THE CLAY COUNTY PRESS The history of journalism in Clay county covers a period of sixty- three years, dating from the publication of the first paper, but a period of only fifty-six years of continuous publication. The first paper to appear in print, executed and issued in the county, was the Indiana Globe, a small folio sheet published at Bowling Green, by Samuel Kriedelbach, of which the first number appeared Saturday, July 11, 1846. There is no file of the Globe in the county archives, nor is there any pioneer of the county living who can tell how long it continued publication, but not more than a few months, perhaps to the close of the year of its birth. There is at this time but one copy of this paper known to be in existence, which is preserved in a family resid- ing in Vigo county bearing date September 26, 1846. The news columns of the Globe were set in small pica type. The advertising patronage was but meager. The suspension of this paper was succeeded by the protracted interval of nearly seven years without a newspaper in the county. The Eel River Propeller was established at Bowling Green in 1853, by Samuel K. Christie, publisher and editor, of which the first issue was made Saturday, August 27. A month later, publication day was changed to Wednesday. The Propeller was a five-column folio, neutral in politics, devoted to education, news, agriculture, markets, manufactures and arts, but more particularly to the interests of Clay county. Mr. Christie, who was a vigorous writer and experienced newspaper man, continued publi— cation of the Propeller until December of the same year, when he sold the office to James M. Oliver. The Clay County Advocate succeeded the Propeller, James M. Oliver, publisher, John Osborn, editor. The Advocate was a five-column folio, published Wednesdays, independent in all things, neutral in nothing. The publication of the Advocate, under the management and labors of Oliver and Osborn, was continued about eighteen months, when, in the month of June, the office was sold and transferred to Thomas Dillon. The Clay County Citizen, published and edited by Thomas Dillon made its first appearance, August 11, 1855. The Citizen was the same size as the Advocate, published Saturdays, devoted to everything inter- esting and instructive. The Citizen was an improvement on its predeces- sors in the features and qualities which make up the live and progressive local newspaper, but Mr. Dillon’s health proved too delicate for the work he had undertaken. On the 3d day of November of the same year Josiah Hambleton, of the Bowling Green Institute, assumed editorial charge of the Citizen, Dillon continuing as publisher. Succeeding his death; Hambleton continued the Citizen, as requested by Mr. Dillon, until May 31, 1856, when the office was sold to James M. Oliver. who removed it to Brazil. Bound volumes of the Eel River Propeller, the Clay County Advocate and the Clay County Citizen are found on file in the county recorder’s office. During the interval from the first of June, 1856, to the fore part of the month of December, 1857, Bowling Green was without a newspaper. The Brazil Weekly News, published by James M. Oliver, and edited by J. Hambleton, was first issued June 12, 1856. The News was the size of its predecessor; motto, ‘Our God and our Country ;“ issued Thursdays. August 7, Hambleton retired, and Oliver became both pub- lisher and editor. About the first of September of the same year, A. T. Lansing bought the News office and assumed control, but continued Oliver as editor until January 15, 1857. Under Lansing’s management, the News was independent in all things, neutral in nothing. July 2, 1857, the News was enlarged to a six-column folio, and continued until the middle of November following, when the office was sold to Daniel W. Lusk, who removed it to Bowling Green. There are no copies of the News on file nor in preservation elsewhere. The Clay County Weekly Democrat, published by Lusk, appeared December 11 George W. Wiltse, editor, C. M. Thompson, local editor. The following week, C. M. Thompson bought the office and became pub- lisher, Wiltse continuing editor. The Democrat was a six-column paper, devoted to Democracy—”the imperishable principle of progress; its achievements are registered in the institutions of freedom.” On the first of October, 1858, Wiltse retired, and was succeeded by A. T. Lansing, Thompson continuing as local editor. December 10 of the same year, the Democrat was enlarged to seven columns. On the 