History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

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HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

MAYORS OF PONTIAC
The mayors of Pontiac since its incorporation in I86I have been as
follows: Erastus Thatcher, I861-62; Theron A. Flower, I863; A. B.
Cudworth, 1864; Robert W. Davis, 1865; Levi Bacon, Jr., 1866-67; M.
L. Bagg, i868; Mark Walter, 1869; George R. Richards, 1870; David
D. Thurber, I871; A. C. Baldwin, 1872; Daniel D. Thurber, I873-74;
Theron A. Flower, 1875-76; Thomas Mabley, 1877-79 (resigned, July
7th); Charles Dawson, I880-8I; Samuel H. Norton, I882; Homer H.
Colvin, 1883-84; Mason W. Gray, 1885; Frank B. Galbraith, i886-88;
William G. Hinman, I889; David S. Howard, I89o-9I; Thaddeus A.
Smith, I892; David S. Howard, 1893; Harvey S. Chapman, I894; Frank
H. Carroll, I895-96; Elbert J. Kelly, I897; William A. Brewster, I898;
Peter Maloy, I899-900o; Harry C. Guillot, 1901-03; John D. Riker,
1904; Harry C. Guillot, 1905-06; Ellsworth Orton, I907; A. J. Johnson,
I908-o9; R. F. Monroe, I9IO; Robert J. Lounsbury, I9II (present incumbent, October, I912).
THE CITY PRESS
Although the newspapers of Pontiac, as a whole, have no official connection with the city government, as printers of the council and commission proceedings some of them have been closely identified with it,
and all are associated in the public mind as the main agents through
which municipal affairs are brought to the people. Hence, they are
noticed at this point in the history.
The first paper printed in Oakland county was established at Pontiac May 31, I830, by Thomas Simpson. It was called the Oakland
Chronicle, and died in its infancy, April 22, 1832. It reappeared in Detroit. The Democratic Balance appeared from I836 to 1837, when it
was merged into the Pontiac Herald, which suspended on the first of
the new year 1839 and was moved to Flint. Arthur G. Sparhawk
started the Oakland Whig on the 28th of January, 1835; its name was
changed to the Pontiac Courier in February I, 1836, and to the Jeffersonian in 1840, when J. Dowd Coleman became its owner. Mr. Coleman, who was a Flint newspaper man, soon sold to W. M. Thompson,
and in January, 1844, brought his Genesee Herald from that place to
Pontiac, but in the following month ceased its publication and founded
the Oakland Gazette.
On January 14, I868, William P. Nesbett established the Pontiac
Bill Poster as a monthly journal; its full title was the Bill Poster and
the Monthly Visitor. It was enlarged at various times prior to July
7, 1869, when it first appeared as a weekly. In 1874 Mr. Nesbett sold
a half interest to E. J. Kelly, who became sole proprietor January I,
1876.
For many years the Gazette and the Bill Poster divided the city
printing.
The Pontiac Jacksonian was one of the old and substantial newspapers of the city. Its first number was issued March 24, 1838, by
Eldredge & Denton, and it did not die until May, 1873.
The Press Gazette, the only daily newspaper in Oakland county, was