History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers.

HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

85

purchased a press and other appointments from their former
employer, James K. Kinman, for the sum of one thousand
dollars; being assisted by a few prominent Whigs of the
place, and becoming indebted for the amount, payable when
they were able to meet the claim. Industry and economy
enabled them to overcome the debt in a reasonably short
time. They issued the first number of the Wthig Standard
on the 30th day of June, 1846, with their names at its
head as editors and publishers; Mr. Rowlson being not
yet twenty-one years of age, and Mr. Clark but little older.
The prospectus modestly states that if the publishers " are
so fortunate as to merit the approbation of those on whom
we depend for support, it shall only excite us to make
greater efforts for our mutual benefit." It also adds, "A
long and prosperous peace, by which we have been elevated
to an high degree of national glory, has been rudely broken,
and the bloody banner of war is scattering upon the earth
its countless miseries, and leading us ' we know not where.'
The Whigs of our county, we do not doubt, justly appreciate the importance of an organ devoted to principles which
nerve them to 'fight on, fight ever;' and from them we
expect support."
At the time the Standard was started, and for a considerable period afterwards, it was not an easy task to
maintain a paper devoted entirely to Whig principles.
The popular vote was Democratic, and to advocate the
measures of an opposing faction was practically stemming
the current of public opinion. The little Whig sheet was,
however, destined to success. An unflinching fidelity to
the principles it advocated won for it many friends and
established its permanent existence, and a change in party
politics finally gave it the ascendency its opponents had so
long enjoyed. When first issued it was a six-column paper;
but during the first year its dimensions were increased to
seven, and later to eight columns. In the spring of 1850,
Mr. Clark sold his interest to Mr. Rowlson, who has since
that time been sole editor and proprietor. On the organization of the Republican party, in 1855, the Standard
became its supporter, dropping the appellation of Whig,
and it was then that it attained the ascendency before alluded to.
In the year 1872 another column was added to its size,
making its present proportions those of a nine-column paper.
Its editor has, at various times, held positions of trust, beginning with the presidency of the village, and later having
been elected county treasurer, which office he held successively for eight years. In the winter of 1868 and 1869,
he represented the district in the State Legislature, and now
holds the office of United States internal revenue collector
for the Third District, which comprises fifteen counties in
the southern portion of the State.
The Jonesville Telegraph was established May 27, 1850,
by W. W. Murphy & Co. During a subsequent period of
five years it passed through various hands,-S. W. Russell,
R. M. Gridley & Co., E. M. Hale, and A. J. Vandenberg
being successively its publishers, the latter gentleman taking
charge April 18, 1855, and issuing it under the title of the

Jonesville Independent. H. N. F. Lewis, later of the
Western Rural, Chicago, Ill., became editor and proprietor
Sept. 5, 1857, and continued its publication until Jan. 1,

1864, when he sold to James F. Burnett. During July of
the same year, Mr. Burnett associated with him James T.
Dennis, and the new firm, Burnett & Dennis, continued it
until December 17, 1867, when Mr. Dennis became sole
proprietor. On the 6th of May, 1875, the firm-name was
changed to Dennis & Eggleston, and Aug. 17, 1876, Dr.
O. Palmer superseded Mr. Dennis, the paper having since
that time been published by the present firm.
Hillsdale Banner.-Another publication, but with a very
brief existence, was the Hillsdale Banner. It was established as a campaign paper, in the interest of the " FreeSoil" party, on the 1st of August, 1848, and ended its
short career in October of the same year. Its proprietor
was D. M. Bagley.
The Hillsdale Courier.-This was a Democratic sheet,
established partially for campaign purposes, and published
by James K. Kinman, from Jan. 15 to Oct. 1, 1845. Its
brief existence covered a period of scarcely one year, and
it left no record which could mark its history as in any
sense eventful; the principal object of its owner being to
secure the printing of the tax sales, which at that time
yielded a considerable revenue.
The IWeekly Business.-The Business is an outgrowth
of a small advertising sheet, printed by Mr. H. T. Farnam,
and devoted entirely to business purposes. In 1870 that
sheet was discontinued, and the Business filled its place;
its object being not only to devote a reasonable space to
advertising, but to afford its readers a supply of general
reading matter of interest. The first number was issued
June 1, 1870, being a two-page six-column paper. In
July of the same year it was enlarged to a five-column
folio, and the following year its dimensions were again increased to a six-column folio. In November, Mr. Farnam
associated with him Mr. Will. C. Carlton, the popular
author of " Farm Ballads," who is a resident of Hillsdale.
The following year the senior proprietor managed the
paper alone, and in October issued a daily during the
sessions of the Baptist Conference held in Hillsdale. In
1872 it was enlarged to an eight-column folio, and in
1874 the firm-name was changed to Farnam & Sands,
editors and proprietors. Later in the year, Mr. Frank
Sands assumed control, but his management was brief,
as Mr. Farnam resumed the publication, and has controlled it since that time. In politics the Business claims
to be independent.
Reading Newspapers.-In the year 1870, Rev. Mr.
Lockhart published and edited the Reading Review, a sixcolumn paper, devoted to local news and general reading
matter. The paper seems to have been short-lived, for at
the end of six months it was discontinued under circumstances which did not indicate it to be a financial success.
Later, George Gray came from Minnesota and established
the Rough Notes, which was maintained for one year. Its
title was then changed to the Reading Press, which was
continued a year longer. B. J. Kingston purchased the
paper and published it for three years, establishing its reputation as one of the most readable journals in the county.

The first year it was issued as a six-column quarto, and was
the largest paper in Hillsdale County. Mr. Kingston
finally discontinued the publication of the Press and re