As an adjunct of modern civilization there is no more potent factor than the newspaper press.  In nothing evincing the spirit of progress has there been greater advancement during the last half century than in American journalism.  Fifty years ago the country had few newspapers that could be considered paying property; the metropolitan journals devoted about as much space to foreign as to domestic news, while country weeklies seemed to consider that which happened at home as of no importance whatever, and imitated the larger journals in style and contents.  The telegraph and railroads, assisted by that enterprising spirit which is inseparably connected with successful journalistic management, have wrought most gratifying results.  The weekly newspaper whose support and circulation are confined to a single county no longer ambitiously apes the city daily.  It has found its place as the chronicler of local news, the protector and defender of home interests; and recognizes the fact that is mission and that its mission and that of the great journals of the day are totally distinct, separated by well-defined lines.  This change has caused the country papers to be more liberally patronized, and given them a degree of influence which they never could have attained under the old method.
     The first county paper published by Whigs was the Noble County Investigator, begun at Olive in July, 1851, by Oliver P. Wharton and Richard H. Taneyhill.  The Investigator, though both its proprietors were Whigs, claimed to be independent in politics, and devoted itself to the all-absorbing question of the removal of the county seat from Sarahsville, strongly antagonizing the Sarahsville interest and advocating the election of the "people's" county ticket, made up from both parties.  An early copy of the paper - No. 12 of the first volume - has been examined by the writer, and as a brief summary of its contents may be interesting to modern readers, we present it here. 
     The Investigator was a well-printed six-column folio, bearing the motto, "Our principles embody the right."  The copy to which reference has been made bears the date, "Olive, Ohio, Monday, October 6, 1851."  The first column of the first page is headed by a cut of a pair of balances beneath which is the legend, "justice knows not friends."  This column contains an editorial on the subject, "Is Noble County entitled to separate representation?"  This question the writer answers affirmatively, then proceeds to demolish the argument of the Ohio Statesman which has expressed a contrary opinion.  The article is a scathing and well-worded argument.  The remainder of the first page (which contains no advertisements) is made up of miscellaneous selections, including a "poet's corner."  A column and a half of the second page and two columns of the last page are occupied by "laws of Ohio," passed at the last session of the general assembly.  The second page also contains market reports and an editorial notice, announcing the death of Dr. David McGarry, sen., who is spoken of in the highest terms.  Election day (October 14) was then near at hand and local politics were evidently the all-engrossing topic.  The Investigator denounces the Democratic Courier and the Democratic county officers unsparingly in the editorials and communications which fill the remainder of the second page and nearly a column of the third.  The advertising rates were low and the patronage fair.  The terms were $1 per square of fourteen lines or less for three insertions and twenty-five cents for each subsequent insertion; a card of four to seven lines, including a copy of the paper, one year for $4; mercantile advertisements, not exceeding one-fourth of a column, $8 per year.  Among the advertisements are several notices of sheriff's sales, signed by J. C. Schofield, sheriff; Henry Wolf, R. McKee and James McCune, call on the creditors to settle; D. McKee makes a similar request and adds the following quaint rhymes:

"Here for help is my petition;
Judge ye, my friends, my condition;
I owe for goods I've bought and sold,
And now I've run quite out of gold."

"To those who owe I must now say,
I need your help without delay;
And if I get a part that's due,
I may not be compelled to sue."

