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Newspaper The Fairmont West Virginian (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914

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About The Fairmont West Virginian (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914

The product of a joint stock company formed by local Fairmont businessmen, the Fairmont West Virginian served as a leading Republican newspaper in north-central West Virginia. The paper was a daily iteration of its probable predecessor the West Virginian, and indeed, several of the daily Fairmont West Virginian‘s initial editors previously worked for the weekly version. Beginning publication in 1904, the Fairmont West Virginian was published daily every evening except Sundays.

Usually comprised of eight pages, the Fairmont West Virginian offered news and commentary on a wide variety of topics. Its daily issues often featured sections on local and national news, business, women’s topics and home affairs, sports, and classified advertisements. Perhaps reflecting the business roots of its owners, the paper paid little heed to the labor issues that wracked West Virginia in the early 20th century and remained largely aloof from labor union affairs. International news also received coverage, particularly the growing war in Europe and the United States’ eventual involvement in World War I, of which the Fairmont West Virginian proved supportive.

Politically, the Fairmont West Virginian mirrored its weekly forerunner and functioned as the Republican Party organ for Fairmont and Marion County, West Virginia. At the time of the paper’s launch, managing editor Lamar C. Powell was a Republican candidate for the West Virginia House of Delegates. Unsurprisingly, the paper supported Republican candidates in both local and national elections, and its columns covered Republican platforms and news favorably and extensively.

The Fairmont West Virginian possessed a full managerial and editorial staff, with local teacher M.C. Lough serving at its initial editor. In the mid-1910s, the paper underwent a change in leadership, with James C. Herbert assuming editorial responsibilities. In 1914, the newspaper dropped Fairmont from the masthead, reverting to the earlier West Virginian title and claiming establishment in 1868. Regardless of the changes, the paper enjoyed a healthy circulation, usually boasting over 5,000 subscribers.

The West Virginian continued publication as a Republican newspaper throughout most of the 20th century. At the start of 1975, however, the West Virginian merged with its more popular crosstown Democratic rival, the Fairmont Times, to form the Fairmont Times and West Virginian. A final slight name alteration in 1976 produced the Fairmont Times West Virginian, a publication which continues to serve Fairmont and West Virginia today.

Provided By: West Virginia University

About this Newspaper

Title

  • The Fairmont West Virginian (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914

Dates of Publication

  • 1904-1914

Created / Published

  • Fairmont, W. Va. : Fairmont West Virginian Publ. Co. Inc., 1904-1914.

Headings

  • -  Fairmont (W. Va.)--Newspapers
  • -  West Virginia--Fairmont
  • -  United States--West Virginia--Marion--Fairmont

Genre

  • Newspapers

Notes

  • -  Daily (except Sun.)
  • -  Vol. 1, no. 1 (Apr. 19, 1904)-December 8, 1914.
  • -  "Official Republican Organ of the County."
  • -  Publishing Co. officers: George M. Jacobs, Pres., J.E. Powell, business manager.
  • -  Editors: L.C. Powell & M.C. Lough.
  • -  Archived issues are available in digital format from the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
  • -  Issued also in a semiweekly edition entitled: Fairmont West Virginian (Fairmont, W.Va. : 1907) (non-extant).
  • -  West Virginian (Fairmont, W. Va. : 1914) 2576-6228 (DLC)sn 86072054 (OCoLC)14450054

Medium

  • v.

Call Number/Physical Location

  • Newspaper

Library of Congress Control Number

  • sn86092557

OCLC Number

  • 13707836

ISSN Number

  • 2471-2183

Succeeding Titles

Additional Metadata Formats

Availability

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress believes that the newspapers in Chronicling America are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions. Newspapers published in the United States more than 95 years ago are in the public domain in their entirety. Any newspapers in Chronicling America that were published less than 95 years ago are also believed to be in the public domain, but may contain some copyrighted third party materials. Researchers using newspapers published less than 95 years ago should be alert for modern content (for example, registered and renewed for copyright and published with notice) that may be copyrighted. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item.

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

The Fairmont West Virginian Fairmont, W. Va. -1914. (Fairmont, WV), Jan. 1 1904. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn86092557/.

APA citation style:

(1904, January 1) The Fairmont West Virginian Fairmont, W. Va. -1914. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn86092557/.

MLA citation style:

The Fairmont West Virginian Fairmont, W. Va. -1914. (Fairmont, WV) 1 Jan. 1904. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/sn86092557/.