Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

LANSING TOWNSHIP AND CITY, WITII HISTORY

519

FINDS FIRST PAPER WAS PUBLISHED HERE IN '49;
"JOURNAL" HERE, 1850.
Dr. F. N. Turner Digs Out Interesting Data on Early Newspaper
History.
Dr. F. N. Turner, 2003 East Franklin Avenue, has submitted a
manuscript of unusual interest on the pioneer history of newspaperdom in Lansing. It is printed here in full:
Looking over some old papers recently, I came across a bill for
printer's supplies and a wage sheet that informs me the same was
for the first newspaper published in our city. In 1849 Rev. J. H.
Sanford, an evangelist of the Universalist church, came to this
city in the woods, bringing with him a small printing outfit.
He immediately set this up in a small frame building that had been
used as a jewelry shop. This building was located in the first
block on South Washington Avenue. To aid in his evangelistic
work Mr. Sanford published a small newspaper called the "Expounder." The first number of this paper was published in the
same year, 1849. The circulation increased so that in 1855 -(date of bills)-he, Sanford, was compelled to enlarge his office,
purchase more type, etc., and employ more help.
In consulting an old history of Ingham county, I find that in
1848 a firm of two men, Bagg and Harmon, of Detroit, Mich.,
started a newspaper, "Free Press," to give the people of the State
news about the new Capitol in the woods of Ingham county.
After a few numbers had been issued or printed this paper was sold
and the name was changed to "State Journal." This must
have taken place in the latter part of 1848 or first part of the year
'49. This paper must have been published in Detroit as we
have no record of its being moved to Lansing prior to 1850. We
know that there were no buildings erected at that date that could
house anything but a small or one-horse printing office and outfit.
The workmen here at that time had to work overtime in 1847
and 1848 to complete the Capitol building and Seymour Hotel at
the north end to get them ready for the first session of the Legislature in the winter of 1849.
Another reason for want of buildings was the instability of its