23/Oct/2010
St.Francis County Newspapers
From History of the Arkansas press for a hundred years and more By Frederick William Allsopp
Parke-Harper Publishing, 1922 - Biography & Autobiography - 684 pages
ST. FRANCIS COUNTY.
Forrest City. Forrest City has two newspapers, the old-established Times herald and the Crowley Ridge Chronicle. It also has a "reformed editor," in the person of Col. Ed Landvoigt, 82 years old.
The Free Press was published at Forrest City for several years, beginning in about 1870, by Thomas W. Ham. Mr. Ham was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1871, and the Gazette said that he could have been a circuit judge, or had any other office that he might have desired, if he had bowed down to Governor Clayton, but instead he made himself useful to the press by obtaining the passage of a bill in the house taking away from the governor the power to designate his pet newspapers as the recipients of the legal printing of the State. The Free Press suspended in 1874.
The Forrest City Times-Herald, now published as a TriWeekly, is the successor to three newspapers. The Times was established in November, 1871, by Thomas F. Oury. Its office and material were destroyed by fire December 16, 1874, but the paper did not miss a single issue. On May 23, 1875, W. L. Morris became that paper's editor. In 1887 the Forrest City Democrat was absorbed by the Times. In 1885 W. L. Oury, who had become its publisher, sold the Times to T. J. Hicks, who, in 1886. sold to the late E. L. Vadakin. Col. Ed Landvoigt became associated with him soon afterward, and the partnership of Landvoigt & Vadakin then formed lasted for the lengthy span of nearly thirty years.
The Forrest City Herald, established in 1906, was consolidated with the Times, after E. L. Vadakin's death in 1915, and the paper then became known as the Times-Herald. C. C. Williamson was its editor for some months. He was succeeded by John T. Durst. its present editor. In 1918 a stock company was formed to take over the business. Its officers are: John T. Durst. president and general manager: Ed Landvoigt, vice-president: E. I. Altman, assistant manager. and Jennie L. Durst, secretary and treasurer. Upon the organization of the corporation to conduct the Times, Col. Ed Landvoigt retired from active newspaper work. having reached the age limit, he said. He is one of the veterans of journalism. He is also a war veteran, as he fought through four years of the War Between the States, but says he carries deeper scars than those received in the war on account of battling for the right in the newspaper game. '"Notwithstanding that it was a 'damned if you do and damned if you don't' sort of life.*' he says. "I have had a bully good time, and now at the age of 82 (don't give me away to the ladies) I pose as a reformed editor." It is said that Col. Landvoigt enjoys the good will of everybody in St. Francis county, white and black.
The Eorrest City Democrat was founded by Samuel B. Going, formerly of the Wittsburg Chronicle, in April, 1877, and ten years afterward was absorbed by the Times. Mr. Going died of yellow fever in 1879. His name is recorded among those who sacrificed their lives to relieve suffering humanity. Disregarding personal safety, he volunteered as a yellow fever nurse during the great epidemic at Memphis, and died in that noble service. A newspaper named the Forrest City Courier was published in the late seventies and up to 1880.
The East Arkansan, of Forrest City, was founded in 1886. E. B. Kelley was its publisher. It suspended before 1900.
The Advocate of Forrest City expired in 1889, soon after it started.
The St. Francis County News, at Forrest City, was founded April 4, 1884, by N. B. Fizer and W. P. Moss. Too much politics is said to have killed it.
The Forrest City Messenger, with E. T. Thomas as editor, was started in 1905, but suspended in a short time.
The St. Francis County News was established in 1906 by Izard & Beauchamp. Chas. E. Izard sold his interest to J. I. Hank of Cotton Plant.
The Crowley Ridge Chronicle, at Forrest City, established in 1905 by Charles R. Izard, continues to be published by him, although it may have suffered a suspension. E. Y. Altman was associated with him for awhile in its publication. In Jeff Davis' time this newspaper was as strong as horseradish for Mr. Davis.
