A Brief History Of Benton County Newspapers by Alvin Seamster
From The Benton County Democrat (1950) - Now the NWA Democrat Gazette - The Century Of Progress Edition
From The Benton County Democrat (1950) - Now the NWA Democrat Gazette - The Century Of Progress Edition
The first newspaper after the war was established in the early [eighteen-]seventies. It was the Advance and was published for several years, frequently changing hands and was finally sold to the Bentonian and was operated by S. D. McReynolds and S. M. Womack. It was sold to J. B. Thompson, and the name changed to the Benton County Journal. The paper was later sold to S. M. Dailey.
The Benton County Democrat was established in January 1885, by John W. Corley, who published it about one year and sold to J.B. Thompson, who published it about one year and sold it to Hurley & Stevenson, in July 1888.
Gus Hurley later sold to Joe S. Stevenson. He operated the paper for several years, selling it to Ben S. Terry. Mr. Terry sold the paper to O. D. Stiles, who sold to W. H. Plank, who at that time was operating the Benton County Record. He also bought the Bentonville Sun, which had been operated by H. L. Cross since 1891. Mr. Cross also operated a daily paper, the Bentonville Daily Sun, for a few years. Mr. W. L. Marley established the News in 1904 and it ran it for one year and combined it with the Sun. When the daily paper was started, Mr. Marley withdrew, because he thought it not advisable to operate a daily.
During 1926 Grover S. Lindsey, Jack Maxwell and J. L. McKeehen started the Benton County Herald, later selling to Boren & Crockett. Mr. Lindsey later buying an interest of Boren & Crockett.
Mr. Plank sold the combined papers to Boren & Lindsey of the Benton County Herald, who sold to the present owner, Mr. Richard Elam.
A few of the other papers printed and published in the county and surrounding territory were the Gravette Gazette, in 1900 edited by Oakes and Edwards; Sulphur Springs Speaker, by John R. Huffman in 1893; the Cherokee Hummer, Kansas, Okla., by W. E. Nicklin, in 1896; The Southwest City Leader, by M. C. Falkenbury, 1897; Siloam Springs Democrat, by Collins & Ragsdale, 1898. The last above mentioned papers were published at the time stated, as I have a copy of each one. We have not had the opportunity in such a short time to contact each paper and get the earliest publication, but it is understood that the Advance and Bentonian, published in Bentonville, were the first papers of any circulation to be published in the county.
The Benton County Democrat was established in January 1885, by John W. Corley, who published it about one year and sold to J.B. Thompson, who published it about one year and sold it to Hurley & Stevenson, in July 1888.
Gus Hurley later sold to Joe S. Stevenson. He operated the paper for several years, selling it to Ben S. Terry. Mr. Terry sold the paper to O. D. Stiles, who sold to W. H. Plank, who at that time was operating the Benton County Record. He also bought the Bentonville Sun, which had been operated by H. L. Cross since 1891. Mr. Cross also operated a daily paper, the Bentonville Daily Sun, for a few years. Mr. W. L. Marley established the News in 1904 and it ran it for one year and combined it with the Sun. When the daily paper was started, Mr. Marley withdrew, because he thought it not advisable to operate a daily.
During 1926 Grover S. Lindsey, Jack Maxwell and J. L. McKeehen started the Benton County Herald, later selling to Boren & Crockett. Mr. Lindsey later buying an interest of Boren & Crockett.
Mr. Plank sold the combined papers to Boren & Lindsey of the Benton County Herald, who sold to the present owner, Mr. Richard Elam.
A few of the other papers printed and published in the county and surrounding territory were the Gravette Gazette, in 1900 edited by Oakes and Edwards; Sulphur Springs Speaker, by John R. Huffman in 1893; the Cherokee Hummer, Kansas, Okla., by W. E. Nicklin, in 1896; The Southwest City Leader, by M. C. Falkenbury, 1897; Siloam Springs Democrat, by Collins & Ragsdale, 1898. The last above mentioned papers were published at the time stated, as I have a copy of each one. We have not had the opportunity in such a short time to contact each paper and get the earliest publication, but it is understood that the Advance and Bentonian, published in Bentonville, were the first papers of any circulation to be published in the county.
Copy of one edition of "The Weekly Advance," one of the earliest newspapers in Benton County from 1873.
If you would like to take a closer look at this newspaper click on like below:
https://www.vintagebentonville.com/sep-23-1873---the-weekly-advance.html#gsc.tab=0
https://www.vintagebentonville.com/sep-23-1873---the-weekly-advance.html#gsc.tab=0
The first newspaper published in Rogers in 1881 was edited by Graham and Mason. Mr. Graham was the step-father of Mr. Mason, having married Elvina J. Mason, near Faulkenburg, whose father was Baron Von Falkenburg, of Germany.
Frank A. Mason was born in New York in 1852 and married Hattie Acres of Missouri, then moving to Arkansas. He was a journalist and a well educated man. His father was an Englishman and belonged to the English Nobility. Frank Mason was the father of the Mason boys and their sisters, nearly all of whom are living in and near Bentonville.
There have been a great many newspapers published in Benton County, which we regret very much not having space to give their owners and publishers. One of them was Cains Thomas Cat, published in 1890s at Rogers.