The Earliest Elk County Newspapers

[W. Gray]

I had this formatted in a nice Word table.

Will probably lose all the formating, but since I cannot upload a word file thought I would give it a try.

It took about three years, off and on, to come up with this information.

Some of these newspapers are unknown to the Kansas State Historical Society and there are no issues in existence. However, they are mentioned in other old newspapers.

THE EARLIEST ELK COUNTY NEWSPAPERS
By Waldo E. Gray

1.   Elk Falls Examiner   
C.L. Goodrich, publisher.
After sale, R.S. Waddell, publisher    
February 4, 1871, to December 1872.
First newspaper established in what is now Elk County.
Sold in October 1872.
Moved to Winfield, Kansas, at end of 1872 becoming the Winfield Courier in January 1873.

2.   Howard County Ledger (Longton)
Adrian J. Reynolds, publisher.
Reynolds came from the Garnett Plain Dealer. In later years, he liked to say he printed the first newspaper in Elk county when, in fact, he was second. In the 1880s, he was editor of the Thompson family owned Howard Courant. Reynolds states in the Howard Courant masthead the Ledger began publication in September 1870. However, the February 23, 1871, Howard County Ledger plainly states that issue is volume I, Issue I.
February 23, 1871, to May 9, 1872.
Renamed Longton Weekly Ledger.

3.   Howard City Messenger
Richard S. Turner and Henry B. Kelly, Publishers.
February 1872 to May 1873.
Renamed Howard County Messenger by new owner.

4.   Longton Weekly Ledger
Adrian J. Reynolds, publisher   
May 9, 1872, to July 2, 1874.
Formerly the Howard County Ledger (Longton).
Moved to Elk Falls, Kansas, becoming again the Howard County Ledger.

5.   Howard County Messenger (Howard City)   
A.B. Hicks, Publisher   
May 1873 to July 1873
Formerly the Howard City Messenger.
Moved to Boston, Kansas.

6.   Elk Falls Journal   
N.H. Ward and William Parker, publishers.
After sale Richard S. Turner and Henry B. Kelly, publishers   
July 1873 to July 1875.
Formerly the Independence Republican.
Moved to Sedan, Kansas, becoming the Chautauqua Journal.

7.   Howard County Messenger (Boston)
Assumes location above Thompson General Store was in what is now Elk County.
KSHS lists as Elk County newspaper. August 1941 KSHS newspaper study says newspaper was in Chautauqua County.
A.B. Hicks, publisher.
After local sale circa April 1874, the Messenger Company, publisher.   
August 1873 to September 1874.
Formerly the Howard County Messenger in Howard City.
Sold by Messenger Company and moved back to Howard City becoming the Howard City Beacon. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas, 1883, says W.E. Doud bought Messenger and started the Howard City Censorial. Winfield Courier, January 13, 1881, says former Courier employee Abe Steinbarger purchased. Abe started the Howard City Beacon.

8.   Howard County Ledger (Elk Falls)
Adrian J. Reynolds, publisher   
July 2, 1874 to September 9, 1875.
Formerly the Longton Weekly Ledger.
Renamed the Elk County Ledger (Elk Falls).

9.   Longton Courant   
Abe Steinbarger and A.M. Clark, publishers.
Clark sells out before move.
December 23, 1874 to September 15, 1875.
Formerly the Elk City Courant.
Moved to Howard City, Kansas, becoming the Howard City Courant.

10.   Howard City Censorial   
Wesley Doud, publisher
January 1875 to September 1875.
Moved by publisher to Eureka, Kansas, becoming the Eureka Censorial.

11.   Howard City Beacon
Abe Steinbarger, publisher
July 10, 1875, to December 11, 1875.
Formerly the Howard County Messenger (Boston).
Folded when Longton Courant came to town becoming Howard City Courant.

12.   Howard City Courant
Became Howard Courant in October 1877 when Howard City renamed. One of the longer running small town newspapers in Kansas. At one time a daily newspaper.
Abe Steinbarger, Publisher.
In the 1880s, Steinbarger begins using the spelling Steinberger.
Sold late 1881 to Asa Thompson, John Thompson, and Thomas E. Thomson.
Last publisher was Thomas E. Thompson wife, Maude C. Thompson.
December 22, 1875, to January 22, 1942.
Formerly the Longton Courant.
Merged with Elk County Ledger November 22, 1877.
Merged with the Howard Citizen when Maude Thompson retired.

13.   Elk County Ledger (Elk Falls)   
Adrian J. Reynolds, publisher   
September 16, 1875, to November 11, 1876. Formerly the Howard County Ledger (Elk Falls).
Moved to Howard City.

14.   Elk County Ledger (Howard City)
Adrian J. Reynolds, publisher   
November 25, 1876, to November 10, 1877.
Formerly the Elk County Ledger (Elk Falls).
Merged with the Howard Courant.