The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-01-05

Interesting Account of the Pioneers Of the
Press IN the Lone star state.


+ 10 the Editor " the Dallas Herald
AS you, through your senior, have ro
{ questod ofmc brief sketch Of the early
, printers aud newspaper men Of Texas, u
publish In these holidays, as 1881 goes ou
and 1882 comos In, will submit an cpitomt
Of such Of the early men In this line as car
recall. But II must be borne in mind that
came to Texas boy. and was not old
enough In the earliest days to know what
was passing in the country.
There were three or four
one-horse newspapers in Texas before
1885. Que, published at Dra2ora, called
the Texas Republican, but none of them
existed more than u few months, and
amounted to little.
The Erst real newspaper published in
Texas was the Telegraph and Texas Regis
| ter, established at San Felipe, on the Bra
EOS, the capital of Austin's colony, in Sep
TENDER, 1885. All Texian newspaper en-.
terprises before that may be considered
I (outside of local "reminiscences as OF no
consequence.
The Telegraph was established at San Fe-
llpe in September, 1885, by Gail and Tho
was changed to Baker " Bordens,
by the addition to the firm
Of Joseph Baker, son of Massachusetts,
who had come South and acquired a knowl-
edge OF the Spa .ish language--in facL. To q
large extent become a Mexicanized Amer
lean, and being widely known as Don
| Jose (Ho-zay) Baker. AT that tune the
chief printer in the office was Lancclott
| Abbott, now retired English gentleman,
at Beauchamp Place. Warwick, England
Mr.. Abbott has u history akin to romance
He was soldier at San Jacinto---aftcr. the
war located at Liberty, married the widow
OF The Hon. Daniel p. Colt, who
was the daughter of General uo Mar Mar,
Of the Kentucky penitentiary and sister
of Or. William G. Hardin, OF Louisiana,
Pike county, Missouri, Mr.. Abbott was
Chief Justice of Liberty county, and filled
various other offices. | met him last in
New Orleans, in April, 1915, in company
with John A. Rogers, Hon., Edward Il;
the old Telegraph, Mr.. John Leeds, of
Leeds foundry, George w. Kendall, OF the
Picayune, and a number or other gentle
men Of more or less celebrity.
Prior to the establishment of the govern
ment of the Republic, little more can be
said of printers in Texas, only in so far as
they came as volunteer soldiers in 1886
Others early in 1887. OF these revolution
airy printers, it is my province 10
speak, rs l in boyhood knew most OF
| them personally, and in 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
erosity or patriotism. This is said because
| in old times printers did not exist, Tor 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
craft; and hence, it. is with
pleasure that offer the following sum-
mary of early printers in Texas 10 begin,
Martin Carroll Wing, a 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 Texian and gathered Il
brig-load Of volunteers in New York. In
the same brig were Charles A. Ogsburg
late editor of the Cuero Bulletin, and his
tyin-brethcr John j Ogsburg, and num-
Der of others who became Distinguished in
Texas. Mr.. Wing served in the
army till its disbandment in 1897 then scrv-
until the spring of 1S42. when the frontier
being abandoned, he offered himself as II
soldier in its defense, and at Mier, Christ
mas day, 1912, became Il prisoner to the
Mexicans. In the bean drawing, April, |
1913, he drew black bean and was shot
unto death. He was the last man 10 speak,
Of the seventeen who thus persisted and
died as only heroes die. James ID. Cooke,
a printer from Richmond, Virginia, died as
died the son OF Vermont. Joel Miner, |
another Vermonter, who had spent years
in France and acquired the language |
of that country, also came as a
volunteer in 1896, served in the army, was
foreman Of the first newspaper ever pub
lished III, Austin, married Miss Vannehill, |
served as County Judge Of Travis county, |
and died q few years since.
Joseph Addison Clark, Kentuckian-ifl
not by birth, at least by inheritancc--was !
foreman of the second newspaper cstab- !
lishcd in Austin in January 1910, now q
minister OF the Gospel, and regarded as the
The name Adrian is contraction of thel
MINES ofhis two ons, Addison and RAN
dolph
There we're a number ofprinters in Hous-
ton after its establishment as the seat of
government in 1S1-dischargcd soldiers
who figured honorably in various positions.
Hamilton Stewart, young married man,
having married an accomplished daughter
OF William Chambers, United States Land
officer unaer General jackson, u,
Little Rock, Arkansas, came from
Georgetown, Kentucky. abont the close Of
lSJl. Ia MAJ, 400, Iie ISSUED the fIrst NUM-
Der of the "Ciyilian and Galveston
Gazette the first permanent paper ever
established ON Galveston island. Mr.. Stuart,
by nature, is peculiar man. Peculiar IN
a clear and incisive intellect, peculiar in
his devotion to what he believes TO be true,
and in repugsance to ialsehood aud pre-
tense. Loving peace, he has no capacity to
lead in turmoil and bloodshcd; but few nlen
Of his generation have 4 clearer discriinina-
tins hat ~ Fftrltf with "A
tie moro infusion OF self and little more
cheek, he would iong since have been Gov
ernor OF Tcxas-possibly In the United
States senate. Aroused and reached by the
cords OF sympathy, he is the ablest news
paper writer ever connected with the press
Of Texas as an editor. lie loves candor |
and detests political hnmbucgery, and |
yet has failed 10 impress himself ON
the history VI the State he loves,
partly through difIidencc ia his own iudg
ment, and partly through (as believed a /
failure to have thoroughly grappled with /
aud understood the true theory Of our
American system of goverment--our
states nnitcd-and each STATE locally self
governing He has allowed himself while
a thorough disciple ofJefierson IN ciemen-
fary principles, 10 be prejudiced against
his brethren Of the same faith, who wished
10 maintain the doctrine and defend the
ngllis Of the States ard their institutions.
against all attacks from without. A more
sincerely honest man never lived in Texa.,
and but few Of superior intellect. -Four
times Mayor Of Galveston, twice a member
III the Legiflnturt. eight years Collector or
u. y. CusfOus. TIE man - yer 10 be born
who would cast stain upon his integrity.
Vet he l. simply human and may Erlev-
Uusly s.rr. r. have reason 10 think be has
~ tbc last few year-. II be was the author OF
several occasional filings nf me In the col
umns Il the Galveston New, IN the las
luo N three year- These hincs have ap-
Drnrrd Ia The dc1s1rtment Of tII1f paper over
Which u Il uuder-food Mr Stuart fIrcsides.
ard / could only itnnrint fIIouEh 10 ny Ut
But this j. lIeIihfr iIcTt nor there. and don't
hurt one uiIllse ska i snfIefsnilr fIIick 70