Arunah Shepherdson Abell
Encyclopedia
Arunah Shepherdson Abell (August 10, 1806 – April 19, 1888) was an American publisher and philanthropist
. Born in Rhode Island, Abell learned the newspaper business as an apprentice at the Providence Patriot. After stints with newspapers in New York City
and Boston
, he co-founded the Philadelphia Public Ledger
and later founded the Baltimore Sun on his own. Abell and later his heirs would continue as publisher of the Sun until 1910. He is noted as an innovator in the newspaper business, especially in his use of a pony express
from New Orleans, being the first newsman to make use of the telegraph to transmit news, and his use of the cylinder printing press invented by Richard March Hoe
.
, Rhode Island
on August 10, 1806, Abell worked as a clerk in a shipping business before he became an apprentice at the Providence Patriot in 1822. He then served as a journeyman printer in Boston
and New York City
. In New York, he met two other young newspapermen, Azariah H. Simmons and William M. Swaim. Together, they decided to go into business themselves and establish a penny paper. At the time, the majority of newspapers were associated with a political party or with business interests. For example, the newspaper that Abell had worked on in Baltimore was associated with the Democratic Party, and Abell had even been offered a political appointment as a result of his work for it. Penny papers were a relatively new phenomenon at the time. Originating in England, they provided an opportunity for the working class to afford newspapers, since the papers that had existed previously were expensive. New York had a number of penny papers, so Abell, Simmons, and Swaim founded their paper in Philadelphia instead, opening the Public Ledger
in 1836.
The following year, Abell convinced his partners to back him financially in the establishment of a penny paper in Baltimore, which at the time had a number of papers that cost a more expensive six-penny rate. They agreed with the understanding that he would personally oversee the new venture. His first four page tabloid sized issue of the Sun was published on May 17, 1837. While it was an independent newspaper, the Sun leaned towards the ideals of Jacksonian democracy that were championed by Andrew Jackson
. Reflecting those ideals, each issue used the phrase 'Light for All' as its motto. The newspaper quickly became a success; within in a year it had double the circulation of its closest competitor. Abell's personal life also reached a milestone in 1838, when he married a widow named Mary Fox Campbell. By 1850, business was good enough that Abell was able to commission a new cast iron building for the paper, designed by architect James Bogardus
. Throughout the 19th century, Baltimore had a number of newspapers. Many of them were overtly partisan, such as the pro-Republican Baltimore American. Abell's Sun, however, despite its origins as a penny paper, had by the late 19th century developed into the newspaper of Baltimore's upper class. By 1864, Abell was sole proprietor of the Sun and had sold his share in the Public Ledger.
Abell was a trend-setter in several areas of publishing. In his efforts to get news as quickly as possible, he made use of pony express, coaches, trains, ships, and even carrier pigeons. He established a new pony express route from New Orleans during the Mexican-American War, was the first newspaperman to use telegraphy
to transmit news when he used it to transmit the President John Tyler
's message of May 11, 1846, and was the first to buy a Hoe cylinder press. The carrier pigeons were part of a network that Abell established with another newspaper publisher in New York, and were able to carry messages between that city, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, and from incoming ships. This network was ended when telegraphy became more widely available. Foreign news arrived in Abell's newsroom by a convoluted route. Arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia
by ship from Europe, it traveled overland by pony to Annapolis, by steamship to Portland
, Maine
, and then by rail to Baltimore. This journey of nearly one thousand miles took just over two days. In latter years, Abell was a supporter of telegraph pioneer Samuel Morse and helped finance telegraph lines into Baltimore.
Abell remained owner of the Sun until his death, and his three sons retained control of it until 1910. It left family control as a result of a financial restructuring of the A.S. Abell company.
in 1949. Abell is memorialized in the name of Baltimore
's Abell building,built by architect George Frederick, which as of 2009 houses apartments. During World War II
, one of the Liberty ship
s was named the SS Arunah S. Abell in his honor.
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
. Born in Rhode Island, Abell learned the newspaper business as an apprentice at the Providence Patriot. After stints with newspapers in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, he co-founded the Philadelphia Public Ledger
Public Ledger (Philadelphia)
The Public Ledger was a daily newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania published from March 25, 1836 to January 1942. Its motto was "Virtue Liberty and Independence". For a time, it was Philadelphia's most popular newspaper, but circulation declined in the mid-1930s.-Early history:Founded by William...
and later founded the Baltimore Sun on his own. Abell and later his heirs would continue as publisher of the Sun until 1910. He is noted as an innovator in the newspaper business, especially in his use of a pony express
Pony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...
from New Orleans, being the first newsman to make use of the telegraph to transmit news, and his use of the cylinder printing press invented by Richard March Hoe
Richard March Hoe
Richard March Hoe , was an American inventor who designed an improved printing press.-Biography:Hoe was born in New York City. He was the son of Robert Hoe , an English-born American mechanic who, with his brothers-in-law, Peter and Matthew Smith, established a steam-run manufactory of printing...
