Othniel Looker, Jr.

https://archive.org/stream/centennialhistor12grev/centennialhistor1...

Liberty Hall was published for a short time after
the death of Mr. Browne by his son and Mr.
Looker. The former soon retired and his place
was taken by A. Wallace. After Mr. Carpenter’s
death the Spy was published by Ephraim Mor-
gan for a few months, after which Micajah T.
Williams entered into partnership with Morgan.

On July 15, 1815, Thomas Palmer published
the first number of the Cincinnati Gazette, a
paper which, after four months, was united with
Liberty Hall on December 11, 1815.

Mr. Wallace sold out his interest in Liberty
Hall to Mr. Looker, who purchased the Gazette
and associated Thomas Palmer and Sacked Reyn-
olds with himself in the editing and publishing.
In the prospectus of the new paper it was stated
that the paper as theretofore would “endeavor to
maintain the ascendency of Republicanism ; that
sentiment which acknowledges the sovereignty of
the people; the only legitimate sovereignty.”
Liberty Hall and the Gazette were printed with
black lines between the columns ami after the
uinon of the two papers the issues were more in
the style of the modern newspaper than those
that bad preceded them. The first New Year’s
address of the new paper was written bv Peyton
S. Symmcs. A semi-weeklv edition was started
March 9. 1819, by the publishers, Morgan, Lodge
& Company. Previously all newspapers had appeared but once a week.

. . .

Qn the 29th of April, 1820, Mr. Mason retired
from the Western Spy and Looker and Palmer
and Reynolds became the publishers. In April
of the following year Joseph Buchanan gave up
bis connection as editor with the Spy. Under
Buchanan’s management the paper had been
quite literary and had encouraged a number of
young poets and writers, such as Benjamin F.
Drake, Peyton S. Svinmes, John II. James,
Thomas Pierce, John P. Foote and Daniel
Drake.

In January, 1823, the proprietors of the Spy
purchased new type, enlarged the paper and
changed the name to National Republican and
Ohio Political Register. This was a semi-weekly,
edited by Elijah Hayward and Samuel O. Richardson.
It was said to be the most handsomely
printed paper in Southern Ohio. Mr. Richard-
son retired, but Mr. Hayward remained as editor
for several years. Beginning in the first number
of this paper was a long poem entitled “Billy
Moody,” which continued for 28 papers. It was
said to be the joint production of Ben Drake,
Thomas Pierce anti J. H. James, — the coterie that
inspired Pierce’s “Horace in Cincinnati.”

. . .

In 1831 the National Republican of Looker &
Reynolds is added to the list of the dailies.

. . .

In 1836 ... Mr. Harper’s
place on the Republican had been taken by Othniel Looker, Jr.

================================

http://www.daytonhistorybooks.com/page/page/3546404.htm

Memoirs of the Miami Valley - Volume Two
Physicians, Schools, The Press

The next paper to make its appearance in the metropolis of the western country was the Western Spy and Hamilton Gazette. The first number of this paper was issued on May 28, 1799, and its editor was Joseph Carpenter, a native of Massachusetts. It was continued under several managements and changes of editors for ten years when it passed into the hands of Messrs. Carney & Morgan who changed the name of the publication to the Whig. After fifty-eight numbers of the Whig had been published, its name was changed to the Advertiser, and under this name it was published until the month of November in 1811 when it passed out of existence. An interesting item in connection with the Spy was the appearance on April 26, 1802, of an advertisement by Andrew Jackson of a fifty-dollar reward for the return of his slave George, who had run away from the Jackson plantation on the Cumberland river.

Joseph Carpenter, the first editor of the Spy, went into the newspaper business again in 1810, when he began the publication. of the Western Spy anew. At the outbreak of the War of 1812 he volunteered his services and, led a company of militia under the command of General Harrison. Captain Carpenter died in the military service of his country from exposure in 1814 and was buried in Cincinnati with all military honors. The Western Spy was then edited by Messrs. Morgan & Williams who continued its publication for several years. In the year 1815 it attained to the size. of a super royal sheet, and was subscribed for by 1,200 persons. Another weekly newspaper, Liberty Hall and Cincinnati Mercury, was established by John W. Browne in the year 1801, but it soon changed hands, Messrs. Looker and Wallace becoming its editors, and who, in 1815, had a subscription list numbering upwards of 1,400.

. . .

In 1831, there was an extensive list of newspapers and periodicals published in the directory, together with the names of the editors. It was as follows: Daily, Tri-Weekly, and Weekly: Cincinnati Daily Gazette, C. Hammond, editor ; Commercial Daily Advertiser, E. S. Thomas, editor ; Daily National Republican, Looker & Reynolds. ...