1st of June, 1859, Lansing’s connection with the paper ceased, and Thompson associated with him Thomas J. Gray and N. L. Willard, Gray as principal and Willard as local editor. Gray, Willard & Thompson enlarged to eight columns, published Thursdays; “a national Democratic newspaper, devoted to politics, commerce, home and foreign news, education, choice literature, wit and humor, progress and improvement.” Near the close of 1859, C. M. Thompson became sole proprietor of the Democrat office, and sold it to Wheeler, Carter & Co., who established the first Republican paper in the county. T. J. Gray then bought a new outfit and re-estab- lished the Democrat, with John C. Major as local editor. The new Democrat was a seven-column paper, published Wednesdays, with the significant motto, “The mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God.—Jefferson.” Under the new manage- ment, the Democrat made its appearance February 8, 1860. During this interval of six weeks, from December 29 to February 8, the Democratic party of Clay county was without a paper. June 13, 1860, J. C. Major was succeeded by “Nip-up,” who was succeeded by Thomas M. Robert- son in August following. The Weekly Hoosier Patriot, by Wheeler, Carter & Co., was first issued at Bowling Green, January 5, 1860; W. W. Carter, editor, and Enos Miles, local. The Patriot was an eight-column paper, issued Thurs- days, Republican in politics. As the local canvass of 1860 did not result favorably to the Patriot and its party, its publication was discontinued October 11 of the same year. On the 8th of March, 1861, T. J. Gray sold to A. T. Lansing and retired from the Democrat. Lansing became principal editor and T. M. Robertson continued local. The Democrat was continued a seven-column folio, but publication day was changed to Friday. On the 27th of Sep- tember, 1861, Lansing sold to C. M. Thompson and enlisted in the United - States service. Thompson continued the publication of the Democrat until October 1, 1862, when the office was again transferred to Lansing. The motto of the Democrat under Thompson’s management— “Equal Rights to All; Exclusive Privileges to None"—was changed to The Union, The Constitution, The Laws—Our National Triune. It can he perpetuated only by the preservation and success of the National Democratic Party.” The Democrat was continued by Lansing until January 1, 1865. when it was changed to the Aurora Borealis, which was the same size as its predecessor, issued Wednesday. On the 1st of October following, the Aurora Borealis was temporarily suspended for the pur- pose of enlarging the sheet to eight columns, and reappeared on the 25th of the same month. The Aurora continued uninterruptedly in the enlarged form until the 14th of July, 1869, when the office was sold to Samuel 13. Riley. The Bowling Green Constitution, under the management and edi- torial charge of Mr. Riley, appeared July 29. The Constitution was a seven-column folio, published Thursdays; Motto—”The Constitution makes the Union, and there is no Union outside of the Constitution.” On the 1st of January, 1870, the Bowling Green Constitution was changed to the Old Constitution. On the 1st of April, 1870, Riley sold the office to William Travis, who continued the Constitution until July 28, following. The Democratic Archives took the place of the Constitution July 28, and was published until July, 1873, when it was changed to Weekly Archives, and publication day changed from Thursday to Saturday; Motto—”Better Newspapers without a Government than a Government without Newspapers. At the expiration of four years, in April, 1874, Mr. Travis sold the office to P. T. Luther and A. J. Montgomery, and retired. The Clay County Weekly Herald, published by Luther & Montgom- ery and edited by C. M. Leek, made its first appearance March 26, 1874. The Herald was continued a seven-column folio, same size as Archives, but publication day was changed from Saturday to Thursday. Under the management of Luther & Montgomery, the circulation of the Herald was increased from 400 to 1,000, which was publicly announced and appropriately celebrated on the 4th day of July following, when the national Nag was unfurled and floated all day long from the window of the office in Mozart Hall. The Brazil Intelligencer was started at Brazil in 1858, edited and published by William J. and Henry Hollingsworth. The Intelligencer had only an editorial office at home, the composition and press work hav- ing been executed at Terre Haute. It