Historical souvenir of Greenville, Illinois : being a ... - University Library

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Othmhi. HrcHANAN, lifceascd,
Editor of the American Courier in
1856-7. A resident of (ireenville
for 58 vears.
tired in August 1847 and J. McPike
became associated witli Mr. I>athrap.
The following October Stephen Fisk
was associate editor for a short
time. The Protestant Monitor was
moved to Alton in January 1S4S
and was published there for several
years.
While in Greenville the Protestant
Monitor was published on the
site of the present residence of T.
R. Robinson, in the west end of
town.
Cbc Barn Burner.
Jediah F. .Alexander, who came
to Greenville in 1S4S. at the age of
twenty-one years, started, during
the memorable campaign of that
year, a Free Soil paper, called the
Barn Burner, supporting Martin Van
Buren for President.
The publication was intended only
as a campaign paper, and, having
served its purpose, was discontinued.
Nothing of the Barn Burner is preserved.
It was the first journalistic
venture of Mr. Alexander, afterward
promoter and president of the Vandalia
Line and founder of the Greenville
Advocate.
t^hc SlcBtcm fountain.
John Waite was editor of the
Western Fountain, published semimonthly
and "devoted to Christianity,
sacred literature and religious
intelligence." A part of Volume
Historical Souvenir of Greenville, Illinois. 61
One is now in possession of Mr.
Jacob Koonce of Greenville. Number
3, bears date of December 6,
1S4S. It is not definitely known
how long Mr. Waite continued the
publication of this paper but it was
probably not long for he was connected
with othei- journalistic ventures.
Mr. Waite published the
Western Fountain in connection
with the Journal.
Rev. peter Long's publications.
From 1S45 to 185G Elder Peter
Long published the Western Evangelist
a monthly religious paper,
which had a circulation of 2,000 in
this and other states. The paper
was first published from the press
of Lathrop and Waite, in a house
where T. R. Robinson's residence
now stands. It was then moved to
Rockwell, a postoffice on Elder
Long's farm, six miles west of
Greenville. It was afterwards again
printed in Greenville. Elder Long
also published the Primitive Preacher,
1S50-51, quarterly. It consisted
principall}' of a reprint of standard
religious works.
From 1S60 to 1S7G he issued
"The Visitor" occasionally, for
gratuitous distribution. He was also
E. J. C. .Al.EX.\.\DER,
the author of "The Western
Harp" a book of about two hundred
hymns and sacred poems. Six
editions were printed and about
4000 copies were distributed, many
of which are still in use.
Cbc 6rccnviUc Ifournal.
While Mr. Alexander was running
the Barn Burner, the Journal was
started by John Waite, former assistant
editor of the Monitor. After
he had discontinued the publication
of the Barn Burner, J. F. Alexander
became connected with the Journal,
first as a partner of Mr. Waite, and
afterward, in IS 50, as sole proprietor.
In January 1852 John Waite
again became the editor of the Journal,
and the following June the
paper published a poem entitled
"The Wavy West," from the pen of
Robert G. Ingersoll, then a boy in
Greenville.
On September 9, 1S53, E. J. C.
Alexander, who is still living on his
farm north of Greenville, together
with his brother, J. H. Alexander became
editors and proprietors of the
Journal. In 1S56 the old flies of
the paper show that D. W. Alexander
was publisher and J. F. Alexander
was editor. The paper changed
Editor of the Greenville Journal in the fifties and
war time editor of the .Advocate.