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[Pg. 150]
Hamilton was not as fortunate as
Dayton, Lebanon and Xenia, - towns of less population -
which had newspapers, as early as 1803. The first
printing office opened in Hamilton and the first paper
issued was the Miami Intelligencer, on June 22, 1814.
It was located in an old log house at the corner of Dayton
and Water streets. Colby, Bonnell & Co.,
were the publishers. James McBride owned
the press and type. The publication of the
Intelligencer was continued under different managements
until Oct. 5, 1819, when it was purchased by James B.
Cameron and John L,. Murray. On Nov. 11,
1821, James B. Cameron became sole editor and
proprietor. The publication office was removed from
the corner of Reily and High streets to the building in
which Thomas S. Myers was assasinated
assassinated in 1870.
In June, 1827, James B. Cameron began the
publication of a radical Jackson paper, the Western
Telegraph, with Taylor Webster as editor.
In August, 1828, the publication of the Intelligencer
was resumed. Dr. John C. Dunlevy was installed
as editor.
John Woods became the sole owner of the
Intelligencer in March, 1829. He sold a half
interest to M. B. Sargeant his law partner. On
June 21, 1831, Mr. Woods became sole
publisher, when D. D. Campbell, who had learned the
art of print-
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ing on the Cincinnati Gazette came to the
Intelligencer office as a printer. John
Woods retired from the paper Nov. 10, 1832, and on the
17th of the same month L. D. Campbell was announced
as editor. He was editor, compositor and proof reader
combined. In 1834, L. B. Gibbons and D. B.
Gardner assisted him as publishers. Mr. Gardner
retired Nov. 12, 1835, and Mr. Gibbons, May
12, 1836, when he was succeeded by Isaac M. Walters.
In November, 1838, Mr. Campbell retired, as he
had studied law in the mean time and was admitted to the
bar. On Feb. 27, 1840, William C. Howells
purchased the paper and became editor and publisher.
He was a man of marked ability, and gave his readers an
excellent journal. He sold out Nov. 16, 1848, to
Charles & Boardman. On May 17, 1849, J.
W. McBeth purchased Mr Charles' interest and the
firm was styled McBeth & Boardman. D. W. Halsey
succeeded to Boardman's interest, Apr. 24, 1851.
The paper was published by Halsey & McBeth
until Feb. 15, 1855, when McBeth disposed of his
interest to Mr. Halsey, who owned the paper
until 1857, when he died. Minor Millikin
and D. W. McClung purchased it from his executors.
Jacob Morris, of Lebanon, purchased the
Intelligencer from Mr. Millikin, June 30,
1859. He associated William Bunston with
him as joint owner. In May, 1862, Williams &
Egry purchased the paper and merged it in the
Telegraph.
The Western Telegraph was published by James
B. Cameron and Taylor Webster in 1827.
On Mar. 11, 1831, the name was changed to the Hamilton
Telegraph. This paper was issued in Rossville.
Oct. 28, 1836, the paper suspended On Nov. 18,
of this year its publication was resumed by Franklin
Stokes. John B. Weller was its editor.
In November, 1839, the publication office was changed
to Hamilton. Nov. 18, 1847, Ryan & Witherby
were its publishers; O. S. Witherby and Rev. N. M.
Gaylord editors. In 1847, Michael C. Ryan
assumed editorial charge of the paper. Ferdinand
Van Derveer was editor in 1849, and Charles I,.
Weller, in 1851
[Pg. 152]
William R, Kinder, Nov. 11, 1852, purchased the
paper and made radical changes in its publication. He
continued as editor and proprietor until June 13, 1854, when
the Telegraph was purchased by Charles I. Barker and
James McCormick. On Nov. 8, 1855, A. A.
Phillips bought Barker's interest. He sold
out to Daniel R. Empson in April, 1856. On
Sept. 3, 1857, James K. Webster purchased the paper,
and owned and controlled it until 1861, when John McElwee
and John P. P. Peck purchased it. Dr.
McElwee retired from the paper in August, 1861, and
established a new journal entitled, the True Telegraph.
It was printed from the Oxford Union type. Its
first issue was dated Sept. 26, 1861. At this date
Hamilton had three papers, the Telegraph, True
Telegraph and Intelligencer. On Oct. 31,
1867, Frank H. Scobey became part proprietor
of the Telegraph, selling out after a year's time.
In October, 1868, Fred. Egry again became the
owner of the paper. On Dec. 17, 1879, he sold out to
C. M. Campbell.
Stephen Crane and E. E. Palmer were
editors and proprietors of the True Telegraph from
Apr. 23, 1863, to July 21, 1864, when the paper was sold to
the True Telegraph Company, and John McElwee was
installed as editor. He served until Feb. 23, 1865,
when he was succeeded by John A. Cockerill. On
Oct. 26, 1865, the Cockerill Brothers became sole
owners of the paper and so remained until July 2, 1868, when
it was purchased by J. H. Long. Colonel H.
H. Robinson edited the paper. On Jan. 13, 1870,
John R. Nickel and L. B. De La Court, Dec. 21,
1873, sold to the Democrat to Thomas H. Holder,
of Marion, Ohio. The firm of R. N. Andrews &
Co. purchased the paper Apr. 15, 1875. J. W. Short
was editor. Later in the year James P. Caldwell
edited the paper for three months. On Dec. 2, 1875
Harry C. Hume was installed as editor.
Subsequently Daniel J. Callen, of Celina, Ohio came
into the possession of the Democrat. He became
finan-
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committee are Nelson Williams and O. V. Parrish.
City editor E. K. Beeks, resigned in April, 1893, and
was succeeded by Frank E. Brandt, who resigned Sept.
1, 1896. Perle P. Sheehan succeeded E. C.
Haines. Mr. Sheehan retired in September,
1894, to enter Union college. Martin Seward
succeeded him, but retired from the paper in September,
1895, to attend Cornell university. Thomas D.
Temple served for several months and Carl Greer
succeeded him, and upon his promotion to city editor, T.
D. Temple succeeded Carl Greer.
As a journalist, Mr. Tobey has been very
successful in the management of the Republican.
He is a clear and forcible writer. His kind and
benevolent disposition, his presence and social ways are a
pleasure to his friends.
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