was a seven-column folio, inde- pendent, issued weekly. The Intelligencer was short-lived, having had an existence of a few months only, suspending publication January 1, 1859. No copy of this paper is on file in the county archives. The Independent, by Thomas H. Serrin & Co., edited by Serrin & Qliver, was established at Brazil in 1860, the first issue dated December 20. The Independent was a seven-column paper, devoted to general news, literature, agriculture, religion, and commerce, etc., etc. The Independent office, in material and outfit, was the Hoosier Patriot office, which Serrin & Co. purchased at Bowling Green and removed to Brazil. On the 4th of July, 1861, the Independent was discontinued. The Home Weekly was the next paper published at Brazil. In 1864, Abram Wright bought the old Independent office, which be used for some time for jobbing purposes, and in 1865 commenced the publication of the Home Weekly, a seven-column folio, with a “patent inside.” The Home Weekly was Republican in politics. It was afterward changed to Independent Home Weekly. In June, 1868, Mr. Wright sold the Weekly office to T. J. Gray, who merged it into the Manufacturer and Miner office. No copies of the Home Weekly are on file in the county archives. The Manufacturer and Miner was established at Brazil, July, 1867, Thomas J. Gray, editor and publisher, with E. M. B. Hooker, associate, who was succeeded by J. B. F. Taylor, In 1869, Gray was succeeded by the firm of Ainsworth & Gray. In 1870, the Miner Publishing Com- pany was organized, composed of C. W. Ainsworth, Thomas J. Gray, A. D.Cotton, B. F. Masten, Reese P. English and John McDowell, with a capital stock of $6,000. Two years later, Mr. Ainsworth became the owner of the office, under whose proprietorship Isaac S. Herr, and after- ward Will P. Blair had editorial charge of the paper. Up to this time, the Manufacturer and Miner was a seven-column folio sheet, Republican in politics, but devoted mainly to the manufacturing and mining interests of the county. On the 1st of April, 1873, Riley & Cassell became pro- prietors, Cassell, editor, when the paper was changed to a five-column quarto, and in August following to a six-column quarto, independent in politics, Cassell retiring and S. B. Riley becoming sole proprietor. Subsequently, Riley changed the title of the paper to the Brazil Miner. On the 24th of May, 1873, Herr, Gray & Earle made the first issue of the Saturday Evening Echo, at Brazil, a seven-column folio, Repub- lican in politics, Isaac Herr, editor; D. G. Earle, associate, which was a continuation of the Saturday Evening Echo, published by the same firm at Evansville, of which seven numbers had been issued at that place. On the first of October of the same year the title was changed to Brazil Weekly Echo, issued Thursdays, and enlarged to eight columns. In the same month Gray sold his interest to Herr & Earle. On the 12th of Feb- ruary, 1874, Herr & Earle sold the Echo to T. J. Gray, who continued the paper same size and politics. In January, 1875, the Clay Publishing Association bought the Echo and made it a Democratic party organ. In January, 1877, the office was transferred to George W. Deighan, who assumed entire control of the paper as the organ of the Democratic party, and named it the Western Mirror, which suspended publication about the first of March, 1881. Having bought the press and material of the Mirror office, A. F. Bridges began the publication of the Brazil Register on the 28th day of April of the same year, a seven-column folio, Republican in politics, issued Thursdays, changed to a five-column quarto, September 9th following, and to a six-column quarto, January 19th, 1882. In the month of April, 1880, Lansing & Lusk launched the Argus- Magnet, at Brazil, a seven-column folio, Democratic in politics, which was changed to a six-column quarto, February 15th, 1881, and named the Democrat On the 1st of September, 1884, the Democrat Was pur- chased by Holtman & Payne, who conducted it jointly until the 1st of March, 1886, when Holtman bought out Payne’s interests. On the 1st day of November, 1890, appeared the first issue of the daily edition of the Democrat, which has been continuously published since that date. On the 1st of April, 1901, The Democrat, daily and weekly, was pur- chased by Aikin & Haviland, the latter having subsequently purchased Aikin's interests. In the spring of 1903 Haviland sold the Democrat, daily and weekly, to W. H. Glidewell, who is the present