Clayton County Herald, of
Garnavillo was planned as the first paper north of
Dubuque, but it bagan January 28, 1853, a week or so
later than the Lansing Intelligencer
[Allamakee county]. Henry S. Granger was editor of
the six-column Independent sheet. After a year and a
half, Granger retired in favor of A.W. Drips, who
must have written the shortest salutatory on record:
"I have bought the Herald
office and will assume its responsibilities. The
paper will remain neutral in politics. With
respect, A.W. Drips."
He continued alone in publication
until November 17, 1856, when he took as associate
John McBride.
Clayton County Journal, successor to
the Herald, was established at Guttenberg
May 66, 1858, with Willard F. Howard, Republican,
editor. He apologetically explained that it was his
first newspaper venture. Alpheus Scott was co-editor
between the fourth and fifty-first numbers, after
which Howard, as sole owner, moved to Garnavillo,
which was again the county seat. Joseph Eiboeck
bought the office August 4, 11859. Plodding along
from one week to the next, never knowing just where
his future paper supply was to be found, this
Hungarian printer pulled his paper out of debt and
built for it a good circulation and standing. By 1870
he was one of the influential men of the countty and
his paper an outstanding journal of the day.
North Iowa Times grew out
of a Democratic resolution that the party needed an
organ in northeast Iowa. Hence the strongly partisan
F.W. Merrell and A.P. Richardson began publication
October 110, 1856. Four columns were devoted to
ertisements of merchants of Monona, where the paper
was to have started. Merrell remained with the
enterprise but two weeks, leaving Richarddon sole
owner until April 14, 1858, when C.C. Fuller became
associated forr seven months. A.J. Felt was admitted
as associate in May, 1860, and also retired after a
few months. The issue of April 4, 1861, announced
that George W. Tenney, Republican, was to be joint
proprietor. His connection caused a change in
politics, and the Times took an Independent
stand. Richardson retired in August, 1861, and Tenney
two years later, leaving in charge John H. Andrick.
The year 1870 found Andrick's papers, once more
Democratic, a powerful party organ.
Wildcat Tribune was established in
1858, the first printed publication in Elkader. It
lasted only one year. It was
published primarily for propounding the merits of the
Elkader location for Clayton county seat.
~source: Elkader Register clipping,
ca1870's/80's; contributed by Connie Ellis
Mississippi Valley Register,
a seven-column folio, published by McBride, Tipton
and Company, first appeared in Guttenberg on May 19,
1859. Tipton lasted only through seven numbers.
Oliver D. Eno took his place as editorial head
January 26, 1860. His was a good paper, but it had no
financial success, and, according to the publisher,
"contracted a western fever that nothing but
removal would cure." The end of the campaign of
1860 found it dead.
McGregor Press, a moderate
Republican weekly, was established in August, 1859,
by George and S.S. Haislett, with Orlando McCraney as
editor. McCraney was succeeded in March, 1860, by R.
Tompkins, who purchased the paper with B. Truax, and
published it till October, 1861, when it was sold to
H. Belfoy. On November 1, 1861, the paper was
suspended to begin again on December 9, 1861, as the Pocket
City News with Willis Drummond editor.
T.J. Gilmore and W.W.Williams bought it from him when
he entered the army in the fall of 1862. They sold in
August, 1863, to George Tenney. T.J. Gilmore, R.
Tompkins, Willis Drummond, and Douglas Leffingwell
were successive proprietors during the years leading
up to 1870. Under Leffingwell the News was
not a financial success and publication was suspended
for a time.
~source of all (unless otherwise
credited): "Notes on the History of Iowa
Newspapers, 1836-1870", University of Iowa
Extension Bulletin, No. 175, July 1, 1927;
contributed by S. Ferrall
