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Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio History

Cuyahoga Falls Witness/ Ohio Review

In the Summer of 1833, Judge Stow made an arrangement with Horace Canfield and Timothy Phelps Spencer, a couple of enterprising young printers of Hartford, Conn., to remove to Ohio, and start a newspaper and job printing office at Cuyahoga Falls. (route they took) After arriving, time was spent in setting up their office in a one-story building on the north side of Broad Blvd, east of Front, and in soliciting subscribers and advertising for the "Cuyahoga Falls Witness."

Before issuing the initial number, on consultation with prominent business men, the name of the paper was changed to "The Ohio Review."

The very first issue, Volume 1 No. 1, dates back to November 30, 1833. It consisted of a 24 column paper with each column 19 inches in length and about two "ems" wider than the present Beacon. Besides nearly two columns of local business advertisements, there was an editorial setting forth the advantages of Cuyahoga Falls; the report of a meeting at Warren, favoring the construction of the "Cross Cut," or Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal, and a communication from E. N. Sill, Esq., on the recent celebrated meteoric shower on the night of November 13, 1833.

The paper seemed to have run along smoothly through the first year, as it entered upon its second volume, without any indication of financial distress printed its last paper on December 12, 1834.

Mr. Canfield soon after removed to Medina and in 1842, to Akron, where he died December 9, 1853. Mr. Spencer remained in Cleveland until he died sometime in the lat 1880's.

In June of 1835 the Review passed hands to H. T. Townley and J. M. Bassett and afterwards being ran by "An Association of Gentlemen" with James Lowery as the printer. A stray copy of the paper was last seen in Mr. Henry Wetmore's ownership and was dated April 13, 1837.

Renovator/Young Buzzard/Telescope

In the meantime, 1838 -1840, several transient publications, named above, were run for short periods.

The True American

During the county seat contest, 1840-1842, a vigorously conducted weekly newspaper, under the above title, was published, devoted generally to the business and social interests of Cuyahoga Falls, and especially to the work of securing the location of the seat of justice of the new county of Summit in that village. The general editorial management of the True American, according to the recollection of Samuel Lane was devolved upon Grant B. Turner, Esq., though it is quite probable that Hon. E. N. Sill, S. W. McClure, Esq., and others, contributed many of the able and incisive articles that appeared in its columns during that extremely lively period.

Cuyahoga Falls Reporter

In 1870, Mr. E. O. Knox, a practical printer, commenced the publication of a nine column folio that was filled with general news and local happenings as well as from the advertising facilities which it furnished to the business men of the village and made itself an indispensable necessity to the people of Cuyahoga Falls and the surrounding country.  It was then called the Cuyahoga Falls Reporter and Western Reserve Farmer. Mr. Knox died on March 7th, 1891 and was then ran successfully by his widow, Mrs. Ellen Knox.

Weekly Journal

On April 15, 1881, Frederick H. Duffy and Frederick A. Douglass, a couple of enterprising young printers of Cuyahoga Falls, commenced the publication of a paper under the above title, but as the venture did not prove itself the paper was discontinued on the 28th day of April, 1882. This paper was independentp in politics, though both proprietors were ardent Republicans.

The Republican

Early in September 1882, Messrs. H. E. Howard, W. O. Beebe, George P. Sperry, Charles F. Harrison and Frederick A. Douglass filed the necessary papers with the secretary of the State for the incorporation of the Akron and Cuyahoga Falls Printing Company with a capital stock of $1,500 for the purpose of publishing a Republican paper simultaneously at Cuyahoga Falls and Akron, the material of the late Journal to be used for that purpose. Though the paper was duly started by Mr. Douglass on the 30th day of September, 1882 the company alluded to was never organized and Mr. Douglass not being adequately supported in his enterprise, discontinued the Republican on the 10th day of March, 1883 transferring his material and subscription list to the Reporter and himself taking the foremanship of that office; Mr. Duffy, with his brother Isaac S. Duffy, carrying on a job printing office, in the village, under the firm name of Duffy Brothers.

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