NEWSPAPERS.

      The following sketch of the newspaper enterprises that have been established in the county are arranged by towns, in alphabetical order, the names of live papers being in CAPITALS.
 
 

      The first newspaper printed in Barre was The Barre Times, a spicy monthly, literary in character, published during the year 1871, by Stillman WOOD, Esq.

      The Barre Herald had a short existence of about nine months, in I879. E. N. HYZER, publisher.

      THE BARRE ENTERPRISE was first issued December 11, 1880, by Lewis P. THAYER, of Randolph, who was its editor until W. F. SCOTT came into possession of it in the spring of 1881. Mr. SCOTT issued his first number of the paper April 16, 1881, and still continues its publication every week. It is a. bright, newsy, eight-page, six-column paper, has a liberal patronage, and looks well after the interests of the thriving village of Barre and vicinity.

      THE VERMONT WATCHMAN. The Vermont Precursor, the first newspaper published in Montpelier, was commenced in 1806, by Rev. Clark BROWN, a Unitarian minister. Mr. BROWN was not fortunate in Montpelier, either as a preacher or publisher, and sometime in 1807 he sold his: paper to Samuel GOSS, who was then publishing the Green Mountain Freeman, at Peacham, Vt. Mr. GOSS removed to Montpelier and the two papers were the germ of the Watchman. Mr. GOSS issued his first number of the Precursor in March, 1807. About December 1, 1807, he changed the name to The Watchman, and increased the size of the pages to twelve inches wide by eighteen inches long. He continued in charge as editor until October, 1810, when he transferred it to Ezekiel P. WALTON and his brother, Mark GOSS. This company continued its publication until 1816, when it became the sole property of Mr. WALTON. In June, 1826, Mr. WALTON gave it the new name of The Vermont Watchman and State Gazette. In 1836 an Anti-Mason paper, The State Journal, established in 1831, was absorbed by the Vermont Watchman and State Gazette, and the paper received its fourth christening - The Vermont Watchman and State Journal. Mr. WALTON continued its publication until 1830. From that time to 1853 he was assisted by his brother, Joseph S. WALTON, for awhile, and by his son, Hon. Eliakim P. WALTON. From that time until 1868 the last named gentleman was its editor and proprietor. Then Mr. WALTON transferred it to Joseph and J. Monroe POLAND, and in 1880 Joseph POLAND owned it alone. April 1, 1882, Mr. POLAND sold, the paper to W. W. PRESCOTT, who engaged Mr. Arthur ROPES as editor. The paper was then in folio form, pages twenty-one by thirty inches. It was then changed to quarto form, pages pasted and trimmed, and paper folded by special machinery. Mr. PRESCOTT sold to D. W. DIXON, July 22, 1885, who continued its publication until July 5, 1888. The Watchman Publishing Company, organized for the purpose of buying THE WATCHMAN and the Rural Vermonter, newspapers and printing establishments; completed the purchase and consolidated the two papers, and retain the old name of THE WATCHMAN. Both were journals of high character, and each had a large circulation. The WATCHMAN now prints 4,000 copies, and the number of its subscribers is steadily growing. Mr. ROPES's connection with the WATCHMAN began in January, 1880, during the proprietorship of Joseph POLAND. The connection then contemplated related to business affairs and was of a temporary character, but Mr. ROPES soon began to assist in work on the newspaper, and, besides keeping the accounts and making the collections, did a large part of the editorial writing and the general work on the WATCHMAN. When Mr. PRESCOTT bought the WATCHMAN property, in April, 1882, Mr. ROPES was made editor. His connection with the paper ended upon its purchase by Mr. DIXON in July, 1885. In May, 1886, he began the publication of the Rural Vermonter at Montpelier. In the summer of 1888 Mr. DIXON made a proposition to the Vermonter company to sell the WATCHMAN, and negotiations finally ended in the formation of the Watchman Publishing Company, composed of a number of the leading men of Montpelier and the consolidation in July, under that title, of the Vermonter and the Watchman establishments. The paper retained the name of THE WATCHMAN. Mr. ROPES was made editor of the united journals and manager of the publishing company. Col. Fred E. SMITH is president, and T. J. DEAVITT is treasurer of the company. Dr. HOSKINS, of Newport, Vt., a  practical farmer, and one of the most eminent writers on agricultural and economic subjects in New England, is editor of the agricultural department of the paper. From this office are also published the VERMONT CHRONICLE and the NEW HAMPSHIRE JOURNAL, the organs of the Congregational churches of Vermont and New Hampshire.

