Plumas County CA Archives History - Books .....Journalism In Plumas County 1882
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Book Title: Illustrated History Of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

JOURNALISM IN PLUMAS COUNTY.

   The first newspaper in Plumas county was established at Quincy, the county
seat, in August, 1855, edited and published by John K. Lovejoy and Edward
McElwain. It was an independent sheet, and the Old Mountaineer proved to be a
successful enterprise. In 1857 Lovejoy & McElwain sold the paper to John C.
Lewis and James McNabb, who changed the name to the Plumas Argus, and published
it until 1860, when it fell into the hands of the sheriff. With new material the
paper was revived the same year by Lewis & McElwain. After a short life of about
four months, John C. Lewis took the material to Carson City, Nevada, and began
the publication of the Silver Age.

   During the three-sided campaign of 1856, three papers were published from the
office of the Old Mountaineer. One was called the Plumas Democrat, edited by
John S. Ward and E. T. Hogan. Judge Hogan still possesses several copies of this
spicy sheet. The Fillmore Banner was conducted by Silas Caulkins. The republican
party was represented by the pen of Dr. Fredonyer in three columns of the Old
Mountaineer. A lively newspaper war was carried on by these three publications
during the campaign, at the end of which the journalism of Quincy relapsed into
its normal condition.

   Previous to the removal of the Argus, the Plumas Standard, a democratic
organ, made its appearance in Quincy. It was started in 1859 by Thomas Bail and
Lewis Curtz, and in 1860 it fell into the hands of Matthew Lynch, who continued
it until 1863, when the material and press were removed to Downieville to issue
a publication in that city.

   In 1862 the union party commenced the publication of the Quincy Union, under
the management of Leonard & Powers. In the spring of 1864 these gentlemen were
superseded by the Plumas Printing Company, composed of certain members of the
union party, who continued the publication under the editorial management of
John R. Buckbee. Later, W. W. Kellogg became the editor, and in 1866 gained
possession of the whole paper. From that time it became independent in politics.
In 1868 Mr. Kellogg removed with his paper to La Porte, where it appeared as an
independent sheet until the fire of 1869, which devastated that place. The
material was so badly damaged that it was unfit for further use, and the Union
appeared no more.

   In the fall of 1866, after the change in the Union management, a few of the
members of the union party purchased material and commenced to issue the Plumas
National. It was edited and managed by H. L. Gear and others until the fall of
1869, when it fell into the hands of L. C. Charles and William E. Ward. In
January, 1871, Charles sold his interest in the paper to Mr. Ward, who has been
the editor and publisher of the National to the present time. The paper is a
spicy local sheet, not failing, however, to express its opinions on all national
questions in a forcible manner. It pursues an independent, though by no means a
neutral, course, and, if anything, leans towards the republican side. The
National is now in its sixteenth volume, and has won a place for itself among
the leading interior journals of the state, gained by the ability and energy of
its editor. His "Jab-jab" column is spicy and entertaining. Neat job work is
done at the office in Quincy. 

   The Greenville Bulletin, a four-page, five-column weekly, was started in the
town of Greenville in September, 1880, by Edward A. Weed, and is now in a
thriving condition. It is a very readable publication, and devoted to the
interests of Greenville and Indian valley. It is now in its second volume, and
promises to continue its successful career for many years.

   The gentlemen who have wielded the editorial pen and snapped the shears in
Plumas county have been scattered far and wide, and some of them have bidden a
final adieu to mundane affairs, and gone where there is no unpaid subscription
list, and where the call for copy shall sound in their ears no more forever. The
pioneer of all, John K. Lovejoy, removed to Carson City and edited the Silver
Age in that place, and later the Pi Ute, at Washoe City, in which he failed of
success. He died a few years ago. He had an immense capacity for whisky, was a
great talker, and a blackguard of the worst stripe, indulging to the extreme in
billingsgate through the columns of his paper. He was known far and wide in
Washoe as Old Pi Ute Lovejoy. His partner in Quincy, Ned McElwain, returned to
his family in Illinois, and has been lost sight of by the people here. John C.
Lewis was engaged in the newspaper business in Nevada for many years after
leaving this county, meeting with but little success. His last paper was the
Reno Crescent. He is now practicing medicine in Reno. Jim McNabb removed from
Quincy to Petaluma, became interested in a paper there, and was elected to
represent Sonoma county in the senate. When T. B. Shannon was appointed
collector of the port of San Francisco, McNabb became a deputy, which position
he held until that office was remodeled by the administration. John S. Ward
removed to Honey lake, and took an active part in the organization of a county
government there. [See Lassen county history.] Silas Caulkins was engaged in the
express business with George Morley for a time. He went to Washoe, and still
resides in Nevada. He had the honor of being orator at the celebration in
American valley July 4, 1852. Atlas Fredonyer turned out bad. [See elsewhere in
this volume.] Tom Bail went to Idaho, where he afterwards committed suicide by
cutting his throat. Lewis Curtz has been lost sight of. Mat. Lynch went to
Downieville and managed a paper there, then went to Mendocino and ran the
Democrat until he fell a victim to his intemperate habits. Buckbee, Kellogg, and
Gear all bore prominent parts in the history of Plumas, and their biographies
will be found on another page. William E. Ward is still with us, and ready to
answer for himself.



Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

San Francisco: Fariss & Smith
(1882)

File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/plumas/history/1882/illustra/journali116gms.txt

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