HISTORY OF THE EARLY NEWSPAPERS IN MARIETTA, OHIO Key facts taken from: HISTORY OF MARIETTA By Thos. J. Summers, B. A. Illustrated -- Marietta, Ohio 1903 The Leader Publishing Co., Printers, Marietta, Ohio. Chapter XV - The Press (Edited) OHIO GAZETTE AND VIRGINIA HERALD -- First published in Marietta on Dec. 18, 1901. The date of this first publication was unsettled for may years as there are no copies of it in existence dating from December 18, 1801 to October 24, 1803. The issue of the latter date is was in the possession of Hon. R. M. STIMPSON, being presented to him in 1862...... In 1864 while editor of the "Marietta Intelligencer (see below), he came across an article published in the Intelligencer in 1839 by Cleb EMERSON. He had discovered an imperfect copy of the first issue of the "Ohio Gazette and Virginia Herald," dated December 18, 1801, this fixing a long unknown date........... This first newspaper was published by Wylly SILLIMAN, publisher. and Elijah BACHUS, editor...... When the newspaper was found on October 24, 1803, it was owned and published by Samuel FAIRLAMB, of Philadelphia. It had 4 pages, of 4 columns each, printed on heavy, but rather coarse paper. The subscription price was $2 a year, in advance, or $2.50, one-half paid in advance, and the remainder at the end of the year. The press on which it was printed was a wooden one with a stone bed. For the first few years it was printed on Front Street near the stockade, and afterward the press was moved to the "Point." The paper was Republication in politics and supported Jefferson. It was made up of both foreign and national news and advertisements of a legal or official nature. The newspaper that was found, dated October 24, 1803 had the following: The first page was taken up with advertisements, set mostly in very large type; the list of letter remaining in the post office in Marietta, occupying a column and a half of the four columns of the page. Griffin GREENE was postmaster. Post offices were not very frequent at that day, for we find letters advertised for persons living at "Belleprie, Little Kenhawa, Kenhaway, Gallioplis, Guiandot and Big Sandy." John CLINE and Enos ATWATER give notice that they intend to apply to the next term of court "for a right of establishing a ferry from a point at Fort Harmar across the Ohio River to Mr. PORTER’S, in Wood County, Virginia." Notice is given that "the inhabitants of the townships of Newport and Tuskarawa, in the county of Washington," intend to petition the General Assembly for a new county, with a "permanent seat of Justice, at, or near, the mouth of Licking Creek, on the Muskingum." John BUELL gives notice that "a horse and a colt broke into the enclosure of the subscriber," and requests the owner to prove the property and take them away. N. GATES, secretary, gives notice of an adjourned meeting of mechanics to consider "the propriety of forming a Mechanical Society" in Washington county. Edward TUPPER says he has "just received from Philadelphia, and offers for sale at his store in Marietta, a large and general assortment of Dry Goods, Groceries, Hardware, Saddlery, etc." The 2nd page is entirely filled with foreign news over two months old. The 3rd page is half filled with the "Laws of Ohio," four short miscellaneous articles, and four advertisements, on from Clarksburg, Virginia. John GREEN advertises that he has "opened a Public House in the town of Newport, on the road from Marietta to Wheeling, fifteen miles from Marietta." James RIGGS, of Grandview, says "an iron gray mare came to my plantation and broke into my enclosure," and requests the owner to prove property, etc. Richard GREEN offers for sale "a very valuable farm in the town of Marietta, about half a mile from the city, containing about 39 acres." Also, on the 3rd page, election returns are given for the counties of Washington and Gallia. The 4th page contains over a column more of stale foreign news and some miscellaneous matter, which ends the paper..... Mr. FAIRLAMB continued this publication till 1810, when he sold to Mr. EMERSON, and thus ended the pioneer paper of the pioneer city of the Northwest. THE COMMENTATOR AND MARIETTA RECORDER - A Federalist paper first issued September 16, 1807, by DUNAHN & GARINER. The paper was not well supported and remained in existence only two years. WESTERN SPECTATOR - Soon after purchasing "The Ohio Gazette and Virginia Herald," Mr. EMERSON began the first publication of the Western Spectator on October 10th, 1810. During the first year, the paper was published "on Saturday, by Thomas Ransom, for Caleb EMERSON at $2.50 per annum, payable half yearly in advance." In copy No. I of Vol. II, published October 19, 1811, it is stated that J. Israel published the paper for Mr. EMERSON. Its motto was: "Be Just and Fear Not." ............... The Spectator was published for a period of about 2 1/2 years when it was purchased and renamed the