiteside, parts of Rock Island 
 and Winnebago, and perhaps of Rock Island and Boone 
 — and called it the Miners'' Journal. In 1829, Mr. 
 Jones associated with him, as editor, Thomas Ford, after- 
 
22 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 ward elected Governor. The Journal died out in 1832, 
 and Mr. Jones subsequently published at his press a form 
 book, of his own compilation, which he sold throughout 
 the State. 
 
 Jones' establishment was purchased by Dr. Philleo, in 
 1832, who began the publication of the Galenian. 
 
 In the spring of 1829, Hooper Warren started the 
 second paper at Galena, under the firm of Newhall, 
 Philleo & Co., called the Galena Advertiser and Upper 
 Mississippi Herald, in the interest of John Reynolds as 
 a candidate for Governor. The Galena Advertiser 
 (now Galena Gazette, published daily and weekly), was 
 for nearly thirty years edited and published by H. H. 
 Houghton, now occupying a diplomatic position, in the 
 service of the United States, in the Sandwich Islands, 
 and who is probably the oldest Illinois editor now living. 
 
 [It is our impression that the Northwestern Gazette 
 and Galena Advertiser — begun by Loring & Bartlett, 
 in November, 1834 — was the successor of both the 
 Galenian and the Advertiser and Herald. Until some 
 time after Mr. Houghton severed his connection with the 
 paper, the weekly edition bore the title of Northwestern 
 Gazette, while the daily edition was called the Galena 
 Advertiser^ 
 
 The Galena Courier, a Democratic journal, daily, 
 tri-weekly and weekly, was established in January, 1856, 
 by L. F. Leal and H. G. Crouch, both gentlemen from 
 Central New York. On the morning of the ist of April 
 following, the entire establishment was destroyed by fire. 
 The daily was then issued as a half sheet until the arrival 
 of new materials, in May, enabled the proprietors to 
 
Kane County. 23 
 
 resume full operations. In April, 1859, Mr. Crouch dis- 
 posed of his interest to his partner and returned to New 
 York, Mr. Leal continuing the publication of the Courier. 
 
 KANE COUNTY. 
 
 The first newspaper in Geneva, the county seat, was 
 printed in the winter of 1845-6, by Robert J. Thomas and 
 H. Hough, and was called the Fox River Advocate. It 
 was continued for only a few months, when its publica- 
 tion was temporarily suspended. It was afterward revived 
 by Mr. Hough, under the title of Star of the West, of 
 which, however, only two issues were printed. In the 
 spring of 1847, the material of the office was purchased 
 by Messrs. Wilson & Cockroft, who, on the ist of April, 
 issued the first number of the Western Mercury. About 
 three months later, the materials of the Prairie Messenger, 
 printed at St. Charles, fell into the hands of the above 
 firm, who continued the Mercury, for four years, through 
 very " hard times," when it succumbed, for lack of sup- 
 port. In January, 1856, the same firm, w^ho had mean- 
 while continued a book and job printing business, estab- 
 lished the Kane County Advertiser, which is still in 
 existence. 
 
 The Prairie Messenger was published in St. Charles 
 in 1846. 
 
 KNOX COUNTY. 
 
 The Knox Intelligencer was commenced at Gales- 
 burg, by Charles R. Fisk, in 1848. 
 
 The Northwestern Gazeteer, by Southwick Davis, 
 was commenced at Galesburg in 1849. 
 
24 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 LAKE COUNTY. 
 
 We had gained considerable information regarding 
 the newspapers of this county, but are constrained to omit 
 it from the fact that a distinguished member of this 
 Society — a resideht of Waukegan — has promised to 
 furnish a complete history of the Lake County Press, 
 which will be far more interesting than the brief memo- 
 randa we could furnish. 
 
 LA SALLE COUNTY. 
 
 The Genius of Liberty was commenced at Lowell, 
 in January, 1841, by Hooper Warren and Z. Eastman. 
 
 MADISON COUNTY. 
 
 We have alrea^yr noticed the establishment of the 
 Ed-wardsville Spectator, Xh& third paper in Illinois, by 
 Hooper Warren, in P'8i9, and will briefly relate the facts 
 
 ^ m our possession concerning subsequent enterprises in 
 Madison County. 
 J The Star of the West was started at Edwardsville, by 
 
 .' Miller & Stine, September 14, 1822. Six months later — 
 April 12, 1823 — they sold out to Thomas J. McGuire & 
 Co., by whom the name of the paper was changed to 
 Illinois Republican, and continued till August i, 1824. 
 The late Judge Smith and Emanuel J. West were the 
 leading editors of the latter. This paper advocated the 
 call for the State Convention to legalize slavery, to which 
 the Spectator was opposed. 
 
 A paper called the Illinois Corrector was commenced 
 at Edwardsville in 1828, by R. K. Fleming, who had 
 
 J. 
 
First Newspaper in Alton. 25 
 
 previously printed at Kaskaskia the Republican Advocate, 
 begun in 1823. 
 
 The Crisis, by Samuel S. Brooks, was issued at 
 Edwardsville, on the 3rd of April, 1830. Thirty-four 
 numbers were published, when it was followed by the 
 
 Illinois Advocate, also by Mr. Brooks and at the same 
 place. Mr. Brooks issued eighteen numbers, when the 
 establishment went into the hands of John York Sawyer, 
 who soon afterward associated with him Mr. J. Ange- 
 vine. Afterward, Mr. Angevine retired, and Mr. William 
 Peach became a partner, but subsequently retired from 
 the concern. Judge Sawyer, having been elected State 
 Printer, removed to Vandalia, the seat of government, in 
 December, 1832. 
 
