Post by David Sechrest on Mar 25, 2007 1:30:20 GMT -5
Here is a brief history of Columbus Indiana newspapers, taken from the Illustrated Historical Atlas of Bartholomew County, Indiana, 1879:
From an extended and well-written history of the newspapers of Bartholomew County, published by Dr. J. C. Beck, we are permitted to collate the following facts:
The first newspaper printed in the county was the Columbus Chronicle. The initial number was issued on Saturday, January 1, 1831. Lawson J. Duncan was its editor and proprietor. This enterprising editor and proprietor died of consumption in 1834. After his death, the Chronicle passed into the hands of Williamson Terrell and James McCall.
The paper hitherto had been neutral in politics, but Terrell, the editor, who was an ardent Whig, changed its name to the Western Herald, and at once made it a party organ of the most pronounced type. The next paper founded in Columbus was the Advocate; Lewis F. Coppersmith and Samuel P. Farley were the proprietors. In policies, the paper was Whig. Mr. Coppersmith sold his interest in the paper early in 1840 to Ralph L. Howell. After the election of 1840, Howell sold his interest in the Advocate, and left Columbus.
In 1841, the Advocate passed into the hand of Schofeld & Farley, with William F. Pidgeon as editor, and, in 1842, the Advocate ceased to exist.
The Weekly Ledger was soon after established by Samuel H. Kridelbaugh, with Hozea B. Horn as editor. During the winter of 1844, the Ledger was issued semi-weekly. This enterprise failed in 1845.
The Hoosier Revived, Corydon Donovan its editor and proprietor, succeeded the Ledger, and supported James K. Polk for President. Soon after the political campaign of 1844, Donovan sold his paper to Samuel H. Kridelbaugh. Under his management, the paper had a short life.
The Columbus Gazette was established in the spring of 1844; Henry C. Child was its editor and proprietor, and for awhile, it was the rival of the Hoosier Revived. As editor, Child was succeeded by George E. Tingle in 1845, who in turn was succeeded by H. B. Horn. At this time, Child and Kridelbaugh consolidated their papers under the style of the Hoosier Gazette; this combination lasted but a short time, when it was dissolved. Child resuming the publication of the Gazette; The Hoosier Revived was never again revived. Duane Pettit, an experienced journalist, was associate editor of the Gazette for a short time. He died in 1846. In the spring of 1847, William B. Stanley became a partner with Child in the Gazette, and in the fall of that year, Child sold his interest to W. H. H. Terrell. In February, 1848, Child purchased Stanley's interest and again became connected with the paper. Its publication was discontinued June, 1848, for want of sufficient encouragement.
The Columbus Democrat was founded in 1848, by John P. Finkle, who continued its publication until 1850, when Aquilla Jones and W. F. Pidgeon became its proprietors. Soon after, Pidgeon retired and was succeeded by W. C. Stateler. In February 1852, Stateler became sole proprietor and changed the name of the paper to the Indiana Democrat. Mr. Stateler continued its publication until the year 1854, when he sold the paper to I. C. Dille, who continued its publication with Dr. Nathan Thompkins, editor, until 1861, when he sold the paper to the Rev. William Haw, who continued as its editor and proprietor until 1868, when the paper was purchased by N. T. Carr, and its name was changed to the Columbus Bulletin. Mr. Carr continued as its editor and proprietor until 1872, when J. D. Lyle purchased the same. He again changed the name to the Bartholomew Democrat, George E. Finney being the editor. Subsequently, Finney became part owner of the paper. November 17, 1876, the name of the paper was again changed, and was called the Columbus Democrat. In 1878, Finney severed for a time his connection with the paper, and sold his interest therein to John D. Lyle, but in a few months thereafter returned and took charge of the editorial department and continued to act in that capacity until November 25, 1878, when the paper was sold by J. D. Lyle to James N. Marsh (William Marsh's father), its present editor and proprietor.
In the year 1876, the publishers of the paper began and issued a daily paper known as the Daily Evening Democrat. For a short time the publication was discontinued, but was soon revived and is now again regularly published. Addison Arnold has been, since the purchase of the paper by Mr. Marsh, the city editor of Daily Evening Democrat. The paper, politically, is Democrat.
The Spirit Of The West, was established by W. C. Stateler and Columbus Stebbens in the year 1848, and was Whig in its policies. In 1852, Stateler sold his interest to Stebbens. The paper continued true to the party as long as the party had an existence. In the year 1854, it became an organ of the People's Party, and its name was changed to the Columbus Independent. In 1855, Fred Myers became assistant editor. Upon the organization of the Republican party, this paper became its organ in the county. In 1858, Mr. Stebbens removed to Hastings, Minnesota with his paper.
