The Russellville Democrat (Russellville, Ark.)
Historic newspapers carry the language, views and graphic reporting of their time, including racist content. They are shown to teen and adult profiles.
896 issues from 1875 to 1893, published in Russellville, Arkansas, digitised for Chronicling America.
Russellville, in Pope County, Arkansas lies halfway between Fort Smith and Little Rock, on the Arkansas River. Today this area is referred to as the River Valley, but it was once known as the Cactus Prairie on the Buffalo Trail. Incorporated on June 7, 1870, it grew slowly until the Little Rock & Fort Smith railroad reached the town in 1874.
The Russellville Democrat was first published on January 28, 1875. The weekly newspaper was created by a group of affluent townsmen looking to unify the people of Pope County. These town leaders were J. L. Shinn, President; George E. Howell, Vice-President; J. F. Munday, Secretary; and M. L. Baird, Treasurer. In the paper’s inaugural edition, it proclaimed to be an advocate of Liberal, Progressive, and Democratic principles as well as being devoted to local, political, commercial, agricultural, and literary intelligence. The newspaper featured seven columns, with areas dedicated to Fraternal and Religious notices as well as medical, home, and farming advice.
James E. Battenfield was the editor and B. F. Jobe was the business manager for the first six years of publication. Following Battenfield’s retirement in 1881, Jobe became publisher with John R. H. Scott. Following several years of quick changes to management, Jobe returned as publisher of the Democrat by 1885. He stayed with the newspaper for a decade before retiring to McAlester, Oklahoma. His brother, J. R. Jobe, became editor and publisher until 1897, when he sold his interest…
- Genres
- News
- Published in
- Russellville, Arkansas, 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