For a print edition, please contact the editor of our Special Publications, Jennifer Mertz.
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STORY INDEX Service still most important product at Ligonier Telephone Co. A black and white sensation: Tiny Screens a big attraction in early years of television A man works from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done Indiana Extension Homemakers better the lives of families Small towns once supported their own movie theaters William Jennings Bryan among among orators at Rome City's Western Chautauqua Dr. David Rogers - Man of mystery, and benevolence DNR restoration programs working: Once abundant wildlife returning to area Rise of girls athletics have changed face of school sports Decades of intramurals: Ruth was greatest player ever: Frick Frick's predictions for 2000 not far off Small Wolf Lake big winner in 1942 basketball regional Four in a row: Finally with a gym of their own, KHS cagers went to 'Sweet 16' four straight years Ink to flow into 21st century at county's newspapers Broadcast media: Manahan was pioneer in Noble County broadcasting WAWK's history dates back to 1959 Health trends: Changes through the century occurred in medicine, health care Scarlet fever, polio were early health scares From sanitarium to partnership: A century of Noble County's medical care Funeral directors ran ambulance service in county prior to '74 'EMS arrives in time for '74 tornado LaGrange County doctors once made house calls by horseback Country doctor delivered babies in his home and drove a Thunderbird Service to mankind condensed to footnotes of history Who are the people of the Amish faith? Two controversial religious sects from the 1970's have impact on Noble County Churches with rich heritages served parishioners in LaOtto, Ege
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Ink to flow into
21st century at county's newspapers
Of those only the New Era will have published in the 19th
century as well, going back to a first issue of Sept. 19, 1872,
with Samuel E. Alvord as editor. In that issue Alvord wrote a foreword stating, "We have
tried to make the name of this little sheet indicative, to some
extent, of its mission. It will aim to be a true and unreserved
exponent of a new era in politics - in statesmanship, in administration." In 1876 J.P. Prickett became publisher, followed with purchases
of the newspaper by J.E. Buchanan in 1896, E.L. Adair in 1903
and, in 1940, Richard C. Prickett. Richard Prickett maintained ownership until his death in 1978,
when his wife, Susan T. Prickett, assumed editorial and management
responsibilities with assistance by longtime associate Robert
L. Allman. Susan Prickett retired in 1988 and at that time Allman, who
with his wife, Linda Allman, had been purchasing the newspaper
and its commercial printing business on contract, assumed full-time
management duties. The weekly newspaper was recognized in 1996 by the Albion
Sesquicentennial Committee as the town's oldest continually operating
business. The News-Sun was founded in 1911 but has ties to as far back
as 1860 and establishment of the Noble County Journal by Judson
Palmiter. Three years later the Kendallville Standard was established
by Dr. C.O. Myers, leading to a consolidation of the Journal
into the Standard in 1870. In 1877 the Kendallville Weekly News was started by Dr. A.S.
Parker and in 1890 yet another Kendallville newspaper, The Daily-Sun,
was launched by Joseph S. Conlogue, who had become part-owner
of the Kendallville Standard. Eight years later Parker started
the Daily News in conjunction with his Weekly News. In 1911 Kendallville became a one-newspaper city with a consolidation
of the rivaling businesses into a single daily by owners O.E.
Michaelis and George W. Baxter, who created Kendallville Publishing
Co. and established The News-Sun. Dr. Charles O. Merica purchased Kendallville Publishing Co.
in 1913 and operated it until his death in 1918, after which
principal ownership was retained by his wife, Alice W. Merica. George O. Witwer, who was named editor and general manager
of The News-Sun in 1962, became owner and publisher in 1969,
the year Mrs. Merica died at age 103. In 1996 Witwer retired while retaining a stock interest in
Kendallville Publishing Co. and he passed the reins of publisher
to James D. Kroemer, who had been with the company first as a
reporter and then as editor and general manager. Kendallville Publishing Co. was named Citizen of the Year
by the Kendallville Area Chamber of Commerce in 1983, and in
1995 and 1998 was named the best small daily in Indiana by the
Hoosier State Press Association. The Advance-Leader's origins date to June 4, 1880, with printing
of the first issue of the Ligonier Leader started by E.G. Thompson.
The issue was a two-pager and printed on a small hand press. Upon Thompson's death his son, Leland Thompson, took over
the newspaper in the mid-1930s and it remained in the Thompson
family until 1966, when it was purchased by Norm Davis of Michigan. Meanwhile, as the Ligonier Leader was prospering in the early
years of this century, the Cromwell Advance was started in 1912.
The Cromwell Advance was published for many years by Don Robbins,
after which it was published by his daughter and son-in-law,
Greta and Jim Wallace. In 1975 Witwer, owner by then of not only The News-Sun in
Kendallville but The Evening Star in Auburn, purchased the Ligonier
Leader and the Cromwell Advance and merged them into the present
Advance-Leader weekly, making it part of the Kendallville Publishing
Co. family. The bi-weekly AvilLaOtto NooZ was started in 1994 by Julie Scher and is published twice each week by her company, Scher Maihem Publishing Ltd. of Avilla. |
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ALBION - From a long string of newspapers
in Noble County history, four are poised to have published in
both the 20th and 21st centuries - The News-Sun, Albion New Era,
Advance-Leader and AvilLaOtto NooZ.