About Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905
Phillipsburg, Kan. (1882-1905)

Phillipsburg Herald

The Phillipsburg Herald of Phillipsburg, Phillips County, Kansas, was established in 1882 as a continuation of the Phillips County Herald, with William Bissell as editor and proprietor. The Phillipsburg Herald began as a Republican organ, became a Populist paper during the 1890s, and then changed back to Republican under new ownership in 1902. The "Official County Paper" and "The Leading Paper of Phillips County," the Herald was published weekly on Thursdays for the majority of its run, except for 1901-1902 when it was published semiweekly. During this time, proprietor James M. Tadlock felt that the growth of both the city and county made a semiweekly paper in Phillipsburg "not only desirable, but almost a necessity." The Herald featured local advertisements, notes, publication and legal notices, state and national news, and occasional fiction pieces.

The Phillipsburg Herald got its start after the Phillips County Herald had many changes in management during its four-year run, a trend that continued after the name change in 1882. The County Herald had begun in February 1878 with proprietor Charles F. Jenkins. By September, it was sold to George W. Stinson who restarted the paper at volume 1, number 1. Stinson was soon joined by Ed F. Korns who purchased half interest in the County Herald and became the principal editor. Korns then became both editor and manager of the Herald Printing Company. In August 1882, William Bissell became proprietor of the Phillips County Herald, which he then renamed the Phillipsburg Herald. Bissell ensured readers that it would remain a "reliable Republican paper." Bissell started the first issue with the headline "Speak to them that they go forward." At this time, the Herald had a circulation of 500 subscriptions, and would reach nearly 1,000 during its lifetime. Bissell's wife Mary Calkins Bissell wrote for the paper, becoming the first newspaper woman in the area, and she continued to contribute to the publication after her husband was no longer editor. William Bissell had been joined by Chauncey A. Lewis, and he remained as the senior editor and joint proprietor of the Herald when Bissell left in 1885. Ed F. Korns, who had been editor prior to the paper's name change in 1882, and who was now also serving as postmaster for Phillipsburg, joined Lewis before he left in 1886 to practice law. Lewis was replaced by Dennis A. Bickford, who was followed shortly after in 1887 by Robert A. Dague. The latter wrote that the Phillipsburg Herald would remain Republican, and that it would be "the aim of the new firm to make the Herald a wide-a-wake, spicy, local journal."

In April 1890, Ed Korns severed his connections with the Herald after 12 years, selling his half interest to Edward E. Brainerd of the Bellville Telescope. In March 1891, Dague sold his stake in the paper to George W. Danforth, who had been foreman and job printer for six years. With this change, the Herald began to shift to a Populist orientation. Due to failing health, Danforth was replaced by James M. Tadlock in May 1893. Brainerd sold his interest to Tadlock in September 1900. The latter sold all aspects of the Herald to Lyman Matteson in November 1902, and the paper returned as a weekly Republican publication under his control. In his salutatory statement, Matteson stated that "the Herald will be a republican paper, and will seek to further the interests of the party, believing that by such a position, it will stand for prosperity, progress and humanity."

In April 1905, the Phillipsburg Herald merged with the Phillipsburg Dispatch to become the Republican organ called Phillipsburg Dispatch and the Phillipsburg Herald.

Provided by: Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, KS