Tipton County IN Archives History - Books .....County Press 1883
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Book Title: Counties Of Howard And Tipton, Indiana

THE COUNTY PRESS.

   In 1855, Drs. Booker and A. M. Vickrey, of Tipton, purchased an old-fashioned
Franklin press and a small quantity of type and other printing materials of Mr.
Chapman, of Indianapolis, and commenced issuing a small six-column folio
newspaper of Democratic proclivities, called the Tipton County Democrat. The
material was bought on time, and the first printer was James Mahaffie, who a
year later was succeeded by Archibald Ramsey, who did more, perhaps, to render
the county press successful than any other man, not even excepting the
proprietors of the papers themselves. Dr. Hooker, quite an able gentleman,
assumed the editorial mantle for about one year, when he permanently retired,
leaving his portion of the indebtedness to be settled by his partner. In 1857,
the name was changed to the Western Dominion, and about this time O. P. Baird
was editor, though the ownership really remained with Dr. Vickrey. It is stated
that Baird bought the office, but being unable-to pay for it, permitted it to go
back to Dr. Vickrey. In 1858, the office was again sold to Gr. W. Fisher, under
whom the name became the Tipton County Argus. Mr. B. Greltner was connected with
the office in some capacity. In 1859, the office having run down to low water
tide, and the prominent Democrats, feeling the need of an organ, bought the
whole , outfit, changed the name to Tipton County Times, and began issuing the
sheet with John Chambers as principal eidtor [sic] and A. Clark as local editor.
Ten prominent Democrats owned the paper, among whom were John Chambers, William
Stivers, A. J. Redmon, Hugh Dickey, J. V. Cox, A. Clark, Barcibus Geltner and A.
McVickrey. The office at that time was valued at $400. In 1860, interest in the
enterprise so ran down that the issue was suspended for about six months. Early
in 1861, the issue was resumed, with J. V. Cox at the helm. Mr. Cox wrote
"leaders" about a dozen lines in length, it is said, while the remainder of the
work was done by Archibald Ramsey, the faithful printer. Late in 1861, Judge N.
R. Overman secured an interest in the sheet, and became "heavy editor," as he
humorously remarks, and "wrote 'leaders' about a dozen lines in length." Ramsey
was still the local editor and printer, and the paper was still owned by the
company of Democrats, Mr. Overman owning several shares. In 1862, for partisan
reasons, the name of the paper was changed to the Democratic Union, which
circumstance created the impression throughout the State that the politics had
been changed to Republicanism. But such was far from the case. Early in 1864,
the office was sold to William J. Turpen, who, at the time, was in the army, and
who began writing a series of very interesting letters from the scenes of war.
He was mustered out before the war ended, changed the name to Tipton County
Times, and took personal control of his paper, which he successfully conducted
until 1869, when he sold out to C. J. Brady and removed to Nashville, Tenn.,
where he became connected with another paper, though his subsequent efforts were
far from being successful. It is stated that in some manner he so incurred the
displeasure of the citizens down there that he was given so long to leave
town—and he left. Mr. Brady was fairly successful with his paper. He put in the
first job press ever in the county. In 1874, he sold out to Judge N. R. Overman,
who employed J. T. Cox to edit the sheet. In the spring of 1875, Emsley A.
Overman bought a half interest in the office, and about this time the first
cylinder power press ever in the county was purchased for about $400 and placed
in the office. E. A. Overman became editor and financial manager. In January,
1876, William Haw bought the office, and issued the paper until January, 1877,
when, being unable to pay for the same, he relinquished it, and the office went
back to Overman & Overman. E. A. Overman conducted it then until September,
1878, when he purchased N. R. Overman's interest and became sole owner and
proprietor. Early in 1880, the office was sold to P. & J. O. Behymer, brothers,
but a year later it went back to E. A. Overman, who continued it until November,
1881, when it passed to S. Ray Williams, who, in January, 1882, took as a
partner D. A. Alexander. In September, 1882, Mr. Williams retired, leaving Mr.
Alexander sole owner, but about the 1st of April, 1883, the latter was joined by
Jeremiah Fish, who continued with the paper until May, 1883, when he retired,
leaving the Tipton Times as it is at present. The paper has suffered severely by
the numerous changes of owners, but it has always been an earnest if not an able
exponent of the Democratic party of the county, State and nation. Under several
of the managements it was extremely able and bitter, and at no time has it been
in better hands than at present. It enjoys a large circulation, and a liberal
job and advertising patronage.