 The Alton Spectator, the first newspaper in that town, 
 was established at Upper Alton by Edward Breath (who, 
 in 1 86 1 and for many years previous, resided in Oroomiah, 
 Persia), about the month of January, 1832, and removed 
 to Lower Alton (now Alton City) October 10, 1832. 
 Mr. Breath afterward sold the concern to J. T. Hudson, 
 who was proprietor of it at some time in 1836. " From 
 June 24 to November 25, 1836, it was ' printed weekly' by 
 W. A. Beatty (afterward connected with the Telegraph) . 
 Eight numbers were then 'printed weekly' by D. Ward. 
 From February 10 to October 19, 1837, it was published 
 by William Hessin and Seth T. Sawyer. From October 
 26, 1837, to February 15, 1838, and perhaps longer, it 
 was printed by William Hessin. In December, 1838, it 
 was published by J. Clark Virgin." 
 
 On the 15 th of January, 1836, the first number of the 
 Alton Telegraph was issued by Richard M. Treadway 
 4 
 
26 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 and Lawson A. Parks, both of whom had previously been 
 engaged in the publication of the Evening Herald, the 
 first daily paper ever issued in St. Louis. The Telegraph 
 was a warm supporter of the Whig party, and advocated 
 the claims of Hugh L. White, of Tennessee, for the 
 Presidency. Finding, however, that William H. Harrison 
 was the first choice of the Whigs of Illinois, it fell in with 
 the current of popular feeling, and urged the union of the 
 party strength upon him. The Democrats in that canvass 
 supported and succeeded in electing Martin Van Buren. 
 In the spring of 1836, Samuel G. Bailey became a partner 
 in the Telegraph establishment. During the fall of that 
 year arose the great excitement consequent upon John 
 Quincy Adams' contest in Congress in favor of the right 
 of petition; and Mr. Parks now boasts that the Telegraph 
 was at that time the only paper west of Cincinnati which 
 supported Mr. Adams in that struggle. During the first 
 year of its publication, the paper was a profitable one, and 
 exerted a wide influence, having subscribers from Cairo 
 to Galena. On the 8th of January, 1837 — just one year 
 after his arrival in Alton — Mr. Treadway died. Mr. 
 Parks soon after purchased Mr. Bailey's interest, and con- 
 ducted the paper alone until the May following, when the 
 late Judge Bailhache purchased one-half of the establish- 
 ment, and assumed the exclusive editorial control of the 
 paper. The crash of '37 and the murder of Lovejoy in 
 the same year nearly gave a death-blow to the prosperity 
 of Alton, and of course greatly diminished the receipts of 
 its newspapers, and the Telegraph sunk money. In the 
 spring of 1838, Mr. Parks sold out his interest to Judge 
 Bailhache, who, after publishing the paper alone for a 
 
The Alton Telegraph. 27 
 
 short time, associated with him Mr. S. R. Dolbee. In the 
 year 1840, Mr. W. A. Beatty formed a connection with 
 Messrs. Bailhache and Dolbee, in the publication of the 
 paper, but soon after died, and the old proprietors carried 
 it on as before. In the year 1841, G. T. M. Davis, Esq., 
 was employed as principal editor, and held that position 
 for four or five years. In 1849, Mr. Dolbee withdrew 
 from the firm, and was succeeded by W. H. Bailhache, a 
 son of Judge B. In 1852, Mr. E. L. Baker was associated 
 in the editorial management of the paper, and soon after 
 purchased an interest, after which the firm was known as 
 J. Bailhache & Co. Previous to this, however, a tri- 
 weekly had been commenced. In the same year, arrange- 
 ments were commenced for the issue of the Daily Alton 
 Courier, but before they were completed, the Telegraph 
 came out as a daily. In July, 1854, Mr. Parks purchased 
 Judge Bailhache's interest in the paper, which from that 
 time to May, 1855, was published by Messrs. Parks, 
 Baker and W. H. Bailhache, under the style of E. L. 
 Baker & Co. The Kansas-Nebraska issue broke up old 
 partisan associations and caused the formation of new 
 ones, and the Telegraph and the Courier both advocated 
 the fortunes of the Republican party. Under these cir- 
 cumstances, the subscription and good-will of the 
 Telegraph were sold to George T. Brown, proprietor of 
 the Courier. From that time until about the loth of 
 January, 1861, it was published as a part of and under the 
 title of the Courier. The latter having died out, the 
 Telegraph was revived on the 13th of March, 1861, by 
 Mr. Parks, John T. Becm, S. V. Crossman and Benj. 
 
28 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 Teasdale, under the name of L. A. Parks & Co. The 
 Telegraph is still published daily and weekly. 
 
 Judge Bailhache was a native of Jersey, one of the 
 islands in the British Channel, but emigrated to the 
 United States at an early age. He occupied the station 
 of a public journalist in Ohio for more than thirty years, 
 and was connected with the Alton Telegraph about 
 seventeen years. The venerable George Churchill says 
 of him, that " as a gentleman, a printer, and an editor, he 
 was of the old school." He died at Alton, September 2, 
 
 1857. 
 
 The Illinois Temperance Herald, monthly, by A.W. 
 
 Corey, was commenced at Alton, in 1836, and. continued 
 for several years. 
 
 The Western Pioneer and Baptist Standard Bearer, 
 which had formerly been published at Rock Spring, St. 
 Clair County, appeared at Upper Alton, July 7, 1836, 
 enlarged to almost twice its former size, and published 
 weekly, by A. Smith & Co.; Rev. J. M. Peck, editor. 
 In September, 1837, the name was abridged to Western 
 'Pioneer, and Rev. Messrs. E. Rodgers and W. Leverett 
 added to the editorial staff. Rev. John Mason Peck was 
 the author of the " Western Annals," a valuable historical 
 work, and took a prominent part in the affairs of the 
 State, in its early days. 
 
