The Orange County Herald

Today's image is an advertisement for the Orange County Herald newspaper. This ad was printed in the 1901 Orange County Directory, which undoubtedly was an example of the Herald's "job printing of all descriptions." The quality of the printing was better than the image above would indicate. I've only posted a photograph of a photocopy of the original ad.

.

The Herald was established by Napoleon "Nap" Donovan as The Santa Ana Herald in April 1878. Donovan soon turned it over to James Layman, beginning a long history of ever-changing managment and ownership. In 1880 the Herald was purchased by Santa Ana pioneer Jacob Ross. Then, in Nov. 1881, James Alonzo Waite became publisher.

.

In Turn The Rascals Out!, historian Jim Sleeper writes, "Two things in life bothered Alonzo: Santa Ana farmers who didn't grow tobacco when it was bringing two-bits a pound and Republicans anywhere."

.

Waite remained until his death in the late 1880s, and was succeeded by his son, Ed. The paper was sold to Rev. A.T. McDill in July 1890 and switched to a Republican bent just in time for the elections. In addition to its politics, the paper also changed its name to The Orange County Herald.

.

In 1892, McDill sold the Herald to H.W. Bessac of Los Angeles and the curiously named Ransom Q. Wickham of Santa Ana. One year later, it sold yet again, to Linn Shaw and E. S. Wallace. It appears the paper went defunct under their watch in 1903.

.

[Most of this information came from Jim Sleeper's invaluable, Turn The Rascals Out!, and from J.M. Guinn's Historical and Biographical Record of Southern California.]