Springfield Republic series

Springfield Globe-Republic (Springfield, Clark County, Ohio) 1884-1887 [LCCN: sn87076916]
Digital Edition: January 1, 1885 – January 5, 1887
Springfield Daily Republic (Springfield, Clark County, Ohio) 1887-1888 [LCCN: sn87076917]
Digital Edition: January 6, 1887 – September 11, 1888


Founded in 1887, the Springfield Daily Republic and its predecessor, the Springfield Globe-Republic, both have their roots in one of the first newspapers published in Springfield, the Farmer, which was started in 1817. While other local papers came and went, the Republic was able to survive at least eight name changes and even more changes in editorship and publication frequency, earning its nickname “Old Reliable.” In 1839, John M. Gallagher and J.B. Halsey joined together to produce the paper, changing its name from the Springfield Ohio Pioneer to the Republic. According to one source, the latter was the first paper in the United States to bear the name “Republic.”

Incorporated in 1867, the Springfield Republic was one of the most influential papers in Clark County. In the years that followed, the Republic continued to change its name and its frequency of publication while absorbing other, smaller papers until it was finally acquired itself by the Springfield Daily News. Today, the paper is known as the Springfield News-Sun, which has been in publication since 1982. The exact chronology of the paper is unclear, but it appears that the title of Republic was dropped around 1910.

Despite changes in format and administration, the Republic remained at the front rank of Ohio’s press. Governor Asa S. Bushnell and former State Librarian William T. Coggeshall each spent time as the owner and editor of the paper. The affiliation of the Republic with the Western Associated Press and its special correspondents enabled the paper to report on more than just local news, keeping Springfield residents well informed about the world outside their city. In 1884, an earlier version of the Springfield Daily Republic merged with the Springfield Globe, a paper that started around 1879, to form the Springfield Globe-Republic. The Republic had been the mouthpiece of the Republican Party in Clark County. Although the Globe had been politically independent, the new Globe-Republic maintained a decidedly Republican viewpoint. In 1887, the name of the paper was changed back to the Springfield Daily Republic. In 1888, after a merger with the Champion City Times, the name of the paper was changed again to the Springfield Republic-Times.

Clifton M. Nichols had managed the Republic in its many incarnations since the 1850s and also served as editor of the paper during the administration of Governor Bushnell. Nichols advocated for improvements that would advance the city of Springfield and helped maintain the paper’s prominence and longevity. Under his leadership, the Republic published on a variety of topics, whether related to farming, the nation’s political and economic climate, or simply “Scientific Miscellany,” as one article was called. The local news sections covered the weather, the condition of local financial institutions, and city gossip. Though a small paper, typically publishing only four-page issues, the Republic was packed with information that both informed and entertained.


Researched and written by Jenni Salamon