Newspapers

1 Essays 2 Timeline ||
 * **Contents**

Here is some information on local newspaper history. For a list of Oregonian articles about Forest Grove, see //FG History Articles in The Oregonian// and //FG History Articles in Historic Oregon Newspapers//

Essays
Here is a transcription of the student research essay (c. 1960s) from which some of the above information originated:


 * The Development of the News-Times**

"Forest Grove claims the first organized publication under the present boundaries of Washington County. This publication, which was entitled //The Forest Grove Monthly//, was first printed somewhere around 1850. It had only four columns, was about magazine size, and was put out by Pacific University. The //Monthly// was followed by the //Independent//, which was located in Forest Grove until 1874 when the editor, H.B. Luce, moved the paper to Hillsboro. Forest Grove was then without her own newspaper until 1890, when the //Democrat//, a paper which originated in Hillsboro, moved to Forest Grove.

Once this small beginning was made, it was only a matter of time until all manner of small papers began to spring up in and around Forest Grove; five in all were combined to form the //News-Times//. The first of the papers which were to form the publication of today was the //Times//, which began in 1886. This date is claimed ats the beginning of today's //News-Times//. The //Times// soon absorbed the //Democrat//, but the first recognized addition was the merger in 1897 between the //Times// and the //Washington County Hatchet//.

Before the merger, the //Hatchet// had been in existence for only two years but during this period her editor wrote many fiery articles on any subject that came to his mind, no matter how contraversial. It is said that A. E. Craig once wrote one of his articles which Pacific University as his target. As a result of his unmerciful comments, President McClelland refused to grant him the traditional sheepskin upon his graduation.

One of his editorials, which upon reading, I felt compelled to partially reproduce, had to do with President Cleveland and his gold standard proposals. Mr. Craig's free-wheeling comments combined with his very sarcastic tone make a very fiery article. Here are some exerpts from that article:

'The gold bug administration at Washington had sent its emissaries east, west, north, and south, shelling the woods in all directions, threatening the swiftest vengence upon all who refused to fall down and worship Cleveland's golden calf. But fortunately the idolatrous camp at Washington has been swept with a cyclone of its creation...Cleveland's letter, containing but east wind, has indeed turned into a tornado, bringing disaster to his secretery, Morton, who is made the scapegoat for attempting to explain what Cleveland meant by his 'honest money' letter to his dazed and demoralized followers at Chicago. Secretary Morton, poor unfortunate devil, did not know that and attempt to explain Cleveland's meaningless letter would prove a boomerang that would brain him on the spot...'

...I think that it can easily be deduced from this article that Mr. Craig was never a man who had any fear of writing exactly what he thought. This is further indicated by the beginning of the creed for his paper, which was printed in every copy: "Established for the dissemination of Washington County, the elevation of humanity, and the money we can make."

Earl Hawkes and Will French brought about the //Washington County News// in 1904, and this paper eventually absorbed the //Democrat// in 1909 when both papers were bought by Gerald Volk. Then in 1913 the //Press//, another small paper, sold all its subscriptions to the //News-Times//, whose name evolved through the //Washington County News-Times// consolidation. Finally the five-paper group was completed in 1918 when the //Express// sold out to Forest Grove's new up-and-coming newspaper.

While looking through some old copies of the //Press//, I found many interesting and very contrasting advertisements as compared to today. The following are two advertisements taken from the March 30, 1905 issue: 'Sheets and Pillow Cases, Best Grade sheets, torn and hemmed, ready for use 81 by 90, regular 85 cent values - reduced to 60 cents.' 'The time will soon be here when you will want to take your best gril out for a ride. It will make her feel proud to ride in an up-to-date, Studebaker Buggy. We have a nice lot on hand; come in and see them at our warehouse.'

A.E. Scott was the owner of the //News-Times// when it began and continued to publish the paper until 1924, when he leased it to Earl E. Brownlee. Later, Brownlee sold out to E.J. Gillette and Hugh McGilvra on June 21, 1926. Then when Gillette withdrew to become managing editor of the Coos bay Times, McGilvra managed the paper alone until 1930. At this time, the job printing shop which had previously been separated from the paper, was brought back to the main body under Victor Spaulding and Hugh McGilvra.

The papers which were combined to form the //News-Times// were located in many different places. The //Hatchet// for instance, was located in a building on North main which was destroyed by fire in 1919. Another forerunner, the //Aurora//, was put out in 1882 from an office in the building which was formerly the home of Tabitha Brown. After occupying offices on South Main since 1912, the //News-Times// was moved to a newly completed building on South-East "A" Street in 1947, where it is located today."

