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JOHNSON
COUNTY NEWSPAPERS
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Warrensburg
Clipper
“The first attempt at a paper in Johnson county was the
“Warrensburg Clipper,” edited by William Stephenson, known as
‘Uncle Billy.’ It was written by hand, five or six copies,
and posted in the show windows of the prominent stores. Uncle Billy
depended upon advertising to pay him for his labor and in that day the
unregenerate ancestors of modern non-advertisers flourished. So Uncle
Bill, like the poor editor of today, had some difficulty in making ends meet.
One firm, Pinkston & Calhoun, druggists, were so particularly averse to
inserting a 25-cent weekly ad that Uncle Billy in disgust decided to give
them a free advertisement. He drew a picture of their store with the
sign, Pinkston & Calhoun, Druggists, very prominent. In front of
the store stood a man bended doubled with his hands upon his stomach,
unloading all that he had eaten for a month. The legend from his mouth
was, ‘Damn your stuff.’ We do not know whether this converted
the firm or not, but we note that in a paper of 1858 they were liberal
advertisers.”
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Western
Missourian
Edited by Marsh Foster; important newspaper prior to the Civil War.
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The Signal
Important newspaper prior to the Civil War.
“With the breaking of the (Civil) War the newspaper business stopped short.”
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Standard-Herald
1865. The first paper published after the war; first called the
Warrensburg Standard which was started in 1865 by N. B. Klaine
and S. K. Hall. In 1880 Hall sold his interest to Roderick Baldwin; in
1877 Klaine sold to George A. Richards who later
sold to Van Matre. After the death of Major
Baldwin, his son Mark Baldwin succeeded him until he sold his interest to J.
M. Shepherd, who bought out Van Matre.
Shepherd sold to C. M. Jaqua, the present editor
and proprietor. The hyphenated name came from the absorption of the
Daily Herald, published by Will Car.. The paper is the only
torch-bearer of the Republican party in Johnson county.
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Star-Journal
1865. Largest paper in the county [in 1918]; combination of the Star
and the Journal-Democrat, which was a consolidation of two of the oldest
papers in the county, the Journal (est. 1865 by J. D. Eads, father of J. D.
Eads, a popular Warrensburg banker) and the Democrat (founded by Julian &
Conklin in 1871). “The Star-Journal is owned by a stock company,
the largest stockholders being Wallace Crossley,
now lieutenant governor of Missouri, and W. C. Kapp,
a veteran newspaper man who has editorial charge. A daily edition and a
semi-weekly edition are issued.”
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Holden
Enterprise
1867. Established August 1867; presently conducted and edited by
Richard H. Tatlow; Democratic in politics; well
supported by the western section of the county. Judge Tatlow was former county judge and has conducted the
paper now for a long time.
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Knob Noster Gem
1878. Established by Harris and McFarland in 1878. Shortly
afterward, Will D. Carr and J. P. Johnston took charge; in 1879 Johnston sold
his interest to E. B. Farley; few months later Carr become sole proprietor; February
1889 Carr sold to E. D. Crawford; November 1889 Crawford sold back again to
Carr and brother who afterward sold out to George J. Taylor who conducted it
for 16 years; it was then sold to a company and conducted by O. A. Palmer;
then sold to Houston Harte; now belongs to E. T. Hodges. Independent in
politics. “The press upon which the Gem was first printed was the
one carried by General Fremont in his famous Rocky Mountain tour.”
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Chilhowee Blade
1894. Established as the Chilhowee News by
Tol McGrew, 23 years ago. Afterward it was
conducted by a company of Chillhowee citizens, then
sold to Stuart Lewis, and is now owned and conducted by Don H. Wimmer as an independent paper.
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Leeton Times
1897. J. R. Bradley, editor and publisher, in 1918.
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Holden
Progress
1903. The paper is 14 years old and has been owned by its present
editor, C. L. Hobart, for 12 years. Independent in politics.
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Normal
Student
1911. School paper.
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Johnson
County Democrat
1913. Established by Mel. P. Moody in 1913.
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Old Papers
“One is ‘James K. Duffield’s Land
Bulletin,’ published in November 1867. (Mr. Duffield was Mrs. Dixon’s father.) It lists 212 farms and 40
town properties for sale, at prices of $5 to $50 an acre for farms and $150
to $5,500 for town properties. It gives a short sketch of Missouri and
its advantages, tells about Johnson county and its resources and
conditions. It emphasizes the fact that peaceful conditions exist, and
states that ‘people are as safe in person and property as they would be
in Ohio or Illinois. The Sabbath is duly observed and divine worship is held
in every part of the county. Warrensburg is certainly as quiet and orderly as
towns in New York or Pennsylvania; and society with regard to culture and
refinement, compares favorably with that of Eastern towns.’ (Mr. Duffield’s solicitude that the seeker for a peaceful
and prosperous home in our county should realize its good character as a
law-abiding community, is somewhat explained by the fact that in the nine
months immediately preceding, nine men had been hanged or shot by a vigilance
committee in order to bring about this happy and peaceful condition.
The last one was hanged two months before the ‘Bulletin’ appeared.
The results of these ministrations by the committee to the spiritual needs of
the community fully justified Mr. Duffield’s
statements. At that time the most exemplary lives were being led by
those whose previous reputations had been even slightly doubtful.“The
Bulletin also contains an advertisement of the ‘Warrensburg and Clinton
State Line,’ which states that is ‘connects with stages at Clinton
for Osceola, Ft. Scott and other points south and west. Also at
Warrensburg and Lexington for other points north,’ and that ‘This
line has just been refitted with new four-horse coaches. The most
careful drivers and the best horses. Office under Ming’s
Hotel near the depot. No. 1 Holden Street.’ (This was the
first house north of the railroad on the east side.”
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Source: taken from
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY MISSOURI, by Ewing Cockrell. Topeka,
Cleveland: Historical Publishing Company. Pages 337-342. Transcribed
for the WWW by Nancy Howland©1999
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