Press

Isaac L. Hart was born in New York , and immigrated with his parents to Chicago in an early day. He learned the printer's trade in the old Chicago Times job rooms, and upon the breaking out of the war he enrolled his name as drummer boy. In 1863 he was appointed a clerk in the special treasury department at Natchez , which position he held till 1864. Returning to Chicago , he readily received a situation in the Journal office, where he remained until invited by James Miller to take charge of the mechanical department of the Eldora Tribune . Subsequently Mr. Miller went to Sac county, and started the Sac City Sun , and Mr. Hart was employed as editor, in which position he continued until July, 1871, when he started the Steamboat Rock News . The News prospered for over a year, when the division among the people of Steamboat Rock over the management of their school boards, crippled the paper, and the office was sold in April, 1873, to a stock company, and removed to Porte City , Iowa . Mr. Hart then returned to Chicago , and was again employed in the Journal job rooms. During the summer he took an extended trip East, with his family, and ran through with over $1,000 he had made in his newspaper enterprise in Hardin county. In March, 1874, Mr. Hart again returned to Eldora and took the Herald office.

The stockholders had paid about one-half of their stock, and a Chicago firm held a mortgage against the office for some $800, and the newspaper enterprise was not a success so far, so the stock was turned over to Mr. Hart, conditioned that he would assume all indebtedness against the office. In the spring of 1876, S. M. Weaver was associated with Mr. Hart, as editor of the Herald , but remained in connection with the paper only a few months. Mr. Hart then continued as editor and proprietor of the Herald until April, 1879, when he sold the office to E. R. Zeller, of Winterset, Iowa, and James S. Ross, who had been his foreman for a number of years, and has assisted largely as local editor. Mr. Hart then located at Pope Stone City , Minn. , and established the Star . Mr. Hart has made a financial success of his last newspaper venture, and has accumulated considerable property. He has held the office of County Judge several years, and carries on a book and stationery store in connection with his paper.

After running the Reform Herald about one year, Mr. Hart changed its name to the Eldora Herald , and also its politics to Democratic. As a Democratic organ, it continued until sold to Zeller and Ross.

W. W. Jones, present postmaster of Alden and one of the proprietors of the Times , was born in Moira, Franklin county, N. Y., June 8, 1845 . He is the youngest son of Thomas and Electa (Gray) Jones. In 1846 his parents moved to Brooklyn , Ohio , remaining one year; thence to Kirtland , Ohio , and soon after to Mentor . Until the age of 17 years, he attended the public schools of Mentor . At that age he enlisted in Company C, 88 th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, as a private, service as a company clerk and afterward as regimental clerk, and afterward detailed to Division General's headquarters, where he remained until the close of the war, and was honorably discharged at Columbus , Ohio , July 3, 1865 . He then returned to Mentor , and in 1867 graduated at Cleveland College . In 1859 his father died, and while absent in the army, in 1863, he lost his mother. In 1869 he came West to Mason City, Iowa, and soon after entered the Hancock Signal office, at Garner, Iowa, and there learned the “Art preservative of all arts,” and afterward removed to Mason City, where he engaged as compositor on the Mason City Express for two years. In 1873 he returned to Cleveland , and January 2, 1874 , he was married at Painesville , Ohio , to Miss Jennie S. Bloom, a native of Cummensville , Pa. In 1875 he located at Alden, and in 1877 was appointed assistant postmaster, which he held until he received his commission as postmaster, July 23, 1881 . In politics he is a Republican, and has held the office of town assessor, township clerk and town recorder. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., and is recorder of the Alden lodge. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were blessed with one child, Florine, who died at three years of age.

Mark J. Kelly

The first issue of the Hubbard Times, bore date September 9, 1881. It was a seven column folio, and established by Mark J. Kelly, who was editor and proprietor. Mr. Kelly continued its publication alone until July 1, 1882, when a half interest in the office was purchased by Pliny Fry, and its publication continued under the firm name of Kelly & Fry. The Times in its first year, secured a circulation of 600 copies weekly. It is Republican in politics, strongly prohibition, wide-awake and newsy.

