Newspapers of Shelbyville

The first newspaper published in Bedford County was the Shelbyville Herald, Thao F. Bradford, editor and proprietor. In 1821 the Herald was sold to Iredell, and with that gentleman was afterward associated J. Newton, and together they conducted the paper until about 1830.

The Western Freeman was next established in 1832, with H. M. Watterson as editor, and John H. Laird, publisher.

In 1836 the Peoples' Advocate was established by William H. Wisener who was both editor and proprietor.

About the same time the Western Star was published by Granville Cook.

In 1840 the Peoples' Advocate was succeeded by the Western Advocate, with John W. White as editor and publisher.

In 1844 the Free Press was published by I. C. Brassfield, and contemporaneous with the Free Press was the Whig Advocate, published by John H. Laird.

In 1848 the Star was published by R. C. Russ.

From 1848 to 1862 the Expositor was published by James Russ, Jr., and Ralph S. Saunders.

R. C. Russ published the Bedford Yeoman from 1850 to 1855, and during 1857 and 1858 the Constitutionalist was published by J. H. Baskette.

About the same time the Herald of Truth, a Baptist paper, was published by Dr. R. W. Fain.

From 1862 to 1863 J. H. Thompson and T. B. Laird published the Tri-weekly News, and from 1863 to 1866 T. B. Laird published the American Union

In 1871 the Bulletin was established by J. L. and J. B. Russ, and previously these gentlemen established the Commercial, which paper was published in 1870 by T. S. Steele and S. A. Cunningham. Two years thereafter the Rescue, which paper had been started a short time before, was merged into the Commercial, and R. C. Russ became editor and proprietor, and occupies that position at the present time.

Besides the Commercial, the other papers of Shelbyville are the Gazette and Times. The Gazette was established in 1874 by J. B. and J. L. Russ. In 1880 A. L. Landis purchased the paper and conducted it for two years, and sold it to William A. Frost and William Russell. In 1884 Mr. Frost became sole editor and proprietor, and continues as such at the present. The Gazette is one of the most successful newspaper plants in the State. The office is supplied with an abundance of good material, and is equipped with a Campbell power news press and Gordon jobber.

The Times was established by William Russell and D. M. Alford in the latter part of February, 1886, making its first issue on the 26th of that month, with Mr. Russell as editor and Mr. Alford as publisher. Although young in years, the Times is on a sound footing, and has evidently come with the determination of staying. All three of the papers are Democratic.

Shelbyville Tornado

In May, 1830, Shelbyville was swept by a terrible tornado, which destroyed the court house, the Methodist Church, and quite a number of other brick buildings, and killed and wounded a number of people. Those who were killed were James Newton, David Whitson, _____ Arnold, _____ Reideout and _____ Caldwell. The town has also been visited at three different times with Asiatic cholera, which caused a large number of deaths each time. The first visit was in June and July, 1833, the second in September, 1866, and the third in July, 1873.

Shelbyville | Manufactories | Banks | Manufactories | Societies

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Source: History of Tennessee, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1886.