History of the Van Buren Papers.
Van Buren has seen many newspapers come and go. At least twelve of those newspapers are on record. One newspaper, the Press Argus, has the longest history in Crawford county. Its life span has reached 139 years. That makes it the oldest weekly newspaper west of the Mississippi River.
The second oldest newspaper in Arkansas is the now nonexistent Arkansas Intelligencer. It was the first paper in Arkansas published west of Little Rock. The first copy was issued Saturday, January 22, 1843. Messrs. Frances Van Horne and Thomas Stern were the editors and proprietors. The price was three dollars ($3.00 per annum) and it was a five column paper 22 x 15 inches. The first issue carried two columns of advertising. The paper was neutral in politics and the news was of a general character.
The Arkansas Intelligencer changed hands many times, first in July 1843 when George W. Clark became indentified with Stern. This collaboration lasted until March 1844 when George W. Clark became sole proprietor and editor, only leaving for a seven day period in 1847. Clark remained editor until he received a government position with the Pottawatomie Indians. His brother, Anselin Clark ran the paper after George's leave until his death in 1859. The paper ceased an existence of over seventeen years.
The Arkansas Intelligencer had been democratic, so the Whigs decided they must have an organ of their own to express their political ideas. The Frontier Whig was started around May of 1844 and lasted until 1846. Thomas Stern was in charge of this paper and his chief editor was the forceful writer, John S. Logan.
The next paper started in Van Buren was the Van Buren Press. It appeared on July 6, 1859 and continued until 1862 when it suspended publication on account of scarcity of printing paper, caused by the War Between the States. It appeared again on February 3, 1866, after a four Year lapse. It continued printing until July 18, 1914 when it was consolidated with the Van Buren Argus. From this the Press Argus was born.
For 48 years, from the time the Van Buren Press was established in 1859 until J. S. Dunham's death in August 1912, no other name appeared as editor, proprietor or publisher. A record very few papers can claim.
The equipment from the Van Buren Press was destroyed by fire in December 1892 but only missed two issues.
The editor of the Press was fearless in his writing. He was not easily swayed for what he thought was right, regardless of the influences brought upon him or what the outcome would be.
The political ideas of the paper were characterized by conservatism. It did however mold the public opinion during the unsettles affairs of the state. During the Brooks and Baxter war, this paper was the only one in Northwest Arkansas to champion the Baxter cause, according to the History of Crawford County.
When Dunham was in Washington his son, Starr Dunham and Mr. Carl Schuppe had charge of the publication of the paper. After the death of Starr, Mr. Schuppe had entire charge.
After Mr. Dunham's death, Mr. R. S. Knott published the paper for a time until his retirement. His son, Clifford Knott ran the paper until 1914 when Frank Anderson purchased it.
In 1875, Messier. George Thayer and his brother-in-law, John Cass stated the Van Buren Argus. "The Van Buren Argus was a child of the Brooks and Baxter Was," according to the History of Crawford County. This paper was formed to oppose the position taken by the Van Buren Press. It was the organ standing for the Brooks position. Hon. Granville Wilcox was the editor. It made its first issue, a seven-column folio, on Christmas day of 1875. As the times were changing so were the formats of the newspapers. This paper became a "news"-paper and an exponent of the new development of the county.
The papers' salutary stated: "First, to make the Argus always useful in advancing the interest of Van Buren and Crawford county and the entire state of Arkansas. Second, to earnestly advocate the cause of education. Third, unsweringly advocate the first law of nature-order, Fourth, shall try to furnish our farmer friends a paper that will be of use to them. Fifth, that they stand for the Democratic Party, etc."
Mr. Wilcox's connection with the Argus was severed in 1885, a few months previous to his death, and the Thayer Bothers assumed control of all departments. The publishers and proprietors following Thayer and Cass, were G. C. Thayer, in 1879; John A. Thayer, 1880; Thayer and Ibbotson, in 1882, and since that the Thayer Brothers. In 1887 the Messr. Thayer issued a daily Argus for a few months.
The Daily Argus, a consolidation of the Van Buren Press and the Van Buren Argus then appeared in 1897. Frank Anderson was the editor.
On its ninth anniversary the Daily Argus had this to say: "The eight years history of this paper is a continued story of the success and failure, the joy and sorrows, the heartaches and happiness; the coming and going of our citizens as gathered and told from day to day during that time, until the Argus has become closely allied with nearly every home in the city."
