The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-24
ABBEVILLE'S NEWSPAPERS
A Demand for the Perpetua'toh "'
Their History-If You Can Help
tho Historian. Please DO SO.

~ Int
sume ,ata for SIX etcheS OF the newspapers ana
editors of the State, past anu present ou'siue
OF Charleston. ,.,,,,, l.,
the various counties have been published
with n request for corrections and amend
ments, and additions from any ana every
body The intention being to preserve many
interesting facts and traditions Which hre
Iast fading and which are worthy OF perpet-
/ send YOU my C:) sketch Of AbhevilIe Coun'
" journalism, win the request that you sup
plement what have drawn almost entirely
from your very interesting history OF the
Press and Banner.
would ASK you TO publish my manuscript IarI, Grip
IL IL were not "ancirnt history 10 oeVery reau
er OF the Press and Banner.
am indebted TO General Hemphill for the
few addenda have made to your own Work.
Yours truly, Yates Snowden.
The first newspaper published in Abbeyille
comfy was The Wing though the period OF
publication aud the name oi lts EniIor are
forpot,eu [, was succeeded in 1881 by The
Republican, published by John Iaggart.
Ia lo44 Charles H. Allen began the puolica-
ton OF The Abbeville Banner. us changes OF
ownership are thus reported by MT. Hugn
Wilson. in his recently published very In
terestins sketch of his Journaiislic career oi d
years: =, r, ,s
George p Evans as publisher" (wlthout pro-
prietary interest,) OF the Ao6esile Banner
and continued 10 10 publish the paper Hntil
January, 1855, when he took an interest IN the
Laurensvllle Herald.
In January, 1855, James Hollingsworth sue
ceeded Thomas b. Crews IN the publication
of the Banner, which was then owned by Dr..
John A. Logan and w. Z: DAVIS, ,Y.,,,,
In April or May OF 1855 James Hollings-
worth bought DR.. John A. Logans one'hall
interest IN the Banner.
In March, 1856. Thomas Is. Crews oouSnt lne
interest OF James A. Hoilingsworth IN the
Ranner.
From March, 1856, until after the beg ming
OF the war, though both pr"prletors were
among the first to enliet 10 the service, the
publication of the Banner was not discontin-
ued until the printers volunteered into the
army. Mr.. Crews entered the service and do
valiant service tor the Cause IN when an lhe
enthusiasm of his heart was enlisted. His
partner, Capt w. G. Davis, did the same, aud
was killed in battle.
In Octobet, 1865, Thonfs B. Crews revived
the publication OF the Banner, with James >
Cothruu AS his partner. he having bought the
hail Interest of w. c. Davis. deceased.
The Independent Press ,cr% was s. started art IN IN
Posey OF whom Mr. Hugh Wilson gives the
following characteristic pen picture:
When Ben Lane Pesey started the puhlica,
ton OF the Independent Press, he inaugurattd
system OF fault finding with everybody and
everything, exposing all the errors, SINS or
crimes with which people who held up their
heads had ever been suspected. He, In man
ner, blazed the way tor Illlman IN that line
Besides this he assumed the role OF bully and
proclaimed time and again his readiness {"
light anybody that IN ight chose to resent hi
insults. He, OF course, vented all manner
spleen against his local com petitor, the Able
VILE Banper. and no effort was spared To IN.
lure it's reputation and business. The paper
created n sensation. For Time every boi9
say. He was u scholar and used perfect Eng.
liSh. Because Of the low price OF the paper.
and the sensation which 1t created, the sub
scripiion list In very short time had run uP
to tifteen hundred copies. But the people
tired OF Mr.. Posey's methods and began to
STOP their subscriptions. and in order TO save
the paper from wreckage, he sold The Office al
the end of the first year.
On the 25th day OF May, 1854. Benjamin l.,
Posey sold his paper TO Coleman Z. Pucketl
and GsoTge aori tns5 nj M.s Pickett whosucceed
ed George FAINT, sold his half interest TO VIM.
Henry Wilson for Sl,OU.
On the 9th of ofSeptember, lS,G w. Fl Wilson
sold his half interest 10 Coleman Z. Puckett
On the 25th day OF October, 1856, Coleman C.
