The Western Democrat (Charlotte, N.C.)
Historic newspapers carry the language, views and graphic reporting of their time, including racist content. They are shown to teen and adult profiles.
742 issues from 1853 to 1868, published in Charlotte, North Carolina, digitised for Chronicling America.
The first issue of the Charlotte-based Western Democrat launched on July 10, 1852. Robert Payne Waring (1827-1906), an attorney, served as editor and Rufus M. Herron (1822?-?) was publisher. In text below its title, the weekly newspaper proclaimed itself “A Family Paper—Devoted to Politics, Literature, Agriculture, Manufactures, Mining, and News.” Under Waring and Herron, the Democrat dedicated a considerable amount of space to advertisements for local goods, services, and property (both land and enslaved people) and included weekly wholesale price lists.
By fall 1854, Waring and Herron were ready to sell the Democrat. Under the heading “Printing Office for Sale,” the North-Carolinian of Fayetteville, N.C. noted in its November 4, 1854 edition that the pair was seeking buyers for the newspaper and its associated printing operation. The North-Carolinian reported that Waring and Herron stated “the subscription list pays all the expenses of publication, and is increasing, and the job work and advertisements yield a net profit of $2,300.” On June 8, 1855, Waring informed readers that he had bought Herron’s share of the newspaper, and on July 27, he announced that Henry Moody Pritchard (1824-1872) had joined him as a partner. However, their partnership lasted only a few months. In a column on December 4, the pair wrote that they had sold the newspaper to John J. Palmer (dates unknown) in October and that Palmer had decided not to place his name as owner and editor until the…
- Genres
- Westerns, News
- Published in
- Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
- Language
- English
- Collection
- Chronicling America
- Licence or status
- None stated by the archive
- Rights
- The Library of Congress believes that the newspapers in Chronicling America are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions. Newspapers published in the United States more than 95 years ago are in the public domain in their entirety.
- Credit
- Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities
- Who can read it
- Teens profiles and older (placed by Invisible Network from what the archive says; archives give no ratings)
- Archive
- Library of Congress