The Press of Early Lake County - Part I

Newspapers, magazines, and print media have witnessed a large decline in circulation in recent years.  Facebook, Twitter, QR codes and other forms of social media have enjoyed a 'big bang-like' explosion onto the scene since 2005.  While these new forms of social media are propelling the current generations foward in our information age, we look back today to the early genesis of the information age in Lake County's history - the local newspaper.

                                                  The Painesville Telegraph

The Telegraph was founded on July 16, 1822 by Eber D. Howe.  It was the first newspaper in Painesville and one of the first in the Western Reserve.  Prior to the Telegraph, which ended its run in 1976, three papers existed.  The most well known of the three was the Cleveland Register (1817).  The Tramp of Fame / Western Reserve Chronicle (1812) and Cleveland Herald (1819) were the other area newspapers.  Howe's Telegraph had an initial subscription list of 150 people.  The first issue was a four column paper that contained five ads.  Howe took on James H. Paine as a partner in 1828.  Howe and Paine remained active in the newspaper business for several more years before divesting themselves of the Telegraph to newer editors.

                                               Painesville Republican

Horace Steele Sr. founded the 'Republican' on November 21, 1836.  Steele came to Lake County via Vermont and Buffalo.  His six column newspaper was Democratic in sentiment.  Within four years he had a subsription list of over 800 county residents.  J. F. Scofield bought the paper and enjoyed one last year of success before the ' Republican' was discontinued.

                                              Grant River Record

The newspaper opened for business on December 11, 1852.  J. F. Scofield, former owner of the Painesville Republican, was the sole proprietor.  It was a seven column newspaper and enjoyed brief success before it was sold to a Pittsburgh, Pa. group.

                                             Painesville Advertiser

Introduced as a monthly paper in June 1855, the Advertiser became a weekly paper by September of that same year.  In 1859 it consolidated with the Cleveland Press.  A year later this new paper merged with the Telegraph.  1868 saw a brief revival of the Advertiser before it passed into the annals of county history.


* Becky Falin was the author of the 1996 sketch that provided the genealogical research used in this blog.