Cass history

Cassopolis

The Cass County Advocate began publishing on March 11, 1845 by E.A. Graves. The equipment came from the old Niles Express. By 1848 Abraham Townsend, Jr. was the publisher. The paper ceased in 1849. In 1850 Ezekiel Smith moved the paper to Dowagiac and may have published there briefly before selling to L.P. Williams.

Literary News began publishing circa 1846. It was devoted to gossip and humor. It did not survive long

The National Democrat began publishing on March 17, 1850 by a group of Democrats. The paper ceased in 1925. The paper’s editors have included: William W. Van Antwerp, George B. Turner, and C.C. Allison. C.C. Allison began working for the paper in 1855 as a 15 year old apprentice. In 1863 he purchased the paper.

Cassopolis Vigilant began publishing on May 16, 1872 by D.B. Harrington and M.H. Barber. It was a Republican paper.

Dowagiac

The Dowagiac Times began publishing by 1851 by L.P. Williams, having previously published in Cassopolis. The name later changed to Cass County Republican. The office was destroyed by fire in 1854.

Cass County Tribune began publishing circa 1854 by James Lansing Gantt. This paper was initially supported by the local Republican establishment, but they didn’t like the direction it was going. In 1858 they instructed Gantt to either leave or allow them to appoint an editor. He left for Mackinaw and the Republicans began a new paper.

Cass County Republican began publishing circa April 1858 by Jones & Campbell. Later publishers included: H.C. Buffington, Holmes & C.J. Greenleaf. On September 2, 1880 it changed names to Dowagiac Republican with Kellogg & Holmes as publishers. In 1909, the Republican merged with Dowagiac Herald to form Daily Herald and Herald Republican

Dowagiac Herald began publishing on Feb. 26, 1863 by Samuel N. Gantt. It later merged with Dowagiac Republican to form Herald Republican.

The Monitor began publishing circa 1875 with C. Wilber Bailey as the editor. It was later the Tri-Weekly Monitor.

Dowagiac Times began publishing on Sept. 1, 1880 by W.M. Wooster. It was politically independent, which was rare at the time. Following a severe railroad accident, ownership passed to A.M. Moon and then to James Heddon.

The Standard began publishing out of Dowagiac circa 1891 by N. Klock. By 1895, J.A. Webster was the publisher, and in 1903 A.M. Moon assumed ownership.

Dowagiac Daily News began publishing on Feb. 6, 1897 by Charles Heddon, out of the office of the Dowagiac Times. This paper absorbed the Cass County Weekly on Nov. 6, 1913.

Herald Republican began publishing on April 30, 1909 by Herald Publishing Co. This paper was continued by Moon’s Weekly.

Moon’s Weekly began publishing circa 1912 by Moon & Higgins. In 1913 its name was changed to Cass County Weekly which survived less than a year before being absorbed by Dowagiac Daily News.

Edwardsburg

Edwardsburg Index began publishing on Dec. 3, 1874 by M.M. Edminston. It ceased on September 25, 1875.

The Argus began publishing on Oct. 23, 1875 by William A. Shaw. Later it became Edwardsburg Argus.

Marcellus

The Messenger began publishing on Jan. 1, 1875 by S.D. Perry.

Republican Standard began publishing circa 1876 by E.B. Goodspeed.

Marcellus News began publishing on July 13, 1879 by A.M. Moon. It became an organ of the Greenback party.

Vandalia

Vandalia Journal began publishing on June 14, 1881 by William A. DeGroot.