The Lone Star (newspaper)

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The Lone Star
"Hew to the line, let the chips fall where they may."
Formatvolumes; Broadsheet (61cm)
Founder(s)Simeon Newman
PublisherNewman & Shannon
Founded12 October 1881
LanguageEnglish
Ceased publication6 January 1886
Headquarters10 West Overland Street
City El Paso, Texas
Country United States
ISSN 2998-2332
OCLC number 13658075

The Lone Star was a semiweekly newspaper published in El Paso, Texas, from 1881 to 1886. [1] [2] It was founded and edited by Simeon Newman, a Kentucky native born in 1846. [3] Known for its pugnacious and reform-minded stance, The Lone Star played a significant role in El Paso's early development. [4] [5]

Contents

Early History and New Mexico Roots

Before its establishment in El Paso, Texas, the newspaper that would become The Lone Star operated under different names and in various locations within New Mexico.

In 1871, Simeon H. Newman began his career as an apprentice newspaperman for Ashton Upson at the Weekly Mail in Las Vegas, New Mexico. [6] After only six weeks, Upson sold the paper to Newman. As a 25-year-old editor-in-chief, Newman gained experience in the newspaper trade through self-instruction. [7]

In 1878, Newman moved the newspaper to Mesilla, New Mexico, where it was published as El Demócrata, a Spanish-language political campaign paper. [8] Subsequently, Newman relocated the publication to Las Cruces, New Mexico, and established Thirty-Four, an English-language newspaper. [8] [9] He continued to publish Thirty-Four until the newspaper's relocation to El Paso, at which point it was rebranded as The Lone Star. [8]

Establishment

In 1881, Newman relocated his existing newspaper operation from New Mexico to El Paso, rebranding his paper as The Lone Star. El Paso already had two established newspapers, The El Paso Times and the El Paso Herald. The Lone Star was first published in a building at 10 W. Overland Street in El Paso. [10] 31°45′23″N106°29′21″W / 31.756518°N 106.489098°W / 31.756518; -106.489098

Legacy and impact

The Lone Star became a significant force in El Paso, demonstrating its influence through consistent Democratic Party support, notably backing Joseph Magoffin's successful 1883 mayoral campaign. [11] The Lone Star's motto was "Hew the line and let the chips fall where they may." The newspaper also was instrumental in such history-altering events as the moving of the county seat from Ysleta to El Paso, connecting the city with railroads, and establishment of the first permanent school building in El Paso. Beyond politics, The Lone Star gained notoriety as a moral authority, crusading against vice, including prostitution, public intoxication, and violence. The Lone Star also advocated for public safety in the city by criticizing the prevalent use of firearms and the effects of alcohol. [10]

Map of El Paso in 1886 Old map-El Paso-1886.jpg
Map of El Paso in 1886

End of local coverage

The Lone Star ceased publication on 6 January 1886. [4] [11]

References

  1. ↑ "The Lone star (El Paso, Tex.)". 101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540: US Library of Congress. Retrieved 7 March 2025. The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with millions of books, films and video, audio recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps and manuscripts in its collections.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  2. ↑ "Newspaper: Lone star (El Paso, Tex.)". The University of Texas at El Paso University Library 1900 Wiggins Way El Paso, Texas 79968-0582: The University of Texas El Paso. Retrieved 7 March 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  3. ↑ "Newman, Simeon Harrison (1846–1915)". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  4. 1 2 Texas State Historical Association (1 May 1995). "Newman, Simeon Harrison". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Archived from the original on 26 February 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2025. The Handbook of Texas is a digital state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) that is free and accessible on the Internet for students, teachers, scholars, and the general public.
  5. ↑ Waller, J. L. (1938). "S. H. Newman: Editor of the Lone Star of El Paso, Texas". West Texas Historical Association Year Book. 14. P.O. 41041 Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas 79409-1041: West Texas Historical Association: 14.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  6. ↑ Newman, III, S. H. (1969). "The Las Vegas Weekly Mail" (PDF). New Mexico Historical Review. 44 (2). Albuquerque NM: University of New Mexico: 155. ISSN   0028-6206. OCLC   1759913 . Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  7. ↑ Texas State Historical Association (1 May 1995). "Newman, Simeon Harrison". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Archived from the original on 26 February 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2025. In 1871 he was an apprentice newspaperman for Ashton Upson on the Las Vegas Weekly Mail. Upson sold the paper to Newman after only six weeks. Newman, as a twenty-five-year-old editor-in-chief, had to learn the trade by himself.
  8. 1 2 3 Middagh, John J (November 1957). Porter, Eugene 0 (ed.). "SIMEON HARRISON NEWMAN- THE FIGHTING EDITOR OF THE LONE STAR" (PDF). Pass-Word. II (4). El Paso: El Paso Historical Society: 115. Retrieved 26 February 2025. "...in 1878, at Mesilla, started publishing a political campaign paper, El Democrata, in Spanish...Newman moved to Las Cruces and established Thirty-Four, an English-language paper which he published until he moved to El Paso.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: editors list (link)
  9. ↑ "Newspaper, Thirty-four, 1878 - 1880". UTEP Library. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  10. 1 2 Kristen Smith (2003–2004). Dickey, Gretchen; Smith, Kristen (eds.). "S. H. Newman: Pioneer Newspaperman Fought Vice" (yearly academic journal). Borderlands. 22 (1880s-1920 II). El Paso, Texas, USA: EPCC Produced Publications. Retrieved 7 March 2025. A unique resource of faculty edited college student articles on the history and culture of the El Paso, Juárez, and Southern New Mexico regions.
  11. 1 2 Middagh, John J (November 1957). Porter, Eugene 0 (ed.). "SIMEON HARRISON NEWMAN- THE FIGHTING EDITOR OF THE LONE STAR" (PDF). Pass-Word. II (4). El Paso: El Paso Historical Society: 115. Retrieved 26 February 2025.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: editors list (link)


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