See also: Obituaries, & Obituary Index by Joanne Schmidlin (print version).

Timeline

 * || **Title** ||  || **Publisher / Editor** ||   || **Dates** ||   || **Notes** ||
 * || //Forest Grove Monthly// ||  || Pacific University ||   || June, 1864 to at least 1868 ||   || Four columns, magazine size, from Pacific University. //Oregon Photographers// lists an advertisement from the publication as "Vol. 1, No.3, August 1868." And "Oregon Newspapers 1846-1970" by Flora Belle Ludington (//OHQ//, Vol. 26, No. 3 (Sept 1925)) states that FGM was an "Independent paper first issued in June, 1864." ||
 * **A** || //Forest Grove Independent// ||  || H.B. Luce ||   || 11/15/1873 - 10/15/1874 ||   || The publication moved from Forest Grove to Hillsboro. ||
 * || //Aurora// ||  ||   ||   || 1882 ||   || Published from the former home of Tabitha Brown. ||
 * || //Forest Grove News-Times// ||  || A.E. Scott (1886-1924); ||   ||   ||   || It became the //Washington County News-Times// in 1918. ||
 * **B** || //Forest Grove Times// ||  || Rev A. Roger; A. Wheelock Marsh; ||   || 2/27/1891 - 7/6/1899 ||   || The paper moved from Hillsboro ( Hillsboro Democrat) to Forest Grove in 1890, and was named //Times// by E.H. Flagg. Then it was purchased by A Wheelock Marsh, and then sold to Austin Craig. ||
 * ? || //The Index// ||  || Pacific University ||   || 1893 - ? ||   || //Oregon Photographers// lists an advertisement from the publication as "Vol. 1, No. 2, February 1893." ||
 * **C** || //Washington County Hatchet// ||  || Austin E. Craig ||   || 4/12/1895 - 5/28/1896 ||   || Weekly newspaper, published Thursdays. $1.00 per year, 3 cents per copy. The //News-Times// and the //Washington County Hatchet// merged in 1897. Paper's mission included: "We Hew to the Line, Let the Chips Fall Where They May" and "Established for the dissemination of Washington County, the elevation of humanity, and the money we can make" The paper was located in a building on North Main which was destroyed by fire in 1919. ||
 * **D** || //The Hatchet, Forest Grove// ||  || J. Wheelock Marsh ||   || 5/29/1896 - 6/11/1896 ||   || Marsh retired to "devote time to being post master." ||
 * **E** || //Washington County Hatchet & Forest Grove Times// ||  || Austin E. Craig ||   || 6/11/1896 - 8/26/1897 ||   || The papers consolidated 6/4/1896 (Hatchet: Vol 2, No 9; Times Vol 8, No 12) ||
 * **F** || //Washington County Hatchet// ||  ||   ||   || 10/7/1897 - 8/3/1899 ||   ||   ||
 * **G** || //Forest Grove Times// ||  || J.B. Eddy ||   || 6/29/1899-4/14/1904 ||   || 7/20/1899: "Since the name __Times__, from __Times-Hatchet__, has been restored: volumes and numbers go on as if uninterupted; Vol XI #24 is July 20, 1899, J B Eddy, Editor." 7/27/1899: "Forest Grove Trade Review, biographical material on different business men." ||
 * **H** || //Washington County News// ||  || Earl Hawkes & Will French ||   || 5/22/1903 - 6/28/1906 ||   || This paper absorbed the //Democrat// in 1909, when both were purchased by Gerald Volk. ||
 * **I** || //Washington County News Times// ||  ||   ||   || 7/5/1906 - 12/31/1908 ||   ||   ||
 * **J** || //Washington County News// ||  ||   ||   || 7/1/1909 -9/29/1910 ||   ||   ||
 * **K** || //Forest Grove Press// ||  ||   ||   || 1/20/1910 -3/13/1913 ||   || In 1913, the Press sold its subscriptions to the News-Times ||
 * **L** || //Forest Grove Express// ||  || W.C. Benfer ||   || 1/1916 - 8/1918 ||   || Merged with //News Times// in 1918, the fifth paper to do so. ||
 * **M** || //News Times// ||  || Earl E. Brownlee (1924-1928); E.J. Gillette & Hugh McGilvra (6/21/1928-1930); Victor Spalding & Hugh McGilvra (1930) ||   || 1/3/1918 - 7/1/1920 ||   ||   ||