The Forrest City Messenger, a Negro weekly, was started in 1909 by the Royal Circle and Friends Society, with R. A. Williams as editor.
The Forrest City Enterprise was started in about 1910, by Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Dillon, both practical printers.
Madison.
Before the day of the railroad in that county, Madison was an important town. The first newspaper in the county was established there.
The Journal was started at Madison in the fall of 1858. by W. B. Evett. with W. M. Hooper as editor. In the fall of 1860, the publication was discontinued, and the material moved to Harrisburg. Mr. Hooper died during the year. At the Baltimore convention in 1860, to which Mr. Hooper was a delegate, he had an altercation with Gen. T. C. Hindman and challenged him to fight a duel, which Gen. Hindman declined.
The Madsion Pioneer was started in 1858 by Geo. L. and B. C. Brown, the former being its editor. Its publication was suspended in the spring of 1862, and resumed by Geo. L. Brown in 1866, but it was soon afterward discontinued. Mr: Brown in his salutatory stated that the Pioneer would support the best interests of the great Southern Democratic party, men and measures, but that it would not look upon the people of the North as being wholly arrayed against the South, and that it would be fair to all peoples, never degenerating into a mere partisan sheet. His editorials prove Lewellan Brown to have been one of the ablest editors of the early State press.
The Madison Free Press was started by W. H. Pearce & Bro., in the fall of 1868. Daniel Coates wa« its editor. The paper afterward removed to Forrest City, and its publication was continued by the Free Press Publishing Company for about one year, when it was discontinued. Mr. Coates was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1868. He died in 1869 or 1870.
Hughes.
The St. Francis Valley Herald, at Hughes, was started in 1921, by Chas. B. Izard.
Wheatley.
The Wheatley Courier, recently established, and published by W. B. Williams of the Brinkley Citizen and his son-in-law, Chas. W. Overholt, suspended in June, 1921.
Given as a record of history, to see entire book, go to Google Books online at:
http://books.google.com/books?id=gdA3u6qwI3QC&dq=arkansas&lr=&as_brr=3&output=text&rview=1&source=gbs_navlinks_s
The Free Press was published at Forrest City for several years, beginning in about 1870, by Thomas W. Ham. Mr. Ham was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1871, and the Gazette said that he could have been a circuit judge, or had any other office that he might have desired, if he had bowed down to Governor Clayton, but instead he made himself useful to the press by obtaining the passage of a bill in the house taking away from the governor the power to designate his pet newspapers as the recipients of the legal printing of the State. The Free Press suspended in 1874.
The Forrest City Times-Herald, now published as a TriWeekly, is the successor to three newspapers. The Times was established in November, 1871, by Thomas F. Oury. Its office and material were destroyed by fire December 16, 1874, but the paper did not miss a single issue. On May 23, 1875, W. L. Morris became that paper's editor. In 1887 the Forrest City Democrat was absorbed by the Times. In 1885 W. L. Oury, who had become its publisher, sold the Times to T. J. Hicks, who, in 1886. sold to the late E. L. Vadakin. Col. Ed Landvoigt became associated with him soon afterward, and the partnership of Landvoigt & Vadakin then formed lasted for the lengthy span of nearly thirty years.
The Forrest City Herald, established in 1906, was consolidated with the Times, after E. L. Vadakin's death in 1915, and the paper then became known as the Times-Herald. C. C. Williamson was its editor for some months. He was succeeded by John T. Durst. its present editor. In 1918 a stock company was formed to take over the business. Its officers are: John T. Durst. president and general manager: Ed Landvoigt, vice-president: E. I. Altman, assistant manager. and Jennie L. Durst, secretary and treasurer. Upon the organization of the corporation to conduct the Times, Col. Ed Landvoigt retired from active newspaper work. having reached the age limit, he said. He is one of the veterans of journalism. He is also a war veteran, as he fought through four years of the War Between the States, but says he carries deeper scars than those received in the war on account of battling for the right in the newspaper game. '"Notwithstanding that it was a 'damned if you do and damned if you don't' sort of life.*' he says. "I have had a bully good time, and now at the age of 82 (don't give me away to the ladies) I pose as a reformed editor." It is said that Col. Landvoigt enjoys the good will of everybody in St. Francis county, white and black.