American Friend. THE AMERICAN FRIEND - The American Friend was first issued on April 24, 1813. It was owned by D. Everett, Thomas RANSOM, T. BUELL and D. H. BUELL. Mr. EVERETT was the editor. After he died, D H. BUELL became editor and publisher of the paper till April 16, 1814, when Royal PRENTISS purchased an interest in the publication and continued in partnership with the BUELL's till 1816, when he became the sole owner of the Friend. In 1820 he moved the printing office from the "point" to 5th Street close to where the college now stands. On June 26, 1823, he enlarged the paper to five columns and annexed to it name "Gazette and then it became the American Friend & Marietta Gazette. THE MARIETTA MINERVA - Started in October, 1823, but was soon suspended on December 3, 1824, being merged by the only paper which was published in Marietta at that time, "The American Friend and Marietta Gazette. - It was edited by J. D. and A. V. D. JOLINE. AMERICAN FRIEND & MARIETTA GAZETTE - From June 26, 1823 to April 30, 1826, Royal PRENTISS had a partner. G. PRINTESS, but on the latter date he again became sole owner and remained so till May 11, 1833, when he sold to John DELAFIELD, Jr., and EDWARD W. NYE. MARIETTA GAZETTE - When Messrs. DELAFIELD and NYE assumed control of the paper they dropped the name of American Friend, and the paper was then known by the name of "Marietta GAZETTE." The gentlemen did not issue their first paper till June 29, 1833, and it was not till the second copy was issued, a week later, that the name was changed to "Gazette." This partnership lasted only 15 months, when Mr. NYE withdrew. Five months later Pazzi LAPHAM succeeded Mr. DELAFIELD as editor and in 9 months later Mr. NYE returned and became sole owner of the GAZETTE. The next change was on April 20, 1836, when Caleb EMERSON, who had established the "Western Spectator over 26 years before, bought out Mr. NYE. From this date till 1841, Mr. Emerson and his son, William D., remained in charge of the paper and many items interest are noted in it during this period. In 1842 Edmund FLAGG came to Marietta and took charge of the Gazette and was its last editor. The next year it was merged with the Intelligencer which had been started three years before. MARIETTA INTELLENGENCER -- The "Marietta Intelligencer" first appeared on Aug. 29, 1839, founded by Beaman GATES. When he started the paper, was barely twenty-one years of age. In 1856 Dr. T. L. ANDREWS became the editor. On June 5, 1862, he sold the publication to Rodney M. STIMPSON who on that day took possession as editor and proprietor of the paper and changed its name to the Marietta Register. MARIETTA REGISTER -- Mr. STIMPSON was editor of the Register for 10 years. In 1872 Mr. STIMPSON sold the paper to E. R. ALDERMAN & Co. (the company was J. W. DUMBLE), who took possession on May 20th. Mr. DUMBLE remained in partnership till 1875 when Mr. ALDERMAN became the sole proprietor.......On January 1, 1874, he enlarged the paper from an 8 to a 9 column issue. In 1833 the firm became E. R. ALDERMAN & Sons. The latter partnership continued till 1887, when The Marietta Register Company was incorporated under the laws of Ohio. President, L. A. ALDERMAN; Vice President: A. D. ALDERMAN; Secretary and Treasurer, E. S. ALDERMAN; Directors, L. A. ALDERMAN, E. S. ALDERMAN, A. D. ALDERMAN, William SHARP., D. R. GERKEN. A. D. ALDERMAN is editor and manager. J. W. LANSLEY associate editor, and D. R. GERKEN, assistant manager. THE MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY PILOT - It was the first Democratic paper published in the town. It appeared April 7, 1826, with the names of George DUNLEVY and A. V. D. JOLINE as publisher. At first, it was neutral in politics, but in 1827 espoused the cause of JACKSON. Under JACKSON's administration. Mr. JOLINE became postmaster of Marietta. In May, 1830, the last number of "The Pilot" was issued, and some little time afterwards the material of the defunct paper was purchased by John BROUGH, afterwards the Governor of Ohio. THE WESTERN REPUBLICAN AND MARIETTA ADVERTISER - This newspaper was soon started after Mr. BROUGH had bought the material of "The Pilot". The first issue was on January 8, 1831. The paper was published in Marietta for about 2 years, then removed to Parkersburg, and after a few months to Lancaster. In 1841 he and his brother started the "Cincinnati Enquirer", left Marietta. For a few months after Mr. BROUGH's leaving, Marietta was without a Democratic paper. In 1834 another was started by John McCRACKEN, but was published for only 8 weeks. One morning a note was found in his office, signed by Mr. McCRACKEN, which read: "I'm off, as the fly said when it lit on the mustard pot." The paper stopped. THE MARIETTA DEMOCRAT -- In August, 1835, the above named paper was started by Charles B. FLOOD, who published it until 1838, when Jacob BAUGHEY took charge of it. The paper was ill supported and