Fair Haven Gazette

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The Fair Haven Gazette was a Vermont newspaper. It was published in the late 1700s; James Lyon (1776-1824) was the nominal owner and publisher, but the de facto owner and author of much of its content was Lyon's father Matthew Lyon.

History[]

In the early years of Vermont statehood, there were two newspapers in circulation: the Bennington Gazette and the Windsor Journal.[1]

Matthew Lyon was an early political, military, and business leader of Vermont.[2] He founded the town of Fair Haven in 1783, and constructed and operated several businesses, including mills and forges.[3]

Having been trained as a printer and bookbinder,[4] in 1793 Lyon decided to create a newspaper as way to communicate his ideas to the voters; he had been an unsuccessful candidate for the United States House of Representatives in 1791 and 1792, and intended to run again in 1794.[5] Lyon established a newspaper in Fair Haven; though his son James, also a printer and publisher, was the nominal owner, much of the paper's management was overseen by Matthew Lyon, and he authored much of the content.[1] In addition to Matthew Lyon's articles, other stories and columns were prepared by James Lyon and Alden Spooner (1757-1827).[1]

In 1794, James and Matthew Lyon sold the physical plant for the Fair Haven Gazette to Reverend Samuel Williams and Judge Samuel Williams of Rutland; they used these items to establish the Rutland Herald, a newspaper which has remained in circulation ever since.[6]

Legacy[]

Matthew Lyon failed to win a U.S. House seat in 1794; he was finally elected on his fourth attempt in 1796.[7] As a way to continue communicating his Democratic-Republican ideas to his constituents and oppose the ideas of the Federalists, Matthew Lyon and James Lyon started a new paper, The Scourge Of Aristocracy and Repository of Important Political Truth.[8]

In 1798, Matthew Lyon was found guilty of violating the Alien and Sedition Acts, based on anti-Adams administration comments he had made in the Scourge, and a letter to Alden Spooner; Spooner was now publisher of the Vermont Journal, and the letter appeared in his paper.[9] Lyon was held in prison in Vergennes, Vermont; he won reelection to Congress in 1798 while he was incarcerated.[10]

Lyon's prison term expired on February 9, 1799; he could not pay the fine which was part of his sentence, or the costs associated with his imprisonment.[11] Political supporters raised the necessary funds, enabling him to be released and take up his seat in the House.[12]

After failing to win reelection in 1800, Lyon moved to Kentucky, where he was involved in several business ventures and was again elected to Congress.[13]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Matthew Lyon, the Hampden of Congress, p. 206.
  2. ^ Matthew Lyon, the Hampden of Congress, p. 156.
  3. ^ Matthew Lyon, the Hampden of Congress, p. 195.
  4. ^ Matthew Lyon, the Hampden of Congress, p. 7.
  5. ^ Matthew Lyon, the Hampden of Congress, p. 204.
  6. ^ "History of Vermont Newspapers".
  7. ^ Matthew Lyon, the Hampden of Congress, p. 205.
  8. ^ Matthew Lyon, the Hampden of Congress, p. 199.
  9. ^ Matthew Lyon, the Hampden of Congress, p. 207.
  10. ^ The Press in American Politics, 1787–2012.
  11. ^ Matthew Lyon, the Hampden of Congress, p. 342.
  12. ^ U.S. History, Grades 6 - 8: People and Events: 1607-1865.
  13. ^ Matthew Lyon, the Hampden of Congress, p. 437.

Sources[]

Magazines[]

  • Forbes, Charles S. (August 1, 1905). "History of Vermont Newspapers". The Vermonter. St. Albans, VT: C. S. Forbes. p. 24.

Books[]

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