The Nevada Journal

Not to be confused with the "Nevada Journal", a weekly newspaper printed and published in Story County, Iowa.

"Neutral in Nothing--Independent in Everything."
Nevada Journal masthead, Vol. 1, No. 1 (April 19, 1851)
Type	Weekly semi-weekly
Founded	April 19, 1851
Ceased publication	1861
City	Nevada City, California, U.S.

The Nevada Journal (originally, Nevada Journal) was a newspaper based in Nevada City, California. Nevada City was the first city in the California Gold Rush's northern mines ^[a] at which the press was located. ^[2] The Nevada Journal was the first newspaper published in Nevada County, the second paper started in the mines of California, ^[3] and one of the earliest published in the mountains of the U.S. state of California. In the Tenth Census of the United States, 1880, Volume 8, a section on California's "Early History" includes one data point for each year from 1846 through 1865, the data point for 1851 being the establishment of the Nevada Journal. ^[4]

History

The Nevada Journal (February 3, 1854)

The Journal was a weekly paper for a time after its establishment on April 19, 1851. ^[2] Four short-lived comic papers followed quickly in the northern mines district. ^[5] The Journal, became a semi-weekly for about six months; then it became a weekly again, and remained ever since. ^[2] The first issue was published on April 19 (or 21), 1851 by Warren Baxter Ewer. ^[6]

Aaron A. Sargent's earliest of his significant contributions to the town began in July 1851 when he offered to help set type and write articles for the paper. ^[7] The Journal suspended publication in 1861, but was revived soon after and published another year and a half. ^[8]

In politics, the Journal was a Whig paper. ^[2] After William M. Stewart was named the city's District Attorney in November 1852, ^[9] it was thought expedient for the Democrats to also have a newspaper. Stewart bought a press which had been brought to town to start the Democratic paper, and placed it in charge of Robert Davidge. Stewart told Davidge when they started in with the paper to get into no controversy with the Journal. ^[10]

In July 1855, the Journal began the advocacy of "American principles". Since the election of 1856 closed, the Journal did not include a political party at the head of its columns. It advocated for Douglas in 1858. In the fire of July 19, 1856, the Journal establishment was entirely destroyed, but was started again in two weeks, with the loss of but two issues. ^[2] In the December 2, 1859 issue, the paper condemned local gamblers, and appeared to include Henry Plummer. ^[11] On July 1, 1859, the first newspaper notice of the Comstock Lode discovery was published in the Journal; soon thereafter a great number of persons started for the new fields, and it was estimated that within the next two years, two-thirds of all the male adults of Nevada County had gone over to the silver region. ^[1] In the October 5, 1860 issue, a writer made the distinction between popular and squatter sovereignty. ^[12]

People

Ewer was the paper's first editor (1851). ^[2] He was succeeded in the proprietorship by Alban & De Courcey; the latter person, Henry ("Harry") A. DeCourcey, editor. Then Alban & Sargent became proprietors, the latter, Aaron A. Sargent, assuming the editorship (1852-55). Sargent & Budd next succeeded as proprietors, the former, E.R. Budd, continuing editor (1854). Then came the firm of Budd & Skelton, the former editor. Sargent & Skelton came next as proprietors; Sargent, editor. Then N. P. Brown came into the firm, which was known by the name of Sargent & Co. Sargent retired in 1855, and the firm became composed of E.G. Waite, N. P. Brown, H. M. Fuller and Jno. P. Skelton; Waite, editor; who continued in the business until the fire of 1856, when Fuller and Skelton retired, and Sargent again came into the firm; remaining, however, but three months, since which time the concern has been owned and carried on by Brown & Waite. ^{[13] [2]} During the winter of 1855-56, Judge Addison Niles and Judge Thomas Bard McFarland edited the Journal, for Waite, who was then serving a term in the state legislature. ^[14] At one time, Rev. Benjamin Brierly, a Baptist preacher, also served as editor of the Journal. ^[15]

Notes

1. The dividing line between the Northern Mines and Southern Mines was stated to have been the ridge on the north side of the North Fork of the Mokelumne River, but there was nothing very definite about the line of demarcation. ^[1]

References

1. Hittell, Theodore Henry (1897). History of California. N. J. Stone. pp. 109, 158. Retrieved 3 October 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
2. Kemble, Edward Cleveland (1927). A History of California Newspapers: Being a Contemporary Chronicle of Early Printing and Publishing on the Pacific Coast; Reprinted for the First Time from the Sacramento Daily Union of December 25, L1858. Being the Account of Early American Printing and Publishing Written Soonest After the Events it Chronicles. Plandome Press. pp. 211–12. Retrieved 3 October 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
3. A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California: Illustrated : Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of Its Occupancy to the Present Time, Together with Glimpses of Its Prospective Future, Full-page Steel Portraits of Its Most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of Many of Its Pioneers, and Also Prominent Citizens of To-day. Lewis Publishing Company. 1891. p. 175. Retrieved 3 October 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain . This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
4. Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. Norman Ross Pub. 1884. p. 360. ISBN   978-0-88354-431-0 . Retrieved 3 October 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
5. Society of California Pioneers (1924). Quarterly of the Society of California Pioneers. order of the Board of Directors. p. 85. Retrieved 3 October 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
6. Bean's history and directory of Nevada County, California: Containing a complete history of the county, with sketches of the various towns and mining camps ... also, full statistics of mining and all other industrial resources (Public domain ed.). Printed at the Daily Gazette Book and Job Office. 1867. p. 40. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
7. Lindars, Dom (7 April 2023). The Ditches of Nevada City: The Untold Story of Nevada City's Gold Mining Ditches, the Men Who Built Them, and Their Thirst for Water and Power. Nevada City History. ISBN   979-8-218-13148-7 . Retrieved 3 October 2025.
8. United States census office (1884). History and present condition of the newspaper and periodical press of the United States, with a catalogue of the publications of the census year, by S.N.D. North (Public domain ed.). pp. 360–. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
9. Servant of Power. Reno: University of Nevada Press. 1983.
10. Stewart, William Morris (1908). Brown, George Rothwell (ed.). Reminiscences of Senator William M. Stewart, of Nevada. Neale Publishing Company. p. 90. Retrieved 3 October 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
11. Allen, Frederick (9 July 2013). A Decent, Orderly Lynching: The Montana Vigilantes. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 373. ISBN   978-0-8061-8988-8 . Retrieved 3 October 2025.
12. Bancroft, Hubert Howe (1890). The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft: History of Nevada, colorado, and Wyoming. 1890. A. L. Bancroft. p. 257. Retrieved 3 October 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
13. "About The Nevada journal. (Nevada City, Calif.) 1851-18??". Chronicling America, Library of Congress. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
14. California Supreme Court (1906). Reports of Cases Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of California. Bancroft-Whitney. p. 662. Retrieved 3 October 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
15. Hand-book Almanac for the Pacific States: An Official Register and Year-book of Facts for the Year ... H.H. Bancroft and Company. 1864. p. 183. Retrieved 3 October 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .