THE first newspaper ever published in Franklin County was at Worthington, in 1811.  It was called the Western Intelligencer, and supported the measures of the general government.  Col. Kilbourne was the original proprietor; it however soon passed out of his hands, and early in 1814, the office was removed to Columbus, and the paper was then published by P. H. Olmsted, Joel Buttles, and Ezra Griswold, jr., and by a slight change in the title, was called the Western Intelligencer and Columbus Gazette, and it has been continued ever since, under different proprietors and modifications of title.  It was the root, or original of what is not the Ohio State Journal.  It soon passed entirely from But-

tles and Griswold, to Col. Olmsted, who dropped part of the title, and as sole proprietor and editor, published it until the year 1825, under the name of the The Columbus Gazette.  After the commencement of the sessions of the Legislature at Columbus, he did the State printing by contract.  The office of State Printer was not created until the session of the 1824-5, when George Nashee was elected the first State Printer, and he and John Bailhache both came in as partners with Col. Olmsted and the paper was then enlarged, and the title changed to the Ohio State Journal and Columbus Gazette.  Mr. Nashee died before his term as State Printer expired, and Olmsted was appointed for the balance of the term.  At the session of 1827-8, Judge John Bailhache was elected State Printer, and he and Olmsted bought out the Western Statesman, and merged it in the Journal.  The Western Statesman was a paper of respectable appearance, that had been commenced in 1825 by Zachariah Mills and Martin Lewis, and in 1826 it passed into the hands of Martin Lewis and Elijah Glover; afterward to Freedom Sever and Glover, and in 1828 they sold out and it was merged in the Journal, as just stated.  In 1831, Col. (afterward General) Olmsted sold out to Judge Bailhache, who continued proprietor and editor until the spring of 1835, when he sold out to Charles Scott and Smithson E. Wright, who united with it the Co-

lumbus Sentinel, a paper than had grown of of the Ohio State Bulletin, as herein after noticed.  In 1837, Mr. Wright sold out to Scott, and John M. Gallagher, who had some months before started a new paper by the title of the Ohio Political Register, came in as partner with Scott in Wright's place, and merged the Register in the Journal, and the title was changed to Ohio State Journal and Register, but before long the Register was dropped from the title, and the paper assumed its present name – the Ohio State Journal.  In the spring of 1839, Mr. Gallagherwas succeeded by Samuel Douglas, who continued in the concern less than a year, and sold out to MR. Scott, and Scott then continued sole proprietor, assisted by various editors, amongst whom were James Allen, O. Follett, V. W. Smith, John Teasdale, W. B. Thrall, Henry Reed (now of the Cincinnati Commercial), and W. T. Bascom, until the year 1854, when he made an assignment to trustees, who, after continuing the publication some time, organized and transferred the establishment to the Ohio State Journal Company, and by them it was continued under the editorial charge of Oran Follett, assisted by Wm. T. Bascom and John Greiner, until the summer of 1856, when it passed into the hands of William Schouler & Co., by whom it is at present conducted.

In 1812 this paper (then the Western Intelligencer)

supported James Madison for the Presidency; in 1816 and 1820 it supported James Monroe (in 1820 there was no opposition to Monroe); in 1824 it supported Henry Clay, in 1828 John Q. Adams; in 1832 Henry Clay; in 1836, Wm. H. Harrison; in 1840, Harrison; in 1844, Henry Clay; in 1848, Zachariah Taylor; in 1852, Winfield Scott; in 1856, John C. Fremont.

The second paper in Franklin County was the Freeman's Chronicle, published in Franklinton, by James B. Gardiner.  The motto was—

Its publication was commenced in the summer of 1812, and was continued between two and three years.  The writer is under obligations to Wm. Domigan, Esq., for the examination of a bound volume of this paper–perhaps the only one extant.  It was a small sized sheet, and the paper bad; it bears quite an ancient appearance, but was rather a spicy affair.  Its publication was during the war with Great Britain, and a large proportion of the matter consists of news from the army, and matters connected with the war.  But it also contains much of the local news and business of the county.  The official advertisements of Lyne Starling, as Clerk

of the Court; of Samuel Shannon, as Sheriff; and of Adam Hosack and James B. Gardiner, as successive Post masters, are quite frequent.  And amongst the candidates for office, appear conspicuous, the names of James Kilbourne, Joseph Foos, Arthur O'Harra, Thomas Johnston, Wm. Shaw, Wm. McElvain, David Jamison, Michael Fisher, Alexander Morrison, William Reed, and Joseph Grate — all once prominent men in this county, but now all passed off the stage.  Amongst the business men of the day, we find the frequent advertisements of R. W. McCoy, Henry Brown, Starling & Delashmut, L. Goodale, and Samuel Barr, merchants; Archibald Benfield, saddler; Richard Courtney, nailor; Samuel Culbertson, hatter; George Skidmore,* blacksmith; Matthew Bailey, shoemaker; Samuel King, tanner; David F. Heaton, tailor, etc.; and of Orris Parish, lawyer, and of Doctor John Ball, physician.  And amongst the military advertisements, are those of Joseph Foos, Brigadier General; Edward Livingston, Colonel; Gustavus Swan, Brigade Inspector; Jacob Reab, 1st Lieut. of Franklin Dragoons, (Capt. Vance's Company); John McElvain as 3d Lieut. 26th Regiment U. S. Infantry, advertising deserters, etc.

