The Carthage Daily Press, one of the most enterprising and interesting
journals of southwestern Missouri, is owned and published by William J.
Sewall, whose connection with newspaper work has been of value to the
community, for through the columns of the paper he advocates all measures
and movements which have for their object the welfare and progress of the
locality. He is public-spirited in an eminent degree and has made the Press
an active factor in molding public opinion.
A native of Illinois, Mr.
Sewall was born in Virden, Macoupin county, June 2, 1866, his parents being
William W. and Susan E. (Cox) Sewall. His father was for many years engaged
in the milling business in Illinois and later was a horticulturist of Jasper
county, Missouri. He took great interest in introducing choice varieties of
fruit, and in this way did much to improve the grade and kinds of fruit
produced in this state. He was widely and favorably known as a reliable
business man and a gentleman of sterling worth in other relations of life.
His death occurred in Carthage in 1897, and his widow is now living in
Wichita, Kansas.
William J. Sewall continued in school until his
twelfth year, when he entered upon connection with the journalistic field of
labor as an employee in the office of the Virden Reporter, remaining there
for two years. He afterward became a student in the high school of his
native town and later matriculated in Blackburn University, at Carlinville,
Illinois, being graduated from that institution in the class of 1886. Thus
well equipped for literary work he at once came to Carthage and secured a
position as a compositor in the office of the Press, where he remained for
eighteen months, and for two years he was in the job department of the
Carthage Democrat. On the expiration of that period he purchased a third
interest and became local editor of the Press, continuing to act in that
capacity until August, 1896, when he purchased the other two-thirds interest
of the Press of A.W. and L.B. St. John and has since been sole proprietor.
He publishes a daily (evening) and a weekly edition and has a well conducted
sheet, neat in mechanical workmanship, interesting and authentic in its
reading matter. It is also a good advertising medium, for it has a large
circulation in the city and adjoining districts. The weekly is a twelve-page
paper, the daily an eight-page journal, and in political adherence the paper
is Republican.
In 1893 Mr. Sewall was united in marriage to Miss Mary
Taggart, of Upper Alton, Illinois, a daughter of the Rev. Samuel B. Taggart.
Socially, he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and
with the Modern Woodmen of America. His has a wide acquaintance throughout
his adopted county, with whose interests he is so closely identified, and
wherever he is known he has made friends who recognize his worth and
entertain for him regard as a public-spirited citizen and reliable business
man.
Contributed 2022 Oct 24 by Aimee Edgeworth, extracted from The Biographical Record of Jasper County, Missouri, by Malcolm G. McGregor, published in 1901, pages 129-130.
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