      The Freeman's Press, Derick SIBLEY, or WRIGHT & SIBLEY, was commenced about 1813. This was the organ of the Jeffersonian Republicans as the Watchman was of the Federalists. The paper was discontinued about 1816 or 1817. Mr. SIBLEY, an estimable gentleman, emigrated to Rochester, N. Y. 

      Vermont Patriot and State Gazette was first issued by George Washington HILL & Co., January 17, 1826, Jacksonian Democrat in politics. The Vermont Patriot was published some years by its founders. From 1834 to 1854 successively it was owned by William CLARK, Jeremiah T. MARSTON, and EASTMAN & DANFORTH, and then was conducted by C. G. EASTMAN until his death in September, 1860. Mr. MARSTON was an able editor, and Mr. EASTMAN was both an able editor and the favorite of his party. In his hands the Patriot had a powerful influence. In 1863 Mr. Hiram ATKINS, then editor and proprietor of the Argus, which he had established at Bellows Falls in 1853, bought the Patriot and removed to Montpelier, consolidated the two papers, and gave it the name it now bears, ARGUS AND PATRIOT.

      The State Journal, published by Knapp S. JEWETT, was first issued November 1, 1831. This was an Anti-Masonic organ, and continued until December, 1836, when it was merged in the Watchman.

      The Voice of Freedom, regarded as the organ of the Anti-Slavery society of the state, was really an individual enterprise, commenced January 1, 1839, by Emery ALLEN and Joseph POLAND (firm name Allen & Poland), Hon. Chauncey L. KNAPP, editor. At the beginning of the second volume the State Anti-Slavery society became its owner and Mr. KNAPP remained its editor. In a few months the paper passed into the hands of Jedediah HOLCOMB, of Brandon, who removed it to that place, and later it was discontinued.

      The Harrisonian, a campaign paper issued in 1840 from the Watchman office, was edited by E. Y. WALTON, Jr.

      The Green Mountain Freeman was established by Joseph POLAND, in January, 1844, with Rev. J. C. ASPINWALL, a Methodist preacher, as editor. This was the organ of the Liberty party. Mr. ASPINWALL retired from tire editorial chair the ensuing fall. A few months later Rev. C. C. BRIGGS, a Congregational preacher and anti-slavery lecturer, became joint editor and publisher. In May, 1846, Mr. BRIGGS retired. Mr. POLAND, on account of ill health, sold the paper to Hon. Jacob SCOTT, of Barre, in 1849, and during that year Hon. Daniel P. THOMPSON associated with Mr. SCOTT, and at the beginning of the next volume he was sole editor and proprietor. In 1856 the paper was purchased by S. S. BOYCE. In 1861 the paper was sold to Hon. Charles WILLARD, who was its editor the ensuing twelve years, and its proprietor until 1869, when he sold a half-interest to J. W. WHEELOCK, and the other half in 1873. Mr. WHEELOCK remained sole editor and proprietor until his death, in 1876, when he was succeeded by his son, Mr. Herbert R. WHEELOCK, and Hon. H. A. HUSE had charge of its editorial work. It is proper to remark that after the organization of the Republican party thenceforward the Green Mountain Freeman was out and out Republican in politics. In March, 1884, Mr. WHEELOCK sold it to W. W. PRESCOTT, then editor and proprietor of the WATCHMAN, to be merged in the latter, when it ceased to exist.

      The Vermont Christian Messenger, the organ of the M. E. church in Vermont, as near as can be ascertained from material now at hand, was first published in Newbury in 1846. Walton's Register for 1848 reports it published in Montpelier in 1847. In 1854 it was removed to Northfield, and in 1859 again returned to Montpelier. During its existence it has been published by Rev. Elisha J. SCOTT, R. M. MANLY, Rev. Alonzo WEBSTER, C. W. WILLARD (commencing in 1861), J. W. WHEELOCK, from 1869 to 1874, and then by his son, H. R. WHEELOCK, until he sold it to Rev. J. R. BARTLETT in the spring of 1884, who took it to Northfield. In September, 1885, Mr. BARTLETT sold it to C. C. MORSE, who removed it to Swanton, Vt., and it was finally merged in Zion's Herald of Boston.