     Among the advertisers, nearly all of whom are now dead, are J. J. Parker, manufacturer of straw-cutters, Olive; George Windors, blacksmith, Olive; Levi Devolld, Tanner, harnessmaker and Shoemaker, Centre Township; Thomas Stockwell, stone-cutter, Olive; Benjamin Headley, boot and shoemaker; G. W. Anderson, forwarding and commission merchant, Bridgeport; Abner Morris, wagonmaker, Olive; A. Judd, jr., proprietor of Lowell mills; McCarthy & Paxton, Sharon, announce their goods for sale at cost, being about to move west.  Hotel cards: John  Harlan, D. J. Drake, Summefield; William Parish, Sharon; B. Thorla, W. Thorla, Olive, Lawyers; Green & Taneyhill, Davis Green of Marietta, and R. H. Taneyhill of Olive; Cochran & McIntosh, S. W. P. Cochran and John McIntosh, Sarahsville; Jabez Belford, William M. Kaln, Sharon; E. A. Bratton, Sarahsville.  Physicians: Dr. J. Y. Hopkins, Sarahsville; Dr. John McGarry, Carlisle.  A feature, which happily finds no counterpart in a modern newspaper, was a "Banknote list," corrected weekly, showing the discounts and values of various State bank-notes.  A number of the advertisements are repeated on different pages, doubtless for the purpose of filling space.  On the whole the paper was much better than the average country weekly of that day.
     In the spring of 1852 Mr. Taneyhill, sold his interest in the Investigator to Dennis S. Gibbs, who continued its publication in partnership with Mr. Wharton, for a short time.  In August, 1852, we find Oliver P. Wharton and James F. Capell publishing The People's Organ, in Sarahsville.  The chief purpose of the paper seems to have been to secure the removal of the county seat from Sarahsville.  The Organ was a live local paper for those days.  Dr. James F. Capell, the junior editor of the paper, was one of the ablest and most gifted men of Noble County.  He was an able and eloquent speaker, and a brilliant and accomplished writer.
     The People's Organ was succeeded by the Nobel County Patriot.  The latter was started in 1854, mainly through the instrumentality of Samuel McGarry.  Its main object seems to have been the advocacy of a vote on the county-seat question.  No. 38, of the first volume of the Patriot, dated Oct. 28, 1854, shows that Robert Barkley was its editor, and James Mowatt its publisher.  The Patriot was of the same size as the Investigator, and the issue shown to the writer contained two pages of reading matter and two of advertisements.  The amount of editorial matter was very slight.  Among the local advertisers were H. J. Rownd, James Stevens, William Van Meter and S. McGarry, merchants, Sarahsville; William M. Kain, lawyer, Sharon; William C. Okey, lawyer, Sarahsville; O. L. Borton, jeweler, Sarahsville; R. P. Summers, proprietor of Union Mill, Marion Township.  Advertising patronage was not all that was desired, as is shown by the fact that nearly every advertisement appears on both sides of the paper.
     How long the Patriot survived is not definitely known, John Stevens and William M. Kain (better known as Marcus Kain) converted it into a religious paper, published weekly, and styled the Christian Harbinger, which was short lived and unprofitable.
     In 1856 Dennis S. Gibbs and A. B. Clark, with J. C. Schofield manager, established the Republican at Sarahsville, the first political journal of the then newly-formed party in the county.  Shortly after, this paper was merged with the Christian Harbinger, the new paper being styled the Consolidated Republican and issued under the management of Randall Ross and William H. Phipps.  About a year later, Ross became sole owner of the paper, moving it to Caldwell.  He conducted it until 1859, when John L. Shaw became part owner, and the name of the paper was changed to the Noble County Republican, which it still bears.  Ross retired from the firm in 1860, and Shaw continued sole editor and proprietor until 1866 - his editorial career of seven years being much longer than that of any of his predecessors.  The paper remained of the same size, and there was no perceptible improvement in its style and contents.  Little attention was given to local news, and oftentimes the editorial notes were few and brief.  March 29, 1866, Mr. Shaw published his valedictory address, introducing Charles H. Goodrich, the new proprietor.  Col. Wilbert B. Teters was at once taken into partnership by Goodrich, and the Republican was published under the joint management of Goodrich & Teters.
     In July, 1869, John W. Bell and Wallace H. Cooley succeeded Goodrich & Teeters editors and proprietors.  In November, 1870, Bell retired, and Mr. Cooley became sole owner of the Republican.  He enlarged the paper to seven columns, introduced more local matter, improved its appearance and added greatly to its value.  By untiring effort he raised the subscription list from 430 names to a living patronage, and made a paying property of a newspaper which had encountered innumerable vicissitudes and bankrupted many of its former owners.  He is still at the helm doing earnest work for the Republican party and striving for the interest and welfare of the people of Noble County.  The Republican, by successive enlargements, has grown to a nine-column folio, and its subscribers number over 4,500.  The paper has had a continual existence since the year in which Noble County was formed.  Mr. Cooley's long and successful career as editor and proprietor of the Republican entitles him to an exceptionally high rank as a successful newspaper man.
     Wallace H. Cooley was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in 1844.  At the age of thirteen he began learning the printer's trade, and in the spring of 1859, at the age of fifteen, he came to Caldwell and began work for John L. Shaw in the office of the Republican.  In the spring of 1861 he enlisted in the Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which regiment he served three years.  Enlisting in Hancock's Veterans at the expiration of this term, he served until the close of the war.  In 1866 he returned to Caldwell where he was principally engaged in working at his trade until 1869 when he became connected with the management of the Republican.  In 1872 he was married to Miss Miranda E. Reed, of Noble County.  They have two children living and three deceased.  Mr. Cooley has always voted the Republican ticket.  He belongs to the Masons, the Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic.
     The Caldwell Journal was established in 1883 and its first number issued on the 23d of August by Frank M. Martin, editor and proprietor.  It is a Republican paper, and ably supports the principles of its party.  It has had an unusually successful career, all things considered, and is now on a permanent and prosperous basis with a circulation of about 1,000.  In size the Journal is a six column quarto.  Apr. 1, 1886, Mr. Martin sold a half interest to J. F. Knouff, and the paper was conducted by Martin & Knouff until December of the same year when Mr. Martin again became sole proprietor.  The Journal is well edited, and some of its editorials on current topics bear the impress of deep thought and of a high order of talent.

