"History of Cottonwood and Watonwan Counties of Minnesota, 1916"



Edd T. Sullivan and Leo A. Gushman, publishers of the Journal-Gazette of St. James, are doing a most commendable work in the general upbuilding of Watonwan county, their popular newspaper being a genuine booster for this locality.

Mr. Sullivan was born in Mantorville, Minnesota, September 29, 1878, and received his education in the schools of that village, graduating from the high school there in 1896. He learned the printer's trade in the office of the Express and in 1901 went to North Dakota, where he worked at various places until January, 1907, when he returned to his home county and state and purchased a half interest in the Dodge County Record, at Dodge Center, where he remained for two years. He was thereafter connected with various papers in Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana, returning to Minnesota in June, 1914, and locating at Butterfield, Watonwan county, securing employment on the Advocate, In November of that year he came to St. James and began work on the Journal-Gazette, as foreman. On December i, 1915, he and Leo A. Gushman leased this plant and have since been editors and publishers of this excellent newspaper, which is gaining rapidly in circulation, has been greatly improved from a mechanical standpoint and is recognized as a valuable advertising medium. They are both capable and well trained newspaper men and are giving eminent satisfaction to their patrons. Mr. Sullivan is a Republican. He is unmarried.

Leo A. Gushman was born in Stryker, Ohio, October 21, 1891. He came to St. James in 1914, and engaged in the advertising business, traveling throughout Minnesota and the Dakotas until he formed a partnership with Mr. Sullivan in December, 1915, and leased the Journal-Gazette. He is unmarried, and is a Republican. He is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Monen) Gushman. The father was born in Ohio, his parents having immigrated to that state from Alsace-Lorraine, formerly a province of France. Joseph's parents were Alexis and Mary (Duprez) Gushman, and his grandfather fought under Napoleon. The paternal grandfather of Leo A. Gushman died at Wauseon, Ohio, about 1901 at the age of eighty-two years, his wife dying two years later in 1903, when about seventy-five years of age. The maternal grandparents, Patrick and Elizabeth (Gebbie) Monen, were natives of Ireland, from which country they came to Ohio in 1865, locating at Stryker, later moving to Defiance, that state. The grandmother died in 1906 when about seventy-six years of age at Toledo. Grandfather's death occurred in December, 1915, at Toledo, at the unusual age of ninety-five years. He was born on March 17, 1821. The father of Leo A. Gushman is a master mechanic and is employed by S. M. Jones & Company of Toledo, Ohio. His family consists of two children, Jeanette, and Leo A. The latter received his education in the public schools of Toledo, Ohio, and was graduated from St. John's College (high school department), and attended the college one year, after which he was in the employ of the Woolson-Spice Company for four years. He was then in the advertising business two years before coming to St. James.

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