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A bit of History

"The first newspaper in the county was the Mount Carroll Tribune, started in 1850 in Mount Carroll by Dr. John L. Hostetter, was printed in Freeport and published for a short time.

In 1852 Jacob P. Emmert started the Carroll County Republican with Henry Gratton as its editor.  Emmert sold out in about nine months to Gratton; Gratton ran it for a time and then sold out to David H. Wheeler, in 1855, who continued the paper until 1857; he in turn sold out to David B. Emmert; he sold his interest in the Republican to Dr. John L. Hostetter.  Meantime English had started the Home Intelligencer.  In May 1858, the two papers were consolidated under the name of Republican and Intelligencer, with Hostetter and English as business managers.  This arrangement did not last long.  The Intelligencer was again started as a separate paper with English and Cochrane [sic] at its head.  It lasted about a year, Cochran went out, English died soon after, and the paper came to an abrupt termination.  Dr. Hostetter continued the Republican for awhile, then sold out to Ladd and Sivernail; who in time sold out to the Seminary, when the issue of the paper ended after a short existence.

The Carroll County Mirror was started by Holinger and Wendel.  This paper still survives, after having changed hands several times.  About 1853 Smith D. Atkins and a Mr. Allen started and ran the Savanna Register in that place for about a year.  In May, 1864, J. R. Howlett started the Lanark Banner in that place.  In 1867 he sold out to J. E. Millard who continued to publish it until his active duties as school commissioner, caused him to suspend its publication.

J. R. Howlett commenced the publication of the Carroll County Gazette, first in Shannon and afterwards in partnership with J. M. Adair in Lanark.  Adair went out and Howlett sold out to George Hay, who took control of the Gazette Office, July 3, 1875, and in September took into partnership with him M. W. Lowis, which arrangement continued until November 7, 1876, when Mr. Hay sold his interest to F. H. B. McDowell of Chicago;  the following February he purchased the interest of his partner.  In 1878 it is said the paper had a circulation of one thousand copies with a constantly increasing subscription list, which was at that time the largest circulation of any paper in the county.

The Savanna Times, in 1876 owned and edited by Simon Greenleaf and published in Savanna has changed hands several times, and is now owned by W. W. Gillespie.

The Mount Carroll News was started in Mount Carroll by Frank Beeler.  He sold out to J. W. Mastin, who commenced the publication of the Carroll County Weekly Herald.  Thomson and Shannon have had newspapers, but they have been published elsewhere and did not continue long as local papers.

The Savanna Times was first started and published in Shannon, and afterwards the office was removed to Savanna."

SOURCE:  Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Carroll County, Illustrated. Edited by Newton Bateman, LL. D., Paul Selby, A. M., & Charles L. Hostetter. Published by Munsell Publishing Co., Chicago 1913, pg 650

Current Papers

Following is a list of current Carroll County newspapers.  I would like to add information as to what, and where, past issues would be available.   

Carroll County Review, Thomson IL Ph: 815-259-2131
Mirror-Democrat, 308 N. Main, Mt. Carroll IL Ph: 815-244-2965  (Past issues back to 1973 are available at the Mt. Carroll Public Library.  Issues from 1972 back to 1930 are available at the Mirror-Democrat office.)
Prairie Advocate, 446 S. Broad St., Lanark Ph: 815-493-2560
Savanna Times Journal, 121 Main St., Savanna IL Ph: 815-273-2277

From the Mirror-Democrat:
bulletGlimpses of 1972
bulletHistory in the News
bulletBits 'n Pieces
bullet1973 Obit Index
bullet1974 Obit Index
bullet1975 Obit Index
bulletNews Articles
bulletMore articles
bulletMore articles from scrapbook
bulletPoffy's
bulletJohn Simpson moves to Canada