Michael Metzler writes,
“I am transcribing a set of notes and diary entries from a Civil War diary. In it is mention of sending articles for publication in the Greenfield Herald Democrat. Is there any chance this is your paper under an earlier name? If so I would be interested in researching your archives for evidence of these articles. Any help you could give me would be appreciated.”
Michael, the Indiana State Library is busy digitizing old newspapers and that would be the best opportunity to see any copies. There’s also a building downtown with the name Herald at the top. The Herald stopped publishing in 1908.
Twentieth century newspapers in Hancock County include the Hancock Democrat and the Greenfield Daily Reporter. I also found the Greenfield Globe, the Daily Star, the Greenfield Evening Star and the Greenfield Republican, which stopped publishing in 1973, the Hancock County Jeffersonian and others. The Daily Reporter was founded in 1908 by Newton Spencer. The operation of the Hancock Democrat goes back to 1859.
Did you know that Charlottesville once had a newspaper called The News, published in 1890? Wilkinson had two newspapers. The Gazette was started in 1907 and lasted only about one year, and the Herald was established in the 1890s. This paper moved to Shirley and became the Shirley-Wilkinson News.
There also was the Fortville Tribune, which began in 1901, and the Community Record, established in 1949 and edited by Mr. and Mrs. Delbert Reason.
The New Palestine Press, which began in 1954, and an earlier one called the News, which was established in 1898, were both in New Palestine.
The Fortville Library has copies of the Tribune and the New Palestine History Museum has copies of the Press. The Hancock County Historical Society has copies of the Daily Reporter, and I think the Shirley Museum also has copies of those papers. The Hancock County Kaleidoscope by Dorothy June Williams is a compendium of Hancock County Democrats from 1917 to 1966.
Enough. I have told you everything I know and some things I don’t. Talk to me.
