Rock Island Union
While the Union was first issued in Rock Island, November 5, 1862, the
origin of the paper is to be sought in Moline, the daily and weekly Union
representing a union of two Moline papers, and the transfer of the office
of publication to Rock Island, the county seat, and the political and
commercial centre of the county. In August, 1857, Ames Smith, who came
west from Lambertville, New Jersey, started the Moline Workman, a weekly
which strongly espoused the anti-slavery cause. In February, 1857, he sold
the plant to Robert H. Graham and Alfred Webster, who changed the name to
the Independent, under which name it was continued by various owners. The
ownership of the plant, after several changes, in 1862, finally reverted
to Mr. Graham and his brother-in-law, Mr. I. A. Kuck. The latter remained
in charge when Mr. Graham entered the military service at the outbreak of
the Civil War, in which he rose to the rank of Colonel. His death followed
soon after his resignation, in the Fall of 1862.
In November, 1862, Mr. Kuck discontinued the publication of the Moline
Independent, and moved the plant into the old Mitchell and Lynde Block, in
Rock Island, whence, on the fifth of the month, the first number of the
Weekly Union was published, as an organ of the Republicans of the county.
Mr. Graham died November 11, and the publication of the daily, which had
already been launched in the expectation that he would be able to return
to take part in the enterprise, was at once stopped. Mr. Kuck continued
the publication of the Weekly Union until May, 1863, when he sold the
property to Colonel M. S. Barnes, who at once resumed the publication of
the Daily Union as an evening paper in addition to the weekly. The
publication of the daily as an evening paper was continued until December,
1866, when Colonel Barnes, who had resumed possession after three months
control by Major William Caffery, sold the property to Captain L. M.
Haverstick, who came here from Maryland. When Captain Haverstick took
possession the daily was changed to a morning paper. He subsequently
bought the Moline Republican, and, added its job plant as a department of
the Union printing business. Captain Haverstick was the editor of the
Union until 1874, but in the meantime he had several partners in the
business. On July 1, 1867, M. D. Merrill bought a two-fifths interest. At
the end of two years he sold it back to Mr. Haverstick. The latter then
sold a half interest to Mr. Richard Crampton, and the result was the
removal of the office of publication to the block in which Mr. Crampton
carried on his book store and blank book manufactory. This combination
continued until the Summer of 1872, when Captain Haverstick repurchased
Mr. Crampton's interest and built the block on Eighteenth Street from
which the Union, daily and weekly, has since been issued. In the Spring of
1873, Mr. O. A. Barnhart purchased a half interest in the paper, which he
held for one year.
In March, 1874, the Union Printing Company was organized, to take over the
property. The first stock holders and officers were: L. M. Haverstick,
president; A. E. Wells, vice-president; Walter Johnson, secretary and
treasurer. In September of that year Captain Haverstick sold his stock to
Captain H. C. Cleaveland and J. J. Parks, when Mr. Johnson became
president and editor, and Mr. Cleaveland business manager.
During the succeeding two years, the ownership of the stock held by
Messrs. Cleaveland and Parks changed hands several times, Captain
Haverstick returning to his old place for a time. In 1876, however, he
sold his quarter interest to William Henry Burdett, and Mr. Parks sold his
quarter interest to George McKay Luken, who became superintendent of the
job room. After this period the ownership of the paper became staple and
confined to fewer hands. Mr. Luken after a few years, sold his interest to
Messrs. Johnson and Burdett, and a small block of the stock went to George
Morgan, but the latter remained with the paper but a short time. In 1888,
Mr. Burdett, on account of sickness which caused his death December 1,
1889, sold his interest to Mr. H. C. Ashbaugh. The latter, in 1891, sold
it to Mr. Johnson, who thus became the sole owner well as the editor.
After his death the as property descended to his widow and daughters, who
have retained the ownership of the paper. J. K. Brandenburg, whom Mr.
John-son, during the period of invalidism preceding his death, placed in
charge of the editorial department, continuing in that capacity, with L.
Ben Driffill as business manager, and F. W. Rinck as advertising manager.
The Daily Union has returned to the field which it originally occupied as
an evening paper, and the change has materially in-creased the prosperity
which the paper has enjoyed for a quarter of a century.
The Press Of Rock Island County
Source: Historic Rock Island County, pub. Kramer & Company, Rock Island, Illinois, 1908