The Sunday Telegram Archive

The Clarksburg [West Virginia] Daily Telegram grew out of its weekly counterpart—the Clarksburg Telegram —in 1902. The weekly Telegram had been in publication since 1861, when Robert Northcott founded the paper, then known as the National Telegraph, as a Unionist and Republican vehicle during the Civil War. In 1891, a group of Clarksburg men purchased the Telegram from Northcott, and for over a decade helped grow the paper into one the most prominent in central West Virginia. By 1902, the weekly Telegram's success induced its owners to purchase the local Clarksburg Daily Post, which became the Clarksburg Daily Telegram.

The Clarksburg Daily Telegram appeared six times a week (excluding Sundays) for 12 years. In 1914, the weekly Telegram was folded into its daily counterpart, and the name was simplified to the Clarksburg Telegram, which was published every day. In that same year, a new weekly version of the newspaper debuted; it was called the Sunday Telegram and continued to publish until 1927. The Clarksburg Daily Telegram varied in length throughout its existence, although eight to ten pages could usually be expected. Wilbur C. Morrison and William L. Geppert served as the editors. A former schoolteacher, Morrison worked for the Telegram for many years, his name becoming synonymous with the paper and earning him a reputation as "one of the best known editorial writers in the state." Under Morrison's leadership, the Telegram enjoyed a circulation of over 20,000 by 1926.

Reflecting the political sentiments of its editors and owners, the Telegram supported the Republican Party and paid heavy attention to politics in its columns. Of course, the paper trumpeted Republican presidential victories, but also significantly downplayed Democratic victories. In 1912, for example, the front page of the Telegram heralded the election of Republican Henry Hatfield as West Virginia' governor; the election of Democrat Woodrow Wilson to the presidency, however, garnered a mere sidebar. This emphasis on positive Republican news was also evident in the paper's tactic of claiming that Democratic constituents disapproved of their Democratic candidates.

Beyond politics, the Telegram offered the usual assortment of news and commentary typical of newspapers of the day: local business affairs, civic events, labor strife, classified advertisements, sports scores, and more all appeared in the Telegram's pages. The Telegram also offered extensive coverage of the war in Europe. The headline of April 6, 1917, "War with Germany Begins," carried an almost expectant tone. Despite the patriotism the war aroused, the Telegram proved critical of Woodrow Wilson's presidency throughout his tenure in office.

In 1927, the owners of the Telegram purchased the Clarksburg Exponent. The merger of the two papers, which had often feuded with one another, led to the launch of the Clarksburg Sunday Exponent-Telegram, which continues to serve the citizens of north-central West Virginia today.