Antebellum Jefferson, Texas: Everyday Life in an East Texas Town

36. Newspapers

475 Jefferson was the home of six newspapers prior to 1861, with continuous publication from May 1847, except for the period from late 1849 through late 1850. The first of these was the Jefferson Democrat, which was replaced by the Spirit of the Age, which was replaced by the Independent Monitor. After the period in which Jefferson had no newspaper , the Jefferson Herald started in September 1850. It was joined in January 1857 by the Eastern Texas Gazette, which changed its name to Jefferson Gazette in September 1858. The Jefferson Herald and Jefferson Gazette were consolidated into the Herald and Gazette in January 1860. These were all four-page weeklies that were distributed regionally. Obviously, thousands of copies were issued; but there are only five extant copies, and two of these are incomplete. Fortunately, newspapers used each other as sources of information through an exchange system. When a newspaper was started, the first and subsequent issues were sent to regional newspapers, which announced the new arrival. Articles are summarized or taken verbatim, with attribution enabling insight on what was being published in Jefferson. In addition, editors knew each other and visited each other on their travels. These encounters are usually mentioned in the travel accounts. As a consequence , the sequence of the newspapers in Jefferson and something about what they contained can be known from external sources even if no antebellum Jefferson newspapers had survived. 36. NewsPaPers 476 Antebellum Jefferson, Texas Jefferson Democrat Jefferson’s first newspaper was the Jefferson Democrat, owned and edited by William Bishop. A prospectus for the newspaper first appeared in the May 5, 1847, Clarksville Northern Standard (Fig. 36-1), and the first issue appeared in May, only two years after Jefferson had come into existence. The paper changed hands in August, when Berry Durham became the owner and Robert Loughery the editor. It is last mentioned in the June 17, 1848, Northern Standard, and it was out of existence by August, when it was replaced by the Spirit of the Age. The demise of the newspaper was obviously related to Durham’s death in November. There are no extant issues of the Jefferson Democrat, and there is little information on the newspaper in external newspapers such as the Northern Standard, which is not surprising given its brief life. However, there is sufficient evidence from the other newspapers of the period, from the prospectus, and from the comments in the Northern Standard to provide a characterization of the Jefferson Democrat. With respect to the persons involved, Bishop was one of Jefferson’s earliest residents and was instrumental in its development. Durham operated the ferry across Cypress Bayou before Jefferson became a town and was Jefferson’s first resident. He became owner of the newspaper shortly after losing a bid for state political office. Bishop was Jefferson ’s first postmaster, appointed on May 22, 1846. He was replaced by Durham in January 1847 and he in turn replaced Durham in June. Loughery was associated with newspapers in New Orleans and Monroe , Louisiana, and came to Texas to edit the Jefferson Democrat. When it ceased to exist, he moved to Marshall, where he became the long-time owner and editor of the Texas Republican. He provided continuous coverage of Jefferson while in Marshall and returned to Jefferson in May 1867 to publish another newspaper. Nothing can be determined from the quick change of ownership, because this was quite common for the period. Nor can anything be determined from its short life, because this was also quite common, with the cause usually being financial failure. The prospectus says that “The proprietors are aware of the disadvantages attending the establishment of a newspaper”; and they indicate that “The first number will be issued as soon as a sufficient number of subscribers can be 477 Newspapers Fig. 36-1. Jefferson Democrat Prospectus. Source: May 5, 1847, Northern Standard 478 Antebellum Jefferson, Texas obtained to warrant us in the undertaking.” The number was obviously achieved, because the newspaper was established. Durham had sufficient capital to support a newspaper; and when it ceased, it was quickly replaced by another, indicating that there was sufficient community support. The printing equipment for the Jefferson Democrat was quite sophisticated . The prospectus says that “In point of mechanical execution, it will at least equal any paper printed in this portion of Texas.” DeMorse of the Northern Standard visited Bishop in June 1847 and “found...