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

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PIONEER HISTORY OF INGHIAM COUNTY

(Capitol's) new location. The old pioneers will tell you how they
lived in fear during subsequent sessions of Legislature as its members wanted to move or change the location to Ann Arbor, Jackson or some town where there was a railroad and other conveniences other than the Grand river, Indian trails and muddy roads
through the dense woods that at that time surrounded our city.
From above facts we can say that The Journal was the second and
not the first newspaper published here. The third newspaper
was the State Republican. Henry Barnes was the first publisher,
and its first number appeared April 28, 1855. In a few weeks
Barnes sold his interests to Herman E. Haskill. Shortly after
Haskill made this purchase he met with a great disappointment.
He was not appointed State Printer. Two men, Fitch and Hosmer, got the appointment, and Haskill sold his interests to them,
and they published the paper in connection with the State printing. In 1857 Fitch sold his interests to John A. Kerr, and the
firm's name was changed to Kerr & Hosmer. I can remember the
two men and the old red building on West Michigan Avenue where
the State printing and binding was done, and this paper was
published. It had a long sign on the roof that informed the
passerby that it was the State Bindery and Republican Office.
This building was wrecked a few years ago to make room for the
present Y. M. C. A. building. One word about the name-Republican. There was no Republican party in 1855. History
tells us that this party had its birth under the Oaks at Jackson,
Mich., in 1856. It was formed out of the Old Whig, Freesoil
Democrat and Abolition parties. The paper must have borne
another name until after the party was formed and then rechristened in honor of this new party.
These old bills are a record of the cost of printers' supplies, also
establishing the fact that the workmen had a union 66 years ago
called "American Printers' Association." From what I can
learn, without a copy of this old paper, it was in favor of a communistic or close communion form of government in religion,
education, social and industrial life. This form of government
died. Representative democracy and progress made it a back
number and the only record we have of its propaganda is these old
scraps of State history.