The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1910-07-07
TWELVE PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP
FARMERS BECOME EDITORS
Remarkable Showing Made by One Neighborhood
in Single Generation. All of Quaker Descent.

4 Z
New Sharon Star: A rather insig-
nificant neighborhood is that in the
extreme northwest corner OF Keokuk
county; in Prairie township, which
adjoins Pleasant Grove township of
Mahaska county on the east. The
|neighborhood, known as Shanghai
because the incessant Growing of
Cyrenas Emmons Shanghai chickens
used to disturb the peace of mind OF
Senator Dixon, who lived two miles
away in Mahaska county,, but desig
mated in the postal guide as Coal
Greek, has nestled quietly for years,
immune from publicity for any cause,
but all the while-a journalistic incu-
bator- Matching out silently in sin
gle generation dozen full-iiedged
editors.
And all of these but one were of
Quaker descent and at least distantly
related to each other, and that one
married a lady who was both of
Quaker descent and connected with
the editorial tribe"
The epidemic which turned farmer
men and boys into printer devils and
newspaper publishers spread like
wiidfire, starting from the suggestion
of Stephen J. Townsend back in the
year 1870. He, in company with Fl.
Lupton and A. H, Sherman, while on
a western trip visited by chance a
printing office-the first they had
ever entered, when, out OF curiosity,
he slipped into his pocket piece OF
type which he took home as SOU
yenir of his trip. His examination
of this single type, together with the
interest aroused by his single visit
to print shop, led him to look for
work in that line of business. He
secured the state for job, and final
ly located in the Office of the Chron-
icle, at Wilton, Ia A number of ad-
miring friends back in Prairie town
ship followed with eagerness the ca
reer of this farmer-printer, till one
day he learned the owner of the
Chronicle wanted to sell out. He
wrote this information to Hervey J.
Vail, one of his Shanghai farmer
friends, and told him that it was
proposition and could
be bought at a bargain. The result
was the starting OF the editorial ca
reer Of II. ]. Vail, founder of the
New Sharon Star, the first of the
dozen editors produced during the
last forty eyars by Prairie township,
Keokuk county, Iowa.
Eleven others have followed suit,
each one at some time occupying
he position of editor, most of them /
still following the same profession.
Only one is not living today. They
iro as follows:
Stephen Townsend, who was the /
irst printer from the township, and |
Who afterwards rose to editor, fol-
owed that occupation for many years,
'ut has since entered the ministry
md is now preaching in Congrega-
ional church at Interlatchen, Florida.
III. J. Vail, the first real editor
rising from the nelghborhood, start
d in the business by purchasing the
Wilton Chronicle. His career since
hat date has been previously re- !
iewed in the columns of the Star.
fhich paper he originated in 1873.
lie is now postmaster here in New
sharon and only retired from the
and editorship of the Star
be first of this year. /,
w. L. Vail. son of H. j., was born
q this little township which has
royed to be SO productive of edi-
ors, and he followed the printers
rade for years, editing papers in Ari.
ona, and is now principal owner and
dltor OF the Mexico City Record, the
My daily paper printed in the Eng.
sh language in Mexico.