History of Early Amateur Journalism in Washington

 

A SEATTLE A.P.A. was organized May 23, 1894, with George M. Allen as President, and Ed A. Hering as Editor. On August 12, 1894, Hering was made President, and in November, 1894, W. B. Allen was chosen President, and H. E. Booth, Editor. In 1908 a local club was formed in Bellingham with Irene Taylor, President, and Harry Shepherd, Editor. In Seattle a club was again formed in 1908, with Roy Erford as President. For 36 years it has held meetings. In 1891 Herbert A. Schoenfeld, one of the most active of Washington's amateur journalists, began the publication of Squibs, and from 1894 to 1897 he issued an influential paper called West. John L. Peltret followed him by publishing La Petite in Seattle in 1892, while in 1893 Frank H. Cook, of Little Falls, issued the Little Hero, with a finely engraved heading. The year 1894 was a fruitful one for amateur journalism in Seattle. Besides West there were published the Evergreen State, a leading paper, edited by Ed A. Hering; the Review, B. L. Redick, editor; the Searchlight, edited by Mabel C. Lucas; the New Friend, H. W. Lemcke, editor; and others. In Tacoma, the same year, F. Stacy Whitney published Chinook Breezes, another well-known journal, and at South Bend, Clarence Bundy issued the Occident. In 1896 F. C. Rassman published the Olympic from Port Townsend. Frank B. Covington, of Seattle, was a prolific poet in this era, and a collection of his poems, mostly in dialect, was published in 1897 by Schoenfeld, bearing the title Punkin Eater and Other Poems.

 

Later Earle A. Rowell, of Ballard, published the Arrow in 1906, and Irene E. Taylor, of Bellingham, the Siwash, while in Seattle, Roy Erford issued the Amaranth in 1907, and Anthony F. Moitoret the Seattle Sun in 1938.

 

In 1896 Leo Dumar of Seattle put out the Item. In 1902 James F. Morton, Jr., published Outre at Home, the site of a colony of which he was a member. J. F. Roy Erford, Seattle, launched the Abacist in 1903, while the following year saw the appearance in Everett of the Optimist, with Raymond W. Hutton as editor. Earle A. Rowell launched the Asp in Seattle in 1908 and the following year, with F. Roy Davidson as co-editor, published the Arrow. S. Parker Rowell published the first of a number of issues of the Skookum Canim in 1907 and in 1909 started the New Era. In 1908 Sidney W. Melhuish of Kent published the Poplar. Kent was the place of publication of Pearls by John F. Hall in 1909, the same year in which Edward W. Allen launched Namotam's Wail in Seattle.

 

Chester 0. Hoisington began publication of the Evergreen in Harrington in 1908. Two years later he published the Square Deal and in 1912 started Hoisington's. William E. Parker, Seattle, published the Puget in 1910. The same year saw the appearance of the Seagull from Harry Shepherd, Anacortes; the Seattle Bubble, F. Roy Davidson; and the Amateur Graphic, Aubrey W. Deery, Seattle.

 

In 1911 Ada M. Wenrick, Harrington, published the Golden West, and Andrew P. Johnson, Seattle, put out Seattle Potlatch. The Igloo came from Andrew H. Jacobsen, Woodinville, in 1912.

 

 

Back to States Listing

Back to Amateur Journalism

Home