Gazette Newspapers

Since then it has been passed from son to son for five generations. Few companies in Ohio show such dedication and pride in its owners.

Publisher of nine weekly and three monthly newspapers in Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania, Gazette Newspapers traces its roots to a greenhouse on Chapel Road in North Madison in the year 1871, when Ferdinand (Berd) Lee started an amateur monthly journal called the Star. The Star was published by Lee for one year.

In 1872, Lee's father, Daniel Lee, joined his son in the newspaper business and formed a weekly newspaper called The Independent Press. The first issue was dated January 3, 1872. The Independent Press, published by Daniel Lee & Son, struggled. The Lees redefined the focus of the newspaper to the dairy industry in hopes of increasing circulation and revenue. The newspaper's name was changed accordingly to the Dairy Gazette. Readership grew, but so did expenses. The paper lasted only six months. Daniel Lee & Son returned the paper to covering the local community of Madison under a new name, The Madison Gazette.

The paper continued publication in Madison until 1876, when the Lees left Madison for Jefferson and the Jefferson Gazette was born. The Lees sold the paper a few months later.

In the spring of 1883, a local layer, E.L. Lampson, purchased the paper from then owner Ed Gerkin. The Lampson family has published The Gazette in Jefferson ever since.

At that time, The Gazette office was located on the second floor of a building on the west side of North Chestnut Street in Jefferson. Later, it was moved to a three story brick building which Lampson had purchased on the northeast corner of Chestnut and Wall Streets, then known as Court Alley. The first floor housed the post office. The editorial offices were on the second floor, a job printing operation on the thrid floor and the newspaper press in the basement.

E.L. Lampson ran the paper until 1896, when he left for the State Capital as Speaker of the House of Representatives. E.C. (Chet) Lampson, son of the owner, ran the business in his absence and purchased the company in 1902. Three years later, he was joined by his uncle, R.D. Lampson. The two operated as partners until 1940.

The "Big Fire" in 1906 completely destroyed the building and equipment, but in the short span of 90 days, a new two-story brick building was erected and new printing equipment was installed. While the fire was still burning, R.D. Lampson took the morning train to Cleveland, where he arranged for the purchase of a new press and other equipment.

In the interim, The Gazette continued publication through an agreement with The Ashtabula Sentinel, which had been published in Jefferson since 1852. Owned by William Cooper Howells, The Sentinel had been started in 1832 in Ashtabula, then moved to Jefferson. The Howells family was among the country's outstanding newspaper people of the period from 1850 to 1900. A son of the Sentinel publisher was William Dean Howells, known as the Dean of American Literature, and one-time editor of Harper's Magazine. As a young boy, William Dean Howells would write for his father's newspaper.

In 1909, The Sentinel was taken over by The Gazette, and the paers were combined into one publication. The Sentinel was revived in 1968 as a free distribution shopper. The newspaper format was changed in 1990 to a paid circulation newspaper. The Sentinel primarily serves the communities of Ashtabula, Saybrook, Geneve and Harpersfield.

In 1965, The Gazette moved from its location of more than a half century on North Chestnut Street to 46 W. Jefferson St., where a new building had been erected and the first offset newspaper operation in Ashtabula County had been installed.

In March 1970, Gazette Newspapers purchased the Orwell Newsletter from the Orwell Printing Company and renamed the newspaper The Valley News. The Orwell Newsletter was established in July 1890 by Charles Olds. Like The Gazette, the newspaper burned to the ground on February 7, 1917, while Clarence Thurber was publisher.

The Pymatuning Area News was established in 1971 by Darl Albert of Andover. It became part of Gazette Newspapers in 1979.

The Courier was established in July 1992 following the closing of the Conneaut News-Herald. The Courier serves the residents of Conneaut and Kingsville.

The Albion Blizzard was started by E.F. Davenport and E.C. Palmer. In 1895 or 1896, The Blizzard was sold to Walter J. Skeels. At the time, the press was operated by a horse treadmill stored at a Conneaut Township farm. Working with Mr. Skeels were Jim Britton, Ed Salisbury, Grace Hossler, and John McBride. Mr. Britton, son of a former publisher, started The News soon after the Blizzard was discontinued. He inturn sold the publication to Charles Provo, who in turn sold it to F.J. Brown, an attorney. In 1912, R.C. McClymonds of Edinboro purchased The News and operated it until 1921, when Carl Kuppler of Erie purchased it. Mr. Kuppler remained for seven years, and sold to Walter Conrath, who enlarged the operation and subsequently erected the present News building. Following his tragic death, Grace Conrath ran the operation successfully until she sold to Floyd McCymonds, son of former owner R.C. McClymonds. Subsequently, Robert J. McClymond succeeded his father as editor until he sold the paper to the Gazette Newspaper Group in October 1992.

The Shores News was formed in December 1992 to serve the Association of Roaming Shores. The association provides each member with a subscription for this monthly publication.

On January 8, 1993, the first issue of The Tribune rolled off the Gazette Newspapers presses. Covering the news of Madison, Perry, Concord and Paiensville area, The Tribune's office is located in historica Madison Village.

Also produced in the Madison office is the newest addition to the Gazette family, The Lake County Gazette. Printed every week, this community focused newspaper serves the Mentor, Fairport Harbor and Grand River areas.

Today, Gazette Newspapers publishes nine weekly and three monthly publications. In addition, the company publishes many periodicals during the summer months and offers direct mail services.