The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-02-21

party, but after 1856 it strongly es-
poused the principles of the Republi-
can party. 1t was one of the first pa
pers to suggest the nomination of Lin
coin for president and Col. Frank, then
its editor, was one Of the delegates to
the Republican convention which Rom-
mated Mr.. Lincoln.
The Kenosha Tribune.
The Kenosha Tribune was founded in
1852 by j. A. Butts and H. T. West,
but it was found that Kenoshs, then
just admitted 20 the state Of cityhood,
would not support two papers and in
1853 the Tribune was merged with the
Telegraph It was Wing in politics ana
took strongly the side of the opposi-
ton to the growing Democratic party.
Only a few scattered copies of the
Kenosha Tribune are in existence and
no complete file of its issues was ever
preserved
Before the coming of the Tribune,
the Kenosha Democrat had been estab-
lished in 1850 by James Hildreth, a
pioneer Wisconsin newspaper man. IL
continued in publication for less than
a year and suspended publication, but
it was revived in 1854 with George H,
Paul as it's owner and Volney French
as its editor. John M. Coe bought the
Kenosha Democrat in 1854 and con-
tinued the publication of it for two
years.
The death of the Democrat came in
December Of 1855 and at that time it
was owned by Thomas H. Holder and
he had associated with him John M.
Strong, one of the most vigorous edi-
torial writers of the pre-war period.
Another Kenosha Democrat was es-
tablished in 1859 and its publication
continued for two years b. 8. Cadwal-
lader.
Isaac George a Veteran Editor.
Isaac George, one of the veterans of
the newspaper business in Wisconsin,
Joined with D. c. McVean in 1857 in
the publication of the Kenosha Times.
After three months Mr.. McVean>sre-
tired from the business and George
went on with the paper for two years,
when he sold it to ]. A. Butts. Later
Mr.. McVean came back to the, staff of
"The Times" and remained with it UNI
til the call to war came. 1t was sue
cessively owned by J. H. Harrison &
Co., and S. B. Taylor & Co., until it
suspended publication in 1868. 1t was
Democratic in politics under the con-
troll Of Isaac George, but later became
a Republican paper. Notable in the
list Of contributing editors to the
Times was Josiah Boand, who was one
of the most prominent of Kenosha pio-
neers.
The Contribution of Killeen.
One of the most interesting charac-
ters in the history of the press of Ke-
nosha county was John A. Killeen, who
for many years edited and published
the Kenosha Union. The Union was
founded in 1865, just after the close of
the war, by Isaac W. Webster, who had
as his associate George Hutchinson
during the first year and later G. P.
Smith and John Fl. Harrison. In Oc-
tober of 1875 the Union passed under
the control of John A. Killeen and he
continued to edit and publish it until
his death in 1909.
In the earlier days, Volney French
was associated with the editorial policy
of the Union, but in later years it was
the child Of Mr. Killeen and he took q
cratic paper, never wavering in its sup
port of the Democratic party. John A.
Killeen had a rare wit and integrity
which nothing could shake and he car
ried the paper over many years with
!! out much deviation in its course. On a
measure of years Of service John A
Killeen gave the longest service any
man ever gave to the press of Kenosha,
he being continually connected with
the publication of the Union for over
thirty-four years.
~ The First Daily Paper.
Kenosha had daily paper back in
the days of Southport, the first daily
paper to be published north of Fort
Dearborn. 1t was known as "The
Southport American" and it was found
ed in 1871 by John B. Jilsun and N. P
Dowst. 1t lasted three months under
this management and then Mr.. Dowst
operated the paper alone for q short
time. Wallace Mygatt was in charge
cf the paper for a short time and then
it went over to Louis P. Harvey, who
was afterward governor of Wisconsin
and who continued to make it power
III the state for more than two years.
For a short time Loring Gold, who had
his first experience on the Kenosha
Telegraph, was connected with the pa
per.
Henry o. Sholes took over the publ
cation in March of 1S4S and was in
charge untilNits suspension in October
of 1S49. In the last six months of its
life it was published under the name,
1.-THE Daily Ledger" and Myron S.
Barnes was its editor. 1t was Wing in
politics and many copies of it are now
in the files of the Kenosha News Pub
fishing company, furnishing one of the
most interesting contributions to the
early newspaper history of Wisconsin
and the middle west.
Other Weekly Papers.
Kenosha had many other weekly pa
pers, but for the most part they were
''birds of passage" Among those which
lasted out more than the average time
were "The Kenosha Blade" 1t was the
product of the fertile brain of Harry
W. Marden, still we'll known to many
Kenosha people and who died only re
Gently at Hammond, Ind. Mr.. Marden
was also sponsor for "The Kenosha
Kicker" a journal of protest which
was short lived but decidedly poppy
while it lasted. The Kicker" came in
the early nineties and lasted for par
of year and it was the last venture
of Mr.. Marden in Kenosha.
Another weekly paper of the later