Barry History

Allegan

The earliest paper which included coverage of Barry County, but was not published in Barry County, was the Allegan and Barry Record. This title was published by Moses Hawks in Allegan. It began in 1843.

Delton

The Delton Times began publishing on Aug. 8, 1958 by John and Amy Boughton. It ceased on Feb. 6, 1959.

Freeport

Freeport Advertiser began publishing in July of 1878 by I.M. Mallory.

The Freeport Herald began publishing on Feb. 10, 1883 by H.C. Peckham.

The Freeport News began publishing circa 1926 by Ken W. Braendl. Charles H. Geiger was the publisher 1950.

Hastings

Barry County Pioneer began publishing on Jan. 24, 1851 by George A. Smith. It was Democratic. In 1852 he sold the paper to Ashmun A. Knappen. He then purchased it back in 1854, merging it with his other newspaper, the Review. Smith had started The Barry County Review in 1853. The Pioneer ceased publishing for while but started back up in 1860 and ceased with the issue announcing President Lincoln’s assassination.

In 1867, W. Roscoe Young took over the office of The Pioneer and started The Independent. In the spring of 1868 a fire burned the offices and that fall, Young created The Democrat. A year later he sold the paper to Dennis & Holmes and the name was changed to The Hastings Home Journal.

The Hastings Home Journal was shortened to The Hastings Journal with Dennis & Slingerland as publishers in 1893. In 1910 it merged with the Hastings Herald to form the Hastings Journal-Herald. In 1921 it was absorbed by the Hastings Banner.

Hastings Herald began publishing circa 1880.

Republican Banner began publishing on May 22, 1856. It was published by a group of politically interested men. Norman E. Bailey was the first editor, with George Mills and then George M. Dewey following. Dewey had previously been editor of the Niles Enquirer . Dewey was elected in 1872 to serve two years as a state senator. In 1881 Dewey moved to Owosso and purchased the Owosso Times, where his son, Edmond O. Dewey, served as publisher. On May 7, 1862 the name changed to the Hasting Banner with J.M. Nevins as publisher. From 1870 to 1876 the name was lengthened to Hastings Republican Banner. From May 1876 to April 1877, the paper increased publication frequency to semiweekly. By 1881 the paper had dropped Republican from the title, and G.E. Bowers & Co. were the publishers.

The Blade began publishing circa 1878 by F.B. Angier. It ceased on Jan. 1879 when it was purchased by the Republican.

The Barry County Sentinel began publishing circa 1878 by Philip W. Niskern. Niskern was a lawyer who had moved to Hastings a year earlier, began to promote the Greenback party. It was shortly sold to E.E. Smith and a year later sold to the Republican.

The Barry County Democrat began publishing circa 1880. By 1885, A.J. Bowne was the publisher. Bowne was also involved in banking in Eaton and Kent counties.

The Weekly Reminder began publishing circa 1932 by Winn Green. Its title changed to the Hastings Reminder and finally simply The Reminder.

Middleville

The Plaindealer began publishing circa April 1870 by Marvin & Dunn. These proprietors sold the paper and the name changed to The Barry County Republican..

The Barry County Republican was publishing by Apr. 1873 by P.W. Niskern. On Aug. 22, 1890 the paper’s name changed to the Middleville Republican with J.W. Saunders as publisher. In 1891 it became the The Middleville Sun.

The Middleville Sun began publishing on January 1, 1891 by J.W. Saunders. The Middleville Sun has a long relationship with the Caledonia News of Caledonia, Kent County. By the mid 1920s, the two papers had merged to become The Middleville Sun Caledonia News. By 1928 they had split, only to merge again by the 1950s to The Middleville Sun and the Caledonia News. By 1968 it was simply The Sun and News.

Nashville

The Nashville Independent began publishing in the spring of 1872 by Rev. C.H. Ellis, pastor of the Nashville Methodist Episcopal church, and William S. O’Brien. The paper only lasted a few months.

The Nashville News began publishing on Oct. 3, 1873 by Orno Strong. Strong had briefly been publisher the The Lawton Leader in Van Buren County. Of his editorial it has been said: “He devoted himself with especial zeal to the compilation of columns of brief and spicy locals, realizing that matter of this character is usually more sought for than carefully prepared editorials of a political or aesthetic character.” (from History of Allegan and Barry counties, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of their prominent men and pioneers. Philadelphia,: D.W. Ensign & co., 1880.) In August of 1966, it merged with the Vermontville Echo to become the Maple Valley News.

The Citizen began publishing on June 13, 1879 by Edwin E. Smith. This paper also only survived a short time.

Prairieville

The Prairieville began publishing circa 1894. By 1902 A.N. Higgins was the publisher.

Vermontville

The Vermontville Echo began publishing circa 1885. By 1903, H.H. Curtis was the publisher.

The Woodland News began publishing on Oct. 17, 1889 by Len W. Feighner. Feighner had learned the printing trade working at the Hastings Journal as well as The Nashville News.