The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1899-09-13
Mississippi Press History.


of the early newspapers of Meridian
was prepared by Col. J. j. Shannon and
enclosed in letter to the editor of this
department. dated June 20, 1897. 1t is
valuable contribution not only to the
history of the press of Meridian, but con-
tains other matters of general interest
1--WE learn from gentleman who was
one of the pioneers of Meridian, that
the first paper published here was com
menced by Mr.. W. L.. Spinks, in the
year 1859. The gentleman to whom we
refer, Mr.. John T. Ball, induced Mr..
Spinks to locate here, and gave him
material aid in the undertaking. Mr..
Ball came here before Mr. Ragsdale's
purchase of the McLemore land, and is
entitled to the honor of having named
the town Meridian. An effort was
made afterward when Mr.. Ragsdale
had his part of the town laid off into
lots, to change the name to Ragsdalc
City, but it met with little favor Mr.
Ball had the postotfice established as
Meridian, though the Mobile & Ohio
railroad depot was first called So
washee, but finally Mr.. Ball succeeded
in having the name of the station
changed to Meridian.
Mr.. Ball says Mr.. Spinks' paper was
called The Meridian. 1t was intended
to help boom the town, and secure the
courthouse for Meridian. At that time
there was population of not more than
50 here, and where the city now stands
was an old field and part of it a swamp
The courthouse was at old Marion, and
papers were published both at old
Marion and Marion Station. Mr.
Spinks continued to publish his paper
at Meridian until 1861, when he vol
unteered in Capt. Crumpton's Com
pany, of the Thirteenth Mississippi
Regiment. Mr. Spinks was lieutenant
| in the company, and was killed during
the war. After Mr.. Spinks' death the
paper passed into the hands of Mr.
Willis Brewer, who continued to pub
lish it until July, 1868, when he sus-
pended publication and accepted a
situation on the Clarion, which had
been removed from Paulding to Meri-
dian, and was commenced as daily in
1868. The paper published by Mr..
Brewer was called, we think, the Meri-
dian Advocate. Mr.. Brewer probably
changed the name from the Meridian
to the Meridian Advocate.
After the death of S. r. Adams, in
the early part of 1860, the Clarion was
purchased by A. r Carter and J. j.
Shannon, and published by Carter &
Shannon at Paulding until June, 1868.
when Shannon purchased Carriers in
terest and removed the paper to Meri-
dian.
willis Brewer, referred to above,
after the war published a paper at
HaYneville, Ala; was elected to the
legislature, and held the office of State
auditor for four years, and we think, is
now State senator. Mr.. Brewer was
| young man of considerable literary
attachments and most exemplary
habits. He is now a prominent and in
fiuential citizen of Alabama, and has
written history of that State that is
| regarded as very creditable work.
From July, 1868, to November. 1865.
| except for few weeks during Sher-
mans raid in February and March.
1864, the Clarion was published daily,
and until the close of the war, took the
| regular press dispatches. For a con-
siderable time the Clarion had a daily
circulation of 5000, was the only daily
in the State and circulated in all parts
of the State that had any mail facili-
ties. In the winter of 1868, Col Shan
| non sold one-third interest in the
Clarion to j. ID. Williams, of Columbus,
| and one-sixth interest to c. III. Wilson.
The firm of j. j. Shannon & Co. were
| elected State printers by the legisla-
ture in the fall of 1858, at special SEES
| sion at Columbus. From that time
until the close of the war, the Clarion
was the official paper and did the pub
lie printing at Meridian. The first
sheet acts of the legislature, printed
by the Clarion, were worked off on
hand press. Afterward the proprIetors
purchased the Potter power press, that
did good work. When Gen. Sherman
visited Meridian, the greater part of
the material was saken to Selma, the
press was moved about ten miles in the
country, and hid on a gentleman's farm.
several presses and considerable ma
terial were left in the office The Office
and all the property of the publishers,
was burned during the Federal occupa
tion of Meridian. In few weeks after
the evacuation of Meridian, publication
of the Clarion was resumed in hastily
constructed log cabin on the corner of
Twenty-fifth avenue and Fifth street.
where the house now occupied by Mai.
Levy as grocery store is located.
"While on the subject of Meridian
newspapers, we wish to correct an error