 We come now to the saddest part of our record. In 
 1836, Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy, editor of the Observer, a 
 religious paper, made himself obnoxious to the citizens 
 of St. Louis, by his denunciations of slavery. To avoid 
 trouble, he was induced to remove his paper to Alton, 
 where his press and materials arrived on Sunday after- 
 
Murder of Lovejoy. 29 
 
 noon, July 21. Between two and three o'clock the next 
 morning, the press was destroyed. A public meeting 
 held on the same day denounced the outrage, and the 
 citizens voluntarily pledged themselves to make good the 
 loss occasioned by it. The friends of the paper deter- 
 mined that it should not be " so crushed out," and 
 materials for a new printing office were, without delay, 
 procured from Cincinnati. On the 8th of September, 
 Mr. Lovejoy issued the first number of the Alton 
 Observer, and it continued to be regularly issued until 
 the 17th of August, 1837, when it again became the 
 object of the wrath of the mob. On the nth of July, a 
 public meeting was held, in which the Observer and its 
 editor were denounced for disseminating " Abolition " 
 doctrines. A committee appointed for that purpose 
 waited upon Mr. Lovejoy to learn if it was his intention 
 to continue such publication, and received a reply in the 
 affirmative. Threats of violence were then freely made, 
 and on the night of the 21st of August the office was 
 entered, and press, type, and everything else destroyed. 
 Providentially, the editor himself escaped rough treatment 
 from the mob. Soon afterward, another meeting of the 
 friends of the Observer resolved that the paper should go 
 on, and Mr. Lovejoy again purchased a new outfit. On 
 the nth of September he offered to withdraw from the 
 paper, but his friends would not permit it. Ten days 
 later, the third press arrived, and on the same night was 
 destroyed and thrown in the river, and gross outrages 
 upon Mr. Lovejoy and his family were perpetrated. 
 * * * To cut the story short, in October Mr. Lovejoy 
 sent for the fourth press, which arrived on the 7th of 
 
30 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 November and was stored in a warehouse. The occur- 
 rences of that night are matters of history. An attack 
 upon the press was made, and in the melee one of the 
 rioters was killed and several were wounded. Mr. Love- 
 joy himself was shot dead while defending his property, 
 and several of his friends were severely wounded. This, 
 of course, extinguished the Observer, the printing materials 
 of which were destroyed by the mob. The fair fame of 
 the city of Alton has even yet hardly recovered from the 
 blow it received in these disgraceful riots, and we can 
 readily appreciate the meaning of the declaration made 
 by Hon. Owen Lovejoy on the floor of the National House 
 of Representatives, while denouncing the advocates and 
 apologists of slavery: " Twenty years ago, you murdered 
 my brother on the banks of the Mississippi, and I am here 
 to-day to avenge his blood!" 
 
 The Western Weekly Mirror, by James Ruggles, was 
 published at Edwardsville in 1839. 
 
 The Sovereign People, by James Ruggles, was com- 
 menced at Edwardsville in March, 1840. 
 
 Afterward, a son of Mr. Ruggles published at 
 Edwardsville the Madison County Record.^ 
 
 The Sucker, printed by Parks & Beaty, and edited by 
 " Ourselves," was published at Alton in 1840. Who 
 " Ourselves " were we are unable to say. 
 
 The Alton Presbytery Reporter, in pamphlet form, 
 published at first every other month, and latterly pub- 
 lished monthly — edited by Rev. A. T. Norton and printed 
 by L. A. Parks — was commenced in 1852 or earlier. 
 In i860 it was removed to Chicago. 
 
Madison County. 3 1 
 
 The Alton Courier — daily, tri-weekly and weekly — 
 was commenced in May, 1852, by George T. Brown, 
 John Fitch, and James Gamble, as a Democratic organ. 
 In the excitement growing out of the Repeal of the Mis- 
 souri Compromise, it became a Republican journal. In 
 1855, the subscription and good- will of the Telegraph 
 were transferred to the Courier. In January, i860, Mr. 
 Brown sold the paper to B. J. F. Hanna and S. V. Cross- 
 man, who published it until the 17th of January, 1861, 
 when it was discontinued. 
 
 The Madison Enquirer was commenced at Edwards- 
 ville by Theodore Ferry, in 1853. 
 
 The Alton National Democrat was commenced July 
 13, 1855, by John Fitch and George M. Thompson — the 
 former as editor and the latter as publisher. The paper 
 was continued by Mr. Fitch until June, i860, when the 
 building, type and fixtures were destroyed by the terrible 
 tornado which visited Alton at that time, and the paper 
 was thereupon discontinued. 
 
 The Daily Evening Democrat — probably another 
 edition of the foregoing — was commenced by J. & T. S. 
 Fitch about the ist of January, 1858. 
 
 The Weekly Alton Telegraph was published in 1858 
 as a campaign paper by Messrs. Parks «& Ennis — Mr. 
 Parks being the political editor. 
 
 The Madison Advertiser v^^s commenced at Edwards- 
 ville, June 26, 1856, by James R. Brown, who issued four 
 numbers, when it was transferred to O. C. Dake. After- 
 ward, it was managed by Joseph L. Craft, and still later 
 by W. G. Pinckard, Jr., as publisher, and Hon. Joseph 
 Gillespie, as editor. 
 
rx 
 
 32 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 The Madison Weekly Press was, in 1861, published 
 at Edwardsville by Theodore /erry. 0UaJ\^ 
 
 The Alton National Democrat — daily and weekly — 
 was commenced on the loth of July, i860, as a Douglas- 
 Democratic organ, by R. P. Tansey. 
 
 The Ladies' Pearl, a monthly magazine, was pub- 
 lished at Alton in 1861, by Messrs. Logan & Brown. 
 
