Ware Co Georgia Newspapers File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Barbara Winge barbarawinge@yahoo.com http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Georgia Table of Contents: WAYCROSS JOURNAL-HERALD, Waycross, Georgia Monday, April 22, 1974 SEVERAL PUBLICATIONS HAVE SERVED WAYCROSS AND WARE, GEORGIA Records show first newspaper published in Waycross was the Waycross Headlight, edited by Dr. Daniel Lott and Dr. William Barden Folks, two of the founder of this city. According to the Bird Yarborough, editor of the Atkinson Citizen, The Headlight originated in Pearson and was moved to Waycross in 1876. The paper was published in a corner of the first train depot that later was demolished by a train wreck. The ownership of the Headlight changed hands many times until it finally merged with a publication of the Waycross Reporter under the management of Judge Joseph Tillman. Later the editorship was assumed by James Freeman who had been editor of the paper for many years when it was the Headlight. Several years later, the Reporter became the property of Daniel Sweat and it was he who laid the foundation for the future Journal-Herald. Sweat sold the Reporter to a stock company and new equipment was purchased. According to Mrs. Laura Singleton Walker in her book on Ware County History, "Upon the grave of the Reporter was born the Waycross Herald." After several years, the Herald became the property of Judge A. P. Perham. It was Perham who published the first daily paper in this city known as the Waycross Evening Herald. In 1912, Perham retired from newspaper work and L. J. Cooper became owner of the Evening Herald with Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Hawks and Fort Andrews in charge of the paper for a year. In October of 1895, the first issue of the Waycross Journal came from the press and although it was a small weekly paper, it became popular at once. Editor of the Herald was Dan B. Sweat. In 1902, John Greer became assistant editor of the Journal and in the latter part of that year he became the sold owner and publisher of the paper. The ownership of the Journal again changed hands in 1904 when W. A. Price became the president and Volney Williams became one of the lessees and business managers, Greer continuing as editor. At that time the Waycross Journal was a semi-weekly paper. In 1911, The Journal became a daily morning paper with its subscription increasing all the time. In 1914, The Waycross Evening Herald and the Waycross Journal consolidated to make The Waycross Journal-Herald, C. Fort Andrews was made managing editor, Jack Williams Sr., was made business manager, Robert F. McLendon, newspaper foreman and Mrs. C. S. Anderson, office manager. In 1916, Williams assumed ownership of the Waycross Journal-Herald and was editor and publisher until his death in 1957. The paper is still owned by the Williams Family with Jack Williams, Jr., as publisher. Some other publications that have come out in Waycross and Ware County over the years include: The Millwood Advance, The Waycross Georgian, and The Waycross Saturday Night. The Millwood Advance was published by Lee Herrin and was the first newspaper in Millwood. Established in 1903, the Advance was a weekly paper. In the latter part of 1907, Herrin bought out the Alapaha Ledger at Alapaha and moved it to Millwood where the two papers were consolidated. This paper grew rapidly and Herrin decided it needed a new name so it became the Ware County News. The Waycross Georgian was established as a weekly paper and printing plant in 1924, also under the management of Herrin. The Waycross Saturday Night was apparently a short lived publication that began in 1914. Its presidne was Perkins J. Prewitt with George G. Nunezer as secretary and treasurer. There have been several short lived publications in Waycross including: The Ware Reporter, published by J. R. Lee; The Southern Sentinel, published briefly in the late 1940's; and the Ware County Times, published in the 1950's by Luther Bunting. [Contributed by Barbara Walker Winge, ] ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE access. ==============