The Western Mirror, a literary paper, was founded by Alonso Hubbard in 1858, but was abandoned on account of insufficient support in the year 1860. Soon after, in the same year, Mr. Hubbard established another paper, known as the Weekly Union, which was discontinued in 1861. In 1868, Mr. Hubbard founded a paper known as the Columbus Republican, which he soon after sold to George W. Allison, who, after publishing the same a few years in Columbus, changing the name to the Columbus Union, removed with it to Brown County. In 1866, Mr. Hubbard founded the City News, an independent paper and continued the publication of the same until 1876, when the enterprise was abandoned.
The Columbus Republican was founded April 2, 1872, by Isaac T. Brown and Frank W. Lantz. The latter was its editor. It was Republican in politics as its name indicates. In the year 1873, Mr Lantz sold his interest in this paper to C. C. Brown, and retired from the editorial chair. He was succeeded as editor by Isaac M. Brown, the veteran newspaper man in the State, who continued as editor until the year 1878. In August 1877, Isaac T. Brown purchased the interest of C. C. Brown, and became sole proprietor of the paper. Isaac M. Brown was succeeded by Marshall Hacker and Crockett Ricketts as editors. They continued to act in that capacity until the summer of 1879 when Mr. Hacker retired.
November 12, 1877, the proprietors began the publication of a daily paper entitled the Daily Evening Republican, and still continue its publication.
Since January 1, 1879, John J. Schrack has been, and is now, the city editor of the Daily Republican.
In December, 1878, George E. Finney, former editor of the Columbus Democrat, founded the Columbian, an independent weekly newspaper which, after a brief and brilliant career of six months, was removed by the proprietors to Franklin, Indiana, and consolidated with the Franklin Herald, the name of the paper being changed to the Democrat, and is now published and edited by Finney and Short.
The Present: The only paper that exists in Columbus today (2007) is The Republic. The Republic has gone through several name changes. Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, it was known as the Evening Republican. I'm uncertain when it changed its name to The Republic.
The Evening Republican (The Republic) was an afternoon paper back in the 1950s and 1960s, and there was no publication on Sundays. I'm not sure when they started publishing a Sunday edition.
I would venture to say that Harry McCawley has seniority over most (if not all) of the employees at the paper, as Harry began his career with the Evening Republican in the 1960's. When Harry first began with the paper, he wrote the sports column.
The Republic, i. e., the Columbus Republican, the Daily Evening Republican, The Evening Republican papers can be viewed at our local library on microfiche, going all the way back to its very first issue.
The Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis has early copies of other Columbus newspapers throughout the 1800's...
From an extended and well-written history of the newspapers of Bartholomew County, published by Dr. J. C. Beck, we are permitted to collate the following facts:
The first newspaper printed in the county was the Columbus Chronicle. The initial number was issued on Saturday, January 1, 1831. Lawson J. Duncan was its editor and proprietor. This enterprising editor and proprietor died of consumption in 1834. After his death, the Chronicle passed into the hands of Williamson Terrell and James McCall.
The paper hitherto had been neutral in politics, but Terrell, the editor, who was an ardent Whig, changed its name to the Western Herald, and at once made it a party organ of the most pronounced type. The next paper founded in Columbus was the Advocate; Lewis F. Coppersmith and Samuel P. Farley were the proprietors. In policies, the paper was Whig. Mr. Coppersmith sold his interest in the paper early in 1840 to Ralph L. Howell. After the election of 1840, Howell sold his interest in the Advocate, and left Columbus.
In 1841, the Advocate passed into the hand of Schofeld & Farley, with William F. Pidgeon as editor, and, in 1842, the Advocate ceased to exist.
The Weekly Ledger was soon after established by Samuel H. Kridelbaugh, with Hozea B. Horn as editor. During the winter of 1844, the Ledger was issued semi-weekly. This enterprise failed in 1845.
The Hoosier Revived, Corydon Donovan its editor and proprietor, succeeded the Ledger, and supported James K. Polk for President. Soon after the political campaign of 1844, Donovan sold his paper to Samuel H. Kridelbaugh. Under his management, the paper had a short life.
The Columbus Gazette was established in the spring of 1844; Henry C. Child was its editor and proprietor, and for awhile, it was the rival of the Hoosier Revived. As editor, Child was succeeded by George E. Tingle in 1845, who in turn was succeeded by H. B. Horn. At this time, Child and Kridelbaugh consolidated their papers under the style of the Hoosier Gazette; this combination lasted but a short time, when it was dissolved. Child resuming the publication of the Gazette; The Hoosier Revived was never again revived. Duane Pettit, an experienced journalist, was associate editor of the Gazette for a short time. He died in 1846. In the spring of 1847, William B. Stanley became a partner with Child in the Gazette, and in the fall of that year, Child sold his interest to W. H. H. Terrell. In February, 1848, Child purchased Stanley's interest and again became connected with the paper. Its publication was discontinued June, 1848, for want of sufficient encouragement.