 MARSHALL COUNTY. 
 
 The first paper established in Marshall County was 
 in 1838, while it was a part of Putnam, by Allen N. Ford, 
 as a Whig journal. It was entitled the Illinois Herald. 
 It underwent some changes, and was once transferred; 
 but in 1861 it was conducted by its original proprietor, 
 under the name of the Illinois Gazette, with the addition 
 of Henry Miller in the editorial department. 
 
 In 1 86 1, the Lacon Intelligencer was published at 
 Lacon, the county seat. 
 
 The Marshall County Courier, by Robert H. Rug- 
 gles, was established on a small sheet, in Henry, December 
 23, 1852; changed to Henry Courier, February 14, 1854; 
 enlarged to the usual size of country newspapers, and 
 changed to Henry Weekly Courier, January 7, 1857. 
 B. F. Perley, a lawyer of Henry, was assistant editor from 
 1856 to 1861, and perhaps later. 
 
 MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 
 
 The Prairie Beacon, edited by Charles Clapp and 
 printed by David S. Hobart, was commenced at Hillsboro 
 in 1839. 
 
The Rock River Register. t^t, 
 
 MORGAN COtJNTY. 
 
 Liberty's Sentinel — W. H. Coyle, editor, and J. B. 
 Fulks, publisher — was commenced at Jacksonville in 
 
 1835- 
 
 OGLE COUNTY. 
 
 The initial number of the Rock River Register, the 
 earliest newspaper in this county, was issued on the ist 
 day of January, 1842, at Mount Morris, by Jonathan 
 Knodle, an elderly gentleman, then recently from Mary- 
 land. Mr. Knodle was a cabinet-maker by trade, and 
 was employed to superintend the business department of 
 the undertaking. The paper was established by the 
 friends of Rock River Seminary, among whom the most 
 active were Rev. T. S. Hitt (father of R. R. Hitt, of 
 Chicago) and his brother, Samuel M. Hitt, Esq., both of 
 whom contributed liberally of their means, guaranteed the 
 support of the paper, and subscribed for a large number 
 of copies. They and the other friends of the enterprise 
 were interested largely in the lands in that section, and 
 wished to have a newspaper in the community for the 
 purpose of making known the advantages of the county, 
 and especially the inducements offered by the Seminary, 
 which then promised to become a flourishing and exten- 
 sive institution. Emanuel Knodle, the first editor, had 
 previously been connected with the Odd Fellow, at 
 Boonsboro, Md. He was a young man of good talent 
 and much amiability of character, but possessed hardly 
 the energy requisite to success in a new country, which 
 might have been owing to his constant ill health. As a 
 
34 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 writer he displayed considerable humor and vivacity. 
 He was a pale, sickly man, and the twelfth issue of the 
 paper announced his death, in the thirty-second year of 
 his age. The same issue of the paper bore the names of 
 Knodle & Stephens as publishers. The latter was one of 
 the first compositors on the paper, and is now residing at 
 Mount Morris, where he is practicing medicine. Emanuel 
 Knodle was succeeded as editor, in April, by D. C. 
 Dunbar, a graduate of Yale College — a young man of 
 pleasant personal appearance, much intellectual culture, 
 talent, and gentlemanly manners. On the 7th of October, 
 his death, at the age of twenty-eight, was announced. 
 On the loth of July, the Register abandoned its neutral 
 position, and hoisted the Whig flag, headed with the name 
 of Joseph Duncan for Governor, in opposition to Judge 
 Ford, the Democratic candidate, then a resident of Ogle 
 County. Under this banner it fought the partisan battle 
 with peculiar vigor and acrimony. In September, the 
 paper was removed to Grand Detour, twelve miles 
 distant, in order to secure better mail facilities. In the 
 issue of the Register for May 10, 1843, we find the names 
 of Charles H. Lamb and A. G. Henderson as proprietors. 
 In July following, Mr. Henderson withdrew from the 
 concern, leaving Mr. Lamb in sole charge. The issue of 
 the Register (or August 25, 1843, is the latest of which a 
 copy is now in existence, and the paper probably survived 
 but a short time thereafter. 
 
 We have seen No. 7, Vol. I, of the Illinois Tribune, 
 dated at Grand Detour, December 26, 1844, and published 
 by John W. Sweetland. We are unable to give any 
 further intelligence respecting this paper, but, from its 
 
Ogle County. 35 
 
 typographical appearance, suppose it to be the Register's 
 successor. 
 
 In the month of October, 1856, the Polo Sentinel, the 
 first Democratic newspaper published in Ogle County, 
 was commenced by F. O. Austin. It lived but about 
 three months. 
 
 In June, 1857, the Polo Transcript was commenced 
 by Chas. Meigs, Jr., the press and materials being owned 
 by citizens of the town. Mr. Meigs published the Tran- 
 script until about the ist of April, 1858, and soon after 
 the materials were sold to Henry R, Boss, who, on the 
 6th of May, issued the first number of the Polo Weekly 
 Advertiser. The writer continued to publish the Adver- 
 tiser untW the 22nd of November, i860, when he sold the 
 materials to Morton D. Swift, who, a few months after- 
 ward, consolidated it with the Rock River Press, which 
 was removed to Polo from Mt. Morris — the consolidated 
 concern being published by Swift & Dopf. The three 
 preceding journals were Republican in politics. 
 
 On the 14th of April, 1858, Richard P. Redfield, pub- 
 lisher for a joint stock company, issued the first number 
 of the Ogle County Banner, a Democratic journal. In 
 January, 1859, Mr, Redfield purchased the materials, and 
 ran the paper for a few months. Subsequently it was 
 published by James M. Williams, and then by George D. 
 Read, Postmaster. It died in i860. 
 
