Brown County Newspapers
History of Brown County Newspapers, 1861-1899
A. N. Ruley, 1899
The first newspaper in Hiawatha
or Brown county made its appearance early in the spring of 1861. Dr.
P. G. Parker was the publisher.
The office was located in the dwelling house of Hank M. Robinson,
situated on the ground where C. H.
Lawrence's two story brick business
house now stands. The life of the
Union was ephemeral, for about the
time the snows began to fly, of the
same year. the building took fire
and burned to the ground, and The Brown County Union was completely wiped out forever. The files of
the papers and the books were even
destroyed, and Hiawatha was without a newspaper until H. P. Stebbins established the Union Sentinel,
August 20th, 1864. Mr. Stebbins
printed the Sentinel until August
16, 1866, when it opassed into the
able hands of Captain Ira J. Lacock
and J. W. Oberhoitzer, who made it
very interesting and a power for good. They transferred it to one David Downer, Nov. 7, 1867.
The Sentinel died for lack of patronage on Oct. 1, 1879. The material was purchased by A. N. Ruley
and sold in St. Louis by him. On the 30th of April, 1870, five months before the demise of the
Sentinel, A. N. Ruley founded, of all new material, from the St. Louis Type Foundry, the Hiawatha
Dispatch, now called The Brown County�
World. Mr. Ruley continued the
publication of the Dispatch until
April 4th, 1878, when it was purchased by Wm. T. Stewart, of Wathena, who continued its publication
until March.1882. when it passed
into the hands of D. W. Wilder,
John B. Campbell and Cyrus B.
Bowman, who changed the name
from Hiawatha Dispatch to the Hiawatha World and later to Brown County World.
�Subsequently Mr.
Bowman retired, then Mr. Campbell.
Mr. Wilder continued the publication until March, 1889, when the
present publisher, Ewing Herbert,
succeeded him. For a time Mr.
Herbert printed the only semi-weekly the county has ever known.
June 21, 1874, the Brown County
Advocate was established by Davis
& Watson. July 23, 1874, Watson
retired and S. L. Roberts took his place. Subsequently, in 1875, Davis retired and D. L. Burger succeeded
him. In October, 1875, the name was changed to the Kansas Herald. A. T. McCreary became member of the
firm, but in April, 1876, he retired and Burger & Roberts again took control. Subsequently Roberts retired
and T. L. Brundage was publisher, who in December, 1883, disposed of the subscription books to the World
publishers and moved the office to Sabetha.
Dec. 10, 1881, Wharton Brothers established a small paper called the Messinger, which flourished until December,
1883 and which, it seems, was the nucleus for the Democrat, which appears to have been established September 5,
1883, but ceased publication in December of the same year.
The publication of the Democrat
was resumed January 28, 1884, by
Geo. T. Williams. On April 26, 1885,
C. B. Bowman became a partner but did not long remain
with Mr. Williams and on March
20, 1890, Geo. T. Williams sold to
Ben F. Hildebrand. July 5th.
1892, Mr. Hildebrand was succeeded by G. W. and W. P. Harrington, the latter retiring in the
fall of 1895, G. W. Harrington continuing the publication of the Democrat to this time. In 1879 and 1880
A. M. Christie published a Democratic paper here called the Sun. It
was a failure and was moved to
Highland.
The Hiawatha Journal, Farmer's
Alliance paper, was established by
Geo. W. Remagen May 23, 1889. On
December 15, 1890. Mr. Remagen
sold out to the Journal Publishing
Co., but remained for some time as
manager. After him came George
Holbein, who was manager until
May 10,1891, when Frank Moore
took charge and was manager until
Dec. 15, 1892, when Ben F. Hildebrand purchased the plant and in June 1895 he disposed of the plant
to G. W. Harrington and the publication of the Journal ceased.
A Daily World was published by Ewing Herbert from August 31, 1891 to May 1, 1892 and again from March
17, 1899 to October 7, 1899, the latter a first class, newsy sheet and well patronized but the
population not sufficient to justify the expense of its publication it was merged into the weekly issue
from whence it came. Thus we have a brief history of Hiawatha local newspapers to date. The World,
representing the Republican party as we have always loyally done, and the Democrats, representing the
opposing elements. The Academy students have at times printed newspapers during the school term. County
Superintendent has conducted a splendid School News for some three years. It is the healthiest and best
educational county paper in the state.
The Democrat is printed upon its own steam power Babcock press, and the World upon a Campbell two revolution
job and book press, of the latest cut. The editors dwell together in perfect peace and harmony as becomes
newspaper men who appreciate and understand the nobility of their calling. They work together for the
upbuilding of their town and count. Both of the papers have double the circulation of most county
newspapers.
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Brown Co. KHHP
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This website created Jan. 11, 2012 by Sheryl McClure.
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