The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-11-04
John r. NermaD.

Both the New Albany papers come
to US draped in mourning for JOHN
B.. NORMAN, for twenty years past the
editor of the Ledger. The CONNER
cidl gives the following brief sketch
Of his life: ~
John il. Norman was q native OF
England. His father emigrated to
this country while the subject Of this
sketch was mere lad, settling In the
State Of New York. In the year 1887
he came West, and took up his resi-
dence at Indianapolis. Here Mr..
| Norman received all the school
tutelagc he ever had At the age of
| fifteen or sixteen he entered the
office of the Indiana Democrat, pub
lished by the late Nathaniel Bolton,
the husband Of Indiana's poetess,
Mrs. Sarah 4. Bolton. After serving
his apprenticeship he was induced
| by the late Governor Ashbel 7. Will
| lard and Mr.. John d. Winstandley, of
| this city, to remove to New Albany.
This he did in 1917, and associated
! himself with the late Theodore Bos-
worth in the publication of the Vest
cr7s Union Democrat. Hon. Phineas
NJ. Kent, now Of White County, pur-
chased Mr. BosWorth' 8 interest in the
Democrat, and he and Mr.. Norman,
in September, 1S49, started the Nel0
Albany Daily Ledger. At that day
the starting Of a daily newspaper was
an enterprise surrounded with vastly
more difficulties than at the present
time; yet the business energy of Mr..
Kent and the editorial ability of Mr..
Norman, assured the success of the
Duilg Ledger from the start. 1t has
had its seasons of darkness many times
since, but its editorial ability and bust
ness management have ever proved
equal to the severest emergency. In
1850, Mr.. Kent sold his interest in the
Ledger to Mr.. l.. G. Matthews, the sur
viviug partner of Mr.. Norman, and
with the intermission of only a few
months the paper has continued ever
since under their joint proprietorship.
Mr.. T.. G. MATTHEWS, the partner
of Mr.. NORMAN, pays the following
tribute to the character of his friend,
In the Ledger:
To announce the death of Mr.. Nor
man is, to US, a profoundly painful
task, and one which the intensity of
our sadness almost units us to per-
| form. Our intimate business and So
cial relations during near twenty years
had inspired us with deep and sincere
respect and affection for him; and, in
all that time, we can truly say that
not the slightest Misunderstanding
ever occurred between US. He was
kind TO fault, and benevolent be-
yond his means and ability. His
| whole character was stamped with ex-
| cellencies and noble qualities of the
highest order. They were not always
apparent to the stranger or casual ac-
uuaintance, because they we're, in some
| degree. concealed behind q sjngularly
unobtrusiye modesty and dihdence.
The full appreciation of his great
worth required a somewhat intimate
| knowledge of him in the different
relations Of life. His integrity and
sincerity of character, his devotion to
principle, his fidelity to friends, and
his love of the right under all cireum-
stances were constant, firm, earnest
and unsurpassed. His noble man
hood was marked and tempered By
an extraordinary simplicity and gen
tleness. His social conduct was re-
firing, quiet, and wholly unostenta
tious, and sometimes shaded by {
slight melancholy. the result, in part
of temperament. His intelligence anC
culture were of very high order, an(
his mind, always vigorous, cool, an(
self-possessed, was in the highest dc
! gree conservative, just, discriminat
, ing and generous. As man, and a
an editor, he was always, in a yer,
signal degree, superior to tn
control of impulse, passion, o
; prejudice. He was prudent, eau
} tious, and just in his opinions o
! and conduct towards his fellow-mer
and always disapproved of all hast
and ill-considered conduct calculate
uniustly to wound or give offense t
Q others. As citizen and public mar
: he was unwavering in his attachment
" to his adopted country; in his pa
riotism he embraced every part, an
a section of our great Union, and d.
% sired and aided to promote alike I'll
Ii welfare and happiness of all. He