ROWELL, L. W., St. Johnsbury, Vermont. The subject of this sketch,
Levi W. ROWELL, was born in Gorham, New Hampshire, his parents being William
and Belinda (ROGERS) ROWELL. His father was a descendant from the early
colonial settlers of New England, and was of English extraction. His great-great-grandfather
on his father's side had three cousins who fought in the battle of Bunker
Hill. (His mother, who was a Rogers, was in the direct line of descendants
from the Pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower.)
At the age of five years Mr. ROWELL removed with his parents to
Lancaster, New Hampshire, where he was educated in the public schools and
the Lancaster academy. He served his apprenticeship in the Coos Republican
office, and at the beginning of his third year's apprenticeship he was
placed in charge of the mechanical department of the office.
Every description of printing at that time was done on a hand-press,
and some of Mr. ROWELL's specimens thus executed would compare very favorably
with similar work turned out in the model offices of the present day; It
required great skill and painstaking in those days to produce good printing.
All stock was cut by hand with a common shoemaker's knife, placing it upon
a cutting- board, resting upon the floor, with a beveled straight-edge
to guide the course of the knife, and all books, pamphlets, etc., had to
be trimmed in the same manner. The printer of to-day can better imagine
than he would care to realize what it would mean to cut up fifty or sixty
thousand hand-bills or fliers in this way, to say nothing of "pulling them
off " on a hand-press one at a time.
After completing his apprenticeship Mr. ROWELL removed to Lebanon,
New Hampshire, and assumed the publication of the Granite State Free
Press, under the editorship of Hon. George S. TOWLE, which position
he held for about two years, when the plant was purchased by Hon. E. H.
CHENEY. He remained with Mr. CHENEY until 1862, when he removed to Littleton,
New Hampshire, and purchased the Littleton Journal, which was soon
afterward consolidated with the Granite State Free Press.
After conducting a general book and job printing and stationery
business, in connection with the agency of the Western Union Telegraph
and the United States and Canada Express companies, for about one year,
he established the Littleton Gazette. Soon after this he sold the
Gazette
to the White Mountain Republic, and the two papers were consolidated.
He then removed to Newport, Vermont, and entered the Express
and Standard office. From here he soon returned to his "old love,"
the Free Press, at Lebanon, New Hampshire, where he remained until
1869, when he removed to St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and entered the Times
office. Shortly after this the Times was purchased by Dr. G. B.
BULLARD and Hon. W. W. GROUT, and from this time until the purchase of
the plant by A. A. EARL, Mr. ROWELL was local editor and general manager
of the Times.
In 1873 Mr. ROWELL purchased the book and job department of the
Times
office and established the St. Johnsbury Advertiser, a monthly publication,
and since that time, with the exception of about eighteen months, which
he spent in the state printing office in Concord, New Hampshire, and in
Boston, he has conducted a publishing and general book and job printing
business in St. Johnsbury.
Since he began business in St. Johnsbury there have been four newspaper
and three job printing offices established and discontinued, and to-day
there is neither a publisher or printer in the city who was in business
when he began in 1873.
He enjoys the well-earned reputation of being one of the best artistic
and all-round printers in northern New England. He has always been a leader
in his profession, and the craft have been greatly benefited by the originality
and neatness of the work which he has put before the public.
Mr. Rowell married Fannie T. ESTABROOK of West Lebanon, New Hampshire,
daughter of Alanson and Electa ESTABROOK, descendants of the earliest and
most respected settlers of that section of New England. He has two daughters,
Georgie Lena and Winifred, who have been liberally educated in the St.
Johnsbury academy, Burdett's Business college, and the Lowell School of
Design in Boston.
Mr. ROWELL is a faithful student of current events; is an excellent
newspaper correspondent; is interested in every movement for the betterment
of mankind, and always ready to assist in any movement for the local interests
of his city and town. He is a member of the South Congregational church
and many fraternal and social organizations, including the Masonic, Order
of the Eastern Star, Modern Woodmen of America, Junior Order of American
Mechanics, United Order of the Golden Cross, Mystic club, and other similar
orders.
Source: Successful Vermonters,
William H. Jeffrey, E. Burke, Vermont, The Historical Publishing Company,
1904, pages 25-27.
Prepared
by Tom Dunn January 2003
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