After the discontinuance of the paper by Mr. Gardi-

ner, the materials passed into the hands of John Kilbourne, who removed them to Columbus, and published two numbers of a paper called the Columbian Gazette; but his enterprise was not likely to succeed to his satisfaction, and the materials were sold out by parcels, and the paper and office discontinues.

The third newspaper was the Ohio Monitor, commenced and published in Columbus, by David Smith and Ezra Griswold, jr., in 1816.  Griswold, however, soon sold out his interest to Smith, who remained sole proprietor and editor until the summer of 1836, when he sold out to Jacob Medary, and the Monitor was discontinued, or merged in the Hemisphere.  During three years of this time, from 1831 to 1834, Judge Smith was State Printer.

In the political contest of 1824, the Monitor supported John Q. Adams for the Presidency.  In 1828, it supported Andrew Jackson, and from that time was a supporter of the Democratic party and measures.

The fourth paper published in this county, was the Franklin Chronicle, published at Worthington, by Ezra Griswold, jr., and Caleb Howard.  It was commenced about the year 1818, or 1819, and continued, probably, a couple of years only.

In July, 1829, the Ohio State Bulletin was commenced in Columbus, by John A. Bryan and John. A. Lazell.

At the end of about three years, they sold out to George Kesling, and John H. Wood became connected with Kesling, and they changed the title of the paper to the Columbus Sentinel, and advocated the claims of Judge McLean to the Presidency.  In 1835, it was sold and transferred to Scott and Wright, who merged it in the Ohio State Journal, as before stated.  For some time previous to this transfer, Jonas R. Emrie was also connected with the publication of the Sentinel.

In 1830, the Ohio Register and Anti-Masonic Review was removed from Milan, Huron County, to Columbus, and was published here about three years, by Warren Jenkins and Elijah Glover, and in 1833, the Masonic Lodges having generally disbanded, and the anti-masonic excitement ceased, the paper was discontinued.

About the year 1832, the publication of the Western Hemisphere, a weekly, Jackson Democratic paper, was commenced, in Columbus, by Gilbert and Melcher.  Afterward Melcher's interest passed to Russel C. Bryan, and subsequent to that, Gilbert and Bryan sold out to Jacob Medary and George W. Moneypenny.  It then passed to Sacket Reynolds for a while, and then back to the Medarys, Samuel Medary having been elected State Printer, and the title was then changed to the Ohio Statesman.  During the winter of 1833-4, while Gilbert and Melcher were proprietors of this paper, they

issued from the office the first daily paper published in Columbus.  It was very small, and was entitled the Daily Advertiser.  It only continued a few months.  About the year 1845, the Statesman office was sold and transferred by Col. S. Medary to the Haswells, who continued the paper without any material change in its character for perhaps a year or two, and it then passed back to Col. Medary, who continued its proprietor and senior editor until about the year 1853, when he sold to S. S. Cox, who continued as editor and proprietor until 1855, when Mr. Cox sold to Mr. Derby of Cincinnati and Mr. Derby conveyed it back to Col. Medary again, who subsequently conveyed it to James H. Smith, who still continues the publication of the paper.  It has always been, through all its changes of editors and proprietors, a thorough Democratic paper.

In 1836, a paper titled The People's Press, was published in Columbus, by James B. Gardiner, for six months during the Presidential contest.  It was zealous and efficient in the support of General Harrison for President, and, at the same time supporting Robert Lucas, the Democratic candidate for Governor.

In the summer or fall of 1838, John G. Miller commenced the publication of the Ohio Confederate, a professed Democratic, State rights paper, which finally went with the popular current in support of Genera

Harrison for the Presidency.  In the spring of 1841, about the time Mr. Miller obtained the appointment of postmaster, he sold and transferred the paper to Doctors L. J. Moeller and N. M. Miller, and they changed the title of it to Old School Republican, and continued its publication as a Tyler paper about two years, when it died out and was discontinued.

The Cross and Journal.  This was a Baptist weekly paper, started in Cincinnati in 1831, removed to Columbus in 1838, and published there until the close of 1849, when, having united with a Baptist paper of Indiana, it was removed again to Cincinnati.  During the first nine years of its publication in Columbus, it was edited and published by Geo. Cole, Esq. now of the Journal and Messenger of Cincinnati.  It was sold to him to the Rev. D. A. Randall and the Rev. J. L. Batchelder, who continued it for one year and then by Mr. Batchelder alone, until it was removed to Cincinnati.