Mark J. Kelly, editor of the Hubbard Times, was born at Indianapolis, Ind., Sept. 30, 1844, where he remained until April, 1861. At the age of nine years, he entered the printing office of the Indianian, where he received his education in the “Poor Man's College,” and learned the “Art preservative of all arts.” In April 1861, he enlisted in Company A, 9 th Indiana Infantry as a drummer boy, under the first call of the President for three months' men. In July, 1861, he re-enlisted in Company F, 12 th Indiana Volunteers, and was appointed Sergeant. In December, 1861, he was captured by rebels, and sent to Libby Prison and Castle Thunder, being among the first to taste the sweets of prison life in those afterwards famous places. He remained there two months, and was then paroled. In July, 1862, he was mustered out of the service at Indianapolis, and was made recruiting sergeant. In September, 1862, he was commissioned to 2d Lieutenant on staff duty, and in February, 1863, promoted to 1 st Lieutenant. In May, 1863, he was again captured by the rebels in Tennessee, and while on the way to Salisbury, North Carolina, prison, escaped, in company with three others, and returned to the Union lines, by the underground route, thanks to the negroes. In September, 1864, he was promoted to Captain, and in May, 1865, to Major. He was honorably discharged at Washington, D. C., in February, 1866. He was then employed as correspondent of the Washington Chronicle until the inauguration of Grant, in 1869. He then went to Kansas and founded the Washington County Republican, which he ran five years. He then founded the Beloit Record and ran it four years, eight months of which term he ran it as a daily. While in Kansas he took an active part in politics, holding several positions of trust. Mr. Kelly is an able writer, a good business man, and one who will make his present enterprise a success. In May, 1881, he came to Iowa, and June, 1881, located at Hubbard, and in September, 1881, founded the Hubbard Times, and is at present editor. He was married in November, 1878 to Francis J. Spengle, a native of Ohio. Two children have been born unto them – Walter W. and Amilia J.

John C. McBride, one of the editors and proprietors of the Ledger, was in Philadephia, Pennsylvania, and received his education in the high schools of that city.  In 1873 he came to Eldora, where he entered the law office of Huff & Reed, in which he continued his studies until admitted to the Bar in 1876, since which time he has engaged in the practice of his profession.  Mr. McBride is a brother of Robert H. McBride, the founder of the Ledger, and, like him, wields a graceful and ready pen.

Robert Hilton McBride

The Ledger was continued under the management of R. H. McBride until the spring of 1882, something over sixteen years.  That the gentleman was a sharp writer, and wielded a graceful as well as caustic pen, is admitted by all.  The Ledger acquired a State reputation, and even beyond its confines it was not unknown.  It was twice enlarged during Mr. McBride's control, and was one of the largest papers in the State.

Robert Hilton McBride was born in Philadelphia, November 17, 1842.  He is of Scotch-Irish descent.  He resided at home until his fifteenth year, attending the grammar schools and an academy of his native city, until prepared for college.  He then left home, traveling over the Southern States, visiting Richmond, Virginia; New Orleans, St. Louis, St. Paul, Chicago, Cincinnati, and other cities.  In 1859 he located at Eldora, and entered the law office of Henry L. Huff, as law student.  On the death of his mother, in 1861, he returned to Philadelphia, where he studied in the office of Benjamin Gerhard, a brother-in-law of General Meade.  Before leaving Eldora he was admitted to the bar, but had not entered upon an active practice.  Shortly before the battle of Chancellorsville, he went to the army as correspondent for the Philadelphia Press.  He followed the Army of the Potomac until the surrender of lee at Appomattox Court House.  He was with every raid that the cavalry made, and his reports were considered very reliable -- his articles all bearing his own name, by order of Mr. Forney. In 1863-4 he was also correspondent for the Washington Chronicle and the Associated Press.  He was highly complimented by Mr. Forney, and other newspaper men.  During his service he was twice captured; first by a party of our own men who were acting as scouts and dressed in rebel uniforms.  Each party took the other for rebels, and the mistake was not discovered until they reached camp.  The second capture was by Mosby's men, but after an hour he was re-captured by our cavalry.