      The Universalist Watchman, first published at Woodstock and then probably at Lebanon, N. H., was removed to Montpelier in about the year 1836, and there published by Rev. Eli BALLOU, who after some years changed its name to the Christian Repository.

      The Green Mountain Emporium, a literary and religious monthly magazine, was commenced in Montpelier about 1838, by John Milton STEARNS, published about one year, and removed to Middlebury.

      The Temperance Star was commenced in Montpelier in 1841, under the auspices of the State Temperance society and the editorial care of George B. MANSER. It was published about two years, and gave place to another temperance and moral reform paper, entitled The Reformed Drunkard, and published by F. A. MCDOWELL. This also, after taking the name of Reformer, was in a year or two discontinued.

      THE VERMONT CHRONICLE is the organ of the "General Convention of Congregational Ministers and Churches of Vermont." It was removed from. Windsor, Vt., to Montpelier, in 1875, by Mr. POLAND, and published by him and his successors. It is now owned and published by the Watchman Publishing Company, and issued every week in quarto form. Rev. Charles S. SMITH, editor.

      THE NEW HAMPSHIRE JOURNAL, established by Joseph POLAND, January 1, 1881, is the organ of the Congregational churches of New Hampshire, has been published since it was started, at the WATCHMAN office, and is owned and continued by the Watchman Publishing Company. This weekly is also issued in neat quarto form.

      The Rural Vermonter was established by Arthur ROPES, May 21, 1886. It was Republican in politics, devoted to the general interests of the state, and to agriculture. This was a journal of fine appearance and high character, edited by Mr. ROPES until July 5, 1888, when it was merged in THE VERMONT WATCHMAN.

      The Vermont Christian Messenger was removed from Montpelier and published in Northfield from 1854 to 1857, by R. M. MANLY, who sold it to Rev. Alonzo WEBSTER, who continued it here several years, when it was returned to Montpelier. (See Montpelier.)

      The Northfield Star was founded by Wilbur WOODWORTH and issued from the Messenger office a short time between the years 1854 and 1857.

      The Vermont Farmer was removed to Northfield from Montpelier in 1881. It was published by George H. RICHMOND until 1885, when it was sold to L. P. THAYER and removed to Randolph.

      THE NORTHFIELD NEWS was established in November, 1879, by George H. RICHMOND. It was then an eight-column folio, and continued to be published by him until March 12, 1885, when Fred N. WHITNEY took possession. THE NEWS then had a very small list, but under the efficient management of Mr. WHITNEY it increased largely. In August, 1885, the paper was enlarged to a six-column quarto. It was purchased by E. GERRY & Co., in November, 1888, with Rev. E. GERRY as editor, and Frank W. SAULT as business manager, by whom it is now conducted. The subscription list is increasing rapidly -- a just reward of enterprising effort.

      THE REVEILLE, established several years ago by students of Lewis College, is published monthly by the students of Norwich University, and its editors, who are chosen from the corps of cadets, hold their offices during one college year. The object of THE REVEILLE is to give the students experience in journalism, and to furnish the Alumni a means of knowing the condition of their Alma Mater. F. E. LAMB is now business manager.

      THE WATERBURY NEWS made its appearance Dec. 13, 1888, issued by C. C. CLOUGH, editor and proprietor. It is independent Republican in politics, and is especially devoted to the rights of farmers. It is an eight-page quarto and is issued every Thursday. This is the first paper issued in Waterbury paying particular attention to local interests.
 
 
 
 

Gazetteer Of Washington County, Vt. 1783-1899, 
Compiled and Published by Hamilton Child,
Edited By William Adams.
The Syracuse Journal Company, Printers and Binders.
Syracuse, N. Y.; April, 1889.
Pages 16-21

Transcribed by Karima Allison, 2003