History of local newspapers difficult to read

By James M. Miller
Journal Business Writer

In 1839, two years after Michigan became a state, Flint was a settlement of fewer than 1,000 people � and they got their first newspaper, the Flint River Gazette.

It had only one carrier, Edward Todd, son of John and Polly Todd, Flint�s first settlers. The paper lasted only a few years.

That was the rule for most of the city�s early papers: A year or two of success before a merger, name change or plain old failure.

One of the longest-lived newspapers in the city was the Wolverine Citizen. It began as the Genesee Whig in 1850, became the Wolverine Citizen about 1854 and lasted until 1915.

The history of the early papers in Flint is incomplete and can be confusing because of mergers and name changes.

For example, according to Edwin O. Wood in �History of Genesee County, Michigan,� the Flint Republican began in 1845. It was sold in 1848 and the name changed to the Genesee Democrat. Under different names, it continued through 1906. Other sources put the date of the first sale at 1853, and the end date at 1905.

The Journal was founded as a weekly paper by Charles Fellows, a native of England who came here from London, Ontario, in 1863. He had been a printer at the Genesee Democrat when its editor died in January 1876.

The paper was first located on the second floor above Clark�s drug store on Saginaw Street, north of Union Street.

By 1882, the Journal had been sold to a Dr. Carman, who sold it to George McConnelly, who began publishing it as a Monday-Saturday �daily� on March 3, 1883.

It had other owners, then in 1902 was bought by Howard H. Fitzgerald, who also bought the Flint Globe and Genesee Democrat and consolidated the three operations. In 1911, The Journal was bought by the Booth chain of papers.

The paper�s office was on E. First Street at Brush Alley until The Journal bought the old Stone�s Opera House. The opera house was razed and the present building, designed by the noted architectural firm of Albert Kahn, was finished in 1924. The Booth newspaper chain was bought by Newhouse in 1976, where The Journal�s ownership remains today as part of the Newhouse-run Advance Publications.

James M. Miller covers business and automotive issues. He can be reached at (810) 766-6318 or jmiller@flintjournal.com.