Tioga County Herald (Newark Valley, New York) 1876-1966
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For a number of years, there has been writing about the Tioga County Herald, a weekly newspaper founded in Newark Valley, running successively from 1876 to 1966 when, under the last owner and publisher, Gus Brandes, it folded. To celebrate the Bicentennial in 1976, exactly 100 years after the publication of the first Tioga County Herald during the year of the American Centennial celebration, three graduates of Newark Valley High School’s Class of 1973 put out a special edition of the newspaper for the Bicentennial celebration in Newark Valley. Douglas Cornwell, then a Music Education major at SUNY Potsdam with a major interest in history and genealogy (taking many classes at Potsdam with History professors such as Dr. Judith B. Ranlett and Dr. Vincent J. Knapp) was the editor. Mark Monroe, a student at Cornell University, did the lion’s share of the writing, and Eric Steinkamp, a student at Clarkson UniversityClarkson UniversityClarkson University, was the financial manager, managing the books and the sales of advertising. (Today, Douglas has a tintype photo of his great-grandfather, Samuel J. Cornwell, at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia).
Looking back at these events, people have some good memories!
Retired Professor Douglas Cornwell has been writing that the newspaper was founded in 1876 by Gilbert E. Purple. Correction to this. According to records at the Library of Congress, it was not until just about a decade later that Purple was involved. Perhaps Professor Cornwell was clouded by his great-grandfather’s (Samuel J. Cornwell) tintype at the Centennial Exposition of 1876 and wished, after reading the deed of 1919 when Samuel purchased a property in Newark Valley from Gilbert E. Purple. Clouding of the mind is not unusual for any human being. Let that be a lesson!
Provided below is the actual information about the Tioga County Herald and its publishing history from 1876 to 1966 (Library of Congress, Newspaper: Tioga County Herald… 1876-1966).
Notes – Weekly, – Vol. 1, no. 1 (Mar. 4, 1876)- – Ceased in Aug. 1966. Cf. Faibisoff, S.G. Bibl. of newspapers in 14 N.Y. counties.
Publishers:
[George M.?] Jordan & [?] Riley, 1876;
George M. Jordan & Henry A. LeBarron, 1876- ;
Jordan & [Charles Louis] Noble, 1877;
Charles L[ouis]. Noble, 1879-1883;
Charles L[ouis]. Noble & G[ilbert].Elsworth]. Purple, 1884-1889;
[?] More & Purple 1890;
G.E. Purple, 1901-1908;
[?], 1909;
A.L. Sherman & L.A. Worden, 1910;
Ivan C. Purple, 1913-1931;
[?], 1932-1945;
Grace B. Allen, 1946-1955;
[?], 1956;
Lloyd C. Allen, 1957;
Leon G. [“Gus”] Brandes, [1958?]-1966.
Further notes from the Library of Congress with regard to the Tioga County Herald (Library of Congress, The Owego Times … 1867-1967) indicate that the Tioga County Herald had a brief “after life” from 1966 to 1967. “Published as: Owego times-Tioga County herald, Sept. 2, 1966 and Oct. 14-Nov. 11, 1966. – Tioga County times-herald (DLC)sn 90066443 (OCoLC)22044833″ until 1970.
Also, according to Library of Congress records, the newspaper was published as The Tioga County Sun-Times & Herald from 1970-1971. From 1971 to the current time, Library of Congress records say the publication was titled the Tioga County Gazette & Times. Apparently, the “Herald” name dropped. However, there is a discrepancy in the Library of Congress records as Professor Cornwell now subscribes to a newspaper from Owego titled Tioga County Courier and the Gazette name has been dropped.
Circumstantial evidence has indicated, since Rollie Noble of Newark Valley owned the complete run of the Tioga County Herald (1876-1966), that he was related to one of the original people involved in this newspaper. That person was Charles L. Noble who was involved from 1877-1889. Research of Ancestry.com has hopefully provided the answer. Rollie Noble is a 1st cousin once removed to Charles Louis Noble who was living in Newark Valley. Once Charles Noble married his wife in 1889, he departed town, the nearest which can be determined. This coincides with the evidence that Charles L. Noble was part of the Tioga County Herald from 1877-1889. Research is always continuous. Probably another reason why Rollie Noble had in his possession, the complete sequence of newspapers from 1876-1966. Later, Mr. Noble indicated he had worked with the New York Newspaper Project to put those newspapers on microfilm and copies of the microfilm had been placed in Newark Valley’s Tappan Spaulding Memorial Library. However, this was prior to Rollie’s death in 1983. It was confirmed that the microfilm was in the local library, but it has not been confirmed in 2021.
