Abstracts of Early Union Parish Newspapers

     Of the numerous newspapers published in Union Parish prior to 1900, we only have surviving issues of three papers published in the Town of Farmerville:

Union Parish's pre-1900 Surviving Newspapers
Newspaper Name	Date Founded	Founder
Union Record	Feb 1866	Thomas C. Lewis, III
Gazette	1878	James E. Trimble
Home Advocate	Feb 1885	Thomas C. Lewis, III

     Two of most colorful characters in nineteenth century Union Parish were undoubtedly Thomas Charles Lewis, III (30 July 1838 – 12 Jan 1900) and Yankee-born James Etherington Trimble (22 Feb 1834 – 19 Dec 1887). Both men had outstanding careers as judges, lawyers, and school teachers. They also both founded and edited newspapers in Farmerville for extended period of time, making them Union Parish's two leading newspapermen of their era. Lewis and Trimble were also political archrivals and bitter enemies. Vicious political differences arose during the Reconstruction Era (1868 – 1876) among Union Parish citizens, and Trimble and Lewis served as the leaders and spokesmen for two opposing factions. For more details, see this Brief History of Union Parish Newspapers.

     To read some of the barbs traded in print by Lewis and Trimble in 1885, scan the July and August abstracts of the "Home Advocate" below. To read about the shootout in Farmerville in December 1887 that took the lives of both Judge Trimble and Judge Lewis' friend, Farmerville attorney James A. Ramsey, read the articles published in the "Ouachita Telegraph", the "Daily Capitolian Advocate", the "New York Times" dated 20 December 1887 and 21 December 1887, or in other nationwide newspapers.

Stephanie Odom-Robertson secured these photographs of the 16 January 1874 issue of the Union Record for us from the Center for American History at the University of Texas – Austin.