After many years as either the only or most dominant newspaper in Defiance, the editors decided to put the Defiance Democrat to rest as the Crescent-News began to rise in readership. After over seventy-five years in print, it must have been a difficult decision.
In the last paper, a history of the newspaper in Defiance was written by U. G. Figley, Washington Township.
"GOOD-BYE OLD DEMOCRAT!
'Well Done, Thou Good and Faithful Servant.'
And so the good, old Defiance Democrat has reached the parting of the ways. It must depart from the activities of this mundane sphere for the more congenial celestial clime where profiteers and H. C. L. enter not and other thieves break not thru and steal. It has fought the good fight,it has finished the course, it has kept the faith. It is resting peacefully with the ages along with old companions long gone before and to other struggling competitors, it can truly say:
'Remember, friends, as you pass by,
As you are now, so once was I.
As I am now, soon you shall be.
Prepare for death and follow me!'
The writer sincerely regrets the passing of the good old paper, so long read by hundreds and thousands of people in Defiance county and elsewhere, and many of whom were of an opposite political faith. The writer feels competent to say some words about the demise of the old family standby. His paternal grandfather came to Defiance county from Crawford county in March, 1841, living one year in Lyman Langdon's log cabin on the back of Bean Creek, in Noble township (then a part of Defiance), even as Defiance county was a part of Williams. In 1842, he moved to his own quarter section in Section 30, Tiffin township, where he lived nearly all his life and which farm is yet in the family.
Said grandfather was one of the first subscribers to the Defiance Democrat which made its appearance Wednesday, July 17, 1844, and to this day, reaching to his great-grandchildren, the paper has been in the different branches of the family, even as on the maternal side, and we think that is a pretty good record, one to be 'pointed to with pride.'
Abraham H. Palmer, who started the Democrat, had a very fine office supply for those days, the material having been used in printing the 'Register' at Toledo. It was a seven column folio, and had the first page devoted to a staving good story and general interesting paragraphs as was the custom with pioneer papers, and not much attention was made to news, mostly births, deaths and marriages, and occasion reference to very important occurrences of various kinds. The price was $2.00 per year.
Beginning with the 34th number, March 1, 1845, J. W. Wiley assumed possession of the paper, and May 28, 1846, Samuel Yearick bought an interest. In May, 1847, Wiley sold out, having been appointed second lieutenant in Co. B, 15th U. S. Inf. or the 'New Regulars,' and before the war closed, was court martialed and dismissed from the service for fighting a duel with another officer in Mexico. He, for a time, then published a paper at Olympia, Wash.
March 3, 1849, Mr. Yearick sold the Democrat to Jacob J. Greene, who published it till Dec. 3, 1873, when he sold it to Elmer White and Wm. G. Blymer, two young men from Tiffin. Mr. Greene made a fine newspaper for those days. During the war, like the apparent majority of northern Democrats, he favored peace, and many fiery and scathing articles and discussions were carried on in the paper, one of the most prominent contributers being 'Webb Run Democrat' from the confines of Tiffin township.
Mr. Greene located his printing office on the banks of the raging canal, just across the street south of the present office, and where the paper was printed till 1880 (?) when it was moved to Clinton street, up-stairs, cata-cornered from the court house.
Along with Mr. Greene's newspaper work, he found time to act as district member of the State Constitutional Convention of 1850-51 and 1873-74. He was mayor of Defiance 1861-63. He was elected probate judge in 1853 and served continuously till 1885. He also held other offices, was a prominent Mason, helped organize the Episcopal church, and died June 27, 1894, aged 7_.
White & Blymer at once enlarged the paper to a nine column folio, and devoted a great deal of space to general and local news and in a few years, made it a seven column quarto, and Feb. 28, 1877, issued a 23 page paper containing an unusual amount of historical and pioneer matter.
They sold the paper in July 1878, to Geo. Platter Hardy, of Paulding, a son of Hon. Henry Hardy of Defiance, who changed the paper back to a nine column folio, selling it back to White & Blymer in April 1879. He printed the first daily in Defiance, the Daily Democrat, a four page folio, from March 3, 1879 to April 9, 1879, his local editor being Sardis Ray Williams, a former Bryan newspaper man. The price was two cents a copy. Twenty eight numbers were issued.
In July, 1881, Mr. Blymer sold his interest to Frank J. Mains, and in October started an eight column folio. The Democratic Times, with the late Chas. H. Rowland, editor. He sold this paper out to White & Mains in February, 1884, went to Charlotte, Mich., and published the Leader for a few years, then came back to Defiance in 1887 and was manager of the Express, when Joseph Ralston owned it, and on its sale in 1892 to C. J. Thompson, went to Mansfield and conducted a job printing office and died March, 1904, aged 60.
In 1886, Elmer White, who had served two terms as state senator, sold his interest to the Democrat Printing Co., Mr. Mains retaining his interest,his brother, Charles W. Mains, being editor. For a time, under Mr. White's management, the office had a small stereotype outfit which was used especially in getting up the printing (official) for the county.
Mr. White went to Toledo where he had bought an interest in the Bee, was president of the Bee company for a time, and finally sold out and went to Los Angeles, Cal. where he died some years ago. He had a brother, Lieut. Com. Edwin White in the U. S. Navy and Wm. A. White, the famous writer, we believe, is another brother.
In 1889, Messrs, Wm. B. and Russell T. Dobson assumed control of the paper, selling out Jan. 31, 1891 to Ralph D. Webster and Frank J. Mains, and in January, 1894, Ed. E. Hall bought an interest. In March, 1891, the Defiance Daily News was established with Chas. B. Hoadley as editor. A. F. Schrack, who started the Daily Crescent in the fall of 1888, died Aug. 29, 1898, and the paper was bought and incorporated as the Crescent-News, though just when change was made, we are unable to say.
Nelson R. Webster came up from Paulding and bought Mains & Hall's interest in the paper. In those times, the paper was a fine eight column quarto. In 1903, the Websters sold out, N. R. purchasing a paper in Muskogee, Okla. and later buying back the Paulding Democrat, and a company was organized by the famous James L. Patterson, and the Crescent Company was incorporated, the fine big print shop was erected along the 'raging canawl,' the up to date linotypes and presses were established, and since then there has been a number of changes in the personnel of the company and its management, too many for us to keep track of.
Needless to say, the Democrat came out regularly, made up from the daily, sometimes six pages, sometimes eight pages, seven column sizes and for some time was printed twice a week.
Since the development of the daily newspaper business, and the reasonable price of the Crescent-News, many ceased taking the Democrat, and now the H. C. L. striking the newspaper business so hard, it is thought to be good business to discontinue the weekly. We are sorry to see it go, and hope that the name of the paper may in some way be perpetuated. Aged 75 years, 5 months, 16 days, peace be with it henceforth and forevermore. So be it.
G. Figley, Washington Township."
are coming soon enough, with cold winds and plummeting temperatures.