The New York State Historic Newspapers website contains digital copies of other Tioga County newspapers, but the Tioga County Herald has not been found there. Why?
In the list of newspaper availability, Tappan Spaulding is not on the list. Why? It was there at one time with the entire sequence, as had been seen at Rollie Noble’s home.
Here is a list of availability found on a New York State Newspaper website:
Tioga County herald (Newark Valley, N.Y.) Published 1876-1966 : Weekly. OCLC 11405329 Continued by: Owego times (Owego, N.Y. : 1867)
- New York State Library NY 77 Newark Valley 93-32030
F Scattered issues missing 1888-1916. <1876:3:4-7:8,29, 8:26-12:30> <1877:1:6,27-4:21, 5:12-6:30, 7:14,28-8:11, 8:25-9:1,15-12:22> <1883:5:26-7:7,21-28> <1884:1:5-1888:12:29> <1889:1:5-6:29, 7:13-1908:2:21> <1910:1:4-12:30> <1916:1:4-6:30> <1923:1:5- 1966:7:22> - New York State Library Master microfilm
M Scattered issues missing, 1888-1916 <1876:3:4-7:8,29, 8:26-12:30> <1877:1:6,27-4:21, 5:12-6:30, 7:14,28-8:11, 8:25-9:1,15-12:22> <1883:5:26-7:7,21-28> <1884:1:5-1888:12:29> <1889:1:5-6:29, 7:13-1908:2:21> <1910:1:4-12:30> <1916:1:4-6:30> <1923:1:5- 1966:7:22> - Cornell University
P <1881:9:24> <1882:7:8> <1890:3:8,22> <1891:3:8,22> <1902:2:28> <1903:11:20> - Cortland County Historical Society
P <1887:10:8> - Tioga County Historical Society
F <1876:3:4-1877:12:22> <1883:5:26-7:28> <1884:1:5-1908:12:25> <1909:4:2-1916:12:29> <1918:7:5-1919:6:27> <1923:1:5-1966:7:22>
P <1879:7:5> <1882:9:30> <1896:9:4> <1905:1:6,20-2:17, 3:3-4:28, 5:12,26-12:29> <1906:9:28-11:16> <1912:7:2-9,16-9:10,17-12:31> <1913:1:7-5:26, 6:3-7:22, 7:29-10:7,21,28-12:30> <1915:1:1-6:29> <1923:1:5-12:28> <1924:2:22-3:28, 4:11, 8:29> <1925:5:15> <1926 :1:15, 10:15> <1927:1:7-4:29, 6:3-12:30> <1928:1:6-12:28> <1929:1:4-12:27> <1930:3:7> <1931:1:2-1933:10:13> <1936:3:27-4:3,17, 5:1-1962:12:21>
Having all issues of this newspaper, from 1876 to 1966, are of great concern, not exclusively as a means to complain about this loss, but because of the collection which was seen at Rollie Noble’s home and a need to preserve historical information, but because locating some obituaries during that time frame, for those who resided in Newark Valley during those days, it has been the Tioga County Herald which has been the best resource. Also, it has been the best for many other news items which are very local to Newark Valley and not published in other newspapers in the county, as well as big city newspapers. Even the Tioga County Historical Society does not list the newspapers past 1962 and it was published until 1966. What has happened?
When the Bicentennial edition of the Tioga County Herald was published in 1976, Professor Cornwell, then a student at SUNY Potsdam, recalls working with “Duke” Evans of Owego, in order to publish the newspaper. In the Fall 1975 academic semester, Cornwell had enrolled in Dr. Ranlett’s American Family History class at SUNY Potsdam. Cornwell was then off his family history “starting gate” with a large part of his four family lineages of Cornwell, Schoonmaker, Eldridge, and Albro. The results were submitted as a research paper. He then went to work on putting together the Bicentennial edition of the Tioga County Herald. He also continued with the research begun in 1975, at a time when he traipsed through many cemetery sites (with Rockefellers buried there) and so forth, in southwestern Cortland County and northeastern Tioga County.
Cornwell is mystified by the success of commerce in what was once known as “Tioga” and run by the indigenous people here in an area which crosses our geography from Pennsylvania to New York.