.
Biography
Born in East ProvidenceEast Providence, Rhode Island
East Providence is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 47,037 at the 2010 census, making it the fifth largest city in the state.-Geography:East Providence is located at ....
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
on August 10, 1806, Abell worked as a clerk in a shipping business before he became an apprentice at the Providence Patriot in 1822. He then served as a journeyman printer in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In New York, he met two other young newspapermen, Azariah H. Simmons and William M. Swaim. Together, they decided to go into business themselves and establish a penny paper. At the time, the majority of newspapers were associated with a political party or with business interests. For example, the newspaper that Abell had worked on in Baltimore was associated with the Democratic Party, and Abell had even been offered a political appointment as a result of his work for it. Penny papers were a relatively new phenomenon at the time. Originating in England, they provided an opportunity for the working class to afford newspapers, since the papers that had existed previously were expensive. New York had a number of penny papers, so Abell, Simmons, and Swaim founded their paper in Philadelphia instead, opening the Public Ledger
Public Ledger (Philadelphia)
The Public Ledger was a daily newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania published from March 25, 1836 to January 1942. Its motto was "Virtue Liberty and Independence". For a time, it was Philadelphia's most popular newspaper, but circulation declined in the mid-1930s.-Early history:Founded by William...
in 1836.
The following year, Abell convinced his partners to back him financially in the establishment of a penny paper in Baltimore, which at the time had a number of papers that cost a more expensive six-penny rate. They agreed with the understanding that he would personally oversee the new venture. His first four page tabloid sized issue of the Sun was published on May 17, 1837. While it was an independent newspaper, the Sun leaned towards the ideals of Jacksonian democracy that were championed by Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
. Reflecting those ideals, each issue used the phrase 'Light for All' as its motto. The newspaper quickly became a success; within in a year it had double the circulation of its closest competitor. Abell's personal life also reached a milestone in 1838, when he married a widow named Mary Fox Campbell. By 1850, business was good enough that Abell was able to commission a new cast iron building for the paper, designed by architect James Bogardus
James Bogardus
James Bogardus was an American inventor and architect, the pioneer of American cast-iron architecture, for which he took out a patent in 1850...
. Throughout the 19th century, Baltimore had a number of newspapers. Many of them were overtly partisan, such as the pro-Republican Baltimore American. Abell's Sun, however, despite its origins as a penny paper, had by the late 19th century developed into the newspaper of Baltimore's upper class. By 1864, Abell was sole proprietor of the Sun and had sold his share in the Public Ledger.
Abell was a trend-setter in several areas of publishing. In his efforts to get news as quickly as possible, he made use of pony express, coaches, trains, ships, and even carrier pigeons. He established a new pony express route from New Orleans during the Mexican-American War, was the first newspaperman to use telegraphy
Telegraphy
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages via some form of signalling technology. Telegraphy requires messages to be converted to a code which is known to both sender and receiver...
to transmit news when he used it to transmit the President John Tyler
John Tyler
John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States . A native of Virginia, Tyler served as a state legislator, governor, U.S. representative, and U.S. senator before being elected Vice President . He was the first to succeed to the office of President following the death of a predecessor...
's message of May 11, 1846, and was the first to buy a Hoe cylinder press. The carrier pigeons were part of a network that Abell established with another newspaper publisher in New York, and were able to carry messages between that city, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, and from incoming ships. This network was ended when telegraphy became more widely available. Foreign news arrived in Abell's newsroom by a convoluted route. Arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
by ship from Europe, it traveled overland by pony to Annapolis, by steamship to Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, and then by rail to Baltimore. This journey of nearly one thousand miles took just over two days. In latter years, Abell was a supporter of telegraph pioneer Samuel Morse and helped finance telegraph lines into Baltimore.
Abell remained owner of the Sun until his death, and his three sons retained control of it until 1910. It left family control as a result of a financial restructuring of the A.S. Abell company.
Legacy and recognition
The Sun continues to be a prominent Baltimore newspaper. As founder of the paper, Abell himself has at times been the target of posthumous criticism by opponents of the paper, as when state Senator Henry Herbert Balch denounced Abell during a filibuster of legislation authorizing the construction of the Chesapeake Bay BridgeChesapeake Bay Bridge
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the more urban Western Shore. The original span opened in 1952 and, at the time, with a length of , it was the world's longest...
in 1949. Abell is memorialized in the name of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
's Abell building,built by architect George Frederick, which as of 2009 houses apartments. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, one of the Liberty ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
s was named the SS Arunah S. Abell in his honor.