 The Mt. Morris Gazette was established in April, 
 1850. It was published by J. F. Grosh, and edited by D. 
 J. Pinckney. The second volume bears the names of 
 Brayton, Baker & Co., as publishers, and Prof. Pinckney 
 as editor. The latter is now a member of the State Sen- 
 
36 Early Newspapers in Illiiiois. 
 
 ate, and has for a long time been identified with the pros- 
 perity of Ogle County. Though published at Mt. Morris, 
 the Gazette was printed elsewhere, probably at Oregon, 
 the county seat. 
 
 The Northivestern Republican was commenced at 
 Mt. Morris in 1855, by Atwood & Williams. About 
 1856, it was purchased by Myron S. Barnes, who changed 
 the name to the Independent Watchman, and continued 
 it for several years. Col. Barnes commanded an Illinois 
 regiment at the battle of Pea Ridge, and for some time 
 after the close of the rebellion edited and published the 
 Rock Island Daily Union. 
 
 The Ogle County Gazette was commenced at Ore- 
 gon, the county seat, in May, 185 1, by R. C. Burchell, 
 afterward State's Attorney. The materials used were the 
 same employed on the first volume of the Mt. Morris 
 Gazette. At the close of the first volume, Mr. Burchell 
 changed the name of his paper to Ogle County Reporter, 
 a name it still bears, notwithstanding many changes of 
 editors and proprietors. It is now published by Morti- 
 mer W. Smith. 
 
 The Lane Leader, the first paper published in Ogle 
 County east of Rock River, was commenced at Lane 
 (now Rochelle), on the ist of October, 1858, by John R. 
 Howlett, now or recently publishing a journal at Lanark, 
 Carroll County. 
 
 PEORIA COUNTY. 
 
 On the 19th of March, 1834, the initial number of the 
 Illinois Champion, the first newspaper in the county, 
 was issued by Abraham L. Buxton and Henry Wolford. 
 
Randolph County. 37 
 
 Mr. Buxton had formerly been a partner with George D. 
 Prentice, of the Louisville yournal, and is said to have 
 been a writer of much ability. He soon became a prey 
 to consumption, and died in Peoria. Mr. Wolford, who 
 was a practical printer, shortly after Mr. B.'s death, dis- 
 posed of the office to Messrs. Armstrong & Shewalter, 
 and removed to Louisville, Ky. In 1837, Samuel H. 
 Davis purchased the Champion office, and merged it in 
 the Peoria Register and Northwestern Gazetteer, which 
 he continued for five years, or longer. Like his prede- 
 cessor, Mr. Buxton, he was a man of considerable ability, 
 and is said to have produced an interesting and valuable 
 newspaper. 
 
 RANDOLPH COUNTY. 
 
 We have already given, iti extenso, the history of the 
 Illinois Intelli gencer, the first newspaper in Randolph 
 County, or Illinois. We have but few notes to add 
 respecting the press in this county. 
 
 The Republican Advocate was commenced at Kas- 
 kaskia in January, 1823, by R. K. Fleming. 
 
 The Kaskaskia Republican was commenced in the 
 same year, at the same place. 
 
 In 1832, the Randolph Free Press was published at 
 Kaskaskia, by R. K. Fleming. 
 
 SANGAMON COUNTY. 
 
 The Sangamo Spectator was established at Spring- 
 field, by Hooper Warren, the first number being issued 
 Feb. 27, 1827, it being the first enterprise of the kind 
 
38 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 north of Edwardsville and Vandalia. Mr, Warren con- 
 tinued the publication for one year, when he transferred it 
 to Samuel C. Meredith. 
 
 The Illinois Courier was commenced in 1829, by 
 Mr. Meredith. 
 
 The Sangamo "Journal was established in 183 1, by 
 Simeon W. and Josiah Francis. Afterward, Josiah Fran- 
 cis retired, and the Journal was conducted by Simeon 
 Francis alone. J. Newton Francis and Allen Francis 
 subsequently became associated with him. In July, 1855, 
 the establishment was purchased by W. H. Bailhache 
 and E. L. Baker, formerly of the Alton Telegraph. It is 
 now known as the Illinois State Journal. 
 
 For the following sketch of the history of the Illinois 
 State Register we are indebted to the thoughtful kind- 
 ness of Hon. Charles H. Lanphier, of Springfield, who 
 writes from that city, under date of January 9, 1870: 
 
 " The Register was established at Vandalia, the first number being 
 issued on the 12th of February, 1S36, by William Walters, who had 
 for some dozen years before been foreman of the National Intelli- 
 gencer. At the date mentioned, another paper was being published 
 in Vandalia, by Judge John York Sawyer, called the Illinois Advocate. 
 Sawyer died a few months after the establishment of the Register., and 
 both concerns were merged into one, and called the Illinois State 
 Register and People's Advocate. Upon the removal of the seat of 
 government, in 1839, the Register -wixs moved to Springfield. George 
 R. Weber was then publishing the Democratic paper here, called the 
 Illinois Republican. It was suspended on the removal of the Register 
 here, and Weber was taken into partnership with Walters in the pub- 
 lication of the Register., the People s Advocate tail being dropped. 
 The first issue here was August 10, 1S39. The partnership continued 
 until the fall of 1S45, when Weber went out, Walters continuing the 
 paper alone, until the call for volunteers in the Mexican war, when he 
 went into Baker's regiment as a private, and marched with the regi- 
 
SL Clair County. 39 
 
 ment to St. Louis, where he was met with a Captain's commission as 
 Captain Commissary in the reguhir army. A few weeks after, he was 
 taken ill, and died at the Planters' House, July, 1846. On leaving 
 here, the paper was placed in charge of }'our humble servant, as editor, 
 etc. I had been in the establishment from its commencement, as 
 apprentice, journeyman, clerk, or anjthing else that I was put at. 
 Upon Walters' death, I became the owner of the paper, which I con- 
 ducted alone until June, 1847, when I took into partnership our old 
 friend, George Walker, who continued with me until January I, 1858, 
 he having sold his interest to Edward Conner, for many years foreman 
 -of the office. Conner remained with me one year, and drew out, 
 when I continued alone until November, 1863, selling out to a joint 
 stock company, who run it one year and sold out to the present pro- 
 prietors, Messrs. E. L. Merritt & Bro. In one capacity or other I was 
 in the establishment from its foundation until November, 1863 — nearly 
 twenty-eight years — and have been thanking the Lord every day 
 since, for my release from the drudgery of newspaper life." 
 