Cornwell is seeking to research in more detail about this topic. Knowing about those who tried to develop a “research triangle park” with IBM in Endicott as the foundation of it and extending in a “triangle” to Ithaca (Cornell) and Elmira, Cornwell finds the results deplorable because IBM has departed from this area and now has a large base in a Southern research triangle park. The triangle park in the Southern Tier would have been better. The center of the “triangle” in the Southern Tier would have had Tioga County, NY, right in the middle of it all. Instead, the movement South (and North Carolina) destroyed it and there is no IBM anymore here in the Southern Tier.
The indigenous folks were more intelligent, were they not? With counties such as Broome, Tompkins, and Chemung (plus others) carved out of the original Tioga County, NY, we have divided this land as people from each geographic urban area fighting with one another rather than making life better for all.
Perhaps Cornwell lives in a fantasy world, right? The reality was dictated to the Southern Tier by fat cats at the top of big corporations who have worked to herd everyone into Dixie. It is very disgusting. Cornwell speaks out bluntly about it. Today, Cornwell finds too much pessimism in this area. Sad. To overturn this pessimism, Cornwell is using this medium of a blog named Tioga Herald.
Call Professor Cornwell crazy, but he believes in the American melting pot of multi-culturalism. The outgoing Trump Secretary of State made a claim in a mentally ill state of mind saying that “America is not multi-cultural.” Sure. Embolden Proud Boys, the KKK, John Birchers, and racial hate groups. What a dolt who has a right to an opinion, but not his own damn facts and emotions. Here Professor Cornwell is, bringing to the table the stupidity of the Trump regime of dictators favoring white supremacy. Perhaps people should examine Professor Cornwell’s Ancestry.com family tree called American Tree with Multi-cultural Roots. Then there would be those who, with humility for learning, might learn and gain wisdom. As pessimists would say, “don’t count on it.” Jenna Bush just described how her grandmother, Barbara Bush, adamant against the LGBTQ people, listened to someone and changed her mind. Humility and someone learns. Too many Republicans today refuse to do this and that is also very sad, causing the pessimism which I hear from so many people. Optimism, not pessimism.”The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Do you know who said that?
Tioga Herald. A blog for optimism for the future and based on the name, Tioga, from the indigenous folks of this region. Like it or lump it, but amen and so be it. This particular blog provides a history of a newspaper in this region and the folks who made it happen. Gilbert Elsworth Purple also started the first telephone company in this area. It became Chenango & Unadilla Telephone and is now called Frontier. Hearsay says the original phone lines for the switchboards of that phone company still exist in the basement of the home once owned by Gilbert’s son, Jay Purple. (See the Purple Family Tree on Professor Cornwell’s Ancestry.com website)
Tioga Herald 
Town of Newark Valley proposition for appointments rather than election
Dear Editor:
The election is over. Based on preliminary results, I understand that the Newark Valley town proposition to change elections such as the Newark Valley Town Highway Superintendent to an appointed position by the town council was defeated. Prior to the election, I remained silent. Perhaps I should have spoken out because, once again, I observed that emotions from the loudest mouths who were opposed to such a change swayed the herd mentality so as to convince people to vote on the measure based on what angry people say with a loud mouth than to consider logic and reasoning of the situation. “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”(A statement in a Star Trek movie by Mr. Spock character played by Leonard Nimoy, at the point Mr. Spock was about to die). How sad for Newark Valley. How sad for New York. How sad for the USA. Logic thrown out the window.
It is a shame that the ballots could not have contained information as to the REASONS behind the thought about changing it. As a result, only the loud mouths who blistered this notion were heard.
For instance,some of what I heard in the repetitive forces were as follows.
(1) “Political appointments remove the opportunity for the people to speak.”
(2) “Political appointments mean that those unqualified would be appointed, due to patronage.” (3) “Political appointments give opportunities for the ‘good old boy’ network to operate.”
Logic is thrown out the window in favor of false ideas about our life and politics. Let us take a closer look at this tripe.
Number 1. Political appointments remove the opportunity for the people to speak.
