Medill, Joseph

Medill, Joseph (mədĭl`), 1823–99, American journalist, b. near St. John, N.B., Canada. His family moved to a farm near Massillon, Ohio, in 1832. He was admitted to the bar in 1846, but in 1849 abandoned law and with his three brothers bought the Coshocton Whig, which he renamed the Republican. In 1851 he founded the Daily Forest City in Cleveland and later merged it with a Free-Soil paper to form the Cleveland Leader. Medill bought an interest in the Chicago Tribune in 1855, became its managing editor and business manager, and from 1874 until his death had absolute control of the paper. He was important in the formation of the Republican party (he is credited with having suggested its name) and was a warm supporter and friend of Lincoln. In the Civil War he advocated the emancipation and arming of the slaves and in Reconstruction days backed the radical Republicans in Congress. He was a member of the Illinois constitutional convention of 1869, was one of the first U.S. civil service commissioners (1871), and was elected (1871) mayor of Chicago.

Bibliography

See P. Kinsley, The Chicago Tribune (3 vol., 1943–46); J. Tebbel, An American Dynasty (1947).

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Medill, Joseph

(born April 6, 1823, near Saint John, N.B., Can.—died March 16, 1899, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.) Canadian-born U.S. editor and publisher. Born into a family of shipbuilders, he studied law in the U.S. and was admitted to the bar in 1846. He turned to newspaper publishing in 1849. As managing editor of the Chicago Tribune (from 1855), he set its antislavery editorial policy. He helped found the Republican Party (1854) and worked for Abraham Lincoln's nomination. As mayor of Chicago (1871–74), he helped establish the Chicago Public Library (1872–74). In 1874 he resigned as mayor and acquired a controlling share in the Chicago Tribune. Four of his grandchildren, including Robert McCormick, also ran newspapers.

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Medill, Joseph (1823–99) publisher, editor; born in New Brunswick, Canada. Raised mainly in Ohio and partially self-taught, he became a lawyer, bought and ran two papers, and in 1855 acquired part interest in the Chicago Tribune, with which he was associated as owner and editor for most of his later years. He built it into a highly professional, influential, and successful paper, though markedly illiberal (one infamous editorial advocated administering arsenic to derelicts and the unemployed). He also served in public life, notably as mayor of Chicago in the early 1870s.