Early Newspapers

Early Olmsted County Newspapers

The newspaper has, in these modern times, become an indispensable element in true progress and genuine civilization. In the agricultural, commercial, educational and religious world, the newspaper is becoming to wield a mighty force. It is at once the medium of thought the exponent of principles, an agency which, in large measure, gives tone and character to society and garners up for present use and future reference and reflection, faithful accounts of the world's activities. The American people are, emphatically, a reading people. No village, town or city, in these days of progress and enterprise, expects to grow and prosper without the newspaper. The printing-office fills a niche and supplies a want which will not admit of a substitute. The earlier settlers of Olmsted county showed a lively appreciation of the value of the newspaper. The first newspaper published in this county was started in the fall of 1856, only two years after the first occupancy of the county by white men. At the time of which we speak, "The Oronoco Courier," a seven-column newspaper, was established at the thriving and pleasant village of Oronoco, by a joint stock company, consisting of Leonard B. Hodges, John B. Clark. E. S. Collins, Reuben Ottman and E. Allen Power. The outfit tor the office was purchased at Dubuque, Iowa, and John B. Flynn, of that place, was employed as foreman of the office. The services of Dr. H. Galloway, afterward of Rochester but now residing at Fargo, Dakota, were secured by the company as editor-in-chief, and E. A. Power was employed as local editor. The " Courier" was conducted with much vigor and ability, and ranked among the first-class newspapers in the territory. When the financial crisis of 1857 came on, the "Courier's " existence ceased. That was the first and last effort to publish a newspaper at Oronoco, if we may except a small advertising sheet gotten up by Mr. M. W. Clay some two or three years ago, but now discontinued.

Messrs. Evans and Robbins came to Rochester from the east in the winter of 1857 and established a small weekly newspaper entitled "The Olmsted County Journal." The paper was conducted upon the independent plan until the following fall, when John H. Hyatt and Martin L. Stewart purchased the office and commenced the publication of the "Rochester Free Press," in the winter of 1858. These gentlemen continued the publication of the paper until the June following, when they in turn sold out to Fred A. Soule, who continued its publication, with himself as editor and J. R. Drew as publisher, for about one year, when it was discontinued.

In September, 1857, Charles Cottam commenced the publication of "The Rochester Democrat." The "Democrat" was an eight-column paper, printed on bourgeois type, finely executed. In politics it was intensely democratic, as its name indicated. It was the first and only democratic paper ever published in the county until the fall of 1865. Mr. Cottam continued the publication of his paper until November, 1859, when it was discontinued.

The "Rochester City News " made its first appearance about the last of October, 1859, under the management of C. W. Blaisdell, who was also proprietor. The "News" was a neutral paper, having no fixed principles about anything, but striving to accommodate itself to all, and, as a consequence, meeting with very poor success. It went to the shades at the end of about one year.
Messrs. David and Cyrenus Blakely commenced the publication of the "Rochester City Post" about November 1, 1859. The material was brought from Austin, Minnesota, and the "Post" started under auspicious and promising circumstances. The proprietors were practical printers and excellent business men. The "Post" was republican in politics, and as that party were largely in the ascendency in the county, it could hardly fail of success. The office was well equipped for newspaper as well as job work, and the proprietors soon were favored with a large amount of state, county and private patronage.

During the year 1863-4-5, Mr. David Blakely being absent at St. Paul, as secretary of state, W. S. Booth, George Bisbee and S. W. Eaton, all took turns in the editorial management of the

"Post." After conducting the paper for six years Messrs. Blakely sold their entire interest to Messrs. J. A. Leonard and W. S. Booth, who materially enlarged the paper and changed it from folio to quarto form, and dropping the word "City" from the title of the paper. Within a year, however, it was changed back to folio. In June, 1867, Messrs. Leonard and Booth purchased the subscription list and good will of the "Rochester Republican," of which paper we shall soon speak, at the same time engaging the services of S. W. Eaton as associate editor. The " Post" was conducted by Messrs. Leonard and Booth until the fall of 1875, when Mr. Leonard became the sole owner of the establishment. The partnership was dissolved and Mr. Booth gave up his entire interest in the business. In July, 1881, Mr. Leonard having received the appointment of United States consul at Leith, Scotland, he leased the office to Messrs. L. H. and P. S. Kelly, who are the present managers and publishers, under the firm name of Kelly Brothers, with S. W. Eaton as editor. The "Post" was issued daily through the six state fairs which have been held at Rochester. Messrs. Kelly Brothers, the present publishers of the "Post," got out the first and only "City Directory " of Rochester in 1873. They published five hundred copies of this work.

In the fall of 1860, W. H. Mitchell and Dr. L. H. Kelly purchased the material of the "Rochester News," and with it commenced the publication of the "Rochester Republican,"" a radical republican sheet, as the name indicated. The next year R. H. Hoag, putting in a press and some other material which he brought from Northfield, Minnesota, acquired an interest in the "Republican," Dr. Kelly retiring from the concern. In the summer of 1862 Mr. Hoag enlisted in the army, and Mr. Mitchell was left sole owner and manager of the ''Republican " until November of the same year, when S. W. Eaton, then recently from Green Lake county, Wisconsin, purchased an undivided half interest in the paper, and became a partner of Mr. Mitchell in its publication. In the spring of 1864 Mr. Eaton re-sold his interest in the establishment to Mr. Mitchell, who continued as editor and proprietor of the paper until the fall of 1865, when he sold it to Messrs. U. B. Shaver and S. W. Eaton. These gentlemen conducted the paper under the firm name of Shaver & Eaton until the spring of 1867, when it was disposed of to Leonard & Booth, as before stated. In the arrangement Mr. Shaver held the material of the office, which he removed to Kasson and commenced the publication of the "Dodge County Republican.'' In the spring of 1863 Dr. Kelly, having purchased of Mr. Hoag the material which the latter had put into the office of the "Rochester Republican," he removed the same to Owatonna, and started the "Plaindealer," the first newspaper published in that city.

