BIO: Wien FORNEY, Dauphin County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2008.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/runk/runk-bios.htm
_______________________________________________________________ 

Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, 
Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the 
Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: 
J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, pages 343-344.
_______________________________________________________________ 

  FORNEY, WIEN, was born in the city of Lancaster, June 30, 1826, and 
began to learn the trade of a printer in the office of the Lancaster 
Intelligencer when his cousin, the late Col. John W. Forney, was its 
editor and proprietor, and finished his apprenticeship on the Lancaster 
Examiner, under the late Edward C. Darlington, a noted editor of the 
past.  Subsequently he worked at case in Philadelphia, New York and 
other large cities.  Among his fellow-compositors were Bayard Taylor 
and the famous "Mike" Walsh, who was a member of Congress from New York 
City more than forty years ago.
  In 1845 Mr. Forney was employed on the Washington Union, the organ of 
President Polk's administration, and of which the late Thomas Ritchie 
was the editor.  "Father" Ritchie was the founder of the Richmond 
Enquirer and was the contemporary and personal friend of many of the 
eminent statesmen of a half and three-quarters of a century ago.  Mr. 
Forney was the first to collate news of a local nature for the 
Washington papers.  In those days the Union and the old National 
Intelligencer were filled with editorials frequently columns in length, 
and with congressional proceedings and foreign news.  Mr. Forney 
subsequently went to Philadelphia and became connected with the 
Pennsylvanian when it was published by Forney & Hamilton.  In 1850 he 
went to Towanda, Bradford county, where he established and edited the 
North Pennsylvanian, which he started in opposition to the views of the 
late David Wilmot, who up to that time had been a pronounced and 
leading Democrat.  This enterprise did not succeed and in about a year 
he returned to Philadelphia.
  For a short time he was associated with William V. McKean in the 
editorship of the Pennsylvanian, Colonel Forney having retired when he 
was elected clerk of the House of Representatives at Washington.  Then 
for two or three years he was a clerk in the Philadelphia postoffice 
under the late John Miller, but still wrote for the press.  In 1855, in 
connection with Henry Hayes, he established the Bellefonte Democratic 
Watchman, of which P. Gray Meek, the surveyor of the port of 
Philadelphia, is the present editor and proprietor.  With this paper he 
remained until 1857, and the next year started the Central Press in the 
same town.  In 1859 he went to Washington to accept a position in the 
House Library, and at the same time did considerable work for the New 
York Herald and other papers.  In 1830 he went to Harrisburg at the 
earnest solicitation of General Cameron to take charge of the editorial 
columns of the Telegraph, and when Mr. Lincoln was elected President he 
went back to Washington and remained there during the exciting winter 
of 1860-61 as a correspondent for several papers, and was also 
connected with the House Library.  He returned to Harrisburg after the 
inauguration of Mr. Lincoln, and resumed the editorship of the 
Telegraph, in which position he remained for six years.  Then he became 
one of the editors and publishers of the State Guard, the firm being 
Levi Kauffman, Wien Forney and Isaac B. Gara.
  When this paper suspended he became editor of the State Guard, which 
was owned by the late Benjamin Singerly, who was the uncle of William 
M. Singerly, of the Record.  Under both administrations of Governor 
Curtin he was State librarian, as well as during the first term of 
Governor Geary.  When the Harrisburg Independent was founded by E. Z. 
Wallower in 1876 he was its first editor.  On this paper he remained 
for a year or two and then again resumed the editorship of the 
Telegraph, with which he remained until it passed into the hands of 
Thomas F. Wilson.  Then for a short time he edited a daily paper at 
Steelton, but since 1883 has been the editor of the Independent until 
its consolidation in 1891 with the Star by the Hon. B. F. Meyers, and 
held the same position on the Star-Independent until the spring of 1896 
when he retired from newspaper work.
  Mr. Forney was an indefatigable worker and versatile writer.  His 
style was bold and fearless, he was always abreast the times, and his 
editorials were read with avidity.  Socially he is a most delightful 
conversationalist, and his reminiscences of the men and times of the 
past are interesting, instructive and valuable.  At the age of three 
score and ten he retains much of the vivacity and sprightliness of 
youth, his eye is still bright, his step elastic and his general health 
continues good.  Few of the Pennsylvania editors of the past or present 
generation have had so varied, interesting and eventful an experience 
as Wien Forney.