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Conference H e r e Before M e e t U n d e r O a k s
Perhaps Republicanism Began Here
•
Claim Supported by Writings of Physician
A
CLAIM that thft republican
party had Its Inception In the
dingy office of BatUa Creek's lint
journeyman printer It advanced In
a historical summary of information
gathered from copies of the
first newspapers published here.
Tha claim Is supported by the
written testimony of % doctor who
reported that impstus for the first
republican meeting held -under the
oaks" at Jackson actually came
from a conference held in Battle
Creek tn 1154 after correspondence
with Horace Greeley.
The summary in which the claim
Is advanced was prepared by E. W.
Roberts, local historian who wrote
a number of reminiscences and historical
documents for the CentenniaL
Mr. Roberts describes the
early struggles of newspapers In the
village In the days when $3.50 was
reported as the "cash receipts for
the week" and gives an account of
the meeting called by the "stooped,
old printer" whoee custom of carrying
his lunch to work in a brown
basket was one of the village's tra-'
didons.
Walter W. Woolnough was the
first printer to come to town and
after bringing out the first newspaper
ever published here and waging
a discouraging battle to give the
village a weekly newspaper, without
funds, developed Into a political
writer of considerable influence and,
the record says, called leading men
of the settlement into the meeting
where they formed an anti-slavery
party which Horace Greeley, who
visited Battle Creek three times
during his life, named the republican
party.
Meet at Hinman Ball
The written statement signed by
Dr. 8. S. French, one of the early
doctors in the village, from which
Mr. Roberts quotes, describes the
circumstances of the meeting as
follows:
"In February, 1854. a meeting of
anti-slavery men, W. W. Woolnough,
Orlando Moffet, Chandler
Ford. Charles May and Simeon
French was called to discuss a new
party at Woolnough's office, an organisation
was formed and a meeting
called for a week later at the
old Hinman hall.
"Simeon French was the chairman
and W. W. Woolnough was the
principal speaker. Delegates were
appointed to form a platform and
put. In nomination candidates for
the state offices.
"Mr. Woolnough. L. H. Stewart
and S. S. French were the delegates
for Calhoun county.
Got Statewide Publicity
"Statewide publicity by newspaper
press notices was secured and
a statewide convention was called
at Jackson in July 1854 at which
convention the new policies and
candidates were indorsed.
"These delegates met the evening
of the same day. Zac Chandler was
made chairman and the republican
platform was made.
"Candidates were selected who
were elected next fall,
"Thus it may be seen that the republican
party had its conception
in the office of W. W. Woolnough
in the village of Battle Creek.—
(Signed) 8. 8. French. M. D."
Dr. French died in Battle Creek
only a few years ago.
After calling the meeting and
discussing with his associates the
possibility of forming an antl-slavery
party. Mr. Woolnough was Joined
by a Joseph Warren in a letter to
Horace Greeley asking the great
Journalist for a suggestion as to a
name for a party. Mr. Robert's
paper reports. "In a few days an
answer came from Mr. Greeley to
Mr. Woolnough in which he said
he thought the republican party
would be a most suitable name for
the organization."
A Day off Oratory
Enthusiasm in the village for the
new party seems to have been testified
to two years later In a big
.celebration arranged here by the
party leaders. Charles 8. May was
the orator of the day. In a day of
oratory, and the farmers began
coming to town from the countryside
as early as 4 o'clock in the
nyfaigmioa
build up her health by its
morning. The attendance at the
celebration that day was reported
as the largest number of persons
ever to assemble in the village.
Tnm the information Mr. Roberts
has gathered, it appears that the
old Hinman hall, located where the
Boos-Basso block now stands, was
the scene of these early, historic
meetings. Greeley dpoke in the hall
on one of his three visits here and
most of the important anti-slavery
sessions of the time were held
there.
The hall Was one of the landmarks*^
early Battle Creek. Death
of M^ss Julia Hinman. daughter of
Benjamin Franklin Hinman who
with his brother, John F. Hinman,
bum the Hinman block which housed
Hinman hall, is reported elsewhere
in today's paper.
Named to Legislature
After Woolnough had figured so
influentially in the establishment of
the republican party. Mr. Roberts
finds from the old newspapers and
other records he has delved into
that the fortunes of this "stooped,
old printer" began to ascend. Four
years after the memorable meeting
in Jackson he was elected to the
state legislature. In 1864 he was
delegated by the government to go
to City Point. Virginia, in company
with two physicians to assist in the
care of wounded Michigan soldiers.
Mr. Robert's account of the early
newspapers here indicates that a
depression was on then. too.
City's First Newspaper
The urge to have a newspaper
seems to have welled among the
villagers sufficiently strong in 1845
for the raising of a sufficient sum
with which to purchase equipment.
Leonard Stillson a lawyer who lived
where the Post Tavern now stands,
was delegated to purchase a press,
type and the usual devices of a respectable,
or in fact, any newspaper
plant. He went to Rochester. N.
Y.. to make the purchases and there
ran across Woolnough who was then
a Journeyman printer who could
boast of three years experience including
foremanshlp of the Sentinel,
published in Ashtabula, O. Mr.
Woolnough was an Englishman,
born in Suffolk in Jul, 1821. and
crossing over to this country in
1833.
Mr. Stillson persuaded Mr. Woolnough
to c6me west and help found
Battle Creek's first newspaper, a
weekly of course. The imposing
name. Western Citizen and Champion.
was decided on and the first
copy went out to the breathless villagers
one day in July 1845.
Reward for Editorial
This brave effort, however, endured
only about a year when the
name and politics of the publication
were changed. The paper became
the Tribune with Woolnough
and E. Dougherty as the editor and
proprietor, respectively. Mr. Stillson
having withdrawn. Mr. Dougherty
soon took Woolnough into partnership
as reward for a stirring editorial
boosting and describing the
advantages to be found in Battle
Creek. This was the first newspaper
exploitation of the town and
pleased the residents mightily.
The Tribune was printed on the
second floor of the old wooden block
called the Eagle block, located on
the southwest corner of Main and
Canal streets.
The Tribune also met financial
disaster and expired in 1848. An
unsuccessful effort was made the
same year to start a daily under the
same name bu this died quickly
after a few issues. A copy of this
attempt may be seen now in Battle
Creek room of the Central National
bank.
Woolnough's Journalistic talents
found outlet during the summer of
the year the Tribune failed when
the Signal of Liberty, organ of the
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