Nobles County MN Archives Biographies.....Hamstreet, Charles 1860 - 
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Author: Arthur P. Rose (1908)

  CHARLES HAMSTREET, editor and publisher of the Worthington Advance-Herald,

enjoys the distinction of being the oldest (in point of service) newspaper man

in Nobles county, having been engaged in the business in the county almost

continuously since 1894.



  Mr. Hamstreet is of Dutch descent, the family having come originally from

Holland, although his ancestors have lived in America many generations. He is

the son of John H. Hamstreet and Francis (Clapper) Hamstreet, now residents of

Clear Lake, Iowa. Mr. Hamstreet, Sr., was born in New York state Nov. 13, 1842;

Mrs. Hamstreet was born in Sharon, Wis., Nov. 17, 1848. To these parents was

born the subject of this biography at Darlington, Wis., March 15, 1869. When he

was seven years of age his parents moved to Sharon, Wis., and that was the

family home for the next ten years. In the country schools near that Wisconsin

town Charles was educated, attending until he was 17 years of age. Then the

family moved to Clear Lake, Iowa, and our subject completed his education with a

two years' course of study in the high school. After his school days young

Hamstreet worked on the farm for several years in the vicinity of Clear Lake.



  During his residence in that Iowa town he became enamoured of the printer's

trade and at odd times picked up knowledge of the "case" in the office of the

Clear Lake Mirror, then published by Cooley & Asplin. This was enough to make

him hunger for more knowledge of the "art preservative," and in the fall of 1891

he became an apprentice in the office of the Paulina Times, of Paulina, Iowa,

and worked thirteen months under O. D. Hamstreet, an uncle, who was then the

publisher. Resigning his position there in December, 1892, he went to Hartley,

Iowa, and took charge of the mechanical department of the Hartley Herald, which

position he held until September, 1894. That was the date of his arrival in

Nobles county. He went to Kinbrae and in partnership with T. E. Cole established

the Kinbrae Herald, the firm name being Cole & Hamstreet. Although Mr. Cole

owned a half interest in the business, it was under the sole control of Mr.

Hamstreet, and in April, 1898, the latter acquired complete ownership. He ran

the Herald until Nov. 1, 1899, when he sold, but was obliged to take the paper

back the next February. He continued the publication until March, 1900, with the

exception of short periods, when he had it leased. During this time he was

absent from Kinbrae from November, 1899, to September, 1901, when he worked in

the wholesale paper house of the Chicago Newspaper Union at Sioux City.



  Not content with one newspaper, Mr. Hamstreet, on September 15, 1901,

purchased the Dundee Advocate and was the publisher of that journal until April,

1905. After discontinuing the publication of the Kinbrae paper Mr. Hamstreet, in

June, 1903, went to Rushmore, purchased the subscription list and good will of

the Rushmore Enterprise, brought down the plant of the Kinbrae Herald, and

published the Rushmore paper until his removal to Worthington in June, 1908. The

plant at Rushmore was added to in 1905, when the Dundee Advocate was

discontinued. Shortly after buying the paper the sheet was enlarged, a new

jobber was installed, a gasoline engine purchased and other improvements made.

Then in the summer of 1907 he added a three revolution Hoe press, and now the

plant is one of the finest newspaper offices in Nobles county. June 1, 1908, Mr.

Hamstreet moved to Worthington and purchased the Herald of that city, publishing

the same until July 7, of the same year. At that time he purchased the

Worthington Advance and consolidated the two papers under the name of the

Advance-Herald.



  Mr. Hamstreet has been married twice. His first marriage occurred at Kinbrae

June 24, 1896, to Miss Gertie A. Jones, daughter of Burgess Jones, of that

village. Mrs. Hamstreet died June 24, 1900. To this union was born one child,

Everette. Mr. Hamstreet's second marriage was solemnized at Avoca Oct. 28, 1902,

when he was married to Miss Andrina Nelson, of Avoca. To them has been born one

child, Gladys.



  During his residence in Kinbrae Mr. Hamstreet served two years as village

recorder and justice of the peace, and held the same offices for a like period

in Dundee. He was appointed postmaster at Rushmore Sept. 3, 1903, which office

he held until his removal to Worthington. He was president of the board of

education of the Rushmore schools for two years. In a fraternal way he is

associated with the Masonic lodge, the M. W. A. and the Yeomen, all of
Worthington.



Additional Comments:
Extracted from:



AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY

MINNESOTA

BY

ARTHUR P. ROSE



NORTHERN HISTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY 



WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA 

PUBLISHERS

1908

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