Jackson County GaArchives History .....History of Harmony Grove-Commerce, Chapter 16 1949 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 August 22, 2004, 12:07 pm CHAPTER XVI NEWSPAPERS AND PUBLICITY The first newspaper published in Harmony Grove, as far as known, was the Northeast Georgia Progress. It was edited by Malcolm Stafford and printed in a small two-room building located on the Jesse P. Wood lot on the north side of State Street. Mr. and Mrs. Stafford had their living quarters in the rear room and the printing in the front room. They had no children but adopted a boy, Willie Jones, who was about twelve years of age. He was used as a lackey boy or printer's devil. This paper began its publication in 1875 and continued through 1881. W. A. Shackelford, a young man of sixteen years, was the printer from 1876 to 1881. Both Mr. Stafford and Mr. Shackleford came from Oglethorpe County. Mr. Shackleford purchased the Oglethorpe Echo in 1881 and moved to Lexington and published it until his death about three years ago. Since that time the Oglethorpe Echo is being published by his son. After Mr. Stafford moved from the city, W. J. Goss, the father of the late Mrs. C. J. Hood, published a newspaper in Harmony Grove for two or three years, the name of the paper not being known, but it is believed to have been The Citizen. About 1885, a Mr. Atkinson and W. B. Wagnon came to Harmony Grove from Madison, Georgia, and installed a printing press and published a paper under the name of The Harmony Grove Signal and continued it for two years. Mr. Atkinson returned to his former home and Mr. Wagnon entered the grocery business in this city, discontinuing the newspaper. For a short time, Harmony Grove was without the services of a regular newspaper. In the meantime W. J. Goss published a small paper called The Bumble Bee in which he gave some news and social items. Sometimes later Lonnie and Charlie Mize published a similar small paper known as The Whistler. About 1888 or 189o, Stiles Alexander published a newspaper a year or two under the name of The Harmony Grove Age. He sold it to Dr. W. B. Hardman about the year 1891, who organized a stock company and published the paper under the name of The Harmony Grove Echo. This paper was leased to John Carson who ran the paper for a year. Dr. W. B. Hardman then took charge as manager, editor and owner of the paper until 1895. He then sold it to John F. Shannon, who had moved here from Franklin County and who continued as owner and editor until his death in 1934. The name of the newspaper was changed in 1903 to The Commerce News when the name of Harmony Grove was changed to Commerce. Following Mr. Shannon's death the paper was leased by Luther J. Yarbrough and C. L. Veatch who operated it for about a year. Harry Wise secured the paper from the Shannon estate and edited it for about a year when C. H. Cook, of Winder, took over, operating it through 19365 when Mrs. Trawick purchased it from the Shannon estate. She was editor and publisher until she sold The Commerce News on December 1, 1943 to Albert S. Hardy, Jr., of Gainesville, who has recently completed his fifth year as editor and publisher. The Commerce News has won two first places during the past three years in contests of the Georgia Press Association. In 1946 your home town paper was awarded first place in the Sam Wilkes contest for having the best displayed advertising of any newspaper in Georgia and this year The News won first place in the W. G. Sutlive contest for outstanding community service. The silver cup is now on display at The News office. The Commerce Observer was a splendid newspaper. It was owned and published by Paul T. Harber from December, 1909 to July, 1922, some twelve and a half years. This paper together with The Commerce News gave Commerce at this period a wide range of publicity. It was during this time that the State Press Association was held and royally entertained at Commerce. Mr. Harber is a natural publicity man and added much force and vitality to our city's progress. He was quite active in the New York to Atlanta auto tours in 1909 and 1910. He publicized the Four County Fair in a great way. Since discontinuing his paper, Mr. Harber has been engaged in publicity work in Florida and Georgia. For awhile he was connected with the United States Chamber of Commerce and in various other places, with other agencies, has had opportunity of employing his talent. He is now the efficient secretary of the Chamber of Commerce at Cartersville, Ga. Mr. Harber was born and reared at Harmony Grove and has made contributions to this history. The newspaper is the recognized advertising agency for a town and community and is an invaluable asset. The weekly press is the barometer of the progress of our towns. Our newspapers of Harmony Grove-Commerce have in a reasonable way measured up to this standard and must have the cooperation of the citizens if they are to reach their highest service. Additional Comments: From HISTORY OF HARMONY GROVE - COMMERCE JACKSON COUNTY, GEORGIA BY THOMAS COLQUITT HARDMAN 1810-1949 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/jackson/history/other/gms164historyo.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb