The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-07-12

for GAINESVILLE, where he started his frs
newspaper. The task OF getting thu
boat up the river was what no on
would think of for a moment in thest
latter days. poles and ropes and human
muscle being the propelling power
then. On their way up a fine buck wat
discovered crossing the river Just be
fore them. at was with some diff
Guilty that Whites companion" says
Mr.. Merwin, prevented him from
jumping into the river, and attacking
the deer, a venture that would doubt
less resulted disastrous to Whites EN-.
terprise. A more prudent course was
pursued. A little vigorous pushing up
the river and the crossing Of the deer
was intercepted, and after a severe
struggle it was killed, and his cap.
tors had a feast of venisOn." White
however, reached GAINESVILLE with his
outfit and started his paper, the name
of which is lost in the dim past. After
Il time he returned to Pennsylvania,
married, and returned to Ohio and
started a paper at Lebanon, in Warren
county, where he remained for several
years, and until his venture in stark
county, referred to in the former sketch
Then came his Mount Eaton, Wayne
county, Anti Masonic Mirror; then his
MaSsillOn enterprise in which his son,
j. Washington White was principal as
proprietor, and a DIR. Morse was editor.
The bitterness of the campaign of 1882,
which ended with the reelection of
Gen. Jackson. is well remembered by
the writer, scarcely a man who partici-
pated actively, either Democrat or
Wing, yet remains in Stark county.
Death and removals have changed the
entire population, as we'll they might
ifty-six years having gone into the
great ocean of time, Whites next ven
ture was in Geauga county, already
noticed in a former article. He was a
wonderfully impulsive man, and to the
last of the writer's knowledge of nun,
he was bitterly anti Masonic, whether
lie edited a Democratic newspaper or
not, his hatred of the Masonry never
fOrsook him. Al secret societies were
alike to him.
In 1913 he edited a Democratic paper
and wherever it was intelligence WAS
received by some source that Gen. CasS,
the Democratic candidate for Prrsi-
dent, was elected, White could not re-
strain his JOY. Mr.. Merwin, whose an
thOrity is likely to be correct, thinks he
edited a paper at Lebanon at that time.
He says of White, son receiving what
he regarded as reliable intelligence Of
the election Of the Democratic candi-
date, he mounted a horse and riding
rapidly through the streets of Lebanon
waving his hat and shouted, Cass is
elected" He was greatly chagrined at
being compelled to acknowledge his
mistake a few days afterwards through
the columns of his paper, aud for IA long
time the boys of the city used it as d
good joke on the Old man.
Among the newspaper writer's of
more than half a century ago, in New
Lisbon, Canton and Massillon, was
Abijah w. Baker. He was a practical
printer also, and when sober, had the
ability to use as good English as can be
found in the Spectator, or the letters of
Junius. He came here while
Capt. Allen edited the old Ga
zette, and his ability as a
writer was at ono discovered. His
knowledge of the classics, Greek and
Roman, attracted the attention of
scholars wherever his essays were read.
He had, however, a savage love for
whisky which he could not permanent
ly overcome. He was well known to the
writer from 1880 until his death which
is noticed hereafter; his home was at
New Lisbon where he served his ap-
premiership, but he would travel from
one printing Office to another, generally
'Out of sorts" but always ready with
his pen. In 1912, during the Washing
Nnnl1n tpnn arlnpa nVaiT op1nnf no corna |
for perhaps the twentieth time here and
took charge of d temperance paper
called the Genius of Temperance"
and continued as editor until his love
for whisky overcome him and he went
back to his old habits from which he
recovered. When he took charge
If the paper he gave his experience as a
He had Travelled all wei the
West and on one occasion had formed a
partnership with the ubiquitous Sam
Pike, 0 gone to his final accounts;
both printers, they concluded to go out
West and start a paper and grow up
With a county seat. So they went at
,nce to Peru, Miami county, Indiana,
md started a paper called the "Peru
Forester" AT that time a tribe of In
liaus inhabited that part of the country
md Godfrey, the Chief" said Baker,
took six copies and could not read a
The county, now one of the
most t1our:sling in the State, was
parsely settled and the Peru Forester
vent out of existence and Pike &
Baker sought fresh fields and pastures
lew."
Baker on leaving the Temperance pa
,er went TO New Lisbon and remained
here until the Mexican War COM
nenced, when he came here and enlist
d in Co. X, LIST 0. Vol. and with Cap
ain Allen marched to the seat of war.
rs the volunteers were called out for
'ut n year, Baker came back and
hen re-enlisted for another term, and
uefor eits expiration died.
That man Sam Pike had more irons
n the fire than any man of modern
lines. He would run a boat on the ca
al, manage a farm, edit a newspaper
nd, Baker used to say, improve the
reed of horses by keeping blooded
took, all at the same time. White, Ba-
Pike, Sanderson and some others
Tho may be mentioned hereafter did
ouch for the newspaper interest in an
arly day, among whom was the veter-
n John Frost. whose name will ever be
indy remembered by all who knew
i'm, and of whom your correspondent
will endeavor to make proper mention
GREATER. HAsWELL.
MAssILLoN, July 3, 1888.