The Eorrest City Democrat was founded by Samuel B. Going, formerly of the Wittsburg Chronicle, in April, 1877, and ten years afterward was absorbed by the Times. Mr. Going died of yellow fever in 1879. His name is recorded among those who sacrificed their lives to relieve suffering humanity. Disregarding personal safety, he volunteered as a yellow fever nurse during the great epidemic at Memphis, and died in that noble service. A newspaper named the Forrest City Courier was published in the late seventies and up to 1880.
The East Arkansan, of Forrest City, was founded in 1886. E. B. Kelley was its publisher. It suspended before 1900.
The Advocate of Forrest City expired in 1889, soon after it started.
The St. Francis County News, at Forrest City, was founded April 4, 1884, by N. B. Fizer and W. P. Moss. Too much politics is said to have killed it.
The Forrest City Messenger, with E. T. Thomas as editor, was started in 1905, but suspended in a short time.
The St. Francis County News was established in 1906 by Izard & Beauchamp. Chas. E. Izard sold his interest to J. I. Hank of Cotton Plant.
The Crowley Ridge Chronicle, at Forrest City, established in 1905 by Charles R. Izard, continues to be published by him, although it may have suffered a suspension. E. Y. Altman was associated with him for awhile in its publication. In Jeff Davis' time this newspaper was as strong as horseradish for Mr. Davis.
The Forrest City Messenger, a Negro weekly, was started in 1909 by the Royal Circle and Friends Society, with R. A. Williams as editor.
The Forrest City Enterprise was started in about 1910, by Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Dillon, both practical printers.
Madison.
Before the day of the railroad in that county, Madison was an important town. The first newspaper in the county was established there.
The Journal was started at Madison in the fall of 1858. by W. B. Evett. with W. M. Hooper as editor. In the fall of 1860, the publication was discontinued, and the material moved to Harrisburg. Mr. Hooper died during the year. At the Baltimore convention in 1860, to which Mr. Hooper was a delegate, he had an altercation with Gen. T. C. Hindman and challenged him to fight a duel, which Gen. Hindman declined.
The Madsion Pioneer was started in 1858 by Geo. L. and B. C. Brown, the former being its editor. Its publication was suspended in the spring of 1862, and resumed by Geo. L. Brown in 1866, but it was soon afterward discontinued. Mr: Brown in his salutatory stated that the Pioneer would support the best interests of the great Southern Democratic party, men and measures, but that it would not look upon the people of the North as being wholly arrayed against the South, and that it would be fair to all peoples, never degenerating into a mere partisan sheet. His editorials prove Lewellan Brown to have been one of the ablest editors of the early State press.
The Madison Free Press was started by W. H. Pearce & Bro., in the fall of 1868. Daniel Coates wa« its editor. The paper afterward removed to Forrest City, and its publication was continued by the Free Press Publishing Company for about one year, when it was discontinued. Mr. Coates was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1868. He died in 1869 or 1870.
Hughes.
The St. Francis Valley Herald, at Hughes, was started in 1921, by Chas. B. Izard.
Wheatley.
The Wheatley Courier, recently established, and published by W. B. Williams of the Brinkley Citizen and his son-in-law, Chas. W. Overholt, suspended in June, 1921.
Given as a record of history, to see entire book, go to Google Books online at:
http://books.google.com/books?id=gdA3u6qwI3QC&dq=arkansas&lr=&as_brr=3&output=text&rview=1&source=gbs_navlinks_s