In October, 1865, the "Federal Union," a democratic paper, was started by the "Federal Union" Printing Association, Mr. H. S. Knapp, then recently from Ohio, editor and manager. The "Union" was a large eight-column sheet, and very nicely printed on type newly purchased in Chicago. Mr. Knapp was a rapid and pleasing writer ; socially he was every inch a gentleman, and politically, a democrat of the old school. Somewhat advanced in years, Mr. Knapp's sojourn of a half-dozen years in Minnesota failed to inspire him with that energy, push and enterprise characteristic of the great Northwest, and which are so essential to newspaper success, especially in small towns and cities. While politically he made the paper intensely democratic in tone and purpose, in the local news department it was not so much a success. In 1869 Mr. Knapp transferred his share of the stock in the paper to his son, Trevitt, and retired from the business. The same year one Nelson D. Porter, also from Ohio, got possession of Mr. Knapp's interest and assumed the management of the paper. Mr. Porter continued to conduct the paper until June, 1870, when his share of the stock was sold on a judgment previously obtained against him in the district court by H. S. Knapp. This stock was bid in by Col. George Healy, who soon after purchased the balance of the stock. About this time Mr. Healy contracted one-half interest to H. H. Young, the latter to conduct the business and edit the paper. Mr. Young failed to make the payments stipulated, and the transaction was not vastly profitable to Col. Healy. The establishment was next leased by Mr. Healy to Mr. Young and James Button for one year. At the expiration of the year Col. Healy took possession of the office, and subsequently sold it to Mr. Young. In the several mutations which the "Federal Union " experienced about these years, M. A. Burbank acquired some interest in the establishment, just what, or how much, or for what length of time, our records do not state. Mr. Young continued the publication of the paper until March, 1864, when it was consolidated with the

"Minnesota Record," then owned and conducted by A. W. Blakely, and of which paper we shall make mention in due time. The title of the newly-consolidated paper was the "Record and Union," Messrs. Young and Blakely editors and proprietors.

In the fall of 1874 Mr. Young sold out to S. D. Hillman, and the publishing firm was changed to Blakely & Hillman. In December, 1879, Mr. Hillman transferred his interest to C. T. Coerr, and in the following February Mr. Blakely bought Mr. Coerr's interest and has since been and still is sole owner and publisher. The office is well stocked with material, both for newspaper and job work, the paper is printed on a steam-power press, and in politics it is "independent democratic."

In March, 1868, Messrs. Leonard & Booth, proprietors of the "'Rochester Post," started a Scandinavian paper, the "Nordisk Folkeblad," under the editorial management of Mr. S. Christensen, formerly of La Crosse, Wisconsin. This was the first Scandinavian paper ever established west of the Mississippi river. The "Folkeblad " was a large eight-column paper, neatly worked, and judging from the commendations of Scandinavian readers and the general favor with which it met, the paper was ably edited. Its publication was continued in Rochester about nine months, when the paper and material were purchased by Mr. Christensen, who removed it to Minneapolis, and where he continued the publication of the paper for several years.

The "Central Record," a small paper, republican in politics, was started in December, 1870, by the "Record Printing Company," C. R. Conway, editor and publisher. "The Record" was conducted with variable success until January, 1873, when A. W. Blakely purchased it. He continued its publication up to March, 1874, when it was consolidated with the "Federal Union," as before stated.

In June, 1881, the "Rochester Herald," a German paper, was established by Krueger Brothers, who brought the material from Wykoff, Fillmore county. In April, 1882, George Kuessner purchased the one-hall interest in the establishment, and the paper is now being conducted by Messrs. Krueger & Kuessner.

O. F. Reed started the "Olmsted County Democrat" here in the fall of 1881. The paper was published, in a small way, as a democratic organ for three or four months, when its politics were slightly modified and the title changed to "National Tribune." In February, 1882, the paper was discontinued and the material shipped away.

In April, 1881, C. S. Powers commenced the publication of the "Rochester National," a greenback paper. The material was brought from Fountain, Fillmore county. The "National" was a large eight-column paper, finely executed and edited with much spirit and fair ability. Mr. Powers paid but little attention to either local or general news, but devoted most of his energies and newspaper space to the discussion of his peculiar political theories. At the end of about six months the paper was discontinued and the material conveyed back to Fountain, Mr. Powers claiming that he did not receive the patronage and financial support which had been promised him.

In the year 1871, T. G. Bolton commenced the publication of the "Eyota Advertiser." In the fall of 1873 Mr. Bolton sold the "Advertiser" to Messrs. Dyar & Ingham, who continued its publication until the summer of 1878, when it was discontinued.

E. A. Rising started the "Eyota Eagle" in the spring of 1878. Mr. Rising run his paper a few months, when it was discontinued and the material removed to Sleepy Eye, at which place Mr. Rising commenced the publication of the "Sleepy Eye Wideawake."

Source:

History of Winona and Olmsted Counties, 1883

Home | Olmsted County Newspapers