     Frank M. Martin, the founder of the paper, was born in Warren County, Illinois, June 28, 1859, but came to Noble County when five years old.  He learned the printing business in the office of the Noble County Republican.  He was foreman in the office of the Woodsfield Gazette four years and edited that paper one year.  In 1883 he came to Caldwell and started the Journal.   Mr. Martin was married in 1885 to Miss Kate Mooney, of Woodsfield, Ohio, and is the father of one child, Edmund M.
     Noble County with its Democratic majority of about one thousand, in 1851 offered an encouraging field for a Democratic newspaper.  Therefore the county had not long been established before the Democratic Courier made its appearance, published at Sarahsville.  The first number was issued in May, 1851.  William H. Gill and Robert Leech* were the publishers and proprietors.  The Courier was a typical country paper of that day - a six column folio, not always neatly printed but always containing a large number of typographical errors.  In addition to is political teachings it took a firm stand in favor of the retention of the county seat at Sarahsville.

     Gill & Leech soon sold the Courier to Samuel McGarry and William Tracy, who were its publishers in the latter part of 1852, Mr. McGarry being the editor.  About this  time Charles Otis became the editor for a short time. 
     A copy of the Courier dated August 23, 1852, has been examined by the writer.  This is the twelfth number of the second volume.  The paper bears the motto, "The Right is always Expedient."  The price was $1.50 per year.  The first  page is mainly made up of miscellaneous selections, including three poems.  An original contribution, amounting to half a column, describes alleged spiritual manifestations in the Sarahsville household.  There are no advertisements on either the first or the second page.  At the head of this editorial column are the names of Samuel McGarry, editor; General Frank Pierce and William R. King, Democratic candidates for president and vice-president, and the candidates for presidential electors.  A call for a Democratic county convention is published, signed by J. M. Stone, Elias Kackley and Samuel McGarry.  The editorial comments are few in number but well-worded.  Among the political articles are selections relating to Franklin Pierce and James K. Polk.  A tribute to the memory of Henry Frazier, deceased, is published by members of the Noble County bar.  A short article recounts a meeting at Point Pleasant, Aug. 20, for the purpose of organizing a company to build a plan road from Sarahsville to Point Pleasant and thence to Cambridge.  The meeting adjourned to meet at Sarahsville August 30.  The report is signed by Charles Otis, president, and C. J. Albright and George Brown, secretaries.  Two ordinances of the town of Carlisle are published, both for the suppression of intemperance, signed by George W. Shacklee, mayor, and R. H. Cain, recorder.  An obituary of Joseph Salladay is published, copied from the Organ, the rival paper of Sarahsville.  Four columns of the third page are made up of advertisements.  Jesse M. Stone, of Noble County, and William Okey, of Monroe County, are announced as candidates for Congress, subject to the action of the district convention; John K. Booher, Jonathan R. Baker, James W. Shankland, Eliab Matheny, Frederick Roach, J. L. Bevan and Adam Weimer are announced as candidates for assessor in various parts of the county.  K. P. Morrison, cabinetmaker, Sarahsville; Joseph H. Hunter, wagonmaker, Mount Ephraim; D. W. Patterson, John Fowler, H. J. Rownd and John B. Heaton, merchants of Sarahsville; B. M. Leland, merchant, Jackson Township; Hendershot & Co., merchants,  Williamsburg; Pool & Baird, tanners, Sarahsville; William Tracy, "Tracy House," Sarahsville; Lemmax & Franklin, merchants, Freedom; Isaac Q. Morris, merchant, Mount Ephraim; Charles Otis, Wm. C. Okey, Belford & Parrish, E. A. Brattan, Samuel W. P. Cochran and Daniel Pettay, lawyers, Sarahsville; and J. Y. Hopkins, J. F. Capell and Samuel McGarry, physicians, Sarahsville, are among the local advertisers.  Half of the fourth page is occupied by "Laws of Ohio," and the remainder by advertisements.