   Early in 1860, S. T. Montgomery founded at Tipton a Republican sheet, called
the Tipton Republican, which was hailed by members of that party throughout the
county with great joy. For a time during that year, it was the only paper issued
in the county. Late in 1860 the office was sold to G. W. Lowby, who issued the
paper until September, 1861, when he enlisted in the army, and soon afterward
the office was sold to satisfy the indebtedness hanging over it on account of
the purchase. Thus  orever [sic] died that short-lived paper.

   In August, 1872, Joel Reece began issuing at Tipton a Republican paper called
the Tipton Enterprise, with Frank Ristine, printer. It was not long ere this
paper left the Republican party, going off with great earnestness on the "Grange
movement," but after the October election in 1874, the sheet died easily,
without hope of resurrection.

   In the early spring of 1874, W. J. Turpen and L. H. Emmons issued the first
number of the Tipton Advance, an independent Democratic newspaper. It continued
with a fair degree of success until the spring of 1876, when it was bought by
William Haw and merged in with the Times.

   The Tipton Republican was started in April, 1876, by John Greeves, at the
solicitation of numerous Republicans, and was at the outset so poor that the
sheet had barely enough type to dress itself in proper costume for the public
eye. After one or two issues, M. W. Pershing went to Chicago and bought $150
worth of office material, which he loaned to Mr. Greeves; but about this time a
number of prominent Republicans of the town, concluding that the party should
have a permanent organ at the county seat, purchased the office of Mr. Greeves
and employed M. W. Pershing to edit the paper temporarily until a permanent
editor could be secured. These Republicans were Daniel Waugh, Park Russell, J.
H. Fear, M. V. B. Newcomer, R. B. Beauchamp, S. I. Davis, W. P. Weed, S. Lowby,
M. Rosenthal, J. C. Gregg, William Barlow, H. Mehlig and W. M. Grishaw. This
company owned the office with the exception of the $150 worth of material
purchased by Mr. Pershing. In August, 1876, Mr. Solonsnook took the office on
the same terms under which Mr. Pershing had issued it, i. e., to maintain its
Republicanism and to have all he could make from the office, the ownership, of
course, still remaining with the company. In October, 1876, J. C. Gregg took the
editorial chair on the same terms and successfully issued the paper until
August, 1878.

   In September, 1878, T. M. Smith started a Greenback and Republican campaign
sheet, subscription price 25 cents for the campaign. Mr. Smith was the Greenback
editor and Mr. Pershing the Republican editor of this sheet, which died suddenly
and permanently after the campaign. It was called the Advocate. In October, Mr.
Pershing was again placed at the editorial head of the Republican by the
company, the issue continuing the number and volume of the Greenback-Republican
sheet that had just become defunct. During the first three months after this the
cash receipts were $12.50, but after that the paper began to "boom." In six
months the paper was enlarged to a seven-column folio, and at the end of the
first year to an eight-column folio, its present size. Mr. Pershing early bought
the office and is the present editor. The success of the sheet is unprecedented
in the history of the county, and but few men would have had the courage to
continue the issue in the face of the bitterest obstacles and in the teeth of
the severest threats. The success of the paper is also largely due to the
persistent skill with which the editor unraveled the unlawful depredations of
certain public officials. A large circulation and large office patronage are
enjoyed.

   Late in the decade of the fifties, a small folio sheet, called the Car of
Progress, was started at Tipton by a Mr. Kelsaw. The paper antagonized the
Democratic doctrines of that period and became involved with the Democratic
paper on the leading issues of the day, the principal questions being the
extension of slave territory and the probability of war with the South, with the
surrounding influences. The paper lived only about nine months.

   Early in 1882, J. O. Behymer began issuing at the county seat a Democratic
paper, called the Saturday Express, which was designed to be the organ of the
county Democracy. The paper was issued with fair success until the early part of
1883, when it became defunct.

   Windfall has not been without its newspaper enterprises. In about May, 1876,
Sweet & Fugit established there an independent sheet called the Windfall News,
which was conducted by them for a period of about one year, when the office was
sold to P. & J. O. Behymer, who issued the paper until the spring of 1880, when
it was discontinued. In the fall of 1876, Sweet & Fugit also issued there the
first number of a monthly paper for children, called Our Home, which soon
attained a circulation all over the United States—the actual circulation eing
[sic] over 3,000. At the time of the sale of the News to the Behymer Brothers,
the office of Our Home went with it, which circumstance terminated the further
issue of the children's paper.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

COUNTIES OF HOWARD AND TIPTON, INDIANA.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
ILLUSTRATED.

CHARLES BLANCHARD. EDITOR.
CHICAGO: F. A. BATTEY & CO.
1883.


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