The Columbus Democrat was founded in 1848, by John P. Finkle, who continued its publication until 1850, when Aquilla Jones and W. F. Pidgeon became its proprietors. Soon after, Pidgeon retired and was succeeded by W. C. Stateler. In February 1852, Stateler became sole proprietor and changed the name of the paper to the Indiana Democrat. Mr. Stateler continued its publication until the year 1854, when he sold the paper to I. C. Dille, who continued its publication with Dr. Nathan Thompkins, editor, until 1861, when he sold the paper to the Rev. William Haw, who continued as its editor and proprietor until 1868, when the paper was purchased by N. T. Carr, and its name was changed to the Columbus Bulletin. Mr. Carr continued as its editor and proprietor until 1872, when J. D. Lyle purchased the same. He again changed the name to the Bartholomew Democrat, George E. Finney being the editor. Subsequently, Finney became part owner of the paper. November 17, 1876, the name of the paper was again changed, and was called the Columbus Democrat. In 1878, Finney severed for a time his connection with the paper, and sold his interest therein to John D. Lyle, but in a few months thereafter returned and took charge of the editorial department and continued to act in that capacity until November 25, 1878, when the paper was sold by J. D. Lyle to James N. Marsh (William Marsh's father), its present editor and proprietor.
In the year 1876, the publishers of the paper began and issued a daily paper known as the Daily Evening Democrat. For a short time the publication was discontinued, but was soon revived and is now again regularly published. Addison Arnold has been, since the purchase of the paper by Mr. Marsh, the city editor of Daily Evening Democrat. The paper, politically, is Democrat.
The Spirit Of The West, was established by W. C. Stateler and Columbus Stebbens in the year 1848, and was Whig in its policies. In 1852, Stateler sold his interest to Stebbens. The paper continued true to the party as long as the party had an existence. In the year 1854, it became an organ of the People's Party, and its name was changed to the Columbus Independent. In 1855, Fred Myers became assistant editor. Upon the organization of the Republican party, this paper became its organ in the county. In 1858, Mr. Stebbens removed to Hastings, Minnesota with his paper.
The Western Mirror, a literary paper, was founded by Alonso Hubbard in 1858, but was abandoned on account of insufficient support in the year 1860. Soon after, in the same year, Mr. Hubbard established another paper, known as the Weekly Union, which was discontinued in 1861. In 1868, Mr. Hubbard founded a paper known as the Columbus Republican, which he soon after sold to George W. Allison, who, after publishing the same a few years in Columbus, changing the name to the Columbus Union, removed with it to Brown County. In 1866, Mr. Hubbard founded the City News, an independent paper and continued the publication of the same until 1876, when the enterprise was abandoned.
The Columbus Republican was founded April 2, 1872, by Isaac T. Brown and Frank W. Lantz. The latter was its editor. It was Republican in politics as its name indicates. In the year 1873, Mr Lantz sold his interest in this paper to C. C. Brown, and retired from the editorial chair. He was succeeded as editor by Isaac M. Brown, the veteran newspaper man in the State, who continued as editor until the year 1878. In August 1877, Isaac T. Brown purchased the interest of C. C. Brown, and became sole proprietor of the paper. Isaac M. Brown was succeeded by Marshall Hacker and Crockett Ricketts as editors. They continued to act in that capacity until the summer of 1879 when Mr. Hacker retired.
November 12, 1877, the proprietors began the publication of a daily paper entitled the Daily Evening Republican, and still continue its publication.
Since January 1, 1879, John J. Schrack has been, and is now, the city editor of the Daily Republican.
In December, 1878, George E. Finney, former editor of the Columbus Democrat, founded the Columbian, an independent weekly newspaper which, after a brief and brilliant career of six months, was removed by the proprietors to Franklin, Indiana, and consolidated with the Franklin Herald, the name of the paper being changed to the Democrat, and is now published and edited by Finney and Short.
The Present: The only paper that exists in Columbus today (2007) is The Republic. The Republic has gone through several name changes. Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, it was known as the Evening Republican. I'm uncertain when it changed its name to The Republic.
The Evening Republican (The Republic) was an afternoon paper back in the 1950s and 1960s, and there was no publication on Sundays. I'm not sure when they started publishing a Sunday edition.
I would venture to say that Harry McCawley has seniority over most (if not all) of the employees at the paper, as Harry began his career with the Evening Republican in the 1960's. When Harry first began with the paper, he wrote the sports column.
The Republic, i. e., the Columbus Republican, the Daily Evening Republican, The Evening Republican papers can be viewed at our local library on microfiche, going all the way back to its very first issue.
The Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis has early copies of other Columbus newspapers throughout the 1800's...