The first newspaper at Shamokin was The Journal of which the first issue appeared, May 1, 1858. It was a six-column folio, edited and published by John Robins, but the project was relinquished before the close of its first volume. The materials of the office were purchased by Samuel John, under whose proprietorship The Register made its first appearance, March 8, 1860. After a period of suspension, he was followed by Daniel Bower, June 6, 1861, and with his retirement, April 29, 1862, the paper was finally discontinued.
On the 10th of June, 1862, The Herald made its debut with Daniel Bower and J. J. John as editors. J. Stewart McEwen succeeded Messrs. Bower and John, December 25, 1862, and S. B. Sisty, July 2, 1862. On the 23rd of July, 1863, Owen M. Fowler assumed the proprietorship, and to him belongs the honor of first establishing a local paper on a permanent basis. He continued in charge until his death, May 9, 1874. From that date until the 1st of July The Herald was conducted by Dr. J. J. John; it was then purchased by Heffelfinger & Coder, both of whom had previously been in Mr. Fowler’s employ. After a time Mr. Coder retired, and the publication was continued by Mr. Heffelfinger individually until February 9, 1889, when the paper was transferred to the present proprietors, John J. W. Schwartz and E. F. Howard. The daily edition was established, October 22, 1888.
The Times had its inception in January, 1872, when J. A. Gilger started The Advertiser; it assumed the proportions of a regular newspaper, July 13, 1872. when the name was changed to The Times, with J. L. Gilger & Son as proprietors. They were successively followed by Gilger & Fagely, the Shamokin Times Company, and D. L. Sollenberger & Company, the present proprietors, who assumed charge in November, 1879, the present constituent members of the firm being D. L. Sollenberger and W. S. Guiterman. The Daily Times was started, October 17, 1883, and discontinued, October 14, 1884. The Daily Dispatch was first issued, November 21, 1886.
The National Greenback, Sentinel, Talk of the Day, etc., are among the defunct journals of recent years.