 ST. CLAIR COUNTY. 
 
 The Western Neivs was commenced at Belleville in 
 1828, by Dr. Joseph Green. 
 
 The Pioneer of the Valley of the Mississippi, by 
 Thos. P. Green, was commenced at Rock Spring, April 
 24, 1829, and published weekly about one year. In 1830 
 and 1 83 1, the publication was continued by Rev. John M. 
 Peck, editor and publisher. It appeared once in two 
 weeks, each number containing eight octavo pages. It 
 took the name of The Western Pioneer. 
 
 The Western Baptist, under the same supervision, 
 was published about the same time. 
 
 The Pioneer and Western Baptist, being a union of 
 the two last-named papers, was cornmenced June 15, 
 183 1, in folio form, and published semi-monthly by Rev. 
 J. M. Peck, Ashford Smith being the printer. On the 
 
40 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 2nd of January, 1835, the name was abridged to the Pio- 
 neer, and so continued till the establishment was removed 
 to Upper Alton. (See " Madison County.") 
 
 The Representative and Belleville News, by E. S. 
 Cropley, was commenced in 1837, at Belleville. 
 
 The American Bottom Reporter was commenced at 
 Illinoistown, by Vital Jarrott & Co., March 5, 1842. 
 
 STEPHENSON COUNTY. 
 
 The first newspaper in this county, the Prairie Dem- 
 ocrat, was commenced by Stephen D. Carpenter, at Free- 
 port, on the 7th of November, 1847. In this undertaking, 
 Mr. C. was materially assisted by Hon. Thos. J. Turner, 
 then Member of Congress from that district, now a mem- 
 ber of the State Constitutional Convention, who, to en- 
 able him to commence operations, advanced four hundred 
 dollars from his own pocket, and used his influence to 
 raise another hundred dollars among the friends of the 
 enterprise throughout the county. Mr. Carpenter had 
 formerly conducted the Free Press, at Girard, Pa. He 
 was the inventor (and patentee, we believe) of a pump, 
 from whence came his soubriquet of " Pump" Carpenter, 
 by which he is familiarly known throughout the West. 
 Mr. Carpenter's account of the beginning of his enter- 
 prise is so characteristic and racy that we cannot forbear 
 giving it in his own words: 
 
 "I was recommended to one Thos. J. Turner, who afterward served 
 a term in Congi'ess, as a leading Democratic politician, and at nine in 
 evening I sought him out at his office, and introduced myself by 
 requesting a loan of four hundred dollars. This request, by an entire 
 stranger, was a novel introduction, and seemed to somewhat jjuzzle 
 
Stephenson Coufity. 41 
 
 Mr. T., who inquired the object, which I soon unfolded. He tlien 
 inquired if I could show hiin a reference; I replied tliat I had a very 
 good reference, and requested him to look at wiyface, as good enoug h 
 for my purpose. (I had in my pocket a Very flattering ' document ' 
 from the Hon. James Thompson, M. C, of Pa., but as I had great con- 
 fidence in my face, I chose to get that cashed first, if I could.) This 
 self-impromptu introduction, and the impudence of offering my face as 
 security, as Mr. T. has often remarked, alone secured his confidence. 
 Suffice it to say, without the tedium of further details, that, at five 
 o'clock the next morning, I was whirling over the prairies, in the 
 Chicago stage, homeward bound, with the loan of four hundred dollars 
 in gold in my pockets, never having been asked for even a receipt for 
 the same." 
 
 Mr. C. continued to publish the Democrat until 
 October, 1850, when it was purchased by J. O. P. Burn- 
 side, now in the employ of the Government at Wash- 
 ington, D. C, who, in the spring of 1852, sold it to 
 George Ordway. Mr. Ordway, after publishing the 
 paper about a year, sold it again to Mr. Burnside, who 
 discontinued the Democrat and established in its stead 
 the Freeport Bulletin. On the 21st of September, 1854, 
 F. W. S. Brawley, afterward Postmaster at Freeport, be- 
 came the editor and proprietor of the Bulletin', and on 
 the 2 1st of December following, Charles S. Bagg, who 
 afterward succeeded Brawley as Postmaster, became a 
 partner, and the paper was published by Bagg & Brawley 
 until September 13, 1855, when the latter retired. Mr. 
 Bagg published it until March i, 1857, when he sold the 
 concern to W. T. Giles, who is now the editor and pro- 
 prietor. 
 
