James E. Scripps
Encyclopedia
James Edmund Scripps was an American newspaper publisher and philanthropist
.
Scripps was born in 1835 in London to James Mogg Scripps and Ellen Mary (Saunders) Scripps. His father was a bookbinder who came to America in 1844 with six motherless children. Scripps grew up on a Rushville, Illinois
, farm. Securing employment at the Chicago Tribune
in 1857, Scripps moved to Detroit in 1859 and in 1862 became manager of the Detroit Tribune
and also became at length part owner and manager of the Detroit Daily Advertiser.
When the Advertisers premises burned in 1873, Scripps took his $20,000 insurance money and with it started his own newspaper. Scripps decided to tap the growing literate class of working men and women by launching a newspaper, The Evening News (later, The Detroit News
). Running with an idea new for its time, he filled the paper with inexpensive advertising and instructed his reporters to write "like people talk." His competitors called the News "a cheap rag" and labeled his reporters "pirates," but Detroiters loved it.
With his younger half-brother, E.W.
, James later had an interest in newspapers located in Cleveland, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Chicago. After a lengthy European acquisition tour, James aided prominently in founding the Detroit Museum of Art (later, the Detroit Institute of Arts
), in 1889 presenting it with a collection of old masters costing $75,000 (in 1889 dollars), among the first major accessions of early paintings for any American museum. Scripps died in 1906.
James's sister and one-time partner, Ellen Browning Scripps
, was the founding donor of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography located in La Jolla, California and was the founder of Scripps College
, located in Claremont. She was also instrumental in helping their younger brother E.W. get started in the newspaper industry, resulting in the E.W. Scripps Company media conglomerate.
Back in Detroit, James’ eldest daughter, Ellen Warren Scripps (1863–1948), married George Gough Booth
, who subsequently became the publisher of the Evening News Association and independently founded Michigan’s Booth Newspapers
chain (acquired by S.I. Newhouse's Advance Publications
in 1976). Together, George and “Nellie” also founded the world-renowned Cranbrook Educational Community
in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
.
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...
.
Scripps was born in 1835 in London to James Mogg Scripps and Ellen Mary (Saunders) Scripps. His father was a bookbinder who came to America in 1844 with six motherless children. Scripps grew up on a Rushville, Illinois
Rushville, Illinois
Rushville is a city in Schuyler County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,212 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Schuyler County.-Demographics:...
, farm. Securing employment at the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
in 1857, Scripps moved to Detroit in 1859 and in 1862 became manager of the Detroit Tribune
Detroit Tribune
The Detroit Tribune a newspaper in Detroit, Michigan was started as the Daily Tribune in 1849 and used the name until 1862. In 1862 the Tribune joined with the Daily Advertiser which then subsequently absorbed other papers, becoming the Advertiser and Tribune. It acquired new management, including...
and also became at length part owner and manager of the Detroit Daily Advertiser.
When the Advertisers premises burned in 1873, Scripps took his $20,000 insurance money and with it started his own newspaper. Scripps decided to tap the growing literate class of working men and women by launching a newspaper, The Evening News (later, The Detroit News
The Detroit News
The Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
). Running with an idea new for its time, he filled the paper with inexpensive advertising and instructed his reporters to write "like people talk." His competitors called the News "a cheap rag" and labeled his reporters "pirates," but Detroiters loved it.
With his younger half-brother, E.W.
E. W. Scripps
Edward Willis Scripps , was an American newspaper publisher and founder of The E. W. Scripps Company, a diversified media conglomerate, and United Press news service. It became United Press International when International News Service merged with United Press in 1958. The E. W...
, James later had an interest in newspapers located in Cleveland, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Chicago. After a lengthy European acquisition tour, James aided prominently in founding the Detroit Museum of Art (later, the Detroit Institute of Arts
Detroit Institute of Arts
The Detroit Institute of Arts is a renowned art museum in the city of Detroit. In 2003, the DIA ranked as the second largest municipally owned museum in the United States, with an art collection valued at more than one billion dollars...
), in 1889 presenting it with a collection of old masters costing $75,000 (in 1889 dollars), among the first major accessions of early paintings for any American museum. Scripps died in 1906.
James's sister and one-time partner, Ellen Browning Scripps
Ellen Browning Scripps
Ellen Browning Scripps was an American philanthropist who was the founding donor of several major institutions in Southern California.-Biography:...
, was the founding donor of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography located in La Jolla, California and was the founder of Scripps College
Scripps College
Scripps College is a progressive liberal arts women's college in Claremont, California, United States. It is a member of the Claremont Colleges. Scripps ranks 3rd for the nation's best women's college, ahead of Barnard College, Mount Holyoke College, and Bryn Mawr College at 23rd on the list for...
, located in Claremont. She was also instrumental in helping their younger brother E.W. get started in the newspaper industry, resulting in the E.W. Scripps Company media conglomerate.
Back in Detroit, James’ eldest daughter, Ellen Warren Scripps (1863–1948), married George Gough Booth
George Gough Booth
George Gough Booth was the publisher of the privately held Evening News Association, a co-founder of Booth Newspapers, and a noted philanthropist.-Publishing career:...
, who subsequently became the publisher of the Evening News Association and independently founded Michigan’s Booth Newspapers
Booth Newspapers
Booth Newspapers or BoothMichigan, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, owns eight newspapers in the state of Michigan. Founded by George Gough Booth along with his two brothers, Booth Newspapers is presently owned by Advance Publications Booth Newspapers or BoothMichigan, based in Grand Rapids,...
chain (acquired by S.I. Newhouse's Advance Publications
Advance Publications
Advance Publications, Inc., is an American media company owned by the descendants of S.I. Newhouse Sr., Donald Newhouse and S.I. Newhouse, Jr. It is named after the Staten Island Advance, the first newspaper owned by the Newhouse family...
in 1976). Together, George and “Nellie” also founded the world-renowned Cranbrook Educational Community
Cranbrook Educational Community
The Cranbrook Educational Community, a National Historic Landmark, in the US state of Michigan was founded in the early 20th century by newspaper mogul George Gough Booth. Cranbrook campus is in the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills consisting of Cranbrook Schools, Cranbrook Academy of Art,...
in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan, northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,869...
.
Books by James E. Scripps
- Five Months Abroad (1881)
- Memorials of the Scripps Family (1891)
- A genealogical history of the Scripps Family and its various alliances (Detroit: privately printed, 1903)
- numerous pamphlets