The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-02-03
journalism inSouth Carolina


Yates SnoWden, of
Charleston.
To the Editor The enclosed pa
per on the history of journalism in
Sumter County is sent to you for
publication. agreeable to resolution
of the South Carolina Press Associa-
ton. Corrections and additions are
invited from any of your readers fa-
miliar with the subject 1t is but
fair to say that am indebted to Mr.
Hubert G Osteen for nearly all the
facts given.
YATES SNowDEN.
Between the years 1880 33 two
papers were published in Sumter.
One, Union in principles was edited
by Maynard D Richardson, son of
Judge John S. Richardson, the other
advocated Notification and was
edited by John Hemphill, who after
ward went TO Texas, and became
Chief Justice of the State and United
States Senator The fierce fights,
political and otherwise, of that pc.
riod of Sumter's journalism are
worthy of carefully prepared mono
graph. 1t is fitting subject for the
facile pen Of Mr.. Hubert G. Osteen,
who has furnished nearly all the
data for. this sketch. Editor Rich
ardson was but twenty years of age.
Some idea of his abilities may be
gathered from an examination of that
rare little book, the "Remains of
Maynard D Richardson" In one
of the fierce street fights Hemphill,
the null fer, was pulled from his
horse and had to draw knife to de.
fepd himself. As the result of a
political controversy Mr. Hemphill
fought a duel with Mr. Levy who.
like Mr. Bruffey of the Atlanta Con
stitution in our own times, left the
field of honor minus one thumb In
after days Mr. Hemphill became
prominent in the affairs of Texas
On his tombstone in the cemetary at
Austin his services are commemo
rated, and he wac proud to call JEFF
ferson Davis a personal friend
About 1874 Gerge w. Hopkins
published for a short time small
sheet, the Sumter Gazette.
On November 9th, 1916 the first
number of the Sumter BaDHer was
issued 1t was a six column folio,
published by W. j. Francis; the
name of the editor is not given
A. A Gilbert and John F. De-
Lorme began the publication of the
Black River Watchman on April 27,
1850 T B Fraser, Judge under
the Hampton regime, and J. Wither-
spoon Erwin were the editors. In
1856 the Banner was absorbed by the
Black River Watchman and the name
of the latter was changed to 1.-The
Sumter Watchman.'' The firm was
then for short time Gilbert & Rich
ardson-A. A. Gilbert and John S.
Richardson, the one time Congress
man from Sumter District Later in
'the same year H L. Darr bought an
interest in the paper This firm con
tinued until 1865, when II. L. Darr
withrew and the paper was continued
by Gilbert and Thomas, E. Flowers,
with whom he became associated. In
185S-1S65 the Sumter Watchman had
tri.weekly edition with a large Cir
culation. The Watcbman had large
circulation in anle bellum days in
FIVE or six counties. extending as far
up as Lancaster.
From the close of the war>to 1876
the Watchman was published by A.
A. Gilbert and by the firm of Gilbert
& Flowers From 1876 to 1881 it
was published by succession of
persons, beginning with Guignard
Richardson and John j. Dargan. The
paper had gone down greatly in in
fuence and on January 20, 1881, it
was purchased by N G.. Osteen and
G. C. Brown In August, 1881, the
Sumter Watchman was consolidated
with the True Southron by N. G..
Osteen, who had been interested in
the True Southron since 1866 This
ends the history of the Sumter
Watchman. After Mr. A. A. Gilbert
sold the Watchman in 1876, he en-
tered the South Carolina Conference,
and remained an itinerant preacher
uutil his death eight or ten years ago.
Mr. Gilbert was born in Walterboro,
Colleton County. His parents were
from the North, his father being from
Massachusetts and his mother from
New Jersey.
In June, 1866. L. L Darr, pre-
,,;,,o1x, oc.Oo;atod with tho Spntor.