About Malvern times=journal. (Malvern, Ark.) 1924-1932
Malvern, Ark. (1924-1932)

The Times-Journal, Malvern Times=Journal, The Times-Journal, Malvern Times=Journal

Malvern, the Hot Spring County seat, is located on the Ouachita River in southwestern Arkansas. In 1829, the territorial legislature created Hot Spring County out of land from Clark County. Situated southeast of the Ouachita National Forest, Malvern lies on a geologic fault line, resulting in a variety of rock types and the natural hot springs for which it was named. However, in 1873, the creation of Garland County took land from Hot Spring County, leaving it with only one hot spring near Magnet Cove.

In 1873, the Cairo and Fulton Railroad established the railroad station that grew into the city of Malvern. Malvern was incorporated in 1876 and became the county seat in 1878. Malvern's economy benefitted from access to the railroad as well as the abundant mineral and agricultural resources nearby. It went on to be known as the "Brick Capital of the World" because local companies used the abundant clay for brick production. One of the earliest mass producers of brick in the area was the Atchison Brick Company, started in the early 1890s.

In 1892, Samuel Henry Emerson created The Times-Journal by consolidating The Arkansas Times (1892-1893) and The Arkansas State Journal (1888-1893) in Malvern. The Times-Journal was a Democratic paper published once a week with a circulation of over 400 people. Over the years, the title alternated between The Times-Journal and the Malvern Times Journal.

Prior to his newspaper work, Emerson had enlisted as a Confederate soldier in 1861 at the age of 14. He went on to serve in many of the major Civil War battles under Robert E. Lee. After moving to Malvern, Emerson owned the first dry goods store in the area. When Malvern was incorporated in 1876, Emerson won the city's first mayoral election. He also served as postmaster and representative for the county legislature. Emerson worked at The Times-Journal until 1901, when he sold it to Claude Mann. In 1911, Emerson bought the Malvern Meteor (1911-1932), stating he missed working in the newspaper business after selling The Times-Journal a decade earlier.

Mann took over the Times-Journal in 1901, by which point the paper had over 800 subscribers. Mann edited and published the paper for decades. Like Emerson, he was also active in political and civic life. Mann served as a member of the state legislature, acted as secretary of the Democratic County Central Committee of Hot Spring County, and became a member on the Board of Election Commissioners. In Malvern, Mann was the City Recorder, postmaster, and mayor. In 1915, Mann was elected president of the Arkansas Press Association. While president, he endorsed women's suffrage and helped the Association create a suffrage resolution.

In 1932, Mann purchased the Malvern Meteor and consolidated it with the Times Journal to form the Meteor Journal (1932-1988). He published the Meteor Journal until his death in 1938.

Provided by: Arkansas State Archives