In 1865 he occupied a place on the editorial staff of the Washington Chronicle for a few months, and in October of the same year returned to Eldora, where he formed a partnership with H. L. Huff for the practice of law and real estate business.  Mr. Woodruff having decided to remove the Sentinel, a purse of $1,200 was made up and an office purchased.  Mr. McBride was offered the position of editor; he accepted, and began the publication of the Ledger.  In the course of time he purchased all the stock in the concern owned by other parties, and became proprietor in deed as well as in name.  Soon after commencing the publication of the Ledger, he engaged in a severe contest with the paper at Iowa Falls.  The fight was long, bitter and personal.  The part taken in the conflict seemed to arouse the people -- an effort was made for a railroad, resulting in the final construction of the Iowa Central. In 1869 the Hawkeye Company was organized in Eldora, and Mr. McBride was elected president, in which capacity he served three years.  By his exertion the line was constructed the whole length of the Iowa Central road. In 1870 Judge Porter prosecuted McBride for libel, claiming damages to the amount of $75,000. The cause was tried February, 1872, and lasted four weeks. Mr. McBride was defended by Gov. Eastman, assisted by H. B. Fouke, of Dubuque.  This was the greatest and most severely contested slander case ever tried in the State.  McBride was acquitted of the charge.

In September, 1872, he married Adelle Arnold, a daughter of A. E. Arnold, ex-Auditor of Hardin county.

R. H. McBride closed his connection with the Ledger May 5, 1882, with the following brief announcement:

"After this issue, the Ledger will be published by the firm of McBride & Preston.  Mr. Preston is well known as an attorney, real estate dealer and proprietor of the abstract books of Hardin county.  Mr. John C. McBride is familiar to the Ledger family.  The Ledger is now much stronger than ever, and every improvement will be made to supply the newspaper wants of the people and the times."

In the issue of May 12, 1882, the new proprietors, J. C. McBride and W. S. Preston, made the following announcement:

"In assuming control of the Ledger, it will be expected that we say something of our intentions, and what our policy shall be.

"We do not expect to revolutionize the world, nor to make unto ourselves a great name, as have some who have edited newspapers before us, for we feel none of the genius of Greeley, a Bryant, or a Bennett, stirring within us.  What we do expect, is to do some hard word for Hardin county, and especially for the town and its immediate vicinity, in which our lot is cast.

"We enter into our work as editors and publishers of the Ledger, with no past to haunt us or be brought up against us.  We have only the future to deal with, and we feel no hesitation in stepping boldly into the future, untried as it is, for we feel assured of the support of the community so long as we earnestly labor for its good.  The Ledger will be the 'organ' of no one.  It will have no fight with, or spite against any one, but will endeavor to work for the good of all.  We may be pardoned for the feeling that we can do something to make the world better, perhaps, a kind of father's pride for his first bantling; but then if we had no hopes of doing some good, we should certainly fail, for, 'you cannot well shoot higher than your aim.'

"The Ledger will in politics be a Republican newspaper, because we honestly believe it right so to be.  We have another aim, also, and with due modesty we confide our hope to you, kind reader, asking you in the kindness of your heart, to do something to aid us in accomplishing our purpose.  It is to make a little money out of our enterprise.

"It is with 'good will to all, and malice toward none,' that we send out this, our first effort upon the 'uncertain sea of fame,' hoping it may reach some peaceful haven, and not through stress of storm, go down, with all our hopes and good purposes on board.

John C. McBride,
W. S. Preston."

An improvement has been made in the mechanical appearance of the Ledger in the past few months, which is appreciated by its readers.  The paper has a good corps of correspondents throughout the country, and its local page is always full to overflowing.  It ranks among the best local papers in the State.  Every effort to build up Eldora is encouraged by the editors.