In 1909 the Thayer Brothers gave control of the Weekly and the Daily Argus to Mr. Frank Anderson, who had been editor of the paper for twelve years. The Daily sold in 1913 to Mr. R. B. Holbrook who discontinued the Daily as it was a losing proposition. In June 1913 Mr. Anderson bought back the plant and resumed the publication of the Daily Argus. Again, in January 1917 the daily was discontinued but opened again in May of the same year and continued until April 1918. On November 30, 1919 Messrs. Phillips and Scudder revived the Daily-Press Argus. In 1920 Anderson again became editor of the paper until June 1921 when the paper was forced to suspend publication.
In 1924, Carl Schuppe and Mr. Anderson became associated in the publication of the Press-Argus. Anderson sold the paper to Hugh and J. C. Park on November 1, 1927. According to the History of Crawford County, "the paper became one of the most widely read and well known weekly newspaper of America."
The Van Buren Graphic was established in 18.81 by Mr. J. J. Warren. He was a prominent member of the Republican party in Crawford county and felt there needed to be a paper to voice their political principles. This paper was also a weekly. The first issue was printed on January 28, 1881. Warren was the editor and Mr. Frank Ibbotson was the publisher.
Mr. Warren addressed the readers by saying, "The Graphic shall not be used as a medium to gratify the personal whims or grievances of the editor or anyone else."
Mr. Ibbotson was succeeded as publisher by W. N. Bradbury and later Mr. Warren had sole management of the paper. A writer speaking of the paper and its appearance and content says: "Its course has been especially characterized as aggressive and spirited and its life was identified with what might be called the "Frisco" period of Crawford county history."
Mr. Z. Wells published the paper in 1888. Mr. Warren became publisher of the paper and was owner again until his death in late 1888.
The Peoples' Protector was published by the Graphic. It only lasted for eleven weeks in 1888. It was the first paper printed for colored people in Crawford county. H. H. Wilburn was its first editor, was succeeded by E. W. Merchant, who soon retired in favor of G. H. Hill under whose management is was suspended.
In 1889 Mrs. Warren sold the paper to Colonel J. M. Weaver and he edited the paper for about two years. R. S. Hynes took the Graphic over then. Lloyd Garrison edited and published the Van Buren Republican which was the successor of the Graphic. It ceased to exist November 12, 1892.
Other papers during this time period appeared. The Van Buren Daily Venture was founded by J. W. Higgs in August, 1983. This paper was democratic in principle. In 1900 the paper sold to William C. Yoes and he changed the Politics of the paper.
In June of 1883, the Davidson Publishing company established the Arkansas Agitator with Major F. B. Davidson as editor. This paper was devoted to the industries and agriculture agitation. It was a semi-monthly, and issued but a few numbers.
Other papers appeared with only a short duration such as the Times, a republican paper that was published by the Hammond Brothers of Kansas. The Daily Optic was founded by Ibbotson and Lloyd. This was the first Van Buren daily paper. It appeared in 1885. Messr. G. N. Callahan was also involved in the paper. The Trades Review also appeared for a short while and was published and distributed over the city every Saturday.
After the suspension of the Daily Press-Argus, George R. Wood edited the Evening News for a few months.
Iverson Riggs founded the Van Buren Shopping News with Edgar R. Ramey in 1954. Riggs was the predecessor of the Van Buren Shopping News for 31 years,invaluable service for area advertisers by reaching all of their potential customers and at the same time providing a complete news service.
In 1957 Riggs became the sole owner of the paper and changed the name to the Crawford County Courier. He started buying offset equipment at this time. The paper was being printed by the Rogers Daily although it was composed in Van Buren.
In 1968, Paul Bryant joined the Courier after 13 years of experience with Donrey Publishing in Fort Smith.
Riggs was a community oriented man. While he was editor of the Courier he was also a city councilman and a school board member. Cathy Gifford, Rigg's daughter said, "He served the little guy...He believed everything you give to the community will come back to you." Gifford said the paper was "family oriented and run. If the paper were to have found financial difficulty we, (the family), could have run it on our own."
In 1969 the Courier plant was opened and the publication was a bi-weekly.
Riggs sold the Courier Publishing Co. to Gene Fields. Before the paper consolidated with the Press Argus it had a circulation of over 16,000, more than any other newspaper in the county.
In 1985 the Press Argus and Courier merged and became Arkansas' premier weekly newspaper, the Press-Argus Courier.
In 1988, the Press-Argus Courier sold to Westward Communication under publisher Randy Snow. The paper is now under a new publisher, Mr. William T. Hager. The paper has won many awards and was judged best among weeklies in both advertising and editorial contests for the years 1989-1994. It holds the record for the largest number of subscribers of any weekly newspaper in the state.