proprietor, publisher and editor. On the 1st of January, 1909, the Daily edition of The Democrat was changed in name to the Brazil Daily News. Ralph Plumb is city editor, with Margaret Johnston, assistant. On the 30th of May, 1872, the Clay County Enterprise made its appearance at Knightsville, Nathan C. Martin, J. M. Somers and Riley Runyan, publishers and cditors, a seven-column folio, Republican in poli- tics, issued Thursdays, devoted to the local interests of Clay county. In August of the same year the Enterprise was transferred to the Watsons, with N. C. Martin editor. On the 20th of February, 1873, Luther Wolfe became publisher, and on the 12th of June following took full control. September 30th, 1875, the Enterprise was removed to Brazil. and on the 5th of January, 1881, enlarged to eight columns, devoted to the manu- facturing, mining and agricultural interests of Clay county. On the 12th day of October, 1891, was launched The Daily Enterprise, which contin- ued publication until at some time in the month of October, 1893, then suspended. The Weekly Enterprise, now in its thirty-eighth volume, is still owned and conducted by Luther Wolfe and son. The Aurora Borealis was resumed by A. T. Lansing, at Bowling Green, July 5, 1871, seven-column folio, issued Wednesdays, devoted to social and political reforms. On the first of October following, the Aurora was removed to Knightsville. In March, 1872, Lansing sold a half interest to Truman S. White, who assumed control of the business interests of the paper. In the latter part of the same year the Aurora was discontinued. On the 5th day of July, 1878, the National Index, the organ of the National Greenback party of the county, was issued by Gray & Travis, at Brazil. The Index was a six-column quarto, published Fridays. At the expiration of one year, July, 1879, the firm of Gray & Travis was dis- solved and the Index discontinued. The Clay County Review was established at Bowling. Green, Feb- ruary, 1877, Jason W. Brown, publisher and editor (who bought the former Herald office from Luther & Montgomery), a six-column quarto, Democratic in politics. In September, 1878, the Review was removed to Clay City and changed to a seven-column folio, and continued to be issued there until August, 1879, then taken back to Bowling Green, In Novem- ber, 1880, the Review was suspended, and, after an interval of nearly two years, revived by Mr. Brown, at Saline City, August, 1882, Republican in politics, and then discontinued soon after the November election of that year. In November, 1875, the first issue of the Martz Eaglet was made, at Middlebury, a five-column folio, issued Saturdays, by William Travis, editor and publisher, independent in everything. The Eaglet was sus pended temporarily, July 4, 1876; resumed February 1st, 1877; then discontinued May 22d following, the office having been sold and removed to Worthington. The Clay City Independent, a six-column folio, published Fridays, William Travis, editor and publisher, was begun February 11, 1881. On the 7th of June, 1883, the Independent was enlarged to a seven-column folio. The first of May, 1885, Mr. Travis sold the Independent to George W. Levis, of Brazil, who continued its publication until the time of his death, within his first year of publication, when the office was transferred to James T. Buck, who launched the Clay City Reporter, which he con- tinued to issue until the first of January, 1889, when William J. Ward, of Worthington, purchased the office, making his first issue of the paper on the 25th day of the month under the same name, who is at this time proprietor of the plant, which is not being operated, The Reporter having suspended publication in the month of August, 1908, on account of the failing health of the proprietor. In the month of March, 1891, Riley sold The Miner to J. W. Jarvis, who assumed possession and took charge of the plant and business on the 23d day of the month. On the 11th day of May following, the Daily Miner, which had been previously issued by Riley for several months, was discontinued. Subsequently, Richard M. Compton having become interested, the property passed into his possession, which was transferred to C. J. McCullough in the year 1894, who continued the publi- cation of the weekly edition, associated with William Travis from August, 1895, to February, 1897, when Compton again took possession of the property. In the month of February, 1898, the plant was purchased by Charles L. Mace, who resumed publication of