J. J. Parsons was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, January 19, 1853.  In 1854 his parents settled in Linn county, Iowa -- his father, Lewis Parsons, making a claim in Otter Creek township, where he lived until he died, in 1876.  Here J. J. Parsons remained until sixteen, receiving a liberal education.  He then began teaching, and at twenty-two began reading law with Hon. William G. Thompson, member of Congress from the 5th district, at Marion.  He was admitted to the Bar, in the Circuit Court at Marion, June 3, 1878.  He located at Hubbard in 1880, and soon began the practice of his profession.  On the 3d day of December, 1880, he was appointed postmaster at Hubbard, which office he still continues to hold.  In February, 1880, Mr. Parsons was married to Estelle J., daughter of Charles Boody, one of the pioneers of Pleasant township.  They have one son -- Charles H.

W. S. Preston, the partner of Mr. McBride in the publication of the Ledger, was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, November 15, 1845.  He is the son of Rev. E. T. and Mary J. (Chambers) Preston, who emigrated to Jasper county, Iowa, in 1855, being among the early settlers of that county.  Rev. Mr. Preston was a self-made man, receiving few educational advantages.  When twenty-two years of age he began the study of law, and in due course of time was admitted to the Bar; but soon after his admission he united with Wesleyan Methodist Church, and became on of the leading ministers of that denomination.  He was always a strong anti-slavery man, and while a resident of Ohio, he was recognized as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and many a poor slave has he helped on to liberty.

W. S. Preston was educated in the common schools of his adopted county, and in Iowa College.  He also attended a law course at the Iowa State University, graduating in 1874.  During this year he was united in marriage with Mary A., daughter of M. Frisbie, of Eldora.  They have one daughter.  Mr. Preston, since 1874, has been engaged in the practice of law, and in the real estate business.

James S. Ross, editor and proprietor of the Eldora Herald, was born in Huntingdon county, Canada, on the 23d day of December, 1851. He is a son of Donald Ross, a native of Scotland, and Martha McArtha, of Scotch descent. His father came with his parents to Canada when he was two years of age, where he remained until 1849, when he came to the States, and was employed in the mines of Lake Superior, where he was superintendent of the shipping department. In 1857 he came to Steamboat Rock, where he purchased a steam mill, and soon after moved his family, who had never left Canada. The mill business proving a financial failure, he sold out, and purchased a farm, where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1866. His mother is still living, in Eldora. The subject of this memoir came to Hardin county when he was six years old. His parents being in limited circumstances, his schooling was limited, only attending two terms. He is a self-educated man. In 1871 he entered the office of the News, at Steamboat Rock, to learn the trade, where he remained a couple of years, when it was sold to a stock company and removed to Laporte City, Mr. Ross going with it as foreman. In the fall of 1873 he came to Eldora, and he was employed in the Herald office, where he has passed from the various departments, until now he is proprietor and editor of the same. On the 23d day of December, 1879, he married Martha H. Daniels, a daughter of S. P. Daniels, of Tipton, Cedar county, Iowa. By this union there are two children -- Clarence S. and Donald.

O. M. Smith, editor of the Union Star, was born in Wyoming, Jones county, Iowa, on the 17th day of July, 1857.  He is the son of J. M. and Mary J. (Moore) Smith, natives of Pennsylvania.  They were the parents of two children -- one son and one daughter.  In 1852 the elder Smith emigrated to Maquoketa, Jackson county, Iowa, where he was employed as superintendent in a woolen mill.  He afterwards removed to Wyoming, Jackson county, Iowa, where he built the first house in the village.  He is at present living in Mitchellville, Cedar county.  O. M. Smith received his early education in the common schools in Iowa, graduating at the Agricultural College at Ames.  In the spring of 1882 he purchased the Union Star, where he edits with ability, and under his administration it is fast taking rank among the best local papers in this section of the State.