 The first number of the Freeport Journal was issued 
 in October, 1848, as a Whig organ, by H. G. Grattan and 
 A. McFadden. In 1850, the latter gentleman disposed of 
 6 
 
42 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 his interest to his partner, who, in April, 1851, associated 
 with himself the late Hiram M. Sheetz. In the fall of the 
 same year, Mr. McFadden again became a partner, pur- 
 chasing Mr. Grattan's interest. This partnership con- 
 tinued until April, 1853, when Mr. Sheetz became the 
 sole proprietor. In April, 1856, Mr. Sheetz sold the 
 paper to Charles K. Judson and Chas. W. McCluer, both 
 natives of Chautauqua County, N. Y., the former gradu- 
 ating from the reportorial corps of the Albany Evening 
 yournal, and the latter from the devilship, foremanship and 
 junior proprietorship of the Eredonia Censor. Judson & 
 McCluer soon established a Daily yournal, which they 
 continued for about two years. In 1858, Wm. T. Tinsley, 
 from Lyons, N. Y., became a partner, but after a few 
 months he returned to Lyons, where he purchased the 
 Lyons Re-publican, which he still continues to publish. 
 In 1861, Mr. Judson became Postmaster at Freeport, still 
 continuing his connection with the yournal. In 1866, 
 Judson & McCluer sold the concern, which they had made 
 one of the first and best in the State outside of Chicago, to 
 Bailey & Ankeny. Mr. Judson returned to Chautauqua 
 County, where he divides his time between life insurance, 
 the culture of grapes, and " tending post office," while Mr. 
 McCluer is the Manager of the Chicago Printing Com- 
 pany, and was the first Treasurer of this Society. The 
 yournal is now published by Gen. S. D. Atkins, who 
 purchased it, a few months since, from Jas. S. McCall. 
 
 UNION COUNTY. 
 
 The first number of the yonesboro Gazette and South- 
 ern Illinois Reflector — published by Thomas J. Finley 
 
Uniofi County. 43 
 
 and John Evans, and edited by H. E. Hempstead — was 
 issued on the 13th of September, 1849, at Jonesboro. At 
 that time, the only papers in Southern Illinois were the 
 Delta, at Cairo, the Reveille, at Chester, and the Advo- 
 cate, at Shawneetown. Each of these papers enjoyed the 
 legal advertising of a number of counties besides its own, 
 but the establishment of the Gazette in a central position 
 made it the official paper for Union, Jackson, Johnson, 
 Pulaski and Massac counties. Some three months later, 
 the Cairo Delta was discontinued and the office removed 
 to Evansville, Ind., which added Alexander County to the 
 above list. Notwithstanding all this, we are told that it 
 was only by the strictest economy that the paper was 
 made to pay its current expenses for over a year, and the 
 publishers were left without any remuneration whatever. 
 Toward the close of 1850, Mr. Evans sold his interest in 
 the office to F. A. McKenzie, of Tennessee, and the paper 
 was continued for a short time by Finley & McKenzie, 
 under the editorial control of C. G. Simons. Mr. Finley 
 disposed of his half to Mr. McKenzie, and the paper was 
 published a year by that gentleman. Although his only 
 assistants in the office were two boys at $5 per month, 
 the concern failed to prove remunerative, and was aban- 
 doned by Mr. McKenzie, when it again passed into the 
 possession of Mr. Evans, who formed a partnership with 
 Mr. Simons, then editor, and, by close economy on their 
 part, the paper was made to yield a moderate return. Mr. 
 Simons, becoming deeply engaged in the business of his 
 profession, sold his portion of the establishment to his 
 partner, who again became sole publisher. The paper 
 passed through various mutations until Jan. i, 1857, when 
 
44 Early Newspapers in Illinois. 
 
 A. H. Marschalk became connected with it, under whose 
 control the paper was published nearly two years. At 
 the expiration of this time, the office passed into the hands 
 of other parties — Mr. Marschalk continuing as publisher, 
 and assuming the additional duties of editor. On the 8th 
 of January, 1859, the Gazette appeared in its fourth new 
 dress, the result, we opine, of having, the previous year, 
 received a good slice of " fat," in the shape of the publi- 
 cation of the Federal laws. On the ist of January, i860, 
 the office was placed under the control of James Evans. 
 The Gazette was originally started as a neutral paper, but 
 soon espoused the cause of Democrac}'. 
 
 The Union Democrat was commenced at Jonesboro, 
 August 22, i860, by A. H. Marschalk, who had formerly 
 been publisher of the Gazette, and who, by the way, is the 
 youngest son oixh^ first editor and publisher in what we 
 usually term the Mississippi Valley — Andrew Marschalk. 
 The Democrat was removed to Anna in the following 
 November. 
 
 The Union County Record, Republican, was com- 
 menced at Anna (one mile east of Jonesboro), in April, 
 i860, by W. H. Mitchell. In about three months, Mr. 
 Mitchell retired from the paper, and was succeeded by N. 
 W. Fuller, who continued its publication until the Presi- 
 dential election of i860, when it quietly breathed its last. 
 
 WINNEBAGO COUNTY. 
 
 The first paper established in this county was the 
 Rock River Express, commenced at Rockford, May 5, 
 1840, by B. J. Gray, and was Whig in politics. It was 
 published just a year, and then the press and materials 
 were sold and taken from the place. 
 
Wintiebago County. 45 
 
 The RocTcford Star, Democratic in politics, was com- 
 menced by P. Knappen, in August, 1840. Tiie next 
 season the paper ceased, because the office was destroyed 
 by a mob on account of the editor having denounced the 
 lynching of the Driskells, in Ogle County. 
 
 The Rockford Pilot, Democratic, commenced July 
 22, 1841, succeeding the Star, by John A. Brown, after- 
 ward prominent as an editor at Madison, Wis., was pub- 
 lished till October of the following year. 
 
 During a portion of the same time, the Better Cove- 
 nant, an Universalist paper, was printed at the Pilot office, 
 edited by Rev. Seth Barnes, an Universalist clergyman. 
 