     William Tracy soon became sole proprietor and continued the publication of the paper with Benjamin F. Spriggs as editor until some time in 1855, when William M. Kain, then a Sarahsville lawyer, succeeded to the management of the office and the editorship of the paper.

     In 1857 the Democratic Courier passed into the hands of William H. Ijams, who changed the name to the Democratic Star.  In 1858 the paper followed the county seat to Caldwell and under the management of Louis Baker and James H. Odell became the Noble County Democrat.  After the presidential campaign of 1860 the paper suspended publication; but in the following year it was revived for a short time by George McClelland.  He sold out and the press and material were moved out of the county.
     In 1863, the Democrats of the county, feeling desirous of representation by a local organ, persuaded Robert Hutchinson to purchase the material of the Woodsfield Herald, with which he started the Democratic News in Caldwell.  Soon after Nathaniel Capell became his associate, but the business proved unprofitable and publication was suspended.  Robert J. Smith was the next proprietor and the paper was continued by him until some time in the year 1865.  Then Cyrus McGlashan and William Clymer took hold of the business.  Clymer retired shortly after, but McGlashan stuck to it bravely and kept the paper going under the name of the Noble County News until 1869, when he turned it over to William A. Wallace.  The latter moved the office to Summerfield, published a few numbers of a paper called the Cottage Visitor, and then quit for financial reasons.  In 1871 Cyrus McGlashan bought back the material and started the Weekly Spectator in Caldwell.  It was a small paper, poorly printed and poorly patronized.
     In 1873 the paper passed into the hands of John M. Amos and Frederick W. Moore, who changed its name to the Citizens' Press, improved its appearance and secured a better patronage.  In March 1874, Moore sold his interest on account of failing health, and John M. Amos became sole proprietor.  Under his editorship the paper was well conducted and prosperous.  In April 1884, Mr. Amos sold out to A. P. Jennings & Son, who changed the name to the Caldwell Press and are the present proprietors.

     Mr. D. A. Jennings, editor and manager of the Press, assumed his present position May 1, 1884.  He moved the office to its present location and  changed the form of the paper from an eight-column folio to a six column quarto.  In January, 1886, he discarded the "patent" side, thus giving space for more local matter than was formerly possible.  The Press is edited with the ability and always contains a large amount of original matter, both of local and general interest.  An interesting feature of the paper is its educational department, in which the interests of teachers and schools are ably and candidly discussed.  The Press is constantly improving.  Its circulation is now 1,500, and it is by far the most successful Democratic newspaper ever published in Noble County. 

     D. A. Jennings was born in Noble County, June 22, 1855.  After attending the common and normal schools, he entered Adrian College, Michigan, from which he graduated at the age of twenty-one, receiving two degrees - bachelor of arts and bachelor of science - on the same day, an honor never before conferred upon any student of the institution.  He next traveled, and studied in Europe for about two years.  After returning to his native county, he went west, and in 1880 edited the Independent of Castle Rock, Colorado, for one year.  During that time he was admitted to the bar of Denver, Colorado.  He afterwards taught school for some time, but was compelled to abandon that profession on account of failing health.  Since 1884 he was edited the Press and practiced law in Caldwell.  Mr. Jennings was married in 1880, at Boulder, Col., to Miss Bell Zora King, of Castle Rock.  They have one child - Myra.