soon failed, and the material became the property of Daniel RADEBAUGH, Jr. In April, 1840, he issued the first number of "The Washington County Democrat" THE WASHINGTON COUNTY DEMOCRAT - This paper remained in existence but a short time. In 1844 it was revived by J. C. C. CARROLL, who published it until after the first of November of that year, when it was stopped. THE MARIETTA REPUBLICAN -- For about 5 years following, the city of Marietta was without a Democratic paper. In 1849 Amos LAYMAN, a Marietta College graduate, started "The Republican." He made the paper a success, and after 5 years transferred it to Andrew McCORMICK, and sometime afterwards he became editor of The Daily Ohio Statesman of Columbus. Mr. McCORMICK continued the publication of the paper until 1863, when it was suspended, and again Marietta was without a Democratic paper. MARIETTA TIMES - Issued it's first newspaper on September 24, 1864, by Walter C. HOOD. He published the paper till 1871, when he sold out and became State Librarian. He was succeed by S. M. McMILLIN who brought out his first issue on August 3, 1871. He enlarged the paper to 8 columns. In 1890 Benj. J. McKINNEY became editor and publisher of this paper. It was always a weekly issue until 1898, when a daily was added, and now both are issued with a large circulation. DER MARIETTA DEMOKRAT - The German press history dates back to 1856, when the "Demokrat" was started by William LOREY. He published it till 1865, when it passed into the hands of MUELLER & SCHULTZ, who soon after suspended its publication. It was then revived by its former editor, who issued it for eighteen weeks, when it was suspended. DER BEOBRACHTER - In 1861 Joseph WILDT and Frederick NEUBERGER started a Republican German paper. It was not well supported as Republican Germans were then very few, and consequently only existed about 9 months. There was an effort made by E. SCHMIDT, foreman of the office, to revive it, but with no success. For about 6 years after this there was no German paper published in Marietta. The next one started was the Der Patriot. DER PATRIOT - This newspaper was started by Rev. Constantine ARNOLD in 1867. He was the pastor of the German Protestant St. Lucas' church, and printed his paper with the material of the former paper, "Der Beobachter," of which he was given the use. There were published only 22 numbers of the paper, because Mr. ARNOLD had to leave Marietta. MARIETTA ZEITUNG - In October 1868, Mr. WINCHESTER issued the first numbers of the "Zeitung," being assisted by Mr. NEUBERGER, of the former "Beobachter. He published about 20 numbers when he sold to Jacob MUELLER, who edited and published the paper until recently, when Frederick KNAPP purchased it. At that time it was the only German paper published in the city. MARIETTA LEADER -- Was first issued on February 23, 1881, by Frank A. CRIPPEN and Will S. KNOX. About a year after its establishment, the paper was sold to t. F. DAVIS, and in 1890 was incorporated at "The Leader Publishing Co. During this year was begun the issue of a bi-weekly Leader, which was published till 1894, then a tri-weekly was started. THE MARIETTA DAILY LEADER In 1895 appeared "The Marietta Daily Leader" as a morning paper, with weekly editions. The editor was George M. COOKE, who was also the owner. In July 1900, Mr. COOKE sold the paper to H. V. SPEELMAN, J. W. CROOKS, T. J. MERCER, C. C. MIDDLESWART, John KAISER and others. In February, 1902, Mr. SPEELMAN resigned as editor of "The Leader" and on Oct. 10, 1902, C. E. CREAGER, of Columbus, Ohio, and formerly a city editor on the Ohio State Journal, was chosen to fill the vacancy. The Leader was the only morning paper published in the city, and had a circulation of 5,000. It was Republican in politics, and was published on 2nd Street. THE MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL - The first issue appeared on Jan. 6, 1902. It was published on the 2nd floor of the city electric building, and was the official organ of the Trades and Labor Assembly of Marietta. The paper appeared as a result of the "printers' strike" which occurred in Dec. 1901. The other papers of the city refused to sign what is called the printers' "scale" and be regulated by the Typographical Union. Consequently the union men left the different printing offices, and that this union, as well as the different labor assemblies of the city, might have an official organ in Marietta, "The Daily Journal" was started by them. It was well patronized and a growing circulation. The information was taken from the book: HISTORY OF MARIETTA By Thos. J. Summers, B. A. Illustrated -- Marietta, Ohio 1903 The Leader Publishing Co., Printers, Marietta, Ohio. Chapter XV - The Press Extracted and edited by Debbie Noland Nitsche August 2004 NOTE: This chapter has been edited. It is not written exactly as it appears in the book. Also, names have been capitalized for easy identification.