 The Winnebago Forum, Whig, was commenced in 
 February, 1843, by J. Ambrose Wight, who transferred 
 it, the August following, to Austin Colton. The title was 
 afterward changed to Rockford Forum, and Mr. Colton 
 continued its publisher for nearly eleven years, when the 
 establishment was purchased by E. W. Blaisdell, Jr., in 
 January, 1854, and the name of the paper changed to 
 Rockford Republican. Mr. Blaisdell afterward ad- 
 mitted his brother, Richard P., as a partner, and the 
 twain published it, we believe, till it was merged in the 
 Register, in 1862. The senior of the brothers was 
 elected a member of the Legislature in 1858, and served 
 with credit to himself and his constituents, being chiefly 
 distinguished for his opposition to professional money- 
 lenders and their schemes. 
 
 The Rockford Free Press, Freesoil Democrat in pol- 
 itics, was commenced in October, 1848, by Henry W. 
 DePuy, who published it until February, 1850, when it 
 was discontinued. Mr. DePuy removed to New York, 
 
46 Early Ne-wspapers in Illinois. 
 
 and afterward became Private Secretary to Gov. Horatio 
 Seymour. He was, we believe, the author of several 
 works, which, at the time of their issue, had an extended 
 popularity. 
 
 The Rock River Democrat was commenced in June, 
 1852, as a Democratic paper, by Benjamin Holt. D. T. 
 Dickson was subsequently admitted as a partner with Mr. 
 Holt, and still later Mr. Holt sold his interest to Mr. R. 
 A. Bird. At the time of the formation of the Republican 
 party, consequent upon the passage of the Kansas-Ne- 
 braska Bill, the Democrat and its Whig cotemporary, the 
 Republican, espoused the cause of that party. Mr. I. S. 
 Hyatt afterward became proprietor of the concern. The 
 Z>g/«ocra^ was consolidated with the Register \n 1865. 
 
 The Spirit Advocate, a monthly issue, advocating the 
 doctrines of the Spiritualists, was published in 1854 and 
 1855, printed at the Republican office. Dr. George 
 Haskell had the chief supervision of this sheet. 
 
 The Rockford Register, Republican in politics, and 
 issued weekly, was established in February, 1855, by E. 
 C. Daugherty. The Daily Register was issued from the 
 same office during the summer of 1859, but was discon- 
 tinued on account of the ill health of the publisher. The 
 Register, in June, 1865, passed into the hands of an incor- 
 porated company, but not until Mr. Daugherty, by his 
 unfailing energy, strict probity and excellent tact, had 
 made it one of the most remunerative country newspapers 
 in the State. At this time, Mr. I. S. Hyatt, who had 
 previously been connected with the paper as associate 
 editor, and was more recently editor and proprietor of the 
 Rockford Democrat, became the principal editor, with 
 
yenny yune as a Reporter. 47 
 
 E. H. Griggs (now President of the Illinois Press Associ- 
 ation) as associate. He was afterward succeeded by Mr. 
 Daugherty, and still later by Mr. Griggs, who is now the 
 editor, assisted by J. E. Fox. Mr. Daugherty died at 
 Jacksonville, Fla., on the 19th of February, 1868. 
 
 The Rockford Standard, Douglas Democrat, was 
 commenced in October, 1858, by Springsteen & Parks, 
 the latter of whom had been an assistant editor of the 
 Register. The ensuing spring, the establishment was 
 purchased by D. G. Croly & Co., who also commenced 
 the publication of the Daily News in connection with 
 the Weekly, the latter retaining its party character, while 
 the former professed neutrality. The Dail}' survived till 
 the spring of i860 — a little over a year. Mrs. J. C. 
 Croly — well known to many readers as "Jennie June" — a 
 handsome and accomplished lady, conducted the "Local" 
 department of the paper in a successful and creditable 
 manner. After the discontinuance of the Daily, the pub- 
 lication of the Weekly was assumed by Messrs. Grove 
 & Ticknor, who published it till fall, and then sold out to 
 Fox, Rowe & Co., who resumed the publication of the 
 Daily and changed the name of the Weekly to Weekly 
 News — both claiming neutrality. In 1861, the News 
 was merged in the Register. 
 
 The Rock River Mirror, mainly devoted to Insurance 
 matters, was established in September, 1859, by Allen 
 Gibson, who continued to publish it weekly till February, 
 1861, when it was changed to a monthly. 
 
 All the above newspapers are those of Rockford alone. 
 
 On the 27th of May, 1857, the Rockton Gazette was 
 commenced at Rockton by H. W. Phelps, who continued 
 
48 Early Neivspapers in Illinois. 
 
 its publication till April 13, 1859, when he removed the 
 press and materials to Burlington, Racine County, Wis., 
 and established the Burlington Gazette, his wife being 
 associated with him in the management of the paper. 
 Mr. Phelps subsequently removed to Horicon, Wis., 
 where he published the Horicon Gazette. 
 
 The Pecatonica Independent was commenced at 
 Pecatonica, May 7, 1859, by J. E. Duncan. In the can- 
 vass of i860, it supported Mr. Lincoln and the entire 
 Republican ticket. 
 
 There are now published in Rockford, the Register, 
 by the Rockford Register Company; the Rockford Ga- 
 zette, established in 1866, and published by A. E. Smith; 
 the Winnebago County Chief, established in the same 
 year, and published by J. P. Irvine; the Golden Censer, 
 a semi-monthly Methodist publication, by John Lemley, 
 and Words for fesus, monthly, by T. J. Lament. 
 
 We have now given nearly or quite all the facts in our 
 possession respecting the Newspaper Press of Illinois. 
 We only regret that time and space will not permit us to 
 go more into detail in relation to some portions of our 
 subject; and we fervently hope that this Society will 
 make a vigorous effort, seconded by the hearty co-opera- 
 tion of the entire editorial fraternity, to secure a complete 
 and permanent record of the Press of the State and the 
 Northwest. It is due to our predecessors, the pioneer 
 editors and printers, to ourselves, and to our posterity, 
 that this should be done. 
 

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