the Weekly Miner at once, and of the daily edition in the month of May following. The Daily Miner was the only morning paper in the history of Brazil. The daily edition survived about three years, until the early spring of 1901, when it ceased publication. The weekly edition of The Miner survived a year longer, until the spring of 1902, when it was suspended and the plant sold to Haviland, of the Democrat. When A. F. Bridges discontinued publication of The Register be sold his material to A. W. Adams, under whose management was issued The New Era, in the publication of which George E. Law was associated for a short time. Adams having resold the material to Bridges, publica- tion of The New Era was suspended. In the latter part of the year 1891, Samuel B. Riley. who had pre- viously published The Miner for a number of years, established a plant on North Franklin street and began publication of The Orthonomic Era, a quarto weekly devoted to reform in politics and the public service. In the christening of his new venture, the publisher thrust an innovation upon the reading public in the nomenclature of newspaperdom. But the name was not inconsistent with the motto. An era is but a time, or period of time. “Orthonomic,” in its etymological sense, means, simply, pertain- ing to right naming, hence, by the adoption of this title, or caption, the publisher signified that the time had come for calling things by their right names, or, in other words, for “calling a spade a spade.” The Orthonomic Era acquired a wide circulation during the nearly fifteen years of its pub- lication. It ceased to appear on the 23d day of February, 1906. Publication of the Brazil Daily Times, the pioneer daily of Clay county, a six-column folio sheet, patent inside, by Henkel & Grimes, was begun December 1, 1888. After the expiration of seven years, a change having taken place in the proprietorship, the Times was published by the Henkel Publishing Company. The publication of the semi-weekly edition of the Times was begun August 1, 1896. Succeeding the death of E. M. Henkel, the senior member of the firm, July 5, 1905, A. W. Adams having acquired an interest, the publishing company is now Henkel & Adams. The first number of the Clay City Truth was issued on the 10th day of May, 1890, John E. Travis, publisher and editor. The Truth was a seven-column folio sheet, Democratic in politics, published Saturdays. September 1st, of the same year, the office was sold to William E. Naugle, who changed the name of the paper to Clay City Sentinel, the same size and politics of its predecessor. The Clay City Democrat was established in April, 1896, the first number appearing on the 14th day of the month, a six-column quarto, Democratic in politics, edited and published by John E. Travis. At some time in the fore part of the month of November of the same year the Democrat was transferred to George E. Oberholtzer, who, within the same month, transferred it to Sanders & Goldbach, who conducted it one year, selling and transferring it to Benjamin F. Goshorn the first of November, 1897, who was publisher and editor until the 7th day of April, 1909. when be sold to Pius Lankford. In the month of November, 1896, C. M. Needham moved his print- ing-office from Coal City to Clay City and began publication of the Republican Leader, Republican in politics, which, after a very brief experience in a field already occupied, suspended. In the fall of 1895 appeared the Knightsville Magnet, by George H. Scheutz, publisher and editor, issued weekly, which lived about one year, suspending publication in the fall of 1896. The Hawkeye, a weekly paper of 12 pages, 4 columns to the page, was launched at Clay City, the first of January, 1904, by the Clay City Publishing Company, Pius Lankford, editor, Mrs. Carrie H. T. Gardner, assistant. The Hawkeye was non-political, its object and aim that of filling the want for a good local and family paper. Twenty-two numbers of the weekly edition were issued, after which it appeared but monthly until the close of the year, when it was discontinued. The Carbon Globe, the first paper at the town of Carbon, a five- column folio sheet, published and edited by Calvin Goss, made its first appearance Friday, September 24. 