Happy birthday - again
The "Ol' Thing' will pass another anniversary next week, in a long line of 133, to enter its 134th year of publication.
Thanks to a highly interesting and informative labor of love by James Hoch in Illinois, the "life and times" of his great- grandfather, Edward W. Hoch, has been shared. The book of nearly 500 pages eventually will be published. Our complimentary pre-publication copy is appreciated.
Jim did extensive research to portray the "life and times" of the late Kansas governor and Marion editor. It not only is a detailed history, but also shares many examples of Hoch's essays. A writer noted for his sense of humor and clarity of opinion, he was one of Kansas' greatest.
Not many people today realize that Hoch settled on a homestead two miles west of Florence, at the corner of 120th and Upland on land now owned by the W.R. Carpenter family.
Also, for six months he published the Florence Pioneer in an office on the west side of Main Street in that town.
Many of Hoch's expressions, like "The Ol' Thing," "Purely Personal," and "A little bit of everything" are continued to this day. And the present editor adheres to Hoch's reference to "Luta" creek and insists that Chingawasa has but one "s."
The Hoch home was located at the corner of Lincoln and Lawrence in Marion (now the Eugene and Laurel Gilbert residence). When building it, he commented he had "live in a dug-out long enough."
He had purchased the Marion Record, founded by A.W. Robinson as the Western News in September 1869. In April 1871 it was sold to John Murphy who called it The Western Giant. In September 1871 C.S. Triplett took over and named it the Marion County Record. On Oct. 10, 1974, Triplett sold it to fellow worker E.W. Hoch who was considered one of the fastest and most accurate typesetters in Kansas or his native Kentucky where he learned the trade as an apprentice. In those days, type was set by hand — one letter at a time.
Hoch had only $10 when he purchased the newspaper but paid $1,000 borrowed at 24 percent interest (compounded every 30 days) with Dr. J.N. Rogers, a Democrat, as the signer of his note.
The price of an annual subscription remained at $1.50 for years and could be "payable by corn" at 20 cents a bushel. It was both the official city and county newspaper.
In 1885 a Babcock flat bed press was installed (the same one that present publisher Bill Meyer "caught flies" behind nearly 60 years later). A similar Babcock may be seen in the printing museum at Peabody.
Eventually a steam engine provided central power though a series of overhead drive shafts.
In 1904, while E.W. Hoch was preparing to become Kansas' governor, his son Homer Hoch took over as editor.
In December 1916 the newspaper purchased a wonderous machine, a Linotype, at a cost of $3,100. The subscription price remained at $1.50.
E. W. Hoch died in June 1925. He was editor for 30 years and associated with the newspaper for more than 50.
Other editors have included Hoch's younger son, Wallis, and the governor's grandson, Wharton.
Your present day editor/publisher has been on the staff 54 years and in charge for the past 37.
If Sara Powell hadn't moved to Arizona she'd bake us a pan of hot pecan rolls, as was her tradition. But short of that, and in deference to the OE's diabetes, the staff will mark the occasion by ordering takeout treats and changing the folio line to 134.
— BILL MEYER
