First KY Newspaper Established In Lexington, 1787Source: History of Lexington Kentucky: its early annals and recent progress, George W. Ranck, Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., 1872, pages 124-127 The first newspaper ever published west of the Alleghany mountains was established in Lexington, in 1787, by John Bradford. It was then called the Kentucke Gazette, but the final e of Kentucky was afterward changed to y, in consequence of the Virginia legislature requiring certain advertisements to be inserted in the Kentucky Gazette. This paper was born of the necessities of the times. The want of a government independent of Virginia was then universally felt, and the second convention that met in Danville, in 1785, to discuss that subject, resolved, "That to ensure unanimity in the opinion of the people respecting the propriety of separating the district of Kentucky from Virginia and forming a separate state government, and to give publicity to the proceedings of the convention, it is deemed essential to the interests of the country to have a printing press." A committee was then appointed to carry out the design of the convention; but all their efforts had failed when John Bradford called on General Wilkinson, one of the committee and informed him that he would establish a paper if the convention would guarantee to him the public patronage. To this the convention acceded, and in 1786 Bradford sent to Philadelphia for the necessary materials. He had already received every encouragement from the citizens on Lexington, and at a meeting of the trustees in July, it was ordered "that the use of a public lot be granted to John Bradford free, on condition that he establish a printing press in Lexington; the lot to be free to him as long as the press is in town," Mr. Bradford’s first office was in a log cabin, on the corner of Main and Broadway, now known as "Cleary’s," but then known as "opposite the court-house." He subsequently used a building on Main, between Mill and Broadway, about where Scott’s iron front building stands. At last, after many months on the route, the precious printing material arrived, and on August 18, 1787, appeared the first number of the first newspaper ever published in the then western wilderness. It was a quaint little brown thing, about the size of a half sheet of common letter paper, "subscription price 18 shillings per annum, advertisements of moderate length 3 shillings." It was printed in the old style—f being used for s. The first number is without a heading, and contains one advertisement, two short original articles, and the following apology from the editor: "My customers will excuse this, my first publication, as I am much hurried to get an impression by the time appointed. A great part of the types fell into pi in the carriage of them from Limestone (Maysville) to this office, and my partner, which is the only assistant I have, through an indisposition of the body, has been incapable of rendering the smallest assistance for ten days past. JOHN BRADFORD." No wonder "the types fell into pi," for they had to be carried from "Limestone" to Lexington on pack-horses, that had swollen streams to cross, fallen trees to jump, and many a terrible "scare" from the sudden crack of Indian rifles, for there was not a half mile between the two places unstained with blood. The Gazette of 1787 is the only indicator extant of the size and importance of Lexington, at that time. We are able to surmise some things, at least, after looking over the first volumes of the Gazette. They are adorned with rude cuts and ornaments gotten up by Bradford himself. It is well known that he cut out the larger letters from dogwood. In these volumes we find advertised, among other things, knee buckles, hair-powder, spinning wheels, flints, buckskin for breeches, and saddle-bag locks. "Persons who subscribe to the frame meeting-house can pay in cattle or whisky." In another place the editor condemns the common practice of "taming bears," and also that of "lighting fires with rifles." Proceedings of the district convention are published. No. 5, of volume 1, contains the constitution of the United States just framed by the "grand convention" then in session. Notice is given to the public not to tamper with corn or potatoes at a certain place, as they had been poisoned to trap some vegetable stealing Indians. In another number, "notice is given that a company will meet at Crab Orchard next Monday, for an early start through the wilderness; most of the delegates to the State Convention at Richmond (to adopt constitution of United States), will go with them." Chas. Bland advertises, "I will not pay a note given to Wm. Turner for three second-rate cows till he returns a rifle, blanket, and tomahawk I loaned him." Later, the names of Simon Kenton and ‘Squire Boone appear. The columns of the Gazette are enriched with able and well-written articles, full of that mental vigor and natural talent for which our pioneer fathers were so justly celebrated; but "locals" are vexatiously scarce. Still the editor got up some. He often speaks of stealing, murdering, and kidnapping by Indians. At one time he speaks of a wonderful elephant on exhibition at a certain stable, and at another, "the people of the settlement are flocking in to see the dromedary"—quite a menagerie at that day. We must remember, if we think his "items" scarce, that at that time steamboats didn’t explode, nor cars run off the track, for none of these, or a thousand other modern item-making machines, were in existence. Still the Gazette must have been read with the most intense interest; in fact a writer in one of its earliest numbers says: Mr. Bradford, as I have signed the subscription for your press, and take your paper, my curiosity eggs me on to read everything in it." And no wonder, for all documents of public interest had up to this time been written, were often illegible, and one copy only was to be seen at each of the principal settlements. And then it was the only paper printed within five hundred miles of Lexington, and there was no post-office in the whole district. It was published, too, at a time of unusual interest in politics, and while party spirit ran high. The old national government was crumbling to give place to the new; the settlements were distracted by French and Spanish intrigues; the people were indignant and hot-blooded over the obstructed navigation of the Mississippi, and convention after convention was being held to urge on the work of separation from Virginia. What a treat the Gazette was to the pioneers! Often when the post-rider arrived with it at a settlement, the whole population would crowd around the schoolmaster or "’squire," who, mounted in state upon a stump, would read it, advertisements and all, to the deeply interested and impatient throng. Bradford’s editorial situation, contrasted with the same magnificent
surroundings and princely style of a New York journalist of the present day, was
quite interesting. His steamboat, railroad, telegraph and mail carrier was a
pack mule. His office was a log cabin. His rude and unwieldy hand-press was of
the old-fashioned style, that for centuries had not been improved, and, in
addition, it was a second-hand one. He daubed on the ink by hand with two
ancient dog-skin inking balls, and probably managed to get sixty or seventy
copies printed on one side in an hour. It he wrote at night, it was by the light
of a rousing fire, a bear-grease lamp, or a buffalo tallow candle; an editorial
desk made of a smooth slab, supported by two pairs of cross legs; a three-legged
stool, ink horn, and a rifle composed the rest of the furniture of his office.
The Gazette was, for some time, in its early history, printed on paper made near
Lexington, at the mill of Craig, Parker & Co. This pioneer journal of the
West existed for nearly three-quarters of a century. There is no greater
treasure in the Lexington Library than the old files of the Kentucke
Gazette. |