The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-03-22
NEWSPAPERS AND NEWSPAPER
MEN In ROCK ISLAND
COUNTY.
THE ROCK 1sLANDER-1S54.
BY J. B, DANFoRTH, JR.


to relnvigorate a weak constitution. lie
had been connected with the Mountain
Echo, newspaper published at Johnstown,
Pa, and his tastes naturally ran in the
direction of newspaper life. 1t was at a
time when the people were greatly ex-
cited about ''the Nebraska bill, as it was
called-a bill reported by Senator Douglas.
as chairman Of the committee on territories,
for the organization of the territories of
Kansas and Nebraska, repeating the
Missouri compromise" and establishing
'squatter sovereignty" leaving the PEG
pie who should locate in those territories to
settle the slavery question for themselves,
The Democracy of Rock Island were
divided on the question Of the propricty Of
the bill, as, indeed, they were nearly
everywhere. Joseph Knox, George
Mxter, and few others, anti-Nebraska,
anti-Douglas Democrats, encouraged young
Pershing to start an anti-Nebraska Demo
cratic paper, hoping thus to aid in breaking
down The ARGUS and also strike blow at
Douglas. Mr. Persh;ng procured material
and started weekly paper, issuing the
first number on the 10Th of September
1854, calling it the Rock Islander. The
office was ID the basement of Lemuel
Andrews's building, now the celler of
Thomas's drug store. Mr.. Andrews was
d firm friend of Douglas and true Ne
braska bill Democrat. but that, of course,
made no difference in the business matter
of renting a room for the new Office.
Though generally regarded at that time
as an anti-Nebraska paper, the Rock
Islander supported the regular Demo
cracy at all times and was always a
warm friend of Judge Douglas.
The Office remained in Andrewss build
ing until Bailey & Boyle's block (now
Mitchell & Lyndes block was erected
when it was moved to the Sd story of thai
building and there remained until it was
united with THE ARGUS on the 10th Of
September 1857. The Daily Rocl
Islander was started in May 1855 anC
published until its union with The ARGUS
E. j. PERsHING.
MIR. Pershing was born in Johnstown
Cambria Co., Pa, in the year 1881. From
boyhood he was a close reader, and diligen
student. For short time he ATTENDED
the academy at Elders Ridge, Indian.
Co. Pa. under the charge of Rev. Alex
Donaldson, D. d. Subsequently he er
tered as a student Jefferson College, a
Canonsburg, Pa. He did not complete
the regular college course, but such wa
his character as "a student, and hi
attalnments in scholarship, that the honorar.
degree of a. NJ. was afterwards conterre,
upon him by the authorities of that in
stitution.
10 1857 or 1858 he was admitted to tb
bar, in Rock Island From his earlies
years he was compelled to battle with /
health, and he came west, as | have be
fore stated, in the hope of improving b
physical condition Books were his deligh
/, and the newspaper office had great charm
Tor hIm-but it was too exhauStiDg and h
was reluctantly compelled to seek nor
active life He was consistent membt
of the Presbyterian church and was mo:
amiable in all his ways. He was brotht
of Hon. Cyrus Pershing, lately Demt
cratic candidate for governor of Pennsy
vania and at present a judge of his distri
; court He was also brother of Rev. ,
G. Pershing, ID. ID. president Of Pittsbur
J Female College.
In the early part of July 1860, he lie
, Rock Island to visit his friends in Pennsy
] vania where he died suddenly at the Co
4 tinential Hotel, in the city of Philade
: phia, on Sunday, July, ODD 1860, in tt
S twenty-ninth year of his age. His remain
I were taken to Johnstown, and there
posted beside those OF his kindred W,
had gone before him to the silent Ian
] Rev. Franklin Moore, d. D. then
e Philadelphia, since deceased, who kne
= Mr.. Pershing intimately, and who was
his company but few hours before h
= death, thus wrote of him:
b His noblest memoir is that which
written on the hearts of those who kne
and loved him well. They will often so
row that one so good, so gifted, went dov
o to the grave so early His death, whit
al 10 LII
q translation He walked and talked
to the time the summons came for him
depart aud be at rest. He reached Il
margin of the lone dark river Of death on
Sabbath morning, when he was attiriI
himself for church service He cross
that river with triumphal sbound."
3 HENRY G. CONNOLLY
II Mai Connolly was born December .
# 1881, at Pctersburg,(a village on the gre
d National Road. 36 miles west of Cumb,
/, laud, Nd, in Somerset county Pa. |
y attended what was then known as a su
If scription or pay school, in his young
:. years, afterwards the Somerset Acadan
IS and after quitting this received instruct
VI from private tutor. When Is years {
:, he entered the Somerset Visitor print
y Office, then printed and published by Gt
l. A. Il. Cofroth, from whom he reeeiv
It personal instruction in the art of lprintil
u a Ii, Coffroth has been in congress. "
e one OF the pail bearers at Lincoln OBJ,
IF quies,i in Washington, DC. was candida
Z, for governor in the late Democratic (Pj
y convention which nominated Jud
o Pershing. He and Judge Pershi
= read law together with Jud