Puckett, transferred the paper TO w. A. Lee
and WIN. II. w ilson for Sl,50O.
On April !, 1856, VIM. II. Wilson sold his
half interest to Hugh Wilson, t,r $3.50.
OF the consolidated paper, Tho Abbevil'e
Press and Banner. Mr. Wilson writes: In
terest TO James ). Cothran, and he afte-ward
sold 1t to the Farrow brothers, who tailed 10
pay tor 1t, and IN 1869. re.conveyed TO Mr..
Cothran, aud Mr.. Cotrrau in turn sold the Of.
fice to w. a. Lee and Hugh Wilson, as stated
above, and the Abbeville Banner as separate
and distinct pape! ceased TO exist.
On the 7th day Of September. 1869, James 5.
Cothran sold the Abbeville Banner to w. A.
Lee aud Hugh Wilson Tor $!.t0O
On the llth day of August, 1876, W. A: Lee
sold his half interest In The Consolidated pa
per 10 Hugh Wilson Tor 81 ,5W.
On November so, 1871. Hugh Wilson sold
one-halt interest to W. G. b +nes for 81 800.
On January 9: 1880; w. & BeneL sod his
In lappory lSSS n Warlil sDld his
hall interest to Hugh Wilson for 81 800, since
which time the paper has been under the sole
management Of the present editor.
The ngurs as minuly given by Mr.. Wilson
ar here recorded, as indication OF the value
OF newspaper plants IN this State before the
war.
or the career of the Independent Pres.
during the Civil War, Mr.. Wilson says:
I'm December. 1851. Mr.. Wilson mortgaged
his hall interest in the office 10 secure his
sureties against loss in the payment OF thai
portion of the debt which then remained un
paid, closed the Office and volunteered into
The Confederate army. On his return from
the war some $500 was silll due on the rur
chase money, which amount was paid before
"In 1868 Mr.. Vim. II. Wilson, published the
paper, dividing the profits, which were In
Confederate money, perhaps something like
S3000-or, 81 800 10 himself, ana 81 $40 TO be di
vided between the owners of the plant
The paper was stopped during 1861 and was
not published again until the Summer of 1865
when the publication OF the paper re
sumed by W. a. Lee and Hugh Wilson,
The Abberille Bulletin was published In
1867 but did not long survive.
The Abbevile Medium was started H.
1871 by Robert r. Hemphill. The next veal
J.C. Hemphll WAS associated with 1t
1he Abbevllie Republican WAS published In
1873 There was but single Issue.
The Abbeville Messenger was published
about 1884 by NJ. l.. Borham, Il. i. Cothrdn
and James >. Perrin. II proSpeitd for nearly
three years but soon after Mr. Bonham',
election to the office.of AdJutant aud Inspec
tor Genera! IT ceased publication.
The Ninety-~ix Guardian was published al
Ninety-SiX In ISIS by NJ. l.. Bonhaln and NJ
Greenwood has been a newpaper center
since 1880. The list included The Sentinel
The Saluda Argus, The Tribune, The Light
The Observer, The New Era and the JoIrna
OF which the Journal: alone survives
In the iorties Samuel Jordan. who lived no
far from Lower Long Cane, published hi.
book. John c. Calhoun. or the Wicked One
Revealed" To publish that book he bough
the Smith hand.press and type upon VIII Icr
the Hamburg Republican had been printed
Henry ID Wray and II. l.. Holland came az
jOurneymen printers. An old store house
was used as Il printing office. When The
work of printing the book had been finished
the press. type and printers were transferred
10 Due West in 1850.
The Erskine Miscellany began publication
at Due West in 1850 by the Key. MeSsrs j. |
1t was devoted TO the support or the doctrin,
OF the Associate Reformed Presbyterian
church. Afterward the name was changed
10 the Due West Telescope. and II is nov
known as the Associate Reformed Presby
1erian and is edited by the Rev. W. NJ
Grier
Mccormick has had three newspapers
The News, The Telegram and The Times
The Times is published by a. NJ. Carpenter.
The Psalm Singer, by Rev. r. +. Bradle.
published at TrOy.