The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-12-30
OUR FAIRLY PRINTERS.
Interesting Account of the Pioneers oil the
Press In tho Lone Star state.

duested OF me Orlcf SKetCn Vi thc c"iis
printers and newspaper men of Texas, to
publish in these holidays, as 1881 goes ont
and 1882 comes in, will submit an epitome
of such of the early men in this line as can
recall. But it must be borne in mind that
came to Texas boy. and was not old
enough in the earliest days tofinow what
was passing in the country.
There were three or four
one-horse newspapers in Texas before
1896. One, published at Brazoria, called
the Texas Republican. but none OF them
existed more than few months, ana
amounted to little.
The frst real newspaper puDlished IN
Texas was the Telegraph and Texas Regis
ter, established at San Felipe, on the Bra
EOS. the capital of Austins colony, III Sep
terprises before that may be considered
(outside OF local "reminiscences as of no
consequence
The Telegraph was established at San Fe-
line in September, 1895, by Gail and Tho
mas " Bordcus, but soon the firm name
was changed to Baker Il Bordens,
by the addition to the firm
T Joseph Baker, n son of Massachusetts,
who had come South and acquired knowl-
edge otthe Spa 'ish language-in fact, to a
large extent become Mexcanized Amer
lean, and being widely known as D33n
lose (Ho-zay) Baker. AT that time the
chief cSip printer in the office was Lancclott
Abbott, now n retired English gentleman,
at Beauchamp Place, Warwick, England.
Mr.. Abbott has history akin to romance.
He was q soldier at San Jocinto--aftcr. the
war located at Liberty married the widow
oil he Hon. Daniel y. Cot, who
was the daughter of General Mar
tn d. Hardin, once Warden
Of the Kentucky penitentiary and sister
Of DIR. William G. Hardin, OF Louisiana,
Pike county, Missouri. MIR. Aboott was
Chief Justice of Liberty county, anG filled
various other offices. met him last in
New Orleans, in April, 1916, in company
Branch, Dr. Frances Moore, Jr., editor Of
the old Telegraph, Mr.. John Leeds, OF
Leeds foundry, George W. Kendall of the
Picayune, and number OF other gentle
men of more or less celebrity.
Prior to the establishment of the govern
mont OF the Republic, little more can be
said of printers in Texas, only in SO far as
they came as volunteer soldiers i'll lSSi-
some starting IN the autumn OF 1873 and
others early in 1887. OF these revolution
airy printers, it is my province to
speak, as | in boyhood knew most of
them personally, anu III adult manhood,
feel proud of them as co-laborers in the
hive to which, in orphanage, my lot was
cast. No class of men ever created by the
developments of modern times have been
more distinguished for liberal-hearted gen
crosby or patriotism. This is salG because
in old times printers did not exist, for the
same reason that there were no railroad
presidents engineers or telegraph opera
tors. Though not now in the business yet.
having been regularly trained in it, would
be an migrate not to feel an interest in the
craft: and hence, it is with
pleasure that offer the following sum-
mary of early printers in Texas. To begin,
Martin Carroll Wing q thorough printer
from Vermont, came to Texas i'll the win
ter of 1856, as a volunteer in the More
house battalion from New York. More
house was already Texan and gathered n
brig-load of volunteers in New York. In
the same blig were Charles A. Ogsburg,
late editor of the Cuero Bulletin, and his
twin-brother John J. 0gsburg, and Il mum
Der Of others who became distinguished in
Texas. Mr.. Wing served in the
army till its disarmament in 1887 then serv-
ed inprinlnc offices in Houston and Austin
until the spring of 1872, when the frontier
being abandoned, he offered himself rs n
soldier in its defense, and at Mier, Christ
mas day, 1912, became prisoner to the
Mexicans. In the bean drawing, April,
1913, lac drew black bean and was shot
unto death He was the last man to speak,
of the seventeen who thus persisted ANA
died as only heroes die. james d. Cooke,
aprinter from Richmond, Virginia, died az
died the son of Vermont. joel Miner,
another Vermonter, who had spent years
in France and acquired the language
OF that country, also came rs q
volunteer in 1886, served in the army, was
foreman OF the first newspaper ever pub
lished in Austin, married Miss raunehill,
Served as County Judge of Travis county,
and died u few years since,
Joseph Addison Clark, u KentucSian--if
not by birth, at least by inheri,anCc--w
foreman Of the second newspaper cstab.
lished in Austin, in January, lSiJ, now a
minister OF the Gospel, aud regarded rs the
founder of Ad-Ran College, Thorp's Springs.
The name Adrian is n contraction of the
names ofhis two sons, Addison and Ran
dolph
There were a number ofprinters IN lIous-
ton after It's establishment rs the seat of
government in lS1-discharged soldiers
who figured honorably in various positions.
Hamilton Stewart, young married man,
having married an accomplished daughter
W W illldui NliiuuVIst I HllCu Cthlcs i4NlN
officer under General Jackson, ut
Little Rock Arkansas, came from
Georgetown, kentucky, about the close of
1887, In May, 1883, he ISSUED the first mum.
Der Of the Civilian aud Galveston
Gazette" the first permanent paper ever
established on Galveston island. Mr., stuart,
by nature, is 10 peculiar man. Peculiar in
q clear aud incislye intellect, peculiar In
his devotion To what he believes to be true,
and In rcpugnance 10 ialseh0od and prc.
tense. Loving peace, hc has no capacity to
lead in turmoil and bloodShcd but few men
Of his generation have clearer discrimina.
ton between right and wrong. With lit
tic moro infusion Of self and q little more
cheek, he would long since have been Gov
ernor of Texas-possibly In the United
States Senate. Aroused and reached by the
cords OF sympathy, he Is the ablcst news.
paper writer ever connected with the press
Of Texas as an editor. lie loves candor
aud dctests political humbuggery, and
yet has failed TO impress himself on
the history of the State he loves,
partly through dilidcnco In his own ludg.
men,, and partly through las belicycl
failure TO have thoroughly grapplcd with
and understood the true theory of our
American system of governmcnt--our
States united-and each State locally self.
governing. lie has allowed himself while
a Thorough disciple Of Jefferson IN clcmen.
tary principles, TO be prciudiced against
his brethren of the same faith, who wished
10 maintain the doctrine and defend the
rights OF the States and their institutions,
against al attacks from without, A more
sincerely honest man never lived IN Texas,
and but few OF superior intellect. Four
al.