     The Noble County Democrat, a new candidate for popular favor, made its appearance July 29, 1886, and apparently has "come to stay."  It is edited and published by C. W. Evans, a young man of energy and enterprise, who is thoroughly familiar with every department of newspaper work.  Its typographical appearance is unexceptionable, while its local page contains a large quantity and a great variety of items of interest to every citizen.  The Democrat is devoted to the interests of Noble County and of the party whose name it bears.  It is an eight-column folio, and its subscription price is one dollar per year.  It already has a good circulation, and its patronage is rapidly increasing.

     Charles Wesley Evans was born in Barnesville, O., Nov. 23, 1855, and is the son of Robert R. Evans, an old resident of that place, who was born in Sussex County, Va., in 1812.  He quit school at the age of fourteen and entered the office of the Barnesville Enterprise to learn the printers' trade.  The Enterprise was then under the editorship of George McClelland and W. T. Evans, (brother of C. W.), was foreman in the office.  After learning his trade, young Evans followed it in Wheeling, Zanesville, Columbus, and Bellaire, until February, 1882, when he came to Caldwell and became foreman in the Press office, then owned by John M. Amos.  He remained in that position until June 1, 1886, when he resigned, and in the following month started the Democrat.
     Mr. Evans was married in 1879 to Miss Hattie A. Cline a native of Belmont County, Ohio, and has one child - Lulu Estella.  Mr. Evans comes of a family of printers, and his wife is also a practical printer.

     Having brought the history of Noble County to Journalism down to the year of grace, 1887, the question arises, where are those who withstood the trials and vicissitudes incident to country newspaper work in former years?  Many are still living, and an attempt will be made to specify their whereabouts, as well as to tell what is known of those that are dead.

     William Tracy went west, became a successful lawyer, and died in Guthrie Centre, Iowa.  Oliver P. Wharton became the successful publisher of the Rock Island (Ill.) Advertiser. He is still in the newspaper business, and is at present located in Youngstown, Ohio.  Harrison Gray Otis and Charles Otis were connected with one of the early Noble County papers for a short time.  Charles Otis is now publishing a paper at Los Angeles, Cal.

     R. H. Tanneyhill is a lawyer and horticulturist at Barnesville, Ohio.  Judge Samuel McGarry went to Missouri, where he was a successful farmer.  He died recently.  Rev. Randall Ross was at one time President of Sharon College, in this County.  He became president of a similar institution in Lincoln, Mo., and is now dead.  Rev. William M. Kain is a Presbyterian minister in Pennsylvania.  Louis Baker published the Wheeling Register until recently.  He is now publishing a daily paper in St. Paul, Minnesota.  George McClellan is now the publisher of an excellent paper - the Barnesville Enterprise.  Charles H. Goodrich became proprietor of the Woodsfield Democrat and is now the publisher of the Chronicle, at Troy, Ohio.

     W. H. Ijams is Clerk of Courts at Omaha, Nebraska.  J. H. Odell became engaged in the printing business in Columbus, afterwards went west.  He committed suicide in Omaha.  Rev. R. J. Smith, formerly President of the College at Beverly, Ohio, resides at that place.  B. F. Spriggs, now deceased, became a prominent lawyer of Noble County.  Cyrus McGlashan resides at Windsor, Morgan County, and is a teacher.  John M. Amos is editor of the Cambridge Jeffersonian, one of the leading Democratic papers of this Congressional district.

     D. S. Gibbs, ex-Probate Judge, is a lawyer in Caldwell.  John L. Shaw holds a Government office at Washington.  John W. Bell is a practising lawyer in the same city.  Colonel W. B. Teters  is at Boulder City, Colo., engaged in mining.  William H. Gill, Robert Leech, W. H. Phipps, James F. and Nathaniel Capell, Robert Hutchinson, J. C. Schofield, George Allen, Fred W. Moore and others, once in the Journalistic ranks in this county, are dead.

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* Gill and Leech were both members of the Constitutional convention of 1851, and the former was secretary of that convention.