Really? In the election which just passed, I had no opportunity to speak through the ballot box. While I am not in disagreement with the person chosen, why was I not able to have a choice? Because I am a registered Democrat and the choices were made in a Republican primary. There are independent voters who don’t want to be affiliated with either political party. At times, I wish I were independent and it is frustrating that there are no Democratic Party primaries. Yet, a stupid Republican once called those of us here who are Democrats as “Dumicrats.” To that person, I could say Republidumbheads.” I can also think of a very nasty word for Republicans, but I won’t offer it. There are Green Party and Libertarians, etc., etc., etc.No such people are able to vote in a Republican primary. Where is the “voice of the people?” At least when someone is considered for appointment to an office, people may be given a chance to attend a town council meeting and voice approval. Otherwise, there is a segment of the population which is screwed.
In this case, perhaps Republicans would say the simple solution for me would have been to register as a Republican, right? So, let’s create a one-party state. Oh, that’s right. A one-party state in Newark Valley is not a new thing at all. In fact, I knew people who moved here as Democrats and, in order to become involved in the politics here, dumped their Democratic Party affiliation and became Republicans. Excuse me. But one-party states existed in Hitler’s Germany and the Bolsheviks and Marxist/communists of Russia and the Soviet Union.
One possible solution would be for New York State, rather than putting a stupid thing on the ballot about New York City judicial funding, put a proposition on the ballot to allow people to go to the polls on election day and simply declare one party as the designated party to vote in a primary. That would give more voices. I have heard of states which do this and have other similar processes as solutions to such a problem. I might add that in the state where I spent nearly 40 years, they do not have such a solution, but some people spoke up in favor of such solutions for primaries. But alas, Republicans of Florida don’t want people to vote and are putting forth adverse laws to restrict voting. Why would such a state even consider such when it works to discourage voters since the Republicans created a one-party state, beginning with Jeb Bush.
“Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”
Number 2. Political appointments mean that those unqualified would be appointed, due to patronage.
What about the unqualified who can run for a job and are not qualified to be highway superintendent, clerk, or what ever? What about the example of a relative of mine who was very qualified for an office, due to bookkeeping skills possessed by this person and appointed by both Republicans AND Democrats to a job? No patronage there. So it is possible, with the right people elected to leadership roles in the government councils and executive offices. Perhaps the “voice” of the people should spend more time investigating those who are elected into the town, village, city, or county councils of government. I don’t argue that it is not possible for the existence of patronage. I am sure it does happen all the time. But to cast a pessimistic aspersion on something which might be a good solution is absurd. With herd mentality spreading potentially false information is a stereotypical tarnishing of ideas.
Number 3. Political appointments give opportunities for the “good old boy network” to operate.
False. This statement is like taking offense of anything we do as humans with human institutions always results in a “godd old boy network.” Such networks exist, but there is proof that sometimes they do not exist. The man appointed to supervise operations of a village lawn, street, sidewalk maintenance and garbage collection service, with only an 8th grade education and not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, might NOT be acceptable to accountants, lawyers, business people and others who are in positions of responsibility, but just might do a good job. One such example did exist one time. I do know a thing or two from history.
My mantra has become this. Human beings and human institutions cannot possibly be perfect. If people knew Christian values, they should realize this. Yet, how many people continue to consider humans or human institutions in whom they have a “beef” as not living up to expectations in terms of perfection. With the president prior to our current one, I spent time TRYING to find things which demonstrated a leader. In contrast to his paranoid views that “everyone was out to get him” in terms of a “witchhunt,” I knew a number of people who tried to turn around some of his bad. Each time I became disappointed. However, I did not hold an expectation of perfection when going into consideration of the man. On the same token, I can say the same about a former governor. There were some things I may have disagreed, but there also may have been some things I disagreed. I did not wish to tarnish his image ONLY on the things in which I disagreed. And this governor had some factors which were the same as the former president for whom the religious right swept under the rug.
Main point. Making appointments by the Newark Valley Town Council is not a bad idea when the village of Newark Valley haas been doing it for many years and has been successful in its endeavors. It was the people’s voice in the village which voted against a sewage system and natural gas lines within the village limits. It was the village which first introduced cable television to the area and regulated the cable television. It was the FCC, including many Republicans at a higher level, and other agencies which removed local control of cable television and endorsed the huge corporate conglomerates, through deregulation, which destroyed local business. It would behoove local people to take on these issues at the local level than to be concerned about whether or not we cannot possibly handle the appointment of positions within the town government. Ignorance, as opposed to stupidity, of the issue, without thinking and looking into details, which means such ignorance, with humility an open mind, would enable learning and wisdom. Critical thinking skills are very handy in such situations.
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