About the year 1850, the Capital City Fact was commenced by some five or six journey men printers, when out of employment, as an experiment to make work for themselves, and succeeded as well as they expected; but they, one by one, sold out their interest in the concern, until it is now owned and the publication continued by John Geary and son.  Mr. Geary is a

foreigner, from Ireland.  His paper was professedly neutral in politics until 1854 and '55, when Know Nothingism reigned rampant, and the Fact came out bold and strong, as might naturally be expected, against this new party and order in politics.  But in 1856, after the Know Nothing party had nominated Mr. Fillmore their candidate for the Presidency, the Fact changed its position and became the zealous supporter of the Know Nothing nominee.

The Ohio Press was a Democratic paper, commenced by Eli T. Tappan, in 1847, rather as a rival to the Ohio Statesman.  It was a respectable paper, published weekly, semi-weekly and part of the time, daily.  It did not, however, continue more than a year or two.

The Ohio Cultivator, a semi-monthly paper, devoted to Agriculture, Live Stock, Fruits, Gardening, and Domestic Affairs, was commenced in Columbus, in 1845, by M. B. Bateham, Esq.  About the first of January 1856, he sold and transferred the entire establishment to Col. S. D. Harris, the present editor and proprietor.

In the summer or fall of 1848, after the Buffalo Convention that nominated Martin Van Buren for the Presidency, a Free Soil paper, under the name of the Ohio Standard, was commenced in Columbus by E. S. Hamlin and Israel Garrard.  In the month of February, 1849, it was suspended.  In November, 1849, Franklin Gale

and Thomas Cleveland commenced the publication of the Ohio Standard again, and continued it until September, 1850, when they sold out to O. Glover; and he continued its publication until the spring of 1851, when its publication closed.

About the first of January, 1853, another Free Soil paper was commenced, under the name of the Ohio Columbian, by Mr. Rice and others, and in the early part of the year 1855, it was transferred to A. M. Gangewer, who continued its publication until it was merged in the Ohio State Journal, in the summer of 1856.

In 1840, Capt. Elijah Glover, who had for some time previous kept a book and job office, commenced the publication of th Ohio Tribune. Walter Thrall, Esq., was for a time associated with him in the editorial department, and then Gideon Stewart, Esq.  It was a Whig paper, and creditably conducted.  Some years after, about the year 1848, George M. Swan became connected with Mr. Glover in the publication of the Tribune, and subsequently, in 1849, Glover sold out to Swan.  Mr. Glover is a respectable writer, but a little too honest, as well as independent, for a political editor.  He is emphatically republican, in the true sense of the word, both in theory and practice; and by always advocating what he considered right, he sometimes found himself out of the popular current, and he finally relin-

quished the printing business, and is now enjoying the independence of a farmer's life.  Mr. Swan, after his purchase of the paper, changed the title to that of Swan's Elevator.  It was rather a local and advertising sheet, professedly neutral in politics.  About the year 1853, a temperance paper, which had been published some time in Columbus, was united with the Elevator, and the name of the latter changed to the Columbus Elevator, and its character changed to that of a temperance paper.  In the spring of 1855, Swan sold out and transferred the establishment to Gamaliel Scott, who left the temperance cause to take care of itself, and continued the paper upon the plan it originally started.  In the fall of 1856, John Greiner, Esq., was taken in as a partner and principal editor, and the title then changed to Columbus Gazette.  In the fall of 1857, Scottsold out his remaining interest to Charles S. Glenn, and it is now continued by the firm of Greiner and Glenn.

Amongst the various other newspapers and periodicals, which have been published in Columbus, but which have generally been short-lived, the following are recollected, whilst probably others are forgotten:

National Enquirer, by Horton Howard, and edited by Harvey D. Little

The Eclectic, by Horton Howard, and edited by William Hance.

The Thompsonian Recorder, first published by Jarvis Pike & Co., about the year 1832.  It was continued under different editors and proprietors until it was removed to Cincinnati by Doctor Curtis in 1842.

The Independent Press, by Hugh M. Espy & Co., a short time about the year 1832 or'33.

Budget of Fun, by the same.

The Straight-out Harrisonian, by Allen, Sage, and Beverage, in 1840

The Tornado, by R. P. Sage, in 1840.

And the Auger, by T. W. H. Mosley, in 1840.

The Ohio Freeman, by Capt. John Duffy. and then the Columbus Herald, by the same, about the years 1842 and '43.

About the years 1833 and '34, there were two German papers in Columbus, one entitled the Emitgrant, and the other Ohio Intelligencer, both discontinued long since.  We now have West Bote, which was commenced in the fall of 1843, and is published by Reinhardt and Fieser.

In 1853, the Ohio Democrat was commenced in Columbus by Blake and Osgood, edited by Charles B. Flood. Not long after, it was removed to Urban, where its publication is continued by Mr. Flood.