Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-04-24
EARLY ST. J0HNSPURY JOURNAL
ISM,
Postmaster Hazon of the Scale Town
Finds Valuable Relic.

st. Johnsbury did not have local news
paper Until 1927, says the Caledonan. Up
to that tine Ebenezer Eaton's North Star,
published at Danville, was considered sui
ficient for the three counties of Caledonia,
Essex and Orleans, and doubtless it would
have had the field alone for several years
more, / ad not Mr.. Eaton welcomed and
given the influence Of his paper to the
anti Masonic movement which was sweep
ing over the country, and finally resulted
in the election Of William a. Palmer Of
Danville, governor of Vermont, on an anti
Masonic platform. In 1871 the friends of
Masonry resolved to establish "a rival
newspaper In the town. Luther Jewctt,
preacher, physician and eX-congres sman,
was the leading spirit in the movement,
End he became the publisher of a small
sheet called the Friend which was Us ed
chiefly to oppose anti-Masonry, although,
| as may be easily ina gined slavery, in
temperance and other topics Of the day
received generous share of the editor
attention. The next year Or. Jewctt is
SIZED the first number of the Farmer
Herald an ably edited Wing sheet which
he continued to publish for four years.
For while in 1SZ9 DR.. Jewctt had asso-
ciatcd with him in the work William r.
| Potter who Afterwards went to New York
ana became famous as the founder of the
spirit of the Times"
In 1872 DR.. Jewett gave up the paper TO
|
| its name to THE Weekly Messenger. Con-
necticut & Passumpsic River Valley Adver
| tiser. Eaton,-who was not a relative
Of the Danville family-continucd the pub
| LEGATION about 10 months, then gave it up
| and went to New Orleans, where he soon
after died of fever. The property reverted
to its former owners Or. Jewett being the
principal one, and was sold at great
loss to out of town parties. Then st.
Johnsbury again depended on Danvie for
! its local paper until August S. 1881. when
A G.. Chadwick issued the first number OF
the Caledonian.
| While searching among some old papers
recently, Postmaster l.. j.. Hazen found Il
copy of the Weekly Messenger dated July
2, 1888, about three months be fore its pub
| LEGATION ceased.
The paper is four page five column
sheet, devoted largely to miscellaneous
matter Some general, but no local news
whatever. The editorial columns contain
an argument in favor of a union between
the Nationals and Jacksonians, u political
| fling at the anti-Masonic party which hal
| just renominated candidates for State
officers the victors of the preceding year.
with the exception Of two or three coun-
! cillcrs Considerable space is devoted to
reports of the cholera scourge which was
| then raging in all parts of the country.
! There are a fsw advertisements. Shedd &c
| Jewett and Moses kittredEc of st. Johns
bury Flam occupy considerable space in
advertising general merchandise: George
r. Chandler Of Danrille, secretary of the
l CaledCnia County Temperance society. an
nounces the annual meeting of that soci-
city, to be held at St. Johnsbury Plain
July 4: William Cushman of IasSunl psi Q
wishes to purchase wool and sheep pelts {:
Shedd & J welt also advertise books AMI
stationery; Luther Jewett advertises drugs
and Benjamin & Samuel Eaton, Jr., an
nounce the forming of the firm Of r. & :.