Eaton history

Bellevue

Bellevue Weekly Gazette began publishing on June 9, 1871 by Alfred Rindge. By 1908 the title had been shortened to Bellevue Gazette and George A. Barnes was the publisher.

Charlotte

Eaton County Gazette began publishing on Jan. 1, 1843 by Warren Isham. It survived less than a year. Isham had previously published an anti-slavery newspaper in Detroit and was later editor of the Mining Journal in Marquette.

Eaton Bugle began publishing on March 26, 1845 by William Johnston. It lasted two years.

Eaton Republican began publishing on Jan. 6, 1855 by Edward A. Foote and Mark H. Marsh. (Foote was also an early historian of Eaton County.) It was later purchased by Joseph Saunders. Its names included: Eaton County Republican, Republican, Charlotte Republican. In 1928 it merged with Charlotte Tribune to form Charlotte Republican-Tribune and Charlotte Leader.

The Democratic Leader began publishing on Feb. 3, 1871 by J.V. Johnson. By 1874 the publisher was D.P. Whitmore and the title was shortened to The Leader. In March of 1875 the title became The Charlotte Leader with Frank A. Ells publishing. This title was absorbed by The Charlotte Tribune in 1928.

Charlotte Tribune began publishing on Aug. 17, 1887 by Francis M. Potter. In 1928 it absorbed The Charlotte Leader and merged with the Charlotte Republican to form Charlotte Republican-Tribune and Charlotte Leader.

The Morning Star began publishing on June 22, 1933 (although the paper is dated 1932) by Cecil Hay. The first issue was not title with the publisher soliciting names for this new publication. It was semiweekly.

Charlotte Republican-Tribune and Charlotte Leader began publishing on Dec. 21, 1938 by the McGrath-DeFoe Company.

Dimondale

The Sun began publishing in early 1884 by Seger, Burch & Henderson.

The Dimondale News began publishing on Oct. 1, 1897 by E.C. Sibley.

Eaton Rapids

Eaton Democrat began publishing circa 1847 by Leonard W. McKinney and later by Judge Ezra D. Burr. (There is also an Ezra D. Burr who edited the Grand Rapids Enquirer and a dentist who advertised in 1848 with the same name. It is uncertain if these are all the same person.) It ceased by 1854 when the press was purchased and move to Charlotte to begin Eaton Republican.

The Eaton County Argus began publishing circa 1855 by a Mr. Sanford and was later moved to Charlotte by E.D. Burr. In 1862 the title was changed to The Charlotte Argus published by William Saunders. It ceased publishing in 1870 and was replaced by The Democratic Leader.

Eaton Rapids Journal began publishing Rapids on Dec. 7, 1865 by J.B. Ten Eyck. Later publishers included: Frank C. Culley and K Kittridge. For a few years it published with the title Saturday Journal. It absorbed The Eaton Rapids Review in 1927. It was independent in politics.

Eaton Rapids Review began publishing circa 1895. By 1922, Robert D. Gifford was the publisher. It was absorbed by the Eaton Rapids Journal in 1927.

Grand Ledge

Grand Ledge Independent began publishing circa 1869 by B.F. Saunders (son of Joseph Saunders) and later by W.C. Westland. In June, 1925 it merged with Grand Ledge Times to form Grand Ledge Independent and Grand Ledge Times.

The Vidette began publishing circa 1886 in support of the Greenback party. Two years later the name was changed to The Graphic with Charles P. Warner as editor.

The Grand Ledge Times began publishing circa 1901. By 1909 Jerome W. Howard was the publisher. It merged with The Grand Ledge Independent to form Grand Ledge Independent and Grand Ledge Times.

Grand Ledge Independent and Grand Ledge Times began publishing on June 19, 1925 by Independent Publishing Co. At the end of 1925, it merged with Mulliken Press to form Grand Ledge Independent and Grand Ledge Times and Mulliken Press. It published with this title till June 1938 when the title was shortened to Grand Ledge Independent. It absorbed The Grand Ledge News and Delta-Waverly Independent.

Grand Ledge News began publishing on Oct. 16, 1936 by Ledge Job Rooms. It published till June 24, 1938 when it was absorbed by Grand Ledge Independent.

The Delta-Waverly Independent began publishing on Sept. 17, 1969 within the Grand Ledge Independent. By June 1971, it was fully absorbed by the Grand Ledge paper.

Mulliken

The Mulliken News began publishing in July, 1897 by S.J. Jacob and W.J. Fish.

Olivet

The Olivet News began publishing circa July 1885. By 1886 Karl D. Keyes was the publisher. (It may be that the News continues the Orbiter.)

The Olivet Orbiter began publishing on May 9, 1885 by J.M. Smith.

The Olivet Optic began publishing on April 13, 1889 by Mrs. Stella Marie Warner. For the last four months of 1964 the title was Olivet Optic and Potterville News.

Potterville

The Potterville Press began publishing circa Oct., 1897 by Len W. Feighner and later by W.E. Warner.

Sunfield

The Sun began publishing circa 1888 by J.C. Rounds. The paper was destroyed in a fire in 1896.

The Sunfield Sentinel began publishing on March 12, 1896 by M.L. Phares and C.H. Strange with the subscription list of the burned out Sun. J.T. Mansil was a later publisher. In September 1899 it published with the title The Sunfield Thursday Sentinel before reverting to its original title one year later.

Vermontville

The Enterprise began publishing circa Oct., 1874 by J.C. Worcester. The paper was sold to F.M. Potter who changed the name to The Hawk. It was sold again to the firm of Holt and Knox who changed the name to The Vermontville Echo. (Not to be mistaken for the Olivet College student newspaper The Echo.)