1886. At some time within the second year of publication the Globe was discontinued and the office located else- where. The Carbon Chronicle, at first a five-column quarto, later a six-column folio, edited and published by Edward C. Scheutz, began publication July 28,1891.In the sixteenth year of its publication, Mr. Scheutz sold the paper to Marvie Wilson, who took charge October 1st, 1906, and after conducting it one year, sold out to Arthur R. Zenor, who took charge November 1, 1907. In February, 1908, the Chronicle was enlarged to an eight—column folio. Under an enactment of the legislative session of 1875 providing for the insertion of legal advertising in German papers in counties maintain- ing publications in this language, a weekly paper of German print was published and edited by Simon Hirsch, for a time, within the year named, at Bowling Green. At some time in the month of May, 1896, F. B. Bangs began the pub- lication of the “Center Point Press,” which was issued every Thursday until the 21st day of October, 1897, when it was suspended. After an interval of some months, publication was resumed, under the same name, by W. H. M. Smith, at some time in the year 1898, and continued up to the close of the year 1899, or to a date early in the succeeding year. As there are no files of the “Press” in preservation, more exact data cannot be given. Bangs is remembered by the population of Center Point as hav- ing been a man of equable temper, courteous in his mention and treatment of his patrons and readers, issuing a readable sheet, unexceptionable in tone and print; Smith, as a man of aggressive, precipitate temper, prone to seize upon pretexts and opportunities for showing up and criticizing the faults and mistakes of his readers, thereby incurring their displeasure and in some instances their open resentment. The Boomerang, a monthly, edited and published by R. L. Keith, Brazil, now in its thirteenth year of publication, an advertising sheet, In the main, which is distributed by carriers at the different centers of popu- lation within the area of its circulation. Comparatively large editions of The Boomerang are issued regularly. Two weekly papers were published temporarily at the town of Staun- ton. The first venture was that of The Star, by C. C. Orrell, in 1892; the second, that of The Sentinel, in 1901, by Roy Stewart. As no files are accessible, the only source of data is personal recollection on the part of Staunton people. Neither had a home plant, the printing having been done by a house at Bloomington. The Star is said to have, survived two years and The Sentinel one year. For these facts the reader is indebted to Dr. P. H. Veach. The first periodical publication in the county was The Sunbeam, a small quarto monthly of eight pages, devoted to popular education and general information, of which the first number appeared April, 1869, Center Point, William Travis, editor and publisher. For the first year the composition and press work on The Sunbeam were done at Indianapolis, when, having bought the printing office at Bowling Green, the pub- lisher issued it thereafter from the home office. In July, 1870, The Sun- beam was merged into the Archives. At some time in the year 1872, Cassell & Earle began the publica- tion of The Crusader, issued from the Miner office, Brazil, a monthly in magazine form, devoted to the cause of Temperance. As the crusade sought to be launched and promoted by this publication was in advance of popular sentiment and appreciation, it survived but a few months. In the month of October, 1897, The Analecta, a monthly of six- teen pages, four columns to the page, was launched upon the fickle sea of local periodical journalism, at Brazil, by William Travis, publisher and editor, Miss Emma F. Combs, assistant editor. The object and field of The Analecta, as intended, may be well understood from the follow- ing quotation from the publisher’s introductory: “In the publication of The Analecta we can have no higher mission to fulfill nor more laudable ambition to gratify than to reflect the sun- light of truth and dissipate the mists of error. If we shall succeed in awakening in the public mind a more acute sense of appreciation and interest in the higher lines of thought, which conduce to a correspond- ingly higher standard of life, individual and social, then The Analecta will not have been conceived and launched without its reward. As society is the aggregate and reflex of individual character and conditions, and is elevated or abased by the character of current literature and prevailing thought indulged and pursued, The Analecta will aspire to a higher plane than the common level in this capacity.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Richard ( Fred) Finkbiner